Story 4
A group of four stood on one side of the room. The tall, sandy- haired one looked at her watch in frustration. The tall, green-haired one tapped her foot impatiently. The young, black-haired one tried to calm them both down, while the petite, aqua haired one observed their surroundings.
Across the room, another quartet was examining their surroundings. The tall brunette scanned things warily. The petite, blue-haired one made assessments of everyone. The black-haired one was meditating, and the blonde was just noting everything.
Alone, at the side of the room, stood a tall, young man, with black hair and blue eyes, looking glum. He was in a particularly bad mood, with a cross and gloomy look on his face, that everyone recognized as a grouchy, don't-even-think-about-talking-to-me-or-I'll-make-sure-you-regret-it look.
As a bell rang throughout the building, a young blonde burst through the door. She had a disheveled look about her. "I'm sorry I'm late, but-" she panted, then paused. She looked about her once, and froze. She finally managed to squeak out, "I think I'm in the wrong class." It was truly comical, seeing a carefree girl, who was being surrounded by confident people, who were giving her the glare of death. "Isn't this Room 302?" she asked.
Ami flicked her a glance. "Yes," she said.
The young girl let out a string of expletives under her breath that one could barely hear, but the others guessed what the nature of her language was. They glanced at her curiously. Anyone who knew words like that had definitely been around, as she had sworn in several intergalactic words that few knew, because they were purposely excluded from the textbooks.
At the same time, two cats walked in. A black one and a white one, each with a crescent moon on their forehead.
"We're your advisors, here to teach you," the black one explained. "I'm Luna, and he's Artemis."
"Then, could you tell me how to get to my class," the new girl spoke up. They all swiveled their gaze at her. Ignoring them, she continued. "I'm absolutely sure I'm not supposed to be in this class. There must have been a typing error."
"You'll have to deal with it for now," Artemis sighed. "The Boss isn't going to respond any requests, because she's preparing."
The girl scowled.
"Now, let's start," Luna began.
"Why are we put together?" the tall, sandy-haired girl interrupted. "As far as I know, my Circle was doing fine, and so were the other Circles to be in this group. By the way, not everyone is here."
"We don't know why," Artemis admitted.
"Isn't it obvious?" the new girl spoke up.
They gave her questioning looks.
She continued. "Circle Dusk. Ten'ou Haruka, Princess of the Spirits that are Alive. Wild Mage of the Element Wind. Kaioh Michiru, Princess of the Mermaids. Wild Mage of the Element Sea. Tomoe Hotaru, Princess of the Priestesses. Wild Mage of the Element Death. Meioh Setsuna, Princess of the Lone Ones. Wild Mage of the Element Time.
"Circle Dawn. Mizuno Ami, Princess of the Mermaids, younger sister of Michiru. Wild Mage of the Elements Water and Ice. Hino Rei, Princess of the Priestesses, older sister of Hotaru. Wild Mage of the Elements Fire and Spirituality. Kino Makoto, Princess of the Witches, fifth cousin of Haruka. Wild Mage of the Elements Lightning and Wood. Aino Minako, Princess of the Angels, niece of The Boss. Wild Mage of the Elements Light and Love.
"Circle Nightfall. Chiba Mamoru, Prince Endymion of the Shapeshifters. Wild Mage of the Universal Earth. Betrothed to Princess Rei and the Princess Setsuna, the actual undecided. Lord Jadeite, Wild Mage of the Universal Sun. Lord Nephrite, Wild Mage of the Universal Stars. Lord Zoisite, Wild Mage of the Universal Planets. Lord Kunzite, Wild Mage of the Universal Resting Planets.
"Circle Daybreak. Tsukino Usagi, Princess Serenity of the Universal Moon. Princess Taiki Kou of the Universal Star Maker. Princess Yaten Kou of the Universal Star Healer. Princess Seiya Kou of the Universal Star Fighter. Princess Kakyuu of the Universal Princess Star.
"Circle Dusk. The Elements complement each other, forever aiding each other. Circle Dawn. The Elements are different, but where one fails, the other succeeds. Circle Nightfall. The Universals are always able to power up together. Circle Daybreak. The five most elite of the whole Reason, put together. Certainly these four great Circles should join, and create the one unforgettable Circle, Circle Eternity."
"So where are the others again?" Artemis asked.
Mamoru answered. "Circle Nightfall and Circle Daybreak are constantly paired together, and they are used to it. Right before we were to come here, we had a mission to complete." He paused, before continuing bitterly. "I was the only one who made it back. The others were captured."
The new girl looked away.
"What's your name?" Luna asked suddenly.
The girl smiled. "Call me Bunny."
"Bunny, how do you know all this?" Luna asked.
"Gossip's everywhere," Bunny smiled brightly. "Besides, I accidentally heard something that could have fueled the gossip. Are you sure that The Boss won't be able to transfer me? I'm just a novice. I haven't even learned why I was chosen."
"Then just watch us train," Luna said, groaning. "Why am I stuck with the ever-cheerful one?"
Bunny frowned slightly. "What if I don't want to watch you train?"
"It's an honor to watch us train," Rei said.
"We're royalty, after all," Haruka added.
Bunny seemed about to retort, but only closed her eyes and counted to ten. "Conceited royalty, that's for sure," she murmured under her breath, but only Mamoru heard it. He cracked a smile.
Over the next few months, training was intense. It was a while before they managed to get along and cooperate with each other. It was longer before they learned to trust each other and value each other's opinions. Now, they no longer took each of Rei's insults in offense, and they no longer thought Ami was showing off when she stated variables that no one could comprehend.
And no one questioned Bunny's presence either. They got used to it over time. For some reason, The Boss refused to see her, being too busy mourning her daughter being captured by The Other Side. After time, they grew to become friends with Bunny, too, though many times, they grew frustrated at her constant wails.
One day, Rei was trying to perform a complex spell she was to throw at the enemy to obliterate it with her fire. She wasn't succeeding. When she finally got the point where she almost made it, a crash was heard, breaking her concentration. They all whirled to glare at Bunny, who had dropped the plastic cup she was drinking out of. She smiled sheepishly, and went over to clean it up.
However, as Rei began working on her spell once again, another crash sounded. The cup had slipped out of Bunny's hand again. This occurred several more times, until finally, losing her temper, Rei shot a stream of fire at Bunny's cup.
"No, Rei," they cried too late, for she didn't know that Bunny was still holding her cup. Two masses of water flew at Bunny, knocking her back, but thankfully preventing the fire from burning up her.
Unfazed, Bunny stood up, and brushed herself. Then she stared levelly at Rei, and said calmly, "When you battle, no one will be silent for you to concentrate on your spell. There will be screams of pain from the youma, though hopefully not from your friends, and there will constantly be sounds of killing. If you cannot stand such a simple distraction as a falling cup, then how will you survive during battle?"
Rei looked abashed, as Bunny left the room. Only Mamoru noticed, with curiosity, that though Ami's water and Michiru's seawater had collided, she had not a trace of water on her, though she should have been soaked.
"The Boss has summoned us all," Artemis said excitedly. "Tomorrow, we shall all meet at seven o'clock to attend the ball. You must be polite, and wear formal attire. And Haruka, that means you can't wear a tuxedo."
"Do I go?" Bunny asked.
There was silence. Although Bunny was an accident, nobody could deny that she wasn't part of the group.
"Even if it was a typo, and even if you don't train, you're still part of the group," Luna said finally. "You're coming too, but be polite, okay?"
Bunny sniffed, before leaving.
"Where are you going?" Minako asked.
"Shopping," she called back. "I don't have a single formal thing to wear."
"I want to go too," Minako squealed.
"Count me in," Makoto added.
"Me too," Rei said.
"I need something as well," Ami said thoughtfully.
"I need to go," Michiru smiled. "And I know for a fact that Haruka doesn't have a dress at all, so she has to go. Hotaru probably doesn't have anything that will fit her, so she will go. And of course, Setsuna will go, just because I want her fashion sense."
Luna morphed into human form. "I think I'll attend, as well," she smiled. "This is my morphing dress, and its not really formal," she said, gesturing to the drab gray dress that clothed her whenever she turned human.
Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Thank goodness I don't need anything."
Artemis morphed into human form as well. "I don't need anything either," he said. "I still have a tuxedo left from the last ball."
"The last ball was two hundred years ago," Luna stated indignantly.
"So?" Artemis shrugged. "It still fits."
"Men," Bunny grumbled. "Never caring about fashion sense. We of the fairer, more intelligent sex are going to strive to make an impression. Come on, minna."
"Coming," they called after her, and raced to catch up, all smiling, except for Haruka, who was grumbling something about killing the person who invented dresses.
As the ball commenced, everyone tried to be happy.
"Introducing, Circle Eternity!"
First, Ami stepped out, rather nervously. She wore an elegant light blue dress that complimented her ice blue eyes. It had only one shoulder, leaving the other one bare, and draped over her curves in a graceful style. She wore soft blue shoes that were decorated with sapphires. A sapphire necklace adorned her neck, and she looked very chic. A blue butterfly clip pulled her soft blue hair back.
Next, came Minako. Minako wore a golden backless dress that fell to her knees and soft golden gloves. It sparkled and rippled with her every movement, emphasizing her curves and giving her a very classic look. She wore gold high heels that showed off her pale feet with gold-painted toenails. She wore simple golden earrings and a topaz necklace. Her golden hair had lost the tacky red bow and was, instead, pulled back with a star clip.
Rei came next, wearing a fiery red, sleeveless, high-collar traditional dress that hugged her curves. It had a slit up both sides, which ended at her thigh. A small dragon was embroidered on her right side, and she wore red high heels. Ruby earrings flashed in her ears, and her purplish black hair was pulled back with a single red flower clip.
Makoto wore a forest green, spaghetti strap dress that fell to just below her knees. It sparkled in the light and she had a forest green shawl over her shoulders. She wore green slippers, and an emerald necklace with matching earrings. Her chocolate brown hair was curled and pinned up with several feathery green clips, giving her a very stylish look.
Hotaru came next, stepping shyly. She wore a violet-black dress that shimmered colors in the light. It was slightly off-shoulder, and gave her a very fashionable look. Her black shoes suited the picture, along with her black opal necklace. A purple ribbon pulled her black hair back, and she looked very sweet.
Haruka came next, escorting Michiru. Haruka wore a navy blue simple dress that was sleeveless, and long. It looked elegant on her, though, comparing naturally to her sandy-blonde hair. She wore a necklace of alexandrite, and she wore blue shoes. Michiru wore an aqua dress the same color as her hair. It was off-shoulder and made of silk, flowing down to her ankles in many floaty layers. Her aqua hair was pinned back by a single feathery butterfly clip, and her soft high heels clacked on the floor. A turquoise necklace and turquoise earring adorned her.
After them, came Setsuna. Setsuna's green-black hair was gently curled, a feat almost impossible, but somehow managed by Michiru. It was pinned up, though many curls tumbled down into her face. Her crimson eyes watched the crowd. She wore a maroon thin-strap dress made of crushed velvet that flowed down to her ankles, and barely missed the ground. On her feet, were red high heels, which showed her tanned, yet delicate feet. She wore garnet earrings, but her neck was left bare.
Next, came Mamoru. He wore a black, suave tuxedo, a top hat, and a white mask. He looked the perfect picture of a handsome, debonair, gentleman, attracting sighs from many of the fairer sex. His stormy blue eyes viewed the crowd with boredom.
And of course, last, came Bunny. Bunny's blonde hair was pulled back and braided into a crown around her head. She had managed to weave bells and ribbons and ornaments into it, with several jewels adorning a tiara gently placed on it. She wore a sparkling silver, sleeveless dress, which clung slightly to her body, emphasizing her curves, but not in a sluttish way. The dress was backless, and flowed down to her ankles, with a small slit up to her knee on one side. She wore silver sandaled high heels, which showed her silver painted toenails. She looked extremely nervous.
After everyone had arrived, The Boss came.
"Introducing The Boss, Queen Serenity!"
Queen Serenity had beautiful silver hair that was put up into two buns, hair spilling from each one. Her eyes were an astute silvery-blue that held great wisdom, and her sage face looked weather-beaten and held the signs of one who has seen much pain and death. Yet she still looked striking in a sagacious and perceptive kind of way. She held not the attractiveness of the young, but the insight of the elderly.
She smiled at everyone, but sadness was etched in her lips, and her usually golden aura had a tint of blue, of melancholy. Although her head was held high and proudly, as she should, she had obviously aged many years. She raised a hand clothed with black silk. Her whole dress was a regal black silk, mourning clothes, for no one was expected survive being captured by the Dark Kingdom.
"Today is a day of celebrating for all we have done to help mankind. Please welcome my son, Prince Samuel, twin of Princess Serenity, whom we lost to the Dark Side." At that last part, she almost choked, but she kept her composure. "Welcome the Black Panther and Mika of Circle Twilight."
Samuel wore silver and black armor, with a sad, yet bemused smile on his face. Beside him, a young girl several years younger with brown hair pulled back with a blue ribbon and a soft navy blue dress stood. Her smile was bittersweet, having been a good friend of Princess Serenity's.
As everyone mingled and danced together, Bunny refused offer after offer, preferring to gorge by the buffet table and watch everyone.
"Why'd you wear such a fancy dress if you're not going to dance?" Rei demanded.
"Yeah, girl," Minako said. "More guys have asked you to dance then have ever asked me in my whole life, and you refused every single one of them."
"Do you like someone in particular?" Makoto asked slyly.
"No," Bunny said sharply. "And if I do, you would never find out."
"Girl," Rei rolled her eyes. "We're the Love Trio. We can figure out who anyone has a crush on any time soon."
"Be wary of them," Ami advised softly, suddenly, suddenly appearing. "I once told them that I had never gone on a date, and they fixed me up on a blind one. They work fast."
"As far as I know, you haven't broken up with Zoisite, have you?" Minako teased.
Both Ami and Bunny stiffened. "Wasn't Zoisite one of the captured ones?" she asked Minako warningly.
Minako blanched. Makoto covered for her. "And I bet Zoisite will do anything he can to escape there because someone else might dance with you tonight."
Ami blushed before walking off.
Bunny was left alone once again as Minako, Makoto, and Rei tried to find something to do with their time.
As she closed her eyes, and swayed to the music, a deep voice asked, "May I have this dance?"
Bunny's eyes snapped open, and for a moment, she looked like a deer caught in headlights. Her eyes fell on Mamoru, and she tensed even further.
"It's just a dance," he said amusedly.
Infuriated by his tone, she retorted, "I'm not scared of a dance."
"Good," Mamoru said smoothly, pulling her onto the dance floor. "Then you'll dance with me."
"I didn't say yes," Bunny panicked.
"You don't want to make a scene, now do you?" Mamoru asked coolly.
Bunny froze, than gave in to the inevitable. "I'm going to get you for this," she hissed.
"How?" Mamoru asked.
"You just wait," Bunny smirked. "You just wait."
The rest of the dance was in silence, though their movements were in perfect synchronization.
Later, while Mamoru was flirting with several girls, the doors opened with a bang. They all looked up to see an exhausted Nephrite, Jadeite, Kunzite, and Zoisite.
"Zoisite! Kunzite! Nephrite! Jadeite! You made it back," Mamoru cried.
"We managed to escape," Nephrite said tiredly. "Barely, but we managed when the others created a diversion. The plan was that they would create a diversion, and we would escape, before we went back to rescue them."
"But the stupid youmas tracked us and didn't give us time to rescue them," Zoisite said exhausted.
"Were all of them there?" Bunny asked sharply. "Was everyone? Serenity, Kakyuu, Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten?"
"Yes," Kunzite said. "All of them."
"Are they safe?" Bunny asked.
"Yes," Nephrite assured her. "At least they were the last time we saw them."
"When was that?" Ami inquired.
"Just before we were captured," Zoisite admitted ruefully.
"We were fighting," Kunzite explained, "and all of a sudden, they surrounded us and captured us."
"We managed to make sure that Mamoru left before they chloroformed us or something like that," Jadeite said sadly.
"So you don't know for sure how they are," Michiru said flatly.
"Well, no," Zoisite said. "We were put in separate cells, but I was in the cell next to Seiya. We thought up a plan, and she passed it on to Taiki, and so on, while I passed it on to Jadeite and so on. I don't know if maybe one person escaped, and we didn't know about it, or they were put in an isolated cell."
"So they created a diversion and you escaped?" Setsuna confirmed.
"Yes," Kunzite said.
"Cowards," Haruka said.
"We're not cowards," Nephrite protested. "We escaped by the positions of the stars, and I can lead you back."
"Really? We can find their base," Minako said.
"Where is it?" Bunny asked eagerly.
"We have to see the queen," Kunzite said urgently.
"We can't waste time with you," Jadeite said scornfully, looking at Bunny.
Bunny narrowed her eyes, before sniffing haughtily and walking away.
The next day, all arrived to training.
"The Boss wouldn't let us go because she said we were exhausted and needed to train," Nephrite said wearily.
"We gave her the coordinates though," Zoisite sighed.
"What's she doing here?" Jadeite asked, pointing at Bunny.
"She's part of our Circle by default," Luna explained wearily.
"Default?" Kunzite asked.
"She was sent here accidentally because of some typo or other," Artemis dismissed. "Meanwhile, let's test the extent of your abilities."
While they tested, Bunny sat on a couch, watching them train with boredom.
She watched as they sparred. While Mamoru sparred with Rei, she smirked. Suddenly a loud crash was heard. Mamoru lost his concentration and lost. She smirked.
"That was cheating," Kunzite protested.
"I told you that I would get you back," Bunny smiled.
"That's cheating," Zoisite repeated.
Bunny looked at them dryly. "Do you really think that everyone will remain reverently silent in the middle of a battle against the Dark Kingdom?"
Nephrite bit his lip. "But you did that just to spite him."
"If he was as well-trained as Rei, he would not have lost his concentration," Bunny smirked. "Did you notice that Rei did not lose her concentration?"
Jadeite pursed his lips. "Who are you to tell us? You're not even a true member! You have no right to judge us!"
Bunny narrowed her eyes. "And you have no right to judge me! I thought that Universal Knights would understand the fact that all people are to be treated equally. I thought that Universal Knights would be proud to fight for the cause! Well, I guess I thought wrong!" After the steam escaping from her ears slowed down a little, she added, "I'm going outside, so that some supposed Universal Knights can get the dirt off their feet!" She whirled around and stomped out of the room.
Nonplussed, Kunzite said, "Who's next?"
Minako glared at Kunzite. "We are going to console Bunny."
"And we," Haruka glared at Jadeite, "are going to teach these idiots a lesson about etiquette."
Minako, Makoto, Ami, and Rei left to find Bunny. Michiru, Haruka, Hotaru, and Setsuna stayed behind, each with murder in their eyes. After all, they had all become very good friends with Bunny, and they were upset that someone had insulted their good friend.
Mamoru got up. "I'm going to take a walk," he said, rolling his eyes. "Geez. All this just because of a simple crash."
Mamoru headed towards the "Secret Spot." The spot he and Serenity shared.
He walked toward the clearing. As he lay down by the brook, Bunny walked over, not noticing him at first. When she noticed him, she was so startled that she jumped back.
"What are you doing?" Mamoru asked.
"Why should I tell you?" Bunny snapped.
"I have your brush," Mamoru commented, the brush she accidentally left outside the other night in his hand.
"Give that back," Bunny said indignantly.
"No," Mamoru smiled. "I want to know how someone like you got hold of such a magically prized item."
"It's magical?" Bunny feinted innocence.
"You left it out on purpose," Mamoru said. "It soaked up moonlight and starlight, and later sunlight, gaining power. I want to know how you got it."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Bunny said sweetly.
Mamoru murmured a few words, a bright light blazed out. The brush was now covered with intricate designs.
"I have no idea what's going on," Bunny smiled sweetly.
Mamoru frowned. His truth spell would reveal when she was lying, and it was telling him that she wasn't lying. Only someone powerful could confuse his spells. "Who are you?" he asked.
"Do you really think I'm going to tell you?" Bunny asked, plucking the brush out of his hand.
"I recognize that brush," Mamoru said slowly. "It's Usagi's. It's magically bespelled so that it will strip the disguise of anyone using it, however strong the disguise may be. How in the world did you obtain it?"
Bunny froze. "I just found it," she said cheerfully and attempted to slink off, but Mamoru's hand caught hold of her wrist and wouldn't let her go
"You made a fatal flaw," Mamoru informed her. "Only someone powerful could have lied through my Truth Stone. So either you tell me who you are right now, or I'll suspect that you're a Dark Kingdom Spy, and I'll kill you."
"Buzz off," Bunny said. "My business is none of your beeswax, and you'll do well to remember that."
Mamoru sighed. "If you're a Dark Kingdom spy, you are my business, remember?"
"Oh, yeah," Bunny said sheepishly. "Well, I'm not a Dark Kingdom Spy, and if you don't believe me, use your powers."
Mamoru raised an eyebrow. He closed his eyes. Her mind was slippery, and as he handled it, he was only barely able to catch glimpses of her life. Finally, he confirmed that she wasn't a Dark Kingdom spy. Before he left, though, he caught a glimpse of a memory of a tall man with black hair and blue-
Her mind jerked out of his. She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," she said, "but that was a more personal memory."
Mamoru nodded, though he was curious.
"Tomorrow, there will be no training," Luna announced. "Artemis and I are going to attend a Council Meeting with the Queen as representatives of Circle Eternity."
"Can I please go?" Bunny asked. "If I go, maybe the Boss will finally transfer me."
"All right," Artemis agreed.
"Circle Twilight didn't return," Prince Samuel said haggardly. Apparently, Queen Serenity was confirming relations somewhere else, doing ambassador work. "Any business?"
Before Luna and Artemis could stop her, Bunny stood up. "I have two propositions to make."
"Shoot," Sammy said.
"First, when am I going to put in a class and taken out of Circle Eternity?" Bunny asked.
Sammy smiled. "You know, anybody else would give an arm or a leg to be in your position."
"Then put them in my position," Bunny said tartly. "All I ask is that I am taken out of it."
Sammy sighed. "The sorter broke, and we can't do anything, much less relocate you. You'll just have to suffer a little while longer."
"Then I'll state my second proposition," Bunny said unsympathetically. "I think you should send Circle Eternity out on the mission to retrieve the captured prisoners-of-war considering the prisoners- of-war do happen to be their fellow Circle-mates, although they've never met."
"Are they skilled enough?" Sammy asked.
"Yes," Bunny said.
"Fine," Sammy said. "Tomorrow, I will visit and test the abilities of Circle Eternity. Their strength, wisdom, and cooperation will be tested as well."
"WHAT!" Rei screeched. "TOMORROW! ARE YOU CRAZY! YOU STOOD UP TO THE PRINCE!"
"Yes, I did," Bunny said calmly. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"So we have the rest of today to prepare?" Minako asked, aghast.
"Yes," Bunny said. "I got you the chance you wanted. Now, you all owe me one."
Prince Samuel observed critically as Circle Eternity was tested as a group for the first time. They were in the Training Room, a specially- designed room to simulate real battles, that involved points, levels, etc, like a game, but was made to help Circle-members improve their skills and to test them.
Right now, Circle Eternity was on Level 10, a fairly good level for such beginners. Everyone was doing well with high opportune scores and low injury levels, except for Bunny, who had done nothing, nor gotten hurt, during the entire game. Instead, she stayed on the sidelines, watching, and avoiding any type of danger so as not to cause trouble.
All of a sudden, a huge youma loomed up behind her. Almost casually, Bunny shot it a withering glare. "I'm in the middle of an observation," she scolded. "Can't you go somewhere else and annoy someone else?"
The youma looked startled at first, but then it meekly, backed away.
Haruka stared at her in amazement for a moment before dodging a blow and throwing a World Shaking at another youma.
As they got to Level 15, which was the first of the Advanced Levels, however, the youma grew bigger and more powerful. Now, they had to work together to defeat it.
"Fire!"
"Wind!"
"Lightning!"
The three attacks soared and burnt to youmas to a crisp.
"Wind!"
"Water!"
"Ice!"
"Death!"
"Time!"
"Light!"
The six attacks froze, blinded, and killed about four youma and maimed one, but more kept coming.
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Endymion launched their attacks at the youma. Because their attacks were similar, they managed to defeat more youma, about five.
At this point, Bunny's eyes narrowed. In the far distance, she could see a flock of specks in the sky.
"Can anyone fly?" she called out.
They ignored her.
"There's a very interesting flock of specks that I think are flying youma coming this way," she informed them.
"Wind!" Haruka called out.
"Strength of Light and Love!" Minako called out, because Light could enhance the wind and blind the youma. The other Elements had no long-range effects, though.
The wind managed to blow those youma off course, to the relief of the others, who still concentrated on the youma.
Growing impatient, Bunny rolled her eyes. "Watch and learn," she called out. She stood up on her perch. "Watch out, evil youmas, 'cause I'm the warrior of good, and I'm here to destroy you!"
The youmas stared at her, and then burst out laughing.
Seizing their chance …
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
The five forces knocked the youma down.
"Fire!"
"Lightning!"
"Ice!"
"Water!"
"Wind!"
These five elements finished off the youma.
"It's called distracting the enemy," Bunny said sarcastically. "It's one of the hardest skills to learn."
Endymion gave her a hard look. "That was dangerous."
"So?" she shrugged. "It's just a game. If it were real, it would be different. You probably wouldn't even let me come along."
They all gave her a look. They were obviously about to lecture her, but a whole army of youmas came.
Later …
"You did very well," Prince Samuel praised. "You passed our hardest level."
They all beamed.
"I found those little bursts of advice from your non-magic associate very amusing," Prince Samuel continued. He paused. "She should really get a job as a comedian." He received dry looks. "And you've got the job."
"Yahoo!!!!!!!!"
Thirteen people stood in the doorway, bedecked in different outfits.
Minako wore a toga, Makoto wore a military outfit, Setsuna wore a business suit, Michiru wore an all-black outfit with a beret, Hotaru wore a party dress, Ami wore a formal dress, Haruka wore a tuxedo, and Rei wore a flashy red dress. Mamoru, Kunzite, and Zoisite wore tuxedoes. Nephrite wore an apron, complete with a chef's hat, and Jadeite wore a "muscle" shirt that was supposed to show of his "muscles."
Bunny, on the other hand, wore a pink tank top, and silver caprice. She gave them all a glare. "Minako," she said gently. "Togas went out of style with the fall of the Roman Empire. Makoto, we're supposed to blend in with the people, not the plants. Rei, we're not singing or dancing on stage. Ami, we're not going to a ball. That goes for you four as well." She glared pointedly at Haruka, Mamoru, Zoisite, and Kunzite. "Hotaru, dear, we're not going to a birthday party. Nephrite, chefs only wear their uniforms when working. Jadeite, you don't have muscles." The last part was said flatly. "So don't wear a 'muscle' shirt, please. You're making me throw up." She received a glare. "And Setsuna, it's Sunday."
They all gave her a glare.
"If we're going after youma, we'll be heading into forest," Setsuna said calmly. "We all have secret weapons. What does your outfit provide you with?"
"Comfort and inconspicuousness," she answered nonchalantly.
The others went back to their rooms. Bunny waited patiently. They all came out wearing normal clothes.
Bunny's eyes narrowed. "Why do I get the feeling that you only put on those costumes to irritate me?"
No answer was given to her.
It was cold in the forest. A bitter wind swept through it. She shivered. Reaching into her knapsack, she took out a long black cloak. As the last strands of light from the sun faded, darkness overwhelmed the place. In her dark black cloak that covered her from head to toe, she was almost invisible. She moved swiftly and silently through the forest.
Finally, the other members of the group halted, and built a fire. She discontinued as well. Instead of huddling in front of the fire, she cleared out an empty space by a tall tree. Then, she methodically, and quietly, began stacking branches up on either side of it, until she had a leant-to of sorts. She stuffed pine needles under it; brought out a fluffy pillow and blanket she had brought in her large knapsack, and settled everything. Then, she walked by the fire, staying just out of its light, hidden.
"What are we having for dinner?" Minako murmured.
"We only have canned ravioli," Makoto said, wrinkling her nose. "Tomorrow, look for rabbits and squirrels to hunt, and for herbs."
"Where's Bunny?" Kunzite asked, suddenly. There was a silence.
"She's missing!" Hotaru said.
"No I'm not," Bunny said coolly. They swiveled around to look at her. "I'm fine," she continued.
"Aren't you cold?" Michiru asked.
"No," she said. "Just hungry."
"Done!" Makoto said proudly.
They all feasted.
"Where are you sleeping?" Mamoru asked curiously.
"Over there," she said casually, pointing to her lean-to.
(At this point, I am considering giving up, since its soooooo boring, but I might not.)
Long beautiful golden hair filled his dreams. Clear blue eyes haunted his thoughts. A petite figure with golden hair and blue eyes, wearing a pale toga ran toward him. "Marry me," a sweet, melodic voice called.
Mamoru sat up. That was one strange dream. Now, I wonder whom I was dreaming about. It could have been Minako …nah. Her hair's not that long. But … Bunny has blonde hair. No, it can't be her. Could it have been Usagi? No, Usagi's only a friend. Argh!
The fourteen stopped at the edge of the forest. In front of them was a large castle. It was dark, gloomy, and malevolent. Hanging on chains in the front of the huge black doors were four miniscule figures.
With sinking dread, they knew immediately who those four were … Circle Twilight. Bunny turned away, tears burning through her eyes. She opened them.
"If you go and rescue the others, I'm sure I can release Circle Twilight," she said bravely.
Ami glanced at her. "What if its just a decoy?"
"Then I die," Bunny said simply. "There's nothing else for me to do anyways."
As much as everyone wanted to argue with her, it was the truth. You must sacrifice everything for the Cause. The Boss had sacrificed her own precious daughter. They were expected to give their lives.
Bunny walked up toward the huge gates, while everyone devised a way to go through the back door.
Mamoru led the thirteen people through the gloomy back door. They were tense and alert. They would have opted for a less conspicuous entrance, but they could not disguise themselves as youma, and could do nothing. Instead, they walked in carefully.
The halls were cold, and they all shivered. Kunzite took lead. He had the best memory, with Zoisite adding his comments now and then. Nephrite knew the dungeons backwards and forwards from a map he had found, and Jadeite would provide the distraction.
They got to the entrance to the tunnels. Nephrite took lead, while Jadeite began melting some of the bars of the more dangerous criminals they had. There was pandemonium in that section with seconds. The eight girls immediately slipped in, and freed Seiya, Taiki, Yaten, and Kakyuu. Not much farther in, they found the actual Circle Twilight: Mika, Reika, Erika, and Himeko.
Gathering the eight, they hurried out worriedly. Where was Princess Serenity and where was Bunny? If the real Circle Twilight was here, what was Bunny facing. They hurriedly escaped, and almost made it until…
Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep
The alarm went off. Within seconds, the corridor was crowded with youma. Twenty-one humans are very conspicuous in the midst of a bunch of youma. And, inevitably, they were sighted. Inexorably, they did the only thing they could. They got ready to fight…
Bunny calmly took out a silver computer and scanned the figures. She frowned. Dragons! She hissed. Pretending to be fooled, she put her compute away. How did they get dragons? The last ones were put to sleep millions of years ago. They themselves had requested it.
She stopped twenty feet from them. It was close enough. The dragons began to morph into their regular shape.
Dragons are exceptionally large. Their tail alone is seven feet long. They are around twenty feet tall, with a two-foot snout. Their colors vary from green to black to the occasional white. Albino dragons are special, because they have the ability of telepathy and telekinesis. In front of her was a large midnight black one, a large forest green one, and a jade-colored one. Where was the fourth one?
Slowly, Bunny turned around to see a humongous albino dragon. Apparently, this one had the ability of teleportation as well. Ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach, Bunny positioned herself for a fight. Dragons have no vulnerable spots. The thought raced through her head. S***! She was going to die!
So Bunny did the first thing that came to her mind. She let out a long string of curses combined from several different languages that would have made a sailor blush. While she spoke, her fingers wove a spell, and she whispered the incantation. It was a neat trick she had learned.
When she finished, she let it fly, and ran with all her might.
A single silver figure levitated in the ceiling. From her hand, a silver blast formed, and the youma dispersed immediately. She landed on the floor and turned around.
"Usagi!" Kakyuu called, and rushed up to hug her, who hugged back.
"I wanted to tell you that the Serenity at the court is a fake," Usagi said. "The Dark Kingdom sent her because they wanted to know all of your secrets-"
She was cut off by Jadeite. "But there is no Serenity at court."
"Oh," Usagi said. "I heard them talking about it," she said uneasily. "They must have decided not to."
They gave her encouraging smiles, before taking her outside.
The group of twenty-two met a breathless Bunny.
"Who's she?" Bunny and Usagi asked simultaneously.
"Bunny, this is Usagi. Usagi, this is Bunny." There was a silence as the two sized each other up.
"What's she doing here?" Usagi asked.
"She was forced to accompany our mission because someone made a mistake and accidentally transferred her to our Circle. She's not a real member," Haruka explained.
Bunny turned around. "It wasn't Circle Twilight at the door," she said. "Before I could get there, they turned into large dragon-things, and the disappeared with a silver flash." She turned back around and gave Usagi a meaningful glance. Usagi paled.
"I did it," Usagi supplied.
Bunny gave Usagi a hard glare before turning around. "Let's go."
In the middle of the forest, Bunny suddenly pretended to have a change of heart. She began being best friends with Usagi, and the two were now inseparable.
Mamoru frowned. There was something wrong.
The two were in front of the fire right now. They were giggling like hyenas.
"Your hair's a mess," Bunny said. "Here, let me comb it for you." She brought out a silver filigree comb.
Mamoru's eyes narrowed. Bunny would never use the comb just because Usagi's hair was dirty. But maybe she had mistaken that comb for another one. He was going to protest, but decided to let her use it. It wouldn't hurt anyone.
Bunny sat behind Usagi, and brought the comb through it once. Was it his imagination, or did Usagi's hair seem to be a light blue. Bunny combed it again. The light blue was darker. Bunny combed again. Usagi's eyes were now dark blue. Bunny combed again. Usagi's pink mouth was now a pale purple. Bunny combed again. Usagi's silver dress faded away to show a blue one. Bunny combed one last time. Usagi's meatballs now spilled about her shoulders, and her hair was shorter. Bunny moved away.
She examined her handiwork. "Perfect," she said.
Everyone was now staring at Usagi, or rather, the changed Usagi. "What's going on?" she asked.
Immediately, Hotaru's glaive was at Usagi's throat, and Haruka's Space Sword was at Bunny's.
"Who are you?" Mika hissed.
"I'm Usagi," Usagi said shakily. "Just your ordinary Moon Princess."
There was a shimmer, and Minako's own knife was at Usagi's throat. "You lie," Minako said. "Usagi would never tell anyone that she was the Moon Princess, because only she, the Boss, and I know."
Usagi trembled. "I'm Blue Topaz," she admitted. "My sisters are White Topaz, Golden Topaz, Green Topaz, and Light Topaz. I was the one most familiar with Princess Serenity, so I was instructed to help you guys with the youma, make you trust me, and dig out your secrets."
"Where' Serenity?" Seiya hissed.
"She escaped," Blue Topaz said. "We didn't capture her. That's why I was surprised when you said that there was no Serenity at court. When she described the silver flash killing the dragons, I thought that was Serenity."
They all turned to look at Bunny who was calm underneath Haruka's knife.
"Let her go," Mamoru said. "I know that comb. It's a disguise- revealer that Usagi used to have. She found it, but I guess she doesn't know how it works."
Bunny gave Blue Topaz a hard look. She went over and whispered something in her ear. Blue Topaz's face grew shocked, before she went limp.
Ami immediately went over to check. "She's okay. She just fainted from shock."
"What'd you tell her?" Michiru asked.
"That I knew just what the comb did and just how to use it," she said coolly.
"Then you knew she wasn't Serenity?" Rei demanded.
"Would you have believed me?" Bunny asked.
But Mamoru wasn't paying attention. He had seen her earring flash when she had been talking to Blue Topaz, but she didn't have earrings on! "Hold Bunny," he ordered. "I want to see something."
Makoto took Bunny's hand. Bunny glared at Mamoru. "What do you want?" she demanded.
He picked up the silver filigree comb, and walked towards her. Bunny visibly paled.
"Would someone like to administer the comb to Bunny?" he asked coolly. "I want to see if she's wearing a disguise."
Taiki stepped up. She took the comb and began brushing Bunny's hair. Bunny's eyes were closed.
They watched with tight lips as Bunny's hair slowly turned a soft, silvery blonde, and her eyes turned a crystal clear blue. They watched in shock as her hair formed the customary meatballs, and her dress became silver. And then Taiki stopped combing. She stepped back.
Bunny … Serenity's eyes slowly opened. "It worked, didn't it?" she asked.
They were mute nods all over. She retired to her lean-to.
Serenity Usagi Tsukino rested by the lake. The moonbeams pooled in her hair. The starlight shone on her tears. They all hated her. Why wouldn't they? She had kept such a huge secret, and she was so selfish. But they wouldn't understand her reasons. She knew they would attempt to discredit her as Serenity if she went back, so she went back disguised, and tried to help her friends covertly.
The only one who had spoken to her was her twin brother, the Black Panther. He had told her that he hated the White Pantheress. He hated her. Her own twin brother hated her. Nobody would listen. Nobody would understand.
As she wept silently, a soft hand positioned itself on her shoulders. She whirled around to see Mamoru.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Why?" Mamoru asked.
"Why what?" Usagi asked, surprised.
"Why do you care what I want?" Mamoru replied. "Why are you crying? And why … why were you Bunny?"
"I don't want to listen if you're just going to scream at me," Usagi whispered. "And I don't like it when people are mad at me. Bunny … well … Bunny is what I would have been like if I didn't have powers. I wanted to see if people would like me. I guess they didn't."
Mamoru put his arms around Usagi. "I like Bunny and I like you."
Usagi winced. "Everyone's mad at me."
Mamoru hesitated. "I love you," he whispered. "And everything's going to be okay."
Usagi smiled. "I love you too," she answered.
And so they stood there, dancing to the eternal tune of love, under the starry skies.
A/N: How'd you like my ending? I know it was a little fast, and I sprang it on you, but I really wanted to finish this.
A group of four stood on one side of the room. The tall, sandy- haired one looked at her watch in frustration. The tall, green-haired one tapped her foot impatiently. The young, black-haired one tried to calm them both down, while the petite, aqua haired one observed their surroundings.
Across the room, another quartet was examining their surroundings. The tall brunette scanned things warily. The petite, blue-haired one made assessments of everyone. The black-haired one was meditating, and the blonde was just noting everything.
Alone, at the side of the room, stood a tall, young man, with black hair and blue eyes, looking glum. He was in a particularly bad mood, with a cross and gloomy look on his face, that everyone recognized as a grouchy, don't-even-think-about-talking-to-me-or-I'll-make-sure-you-regret-it look.
As a bell rang throughout the building, a young blonde burst through the door. She had a disheveled look about her. "I'm sorry I'm late, but-" she panted, then paused. She looked about her once, and froze. She finally managed to squeak out, "I think I'm in the wrong class." It was truly comical, seeing a carefree girl, who was being surrounded by confident people, who were giving her the glare of death. "Isn't this Room 302?" she asked.
Ami flicked her a glance. "Yes," she said.
The young girl let out a string of expletives under her breath that one could barely hear, but the others guessed what the nature of her language was. They glanced at her curiously. Anyone who knew words like that had definitely been around, as she had sworn in several intergalactic words that few knew, because they were purposely excluded from the textbooks.
At the same time, two cats walked in. A black one and a white one, each with a crescent moon on their forehead.
"We're your advisors, here to teach you," the black one explained. "I'm Luna, and he's Artemis."
"Then, could you tell me how to get to my class," the new girl spoke up. They all swiveled their gaze at her. Ignoring them, she continued. "I'm absolutely sure I'm not supposed to be in this class. There must have been a typing error."
"You'll have to deal with it for now," Artemis sighed. "The Boss isn't going to respond any requests, because she's preparing."
The girl scowled.
"Now, let's start," Luna began.
"Why are we put together?" the tall, sandy-haired girl interrupted. "As far as I know, my Circle was doing fine, and so were the other Circles to be in this group. By the way, not everyone is here."
"We don't know why," Artemis admitted.
"Isn't it obvious?" the new girl spoke up.
They gave her questioning looks.
She continued. "Circle Dusk. Ten'ou Haruka, Princess of the Spirits that are Alive. Wild Mage of the Element Wind. Kaioh Michiru, Princess of the Mermaids. Wild Mage of the Element Sea. Tomoe Hotaru, Princess of the Priestesses. Wild Mage of the Element Death. Meioh Setsuna, Princess of the Lone Ones. Wild Mage of the Element Time.
"Circle Dawn. Mizuno Ami, Princess of the Mermaids, younger sister of Michiru. Wild Mage of the Elements Water and Ice. Hino Rei, Princess of the Priestesses, older sister of Hotaru. Wild Mage of the Elements Fire and Spirituality. Kino Makoto, Princess of the Witches, fifth cousin of Haruka. Wild Mage of the Elements Lightning and Wood. Aino Minako, Princess of the Angels, niece of The Boss. Wild Mage of the Elements Light and Love.
"Circle Nightfall. Chiba Mamoru, Prince Endymion of the Shapeshifters. Wild Mage of the Universal Earth. Betrothed to Princess Rei and the Princess Setsuna, the actual undecided. Lord Jadeite, Wild Mage of the Universal Sun. Lord Nephrite, Wild Mage of the Universal Stars. Lord Zoisite, Wild Mage of the Universal Planets. Lord Kunzite, Wild Mage of the Universal Resting Planets.
"Circle Daybreak. Tsukino Usagi, Princess Serenity of the Universal Moon. Princess Taiki Kou of the Universal Star Maker. Princess Yaten Kou of the Universal Star Healer. Princess Seiya Kou of the Universal Star Fighter. Princess Kakyuu of the Universal Princess Star.
"Circle Dusk. The Elements complement each other, forever aiding each other. Circle Dawn. The Elements are different, but where one fails, the other succeeds. Circle Nightfall. The Universals are always able to power up together. Circle Daybreak. The five most elite of the whole Reason, put together. Certainly these four great Circles should join, and create the one unforgettable Circle, Circle Eternity."
"So where are the others again?" Artemis asked.
Mamoru answered. "Circle Nightfall and Circle Daybreak are constantly paired together, and they are used to it. Right before we were to come here, we had a mission to complete." He paused, before continuing bitterly. "I was the only one who made it back. The others were captured."
The new girl looked away.
"What's your name?" Luna asked suddenly.
The girl smiled. "Call me Bunny."
"Bunny, how do you know all this?" Luna asked.
"Gossip's everywhere," Bunny smiled brightly. "Besides, I accidentally heard something that could have fueled the gossip. Are you sure that The Boss won't be able to transfer me? I'm just a novice. I haven't even learned why I was chosen."
"Then just watch us train," Luna said, groaning. "Why am I stuck with the ever-cheerful one?"
Bunny frowned slightly. "What if I don't want to watch you train?"
"It's an honor to watch us train," Rei said.
"We're royalty, after all," Haruka added.
Bunny seemed about to retort, but only closed her eyes and counted to ten. "Conceited royalty, that's for sure," she murmured under her breath, but only Mamoru heard it. He cracked a smile.
Over the next few months, training was intense. It was a while before they managed to get along and cooperate with each other. It was longer before they learned to trust each other and value each other's opinions. Now, they no longer took each of Rei's insults in offense, and they no longer thought Ami was showing off when she stated variables that no one could comprehend.
And no one questioned Bunny's presence either. They got used to it over time. For some reason, The Boss refused to see her, being too busy mourning her daughter being captured by The Other Side. After time, they grew to become friends with Bunny, too, though many times, they grew frustrated at her constant wails.
One day, Rei was trying to perform a complex spell she was to throw at the enemy to obliterate it with her fire. She wasn't succeeding. When she finally got the point where she almost made it, a crash was heard, breaking her concentration. They all whirled to glare at Bunny, who had dropped the plastic cup she was drinking out of. She smiled sheepishly, and went over to clean it up.
However, as Rei began working on her spell once again, another crash sounded. The cup had slipped out of Bunny's hand again. This occurred several more times, until finally, losing her temper, Rei shot a stream of fire at Bunny's cup.
"No, Rei," they cried too late, for she didn't know that Bunny was still holding her cup. Two masses of water flew at Bunny, knocking her back, but thankfully preventing the fire from burning up her.
Unfazed, Bunny stood up, and brushed herself. Then she stared levelly at Rei, and said calmly, "When you battle, no one will be silent for you to concentrate on your spell. There will be screams of pain from the youma, though hopefully not from your friends, and there will constantly be sounds of killing. If you cannot stand such a simple distraction as a falling cup, then how will you survive during battle?"
Rei looked abashed, as Bunny left the room. Only Mamoru noticed, with curiosity, that though Ami's water and Michiru's seawater had collided, she had not a trace of water on her, though she should have been soaked.
"The Boss has summoned us all," Artemis said excitedly. "Tomorrow, we shall all meet at seven o'clock to attend the ball. You must be polite, and wear formal attire. And Haruka, that means you can't wear a tuxedo."
"Do I go?" Bunny asked.
There was silence. Although Bunny was an accident, nobody could deny that she wasn't part of the group.
"Even if it was a typo, and even if you don't train, you're still part of the group," Luna said finally. "You're coming too, but be polite, okay?"
Bunny sniffed, before leaving.
"Where are you going?" Minako asked.
"Shopping," she called back. "I don't have a single formal thing to wear."
"I want to go too," Minako squealed.
"Count me in," Makoto added.
"Me too," Rei said.
"I need something as well," Ami said thoughtfully.
"I need to go," Michiru smiled. "And I know for a fact that Haruka doesn't have a dress at all, so she has to go. Hotaru probably doesn't have anything that will fit her, so she will go. And of course, Setsuna will go, just because I want her fashion sense."
Luna morphed into human form. "I think I'll attend, as well," she smiled. "This is my morphing dress, and its not really formal," she said, gesturing to the drab gray dress that clothed her whenever she turned human.
Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Thank goodness I don't need anything."
Artemis morphed into human form as well. "I don't need anything either," he said. "I still have a tuxedo left from the last ball."
"The last ball was two hundred years ago," Luna stated indignantly.
"So?" Artemis shrugged. "It still fits."
"Men," Bunny grumbled. "Never caring about fashion sense. We of the fairer, more intelligent sex are going to strive to make an impression. Come on, minna."
"Coming," they called after her, and raced to catch up, all smiling, except for Haruka, who was grumbling something about killing the person who invented dresses.
As the ball commenced, everyone tried to be happy.
"Introducing, Circle Eternity!"
First, Ami stepped out, rather nervously. She wore an elegant light blue dress that complimented her ice blue eyes. It had only one shoulder, leaving the other one bare, and draped over her curves in a graceful style. She wore soft blue shoes that were decorated with sapphires. A sapphire necklace adorned her neck, and she looked very chic. A blue butterfly clip pulled her soft blue hair back.
Next, came Minako. Minako wore a golden backless dress that fell to her knees and soft golden gloves. It sparkled and rippled with her every movement, emphasizing her curves and giving her a very classic look. She wore gold high heels that showed off her pale feet with gold-painted toenails. She wore simple golden earrings and a topaz necklace. Her golden hair had lost the tacky red bow and was, instead, pulled back with a star clip.
Rei came next, wearing a fiery red, sleeveless, high-collar traditional dress that hugged her curves. It had a slit up both sides, which ended at her thigh. A small dragon was embroidered on her right side, and she wore red high heels. Ruby earrings flashed in her ears, and her purplish black hair was pulled back with a single red flower clip.
Makoto wore a forest green, spaghetti strap dress that fell to just below her knees. It sparkled in the light and she had a forest green shawl over her shoulders. She wore green slippers, and an emerald necklace with matching earrings. Her chocolate brown hair was curled and pinned up with several feathery green clips, giving her a very stylish look.
Hotaru came next, stepping shyly. She wore a violet-black dress that shimmered colors in the light. It was slightly off-shoulder, and gave her a very fashionable look. Her black shoes suited the picture, along with her black opal necklace. A purple ribbon pulled her black hair back, and she looked very sweet.
Haruka came next, escorting Michiru. Haruka wore a navy blue simple dress that was sleeveless, and long. It looked elegant on her, though, comparing naturally to her sandy-blonde hair. She wore a necklace of alexandrite, and she wore blue shoes. Michiru wore an aqua dress the same color as her hair. It was off-shoulder and made of silk, flowing down to her ankles in many floaty layers. Her aqua hair was pinned back by a single feathery butterfly clip, and her soft high heels clacked on the floor. A turquoise necklace and turquoise earring adorned her.
After them, came Setsuna. Setsuna's green-black hair was gently curled, a feat almost impossible, but somehow managed by Michiru. It was pinned up, though many curls tumbled down into her face. Her crimson eyes watched the crowd. She wore a maroon thin-strap dress made of crushed velvet that flowed down to her ankles, and barely missed the ground. On her feet, were red high heels, which showed her tanned, yet delicate feet. She wore garnet earrings, but her neck was left bare.
Next, came Mamoru. He wore a black, suave tuxedo, a top hat, and a white mask. He looked the perfect picture of a handsome, debonair, gentleman, attracting sighs from many of the fairer sex. His stormy blue eyes viewed the crowd with boredom.
And of course, last, came Bunny. Bunny's blonde hair was pulled back and braided into a crown around her head. She had managed to weave bells and ribbons and ornaments into it, with several jewels adorning a tiara gently placed on it. She wore a sparkling silver, sleeveless dress, which clung slightly to her body, emphasizing her curves, but not in a sluttish way. The dress was backless, and flowed down to her ankles, with a small slit up to her knee on one side. She wore silver sandaled high heels, which showed her silver painted toenails. She looked extremely nervous.
After everyone had arrived, The Boss came.
"Introducing The Boss, Queen Serenity!"
Queen Serenity had beautiful silver hair that was put up into two buns, hair spilling from each one. Her eyes were an astute silvery-blue that held great wisdom, and her sage face looked weather-beaten and held the signs of one who has seen much pain and death. Yet she still looked striking in a sagacious and perceptive kind of way. She held not the attractiveness of the young, but the insight of the elderly.
She smiled at everyone, but sadness was etched in her lips, and her usually golden aura had a tint of blue, of melancholy. Although her head was held high and proudly, as she should, she had obviously aged many years. She raised a hand clothed with black silk. Her whole dress was a regal black silk, mourning clothes, for no one was expected survive being captured by the Dark Kingdom.
"Today is a day of celebrating for all we have done to help mankind. Please welcome my son, Prince Samuel, twin of Princess Serenity, whom we lost to the Dark Side." At that last part, she almost choked, but she kept her composure. "Welcome the Black Panther and Mika of Circle Twilight."
Samuel wore silver and black armor, with a sad, yet bemused smile on his face. Beside him, a young girl several years younger with brown hair pulled back with a blue ribbon and a soft navy blue dress stood. Her smile was bittersweet, having been a good friend of Princess Serenity's.
As everyone mingled and danced together, Bunny refused offer after offer, preferring to gorge by the buffet table and watch everyone.
"Why'd you wear such a fancy dress if you're not going to dance?" Rei demanded.
"Yeah, girl," Minako said. "More guys have asked you to dance then have ever asked me in my whole life, and you refused every single one of them."
"Do you like someone in particular?" Makoto asked slyly.
"No," Bunny said sharply. "And if I do, you would never find out."
"Girl," Rei rolled her eyes. "We're the Love Trio. We can figure out who anyone has a crush on any time soon."
"Be wary of them," Ami advised softly, suddenly, suddenly appearing. "I once told them that I had never gone on a date, and they fixed me up on a blind one. They work fast."
"As far as I know, you haven't broken up with Zoisite, have you?" Minako teased.
Both Ami and Bunny stiffened. "Wasn't Zoisite one of the captured ones?" she asked Minako warningly.
Minako blanched. Makoto covered for her. "And I bet Zoisite will do anything he can to escape there because someone else might dance with you tonight."
Ami blushed before walking off.
Bunny was left alone once again as Minako, Makoto, and Rei tried to find something to do with their time.
As she closed her eyes, and swayed to the music, a deep voice asked, "May I have this dance?"
Bunny's eyes snapped open, and for a moment, she looked like a deer caught in headlights. Her eyes fell on Mamoru, and she tensed even further.
"It's just a dance," he said amusedly.
Infuriated by his tone, she retorted, "I'm not scared of a dance."
"Good," Mamoru said smoothly, pulling her onto the dance floor. "Then you'll dance with me."
"I didn't say yes," Bunny panicked.
"You don't want to make a scene, now do you?" Mamoru asked coolly.
Bunny froze, than gave in to the inevitable. "I'm going to get you for this," she hissed.
"How?" Mamoru asked.
"You just wait," Bunny smirked. "You just wait."
The rest of the dance was in silence, though their movements were in perfect synchronization.
Later, while Mamoru was flirting with several girls, the doors opened with a bang. They all looked up to see an exhausted Nephrite, Jadeite, Kunzite, and Zoisite.
"Zoisite! Kunzite! Nephrite! Jadeite! You made it back," Mamoru cried.
"We managed to escape," Nephrite said tiredly. "Barely, but we managed when the others created a diversion. The plan was that they would create a diversion, and we would escape, before we went back to rescue them."
"But the stupid youmas tracked us and didn't give us time to rescue them," Zoisite said exhausted.
"Were all of them there?" Bunny asked sharply. "Was everyone? Serenity, Kakyuu, Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten?"
"Yes," Kunzite said. "All of them."
"Are they safe?" Bunny asked.
"Yes," Nephrite assured her. "At least they were the last time we saw them."
"When was that?" Ami inquired.
"Just before we were captured," Zoisite admitted ruefully.
"We were fighting," Kunzite explained, "and all of a sudden, they surrounded us and captured us."
"We managed to make sure that Mamoru left before they chloroformed us or something like that," Jadeite said sadly.
"So you don't know for sure how they are," Michiru said flatly.
"Well, no," Zoisite said. "We were put in separate cells, but I was in the cell next to Seiya. We thought up a plan, and she passed it on to Taiki, and so on, while I passed it on to Jadeite and so on. I don't know if maybe one person escaped, and we didn't know about it, or they were put in an isolated cell."
"So they created a diversion and you escaped?" Setsuna confirmed.
"Yes," Kunzite said.
"Cowards," Haruka said.
"We're not cowards," Nephrite protested. "We escaped by the positions of the stars, and I can lead you back."
"Really? We can find their base," Minako said.
"Where is it?" Bunny asked eagerly.
"We have to see the queen," Kunzite said urgently.
"We can't waste time with you," Jadeite said scornfully, looking at Bunny.
Bunny narrowed her eyes, before sniffing haughtily and walking away.
The next day, all arrived to training.
"The Boss wouldn't let us go because she said we were exhausted and needed to train," Nephrite said wearily.
"We gave her the coordinates though," Zoisite sighed.
"What's she doing here?" Jadeite asked, pointing at Bunny.
"She's part of our Circle by default," Luna explained wearily.
"Default?" Kunzite asked.
"She was sent here accidentally because of some typo or other," Artemis dismissed. "Meanwhile, let's test the extent of your abilities."
While they tested, Bunny sat on a couch, watching them train with boredom.
She watched as they sparred. While Mamoru sparred with Rei, she smirked. Suddenly a loud crash was heard. Mamoru lost his concentration and lost. She smirked.
"That was cheating," Kunzite protested.
"I told you that I would get you back," Bunny smiled.
"That's cheating," Zoisite repeated.
Bunny looked at them dryly. "Do you really think that everyone will remain reverently silent in the middle of a battle against the Dark Kingdom?"
Nephrite bit his lip. "But you did that just to spite him."
"If he was as well-trained as Rei, he would not have lost his concentration," Bunny smirked. "Did you notice that Rei did not lose her concentration?"
Jadeite pursed his lips. "Who are you to tell us? You're not even a true member! You have no right to judge us!"
Bunny narrowed her eyes. "And you have no right to judge me! I thought that Universal Knights would understand the fact that all people are to be treated equally. I thought that Universal Knights would be proud to fight for the cause! Well, I guess I thought wrong!" After the steam escaping from her ears slowed down a little, she added, "I'm going outside, so that some supposed Universal Knights can get the dirt off their feet!" She whirled around and stomped out of the room.
Nonplussed, Kunzite said, "Who's next?"
Minako glared at Kunzite. "We are going to console Bunny."
"And we," Haruka glared at Jadeite, "are going to teach these idiots a lesson about etiquette."
Minako, Makoto, Ami, and Rei left to find Bunny. Michiru, Haruka, Hotaru, and Setsuna stayed behind, each with murder in their eyes. After all, they had all become very good friends with Bunny, and they were upset that someone had insulted their good friend.
Mamoru got up. "I'm going to take a walk," he said, rolling his eyes. "Geez. All this just because of a simple crash."
Mamoru headed towards the "Secret Spot." The spot he and Serenity shared.
He walked toward the clearing. As he lay down by the brook, Bunny walked over, not noticing him at first. When she noticed him, she was so startled that she jumped back.
"What are you doing?" Mamoru asked.
"Why should I tell you?" Bunny snapped.
"I have your brush," Mamoru commented, the brush she accidentally left outside the other night in his hand.
"Give that back," Bunny said indignantly.
"No," Mamoru smiled. "I want to know how someone like you got hold of such a magically prized item."
"It's magical?" Bunny feinted innocence.
"You left it out on purpose," Mamoru said. "It soaked up moonlight and starlight, and later sunlight, gaining power. I want to know how you got it."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Bunny said sweetly.
Mamoru murmured a few words, a bright light blazed out. The brush was now covered with intricate designs.
"I have no idea what's going on," Bunny smiled sweetly.
Mamoru frowned. His truth spell would reveal when she was lying, and it was telling him that she wasn't lying. Only someone powerful could confuse his spells. "Who are you?" he asked.
"Do you really think I'm going to tell you?" Bunny asked, plucking the brush out of his hand.
"I recognize that brush," Mamoru said slowly. "It's Usagi's. It's magically bespelled so that it will strip the disguise of anyone using it, however strong the disguise may be. How in the world did you obtain it?"
Bunny froze. "I just found it," she said cheerfully and attempted to slink off, but Mamoru's hand caught hold of her wrist and wouldn't let her go
"You made a fatal flaw," Mamoru informed her. "Only someone powerful could have lied through my Truth Stone. So either you tell me who you are right now, or I'll suspect that you're a Dark Kingdom Spy, and I'll kill you."
"Buzz off," Bunny said. "My business is none of your beeswax, and you'll do well to remember that."
Mamoru sighed. "If you're a Dark Kingdom spy, you are my business, remember?"
"Oh, yeah," Bunny said sheepishly. "Well, I'm not a Dark Kingdom Spy, and if you don't believe me, use your powers."
Mamoru raised an eyebrow. He closed his eyes. Her mind was slippery, and as he handled it, he was only barely able to catch glimpses of her life. Finally, he confirmed that she wasn't a Dark Kingdom spy. Before he left, though, he caught a glimpse of a memory of a tall man with black hair and blue-
Her mind jerked out of his. She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," she said, "but that was a more personal memory."
Mamoru nodded, though he was curious.
"Tomorrow, there will be no training," Luna announced. "Artemis and I are going to attend a Council Meeting with the Queen as representatives of Circle Eternity."
"Can I please go?" Bunny asked. "If I go, maybe the Boss will finally transfer me."
"All right," Artemis agreed.
"Circle Twilight didn't return," Prince Samuel said haggardly. Apparently, Queen Serenity was confirming relations somewhere else, doing ambassador work. "Any business?"
Before Luna and Artemis could stop her, Bunny stood up. "I have two propositions to make."
"Shoot," Sammy said.
"First, when am I going to put in a class and taken out of Circle Eternity?" Bunny asked.
Sammy smiled. "You know, anybody else would give an arm or a leg to be in your position."
"Then put them in my position," Bunny said tartly. "All I ask is that I am taken out of it."
Sammy sighed. "The sorter broke, and we can't do anything, much less relocate you. You'll just have to suffer a little while longer."
"Then I'll state my second proposition," Bunny said unsympathetically. "I think you should send Circle Eternity out on the mission to retrieve the captured prisoners-of-war considering the prisoners- of-war do happen to be their fellow Circle-mates, although they've never met."
"Are they skilled enough?" Sammy asked.
"Yes," Bunny said.
"Fine," Sammy said. "Tomorrow, I will visit and test the abilities of Circle Eternity. Their strength, wisdom, and cooperation will be tested as well."
"WHAT!" Rei screeched. "TOMORROW! ARE YOU CRAZY! YOU STOOD UP TO THE PRINCE!"
"Yes, I did," Bunny said calmly. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"So we have the rest of today to prepare?" Minako asked, aghast.
"Yes," Bunny said. "I got you the chance you wanted. Now, you all owe me one."
Prince Samuel observed critically as Circle Eternity was tested as a group for the first time. They were in the Training Room, a specially- designed room to simulate real battles, that involved points, levels, etc, like a game, but was made to help Circle-members improve their skills and to test them.
Right now, Circle Eternity was on Level 10, a fairly good level for such beginners. Everyone was doing well with high opportune scores and low injury levels, except for Bunny, who had done nothing, nor gotten hurt, during the entire game. Instead, she stayed on the sidelines, watching, and avoiding any type of danger so as not to cause trouble.
All of a sudden, a huge youma loomed up behind her. Almost casually, Bunny shot it a withering glare. "I'm in the middle of an observation," she scolded. "Can't you go somewhere else and annoy someone else?"
The youma looked startled at first, but then it meekly, backed away.
Haruka stared at her in amazement for a moment before dodging a blow and throwing a World Shaking at another youma.
As they got to Level 15, which was the first of the Advanced Levels, however, the youma grew bigger and more powerful. Now, they had to work together to defeat it.
"Fire!"
"Wind!"
"Lightning!"
The three attacks soared and burnt to youmas to a crisp.
"Wind!"
"Water!"
"Ice!"
"Death!"
"Time!"
"Light!"
The six attacks froze, blinded, and killed about four youma and maimed one, but more kept coming.
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Endymion launched their attacks at the youma. Because their attacks were similar, they managed to defeat more youma, about five.
At this point, Bunny's eyes narrowed. In the far distance, she could see a flock of specks in the sky.
"Can anyone fly?" she called out.
They ignored her.
"There's a very interesting flock of specks that I think are flying youma coming this way," she informed them.
"Wind!" Haruka called out.
"Strength of Light and Love!" Minako called out, because Light could enhance the wind and blind the youma. The other Elements had no long-range effects, though.
The wind managed to blow those youma off course, to the relief of the others, who still concentrated on the youma.
Growing impatient, Bunny rolled her eyes. "Watch and learn," she called out. She stood up on her perch. "Watch out, evil youmas, 'cause I'm the warrior of good, and I'm here to destroy you!"
The youmas stared at her, and then burst out laughing.
Seizing their chance …
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
"Earth!"
The five forces knocked the youma down.
"Fire!"
"Lightning!"
"Ice!"
"Water!"
"Wind!"
These five elements finished off the youma.
"It's called distracting the enemy," Bunny said sarcastically. "It's one of the hardest skills to learn."
Endymion gave her a hard look. "That was dangerous."
"So?" she shrugged. "It's just a game. If it were real, it would be different. You probably wouldn't even let me come along."
They all gave her a look. They were obviously about to lecture her, but a whole army of youmas came.
Later …
"You did very well," Prince Samuel praised. "You passed our hardest level."
They all beamed.
"I found those little bursts of advice from your non-magic associate very amusing," Prince Samuel continued. He paused. "She should really get a job as a comedian." He received dry looks. "And you've got the job."
"Yahoo!!!!!!!!"
Thirteen people stood in the doorway, bedecked in different outfits.
Minako wore a toga, Makoto wore a military outfit, Setsuna wore a business suit, Michiru wore an all-black outfit with a beret, Hotaru wore a party dress, Ami wore a formal dress, Haruka wore a tuxedo, and Rei wore a flashy red dress. Mamoru, Kunzite, and Zoisite wore tuxedoes. Nephrite wore an apron, complete with a chef's hat, and Jadeite wore a "muscle" shirt that was supposed to show of his "muscles."
Bunny, on the other hand, wore a pink tank top, and silver caprice. She gave them all a glare. "Minako," she said gently. "Togas went out of style with the fall of the Roman Empire. Makoto, we're supposed to blend in with the people, not the plants. Rei, we're not singing or dancing on stage. Ami, we're not going to a ball. That goes for you four as well." She glared pointedly at Haruka, Mamoru, Zoisite, and Kunzite. "Hotaru, dear, we're not going to a birthday party. Nephrite, chefs only wear their uniforms when working. Jadeite, you don't have muscles." The last part was said flatly. "So don't wear a 'muscle' shirt, please. You're making me throw up." She received a glare. "And Setsuna, it's Sunday."
They all gave her a glare.
"If we're going after youma, we'll be heading into forest," Setsuna said calmly. "We all have secret weapons. What does your outfit provide you with?"
"Comfort and inconspicuousness," she answered nonchalantly.
The others went back to their rooms. Bunny waited patiently. They all came out wearing normal clothes.
Bunny's eyes narrowed. "Why do I get the feeling that you only put on those costumes to irritate me?"
No answer was given to her.
It was cold in the forest. A bitter wind swept through it. She shivered. Reaching into her knapsack, she took out a long black cloak. As the last strands of light from the sun faded, darkness overwhelmed the place. In her dark black cloak that covered her from head to toe, she was almost invisible. She moved swiftly and silently through the forest.
Finally, the other members of the group halted, and built a fire. She discontinued as well. Instead of huddling in front of the fire, she cleared out an empty space by a tall tree. Then, she methodically, and quietly, began stacking branches up on either side of it, until she had a leant-to of sorts. She stuffed pine needles under it; brought out a fluffy pillow and blanket she had brought in her large knapsack, and settled everything. Then, she walked by the fire, staying just out of its light, hidden.
"What are we having for dinner?" Minako murmured.
"We only have canned ravioli," Makoto said, wrinkling her nose. "Tomorrow, look for rabbits and squirrels to hunt, and for herbs."
"Where's Bunny?" Kunzite asked, suddenly. There was a silence.
"She's missing!" Hotaru said.
"No I'm not," Bunny said coolly. They swiveled around to look at her. "I'm fine," she continued.
"Aren't you cold?" Michiru asked.
"No," she said. "Just hungry."
"Done!" Makoto said proudly.
They all feasted.
"Where are you sleeping?" Mamoru asked curiously.
"Over there," she said casually, pointing to her lean-to.
(At this point, I am considering giving up, since its soooooo boring, but I might not.)
Long beautiful golden hair filled his dreams. Clear blue eyes haunted his thoughts. A petite figure with golden hair and blue eyes, wearing a pale toga ran toward him. "Marry me," a sweet, melodic voice called.
Mamoru sat up. That was one strange dream. Now, I wonder whom I was dreaming about. It could have been Minako …nah. Her hair's not that long. But … Bunny has blonde hair. No, it can't be her. Could it have been Usagi? No, Usagi's only a friend. Argh!
The fourteen stopped at the edge of the forest. In front of them was a large castle. It was dark, gloomy, and malevolent. Hanging on chains in the front of the huge black doors were four miniscule figures.
With sinking dread, they knew immediately who those four were … Circle Twilight. Bunny turned away, tears burning through her eyes. She opened them.
"If you go and rescue the others, I'm sure I can release Circle Twilight," she said bravely.
Ami glanced at her. "What if its just a decoy?"
"Then I die," Bunny said simply. "There's nothing else for me to do anyways."
As much as everyone wanted to argue with her, it was the truth. You must sacrifice everything for the Cause. The Boss had sacrificed her own precious daughter. They were expected to give their lives.
Bunny walked up toward the huge gates, while everyone devised a way to go through the back door.
Mamoru led the thirteen people through the gloomy back door. They were tense and alert. They would have opted for a less conspicuous entrance, but they could not disguise themselves as youma, and could do nothing. Instead, they walked in carefully.
The halls were cold, and they all shivered. Kunzite took lead. He had the best memory, with Zoisite adding his comments now and then. Nephrite knew the dungeons backwards and forwards from a map he had found, and Jadeite would provide the distraction.
They got to the entrance to the tunnels. Nephrite took lead, while Jadeite began melting some of the bars of the more dangerous criminals they had. There was pandemonium in that section with seconds. The eight girls immediately slipped in, and freed Seiya, Taiki, Yaten, and Kakyuu. Not much farther in, they found the actual Circle Twilight: Mika, Reika, Erika, and Himeko.
Gathering the eight, they hurried out worriedly. Where was Princess Serenity and where was Bunny? If the real Circle Twilight was here, what was Bunny facing. They hurriedly escaped, and almost made it until…
Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep
The alarm went off. Within seconds, the corridor was crowded with youma. Twenty-one humans are very conspicuous in the midst of a bunch of youma. And, inevitably, they were sighted. Inexorably, they did the only thing they could. They got ready to fight…
Bunny calmly took out a silver computer and scanned the figures. She frowned. Dragons! She hissed. Pretending to be fooled, she put her compute away. How did they get dragons? The last ones were put to sleep millions of years ago. They themselves had requested it.
She stopped twenty feet from them. It was close enough. The dragons began to morph into their regular shape.
Dragons are exceptionally large. Their tail alone is seven feet long. They are around twenty feet tall, with a two-foot snout. Their colors vary from green to black to the occasional white. Albino dragons are special, because they have the ability of telepathy and telekinesis. In front of her was a large midnight black one, a large forest green one, and a jade-colored one. Where was the fourth one?
Slowly, Bunny turned around to see a humongous albino dragon. Apparently, this one had the ability of teleportation as well. Ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach, Bunny positioned herself for a fight. Dragons have no vulnerable spots. The thought raced through her head. S***! She was going to die!
So Bunny did the first thing that came to her mind. She let out a long string of curses combined from several different languages that would have made a sailor blush. While she spoke, her fingers wove a spell, and she whispered the incantation. It was a neat trick she had learned.
When she finished, she let it fly, and ran with all her might.
A single silver figure levitated in the ceiling. From her hand, a silver blast formed, and the youma dispersed immediately. She landed on the floor and turned around.
"Usagi!" Kakyuu called, and rushed up to hug her, who hugged back.
"I wanted to tell you that the Serenity at the court is a fake," Usagi said. "The Dark Kingdom sent her because they wanted to know all of your secrets-"
She was cut off by Jadeite. "But there is no Serenity at court."
"Oh," Usagi said. "I heard them talking about it," she said uneasily. "They must have decided not to."
They gave her encouraging smiles, before taking her outside.
The group of twenty-two met a breathless Bunny.
"Who's she?" Bunny and Usagi asked simultaneously.
"Bunny, this is Usagi. Usagi, this is Bunny." There was a silence as the two sized each other up.
"What's she doing here?" Usagi asked.
"She was forced to accompany our mission because someone made a mistake and accidentally transferred her to our Circle. She's not a real member," Haruka explained.
Bunny turned around. "It wasn't Circle Twilight at the door," she said. "Before I could get there, they turned into large dragon-things, and the disappeared with a silver flash." She turned back around and gave Usagi a meaningful glance. Usagi paled.
"I did it," Usagi supplied.
Bunny gave Usagi a hard glare before turning around. "Let's go."
In the middle of the forest, Bunny suddenly pretended to have a change of heart. She began being best friends with Usagi, and the two were now inseparable.
Mamoru frowned. There was something wrong.
The two were in front of the fire right now. They were giggling like hyenas.
"Your hair's a mess," Bunny said. "Here, let me comb it for you." She brought out a silver filigree comb.
Mamoru's eyes narrowed. Bunny would never use the comb just because Usagi's hair was dirty. But maybe she had mistaken that comb for another one. He was going to protest, but decided to let her use it. It wouldn't hurt anyone.
Bunny sat behind Usagi, and brought the comb through it once. Was it his imagination, or did Usagi's hair seem to be a light blue. Bunny combed it again. The light blue was darker. Bunny combed again. Usagi's eyes were now dark blue. Bunny combed again. Usagi's pink mouth was now a pale purple. Bunny combed again. Usagi's silver dress faded away to show a blue one. Bunny combed one last time. Usagi's meatballs now spilled about her shoulders, and her hair was shorter. Bunny moved away.
She examined her handiwork. "Perfect," she said.
Everyone was now staring at Usagi, or rather, the changed Usagi. "What's going on?" she asked.
Immediately, Hotaru's glaive was at Usagi's throat, and Haruka's Space Sword was at Bunny's.
"Who are you?" Mika hissed.
"I'm Usagi," Usagi said shakily. "Just your ordinary Moon Princess."
There was a shimmer, and Minako's own knife was at Usagi's throat. "You lie," Minako said. "Usagi would never tell anyone that she was the Moon Princess, because only she, the Boss, and I know."
Usagi trembled. "I'm Blue Topaz," she admitted. "My sisters are White Topaz, Golden Topaz, Green Topaz, and Light Topaz. I was the one most familiar with Princess Serenity, so I was instructed to help you guys with the youma, make you trust me, and dig out your secrets."
"Where' Serenity?" Seiya hissed.
"She escaped," Blue Topaz said. "We didn't capture her. That's why I was surprised when you said that there was no Serenity at court. When she described the silver flash killing the dragons, I thought that was Serenity."
They all turned to look at Bunny who was calm underneath Haruka's knife.
"Let her go," Mamoru said. "I know that comb. It's a disguise- revealer that Usagi used to have. She found it, but I guess she doesn't know how it works."
Bunny gave Blue Topaz a hard look. She went over and whispered something in her ear. Blue Topaz's face grew shocked, before she went limp.
Ami immediately went over to check. "She's okay. She just fainted from shock."
"What'd you tell her?" Michiru asked.
"That I knew just what the comb did and just how to use it," she said coolly.
"Then you knew she wasn't Serenity?" Rei demanded.
"Would you have believed me?" Bunny asked.
But Mamoru wasn't paying attention. He had seen her earring flash when she had been talking to Blue Topaz, but she didn't have earrings on! "Hold Bunny," he ordered. "I want to see something."
Makoto took Bunny's hand. Bunny glared at Mamoru. "What do you want?" she demanded.
He picked up the silver filigree comb, and walked towards her. Bunny visibly paled.
"Would someone like to administer the comb to Bunny?" he asked coolly. "I want to see if she's wearing a disguise."
Taiki stepped up. She took the comb and began brushing Bunny's hair. Bunny's eyes were closed.
They watched with tight lips as Bunny's hair slowly turned a soft, silvery blonde, and her eyes turned a crystal clear blue. They watched in shock as her hair formed the customary meatballs, and her dress became silver. And then Taiki stopped combing. She stepped back.
Bunny … Serenity's eyes slowly opened. "It worked, didn't it?" she asked.
They were mute nods all over. She retired to her lean-to.
Serenity Usagi Tsukino rested by the lake. The moonbeams pooled in her hair. The starlight shone on her tears. They all hated her. Why wouldn't they? She had kept such a huge secret, and she was so selfish. But they wouldn't understand her reasons. She knew they would attempt to discredit her as Serenity if she went back, so she went back disguised, and tried to help her friends covertly.
The only one who had spoken to her was her twin brother, the Black Panther. He had told her that he hated the White Pantheress. He hated her. Her own twin brother hated her. Nobody would listen. Nobody would understand.
As she wept silently, a soft hand positioned itself on her shoulders. She whirled around to see Mamoru.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Why?" Mamoru asked.
"Why what?" Usagi asked, surprised.
"Why do you care what I want?" Mamoru replied. "Why are you crying? And why … why were you Bunny?"
"I don't want to listen if you're just going to scream at me," Usagi whispered. "And I don't like it when people are mad at me. Bunny … well … Bunny is what I would have been like if I didn't have powers. I wanted to see if people would like me. I guess they didn't."
Mamoru put his arms around Usagi. "I like Bunny and I like you."
Usagi winced. "Everyone's mad at me."
Mamoru hesitated. "I love you," he whispered. "And everything's going to be okay."
Usagi smiled. "I love you too," she answered.
And so they stood there, dancing to the eternal tune of love, under the starry skies.
A/N: How'd you like my ending? I know it was a little fast, and I sprang it on you, but I really wanted to finish this.