Translations:
Bonjour — Hello
Merci — Thank you
Mademoiselle — Miss
Monsieur
SOLAR SHADOW
The small yellow sports car sped along the dark, nearly deserted highway. It was soothing to drive at night when the rush of people had completed their daily business and were snug in their beds. The night came alive and full of possibilities, such as racing down a highway normally clogged with traffic.
The car switched gears, picking up speed. The dark highway was slowly becoming illuminated by the light of the approaching city. The driver took her eyes off the road to gaze at the sleeping form beside her. With a slight smile, she reached over to gently shake her companion awake.
"Hey," she said. "We're here."
Her friend opened her green-blue eyes and smiled at the driver. She stretched, ran her fingers though her aquamarine hair, and sat up to look at the city.
"It's beautiful, Haruka," she said.
Haruka nodded, light shining off her short blonde hair. Her companion studied her face closely, trying to determine her mood. Haruka's blue eyes were locked on the road, sharp and intense. She wore black pants, a man's white dress shirt, and a pale blue jacked and looked for all intents and purposes, like a man.
Perhaps that was why Michiru found her so attractive.
The nonexistent landscape of the highway vanished into towering buildings. The highway itself faded into oblivion and Haruka found herself driving down narrow, winding streets. She noticed from the corner of her eye Michiru's hands tightening on her black violin case. Michiru's eyes were full of a nervous excitement that made Haruka smile. Michiru was dressed elegantly in a long purple skirt with a loose white blouse and a light shawl to keep off the evening chill.
"Are you okay?" Haruka asked.
Michiru looked at her partner in surprise, then smiled and laughed nervously. "Fine," she answered.
"You're not at all concerned about performing in front of hundreds of people?" Haruka pressed.
"I've done it before," Michiru said nonchalantly.
"At home," Haruka added, "but never in France, at the Paris Opera House."
Michiru stared ahead. Her fingers tightened on the violin case again. Haruka reached over and took Michiru's hand in hers. She gave it a reassuring squeeze.
Ahead of them loomed the Eiffel tower, sparkling in the night sky.
"Bonjour, Mademoiselle Kaiou," the hotel concierge said with a bow.
"Please, call me Michiru," the girl replied with a bow of her own.
The concierge smiled. "You speak French quite well," he complimented her.
"Merci," Michiru replied.
Behind her, Haruka stood silently. The concierge turned to the girl and spoke to her rapidly in French. Haruka blinked in confusion. The concierge turned back to Michiru.
"Monsieur is the silent type?" he asked.
Michiru laughed and Haruka looked startled.
"I'm afraid Monsieur doesn't speak French," Michiru explained.
"What's going on?" Haruka asked quietly in Japanese.
The concierge winked at Michiru and turned back to Haruka.
"I trust you are enjoying France?" he asked in perfect Japanese.
Haruka's startled expression intensified. "Yes," she stammered. "Th . . . Thank you."
Michiru began to giggle behind her hand, and her companion shot her a dark look. The concierge failed to regard this and kept smiling. He turned back to Michiru, but kept speaking Japanese for Haruka's benefit.
"The conductor of the Paris Opera House left a message for you. He said that since you arrived so late last night, you should relax today. See the sights of Paris and enjoy yourselves. Rehearsal will begin tomorrow at five a.m."
With that, he turned to the girls, bowed, and left. They watched him go. Haruka smiled at Michiru.
"Well," she said. "Where shall we go first?"
Haruka groaned and turned over, burying her face in her pillow. Sunlight filtered in through the window, reminding Haruka that it was morning. She raised her head, blinked sleepily, and looked over to where Michiru had slept. The other bed was neatly made and had a note lying on the pillow. Haruka yawned and stretched. She ran her fingers through her messy hair and stood. Crossing the room, she picked up Michiru's note.
Good Morning, sleepy! I've gone to rehearsal and
will be back in time for dinner. Drop by the Opera
House around noon for lunch.
XOXO Michiru
P.S. I ordered breakfast for you. Enjoy!
Haruka couldn't help but smile. She reread the last line and shook her head. How could Michiru possibly know when Haruka would wake?
There was a knock at the door.
Then again, Haruka thought, she's never been wrong before.
Haruka answered the door and was greeted by a delicious breakfast tray.
Michiru stood beside the conductor skillfully leading the other violins in the orchestra. The conductor smiled at her, but she didn't see; she played with her eyes closed, allowing the music to coarse through her. Certainly she had skill, but it was her talent that made her performance extraordinary.
Haruka applauded as the song finished, the only sound in the deserted theatre. Michiru opened her eyes and blushed with pleasure. She turned to the conductor expectantly.
"Beautiful, Mademoiselle Kaiou. An excellent improvement from this morning," he said.
Michiru bowed. "Merci, Monsieur."
He nodded, then turned back to the orchestra.
"All right," he announced. "You all have one hour before we start again."
The orchestra gave a collective sigh of relief after nearly six straight hours of practice. Michiru descended the steps to the audience, and Haruka stood and applauded again. Michiru hit her hands lightly to make her stop.
"I don't think I'll ever be able to play again!" she complained, wiggling her sore fingers.
"You sound like Dumpling when you complain," Haruka laughed.
Nearly an hour later, they sat at a sidewalk café, sipping coffee. The remnants of their meal was still on the table, and their hour was nearly up. Michiru picked up her cup and was about to take a sip when the drink fell from nerveless fingers. It crashed to the ground and shattered. Michiru's eyes widened in shock and her entire body began to tremble. In an instant, Haruka was at her side, holding her close.
"What is it?" Haruka asked softly.
"I . . . I don't know," Michiru stammered. "Such . . . an intense feeling . . ."
"War, again?"
Michiru shook her head. "No . . . yes . . . I'm not sure . . . It could be a danger worse than what I felt before."
Haruka's eyes widened and she stared at her friend.
"The Silence?"
Michiru shuddered. "Would be nothing compared to the devastating feeling I just had."
As if to emphasize her point, the ground began to shake. Haruka and Michiru stood and stared out into the street as the pavement buckled and cracked. A low moan sounded as a large orange hand emerged from the crevice. Haruka and Michiru exchanged a look, and ran down a deserted side street.
"Uranus Planet Power, Make-Up!"
"Neptune Planet Power, Make-Up!"
By the time Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus returned to the scene of the crime, the orange monster had partially emerged from the hole in the ground. Its lower body was still hidden, but it used its hands to destroy anything within its reach.
"Hold it!"
The monster froze, searching for the source of the call.
"Heralded by the New Age, Sailor Uranus appearing beautifully," Sailor Uranus announced.
"Likewise, Sailor Neptune acting gracefully," Neptune added.
The monster blinked in surprise and confusion. It peered down at the two miniscule scouts.
"What are you doing here?" it asked in Japanese.
"We should ask you the same question," Neptune replied.
The monster dropped the car it was holding and cocked its head as if it were listening to an unheard voice. Uranus and Neptune were tense and ready to fight, but hesitated when the monster made no move. With a shrug, the creature reached for the scouts. They leapt out of the way.
Sailor Uranus lifted her hand.
"World . . ." she began.
"Shaking!" she said as she slammed her handful of energy into the ground.
The orange monster knocked the charge aside. Sailor Uranus stared in shock.
"Deep Submerge!" Neptune called.
Again, the attack was brushed off. Sailor Uranus ran at the monster with the intention of knocking it down. The monster suddenly moved with lightning fast speed and grabbed the scout in mid-air.
"Uranus!" Neptune cried. She took out her mirror.
"Submarine Reflection!"
The monster grunted as the attack hit, but seized Sailor Neptune with his other hand.
"My mistress will be interested in you two," he said as he sunk back under the ground.
Above him, the crevice closed and the street appeared almost normal.
Neptune and Uranus were plunged into a world of darkness. If it hadn't been for the tight grip of the creature that carried them, they would have thought they were asleep. The orange monster moved silently through the depths of the Earth.
Suddenly, there was an intense light that made both the scouts shield their eyes. The creature, however, didn't pause. Gradually, their eyes adjusted to the brightness and they opened their eyes. They were shocked to find they were no longer under the Earth.
Or on Earth at all, for that matter.
The room was beautifully designed with a high ceiling made of smooth white stone, and a floor of pale pink stone that was polished until it shone like glass. To the right were four high arches that looked out onto a desolate, lifeless wasteland of a planet. To the left, bright lights hung from the walls between intricate tapestries depicting a time long ago. At the head of the room stood a tall backed throne made of white marble. The throne had an engraving of a rising sun at the top and was decorated with detailed carvings of monsters and animals. The seat was covered with a purple, velvet pillow with a woman sitting on it. Beside her stood four human figures draped in shadow.
The orange monster dropped Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus roughly to the stone ground. The woman watched them expressionlessly, her head resting lightly on her hand. The scouts were on their feet in an instant, glaring at their abductor.
She was beautiful, with shoulder length wavy black hair and dark brown eyes. Her skin was pale and she wore a silver ring on her right hand. She was dressed in a long, flowing dark purple dress and had a small tiara on her head and a purple choker around her neck. She raised an eyebrow at the scouts in bored curiousity and drummed the fingers of her free hand on the arm of her chair.
"Who are you?" Sailor Uranus demanded, one hand resting on her sword.
"Take you hand off your weapon," a male voice said firmly.
Sailor Uranus' gaze drifted from the throned figure to one of the four shadowed figures standing beside her. He stepped forward and glared at the scout.
He was tall and muscular with long, fiery red hair and orange eyes. He wore a gray uniform with a yellow stripe running along the collar and down the right sleeve.
"Who are you?" Uranus asked, redirecting her question.
The man bowed stiffly. "Cano, Lord of Fire," her replied. "My mistress asks you to be her guest, not prisoner."
Sailor Uranus gave a short, barking laugh. "What kind of a guest is abducted from their home?"
"Where are we, anyway?" Neptune added.
"Home," the woman on the throne spoke up.
The scouts and Cano turned to stare at the woman. She lifted her head and gripped the arms of her throne with both hands.
"This is my kingdom," she said. "This is all that remains. We were once peaceful and happy, but no more. Now, this palace is all I have left."
She gestured with one arm to the room around them.
"What do you want from us?" Neptune demanded.
The queen smiled evilly. "To return the favour, of course."
Neptune's eyes widened and she gasped in shock. The queen began to laugh.
"You mean to destroy the Earth?" Uranus asked.
The queen's expression grew bored again. "I tire of this. I have been watching you two. I have seen you stop the Silence and I can't have you around trying to stop me. Cano, dispose of them."
The Lord of Fire advanced and the scouts tensed, ready to fight. The queen sat back in her throne to watch.
"World Shaking!" Uranus called.
The ball of energy struck Cano, who was knocked backwards into the wall. He was quickly on his feet, however, leaving Uranus speechless.
"The tunnel!" Neptune called. "Hurry!"
The two scouts fled down the tunnel the monster had carried them through. Cano halted at the entrance and turned in anger to the orange creature.
"Don't just sit there," he yelled. "Go after them! Stop them!"
The monster rolled his eyes and headed down the tunnel after
the scouts.
"World Shaking!"
Sailor Uranus pulled herself through the crack she had just made in the ground. She found herself once again in Paris, near the café where they had eaten lunch hours ago. Reaching back down the hole, she pulled Neptune back into the light.
"Oh no!" Neptune gasped. "Rehearsal! The conductor's going to be furious!"
"We don't have time for that now," Uranus snapped. "We have to get back to Tokyo and warn Dumpling."
Sailor Neptune nodded and they started down the street. Suddenly, the ground cracked open and the orange monster appeared again.
"There you are!" he said triumphantly. "Lord Cano would kill me if you got away."
"Let us save him the trouble," Uranus said, drawing her sword.
"Space Sword Blaster!" she yelled.
"Submarine Reflection!" Neptune added.
With a final scream of terror and failure, the orange monster disappeared. The earth sealed itself after it, forever blocking the way back to the dark queen's palace.
In a week's time, Haruka and Michiru were back in Tokyo. Michiru had cancelled her Paris appearance, feigning illness. The concert had been tentatively rescheduled for a later date. They arrived in Crossroads an hour after school had let out and hurried over to Rei's Shrine where they knew the girls would be working.
They were all seated in Rei's room. Usagi at one end of the table, biting on a pencil; Ami next to her, reading an advanced level English book; Makoto next to her, furiously working on an algebra question; Minako, reading a magazine hid behind her textbook; and Rei, working just as hard as Ami on elementary level English. Haruka and Michiru entered without behind announced. The inner scouts all looked up from their work and smiled.
"Haruka-san! Michiru-san!" Usagi cried.
"Hey, kitten," Haruka said affectionately. She looked around. "Where's Chibiusa?"
Usagi made a face. "She and Mamo-chan went away for a while. They wouldn't tell me where."
"Where have you two been?" Rei asked.
Haruka and Michiru sat down on Rei's bed. The scouts stopped their work and listened attentively to what they had to say.
Michiru brushed off Rei's question. "That's not important. We have news of a new enemy."
"Another enemy?" Usagi sighed. "I don't like fighting."
"But we have to do it, Usagi," Makoto said.
"This enemy seems determined to destroy the world," Haruka said. "Apparently, her kingdom was destroyed and now she is seeking revenge by destroying Earth."
"Destroying?" Minako repeated. "Not taking over the world?"
Michiru shook her head. "She desires only revenge, not domination."
"Who is this new enemy?" Rei asked.
Haruka shrugged. "We didn't stay long enough to find out her name. Her henchman is a fellow by the name of Lord Cano. He calls himself the Lord of Fire."
Rei's face grew dark. The scout of fire knew an opponent when she saw one. Makoto caught the look and reached across the table to put a comforting hand on her friend.
"The Great Fire hasn't predicted anything about a new evil in the world," Rei continued.
"They have only just revealed themselves," Michiru said. "About a week ago, the first attack came while we were in Paris."
"The earthquake?" Ami spoke up suddenly.
Michiru nodded. Usagi raised her head to look at the outer planet scouts. Her eyes were large and pleading.
"Will we work together on this one?" she asked. "We were divided before and it nearly cost us our world."
Haruka's face grew cross and she was about to retort when Michiru put a staying hand on her knee.
"You are our princess, Usagi," Michiru spoke for both of them. "We will help you however we can."
Haruka nodded.
"We need a plan to discover the identity of the new enemy," Ami said.
Before they could proceed, there was a polite knock at the door. Rei opened it and greeted the newcomer happily, stepping aside to let her in. In an instant, Haruka and Michiru were on their feet, poised for a fight.
The girl who had just walked in was the dark queen who was determined to destroy Earth.