Sailor Moon
-Queen Beryl's Revenge!-
A Sailor Moon Fan Fiction by Robert Charles and Sailor Star Sun
To the Reader: I have skipped the lengthy introductions to the characters in order to shorten the story. For those of you who don't know the characters, I'll give you a quick rundown. Usagi is Sailor Moon. Minako is Sailor Venus. Makoto is Sailor Jupiter. Ami is Sailor Mercury. And Rei is Sailor Mars. Luna and Artemise are talking cats. If you still don't know who these people are, you don't watch that much TV, do you…
This is an original story. I've done my best to keep everyone in character while introducing them to an all new adventure written in my style. Sailor Moon, and all characters within this story, are protected by copyright laws held by Naoko Takeuchi.
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Part 1 – The Resurrection!
Usagi bellowed the laugh of a lunatic loud enough to rattle the windows. There were only a few hours left before the guests would arrive, and despite the headshakes and skepticisms from her friends, she had finished. The cookies were done. Not only done, but perfectly done. The sweet aroma of brown sugar was her weapon of revenge, and she made sure as she took the tray from the oven that it passed beneath everyone's noses.
"Ha! They're perfect!"
Luna was the first to voice her objective opinion, standing on the counter and inspecting the cookies. "I remember the last time you did this, and they tasted like you mixed up the sugar with the salt." Then she jumped down and headed for another room, for fear someone made her test them. Being a cat had it's advantages, as she quickly dodged the hands that reached for her and escaped the dangers of the kitchen.
Her four friends nodded in remembrance of her past cooking mishap and it only added fuel to the insult. Usagi puffed out her cheeks and narrowed her brow, "These will be better! Go ahead, I dare you to try one."
Rei spun around, letting her long black hair whip around to her side. "I don't take death bets…"
"What was that?!"
The two connected foreheads, and Rei blurted out, "Your cookies will probably kill us!"
"It's better than your cooking any day!"
"Oh yeah?!"
"Yeah!"
Enough was enough. Makoto split the two of them apart, knowing she had the strength to do so, and bravely took on the task of trying the first cookie. The others only watched, carefully hidden behind each other incase she began convulsing or something. And as her teeth sunk into the first bite, Usagi could hear her heart beating as the rest of the world became silent. Had it been anyone else, it might not have mattered as much. But Makoto was an excellent cook who had yet to make anything they didn't like. It was like being graded on an exam.
Makoto's bright green eyes became wide and she shifted her gaze from the cookie to Usagi and back to the cookie. "Oh my gosh… it's… good."
Usagi about knocked everyone down when she plowed her way to Makoto's side. The news was stunning even to her. Deep down, she had expected them to taste horrible. But here, Makoto, chef extraordinaire, had said her cookies were 'good'. Not just Makoto, but everyone! Soon after the informed opinion, everyone had to try one.
Ami closed her eyes and nodded in approval with a soft moan of delight, taking only delicate petite bites at a time. Unlike Minako, who had somehow managed to engulf an entire cookie in a single bite. She spoke with a full mouth, "Wow, they're good."
It was like a dream. Perhaps her luck was finally changing. She smiled and laughed with the rest of her close friends, then looked down at the cookie tray. "Aaah! You ate them all!"
Rei smiled, "They were so good though…"
So much for the dream. Usagi could feel tears work their way into her eyes. "I wanted to save one for Mamo-Chan…"
Everyone stopped chewing, allowing what she had said to sink in properly. Makoto asked, "How many cookies did you bake?"
"…five."
Ami figured the math quickly. "There's going to be ten of us at the party! You only made five?"
She looked to the floor and tapped her index fingers together. "Well, …I didn't know if they were going to turn out okay, so I thought I'd start out with just five and work my way up."
They all dropped their heads. After knowing Usagi for almost three years, she still never ceased to amaze them.
That night the moon was full. And while Usagi and her friends were enjoying their party to celebrate the new year, something in the air was different. They had blown it off, ignoring it as something unimportant. Completely unaware that the balance of good and evil and been tipped. Evil had found a way, driven by vengeance, to break through the seals of eternity. In a dark alleyway, miles from Usagi and her party and hidden from human eyes, the surface shook and cracked. A crack large enough to allow a single person to emerge from the unnatural darkness that emit from that hole. First one hand, then another. Female fingers, burnt and bruised, which pulled her body to the surface.
Once again, she was breathing air. Only now, it carried with it the foul stench of hatred. The world of which she was now trapped, this cesspool called Earth, seemed blood red through her eyes. And with her first breath she screamed the one thought that had been etched into her memory, the reward for suffering and the fuel for her vengeance, "Sailor Moon!!!" The words traveled through an echoing ripple of power that knocked a dumpster to its side and flipped a car at the end of the alley onto its back.
A softer, more childish voice, came from behind. "Hey, Miss Queen Beryl Ma'am, a little help here please…" She was terrified to ask, but even more terrified of the portal closing on her.
Beryl reached behind her and pulled another body from the crevasse only seconds before it closed. The younger, much smaller girl bent over to catch her breath. She too had been burnt and bruised. Her once white clothing now charred and torn.
"Oh wow!" She sprung up. "We did it! We're free!"
An icy hand clutched the top of her head, long fingernails like knives placed against her scalp. "Nezu, my little rat… Until I have my revenge, no one is free…"
Haruka set the glare, through narrow and determined eyes. She spoke with a cocky smile, "I can't tell you how long I've waited for this moment."
Mamoru returned the glare, his charming smile a mocking gesture. "So stop talking and let's fight!"
"Are you ready?"
"Let's go…"
The television finally screamed out the word "Fight!", and they were off. Mamoru began pushing buttons as quickly as his thumbs would allow, completely without coordination or experience. He'd never really sat down and played video games before, but there was no way he was going to pass up Haruka's challenge. Besides, she was an amateur at this as well, so that made it a fair fight.
Mamoru came up to one knee, swaying his body with the controller. His little fighter was loosing! Usagi came up behind him, rooting and cheering. "Come on, Mamo-Chan! You can do it!"
Haruka gave a single laugh, tossing her short blond hair out of her eyes with a quick shake. "Not a chance. Take this!"
It was probably the most interesting moment it their history. Everyone was there, enjoying the company of each other. The inner planets, the outer planets, Luna and Artemise, and Mamoru. All being something they didn't often have the chance to be. Simply themselves. No secrets, no identities or pasts to hide. No need to pretend.
It was nice.
Mamoru must have played six games in a row against Haruka, with an unfortunate loosing streak, before Michiru pulled her away and insisted on some attention. But not before the promise of a rematch. The rest just sat around, munching on snacks and laughing at old familiar stories. Minako loved to take center stage, and when the time neared midnight, she stole the opportunity to make a quick speech.
"Everyone. I would like to propose a toast." Everyone lifted a glass. "To Usagi."
"Huh? Me?" She glanced around, pointing at herself to make sure she didn't get the name wrong.
Setsuna stood and nodded. "Yes. If it weren't for you…"
Ami finished, "We would never have met."
Setsuna corrected, "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here today."
Michiru then stood, raising her glass with her sweet smile. "We owe a lot to you, Usagi."
And as the tears of happiness began to fill her soft blue eyes, everyone cheered in unison. "To Usagi!"
All she could do was smile. "Thank you… everyone." That called for a group hug, during which Mamoru had time to set up a camera. Auto timer on, and everyone in the picture, it would be their first group photo. Everyone wanted a copy.
Rei called out, "Hey, one minute before the new year!"
Little Hotaru had fallen asleep, no doubt way past her bedtime. But the rest huddled around the television set, counting down the seconds until the new year.
"Bingo." Beryl and Nezu had walked a few blocks down deserted roads until finally coming to rest at a night club. The loud beat of music echoed out, and Beryl could smell the sweet life force coming from inside. There must have been a hundred people inside.
Beryl looked down at her newly acquired sidekick. "Do your thing… Sailor Iron Mouse."
"With pleasure." She giggled, and headed to the doors.
The greeter smiled at her, "Nice outfit, kid." And was allowed inside. Beryl could not see what she was doing, but whatever it was, it worked. A moment later the place became silent and dark, followed by screams. That was her queue to enter, unnoticed. Iron Mouse had taken center stage, informing the audience who she was, and letting them know they were going to provide a public service by supplying the new ruler of the world with power! Beryl laughed and raised her hands in the air, and began to absorb the life around her.
"Happy New Year!!!" Everyone yelled out, jumping up and down and exchanging hugs. Everyone 'ooh'ed and 'aah'ed when Mamoru gave Usagi a 'Happy New Year Kiss'. She blushed, but the smile on her face displayed she certainly did not regret it. No one said anything when Haruka gave Michiru a New Year's Kiss, simply because they did not know exactly what to say. But everyone was happy, and that was what counted. Makoto noticed Hotaru squirm in her sleep and figured the noise had woken her up. Best to carry her to another room, she figured. As she approached her, she noticed the expression on her young sleeping face wasn't right. She looked in pain. A nightmare perhaps? She squirmed around a bit more, then suddenly burst into a ray of light. It caught the attention of everyone when she unconsciously transformed and came to her feet.
Setsuna's eyes went wide. "Sailor Saturn?" A second later, her glaive appeared in her hands. She was still half asleep, eyes shut tight in an expression of pain. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"What's going on?"
"What's wrong with her?"
"What's she doing?"
"Somebody wake her up!"
Sailor Saturn's eyes shot open, pain turned to anger. The others could feel the sudden surge of power racing towards her, glaive swung over her head. By the Gods, what was she doing? Without hesitating to find out, Haruka tackled her to the floor. Rei and Michiru came from behind and took hold of her glaive. That little girl was stronger than she seemed, but they were able to pry it from her hands. And the moment they did, Sailor Saturn calmed and passed out, asleep once more. With a second burst of light and energy, she was Hotaru once again. The glaive vanished.
Usagi seemed lost. "What's going on?"
Luna hopped onto the couch, along with Artemise, and examined her closely. Luna spoke, "Something's not right."
They were all dumbfounded, just staring at the sleeping little girl, waiting for someone to make a suggestion. Setsuna finally spoke, "Perhaps we should go."
Haruka agreed, "Yeah, it's late."
And Michiru came to her side, "Thank you for the wonderful party, Usagi."
"Yeah, we should do it again next year." Haruka sincerely added.
Setsuna picked up Hotaru, cradled her in her arms, and the four headed out. Usagi apologized for the rather sudden outburst of 'whatever it was', but everyone understood. They only hoped everything was okay. Mamoru was the next to leave, giving Usagi a goodbye kiss and telling her everything would be okay. He asked her if she'd teach him how to play the video game, but she knew he only asked because he knew it would bring a smile to her face. He was sweet like that.
The others stayed, having promised to help clean in the morning. With Usagi's parents gone for the night, the five girls had the house to themselves. They hadn't had a slumber party in a long time, and they were about due. In time, the incident with Hotaru was forgotten and the girls began to laugh once more, and soon fell asleep. Though Luna and Artemise could not let it go, and began an all-night investigation.
Nezu looked around at the fallen bodies. She was frightened at the power she'd seen, and bothered by what Beryl had done. "Are they dead?"
Queen Beryl smiled. "Necessary to replenish my energy."
This wasn't right. Under the rule of Sailor Galaxia, the worst she'd ever done was steal starseeds. It may have transformed the targets into monsters, but they never died from it. What frightened her the most, was that Queen Beryl simply did not care.
It was business. The only thing that mattered was her revenge. "Sailor Iron Mouse."
She jumped. "Yes?"
"Don't you have another job to do?"
"Yes, Ma'am!" She replied nervously. Luckily, her magic still worked. With a mental command, the phone booth appeared behind her and she stepped in. Before it closed, Beryl made one final statement.
"Do not fail me…"
The doors closed, and the phone booth vanished. A spell of teleportation, taking her to her first destination. Phase one of Beryl's revenge. And the sooner the better, for she had promised Nezu freedom once Sailor Moon was destroyed. A revenge that Nezu herself was rather fond of. But before she could be destroyed, she had to be broken. "But first, I've got to clean my outfit…"
**** **** ****
"Everyone, wake up!" Luna was in a panic, and her tone was enough to wake them all. Everyone except Usagi, who was believed to have the ability to sleep through a small explosion. Rei, and a large glass of ice water, did what the others could not. It was morning, but it hadn't been morning for very long. She would have been angry, had it not been for Luna and Artemise's sad and serious faces.
"What's wrong?"
It was gone. Rei fell to her knees in disbelief, shedding tears for the place she had worked so hard for. It had happened so quickly, and in the middle of the night, that the police and fire trucks never made it in time. The others sympathized with her and hugged her, telling her it was going to be okay. But everything was not okay. By the time they had gotten there, Rei's shrine had been burnt to the ground.
Ami asked one of the police officers, "How could this have happened? There wasn't anyone here, and the shrine has no electricity."
The officer scratched his head. "We believe it to be an act of arson. We found the remains of what we believe to be a Molotov Cocktail."
Everyone became attentive and Rei asked through angry clenched teeth. "This wasn't an accident?" She was so angry that she began to cry. And much to the surprise of everyone, she turned and threw herself into Usagi's arms. Usagi held her and pet her head, telling the overused cliché that 'it would be okay'. But that was becoming more and more untrue. Something was definitely wrong. And things were far from okay.