Okay, here it is. My first ever fanfiction. Not the first one I posted
(what do you think I am, NUTS?!?!?! Don't answer that...) I will claim
this as my baby, my firstborn. This is a drama revolving around a
character I created, named, dressed and fed. And boy is she
ungrateful...
MAJOR thanks to Mary Ann and Corie for encouraging my to write this and
actually *post* it! Kudos to me, I know.
Destiny and Sailor Eclipse are ALL mine. I have taken *major* creative
license by inserting these two into my storyline. I would also like to say that
as I have not had the privilege to read EVERY fan-fic on the net (but
I've read a lot, I swear!) that any resemblance Destiny or Sailor Eclipse
may bear to any other writer's character is purely accidental and is in no
way plagiarism. Everyone cool with that? Great. (I merely seek to prevent
any flaming emails sent my way by irrate authors...no missles either! Not
to mention that there have been a whole lot of cases of plagerism lately...)
Oooo, goody! Let's play timeline! This is set after Sailor Stars, before
the crowning of our favorite monarchs, Neo-Queen Serenity and King
Endymion.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the other characters
we know and love. Big surprise, ne?
... indicates thought
Rainbow Eclipse
by Lyra Matsuoka
Rated PG13 (mild language and violence)
Chapter 1
When Destiny Calls
A lone figure stands on a sidewalk in downtown Tokyo. She appears to be
looking toward the horizon; her eyes focused on everything and nothing.
Behind her is the silhouette of a half-built palace, and people move
around her, not daring to disturb her thoughts. A passing car creates
an artificial breeze that blows long black hair away from her face,
revealing porcelain skin and an aquiline nose. Full lips part briefly
and reseal themselves as their owner continues to think. Tight black
leggings under a form fitting violet jumper draw attention
to this strangers astounding physical beauty. Whistles from cars and
admiring glances from men and boys alike are directed toward her, but
those who catch her indigo gaze turn quickly away. Within her unfocused
eyes is a wisdom that surpasses all things known to man. Infinity is
reflected there and eternity is seen in her regal bearing. The rude
honking of a horn draws her out of her reverie, and she turns slowly
to continue down the street.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, a happy couple strolls
arm in arm. A beautiful young woman, blond hair in pigtails and odangos
and a slender young man with dark hair and endless blue eyes walk in
companionable silence through a beautiful park. Pausing for a moment,
the two share a loving kiss under the full moon. A park bench provides
a comfortable place to sit and talk while waiting for the hour to strike.
When it does, they rise and head across the street, toward what appears
to be a favorite restaurant. As the sliding doors part to allow them
admittance, a dark head snaps up. Indigo eyes follow this couple as
they walk toward a corner booth. As the couple begins to look over the
menu, a cold light appears in the indigo eyes and a graceful hand
reaches for a teacup.
So, there they are. Pretty Solider of Love and Justice Sailor
Moon and her protector and true love Endymion. My, my. I had thought
they would be...older, perhaps. More formidable, certainly, though I feel
power emanating from them both. It would not do to underestimate them.
I must not fail again.
As the stranger gazes out the window, her eyes become unfocused
and her stare is blank. Lost in memory, she sips her tea, more out of
habit than thirst. Unbeknownst to her, an aura of sadness surrounds
her, and one patron of the restaurant feels it strongly.
"Darien, look at that girl," Serena said, her eyes fixated on
a lithe form sitting alone in a corner booth. "Do you feel it? The
sadness, it's almost like despair."
"Yeah, I feel it. She must not want to talk about it, though.
She's all alone," Darien replied, glancing at the girl.
In the instant that he looked at her, Darien felt a shock of
recognition shudder through his body. He had a brief picture of a
flowing cape in every color of the rainbow and the most beautiful
eyes. Not quite blue, but not violet either. More a perpetually
shifting combination of the two. Almost like indigo...
The moment that thought came to its climax, the girl stood,
leaving money on the table to cover the check. She donned a black
leather jacket and headed out the door. At the same second, Darien
and Serena both noticed a small leather pouch lying on the seat of
the booth where the girl had been sitting. Serena stood, ran across
the tile floor, grabbed the little bag and rushed after the her.
"Serena..." Darien groaned, amazed as always by how fast she
could move. With a sigh, and a signal to the waiter that they would
be back, Darien gave chase.
"Wait! Stop! Oh, miss, please wait!" Serena called. "You forgot
your bag!"
Darien continued chasing after his love, gaining on her with every
step he took.
The girl stopped and slowly turned. Darien stopped in his tracks,
mere steps behind Serena. Her eyes he thought Just like the eyes
in my vision. Indigo.
"Were you calling to me?" the girl questioned in a voice that
sounded like delicate wind chimes. "I was sure that I left the café
with all my possessions."
"No, you dropped this little pouch," Serena said, with a wide
and friendly smile.
"Oh, my. I would have hated to lose this. Thank you very much
for returning it," the girl returned Serena's smile politely, seemingly
careful not to become too familiar. She wasn't cold, but she held herself
at a distance. Darien gazed at her, puzzled and wary, and took the few
steps that brought him to Serena's side. Cautious for a reason he was
unable to explain, Darien felt his body prepare for battle.
"I'm Serena, and this is my boyfriend Darien," Serena bubbled,
reaching back for his hand, completely oblivious to the tension in
the air. Darien surrendered it without struggle and laced his fingers
with hers. The girl stared at their intertwining fingers and gave a
little half-smile.
"Pleased to meet you both," she said. "I'm Destiny."
Darien met Destiny's eyes and was taken aback by the icy hatred
he saw there. But he was sure he had been mistaken when he blinked, because
the only expression in Destiny's eyes was pleasant and friendly. Still a
bit cool, and definitly withdrawn, but they were strangers, after all. He was a
surprised when Destiny raised her arm and extended her open hand to him.
Feeling uneasy, Darien raised his free hand and extended it toward Destiny
When their hands met, Darien was assailed by another image, this one of
the figure in the rainbow cape carrying a woman in a long white dress
across a barren landscape. Destiny withdrew her hand and
the vision ended abruptly.
"Thank you again for returning this to me," Destiny said, gesturing
with the hand that held the pouch. "It was a gift from a dear friend and
I couldn't have replaced it."
"We were glad to help," Serena chirped, her perpetual smile never
fading.
"Well, have a pleasant evening," Destiny smiled again, tucked the
pouch into her jacket pocket, turned, and began walking down the street
once more. Darien realized that he had been watching Destiny intently,
and smiled sheepishly when Serena pulled on his arm and looked at him
quizzically. Arm in arm, Serena and Darien returned to the
restaurant and put Destiny out of their minds.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The rest of the night was spent in pleasant conversation and
companionable silence. Both Darien and Serena cherished their time together
and their love for each other was visible to all. But throughout the evening,
Darien's mind kept drifting back to the stranger with indigo eyes. If he
hadn't known better, Darien would have sworn that he knew the girl. But as
he scanned his memory banks for her face, he drew a blank. When no
more visions presented themselves, and his mind was unable to place
her, Darien found it easier to put Destiny out of mind.
The lovers were sorry to see the night end as Darien dropped
Serena off at her house. The two shared a goodnight-kiss
in the sporty red vehicle, unaware that they were being watched. From
the shadows, a woman dressed in a sailor uniform gazed at the sweethearts.
She watched dispassionately as Serena emerged from the car and ran up the
walk to her front door. Arms folded, the woman waited until Darien revved
his engine and roared up the street before detaching herself from the
cover of darkness and following.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Darien was preoccupied as he walked the last few steps to his
apartment door. The evening had been wonderful, but the encounter with
Destiny and his visions had left him disconcerted. The fact that she still
haunted his mind bothered him to no end.
She seemed nice enough, Darien thought But those visions can't
be just a coincidence, can they?
Thoughts similar to this one were still racing through his mind when
Darien put the key in the lock and stepped inside his apartment. A fresh breeze
caressed his face as he shut the door and removed his shoes.
Breeze? I didn't leave a window open. Curious, and more than a
little wary, Darien moved toward the front room. Sure enough, the curtains
were billowing out in front of the window. Shocked, Darien reached for the
light, and for a few of his razor tipped roses, just in case. Years of
battling youma had taught him the value of extreme caution.
"Who's there? What's going on?" Darien called. His hand found the
switch and the room was suddenly flooded with a golden glow. Instantly
alert, Darien hid the hand with the roses, unwilling to give his
identity away to a common burglar. But what the warm lamplight showed
him was far more that a simple thief.
A woman stood in his open window. Her long black hair flowed down her
back, and over her shoulder, causing a black cloud that covered the upper
part of her rainbow cape. Rainbow cape?
"It's you! You're the one from my vision!" Darien stated under his
breath. Wary, he brought the roses from behind him and braced his arm to
throw.
"Handsome and smart. I bet you graduated top of your class, didn't
you?" the woman replied sarcastically. "Incidentally, you shouldn't leave
your window open. You never know who might come in and make themselves at
home. And I'd have thought that fighting youmas and various other monsters
from the dregs of the universe would have taught you to be more careful."
"I didn't leave the window open," Darien replied, in shock.
"You're right. You didn't. So I had to compensate. I hope you have
insurance." The woman stepped off the balcony and into the room. Darien
heard the crunching sound of broken glass under her feet. He grimaced,
and was rewarded with a trilling little laugh. Unconsciously, Darien
began sizing her up. The woman's sailor suit was identical to those of
the Scouts, but her skirt and bow matched her cape. All three were
beautiful, shimmering masses of color that shifted and rippled with the
slightest movement from their wearer. In the center of the bow and at
the apex of her tiara were star shaped stones that shone with different
colors under a filmy white surface. Darien was reminded of opals when he
looked at them, and found himself faintly hypnotized by the swirling
colors. With effort, he shook off the lethargic feeling and continued
his examination of the strange solider.
There was another star shaped stone at the point where the body of
the suit met the skirt in a V. The body of the suit was white.
Her shoes were a revelation. They appeared to be sandals, almost
Romanesque. The soles were flat and thick, and they were held to her
feet by rainbow colored ribbon of the same material as her skirt and
cape. The ribbons crossed over the top of her feet, wrapped around the
back of her heel and were then laced all the way up to her knees in a
crisscross fashion, like a ballerina's toeshoes, but on a much grander
scale. They didn't look terribly practical, but then, high heels
weren't either. Darien was willing to bet that the same force which
allowed Raye and Michiru to fight in high heels kept dirt, rocks and
other debris clear of this senshi's sandaled feet.
Darien noticed that she carried a scepter like Sailor Pluto, only
hers had no protrusions and bore no resemblance to a key. At the top
was another star shaped stone surrounded by a floating heart.
The stone shifted colors, just like the jewels on the tiara and bow.
The rainbow cape was magnificent. It was lined with white silk, setting
off the magnificent colors of the senshi's skirt and bow. At the moment
the cape was lying flat across her shoulders, falling in graceful folds
to her feet. Glancing up, he saw that the cape was held in place on each
shoulder by three small star shaped stones arranged in a triangle.
"Do I pass inspection?" the woman questioned.
Darien nodded curtly. "What are you doing in my apartment?"
he asked.
"Waiting for you of course. I should think that would be obvious."
"All right. So you broke into my apartment to wait for me. Makes
perfect sense," Darien snapped. "Who in the hell are you? And what
do you want?"
"Questions, questions. Why don't you relax, sit down?"
The senshi snapped her fingers and Darien watched as a pillow shot
across the room. It hit him hard in the back of the knees, causing his legs
to collapse. Darien felt himself falling and was amazed to find that he fell
right on the pillow, which was lying calmly on the floor. Shocked, Darien
glanced at the beautiful intruder, whose indigo eyes and full mouth were
smirking at him. She leaned casually on her staff, arms wrapped around it.
"That's better. Now we can really get to know each other. I'm sure
we'll be the best of friends," she drawled sarcastically. "To answer your
questions, I am a Sailor Senshi after a fashion, no, I am not here to help
Sailor Moon, and yes I have an ulterior motive."
"Sailor Moon? I don't know any Sailor Moon," Darien said, vaporizing
the roses. This situation had all the earmarkings of trouble.
"Oh, really? How very, very interesting. Seems to me that you've been
hanging around her for an awfully long time. Say...two years?"
"Thank you for sparing me the need for a psychoanalysis. You *are*
crazy."
"So I've been told. A word of advice. Be a little more discreet in
your crime fighting activities. Anyone who was *really* interested wouldn't
find it too hard to decipher the identities of the Sailor Senshi and the
mysterious Tuxedo Mask."
"So who are they?"
"Pardon?"
"Who are the Sailor Senshi?"
Darien watched the senshi carefully. Her face remained expressionless
for some time. Darien watched her eyes carefully. He saw a flicker of doubt
flash briefly. He resisted the urge to smile. Maybe this stupid ruse would
work after all. The stranger frowned slightly, and rose, turning toward the
gaping window and the balcony beyond.
"It seems I have the wrong person. Fare thee well, and goddess
bless," she called over her shoulder. Darien watched her go from his
place on the floor, resisting the urge to to run after her. Instead
he simply studied the departing figure with clinical prescision.
"Oh, and incidentally..."
With those words, the stranger turned and lept at Darien, staff
raised. Without concious thought, Darien lept to his feet and spun
around, hurling two roses at his adversary as he flew toward the
broken window.
"Crystal Flame," whispered the senshi, and a jet of crackling
white shot toward the roses. The two attacks met and crumbled, leaving
a pile of ash and the sent of burning flowers as the only evidence they
had ever existed. Darien came to his feet, glass dripping from his
clothes. Three more roses appeared in his hand as he glared at the
invader.
"All right, so you know who I am. Fair is fair. What's your name?
Or should I call you Sherlock?" Darien queried, his voice rife with
contempt.
"Sarcasam now? My, but you are full of surprises. Sherlock has a
certain ring to it, but as we *are* close friends, you may call me
Sailor Eclipse," the senshi retorted, matching his tone.
"Sailor Eclipse? I've never heard of a Sailor Eclipse."
"Wonderful. I have done all in my power to ensure that."
"Are you here to try to destroy Earth?"
"Of course not. Goddess, the way you people talk, you'd think that no
one had anything better to do than try to take over your planet. You need
to learn to trust," the woman chided, clicking her tounge at him.
"In my experience, people who break into my apartment in the dead
of night are not usually the kind of beings that I would trust."
"Point taken," the woman conceded.
"Why are you here?"
"To settle an old score. A very old score."
"You aren't an enemy of Sailor Moon's then?"
"For the last time, no. I have no grudge against Sailor Moon or her
little bodyguards. And do you always discuss the Sailor Senshi with
tresspassers?"
Darien fell silent. She was right, after all. Not much to be done
now. But he had a gut feeling about this stranger. Almost as though he
knew her somehow...and the feeling wasn't fading. As Tuxedo Mask, Darien
had learned to trust his instincts, and this woman, whoever she was,
meant buisness. Never one to beat about the bush, Darien came straight
to the point.
"I'll ask you again. What in the *hell* do you want?"
"You, Endymion. Or rather, your bloody, broken body lying at my feet.
I want you dead."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
So there it is! What do you all think? Mail me and lemme know!
skiangel_sv@lycos.com
(what do you think I am, NUTS?!?!?! Don't answer that...) I will claim
this as my baby, my firstborn. This is a drama revolving around a
character I created, named, dressed and fed. And boy is she
ungrateful...
MAJOR thanks to Mary Ann and Corie for encouraging my to write this and
actually *post* it! Kudos to me, I know.
Destiny and Sailor Eclipse are ALL mine. I have taken *major* creative
license by inserting these two into my storyline. I would also like to say that
as I have not had the privilege to read EVERY fan-fic on the net (but
I've read a lot, I swear!) that any resemblance Destiny or Sailor Eclipse
may bear to any other writer's character is purely accidental and is in no
way plagiarism. Everyone cool with that? Great. (I merely seek to prevent
any flaming emails sent my way by irrate authors...no missles either! Not
to mention that there have been a whole lot of cases of plagerism lately...)
Oooo, goody! Let's play timeline! This is set after Sailor Stars, before
the crowning of our favorite monarchs, Neo-Queen Serenity and King
Endymion.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the other characters
we know and love. Big surprise, ne?
... indicates thought
Rainbow Eclipse
by Lyra Matsuoka
Rated PG13 (mild language and violence)
Chapter 1
When Destiny Calls
A lone figure stands on a sidewalk in downtown Tokyo. She appears to be
looking toward the horizon; her eyes focused on everything and nothing.
Behind her is the silhouette of a half-built palace, and people move
around her, not daring to disturb her thoughts. A passing car creates
an artificial breeze that blows long black hair away from her face,
revealing porcelain skin and an aquiline nose. Full lips part briefly
and reseal themselves as their owner continues to think. Tight black
leggings under a form fitting violet jumper draw attention
to this strangers astounding physical beauty. Whistles from cars and
admiring glances from men and boys alike are directed toward her, but
those who catch her indigo gaze turn quickly away. Within her unfocused
eyes is a wisdom that surpasses all things known to man. Infinity is
reflected there and eternity is seen in her regal bearing. The rude
honking of a horn draws her out of her reverie, and she turns slowly
to continue down the street.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, a happy couple strolls
arm in arm. A beautiful young woman, blond hair in pigtails and odangos
and a slender young man with dark hair and endless blue eyes walk in
companionable silence through a beautiful park. Pausing for a moment,
the two share a loving kiss under the full moon. A park bench provides
a comfortable place to sit and talk while waiting for the hour to strike.
When it does, they rise and head across the street, toward what appears
to be a favorite restaurant. As the sliding doors part to allow them
admittance, a dark head snaps up. Indigo eyes follow this couple as
they walk toward a corner booth. As the couple begins to look over the
menu, a cold light appears in the indigo eyes and a graceful hand
reaches for a teacup.
So, there they are. Pretty Solider of Love and Justice Sailor
Moon and her protector and true love Endymion. My, my. I had thought
they would be...older, perhaps. More formidable, certainly, though I feel
power emanating from them both. It would not do to underestimate them.
I must not fail again.
As the stranger gazes out the window, her eyes become unfocused
and her stare is blank. Lost in memory, she sips her tea, more out of
habit than thirst. Unbeknownst to her, an aura of sadness surrounds
her, and one patron of the restaurant feels it strongly.
"Darien, look at that girl," Serena said, her eyes fixated on
a lithe form sitting alone in a corner booth. "Do you feel it? The
sadness, it's almost like despair."
"Yeah, I feel it. She must not want to talk about it, though.
She's all alone," Darien replied, glancing at the girl.
In the instant that he looked at her, Darien felt a shock of
recognition shudder through his body. He had a brief picture of a
flowing cape in every color of the rainbow and the most beautiful
eyes. Not quite blue, but not violet either. More a perpetually
shifting combination of the two. Almost like indigo...
The moment that thought came to its climax, the girl stood,
leaving money on the table to cover the check. She donned a black
leather jacket and headed out the door. At the same second, Darien
and Serena both noticed a small leather pouch lying on the seat of
the booth where the girl had been sitting. Serena stood, ran across
the tile floor, grabbed the little bag and rushed after the her.
"Serena..." Darien groaned, amazed as always by how fast she
could move. With a sigh, and a signal to the waiter that they would
be back, Darien gave chase.
"Wait! Stop! Oh, miss, please wait!" Serena called. "You forgot
your bag!"
Darien continued chasing after his love, gaining on her with every
step he took.
The girl stopped and slowly turned. Darien stopped in his tracks,
mere steps behind Serena. Her eyes he thought Just like the eyes
in my vision. Indigo.
"Were you calling to me?" the girl questioned in a voice that
sounded like delicate wind chimes. "I was sure that I left the café
with all my possessions."
"No, you dropped this little pouch," Serena said, with a wide
and friendly smile.
"Oh, my. I would have hated to lose this. Thank you very much
for returning it," the girl returned Serena's smile politely, seemingly
careful not to become too familiar. She wasn't cold, but she held herself
at a distance. Darien gazed at her, puzzled and wary, and took the few
steps that brought him to Serena's side. Cautious for a reason he was
unable to explain, Darien felt his body prepare for battle.
"I'm Serena, and this is my boyfriend Darien," Serena bubbled,
reaching back for his hand, completely oblivious to the tension in
the air. Darien surrendered it without struggle and laced his fingers
with hers. The girl stared at their intertwining fingers and gave a
little half-smile.
"Pleased to meet you both," she said. "I'm Destiny."
Darien met Destiny's eyes and was taken aback by the icy hatred
he saw there. But he was sure he had been mistaken when he blinked, because
the only expression in Destiny's eyes was pleasant and friendly. Still a
bit cool, and definitly withdrawn, but they were strangers, after all. He was a
surprised when Destiny raised her arm and extended her open hand to him.
Feeling uneasy, Darien raised his free hand and extended it toward Destiny
When their hands met, Darien was assailed by another image, this one of
the figure in the rainbow cape carrying a woman in a long white dress
across a barren landscape. Destiny withdrew her hand and
the vision ended abruptly.
"Thank you again for returning this to me," Destiny said, gesturing
with the hand that held the pouch. "It was a gift from a dear friend and
I couldn't have replaced it."
"We were glad to help," Serena chirped, her perpetual smile never
fading.
"Well, have a pleasant evening," Destiny smiled again, tucked the
pouch into her jacket pocket, turned, and began walking down the street
once more. Darien realized that he had been watching Destiny intently,
and smiled sheepishly when Serena pulled on his arm and looked at him
quizzically. Arm in arm, Serena and Darien returned to the
restaurant and put Destiny out of their minds.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The rest of the night was spent in pleasant conversation and
companionable silence. Both Darien and Serena cherished their time together
and their love for each other was visible to all. But throughout the evening,
Darien's mind kept drifting back to the stranger with indigo eyes. If he
hadn't known better, Darien would have sworn that he knew the girl. But as
he scanned his memory banks for her face, he drew a blank. When no
more visions presented themselves, and his mind was unable to place
her, Darien found it easier to put Destiny out of mind.
The lovers were sorry to see the night end as Darien dropped
Serena off at her house. The two shared a goodnight-kiss
in the sporty red vehicle, unaware that they were being watched. From
the shadows, a woman dressed in a sailor uniform gazed at the sweethearts.
She watched dispassionately as Serena emerged from the car and ran up the
walk to her front door. Arms folded, the woman waited until Darien revved
his engine and roared up the street before detaching herself from the
cover of darkness and following.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Darien was preoccupied as he walked the last few steps to his
apartment door. The evening had been wonderful, but the encounter with
Destiny and his visions had left him disconcerted. The fact that she still
haunted his mind bothered him to no end.
She seemed nice enough, Darien thought But those visions can't
be just a coincidence, can they?
Thoughts similar to this one were still racing through his mind when
Darien put the key in the lock and stepped inside his apartment. A fresh breeze
caressed his face as he shut the door and removed his shoes.
Breeze? I didn't leave a window open. Curious, and more than a
little wary, Darien moved toward the front room. Sure enough, the curtains
were billowing out in front of the window. Shocked, Darien reached for the
light, and for a few of his razor tipped roses, just in case. Years of
battling youma had taught him the value of extreme caution.
"Who's there? What's going on?" Darien called. His hand found the
switch and the room was suddenly flooded with a golden glow. Instantly
alert, Darien hid the hand with the roses, unwilling to give his
identity away to a common burglar. But what the warm lamplight showed
him was far more that a simple thief.
A woman stood in his open window. Her long black hair flowed down her
back, and over her shoulder, causing a black cloud that covered the upper
part of her rainbow cape. Rainbow cape?
"It's you! You're the one from my vision!" Darien stated under his
breath. Wary, he brought the roses from behind him and braced his arm to
throw.
"Handsome and smart. I bet you graduated top of your class, didn't
you?" the woman replied sarcastically. "Incidentally, you shouldn't leave
your window open. You never know who might come in and make themselves at
home. And I'd have thought that fighting youmas and various other monsters
from the dregs of the universe would have taught you to be more careful."
"I didn't leave the window open," Darien replied, in shock.
"You're right. You didn't. So I had to compensate. I hope you have
insurance." The woman stepped off the balcony and into the room. Darien
heard the crunching sound of broken glass under her feet. He grimaced,
and was rewarded with a trilling little laugh. Unconsciously, Darien
began sizing her up. The woman's sailor suit was identical to those of
the Scouts, but her skirt and bow matched her cape. All three were
beautiful, shimmering masses of color that shifted and rippled with the
slightest movement from their wearer. In the center of the bow and at
the apex of her tiara were star shaped stones that shone with different
colors under a filmy white surface. Darien was reminded of opals when he
looked at them, and found himself faintly hypnotized by the swirling
colors. With effort, he shook off the lethargic feeling and continued
his examination of the strange solider.
There was another star shaped stone at the point where the body of
the suit met the skirt in a V. The body of the suit was white.
Her shoes were a revelation. They appeared to be sandals, almost
Romanesque. The soles were flat and thick, and they were held to her
feet by rainbow colored ribbon of the same material as her skirt and
cape. The ribbons crossed over the top of her feet, wrapped around the
back of her heel and were then laced all the way up to her knees in a
crisscross fashion, like a ballerina's toeshoes, but on a much grander
scale. They didn't look terribly practical, but then, high heels
weren't either. Darien was willing to bet that the same force which
allowed Raye and Michiru to fight in high heels kept dirt, rocks and
other debris clear of this senshi's sandaled feet.
Darien noticed that she carried a scepter like Sailor Pluto, only
hers had no protrusions and bore no resemblance to a key. At the top
was another star shaped stone surrounded by a floating heart.
The stone shifted colors, just like the jewels on the tiara and bow.
The rainbow cape was magnificent. It was lined with white silk, setting
off the magnificent colors of the senshi's skirt and bow. At the moment
the cape was lying flat across her shoulders, falling in graceful folds
to her feet. Glancing up, he saw that the cape was held in place on each
shoulder by three small star shaped stones arranged in a triangle.
"Do I pass inspection?" the woman questioned.
Darien nodded curtly. "What are you doing in my apartment?"
he asked.
"Waiting for you of course. I should think that would be obvious."
"All right. So you broke into my apartment to wait for me. Makes
perfect sense," Darien snapped. "Who in the hell are you? And what
do you want?"
"Questions, questions. Why don't you relax, sit down?"
The senshi snapped her fingers and Darien watched as a pillow shot
across the room. It hit him hard in the back of the knees, causing his legs
to collapse. Darien felt himself falling and was amazed to find that he fell
right on the pillow, which was lying calmly on the floor. Shocked, Darien
glanced at the beautiful intruder, whose indigo eyes and full mouth were
smirking at him. She leaned casually on her staff, arms wrapped around it.
"That's better. Now we can really get to know each other. I'm sure
we'll be the best of friends," she drawled sarcastically. "To answer your
questions, I am a Sailor Senshi after a fashion, no, I am not here to help
Sailor Moon, and yes I have an ulterior motive."
"Sailor Moon? I don't know any Sailor Moon," Darien said, vaporizing
the roses. This situation had all the earmarkings of trouble.
"Oh, really? How very, very interesting. Seems to me that you've been
hanging around her for an awfully long time. Say...two years?"
"Thank you for sparing me the need for a psychoanalysis. You *are*
crazy."
"So I've been told. A word of advice. Be a little more discreet in
your crime fighting activities. Anyone who was *really* interested wouldn't
find it too hard to decipher the identities of the Sailor Senshi and the
mysterious Tuxedo Mask."
"So who are they?"
"Pardon?"
"Who are the Sailor Senshi?"
Darien watched the senshi carefully. Her face remained expressionless
for some time. Darien watched her eyes carefully. He saw a flicker of doubt
flash briefly. He resisted the urge to smile. Maybe this stupid ruse would
work after all. The stranger frowned slightly, and rose, turning toward the
gaping window and the balcony beyond.
"It seems I have the wrong person. Fare thee well, and goddess
bless," she called over her shoulder. Darien watched her go from his
place on the floor, resisting the urge to to run after her. Instead
he simply studied the departing figure with clinical prescision.
"Oh, and incidentally..."
With those words, the stranger turned and lept at Darien, staff
raised. Without concious thought, Darien lept to his feet and spun
around, hurling two roses at his adversary as he flew toward the
broken window.
"Crystal Flame," whispered the senshi, and a jet of crackling
white shot toward the roses. The two attacks met and crumbled, leaving
a pile of ash and the sent of burning flowers as the only evidence they
had ever existed. Darien came to his feet, glass dripping from his
clothes. Three more roses appeared in his hand as he glared at the
invader.
"All right, so you know who I am. Fair is fair. What's your name?
Or should I call you Sherlock?" Darien queried, his voice rife with
contempt.
"Sarcasam now? My, but you are full of surprises. Sherlock has a
certain ring to it, but as we *are* close friends, you may call me
Sailor Eclipse," the senshi retorted, matching his tone.
"Sailor Eclipse? I've never heard of a Sailor Eclipse."
"Wonderful. I have done all in my power to ensure that."
"Are you here to try to destroy Earth?"
"Of course not. Goddess, the way you people talk, you'd think that no
one had anything better to do than try to take over your planet. You need
to learn to trust," the woman chided, clicking her tounge at him.
"In my experience, people who break into my apartment in the dead
of night are not usually the kind of beings that I would trust."
"Point taken," the woman conceded.
"Why are you here?"
"To settle an old score. A very old score."
"You aren't an enemy of Sailor Moon's then?"
"For the last time, no. I have no grudge against Sailor Moon or her
little bodyguards. And do you always discuss the Sailor Senshi with
tresspassers?"
Darien fell silent. She was right, after all. Not much to be done
now. But he had a gut feeling about this stranger. Almost as though he
knew her somehow...and the feeling wasn't fading. As Tuxedo Mask, Darien
had learned to trust his instincts, and this woman, whoever she was,
meant buisness. Never one to beat about the bush, Darien came straight
to the point.
"I'll ask you again. What in the *hell* do you want?"
"You, Endymion. Or rather, your bloody, broken body lying at my feet.
I want you dead."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
So there it is! What do you all think? Mail me and lemme know!
skiangel_sv@lycos.com
