In the words of the Angel, you must defeat the one with the Eternal Light for her time has come! Heed my words, Azrael, for without this, the Grim Prophecy will begin and the Apocalypse will start.
Disclaimers:
This story, while having ideals, meanings, and religious settings, does not intend on insulting others or proving a point. This story has no relation to anything fiction and is based on the original story Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon.
The Reappearance of the Grim Reaper; Sailor Moon, You're Next!
Tenshi hummed as she placed down her homemade lunch down upon the table outside, placed slightly under a blooming cherry blossom tree.
"Mom always makes the best lunch!" Tenshi ignored the good food and instead aimed toward the duo cupcakes. "Yea! Dessert!"
She heard a noise and turned slightly, eying the group of senior girls as they giggled. There were four of them, two blondes, one brunette, and the other with blue locks. Her gaze slowly focused on one of the blondes, with her hair up in round buns. She was giggling almost as loud as the blonde with the bow was, Tenshi noted.
"Come on, Mako-chan! Let me see what you made for lunch today!"
"I thought you brought one!"
"She ate it during math class," Ami said dryly.
"I was hungry!" Usagi wailed.
"Let's just sit," Minako suggested.
Tenshi was still watching them when there was a loud plop as Yuki sat down in her front. He was tall and lean, a popular soccer player in the school. He was a year older than Tenshi, thus a year ahead. His hair was dark emerald green and pulled back into a tight ponytail as his bangs were fallen unevenly over his eyebrows. His eyes were a brilliant aquamarine.
"Spying on them?" He asked mildly.
"No," Tenshi turned back, carefully pulling back her light brunette wisps from her face. Her hair was wavy, going on curly, falling to billow over her shoulders. It was thick so she wore it in a partial French braid. Her eyes were an ice light blue, often clear but unable to read for the most part. "They're just loud, that's all."
"Hmm...Any new insight?" He questioned, starting in his school made meal.
"Only that if you keep that garbage, you won't live to see yourself graduate."
"Bug off! It's not all bad," He choked on the spoonful rice. "That just went down the wrong tube."
"Tell me about it."
"You know what I was talking about," He began.
"I can't believe you of all people found out!" She butted in, dryly. "But then, it's kind of suiting, huh?"
"I am your best friend."
"Butt kisser!"
"Aw, come on! Stay!" But Tenshi moved away, still not having eaten her own lunch. But as of lately, she was rarely hungry. She again eyed the bunny blonde, thinking silently.
'It's not her, I mean, she's... a klutz, for one thing,' Tenshi thought as Usagi indeed tripped over a tree branch.
Her friends laughed but helped her up. "I don't know why I'm even considering them. They're just...normal."
Tenshi threw away her lunch and left the yard to the inside of the building, again humming.
"She didn't even take a bit, not even her dessert," Yuki eyed the two cupcakes she had left on the table. "Don't want them to go to waste.." He stuffed one into his mouth.
"Hey, Yuki-kun!" Minako waved, apparently spotting him from where she had been.
He mumbled, the cake stuck to the roof of his mouth. He took a swig of his water and smiled sheepishly. "Yo, Aino-san."
"What'cha doing?" She flipped herself on the bench. "Where'd your girlfriend go?"
"What girlfriend?"
"That girl you're always hanging out with!"
"Uh...OH! You mean, Tenshi? She's just my best friend!"
"Well, you know what they say, a girl's a man's best friend!"
"Actually, it's a 'dog's a man's best friend'," Yuki corrected.
"What? Oh... well, it's still nice that you're such good friends!"
"Minako!" Usagi sang out. "Who's this?"
"This is Aoino Yuki! I know him from that sports festival a few months ago! He kicks a mean ball!"
"Hee.. I, uh, better go," Yuki started to stand up when the bell rang out. "Well, looks like it's back the pedal. See you all." He waved to them, absently moving forward.
It was on their way home when Yuki began the conversation once more. "So, who are you looking into?"
Tenshi sighed. "I don't know."
"Nightmares keep coming, right?"
"Yea."
"So do something about it!"
"It's not that easy," Tenshi stopped. "If I do this, I ...might hurt somebody."
"Yea, but I certainly don't want the Apocalypse coming!" Yuki demanded. "You go fight and win!"
"You're insufferable!" She threw her hands up with a cry of annoyance.
"What do we have here? A date?" A tall woman grinned as the smaller woman shushed the taller one.
"Haruka, be nice."
"Takes me back," Haruka almost sighed but caught herself.
"We are NOT on a date," Tenshi said firmly. "We're just best friends."
Yuki looked like he didn't know whether to just accept that or take insult to it.
"Hmm.." Tenshi frowned at the hard stare the woman called Haruka was giving her.
"YES?"
"Huh? Oh, well, see ya!" Haruka walked around them, slightly flushing. The aqua marine colored haired woman smiled as she nodded her head slightly.
"Well?" Haruka whispered to Michiru once they were out of hearing range.
"The Aqua Mirror showed something but..." She hesitated. "It looked like a ghoul."
"A what?"
"What was their deal?" Tenshi asked Yuki who was eying the back of Michiru. "HEY! Over here!"
"Yea, that's nice."
"Hey, horn dog?" She stuck her foot out purposely and he unwittingly tripped and fell on his left side with a shriek. "You sound like a girl."
"God! That was not at all nice!" He yelled at her retreating back. She waved her hand and managed to flip him off as she disappeared around the corner. "Wench."
Tenshi entered her home, again humming. She couldn't help it, she had listened the other day to her favorite song and it was trapped in her head.
Shinichiro, one of the twin brothers and the oldest, was in the living room, trying to beat his racing score.
"Shin!" Tenshi stopped momentarily. "Is Mom or Dad home?"
"No!" His body moved to the side as his racing car took a loop. "Now bug off."
"Jerk!" She stomped to the kitchen were Yosuke was reading a comic book. "I thought you had work?"
"I got fired," Yosuke took a sip of his soda.
"...Does Mom or Dad know?" Tenshi asked suspiciously.
"Yea, they do. Not like it's any of your business. Just worry your pretty head about make up or something," Yosuke took another swig before glaring at her. "Don't be so rude and get lost."
'God, why do I have such mean brothers?' Tenshi entered her room. It was in the way back, next to the kitchen and closest bed room to the bathroom, though she didn't use it as much as her brothers, ironically. It had a window seat, overlooking a rather pretty field where wildflowers grew. She had personally picked this room when they had moved in when she was only six. It was intricately done but the most interesting feature was the cabinet pressed against the wall. Several shelves had many, many bibles, all that she never read but yet she bought them anyways. There was a lone shelf with her collection of bookmarks, from paper to metal to even magnetic.
She spotted the ring laying on the cleared desktop, glinting off a few stray sunrays.
"In order to stop the Apocalypse, huh?" She muttered.
She heard a very loud sniff. A Great Dane, a tan colored dog with black eyes, was slowly exploring the area.
"Uhh...?" Tenshi glared at the large dog's buttocks as he stuffed his head, attempting reach something underneath the girl's bed. "What are you doing, Izzy?"
"It's Israfel." The dog sat on his haunches, eying her. "How was your day, Miss Tenshi?"
"Fine, fine. If you can say that everyone thinks Yuki and I are going out, it's perfect!" She spun herself in the chair, coming to a dizzy stop.
"Huh? I thought you were going out. Make a nice couple."
"Stop trying to set me up!"
Israfel tilted his head, his black eyes blinking innocently.
"What use do you pose again?" Tenshi began.
"Ah! I'm your animal guardian. A bit of a standard but worth your while!" He grinned, which was basically a curled lip upward, baring his sharp teeth to all.
"Don't smile. It's creepy."
"Fine. Hey, did you see what I did with that bone?"
"The one my dad brought?"
"Yea! That's the one!" Israfel's tail wagged happily as he panted. "Where is it? Where?"
Tenshi eyed the window. "I thought I saw you bury that?"
"Huh? From yesterday? No, that's not a bone."
"I'm afraid to ask what it was."
"I'm hoping you won't."
"Hum, where did I see you playing with it? Did you check out the front yard, near that large bush?"
The instant the words came out, Israfel went bounding down the hall, barking happily as he skidded outside. He began to rummage through the overly grown bush when something caught his nose.
"Cats? Cats...CATS!" He took off, following the scent with a joyful howl.
Not too far off, Usagi was walking with Luna on one shoulder and Artemis on the other.
"So why can't you go home?" Usagi asked Artemis for the fifth time.
"Because Minako's mother thinks I'm the one that ruined the couch," Artemis sighed. "I'm telling you. Ever since I unknowing insulted that tomcat, he's been sending his strays to TORMENT me."
Israfel came running around the corner behind them, barking wildly.
"HEY!" Usagi screamed. "Rabid dog! Rabid dog!" She covered herself and waited anxiously for whatever lay in store.
"Usagi!" Luna hissed in her ear. "Look at that dog!"
Israfel was sitting patiently on his rump, eyeing the blonde with bright eyes. When he saw her looking back, his tongue loped out as he panted heavily.
"AWW! He's so cute!" Usagi reached out with her finger tips and tapped his head before streaking back with a whimper. The dog gaze back at her, confusion blooming before he stood up and walked the way he had come from.
"What was that about?" Usagi asked, confused.
"Did you see that symbol?" Artemis pointed out.
"Probably tattooed it to the dog."
"I don't think that's possible," Luna said dryly.
Israfel was peeking at them, a strange look on his face. "Hmm... so she's the one, now is she? I don't think I should tell Tenshi...Not yet, anyways."
It was getting late when Tenshi awoke from her nap. Her body was sweaty and she grasped blindly at the desk.
"Israfel, we need to go, now." She ordered the dog. They snuck out, her mother in the kitchen, cleaning from dinner, and the rest of the family in the living room watching some game show.
"Well, while we're running there, shouldn't we transform?" Israfel pointed out, running along side her.
"Fine," She put the ring on her left hand as it began to light up. "Judgment's Call, Spiritual Make Up!"
The haloed light spread up her arm and split into two rings, one going up to her head and the other to her feet. Each of them then moved outward to push backwards, forming somewhat small wings.
Her collar was a normal collar with no stripes, solid violet color. She had no tiara but her symbol of a yellow lightning bolt with a round dot on each side. The body fuku was completely white with a yellow metal band under the breasts. The top half before the waistline was tight but was connected with two pointed yellow bands that did not connect. The section where they did not connect, directly in front of the lower stomach, the fabric was tipped upward into a upside down V. Her choker was completely yellow but not complete as it began on one side with a round yellow gem and wrapped around the neck to the other side where there was another yellow round gem. Attaching these two round gems was a section of crossed mesh.
Her brooch was a violet heart shaped brooch that had a slim planetary ring around it. Her skirt was a set of three layers; the first top pink layer being attached to the yellow metal band at the waist, with a space that revealed the next second layer in the center of the waist band. The secondary layer was magenta and the third layer was violet. Her front bow was a set of simple angular wings, not fat but more pulled outward with four round tips. The back bow was basically a set of three ribbons, making six tails - three on each side. The three bow tail colors were violet, pink, and magenta. Her gloves were more like arm covers, these gloves were tight skinned and colored violet. the top section was straight edged and had a yellow band and at the wrist, both at the front and back, was tipped into an arrow like shape. This tip (on both sides) was also edged in a yellow strap. Her shoes were merely yellow sandals with a strap at the top of her foot and then straps crisscrossing twice, starting at the ankle and ending halfway up to the knee. The heel was completely flat, not at all having a heel. And for jewelry she had simple yellow round gem earring studs, one in each ear.
She took the air, feeling the dark energy gathering in one stop. "Hurry!" She called to the Great Dane as she hit the scene.
It was another monster. "Probably another possessed person. Don't these things get creative?" She wondered out loud before moving closer, speaking louder. "In the world of natural Chaos, beings as such don't survive much, not with me around at that point! I am the Celestial Soul, Sailor Azrael! Be warned, I don't judge kindly!"
She moved to attack when a shadowed group over passed her. "Who the hell are these people?"
"Hey! Ruin a momentous date on my time? I don't think so! I am Eternal Sailor Moon and in the name of the Moon, you're punished!" The whole group had joined in at the last sentence and it reminded how happy Tenshi was that she worked alone.
"I don't know who you all are but this is MY job! Get it? Got it? Good!" She turned to see the monster looming over her, sneering. "Damnit, Israfel! Warn me, why don't you?"
"Spiritual Cleansing!" A beam shot from her forefinger, piecing the shadow in the middle of its chest. It dispersed into pieces to only fall back and regroup.
"Is it me or are they getting stronger?" She turned to see Israfel looking back at familiar cats. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"
"I thought you were also guardians," Israfel was happily discussing this topic. "It's often the mark that gives it away! I'm glad to meet you!"
"ISRAFEL!"
"Ah...Miss Azrael needs me. Excuse me," he hopped over to her side with a patient look. "Yes?"
"What am I to do with THAT?" The shadow had been patiently waiting for some reason.
"Oh? Trap it."
"Tra...COME ON! It needs to be destroyed!"
"Just listen and do as I suggest! I am here to help."
"Fine!" She huffed. From her fingers came a yellow staff that was like a slender cross. The top part, including the perpendicular cross bar, had a violet round gem, including at the section where the two bars connected. From this connect jutted out a set of wings, both an upper part and an under part. Attached at the top was a outlined pink heart shape, of two arcs beginning at the violet round gem at the very tip and the two arcs bent in heart shaped to connect to the point where the two bars meet, attaching to the other violet round gem. The pink outlined heart had a attached yellow halo at the very tip, over the violet round gem. At the bottom of the staff was a outlined yellow circle, still attached to the staff, with three violet round gems at each side. "Judgment Stave!" She spun the said weapon in her fingers. "Grim Prophesy!"
With the lifted staff, her own shadow sprung to life to shot outward to a binding against the monster. "Now what?" She called out behind her.
"Sailor Moon! Up to you now!" Israfel called out.
"But this is none of their concern!" Tenshi was heard yelling at the dog.
"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" With her eternal Tier, she blasted the shadow into nothing. From it came a normal person. What was interesting was a floating round gem that was sucked back into the body as soon as the darkness was lifted.
"Yea!" Sailor Moon grinned but watched Uranus and Neptune move forward.
"So, who are you?" Neptune asked lightly but her eyes weren't as such.
"You...You shouldn't have helped!" Tenshi bit out darkly. "This is MY mission, MY job! So go back to whatever you do."
"You shouldn't talk as such to the Sol Senshi," Israfel tried to whispered.
"Next time, just leave it to me, 'kay? Don't need some fritty chit helping me."
"You little.." Uranus moved forward only to be stopped by Sailor Moon's hand on her elbow. "Ungrateful bitch."
"I say it as I see it. Now if you don't mind, I will bid you adieu." She floated upward into the air and for a moment was blinded by the crescent moon's shine. "Sailor Moon, right? Next time it could be you, so best that you stay out of this, understand?" She took off down the tops of the building, leaving behind Israfel.
"You'll have to forgive her. She rarely works with others. As such, she knows nothing of alliance. Until we meet again," Israfel took off in a running start, moving overly fast for a dog.
"What the hell was that about?" Jupiter was heard asking.
Tenshi landed on her own home roof and untransformed as she jumped down the single level to the ground. She entered from the back door and saw her mother talking quietly with her father. She tiptoed only to hear about ten things fall behind her.
She glared behind her, Israfel trying to maneuver around a umbrella, coats, and unorganized shoes.
"Tenshi?" Her mother, Mizuko, smiled albeit nervously as she tried to ask carefully. "Where were you?"
Before Tenshi could answer, her father, Hino exclaimed. "I don't know where you've been going but this is the fifth time these past two weeks! It's very irresponsible!"
"Yes but I was only taking a walk," Tenshi began.
"Then why don't you ever tell us?" Hino stared hard at his daughter, unable to read anything from her clouded eyes. "Fine. Go to bed."
"Hino..." Tenshi heard her mother murmur as Tenshi moved swiftly to her room, Israfel at her heels.
"I hate this. Ever since I found you, it's been nothing but hell," Tenshi began to change into her pajamas, emotions bottling up in her. "Whatever. I'm going to bed."
Israfel sighed as he eyed the waning moon outside. "Sailor Moon, huh? I've seen her before..."
The next day at school, Tenshi was studying for the Pre-Calculus test that was coming after lunch. She munched on a few cookies but ignored the important substance.
"You need to eat more than just sweets," Yuki pointed out mildly.
"Huh..."
"So, did anything happen?"
She put down her notes and stared into his eyes with a unblinking gaze. "Why is it that you just won't leave me be? If you get involved, you'll suffer too."
"So you're saying you're suffering?"
"Let's see, what life I did have is gone, my father thinks I'm a party girl, my mother thinks I'm having unsafe sex and my brothers don't give a damn about me anymore. So yea, I'm suffering," She returned to her notes.
"I worry about you.."
She didn't do anything but she had stilled and this told enough to Yuki. "I just want you to be safe. I mean, it wouldn't be fair, right? You saved my life, I gotta watch yours."
He spotted a small smile which she hurriedly hid. He grinned before standing up with a stretch.
"Watch out!" Someone's voice rang out as a soccer ball came whizzing in the air and smashed into the back of Yuki's head.
"YUKI!"
Minako came running, panting and near tears. Yuki just stood there, his eyes utterly blank. "Are you all right!"
"Uh..."
"Yuki?" Tenshi murmured, touching his arm.
"Uh..."
"I think he should go the nurse," Makoto suggested weakly.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm really, really sorry!"
"...Grim..." Yuki covered his face with one hand. "The Grim Reaper.."
"Eh?" Usagi blinked. "Who's that?"
"Come on," Tenshi said hurriedly. "We're going to the nurse's station." The others followed, much to her chagrin.
He was checked out as the girls sat outside the room, fidgeting.
"I'm really sorry," Minako sniffed.
"I heard you the fiftieth time," Tenshi snapped.
"Don't have to be so mad," Makoto said tightly.
"What's it to you?" Tenshi looked up at the door opening.
"Could somebody walk him home?" The nurse began.
"Yes, I can." Tenshi went around to Yuki who blinked and smiled weakly at her as she took his arm to wrap around her shoulders.
"First time you let me hold you," Yuki commented.
"Just shut up," Tenshi gently guided him out.
"I'd like one of you to also to go, just in case," the nurse said firmly.
"I'll go!" Usagi stated.
"I think I should," Makoto began.
But Usagi had gone to Yuki's free side and had him wrap his other arm around her shoulders.
"Or not," Makoto finished with a shake of the head.
The two girls walked quietly out of the school, past the yard to the street walkway.
"So where does he live?"
"Not all that far," Tenshi answered shortly.
"Okay," Usagi said brightly.
Yuki was eyeing her with a strange look. "Hey... Did you know you shine?"
"She's got the sun on her," Tenshi moved to the side, pulling him to look at her. "Don't stare."
But Yuki turned his head back with that strange look and a tiny smile on his face. "Just like an angel..."
It was only a few hours after school let up and Minako was walking, intent on getting to Yuki's home. The other girls had followed, despite Usagi's words that Yuki was fine.
"I just need to see him," Minako stated. "Besides, I can score some brownie points!"
"I don't care what they both say, they're a couple," Makoto said.
"They do act as such," Ami said. Of course, the others glanced at her with a slight look of surprise. "What?"
They had entered the driveway when Usagi stopped in her tracks. "It's that dog!"
Israfel was taking a dog nap. Well, that's what he called it as he hated to coin something with a cat to begin it with. He snored before rolling over, his leg thumping the empty air.
"What do we do?" Ami whispered. "A dog has a excellent nose! He'll know."
"But he'll know who that senshi is!" Minako moved forward as the others protested.
"Hey, you!" Minako began.
It was at that moment Tenshi exited the home and had opened her mouth to speak to Israfel when she saw the girls, Minako close up. "What are you doing here? Didn't you do enough damage?"
Minako flushed.
Israfel had woken up and his nose slightly quivered. He tilted his head before he trotted over to Minako to take a sniff. He circled her before going back to settle at Tenshi's feet.
"I...uh..." Minako faltered. She moved closer and not to her surprise, heard a very small growl.
"He's warning you to back off," Tenshi gently rubbed behind Israfel's ears. "He's usually nice though."
Israfel's attention was caught by two familiar cats. He looked like he was going to be in major trouble.
Tenshi wasn't one to not see things and she stared hard at the cats before turning to look up at the girls, who knew what was coming.
"Oh holy hell," Tenshi said carefully. "It's you! You're those..."
As she was about to finish, the screen door slammed open as Yuki came running out with a shriek.
"Yuki!" Tenshi shouted. "Get back inside!"
"It's coming! It's coming!" He yelled as he ran down the street.
"What the hell is wrong with him?" Tenshi tried to figure out what to do. "Shit! I have no choice! Israfel! Get a move on!"
Tenshi ran past the group, the dog following.
"I hope they don't follow..." Tenshi said weakly.