-A link to the prologue can be found in my profile (I recommend that it be read first).
-Please keep in mind that the primary language being spoken by the characters is Japanese, however, this is written in English for the majority of my audience to understand.
-Disclaimer: Sailor Universe is my original character as is Adriana the gypsy. I don't own the Legend of Zelda or Sailor Moon.
Book 2: Clear as Crystal
Chapter I
Sailor Jamboree
Neon-black nothing.
That's all that was seen as the vortex hurled me through the very fabrics between alternate universes. It was quiet. There was no wind or sound of any kind - just like before.
I had time to think.
What a life this has turned out to be…this is the absolute last thing I ever imagined I'd be going through as a child. Hopefully…this time…I'll find the meaning behind all of this madness. Sailor Moon…don't let me down.
Once again, I felt like I was falling out of control as a window in the portal parted, and I was thrust into a completely different world.
But, that time, my instincts didn't allow me to painfully hit the ground. The second I fell out of the clouds, my body caught itself and slowed to a gentle hover. Glistening lights below signified a massive city lying across the surface of the Earth. Yes...Earth. There it was...my home planet. However, it wasn't as I remembered it. A glimpse of a massive red and white communications tower confirmed my location. That was Tokyo…a sight that, up until then, I had not been granted the privilege to see in person. I carefully maneuvered to the ground below and silently slipped in between a couple of brick office buildings.
The alleyway was dark, and I had to feel my way through rows of trashcans to get to the opening. Man…I just got here and I already sense something unnerving, I thought to myself.
I stopped right before I reached the mouth of the passageway and leaned against the chilled wall of the nearest building. "What time frame am I in…? God, I don't even know if I opened the right portal." I took in deep breaths and slowly backed up just a little more into the dim alley before proceeding. "Here goes nothing... Universe Celestial Power, Make-up!"
††††
"I'd like your heart crystal, please!" yelled Eudial. The mischievously prissy redhead aimed a large, obscure firearm filled with some sort of pink liquid at a female high school track runner. She intended to retrieve the heart crystal from the victim's body and deliver it to her employer as an energy source. If no one crossed her path…she would undoubtedly succeed.
The criminal fired her weapon, and when the blast hit the athlete head on, a bright light was repelled from the teenager's back. Eudial dashed over to it just as the girl fell to the ground unconscious.
"Ah, a crystal! Maybe this one will become a relic…"
The light that emerged from the girl's back had become a beautiful crystal shape - like a shining, four-point star. It was the track runner's heart crystal, and her possession of such a treasure signaled that she had a pure heart. However, there were three special heart crystals that Eudial and her organization always kept an eye out for...and those would become powerful talismans upon release from the owner's body.
"Hold it right there!" another voice called out.
Eudial cringed in annoyance and slightly turned to see that one person who had foiled her plans almost every single time.
"Leave this talented athlete alone, Eudial! Or in the name of the Moon…"
"Mercury...!"
"Mars…!"
"Jupiter…!"
"And Venus!"
"We'll punish you!" the five called in unison and pointed at their opponent.
"Ugh…will you senshi just go away? You've already brought enough grief into my life. Appear, Daimon!" Eudial commanded.
Suddenly, on cue, a loud bang was heard, and a strange, pink smoke filled the area as a very odd looking humanoid creature with a shoe for a body stepped out of Eudial's vehicle, the Witches 5 company van.
"Hurdler, eliminate those who get in our way…!" the fiery-haired witch commanded.
The daimon 'heart snatcher' represented a track racer, just like the victim, and knew exactly what to do. "Gladly!" it laughed, and charged for the group of sailor soldiers.
††††
Elsewhere on campus, watching the conflict from behind a tree was Haruka. Flipping on her handheld communicator, the tomboyish teen contacted her partner. "Michiru, we have trouble over at Shirakaba High School."
"Daimon?" Michiru asked.
"Yep. This time...they're after Elsa."
"Is that so..."
††††
"She's mine!" yelled Sailor Venus, and sprang ahead of her friends. "Venus Love Chain Encircle!" she shouted and let fly a long chain of deadly golden hearts at the enemy, ready to lash it a good one. But something went wrong, and the whole thing missed its target.
The creature chuckled evilly and lunged for Sailor Venus when, suddenly, a shout came out of no where, "World Shaking!"
Eudial, was forced to drop the heart crystal she had just collected from Elsa when a powerful attack in the likeness of planet Uranus caught her off guard, and she turned to see one of her biggest irritants. "You…!" she scowled.
Sailor Neptune entered the scene and caught the falling crystal. Turning to her partner, she handed the gem to Sailor Uranus and asked, "Is it one of them?"
A sandy-blonde-haired soldier examined the fragile piece carefully for a moment. "Well, it isn't turning into a relic, so I guess not." She carefully placed it back into Elsa's body to save the girl's life.
"Another failure... AUGH...you'll regret this! Hurdler! Run all over these sailor rats!" Eudial screamed and made a quick getaway while leaving her enemies to the daimon.
The creature laughed maniacally and continued its attack. She ran circles around the inner planet senshi, creating a seemingly impossible 'smoke rope'. The soldiers had little time to react before the enemy trapped them in the technique and they were left unable to move at all.
Sailor Neptune flipped her wavy, teal hair over her shoulder and gave a sigh of annoyance. "Big mistake…never disregard any of your opponents," she said, as if giving the daimon fighting lessons. In a single leap, she bounded over to the struggling inner senshi, and, with one hand, she tore through their binding.
The short, pig-tailed blonde, famously known as Sailor Moon, joyously expressed her gratitude to both outer planet soldiers, "Man, you're so cool, you guys!"
But the enemy was livid. "How dare you?!" it screeched, and made for Sailor Neptune head on.
The young soldier got into a fighter's stance and readied herself to attack, when an obscurity caught her eye. A small, silver spark suddenly came flying into view towards Hurdler from a distance.
The daimon seemed to notice and glanced at the shining mass of light in slight confusion. "What in the…"
Small though it was, it definitely proved itself in strength. Abruptly, just before it hit the enemy, a foreign voice called out, "Bakuhatsu!" Devastation commenced.
Those surrounding shielded themselves from the waves of dispersed energy. Then, following the disturbance, the daimon was nowhere to be found. Only a little, white seed sat where the enemy once stood. It cracked open, and the spirit of a demon escaped from it and vanished into thin air, confirming that the thing had indeed been destroyed.
All was silent for a brief moment.
"I…didn't even have to use my Moon Scepter," Sailor Moon said quietly, surprised.
The group of senshi looked around anxiously, but couldn't find the source of the attack.
"I know for sure that wasn't Chibi Moon," Mars stated.
Elsa suddenly awoke from her little fainting spell induced by Eudial's attack and looked around at those before her. "Wh-what's going on?" she asked. It wasn't every day one got to see Sailor Moon and her team standing over them.
"Hey, Miss, I think you'd better go see a doctor or something. You fainted suddenly and might want to check if everything's ok," Sailor Mars told the bewildered athlete with a smile.
With the help of the fire soldier, Elsa stood up and nodded her head gratefully. "Maybe…th-thanks," she said quietly, slowly walking off find her car.
When I was sure the student was gone, I took the opportunity to push off of the school roof and land lightly amidst the seven girls. In all honesty...I was scared, embarrassed, and incredibly unsure of my actions. I didn't even make eye contact; just simply let them know that I was there.
Sailor Moon let out a shocked squeal. "Ahh! Who are you?!" she asked, noticing my uniform looked somewhat like theirs.
Finally, gathering what willpower I had, I looked up and forced a nervous smile in her direction, placing my hands restlessly behind my back. "It's really you..." I said quietly. A moment was needed to take in the reality. I had already seen my share of impossibilities, but that new alternate universe brought an onslaught of fresh disbeliefs even in my mind.
She was really there...standing before me in the flesh. I took a breath to compose myself before responding, "Universe...I suppose I'm called Sailor Universe." It honestly felt incredibly awkward to introduce myself in such a manner. Never had I imagined that I'd be referring to myself legitimately as a sailor soldier. It was just weird.
"Universe, huh…? Never heard of a senshi by that name before. Are you saying you preside over the cosmos?" Uranus questioned.
I blinked at her in surprise a moment and then let out an exasperated sigh. "No, nothing like that," I answered. I had to think a moment. Why was I called Universe? Where and when had the title originated? What had I been thinking? Before the wind senshi could further interrogate, I explained how I'd come to their world. I told her and the rest of them about my dreams, my blurry destiny, and my first visit to Hyrule. Of course, though, Hyrule wasn't on their list of familiarities. "I swear to you there are other worlds out there. Different universes are all over and that's one of them." I stopped a moment.
HA! I mentally laughed, suddenly realizing that I had traveled to two alternate universes already. It didn't matter what I may have thought when I'd given my senshi that alias originally. What was important was that I finally discovered the true meaning behind the title.
"I have the power to break world barriers, so that's why...I go by that name." Funny...how I'd only been in that place fifteen minutes and I was already answering my own questions.
"That's insane!" exclaimed Sailor Jupiter.
"So, you traveled all this way just to get here from another cosmos?" asked Mercury, making sure she heard me right.
I smiled and nodded. Please, let them believe me…!
"It makes only a little sense…" Uranus pondered. I could tell she wasn't about to buy my story so easily. She was certainly never one to let her guard down, and I admired her for it. "What's your purpose in this world exactly…?"
I stared at her for a brief moment, wondering if I should state the truth or make something up. I didn't know how she would react to either explanation, and I wanted to be accepted at all costs. But, I figured the truth always seemed like the better option when the other choice was getting caught up in a web of lies. "I'm on a mission...to find out who I really am," I stated plainly.
"And you thought that Sailor Moon could help you…am I right?" she guessed.
I nodded. Perceptive as expected.
Sailor Moon perked up at this. "You mean I'm famous in other worlds, too?! How cool is that?"
Sailor Mars let out a frustrated sigh, "Now look what you did…you got her all up on her high horse again…"
A sweat drop found its way down my face and I half-halfheartedly apologized to the aggravated fire senshi.
It was then that I took a moment to think to myself. I know where I am now...guess I somehow landed in the middle of the battle between the senshi and Witches 5. Meaning…at this point, the outer senshi have no idea who the inner senshi really are…and Pluto and Saturn aren't even here yet. We'll just see how this goes, I guess.
Uranus interrupted my thoughts, "Universe."
"Yes?"
"Nothing personal, but I'm going to keep my eye on you until we find out what your deeper story is."
"Understandable, I suppose."
Then, without even saying good-bye, Uranus and Neptune turned to leave. Before they left, however, I felt the need to stop the latter of the two. I had something to say, but it didn't exactly come out the way I had intended. Not at all.
Shyly, I caught up to the aqua-clad sixteen year-old who was, to my surprise, a few inches shorter than me. Nervously clearing my throat, I got her attention. "Wait...uhm…Neptune…this may sound strange, but…I've really admired you for a long time and hope you'll be able to accept me as an ally," I stated, highly embarrassed at myself. DANG, if that wasn't a lame fan girl moment, I don't know what is…
She looked at me oddly a moment and then chuckled sweetly, "I appreciate that."
Uranus shot me a fierce glance that I interpreted as a warning.
Backing up in surprise, I held my hands up in defense, "I swear, I was just saying 'hi'…" I blushed and turned away, realizing that I'd forgotten all about the relationship those two shared.
I heard Uranus make an irritated sound in her throat before the two of them vanished completely.
There was an awkward silence for about a minute before Mercury broke it. "How about we go out for lunch this afternoon? It'd be a good way to get to know Sailor Universe better…that is…if she's willing to share her identity," she suggested.
I nodded without hesitation. There was nothing I had to hide in that world…it wasn't even mine. And yet...at the same time, I inwardly scoffed at the fact that such an outfit as we were wearing was capable of concealing an entire identity. It was baffling.
Everyone else agreed, acknowledging that we had much to talk about, and we all prepared to leave the campus. Sailor Mars turned to the bunch of us and told us we could meet at her temple before going out to eat. A time was set, and we went our separate ways.
††††
Once again back in civilian form, I leaned against a tree just outside of the Hikawa Shrine. Sailor Mars...known as the shrine maiden, Rei, didn't know I was there yet, and none of the others had arrived - so I just waited.
The sun was in the middle of the sky by then, signaling noontime. As I silently watched the ravens pecking at the stone walkway, a sudden loud squeal caught my attention.
"Haha! Reeeeiiii! We're here!" It was Usagi...the cheerful, young schoolgirl behind the soldier that was Sailor Moon. She came bolting up the stone steps waving a hand in the air, letting the whole world know she'd arrived. Following close behind her was the little, pink-headed Chibiusa, her future daughter who had traveled to the present to fight with Usagi and learn how to be a soldier.
The two zoomed by and didn't even see me in between the trees. I smiled and shook my head as I watched them race up to where Rei was standing. She'd come out front when she heard the high-pitched call.
The young priestess put her hands on her hips, and she wore a surprised look on her face. "I'm seriously impressed, Usagi, you're actually early for once in your life!" she exclaimed.
Usagi gave her friend an annoyed look. "Aw, come off it, Rei. I'm just curious about that new sailor senshi and can't wait to get a chance to talk to her. Is she here yet?" she asked, looking around with a hand bladed against her brow as if seriously searching for something.
Rei shook her head. "Afraid not. Though didn't you feel the energy emitting from her? She doesn't seem…normal to me."
"Well, she's not! Hello! Did you not hear her when she said she traveled across universes?"
"Yeah, but…"
"Well, I wanna meet her!" little Chibiusa suddenly piped up. The two older girls looked down at her.
"Uh…why are you so anxious?" Usagi questioned.
Chibiusa shrugged at the odango-headed blonde and gave a little giggle. "She sounds a lot like Pu!" she confessed.
Rei and Usagi looked back at each other with a thoughtful gleam in their eyes.
"Don't think she controls time, but…time and space can be similar to the fabrics of the universe…right?" Rei looked back down at Chibiusa. "If that's what you were thinking, you sure know how to analyze well for your age!"
Before Chibiusa could answer, the other girls came sauntering up the steps to join the trio.
"Woah, Usagi's here already? Rei, are we way late or what?" Minako teased.
"You're all so mean!" Usagi growled.
Rei suddenly gasped and told the others to hush. It took all Usagi had in her to keep from asking what the matter was. "Who's there?" the raven-haired priestess shouted to the trees.
Finally, I slipped out from my rather poor hiding spot and smiled at the group. "Yo," I said casually.
The girls all had to take a moment to recognize me as a civilian. But, after a moment passed, Chibiusa pointed at me and asked, "Is that her?"
Usagi slowly nodded, and then a wide grin spread across her face, "Yeah!"
Minako, Makoto, and Ami seemed relieved to know it was me, but Rei remained tense for some reason. "How long were you standing there?" she asked.
"Mmm...about ten minutes," I replied as I made my way over to them.
"Ten…" she repeated, "then why…"
"If you're wondering why you couldn't sense me before…it's because I concealed my energy. Something I learned to do a while back," I explained as I held my smile.
"Why did you feel the need to hide?" she asked, getting suspicious all of a sudden.
Ami noticed her friend's uptight behavior and didn't like the vibes she was getting. "Rei…I don't think this is the best-"
"Because I didn't feel like showing up first, but I had nothing better to do," I said simply.
At that, Rei seemed to loosen up. But only slightly. "I see…"
"Okay, girls, cut the chatter. I came here with a major appetite and wanna get to those burgers stat!" Makoto chimed in, breaking the tension all together.
Well, her antics worked. We all got it together pretty quickly and headed out.
††††
I was thankful that the girls all received allowances. Young though they were, they were able to help me pay for an absolutely delicious modern-day meal. Unlike in Hyrule, I couldn't find currency just lying around in dark places! I offered to repay them in service to their cause as warriors. It was all I could do, but it was an offer they readily accepted.
After we had eaten a multitude of hamburgers and downed some recommended milkshakes for dessert, an interesting conversation took place at the restaurant until dusk. We chatted in a hushed manner over our experiences as soldiers, our civilian lives, past and present missions, and the like. I was ever so grateful to take in all of the tips and insider strategies they had to offer first hand, as I was the least experienced of the group. But then, when the time was finally realized, we resolved to separate for the night. However, a little issue came up.
"Hey, Autumn," Rei started after learning my name, "since you don't exactly come from our world, that would mean you don't have a place of your own, am I right? So where are you planning to stay at night?" she asked.
I realized I hadn't even thought about that particular detail and hesitantly shrugged my shoulders. "Well, I'll…um…probably…find shelter in the woods…or something?" I stuttered. I figured it wouldn't be all that bad considering some of the places I'd slept in Hyrule.
"What?" all six of them asked in unison.
"I mean...why not?" I chuckled. They all just stared at me. A sweat drop formed atop each of their heads, and I figured that probably wasn't the best plan. "…On second thought, maybe…do you have room at the temple, Rei?" I inquired.
The raven-haired priestess was silent for a moment. The shrine was sacred, not some casual hangout or free motel. And she wasn't sure she truly trusted me yet as an ally. However, she eventually reasoned with herself that it'd be a good opportunity to keep me under tight watch. "Yeah…sure, that's fine," she nodded slightly, "as long as you don't plan to stay forever…ehe…not to be rude."
"Hey! Can all of us stay at your place for a bit, Rei? Like a sleep over party?" Chibiusa asked.
Rei's brow twitched at the sudden request, "Well, Chibiusa...I..." Hosting a party was not a responsibility she'd been entirely prepared for.
"What a great idea! Pleeeeeease, Rei?!" Usagi chimed in. Like mother like daughter.
Not wanting to put on a sour face in front of the little eight year-old, the shrine maiden finally gave in. Through a forced smile, she replied, "Alright, alright..."
"Come on, girls, let's get going before it gets too dark," Minako suggested before the lot of us headed back to the temple.
††††
We each got a sleeping bag to ourselves - complete with small pillows Rei had been keeping in a storage closet.
I happily sat down Indian-style on top of my bedding and silently watched the others get situated on the vast wooden floor. It was typical to have such big vacant rooms in Japanese shrines for training, worshipping, and other gathering purposes. I had just never been in one in person before, and it fascinated me.
Suddenly, ever vibrant Usagi came bursting into the room, announcing at the top over her lungs that she'd made popcorn for us all. The sound of her shrill voice echoed throughout the place and seemed to pierce right through my head. I covered my ears and winced. I noticed that the other girls seemed unaffected by the outburst.
Must be used to it… Figures… I thought.
"Thanks, Usagi! This looks great!" Minako cheered and grabbed one of the little bowls the other blonde was carrying.
Usagi placed a big bowl filled to the brim with steaming, salted and buttered popcorn in the middle of the floor and then gave out the rest of the little bowls to each of us.
"Hey, it doesn't look so burnt this time…that's good." Rei teased.
The odango-head stuck her tongue out at the raven-haired girl. "Whatever! I tried my best because we have some special company tonight," she said in defense.
I felt my cheeks grow warm and shook my head. "Really…you don't need to treat me like-"
"Oh, don't talk like that! A new senshi is always a big deal..." Minako cut me off.
Before I could answer, the sliding door opened a crack, and another head popped in. "Rei? What're you girls doin' in there?" an old man asked.
Rei whirled around to see him standing in the doorway. "Grandpa, what do you think we're doing?! You know when I have friends over you're not supposed to meddle like that," she scolded.
"Uh…well you see it wasn't…really all my idea, y'know…" he stuttered.
"Is that so…" Rei's brow furrowed in suspicion.
Then, the door slid open even further to reveal a tall, young man, about the girls' age, listening in on everything we were saying. When he realized he'd been caught, he stumbled back a few steps with an obvious blush on his face.
"Yuuichirou!" Rei's voice shot across the room, carrying her frustration with it.
"S-So sorry, Rei! I was just curious that's all, I wasn't gonna try anything or nothin', honest!" His excuses obviously didn't convince the ebony-haired priestess, for she continued to glare daggers at him. Then, he looked across the room and a curious expression came over his face. "Hey, uh, Rei? I don't think I've ever seen that chick before…" he said, and pointed straight at me.
I brought my pillow up to my chest and held it tightly. Having the attention suddenly shifted to me again was a bit unnerving. Luckily, Rei saved me from the sudden spotlight.
"Never mind her, Yuuichirou, she's just a new friend. Now scram before I really get mad! And don't ever let me catch you peeping on us again or you'll regret it big time!" A pillow flew through the air, and, in a split second, the young man and Grandpa were running down the hall as fast as they could away from the short-tempered Rei.
I hid a quiet chuckle behind my pillow as I watched it all. Rei sure was vicious…her fury rivaled my own. I hoped then and there that I never ended up on the receiving end of her terrifying wrath.
††††
The popcorn was soon devoured, and we took our turns in the bathroom to wash up and brush our teeth. When it was my turn, I quickly sifted through my ever-present traveling sack and dug out my toothbrush and toothpaste.
As I sleepily made my way to the bathroom down the hall, I suddenly tripped on something that felt oddly soft. As I caught my balance, I heard it make a little 'mew' sound, but couldn't see it due do the lack of light in the hallway.
Reaching the bathroom, I quickly flipped on the light and waited for my eyes to adjust before looking to see what it was. I didn't have to wait long, for the object came waltzing into the bathroom and perched itself on the side of the vanity. I found myself staring into the large, maroon eyes of a slim, black cat. It had the distinct mark of a shining crescent moon on its forehead, and that's when I finally realized what I'd run into...or more like...whom. "Sorry, about that…" I said with an apologetic smile.
I walked over to the vanity, and the cat seemed to smile back at me. It meowed as I raised my hand to slowly scratch behind its ears, earning a purr.
Then, turning my attention to the sink, I took a moment to just stand and stare at the faucet that was letting out a gentle stream of water before me. Running water…a feature I hadn't had the privilege of enjoying since I left my world. The same went for the city perks…highly sophisticated civilization, sanitation, and technology. All of those things I had once taken for granted, but since my visit to Hyrule, my views had changed. And at that point, I was truly grateful.
As I proceeded in brushing my teeth, the cat continued to meow at me and rub against my elbow. Once I had finished, spit, and rinsed my mouth out with water, I turned to the feline and put a single hand on my hip. "If you want to say something to me, at least say it in plain Japanese… Sorry, but I don't understand 'cat talk', Luna…"
The shock on the cat's face was evident. She stopped her meowing and looked at me curiously. I figured she couldn't tell if I really knew her secret or not, so I made it clear.
I lowered my head to her level and slightly smirked. "I know you can talk…there's no need to hide the fact from me."
"R-Really…?" was her response.
I smiled and nodded, satisfied that she finally believed me.
"How…did you know exactly?" she asked.
I stood up straight again, and began to gather my toothbrush and toothpaste to go back to the room of girls. But, before I turned to leave, I shot her a reassuring glance. "I saw you in my dreams."
There I went again with the whole dream explanation. It wasn't the complete truth, but it wasn't a lie. And it was what I'd told everyone else. So, I left it at that. Hopefully…no one would ever have to know the whole truth.
Luna watched me leave in silence. "There's something very different about this one, Artemis…" she said quietly. A similar-looking cat appeared from behind the shower curtain. Same crescent moon on its head - only that one had a white fur coat, blue eyes, and was male.
Artemis nodded. "Indeed…should we watch her?" he asked, looking up at his partner.
Luna was silent for a moment. "Well…it wouldn't hurt. But as we've learned in the past, 'different' isn't always a bad thing." With that, she leapt off the vanity and flipped off the light switch before gracefully landing back on the floor.
††††
When I returned to the room, all the girls were already drifting off to sleep except for Makoto and Ami. The room was dark, so I had no idea they were watching me as I made my way back to my sleeping bag.
Once I'd put my things back into my sack and buried deep into the warm bedding, I looked up and saw two pairs of eyes, one azure and the other emerald, gazing back at me. The two girls happened to be lying closest to me of the whole group and had been waiting for me to get back.
"Y-You two…need something…?" I blinked in surprise.
Ami was the first to speak. "Nothing too big…we're just a bit curious, that's all," she whispered as quietly as she could, not wanting to wake the others.
"About what…?" I asked.
"Well…I hope you don't think we're prying…but we were just wondering…where did you get your sailor powers? And when exactly?" Makoto questioned.
I could tell they truly were just curious and wanted to understand more about me. But their question was one of the ones I really didn't want to answer. I could explain where I was from and how I got to their world…but the origin of my newfound powers was still confusing even to me. Flashbacks of my alter ego kept coming back to me - and her explanation of my role in her life. That wasn't something I wanted in my head right then.
So, I explained to them as nicely as I could, "Right now…I'm not so sure about it all myself. If it's alright with you girls, I'd like to learn a little more about it before attempting to explain such a thing to anyone. Is that alright?"
The two of them seemed to understand, which I was grateful for.
††††
The next morning, I was awakened by multiple calls coming from outside. Without opening my eyes, I shifted in my sleeping bag to listen better.
"You have got to be kidding me…" I moaned when I realized what it was.
Finally, I opened my eyes and looked over the room. It was completely empty except for the messy sleeping bags scattered across the floor. Only one was occupied, and it contained a still-sleeping Chibiusa. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and wondered what time it was. It had to have been pretty late in the morning for me to have slept way later than Usagi. Wriggling out of the sleeping bag, I quickly zipped it back up and grabbed a brush from my bag. I ran it through my knee-length hair a few times before returning it to its original place.
That's when I heard another voice from outside, "Venus Star Power!"
They were all almost finished with their transformation sequences. I looked down to my brooch, which was clipped to a front pocket of my jeans, and debated the situation.
Okay…I just woke up…and suddenly there's a battle to be fought…is this bad? Can I do it? Do they even need me? I doubt it…but…ugh… I do owe them.
Lifting the wand from a different pocket, I quickly transformed right there in the room. I was sure to stay quiet, however, to avoid waking up the child across the way. As I whispered for my power, a rush of wind whistled around my suddenly bare figure, causing me to shiver slightly. Although, as the pieces of my uniform began to materialize, the atmosphere became much more bearable. I definitely felt more awake as Sailor Universe, but there was still a sliver of dizziness left from just having been asleep. To be honest, I don't think it will ever be physically possible for me to become that freakish thing known as a 'morning person.'
I made my way to the other side of the room and slid the paper door open by its wooden frame. Then, making my way down the hall, I could hear the deep tapping sound of my boots echoing through the old shrine, and it gave me a weird feeling since everything else was so quiet. Another thing that bothered me was that it was still so dark. When I'd first come to the temple during the day it was much lighter. And, to my knowledge, it was morning, so I couldn't figure it out.
Then, suddenly, another door slid open, and I saw Rei's old grandfather appear from the shadows. "Who's there? Is that one of Rei's friends? Why are you up at this time? Wait…" he started.
This time...?
I had stopped walking and stood motionless against a wall, trying to hide myself from him in the dark. But, his gaze didn't move from me as he waited for his eyes to adjust.
"Hey!" he said suddenly, "What's a sailor senshi doing in my shrine?!"
I jumped in shock, realizing my mistake. Oh shit…! I leapt into the air and flew around a corner, making it to the back door as fast as I could without knocking anything over. Once I was outside, I closed the door shut behind me, still hearing the sounds of Grandpa as he rebuked me for intruding.
With a long sigh, I landed back on the ground and made my way around to the front of the temple. As I did, it completely hit me that it, in fact, was still dark outside. This struck me as odd. Why were the girls up? Was the matter that urgent?
Finally, reaching the front, I saw Sailor Venus, Mercury, and Moon all standing around listening to something Luna was saying. However, the feline ceased talking when she realized I was standing by the building.
"Ah, Sailor Universe, you've awakened."
The other senshi turned to me. "Oh, hey there, Universe! We didn't think of waking you up because we all figured you'd had a long trip…but it looks like we didn't need to anyways," Sailor Moon said with a grin and then a slight yawn.
"What time is it…?" I asked.
"Around three in the morning. We got a call from Artemis, and he told us Eudial was causing trouble again downtown. Jupiter and Mars went ahead of us but…" Venus stopped in the middle of her sentence, hesitant to finish.
The blue-haired senshi, Mercury, smiled and filled in for her friend, "She and Usagi had some trouble getting up."
"Hey, you can't blame us!" both blondes said in defense.
It was, after all, very early. Another moan escaped my throat. "Do you guys…have to do this often…?" I asked, feeling tired all over again.
"Not all the time…but we do it when we can because justice is top priority in our book," Mercury explained.
"Even if it means dragging ourselves out of bed like this…" Sailor Moon added groggily.
"Come on, guardians, there's no time to waste! Mars and Jupiter can't hold their own for long!" Luna stated. And with that, we ran off down the steps of the Hikawa Shrine.
††††
"Hold on just a second…what exactly are you saying…? She's gone?" Jupiter was having trouble coping with what Artemis was telling her.
He sighed heavily and repeated himself. "Let me see if I can put it more simply this time…You didn't get here fast enough…get the point? I wasn't able to stop Eudial myself, of course, and she got away with that person's heart crystal! I guess she figured it was best to strike at night…" he said.
Jupiter shook her head in disbelief. "We even went ahead of the others…to ensure this wouldn't happen…"
"No time to dwell on that now, we've gotta find some way to save this poor man!" Mars piped up. She was kneeling next to the victim who was struggling to breathe.
Once a person loses their heart crystal, they begin to fade until they ultimately die.
The sound of running feet was heard from behind, and the trio spun around to see the rest of us rushing to join them.
"Mars! Jupiter! Did you guys defeat Eudial's daimon all by yourselves?" Sailor Moon asked in surprise, not seeing any sign of the enemy.
Jupiter looked up at her through dark, green eyes glazed over with anger. "Sailor Moon…Eudial got away with the crystal…" she said quietly.
The senshi of the moon froze in her tracks, as did we all. "Please…please, tell me you're joking, Jupiter…" she begged. But the lightning senshi only lowered her head again.
"If you guys don't mind for a second…would you get over here and help me get this man to the hospital?!" Mars screamed at us, finally getting ticked off from lack of acknowledgment.
The others quickly gathered around her and were about to all help lift the man, when I stopped them. "Wait just one moment…" They all stared at me, confused. "Artemis, Eudial left in a van as usual, correct?"
"Yeah…" the cat replied.
"Which direction did she leave in, do you remember?"
"Of course, she went north east, just up that way." Artemis pointed with his little paw towards one of the main highways.
My eyes narrowed as I examined the road and the city surrounding it. Finding Eudial in it all wouldn't be easy…but did I have a choice? "Leave that man here for now. A hospital couldn't do anything anyways… Just try to keep him alive for as long as possible," I told them.
"Oh? And what about you?" Mars asked, a little peeved at my sudden command.
Was I out of line? Maybe. But I knew what had to be done and I wasn't about to stand by and let a person die in the name of etiquette. "I'll be right back…" With that, I lifted off the ground and sped off into the sparkling city lights out of their sight.
"…Rei…Rei…Rei, Rei-chan!" Sailor Moon gasped as she shook her friend's arm over and over. But Sailor Mars couldn't speak. None of them could.
Finally, Jupiter gathered the will power to say something and, in a dry tone, exclaimed, "…How the hell did she learn to fly…?!"
††††
The highway was packed with cars, even though it was still very early in the morning. I flew above them at a safe distance, trying to spot the Witches 5 van. My eyes darted here and there as I searched, but still no sign of it turned up. Then, suddenly, albeit conveniently, a flash of pink light came from around a nearby skyscraper that immediately caught my attention.
She's at it again? All in the same night!?
That was definitely bad. Never had I heard of an enemy risking their cover to make multiple attacks in that way. Quickening my pace, I headed in the direction of the fading light. I cursed under my breath, reminding myself I had limited time to complete the mission.
Finally, rounding the corner of the building, I lowered myself back down to ground level and looked around. Sure enough, the white Witches 5 van was sitting in the shadows with its infamous black star symbol plastered on the back.
A young girl lay on the ground not too far from it, and I could see she was struggling to breathe just like the man from before. But I saw no sign of Eudial.
Just then, a rose petal fluttered by my face, followed by another, and another.
What the heck…I didn't think these things actually appeared when… I looked up.
It was no surprise to see the two outer sailor senshi standing above me on a low awning. Uranus and Neptune were back to back with their arms crossed.
"Guided by wind, I've come here to blow all the filth of this planet away for good, I'm Sailor Uranus!"
"Aided by sea, I wish to drown out all the hateful intentions inside of people, I'm Sailor Neptune!"
After they had made their introductions, I noticed Eudial come out from behind her van.
…Eh… wish I had a fancy intro that made enemies pop out of hiding… I thought in a most satirical manner.
"I can't believe you idiots are still at it…even at this time in the morning…" Eudial fussed.
The outers jumped from the roof and surrounded her, causing her to jump. "We could say the same about you. Now, where are the heart crystals?" Uranus demanded.
But Eudial refused to tell. "Daimon! Get your ass out here this instant!" she cried.
Another ugly creature emerged from the back of the van and lunged at the senshi without hesitation. They got into fighting positions and waited for impact while Eudial stood by watching in amusement.
Then, the battle was on…the outer senshi against a seemingly improved heart snatcher beast. Lights flashed everywhere as they attacked. Uranus's World Shaking attack hurled across the ally with Neptune's Deep Submerge close behind. The attacks rammed head-on into the enemy, causing considerable damage. Eudial snarled and commanded her minion to get back up onto its feet.
Little did they all know, however, that I'd taken advantage of the whole situation and went snooping through the redhead's vehicle. Different crates, containers and machinery lay everywhere making it hard to sift through. "Damn it, where the hell could they be…" I mumbled quietly.
Then, finally, I reached for a buried container and a jolt of energy pulsed through my arm when I touched the lid, signaling that the crystals were there, and my body was reacting to them. Carefully, I lifted the lid, and a soft, pale light sprung out at me. Seeing the crystals hovering there unharmed caused a rush of relief to come over me, and I gently picked them up.
The van suddenly shook rapidly due to the battle going on outside, and I decided I should get moving as quickly as possible. But, as I attempted getting out the back, there was a sudden jerk in a box next to me. I froze in place, and stared at it cautiously. Then, without any other warning, a second hideous creature burst forth from it in a cloud of smoke and tackled me head on, screaming in the most blood-chilling way I'd ever heard. I was so shocked that I had no time to react before the both of us rolled out of the van and hit the pavement.
The sudden disturbance caused the others to glance over, and when Uranus registered what was going on, she gasped in horror. There were the two crystals in my hand, but I was unable to do anything for the monster on top of me had its claws around my neck.
"Universe!" Neptune screamed as a raging Eudial dashed over to where I was pinned to the ground.
"How dare you, you little wretch!" The redhead was about to snatch the heart crystals from me when a lethal rose weapon suddenly cut across her path, causing her to jerk away. All of our attention had been caught.
"Not you again!" Eudial cursed, looking up. There, on the ledge above us, stood none other than the legendary Tuxedo Kamen, with his long, black and red cape flowing gracefully in the night breeze.
"Eudial, you never learn do you…" He leapt off the ledge and landed in front of us. Then, pointing his short staff at Eudial, he continued in saying, "Now that we have you clearly out numbered, I suggest you surrender and leave these heart crystals to us. They're not talismans anyway…"
The redhead spat at the ground and growled at him. "I'm not finished! Daimons! Both of you finish what you started!"
And just like that, the struggle continued. I was suddenly out of breath as I received constant blows to the gut, but I knew I couldn't let the crystals out of my grasp.
"…Tux! Quickly! That girl's …!" I called in between punches.
He was at my side in a flash, and, after he'd managed to get my attacker off me, he helped me to slowly stand, taking the heart crystals. "Which one is…hers…?" he asked, confused.
Oh God… "I don't know! Try both!" I suggested. No sooner had I gotten those words out did I get ambushed again by the daimon. Stumbling to the side, I looked up at Tuxedo Kamen and told him to 'go.'
He was a bit hesitant at first as I struggled with the enemy. Although, he understood he had an important job and dashed off over to the fading victim.
Finally.
I didn't have any fragile crystals to worry about and could fight back with all I had. I stood up straight right before the enemy could land another punch and caught its speeding fist in my hand. The daimon was caught off guard and gave a confused look while I reacted with a devious smirk.
"Neptune! Don't worry about her, we have our own problems…!" Uranus called to her partner.
"But…" Neptune protested and turned from looking in my direction. She decided not to argue, and rushed to help Uranus in her skirmish against the first daimon. "Deep Submerge!" Her aqua attack plunged into the side of the enemy, and threw it off Sailor Uranus in an instant, sending it hurling into a nearby building. Neptune helped Uranus stand, and the two watched the lifeless body on the ground to see if it would rise again.
Tuxedo Kamen, on the other hand, had gotten entangled in an unwanted dual with Eudial as she tried to stop him from returning the crystal to its owner. "Tell me why you're gathering heart crystals!" he shouted as he brought his rod down on the witch.
"None of your damn business!" Eudial dodged the attack, causing the short staff a sharp impact with the ground, slightly cracking the pavement.
"Well, if you know what's good for you," Tuxedo Kamen started, swinging his weapon horizontally, "You'll leave at once, and never bother an innocent soul again!"
With a single leap, Eudial dodged his attack again and landed on top of the van. "What would you know about what's 'good for me?' Soon the Messiah of Silence will awaken, and all your efforts will have been for nothing!"
Tuxedo Kamen took that opportunity to push the crystals into the fallen girl. Her body received the right one, and the other he took back into the safety of his hand. However, before he had a chance to react to Eudial's statement, a shrill shout was heard, followed by a bright column of golden light that sliced right down the middle of the alleyway. After a few moments, it faded, and bitter silence filled the area. Only the distant sounds of cars on the highway could be heard. Every living thing stood still and focused on one person. Even the girl Tuxedo Kamen had finally revived sat off to the side in silent bewilderment.
My Reiki Light Stream…it's gotten more powerful somehow…
Seeing Tuxedo Kamen with the remaining crystal still in his hand, I rushed over and politely asked him for it. "Please, I'll take it from here…" I told him.
He nodded, and placed it into my cupped hands as gently as he could.
I turned to leave, but before I got anywhere, a pink blast hurled in front of me, blocking the way out.
"Hand over the crystal, sailor! I don't know what kind of a freak you are to have that sort of power, but I'm warning you! Give back what's mine, and I may spare your own heart!" Eudial screamed.
Fear struck my core for only a second. Then, furrowing my brow, I sent her the message that I wasn't about to give in. I was going to save a second life that night…whether it meant giving up my own or not. But surely my journey doesn't end here…does it, Lord… "Eudial…it's been fun. I'll definitely be seeing you again." With that, I levitated into the air, and, without further hesitation, bee-lined it out of the alley, making sure my speed would carry me faster than any blast she could send my way.
The outer senshi were left breathless for a moment. They'd seen plenty of abnormal things in their lives, but that rivaled even the most bizarre of sights. Even so, unlike the inner senshi, they weren't prone to remaining stunned for long, especially since Eudial had started throwing a fit right next to them.
"Goddamn it all! I swear! I swear I'll get her one day! She'll pay dearly for this! But until then…DAIMONS, finish the rest of them off!" she commanded. But nothing stirred…for both of her minions had been destroyed.
††††
Landing just outside the circle of inner planet senshi, I could already sense that the man was close to the end. "Guys, I'm back!" I stated, rushing through the group.
"Hurry! We're losing him fast!" Mars cried.
Going as quickly and gently as I could, I pushed the crystal into the man's chest, and, to our relief, his body accepted it. It disappeared as he re-absorbed it, and immediately the color began to return to his face. "Thank God…" I sighed, and leaned back so he could sit up.
The look of bewilderment was evident in his expression when he saw our group standing over him.
"Sir, are you alright? You fainted…do you think you can make it home, or would you like us to assist you?" Mercury asked.
"Sailor senshi…? Never thought I'd see the day when…" he couldn't finish his sentence due to an incomplete recovery. We helped him to his feet, and he slowly made his way to his parked car at the curb.
We asked him if it was really ok to be driving then, but he insisted that he was capable.
Once he had gone, Sailor Moon suddenly took notice of my condition. It only took one glance before a gasp escaped her lips and she held out my scraped up arm to examine it. "What on earth happened to you while you were out there?" she asked, also noticing the slight claw marks on my neck.
I smiled and shook my head, pulling my arm from her grasp. "Eudial's just a pain…that's all," I answered, "these are of no concern."
"Glad we're on the same page…" a voice stated from behind us. It was Uranus...followed by Neptune and Tuxedo Kamen. However, Uranus was the only one with a straight up scowl on her face.
She marched right up to me and grabbed me by the front of my collar. I gave her a questioning look, but she wouldn't back down. "Who the hell are you?!" she shouted.
"Uranus?" Neptune questioned. The others protested as well, but the leader of the outer planet senshi remained firm.
"I told you... I've come from another world, lead by fate, searching for the answer to that question…" I replied in a low tone. By that time, I'd returned her glare. "I don't see what kind of an issue you may have with that, but to be honest…Sailor Uranus…" I ripped her hand away from my collar, "the way you're dealing with it is a bit childish…"
"Who are you callin' a child?"
"Perhaps you're unaware of her age, Sailor Uranus. I wouldn't judge so harshly," Tuxedo Kamen stepped in.
The senshi of wind calmed a bit as she glanced towards the older man.
"Alright, girls…let's not let this get out of hand. The sun's about to come up, and today's a school day. Maybe you should all try to get some last-minute sleep if you can," he suggested.
Sailor Moon threw her arms around him, and he returned her embrace. "Thank you, Tuxedo Kamen," she smiled into his shirt.
Uranus grunted and shot one last glare at me before turning and leaving with Neptune.
But I didn't even notice…for I couldn't take my eyes off of Tuxedo Kamen whom I hadn't met before that night.
Could he by chance…know something about me…?
And so concludes chapter 1. Sailor Moon fans may notice I'm going by the anime storyline more so than the manga. That is intentional.