Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon G
By Aurae
Author Notes: This story, and even this chapter, are currently in progress. I will try to update things on a fairly regular fashion, but I can only write when I have some inspiration...so I can't make any guarantees! nn I hope you enjoy it so far; please let me know what you think!
Chapter 1 – A New Threat
The sky was clear and brilliantly blue, the weather was warm and slightly breezy, and everything seemed to indicate that the day itself would be wonderful. Usagi smiled to herself and swung her book-bag with a spring in her step. The first semester of high school was beginning today, and it was certainly a day for celebration. Finally, all of her friends were attending the same school. (Well, with the exception of Rei, of course.) To make things even better, for once in a long time they were at peace, with nothing to battle.
The petite blonde twirled around on the sidewalk, her long pigtails streaming behind her in a slow arc. Things were really going to be great!
Two girls stood before the gate to Juuban High School. The lithe brunette towered over the shorter girl, who had soft blue hair and her nose buried in a Physics textbook. The two were carrying on an idle conversation, both wondering just how late their friend would be. They turned slightly at the sound of clamoring footsteps, wondering who was making such a ruckus, especially so early in the morning.
Ami and Makoto gawked in surprise when Usagi arrived twelve minutes before the bell rang. She winked and flashed the victory sign, triumphant.
"I'm going to do things differently now," the girl insisted with a grin, "We're in high school now, so I—U-AH!"
Her final sentence was punctuated with an ear-splitting, wavering screech as the short girl tripped over a crack in the pavement and plunged to the ground, arms flailing. All of the grace and maturity she had been utilizing that morning seemed to melt in an instant as the clumsy student sniffled dejectedly from her crumpled position on the ground. She tugged her long, navy-blue pleated skirt around her legs and sighed dismally. The other girls did their best to stifle giggles, and the tall brunette leaned down to offer Usagi a helping hand. She accepted, and Makoto pulled her to her feet.
"Don't worry about it, Usagi-chan," Ami said comfortingly, picking up the scattered papers from the blonde's fallen book-bag, "You didn't even cry this time."
Usagi's eyes widened and her mouth hung open just a bit.
"You're right!"
Any further conversation was interrupted by a cheerful good-morning greeting issued from across the courtyard at maximum volume as another blonde ran to meet the assembling group. Minako skidded to a stop beside the others, fluidly linking arms with Usagi.
"You beat me today, but I won't always be late!" she teased the shorter girl.
"Sure you won't—and someday, Usagi will learn kanji," interjected yet another voice—one that was very familiar to them all.
Usagi spun around only to see Rei standing behind the fence, smirking slightly, and surprisingly not wearing her school uniform. She ran up to the fence, staring at her dark-haired friend.
"Rei-chan! What are you doing here? Why aren't you in your uniform?"
The long-haired girl sighed. "Usagi, my classes don't begin until next week. I was just passing by while running some errands for Grandpa."
"Oh! Heh-heh."
The day was blissfully uneventful, at least in terms of evil forces. Usagi was grateful that it was the first day—she didn't have to worry about getting in trouble for not doing her homework. Naru was even in her class, and she and Usagi had seats right next to each other. Ami was eagerly awaiting being assigned homework and seeing the teaching styles of their new instructors. To Minako's delight, they played volleyball in physical education class. Makoto found herself the center of delighted attention in home economics, as all of the other students begged to learn how her cake turned out so nicely.
The five of them sat together at lunch, relaxing under the shade of a tree in the school's courtyard. To celebrate the first day of senior high school, Makoto had cooked and packed a lunch of epic proportions. There was plenty to share with Naru, and leftovers remained even after Usagi had stuffed herself. (Restraining her appetite was apparently not part of her high school student prerogative.) The five talked about classes, gossiped about several noteworthy boys in the school, and enjoyed themselves as normal teenagers.
As she leaned back under the tree, Makoto sighed blissfully. How nice it was to not worry about attacks. Maybe if this kept up, she wouldn't even have to carry her transformation pen to school. She could just have a normal life—tend her plants, bake treats, maybe even find a boyfriend. Ah, things were going to be so wonderful.
Minako's thoughts weren't far from Makoto's. She was going to join the volleyball team and practice more and more. It had been so hard to continue playing after she was awakened as a sailor soldier. She could make some new friends—she wouldn't have to be so isolated anymore, running off at the drop of a hat to fight against aliens or evil powers. She smiled and reclined in the grass, staring up at the cloudless sky. She could concentrate on becoming an idol, too. There was plenty of time to practice and audition now.
Ami's mind sorted through equations and definitions. If things remained peaceful like this, she could take more cram school classes for college preparation. There were so many different things she ached to learn, but it had been so complicated before. She didn't really have any free time. She could join a club, too; maybe meet some new people. Not that there was anything wrong with her friends, but it was so hard to have truly intelligent conversations with them. She wanted to interact with others interested in academia. Finally, there would be time for all those things.
Usagi excitedly babbled with Naru. It was so wonderful to talk to with Naru again! It seemed like ages since they had been together, best friends, chatting just like this. It was as if they had gone back to junior high school, before Luna had appeared and Usagi had transformed into Sailor Moon. She hadn't even realized how much she had missed all of this. Of course, her new friends were indispensable, but so was Naru. They had moved too far apart through all of this. She would try to be closer, again; the way they had been before.
Everything was so perfect.
"Oh," Ami prayed silently to herself, "Please don't let this be a dream. Please don't let this end."
After school, they gathered at the Crown Arcade, if only out of habit. This time, of course, there was nothing to discuss. Luna and Artemis didn't even come. Instead, they spent the time playing video games. Usagi and Minako battled for superiority on the newest Sailor V game while Ami quietly conquered the top scores on a recently-released puzzle game. Makoto alternated between watching Usagi and Minako battle it out (which was very, very cute) and idly racing. There wasn't anything in particular she felt like playing, but the racing game reminded her of Haruka and Michiru. Rei sat near Ami's machine, paging through a book on shrine management.
It was bland and unproductive, but it was so much fun. No-one bothered to mention how out-of-the-ordinary it was to do something so ordinary. They didn't want to talk about it—they wanted to enjoy it.
The next day, Ami and Makoto waited at the gate for Minako and Usagi. Both were late; Usagi's resolution to take responsibility was an uphill battle and Minako had stayed up rehearsing for a talent-scout audition over the weekend. Eventually the two blondes came running up to the school, their long hair trailing behind them like comet tails. They collapsed together, exhausted, and Makoto chuckled.
"Hurry up; you don't want to miss the final bell!"
Usagi and Minako groaned in unison.
The walls of the cavern were rough and craggy, interrupted every few meters with an irregular, twisted metal protrusion supporting a smooth, glowing, yellow glass orb. The place was dim, illuminated solely by the dusky faintness from the gleaming spheres. The soft rush of a flowing subterranean stream echoed eerily down the tunnels, which seemed to branch off into infinite other tunnels. The atmosphere was heavy with a seeping dampness. Puddles collected on the floor, and small mollusks and barnacles clung to the walls near the ground.
A tall, slim figure glided through the murky channels, expertly navigating the warped maze. As the shape passed close to one of the lights in the passageway, her intricate hairstyle was momentarily illuminated. Masses of thick, dark hair were piled atop her head, cascading down in a thick rope of woven braids in different styles, the entire length ornately intertwined with ropes of pearls and individual beads. The shimmering pearls glistened in the light and reflected it back like drops of moonlight until the already soft light faded, and the figure slipped into darkness again.
The elegant woman entered another large cavern and paused. In the center of the area sat a large, lavish, iridescent clamshell, perched atop a short, thick stalagmite of the same shady minerals of the cave. She adjusted her sheer, draped white cape and slowly approached the shell, her hands folded in reverence.
All of the lights in the cavern were suddenly extinguished. A fractured, low voice echoed in the darkness.
"Who dares disturb my resting…?"
"It is I, Great Nacre," responded another voice—throaty, sultry, and clearly female.
"What do you desire?"
"To serve you faithfully and lead your Orient Gems," resonated the reply.
Deep, wicked laughter echoed with malevolence.
"I am still weak… I need more…you must bring me more essence… The Orient Gems must bring me essence…"
"So shall it be done."
Ami stared out the open window and chewed absentmindedly on the end of her pencil. The pages of her open English textbook ruffled in the incoming breeze. She closed her eyes, feeling it flow through her short, navy hair, tousling it. The stars twinkled through her window, glowing brightly in the dark night. Brightest of all was the nearly-full Moon, gleaming over the quiet city.
It was rather late for the studious, obedient girl to be up, but she had been reading ahead, caught up the intricacies of the English language. There were so many exceptions; so many new things to learn and remember. Her other textbooks were scattered across her bed; she had poured through all of them at different times of the night. There was so much to know; she wished there was a way to study it all.
Something about the luminosity of the Moon made her shiver. As her deep blue eyes gazed up at its round figure, she found her thoughts trailing back towards the former Silver Millennium.
"There was once a kingdom on that desolate planet," Ami thought to herself, leaning forward over her desk, her eyes still locked on the shining Moon. "There was a time when it was our home. Sometimes...I feel like we don't know anything about the past.
"Will we ever be back there again?"
The young girl sighed at this final notion and glanced casually at the clock, grinning sheepishly when she saw just how late it really was. As she packed up her book-bag and placed it neatly by the door to her bedroom, she scolded herself for losing track of time.
"A-ra-go-n-sa-ma!" a chipper, soprano voice rang out, as a girl with thick, voluminous red hair pirouetted around a corner, her wide violet eyes searching for the object of her attention.
The young man reclined in an enormous, carved chair in the center of the book-lined room, did not even pause for a moment; he continued reading, his eyes focused intently on the book in his hands instead of the girl behind his chair. Calcia hummed loudly to herself, not so much for any personal amusement as for interruption of Aragon's studies. The green-haired man did not give it any attention.
"Ne, Aragon-sama, I need to talk to you," she insisted, leaning farther over the back of the chair so that her chin rested on his shoulder.
He still ignored her.
"Ne, I know you can hear me, Aragon-sama," Calcia added, running the back of her hand over his cheek. "Ne, talk to me"
"Alright," he issued gruffly, turning the page and re-crossing his legs, "Go away and leave me in peace, you maddening brat."
The red-haired girl drew her hands back as though he had burnt her, crossing her arms and whimpering like an unnoticed puppy. She sulked, tossing her hair as she sharply turned her face from his. The giant, neon-pink bow atop her head wavered and bounced with every motion.
"Ne, Aragon-sama," she sniffled, "Why are you so mean to me?"
Her lamenting was interrupted with the door flew open and a harsh, passionate gust flooded through the library. A tall, imposing woman dressed entirely in white and draped profusely with pearls of all shapes and sizes glided into the room, glaring sternly at the figures of Calcia and Aragon. Calcia bolted from the back of the chair and rushed to kneel while Aragon meticulously marked his page, stood from his seat, and gracefully knelt at the woman's feet.
"I bring commands from the Great Nacre," she finally proclaimed, her thick, husky voice lacing through the air, "The Great Nacre demands essence."
Aragon rose to stand, but before he could make it to his feet, Calcia had jumped up and addressed the woman.
"Madame Pearl, I, Calcia, of the Orient Gems, will collect essence to offer to our Great Nacre!"
Madame Pearl paused momentarily, glancing from the enthusiastic girl to Aragon. However, he had returned to his knelt position, with his eyes respectfully focused on the floor. Empty black eyes stared deeply into those of Calcia, who jittered nervously at the soundless interrogation. She did not trust the inexperienced girl to properly bring back the essence that the Great Nacre desired. However, Earth was a pitiful, weak place. Perhaps she could manage.
"Any failure of yours is failure to the Great Nacre," she reminded callously, insinuating the young girl's incompetence.
Calcia pursed her lips together and nodded forcefully.
"I, Calcia, shall not be unsuccessful in my goal!"
Usagi sighed and flopped backwards on her bed, loosely gripping the pink cordless phone. The tousled blankets bunched and shifted around as she lazily stared at the ceiling. Mamoru hadn't answered the phone. The time glowed ominously from the moon-shaped digital clock on her nightstand; the rest of her family had gone to bed hours ago. The blonde girl slowly shifted onto her side, staring at the buttons on the phone through the faint light that filtered through the room.
Her finger lifted over the keypad, but paused before she could dial the number again.
She nibbled on her lip nervously, furrowing her brow. Why wasn't he answering? Everything was supposed to be perfect now; perfect and peaceful. Part of that perfection did not include a boyfriend who did not answer your telephone calls. What if he was avoiding her?
The mere idea brought moisture to her eyes, and her lifted finger wavered over the first digit to Mamoru's telephone number. She sniffled slightly, reaching up with her other hand to wipe her eyes. She shifted again on the bed, waves of blonde hair spiraling around her light-blue pyjamas dotted with golden crescent moons.
The girl dwelled on the telephone for a moment longer; then she confidently dialed the number. She held it to her ear, listening to the rings with baited breath.
"Hello…?" issued a groggy voice.
"Rei-chan!" Usagi wailed into the phone, "I don't know what to do! I tried to call Mamo-chan but he isn't answering the telephone!" She took a deep breath after issuing such an unbroken string of sobbing, and then burst into tears anew. "HE HATES ME!"
The voice on the other end of the telephone hesitated and then groaned. "Usagi…"
Back in her personal quarters of the current location of the Orient Gems, Calcia paced the floors and grumbled to herself about Madame Pearl's doubts. It was clear that the elegant woman didn't trust her. In fact, the young girl thought to herself, she wouldn't be at all surprised if Aragon-sama had been sent off on a separate mission to gather essence. No-one expected her to actually succeed.
She huffed, crossing her arms across her chest, the mammoth bow on her head bobbing with the action. She would prove them all wrong. She was just as good as the other members of the Orient Gems!
Her dark violet eyes narrowed as she continued to pace the tiny, dark room, her high-heeled boots clacking against the stone floor. She had seen Madame Pearl collect essence hundreds of times; it was due to Madame Pearl's great devotion to Nacre that had restored her to this point. Calcia had traveled with Aragon-sama when he collected essence, as well. And Chiolin. She had never done it herself, but it couldn't be that hard.
As she mulled over the current situation, she thought of how Aragon-sama would react when she returned from her mission, triumphant. He would notice her then. He would talk to her, too. He would tell her that she was more than a mere child.
She beamed at the thought, picturing Aragon-sama's strong hands placed firmly on her thin shoulders, his deep emerald eyes staring into hers, and the smile that would surely grace his handsome lips. Calcia closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her chest, snuggling her chin down against it. Yes. That is what he would do. That is how happy he would be.
And for once, he would be looking at her and not Madame Pearl.
To be continued...