Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, Sailor Mini/Chibi Moon, and all related places and
characters are the property of Naoko Takeuchi, Pioneer, and many others.
This story is simply intended as a fun Christmas fantasy featuring the
Sailor Moon characters.
Author's Note: I'm using the English-language names. I know the Japanese names, but I'm more familiar with the English ones. Characterizations come from both versions and from the manga. There are certain things in the Japanese version that I like and certain things in the English version that I like.
This story is based after the three film versions of "Babes in Toyland", which debuted on Broadway in the early 1900s - the 1934 Laurel & Hardy vehicle, the 1961 Disney film, and the 1986 TV movie with Drew Barrymore. It's intended as a homage to all three, and of Christmassy fairy tales in general.
This is set directly after the Sailor Moon S season.
Rini in Toyland
By Emma Redmer
Prologue - Is There a Santa Claus?
Serenity "Rini" Shields sat between Serena Tsukino and Darien Shields, watching the snow lightly fall over downtown Tokyo, Japan. Mina Aino and Lita Kino gossiped in the backseat. They were driving to a park to go sledding. It was Christmas Eve, but Rini wasn't as excited as she usually was.
Oh, she still loved holly and mistletoe (and teasing her mother/cousin Serena about kissing her father/cousin's boyfriend Darien under it). She liked Ilene-mama's cookies and cakes. She liked the pretty lights that Ken- papa hung on the porch, and the tree filled with favorite family ornaments in the living room. Christmas in Crystal Tokyo wasn't nearly as much fun, especially since her real mama, Neo-Queen Serenity, was a terrible cook and never made baked goods. She would send for them from a bakery, but they weren't as tasty as Ilene-mama's Christmas cakes.
There was something troubling her this year, though, something that made her doubt the reason for the entire holiday. She asked Darien about it as they were unpacking the sleds from the car.
"Darien," she began slowly, ignoring Lita, Mina, and Serena's chatter, "is there really a Santa Claus?"
Serena's eyes nearly bugged out. "There isn't a Santa Claus?" She coughed when the others gave her funny looks. "Um.duh! Of course, there isn't! How could anyone make seven tiny reindeer go fast enough to deliver presents to all the children of the world in one night?"
Lita Kino sighed as she dragged out a large sled. "Aw, Serena, she's just a little kid! You don't tell little kids stuff like that!"
"I am NOT a little kid!" Rini shouted. "I'm nine.well, almost eight and a half. Anyway, that's old enough to know what's real and what isn't."
Darien blushed. He hated it when Rini asked him big questions he couldn't answer. "Rini.Santa, well, he." he began, not sure how to continue.
Fortunately for him, Amy Anderson, Michelle Kaioh, Trista Meioh, Amara Tenoh, Chad Kamada, Raye Hino, and Hotaru Tomoe joined them at that moment. Hotaru was Rini's best friend. She was only about three now, but she was growing quite rapidly after her rebirth. Rini was glad her friend survived the end of the world. She'd be lost without her.
Michelle pulled three large Thermoses and a bag of Styrofoam cups out of a shoulder satchel. "Ok, who wants hot drinks? Michelle and I packed coffee, cocoa, and hot tea." Her cousin Amara untied the sleds that were bound to the back of the motorcycle.
Trista smiled. "Hotaru and I will have some tea, please." Hotaru jumped up and down and giggled.
Rini played with Hotaru as the others went sledding or skating on the lake. Trista sat on a bench and sipped her tea. "Puu?" Rini asked, using her nickname for her best adult friend. If anyone would know about Santa, it was Trista. As the Sailor of Time and the Guardian of the Time Gate, she'd seen more events and people than almost anyone in the known universe.
"Yes, Rini?"
"Is there really a Santa Claus?"
"San'ta?" Hotaru asked, imitating Rini. The two girls were building a snow cat. Hotaru patted snow on its back while Rini stuck twigs in it for whiskers. She picked up a rock and stuck it between the "whiskers". "Kitty!" the toddler laughed. "Art'mis!" Rini giggled, too. The snow sculpture did almost look like Mina's cat Artemis.
Trista sighed. "That's a difficult question, Rini." She set her cup down on the bench. "I believe in the spirit of Santa Claus, in what he stands for. Christmas has a spirit, you know, a very special spirit. It's a kind of magic."
"Like Silver Crystal magic?" Rini asked. Hotaru tried to hug the snow cat, but she ended up falling on top of it, in a pile of cold fluff, pebbles, and twigs.
"Not exactly," Trista explained as a now-soaking wet Hotaru climbed into her lap. "We all posses this magic, whether we have a Silver Crystal or not. It's the kind of magic you find deep inside you. You have to believe in the magic of Christmas, Rini."
"Hey, Rini," Serena called from the hill where she, Darien, Amara, Michelle, and Mina were sledding, "want to race me to the bottom? The winner gets to have the first slice of Mom's Christmas coconut cake when we get home!"
Rini couldn't resist a challenge, especially when there was a possibility of showing off in front of Darien. She grabbed her sled. "Bye, Puu, and thanks!" The pink-haired girl rushed up the slippery slope, where Serena and Amara awaited her. Serena's bright pink sled was already on the ground.
Amara nodded. "Michelle and I are going to be the judges," she explained. Rini briefly saw Michelle's turquoise head half-walking, half-sliding down the hill. Amara fished a brass whistle out of her pocket while the two "meatball-heads" got settled on their sleds.
I've got to win! Rini thought. I want Darien to see how fast I am! Besides, if I don't win, Serena will tease me about it for the rest of the day! Serena looked equally determined.
Amara held up her whistle. "On your marks.get set." Rini and Serena slid back and forth, trying to get a speedy push-off. "GO!!!!" Amara blew the whistle.
WHOOSH!!!! Rini sped past trees and surprised onlookers. She looked over her shoulder. She was ahead, but Serena was gaining quickly. She saw a small path through a thick growth of trees. If she could use this shortcut, she might just be able to beat Serena! She turned her sled off the main path and towards the trees.
She looked over her shoulder again. Mina and Darien were cheerfully encouraging both racers. She flashed Darien her biggest smile. She was almost at the bottom! She was so busy getting Darien's attention, she didn't hear Michelle cry "Rini, look out!" until it was too late.
The huge, thick tree seemed to appear from out of nowhere. She tried to swerve to avoid it, but she was going too fast. The sled slammed into the trunk, and Rini could remember no more.
Author's Note: I'm using the English-language names. I know the Japanese names, but I'm more familiar with the English ones. Characterizations come from both versions and from the manga. There are certain things in the Japanese version that I like and certain things in the English version that I like.
This story is based after the three film versions of "Babes in Toyland", which debuted on Broadway in the early 1900s - the 1934 Laurel & Hardy vehicle, the 1961 Disney film, and the 1986 TV movie with Drew Barrymore. It's intended as a homage to all three, and of Christmassy fairy tales in general.
This is set directly after the Sailor Moon S season.
Rini in Toyland
By Emma Redmer
Prologue - Is There a Santa Claus?
Serenity "Rini" Shields sat between Serena Tsukino and Darien Shields, watching the snow lightly fall over downtown Tokyo, Japan. Mina Aino and Lita Kino gossiped in the backseat. They were driving to a park to go sledding. It was Christmas Eve, but Rini wasn't as excited as she usually was.
Oh, she still loved holly and mistletoe (and teasing her mother/cousin Serena about kissing her father/cousin's boyfriend Darien under it). She liked Ilene-mama's cookies and cakes. She liked the pretty lights that Ken- papa hung on the porch, and the tree filled with favorite family ornaments in the living room. Christmas in Crystal Tokyo wasn't nearly as much fun, especially since her real mama, Neo-Queen Serenity, was a terrible cook and never made baked goods. She would send for them from a bakery, but they weren't as tasty as Ilene-mama's Christmas cakes.
There was something troubling her this year, though, something that made her doubt the reason for the entire holiday. She asked Darien about it as they were unpacking the sleds from the car.
"Darien," she began slowly, ignoring Lita, Mina, and Serena's chatter, "is there really a Santa Claus?"
Serena's eyes nearly bugged out. "There isn't a Santa Claus?" She coughed when the others gave her funny looks. "Um.duh! Of course, there isn't! How could anyone make seven tiny reindeer go fast enough to deliver presents to all the children of the world in one night?"
Lita Kino sighed as she dragged out a large sled. "Aw, Serena, she's just a little kid! You don't tell little kids stuff like that!"
"I am NOT a little kid!" Rini shouted. "I'm nine.well, almost eight and a half. Anyway, that's old enough to know what's real and what isn't."
Darien blushed. He hated it when Rini asked him big questions he couldn't answer. "Rini.Santa, well, he." he began, not sure how to continue.
Fortunately for him, Amy Anderson, Michelle Kaioh, Trista Meioh, Amara Tenoh, Chad Kamada, Raye Hino, and Hotaru Tomoe joined them at that moment. Hotaru was Rini's best friend. She was only about three now, but she was growing quite rapidly after her rebirth. Rini was glad her friend survived the end of the world. She'd be lost without her.
Michelle pulled three large Thermoses and a bag of Styrofoam cups out of a shoulder satchel. "Ok, who wants hot drinks? Michelle and I packed coffee, cocoa, and hot tea." Her cousin Amara untied the sleds that were bound to the back of the motorcycle.
Trista smiled. "Hotaru and I will have some tea, please." Hotaru jumped up and down and giggled.
Rini played with Hotaru as the others went sledding or skating on the lake. Trista sat on a bench and sipped her tea. "Puu?" Rini asked, using her nickname for her best adult friend. If anyone would know about Santa, it was Trista. As the Sailor of Time and the Guardian of the Time Gate, she'd seen more events and people than almost anyone in the known universe.
"Yes, Rini?"
"Is there really a Santa Claus?"
"San'ta?" Hotaru asked, imitating Rini. The two girls were building a snow cat. Hotaru patted snow on its back while Rini stuck twigs in it for whiskers. She picked up a rock and stuck it between the "whiskers". "Kitty!" the toddler laughed. "Art'mis!" Rini giggled, too. The snow sculpture did almost look like Mina's cat Artemis.
Trista sighed. "That's a difficult question, Rini." She set her cup down on the bench. "I believe in the spirit of Santa Claus, in what he stands for. Christmas has a spirit, you know, a very special spirit. It's a kind of magic."
"Like Silver Crystal magic?" Rini asked. Hotaru tried to hug the snow cat, but she ended up falling on top of it, in a pile of cold fluff, pebbles, and twigs.
"Not exactly," Trista explained as a now-soaking wet Hotaru climbed into her lap. "We all posses this magic, whether we have a Silver Crystal or not. It's the kind of magic you find deep inside you. You have to believe in the magic of Christmas, Rini."
"Hey, Rini," Serena called from the hill where she, Darien, Amara, Michelle, and Mina were sledding, "want to race me to the bottom? The winner gets to have the first slice of Mom's Christmas coconut cake when we get home!"
Rini couldn't resist a challenge, especially when there was a possibility of showing off in front of Darien. She grabbed her sled. "Bye, Puu, and thanks!" The pink-haired girl rushed up the slippery slope, where Serena and Amara awaited her. Serena's bright pink sled was already on the ground.
Amara nodded. "Michelle and I are going to be the judges," she explained. Rini briefly saw Michelle's turquoise head half-walking, half-sliding down the hill. Amara fished a brass whistle out of her pocket while the two "meatball-heads" got settled on their sleds.
I've got to win! Rini thought. I want Darien to see how fast I am! Besides, if I don't win, Serena will tease me about it for the rest of the day! Serena looked equally determined.
Amara held up her whistle. "On your marks.get set." Rini and Serena slid back and forth, trying to get a speedy push-off. "GO!!!!" Amara blew the whistle.
WHOOSH!!!! Rini sped past trees and surprised onlookers. She looked over her shoulder. She was ahead, but Serena was gaining quickly. She saw a small path through a thick growth of trees. If she could use this shortcut, she might just be able to beat Serena! She turned her sled off the main path and towards the trees.
She looked over her shoulder again. Mina and Darien were cheerfully encouraging both racers. She flashed Darien her biggest smile. She was almost at the bottom! She was so busy getting Darien's attention, she didn't hear Michelle cry "Rini, look out!" until it was too late.
The huge, thick tree seemed to appear from out of nowhere. She tried to swerve to avoid it, but she was going too fast. The sled slammed into the trunk, and Rini could remember no more.