This is an A/U fic set in Sailor Moon R series. The Senshi haven't found the Princess or the crystal yet. Tux is here and so are the Generals and they are with him. And for a wild change, Darien and Usagi are dating and they know each other's secret identities.

So read, review, and tell me what you think, but no flames, alright. I am open to all objective criticism.

As stated before, be kind and just enjoy the story. No one is paying me to write this, it's just for fun.

I don't own Sailor Moon; I'm just a fan.

NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS THEN DON'T READ IT.

Part I

The Dark Kingdom

Prologue

Long silver blonde danced merrily in the light summer breeze. Happy laughter filled the entire courtyard causing the birds in the trees and the small animals on the ground to stop and watch with wonder as the tiny sprite chased her friends about stone covered yard.

A girl with long, inky black hair squealed and dodged the girl's hands. She darted behind a petite girl with a cap of dark bluish-black hair and the two girls screamed and ran away from their friend.

The blonde girl stopped in the center of the yard and collapsed to her knees. Her small pert face was flush from exercise and joy. The other two girls soon followed suite. They looked at each other and then burst out into hysterical laughter.

"Oh, this was much more fun than spending the day at the Arcade." The blonde raised her face to the warm sun and closed her eyes.

"Or the mall or the movies." The girl with the long black hair said. She rested her head on the left shoulder of her blue haired friend. "What was that game were just playing, Usa-chan?"

"Tag." The blonde supplied.

"Hai, it was fun."

Usa lowered face to look down at the two girls, a soft smile gracing her lips. "I can't believe that you two never played tag as children."

The one with short hair blushed, "It is kind of hard to do such things when you are always in school." She confessed.

"The other children did not want to play with me." The other said softly, "Everyone though I was weird or strange because I lived here with my grandpa." She smiled then. "But we have each other now, and you, Usagi. You are our friend and you helped us become friends."

"Thank you, Rei and Ami." Usagi said sincerely, "But my friendship comes with a heavy price." She closed her eyes and two fat tears slipped from their seam to roll gently down her face. To her surprise, Usagi found herself in the center of a group hug.

The girls were laughing again, this time pulling Usagi from her melancholy.

"I wish we could always be like this."

Cast List.

Serena (Usagi to most, Buns to Darien) Rensselaer -Tsukino-15

Darien Mamoru Chiba-Shields-17

Ami Mizuno-15 (Sailor Mercury)

Rei Hino-16 (Sailor Mars)

Lindsey Brita Rensselaer-Kino -18 (Sailor Jupiter)

Wilhelmina (Mina) Aino -19 (Sailor Venus)

Hotaru Tomoe-19 (Sailor Saturn)

Anastasia (Alex) Larisa Alexandrova-18 (Sailor Uranus)

Trista Meiou-21 (Sailor Pluto)

David Rothschild-19 (Kunzite)

Francisco (Frankie) Jaen Alvarez de la Santa Maria del Toro-18 (Jadeite)

Jiro Satoshi-Carter-19 (Nephrite)

Joshua Anderson-17 (Zoisite)

Extras:

Luna

Artemis Aino

Andrew

Eiji Kaiou (he was Greg, but now he is Michiru's brother.)

Samuel Shingo Rensselaer-Tsukino

Kenji Tsukino

Ilene Rensselaer-Tsukino

Dr. Marie Mizuno

Grandpa Hino

and the villains.

One

1

Usagi Tsukino trudged into the Crown Arcade feeling the weight of the world on her slim shoulders. Entrance exam loomed in the horizons and her math grade was just barely hanging on to a low C. And to make matters worst, that cat was getting on her last good nerve.

She glanced at her watch/communicator it was only three-thirty. Ami would still be in school and Rei was visiting her with her father. Usagi found an empty booth in the back of diner part and decided to wait for Ami. She pulled out her homework for the next day and started on it. She sat in silence for fifteen minutes before someone dropped into the bench across her. She looked up and groaned.

"If it isn't nerd-boy." She muttered. She tried to bury her nose in her Literature book only to have it plucked from her hands. "Hey," she cried.

Her tormentor grinned down at her angry little face. "You haven't spoken to me in two days, Usa," his dark blue eyes reflected the fear that did not show on his face. "Are you still mad because I didn't tell you I was Tuxedo Kaman?"

Usagi shook her head, "No. I didn't tell you I was Sailor Moon. However, I am upset about Trista Meiou." She took her book back and pouted, "What's going on with you and her, Darien?"

"Nothing," he told her. He reached for her hands and laced their fingers. "I was just asked to tutor her in organic chemistry, that all, Buns." His smiled charmingly at her. "Besides, she's too old for me. I like to be oldest in a relationship."

Usagi blushed. "Yeah, well, how old she anyway?"

"Twenty-one, I think." He kissed the knuckles on her right hand.

"You look like you're about that age." She said falling into the spell he was creating.

"Well there is a difference of being twenty-something and looking like it. Besides, I am oblivious to all the members of the fairer sex, except for you." He nibbled on ridge created by her knuckles. "So are we still on for Friday night?"

Usagi nodded. "My parents say its okay, but I have curfew at eleven-thirty."

"That's cool; I have to teach an undergrad anatomy class for one of my professors Saturday morning."

"That's my boyfriend, the super genius of all of Japan." She said softly. "You want to wait with me until Ami shows up?"

Darien looked torn, "You know I do." He kissed her hand a final time and he stood up. "But I gotta help Frankie with his chemistry lab or he will blow the place up."

"KO University must be saved from the Spanish Menace." She still pouted. "Call me soon?" She asked hopefully.

"I'll call you tonight, babe." He swooped down for a quick kiss and then another before he reluctantly tore himself away from her. "Love me?"

"Of course," she smiled up at him.

Darien touched her face tenderly. "Good, because I love you." He saw his friend at the counter and called, "Drew, get Usagi whatever she wants and put it on my tab." He kissed Usagi again and then left. Frankie was going to owe him big for this.

Usagi watched her boyfriend leave, a small smile on her lips as her lips as he passed by the window near her and he blew her a kiss.

Someone touched the top of her head. Usagi looked up and smiled brightly. "Hi, Drew." She said to the sandy haired youth. "What's up?"

"A penny for your thoughts, bunny?" Andrew sat down in the seat Darien had vacated. He slid a chocolate shake under her nose.

"Oh, it's nothing." She said airily. Her smile lost some of its light. She bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him through her lashes. "Hey Drew, do you know Trista Meiou?" She asked nervously.

"Yeah, she's a premed at KO U." He told her. "Why you want to know?"

Usagi looked away, a slight flush stained her pretty face. "Well, I heard something—" She picked at the hem of her skirt, embarrassed that she was actually doing this. "Actually, Lita was talking to her friend Hotaru Tomoe—"

"Sam's girlfriend, right? Yeah I know her. We have a couple classes together." He said. "What did she say to Lita?"

"Well, Hotaru said that she over heard that this Trista girl talking to your ex-girlfriend, Reika. She was asking a lot of questions about Darien and—"

"Whoa!" Andrew sat up sharply. "Usa, I know Trista and I know she's not interested in Darien, in spite of what witch Reika might have said to Hotaru."

"But…" She tried to protest but Andrew cut her off.

"There's no doing it, Trista knows that Dare is in a serious and committed relationship." He leaned forward slightly and she did too. "She also knows that Darien is just a kid so she's leaving him alone."

"You sure?" She did not like to be so uncertain.

"Yeah," Andrew smiled at her. "I'm sure."

"Yo, Drew," a guy with close cropped silvery blond hair and dark gray eyes shouted at he cuffed the arcade manager. "If Dare saw you that close to his precious baby, he'd rip you a new one buddy." He stooped to kiss Usagi's right cheek. "How's it going, babe?"

"I'm fine, Dave." She laughed as he ruffled her hair. "Hey have you seen Sam?"

"Yeah, he's at the house helping Jiro and Josh put together our new sound system. Man, Drew, you won't believe that thing. Two of the speakers are about as tall as Usa." He sat down as she made room for him. "Where's the cover boy anyway?"

"Chemistry lab with Frankie." She told him.

Andrew sputtered, Dave was staring at her in horror. "Oh, God, I though that idiot was taking plain old safe Earth Science." He cried.

"God, I hope Darien gets there in time." Andrew said feverently. "Who in their right mind would give Frankie chemicals?"

"Usagi?" Ami Mizuno said softly. The two handsome young men looked up. "Hi." She said nervously.

"Ami," Usagi waved her into booth. Andrew scooted down to make room for her. "You remember Andrew." He smiled at her as she sat down. "This is one of Darien's housemates, David Rothschild."

"Hi, Ami," Dave stuck out his right hand. "Are you coming to Usa's cousin's party this Saturday?"

"I don't know—" She said quietly.

"Of course she is." Usagi pushed her milkshake before Ami. "How was school?"

"Fine." She looked down at her hands.

Andrew looked over at her uniform and frowned, "You don't go to Juuban High?"

"No," Usagi said with a hint of pride, "Ami is a senior at Infinity College. She's studying to be a doctor just like Darien."

Ami blushed deeply. "Darien Chiba-Shields is a legend in many academic circles…I will never be as in the same league as he…"

"Anyway," Usagi said loudly, ending the extolling of Darien's qualities. "Ami, you're coming to my house for dinner with these guys." She looked at Andrew pointedly. "Are you off the clock yet?

"Yes, dear."

"Then we should go before Sam gets back with Josh and Jiro or we won't get anything." She shoved at Dave. "C'mon. Move. Lita's making tortellini and her special sauce."

2

"Are you sure you want two want to have this discussion now, Sailor Moon?" Mercury slapped a sharp projectile that was coming at her head with tin trashcan.

"You're right, Merc." Sailor Moon whipped off her tiara and charged it. "Kamen, I need a distraction over here."

The dark cloaked warrior slammed his right foot in the dark General's neck. "I am busy right now, Moon." He said through gritted teeth as he ducked Jedite's flying fist. He caught the out flung arm and pulled the general in to meet his fist. There was a satisfying crunch as he broke Jedite's nose and two front teeth. But Tux boy did not stop there. He rammed his knee into Jedite's chest a few times, his knee connected with the sternum each time until it snapped under the constant assault. Jedite coughed up black blood. He tried desperately to retaliate against the masked warrior, but Tuxedo Kamen nimbly sidestepped him and the dark general fell to the ground. He laid there, hacking up chunks of black clotted blood. Tuxedo Kamen pulled out his cane; he released the hidden trigger and withdrew a sword.

Jedite saw his death coming towards him with slow, precise steps.

"Moon Frisbee." The golden haired Senshi of the Moon called out and Jedite knew he was alone.

Tuxedo Kamen raised his sword and started to bring the blade down when out of the blue; a ball of black fur attacked him. He yanked the creature from his face, tossed it aside, and turned back to his prey, but that small reprieve provided the dark warrior chance to escape. Kamen ripped off his mask and swore.

"Luna!" Both Sailor Moon and Mercury shouted as they hurried over to the tuxedo clad warrior and the stunned looking cat. "What did you do?" Sailor Moon snatched the cat up from the ground.

Luna automatically assumed the pig-tailed bun-wearing girl was talking to the young man, but got a jolt when Sailor Moon turned on her. "Do you know how long it took us to set this up?" She ranted. "We had Jedite. We had him. That would have been one less enemy out of the way and what did you do—" She had to put Luna down fast or that cat would have been flying into the bushes.

"We are extremely disappointed in you, Luna." Mercury stated coldly.

"What are you both going on about?" cried the flabbergasted little animal. "I was stopping that man from becoming a murderer."

"Murderer?" Darien whirled on the cat. "That thing was not human. It was vomiting black blood and green slime was leaking from its wounds."

Moon moved in between the man and the cat. Darien took a step back and turned away from them. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his back.

"Damn it, Buns. We were so close." He blew a deep breath and hung his head.

"I know." She said softly. "We'll get him next time."

"There may not be a next time," Darien turned around and looked down into her eyes gravely. "Buns, we took a serious risk tonight. With Mars out, it was only you and Mercury—No offense, Merc." He called out to the blue Senshi.

"None taken, Kamen."

"While I was fighting with Jedite, all I could think about was coming to you. Even when you called to me as per our plan, I fighting to stay focused on my target and not to go running to you."

"But you didn't and that show that you have this I don't 'lojack' on me under control."

Darien could not help but to smile at her description of his sense. "Yeah, well next time—"

"Stop worrying about a next time, Darien." She pleaded. "Next time, we're going lock Luna in a cage and we're going take out Jedite."

A teasing grin broke out on his face. "You promise?"

"About Jedite?" She said, "Yeah, you bet—"

"No, dear heart," he slipped his arms about her waist and easily lifted her from the ground and brought her to his eye level. "I was talking about the cage." He drawled.

Usagi smiled lazily into his eyes as she slowly draped her arms around his neck. "Oh, yeah. That is a promise, you buy the cage and I will defiantly lock that kitty in my basement."

"Sounds good." He leaned in to brush his lips against hers. "I'll pick one up tomorrow."

Behind them, Mercury coughed loudly. "Hey, guys. Can that wait until later? Usa and I snuck out of her house and if her parents find out that we---"

"Oh, crap!" Darien put Usagi down quickly. "I was supposed to give Eiji and Josh a ride to the Kou Brothers' party." He swooped in for a quick kiss, leaving Usagi a little stunned. "Will you two be alright getting home?"

"Yeah," Mercury demorphed leaving a tired looking Ami who was dressed in sweatpants, running shoes, and a tee shirt that read Infinity College Girls' Swim Team. Usagi was in a similar outfit, but her tee shirt had picture of Bart Simpson giving the finger and caption that read 'I don't give an f, man.' It was not a cute little bunny and Lita was going to kill her for taking it.

"One day, Lita's going to rip you a new one for stealing her clothes." Darien told her.

"Don't worry about me." She told him. "But you, buddy." She waved a tiny fist beneath his nose menacingly. "You better behave at this party. You know Frankie is a big snitch."

"Yes, dear." He kissed her again. "I'll be on my best behavior. I'm one of the drivers remember." He tipped his head in Ami's direction, "See you later, Ami. Good luck on that exam."

"Good bye, Darien and thank you."

"And you, pretty lady." He kissed her again. "I'll pick you up in the morning. Bye."

"Bye." She touched his face tenderly. "I love you."

"Of course you," he winked at her as he backed away. "I'm your dream guy. Love you." And he left them.

Usagi watched him go, she sighed and then turned back to her friend and smiled brightly. "Since Lita and Sam went to that party, how about we stay up and watch a movie and eat some of Lita's fudge brownies?"

"Usagi," Ami shook her head and laughed. "Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Well let's make that wonderful idea into a great one. I'll make us both hot fudge brownie sundaes."