Hello, and welcome to the collaborative fanfiction of Sailor Myth, an online role-playing game based on Sailormoon, but with different senshi and a different location. Our game takes place in the city of Roanoke, Virginia, and our senshi are named after everything from Greek and Roman deities to stars, constellations, and angels!
Our purpose in posting our chapters up here on ff.net is twofold. First, we'd like to get some feedback on our writing, and second, we're always looking for new players to join us! If you're a writer, we'd love to have whatever senshi is running around in your head join our menagerie.
For more information, please check out our main page, or send an e-mail to Emiko, our GM. She'll be glad to answer any questions you may have! Thanks for your attention. We hope you enjoy the show!
Chapter One:
One Lovebird and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
It was two weeks before school began. Everywhere, children prepared for the inevitable return of teachers, books, and the dreaded homework. At the same time, they took more time as they did things, pausing to enjoy the last few days of laziness. It was a horrible combination of content and worry.
Sophia Dunn surveyed the parcel of land before her. To an outsider, this was nothing more than a collection of trees and dirt, but to Sophie, this was home. It was not walls or a bed that made these woods home, for both those things were back over the hill at the house. It was a sense of belonging that Sophie knew indicated home.
Stooping to avoid a low branch, Sophie hiked further into the woods. Her parents owned little land, but the neighbors were kind enough to allow Sophie to enter their large, forested backyards. As she walked along, Sophie heard a sound behind her and turned to see a bird following her. She watched as it approached, then turned and continued.
After she had hiked a bit more, she turned and saw that the bird was still there. "Weird thing," she muttered, ignoring it. It was a cloudy day, and rain was a good enough excuse for Sophie to turn back, so she did, making a wide circle around the bird.
Despite Sophie's obvious avoidance, the bird followed. It was a partridge. That fact was odd, since Sophie had not seen any partridges in the area. She knew what animals were here and what should not be. "Go away, shoo," she told the bird, waving her hand at it.
"How rude! You haven't even listened to what I have to say!"
Sophie froze and looked at the bird. "Man, am I ever trippin'," she said aloud, and turned away.
"I said," the bird persisted, "that you hadn't even bothered to hear me out, and you're walking away!"
"I must not be getting enough sleep," Sophie reasoned, continuing away.
"Hey! Stop! That's an order!"
Whirling around, Sophie glared at the bird. "You are not giving me orders," she told it, and promptly turned away.
The bird went on the offensive, running forward in its squat manner and ramming full-force into her leg. It was a rather big bird, about a foot in length, but the speed of the motion was less than impressive. "I'm not some sort of dream or hallucination, young lady, and I'll thank you to listen to what I had to say!"
Clearly, this was one hallucination that was not going to go away easily, so Sophie turned and crouched down next to the bird. "Go ahead."
"Thank you," said the bird curtly. "I suppose introductions are an order. My name is Perdix."
A long moment of silence passed before Sophie realized the bird wanted to know her name. "Sophia. Now why are you following me, Perdix?"
"I have something to give you."
Before Sophie had time to react, the obstinate bird reached up and pecked at her necklace. Sophie toppled backwards in surprise and anger. "Hey!" she yelled, "that belonged to my grandmother! Hands off!" The terminology seemed to be a bit strange considering she was speaking to a bird, but the meaning was clear.
"I didn't harm it. Look."
Sophie did as she was bidden and was surprised to find a blue-green gem hanging on the necklace. "How-?" she managed to choke out.
"Now say the words 'Metis Titaness Power, Make Up!'"
"That's really corny."
Annoyed, Perdix snapped, "Just do it."
Sophie sighed and hoped this was going to end soon. "Fine. Metis Titaness Power, Make Up," Sophie repeated drolly. She then leapt to her feet as the pendant began to emit light. The light encircled Sophie, causing her skin to tingle, and she closed her eyes. When she opened them, the bird was still there, but something definitely felt different. "Whoa!" she exclaimed as she looked down at her new clothing through an unfamiliar mask. A rather smug Perdix shuffled up to Sophie and peered at her.
"So, do you believe me now?"
"What's to believe?" replied Sophie. "I'm out of here!" And with that, she took off at a run.
When she was sure she was away from the persistent bird, Sophie looked down at herself. The costume certainly was strange. And it seemed to be sticking. Sophie's hiking cloths had completely disappeared. There was no way she was going home like this. Given her options, what choice was there? Sophie gritted her teeth and began to return to where the partridge had been. "Perdix!" she called, hoping nobody else was in the area. "Perdix, where are you?"
"I knew you'd come back!" Perdix exclaimed in a fake English accent.
"Tell me how to get back to my normal clothes, you little freak."
"Well, if you're going to say it like that, how could I possibly resist?"
Sophie thought that bird would grudgingly agree to her request, but she was wrong, for Perdix turned away and began to walk off. "Hey!" shouted Sophie. "Where are you going? Tell me how to get out of this junk!" His small head curved around and looked at her.
"I've heard better," he said cryptically.
"Fine," she replied, gritting her teeth. "Please help me get out of these clothes and into my old stuff."
"What do I get for it?"
Sophie's mouth dropped open. "You did this to me! What could you possibly want? Birdseed?"
"Birdseed would be nice, but no. As you are one of the Graikos Senshi and are therefore a member of my team, I insist upon living in your house."
Thoroughly disgusted, Sophie turned away and started marching back towards home. Maybe she could get inside without being seen.
"Wait! Sophia, I'm sorry! I'll tell you what to do."
Sophie quickly turned around and marched back to Perdix. "Hold your hand over your choker and concentrate on returning to your old form," he said. Sophie quickly did so and felt the tingling sensation run down her body again. When she opened her eyes, her hiking clothes were back. "I swear to you, Sophia, I am not lying. You have been infused with the spirit of Metis, the Titaness of Wisdom, and I need your help to defeat our enemies. If you don't chose to work with me, the Astronomia will kill you, so please say you'll help me discover the rest of the Graikos?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Maybe you'd better explain it on the way home?"
Perdix happily did so as the pair walked towards home.
A certain Letalis Forma stared at her homework, exasperated. What was she to do? With a forlorn look, she solved the next math problem and stared longingly out the window. Heaving a great sigh, she thought of all the fun she could be having at the mall. Spending time with her friends, grabbing every article of clothing that was on sale, flirting with guys.
It just wasn't fair.
So very unfair.
"I wanna go shopping!" Leta yelled, slamming her pencil down.
"Not until you finish your homework, dear!" her mothered hollered from
downstairs.
This was not only unfair, it was unjust! She could be outside, giggling and playing
around, and she was stuck trying to remember pre-algebra or whatever the hell was on that
paper. The calling for the mall was too great, so Leta picked up her pencil and began
working on her homework again.
A certain Perseus watched with mild interest at the scene in front of him. It was obvious Leta wanted to be anywhere but here, and she couldn't. Misery for her, bliss for him. It made him simply delighted to see unhappy people. Alright, so it was a mean liking, but he enjoyed it none-the-less. As Leta let out another groan of frustration, Percy noticed his water dish wasn't full. He let out a loud squawk to notify his owner of this calamity.
"Go get it yourself, bird," she grumbled, trying to focus on her work.
Percy did not give up, however; it wasn't like him. He began squawking insanely, flapping his wings and jumping up and down on his perch.
"SHUT UP!" Leta yelled, throwing a shoe absently at Percy's cage. It luckily missed.
Percy sulked upon his perch, glancing at his water dish again. It wasn't fair! If he were human again... if he were human again... none of this would be happening! he thought angrily, snapping a piece of bird seed into his beak and crunching on it loudly. Wait, now there was an idea! Human! Talking to Leta! It would work. Percy cleared his throat, and said smoothly, "Listen, I would like water for my dish, now."
Leta froze in the middle of her work, and turned around slowly in her chair. "Did you just... talk!?" she gasped, her eyes widening cutely.
"I spoke, yes. Now, get me some water for my dish!"
Leta didn't move, just continued to stare in shock.
Percy sighed, and ruffled his feathers. It was going to be a long day. Leta was still gaping at him, dumbfounded. Well, now was a good as time as never. "Oh, while you're at it, ponder this. Your Sailor Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Here is your transformation item. And don't tell anyone, they won't believe you," Percy said calmly, and from the bottom of his cage, pulled out her locket.
Leta continued to stare, confused. Slowly standing up, she inched over to the door, and ran down the stairs screaming.
Her parents never believed her when she said that her parrot was talking to her.
"I told you so. Now, where is my water?"