Prologue
He knew he had to get away. He tried to run, but soon found his legs were useless. He
began rolling himself down the dirt road to his african village, where he hoped he could
find salvation.
Reika was in Africa again. She had jumped at the chance to get away from Motoki and their
messy breakup. And now she had found something uttely amazing. Bones of a human skeleton
that dated back millions of years. About Sixty-Five million years.
Oh god.
She cried herself to sleep that night, she had celebrated her discovery with two friends
and four bottles of wine.
She wished she could call Moto-chan.
Anik stepped up to the podium to create his first-ever storm. He had been practicing with
the elders for months to learn to balance the elements. He whispered the words, and felt
the power swell. He knew he had succeeded when tiny raindrops began falling from the sky.
Soon the wind was whipping, the rain was pouring, and the crowd was cheering.
But something wasn't right. There was an element missing from the circle he had built
himself.
"Fire" He whispered.
The water suddenly became acidic.
And the screaming began.
Usagi smiled at the man before her and reached for his hand. He shook his head and
muttered something.
"It is not yet the time of Awakening. You shouldn't be here."
"But I am anyway."
He jerked his hand away roughly, but Usagi could see tears glistening.
"Don't be sad, princess," He said gruffly, almost as if it were hard for him to convey
emotions. "I won't be far, and it won't be long. Aishiteru." I love you.
He turned, and the mist enveloped him. She began to run, but she could not reach him,
instead she found herself in Mamo-chan's bedroom.
He was crying.
She went to him and knelt. She tried to soothe him, hold him, but he brushed her off.
"How could you do it Usako!" His normally emotionless voice contained a raw, betrayed tone
that she had never heard before now. A sob wracked his already-shaking body. "Did I do
something wrong? What happened? What was so important that you had to-had to-"
He dissapeared.
Usagi looked up into cool blue eyes.
"Usa."
"Haruka." Her voice began to shake mysteriously.
"I'm sorry, Usa, I have to leave you."
"Leave me? Were you ever really here?"
Haruka laughed once, it was a high pitched, nervous sound.
"Michi-chan and I have... Things we need to finish up. We've got loose ends that need tying."
"You won't be able to fight for me anymore."
"You'll still have the others. They'll be enough."
"You're probably right."
She hugged Haruka, wished her the best of luck, then left.
Motoki looked up from the counter as the bell rang to signal the door opening. He saw the
object of his affections walk in and smile at him.
"So sweetheart, what'll it be?"
He already knew.
She leaned over the counter.
"One big serving of you, please."
She kissed the bridge of his nose.
"With cherries and whipped cream?"
"Definitely." Usagi grinned like a school girl.
Katerina Vladmovsky stared intently at her teacher. Soon, if she got it right, Ivy should
come shooting out of his shirtsleeves.
It did.
A moment later, a tornado swooshed across her small Russian village, and demolished every building.
Only the school was spared.
Katerina cried a great deal over her parents' bodies, and vowed that never again would
there be such a wreckless display of magic. She would serve to balance the elements, for
all time, if necessary.
She achieved immortality, and she did all that she promised.
Up until one day in 1982.
She dissapeared then, and Five magical girls were born. they would balance nature until s
ome higher power could find a better replacement.
It hadn't yet.
"You can't stay here forever, you know."
"I know."
"You can't hide from your soulmate."
"And why not?"
"Because whoever it is, they'd find you eventually. The longer you stay the harder it will be to let you go."
"You'll never have to let me go. I already know who my soulmate is. I don't want him anymore, I want you."
"He's not your soulmate, and neither am I. How do you know it will even be a man?"
"Huh?"
"For all we know, your soulmate could very well be Ami."
"I could never fall in love with any of my scouts."
"Haven't you already?"
"That was ages ago."
"Months to us, are like days to them."
"I've been here for a long time, haven't I."
"A few years by our time."
"How long by theirs?"
"About a month and a half."
"My parents must be worried."
"Yes."
"I should leave."
"You should, do you want to?"
"What would happen if I stayed?"
"We'd be together, happy for a while. Someone would find out you were here, and they'd come to take you home."
"Who would come to get me?"
"I don't know. Someone might find their way here-one of your friends maybe-out of luck, a
nd they'll want you to come home. You have to know that the only one who can take you
where you belong is your soulmate. You could belong anywhere, anytime, but if you leave
with someone you don't belong with, you're stuck. You may not feel it, but you and your
soulmate have a bond."
"Mamo-chan and I have a bond."
"Love created that bond, but it is weak, and he is not the one you are destined to be with."
"How is it that I cannot feel the bond I have with my real soulmate, then?"
"Your soulmate will show up when you are no longer in control."
"I have never been in control."
"Sure you have, you just won't admit it."
"How do you know all this stuff?"
"I am you, you know all of this 'stuff' already."
"Oh. But you're a man!"
"There are two sides to every human being. Do you feel you need to run away? Because by all
means, I will not hold you back from anything you desire."
"I cannot leave until I love you. I am beginning to understand now. I cannot leave until I love myself."
"That's true."
"You knew that all along, didn't you."
"Yes, and so did you."
"No. I need to know and love every part of me, even the darkness."
"There is no darknes inside of you."
"Liar."
"Yes. But I am only telling you what you yourself believe."
"Well, stop it, I need you to tell me the truth."
"I have been telling you the truth all along, you just don't listen."
"Well, i'm listening now."
"That's true."
"Well?"
"Well what?"
Ami left the police station, her anger building with every step. Her usually rational mind
was working like crazy to figure out a way to find her friend. It had been nearly two
months, and the police had found no leads, no evidence.
It was hard not to blame them.
Rei was waiting at the car.
"What did they say?" She asked, unprepared for the stream of expletives that spewed from her friend's mouth.
"They said they couldn't find her." Ami's words were dangerously sharp. "They said," she
added pointedly, "that they had to move on to other, more recent cases."
Rei promptly kicked the car.
"Don't do that." Ami said with a growl. "It was in for body work last week, I don't need another bill."
"Sorry." Rei grumbled, and she got into the blue car.
They were silent all the way back to Mahoto's apartment where she and Minako waited.
Mamoru opened his eyes blearily, hating the sun for coming so soon. He had to get up and
get ready for class, one more absent and the prof. would fail him for sure.
As he made his way to the kitchen he stepped on something sharp. He swore and looked down.
It was the locket. Their locket. But what was it doing here? Wasn't Usagi still in Never
Never-land with Peter Pan?
Well, not quite, but same difference.
Mamo-chan
I've decided to stay in the other world for a while longer.
Sorry,
Usagi
It was even in her handwriting.
He picked up the locket and opened it, but it did not play for him.
'How strange.' He thought.
"Oh Mamo-chan, I love it here. It's even more beautiful in the moonlight!"
He smiled and fumbled in the back pocket of his jeans. What he pulled out was a beautiful
silver locket, adorned with three tiny diamonds; two white, and one a rare blue. He pointed
at the first, the second, and then the third, describing what each of them meant for the couple.
"This one on the left is for friendship, this one is for trust, and the blue one in the
middle represents our love. There's an old legend that says this locket will play for
soulmates only."
"Well," she said coyly, "let's just see about that."
When she opened it, a beautiful melody played for them.
Three weeks later, Usagi dissapeared.
"We thought we were your friends."
"So did I."
"What changed?"
"Nothing has... I have... But I don't want to leave yet, and you can't make me."
"Please Usagi! We need you, everyone needs you. Me, Mamoru, Minako, Ami, Makoto, and everybody else needs you!"
"Why?"
"The fate of the universe rests in your hands, Usagi. Everything is being destroyed as we speak."
"Don't lie. Are we speaking?"
"Would you listen to me for a minute! You've been gone for almost two months!"
"It seems like years. I think I've worn off on myself."
"What does that mean?"
"Not much, i'm afraid. At least not to you."
"Stop talking like that and listen!"
"I'm trying!"
"He who can not be named is breaking free of his bonds!"
"I still have some things I need to sort out yet."
"I'll be back, Usagi. And next time i'll be bringing you home with me!"
"Toodaloo, Rei-chan."
She was naked.
That was the first thing she noticed when she opened her eyes.
It was cold and dark.
"Hellooooo!! Anyone there???? With clothes, preferably!!!"
Nothing.
There was only silence.
That's when she realized she was sitting on air.
The blackness began pulsing with light. The dark grew brighter and brighter until it was
really just one big bright black encasement.
"I never knew the darkness could be so light." She murmered in awe, as she temporarily
forgot her naked ness and let her arms fall away from her chest. She uncurled herself and
reached out to touch the light.
"There are many things you do not know, child."
A man, also naked, floated lazily out of the shadows to her. She recovered herself and
turned her face, blushing. He laughed. It was not a cold laugh, nor was it particularly
warm, but it was comfortable. She turned back and forced herself to look him in the eye.
"Who are you?"
He smiled at her, and she felt she was being mocked.
"I am the dream weaver."
"Thanks a lot. That helped me so much. Now all I have to do is follow the yellow brick
road home with my dog Toto. Just give me the ruby red slippers, I have all the answers."
Her sarcasm was biting, frosty.
He smirked, but it was almost regretful. "You have to go on your Ordeal. I hope you make it back alive."
She was confused.
Not as confused as she would be in a few seconds when she fell into an ocean of grief.
"My name is Haruka."
"Birthdate?"
"December 2nd, 1979."
"Height?"
"Six feet, one inch."
"Sex?"
"Female."
"Favorite colour?"
"Yellow- oh, and blue."
"Occupation?"
"Racer."
"Weight?"
"One hundred forty-six pounds."
"Last book read?"
"The Lord of the Rings."
"Last meal eaten?"
"Um... I don't remember... Dinner I think."
"Hair colour?"
"Blonde."
"Eye colour?"
"Blue."
"You're perfect."
"Huh?"
Someone drew back a big purple curtain which had suddenly appeared on the wall. Behind it
was a girl of medium height, with long, curly blonde hair and shining blue eyes.
"Absolutely Perfect." The strange girl said to her.
Then she was woken up.
"Haruka!"
"Huh? Wha..."
"Haruka!" Michiru cried in exasperation. "I've been trying to wake you up for the past ten
minutes! My recital starts in half an hour and I want you there!"
Three girls sat quietly in the Temple.
"She told me she wasn't coming back."
"Don't worry, Rei-chan, I'm sure she will."
"It's better to just not hope Rei-chan, Mina-chan."
"Makoto, please don't. We can't afford to lose you too."
"We have so much to deal with, right now. The fire has told me Ami has gone on some sort
of race, or an evaluation. It says she wasn't a willing participant, and that in itself is
something that will make her journey all the more work."
There was a collective sigh.
A small blue computer started beeping urgently.
"A youma. At least she left her locket and stuff behind."
"That might not have been for the best."
The sailors Mars, Venus, and Jupiter left the temple two minutes later.
Tears fell from her eyes like rain. She lay curled up on the mossy green floor af some
unknown forest, and her arms and legs were drawn tight around her body. She was still
naked, and there was no sign of the man she had seen in the darkness. She eventually
stopped crying and dried her eyes, she was not one to have irrational outbursts.
She was ashamed of her nakedness, and the first thing she tried to do was cover herself
somehow. Unfortunately, she was unable to find anything even remotely suitable that she
could use for clothing.
"Ah well, noone's looking. Might as well try and find out where I am."
As she began looking around, something that amazed her was the size of the trees. They
were huge! For all she could tell, there were no trees like that on earth, but the place
felt very familiar. As she gazed in wonder at the peculiar trees, she did not notice the
figure coming up behind her.
A pair of arms encircled her waist, and she jumped.
"Mercury, don't be frightened, it's only me!"
"Only I." She corrected. Then she turned around to see the man's face, stepping
uncomfortably out of his grasp.
He laughed. "Oh Mercury, you always know how to ruin the moment!"
She shook her head confusedly. "What do you mean? Do I know you?"
He stepped back, with a surprsied look on his face. "Mercury, I know you are not one for playing games."
She grasped desperately at the truth he did not believe. "What? I don't know you and I
don't know this place. This is no game! Please help me!"
She could see in his expression that he really didn't believe her.
"What's your name?" He was testing her.
"Ami Mizuno."
"What's your age?"
"I'm sixteen years old!"
He was taken aback by this answer, and pulled a robe out of the air. "I imagine that you
would be very uncomfortable like this, seeing as you are in the body of the thirty-two
year old high queen of Mercury." He mocked her. "Where do you come from?"
"Tokyo." She said while wrapping the robe around herself. He frowned, so she added "Earth,
the twenty-first century."
He gasped. "You don't lie, Mercury. You have never lied to me in all the days you have
known me. Why are you lying now?" He seemed angry.
"I'm not! I'm not!" Finally she broke down crying, unable to hold back the feeling of utter
hopelessness of the situation she was in.
He was taken aback, but he held her in his arms.
"I believe you, Mer-A...Ami." He whispered it to her over and over, urging her to stop
crying. But she did not stop, she cried until she fell asleep. "What has happened here?"
He muttered as he carried her back to the palace.
~*~With this book, the power of God will instill in you His word, His message. He will guide
you and show you the path to the light.~*~
What? Who's that?
~*~Take this book now, or all will be lost. Within it's pages are the words of the Lord and
his disciples. This book will be your guiding light, your path on the road to salvation.
You will become His messenger, you will be His strength in the physical world. You are the
New Messiah. You will bring joy and triumph into the hearts of even the lowliest of
believers. You will be It.~*~
I don't know what you're talking about! I don't believe in God!
~*~He is trusting you to take this Book into your possesion, and by doing so you will be
embraced by your savior. You may not believe in Him, but He believes in you! Heed His
word, and you will be all the better for it. Make your place in heaven. Save those who do
not rejoice at His sacrifice!~*~
Jon woke with a start.
At the foot of his bed there lay a gleaming white Bible.
~*~Take it.~*~
"Have you heard the word of our Lord?" A man on the corner of the street asked her. She
shook her head and her voice was full of scorn.
"There's no such thing as god. It's all a big scam."
The man looked shocked. "Here." He said, and shoved a small bible into her hands. "You can
still be saved! Believe in His sacrifice, His love!" The man moved on to the next person,
shoving a bible into their hands. She moved to throw the bible into the trash can, but
something held her back. She tucked it into her jacket pocket and turned as someone called to her.
"Rei!" It was Minako. She smiled and waved. When Minako reached her friend she looked in
the direction of the man at the street corner. "Some people, eh? It's crazy. They seem to
think... I dunno." She laughed, and shook her head. But Rei felt an irrational surge of
anger at her friend for insulting His power.
His power?
What?
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
Usagi heard a distant voice. Her partner in the mist smiled sadly.
"I guess it's time for me to return."
"What?" She said. "I don't understand."
"I told you once that the next person to find their way here would be the one to take you home."
"But... I'm sure I don't know who it is that's calling. And they're not even calling for me!"
"I love you."
"I love... You... Me..." She smiled widely. "Okay." A feeling of completion settled over
her, and her lover was gone. The clouds were gone from her eyes, and she began walking
toward the voice. "I'm here!"
Ami, now known as High Queen of Mercury, had lived in the palace for less than a month,
and she already knew it's secrets. She knew who shared animosities, she knew who was
unfaithful, she knew all the problems of her subjects.
And she knew she was in love.
Mave. The first person she had seen when she left her own world. Her shoulder to cry on,
her help in returning to the 'real world', and apparently the Queen's lover.
"Majesty, the royal family of the Moon has arrived." She had been dreading this moment.
"Where are they?"
"In the throne room, majesty."
"Well they can't be comfortable there, can they?" She snapped at the young servant girl.
"No, majesty."
"Move them into the common room to the left of the throne room." Ami ordered.
"Left..." The poor girl was so obviously uneducated. She sighed.
"The side of the throne room with all the mirrors on it."
"Yes, majesty." The girl curtsied and scurried away.
"You shouldn't be so hard on them." Mave had entered the room, Ami felt herself blush and sigh again.
"I've got to get ready very quickly." He nodded and began to help her into her royal
robes. "Thank you, Mave." Ami walked slowly to the common room, dreading the moment she
would have to face her best friend who most likely wouldn't even know her. Eventually,
even after walking so slowly, she arrived at the large wooden doors. The guards opened the
doors and she watched the vision before her unfold.
Shock.
She had never once thought that she herself, Usagi's protector, would have come with them.
In truth, all of Usagi's guardians had come, and a man who stood beside Queen Serenity who
must have been her husband.
"I hope I haven't made you wait for too long." The words slipped out easily, as did the
rest of the conversation she had. With peace talks, and dinner, and the aggreement to a
treaty, her words had flowed as though someone had come into her body and taken over. She
had been grateful, and the Royal family would be returning in one month to finalize the contract.
"Have a safe and pleasant trip." She sight with relief when they left, and slumped against
Mave, almost unable to keep the tears from spilling.
Ami later learned that the ship carrying the Queen and her entourage had been hit by
another space craft. The King of the Moon had been killed in the collision, and every
person in the other ship had died.
"Hello? Who's there?"
"My name is Usagi."
"I am ... Um..."
"Nice to meet you."
"I can't see."
"I couldn't see when I got here."
"You can see now?"
"Yes."
"Why can't I see?"
"I don't know."
"..."
"So..."
"Where are we?"
"I'm not really sure. I'm supposed to wait here for my soulmate to come and get me."
"Oh? Who's that?"
"I don't know."
"I see."
"Y'know, when I got here I was completely freaked out."
"I think I'm in shock."
"Oh. Right."
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
"Yeah..."
"..."
"Dear God, please bring Usagi and Ami back to us, wherever they are. We need them to help
us win this unholy war. Also, please bless Minako, Makoto, Grandfather, Yuiichiru, and
everyone else, even though they haven't been saved yet. I'll do everything in my power to
help them! Please help us make the world a better place, and please let us all be safe."
Rei pushed back the cover on her bed and slipped in. She stared reverently at the small
red bible that lay on her night table, and smiled. "Amen."
Minako hurried toward the Shinto temple where her friend lived. She remembered their
rushed conversation:
'I need you to come here quick! There's a big problem!'
'Right.'
And that was that.
She never asked Rei what the problem was, she didn't even wonder. All she knew was that it
had to have something to do with Usagi or Ami.
The temple was deadly quiet.
She found Rei cowering away from a beautiful light, one brighter than the sun.
"Make it go away!" Her friend screamed. "It's wrong!"
Minako couldn't think of a single reason not to go into the light.
After a few moments it blared, enveloping one screaming girl, and one who embraced it.
When it dissapeared, two girls lay still on the floor of the paper house.
Slightly mad, but they had been that way to begin with.
MORE COMING SOON!
He knew he had to get away. He tried to run, but soon found his legs were useless. He
began rolling himself down the dirt road to his african village, where he hoped he could
find salvation.
Reika was in Africa again. She had jumped at the chance to get away from Motoki and their
messy breakup. And now she had found something uttely amazing. Bones of a human skeleton
that dated back millions of years. About Sixty-Five million years.
Oh god.
She cried herself to sleep that night, she had celebrated her discovery with two friends
and four bottles of wine.
She wished she could call Moto-chan.
Anik stepped up to the podium to create his first-ever storm. He had been practicing with
the elders for months to learn to balance the elements. He whispered the words, and felt
the power swell. He knew he had succeeded when tiny raindrops began falling from the sky.
Soon the wind was whipping, the rain was pouring, and the crowd was cheering.
But something wasn't right. There was an element missing from the circle he had built
himself.
"Fire" He whispered.
The water suddenly became acidic.
And the screaming began.
Usagi smiled at the man before her and reached for his hand. He shook his head and
muttered something.
"It is not yet the time of Awakening. You shouldn't be here."
"But I am anyway."
He jerked his hand away roughly, but Usagi could see tears glistening.
"Don't be sad, princess," He said gruffly, almost as if it were hard for him to convey
emotions. "I won't be far, and it won't be long. Aishiteru." I love you.
He turned, and the mist enveloped him. She began to run, but she could not reach him,
instead she found herself in Mamo-chan's bedroom.
He was crying.
She went to him and knelt. She tried to soothe him, hold him, but he brushed her off.
"How could you do it Usako!" His normally emotionless voice contained a raw, betrayed tone
that she had never heard before now. A sob wracked his already-shaking body. "Did I do
something wrong? What happened? What was so important that you had to-had to-"
He dissapeared.
Usagi looked up into cool blue eyes.
"Usa."
"Haruka." Her voice began to shake mysteriously.
"I'm sorry, Usa, I have to leave you."
"Leave me? Were you ever really here?"
Haruka laughed once, it was a high pitched, nervous sound.
"Michi-chan and I have... Things we need to finish up. We've got loose ends that need tying."
"You won't be able to fight for me anymore."
"You'll still have the others. They'll be enough."
"You're probably right."
She hugged Haruka, wished her the best of luck, then left.
Motoki looked up from the counter as the bell rang to signal the door opening. He saw the
object of his affections walk in and smile at him.
"So sweetheart, what'll it be?"
He already knew.
She leaned over the counter.
"One big serving of you, please."
She kissed the bridge of his nose.
"With cherries and whipped cream?"
"Definitely." Usagi grinned like a school girl.
Katerina Vladmovsky stared intently at her teacher. Soon, if she got it right, Ivy should
come shooting out of his shirtsleeves.
It did.
A moment later, a tornado swooshed across her small Russian village, and demolished every building.
Only the school was spared.
Katerina cried a great deal over her parents' bodies, and vowed that never again would
there be such a wreckless display of magic. She would serve to balance the elements, for
all time, if necessary.
She achieved immortality, and she did all that she promised.
Up until one day in 1982.
She dissapeared then, and Five magical girls were born. they would balance nature until s
ome higher power could find a better replacement.
It hadn't yet.
"You can't stay here forever, you know."
"I know."
"You can't hide from your soulmate."
"And why not?"
"Because whoever it is, they'd find you eventually. The longer you stay the harder it will be to let you go."
"You'll never have to let me go. I already know who my soulmate is. I don't want him anymore, I want you."
"He's not your soulmate, and neither am I. How do you know it will even be a man?"
"Huh?"
"For all we know, your soulmate could very well be Ami."
"I could never fall in love with any of my scouts."
"Haven't you already?"
"That was ages ago."
"Months to us, are like days to them."
"I've been here for a long time, haven't I."
"A few years by our time."
"How long by theirs?"
"About a month and a half."
"My parents must be worried."
"Yes."
"I should leave."
"You should, do you want to?"
"What would happen if I stayed?"
"We'd be together, happy for a while. Someone would find out you were here, and they'd come to take you home."
"Who would come to get me?"
"I don't know. Someone might find their way here-one of your friends maybe-out of luck, a
nd they'll want you to come home. You have to know that the only one who can take you
where you belong is your soulmate. You could belong anywhere, anytime, but if you leave
with someone you don't belong with, you're stuck. You may not feel it, but you and your
soulmate have a bond."
"Mamo-chan and I have a bond."
"Love created that bond, but it is weak, and he is not the one you are destined to be with."
"How is it that I cannot feel the bond I have with my real soulmate, then?"
"Your soulmate will show up when you are no longer in control."
"I have never been in control."
"Sure you have, you just won't admit it."
"How do you know all this stuff?"
"I am you, you know all of this 'stuff' already."
"Oh. But you're a man!"
"There are two sides to every human being. Do you feel you need to run away? Because by all
means, I will not hold you back from anything you desire."
"I cannot leave until I love you. I am beginning to understand now. I cannot leave until I love myself."
"That's true."
"You knew that all along, didn't you."
"Yes, and so did you."
"No. I need to know and love every part of me, even the darkness."
"There is no darknes inside of you."
"Liar."
"Yes. But I am only telling you what you yourself believe."
"Well, stop it, I need you to tell me the truth."
"I have been telling you the truth all along, you just don't listen."
"Well, i'm listening now."
"That's true."
"Well?"
"Well what?"
Ami left the police station, her anger building with every step. Her usually rational mind
was working like crazy to figure out a way to find her friend. It had been nearly two
months, and the police had found no leads, no evidence.
It was hard not to blame them.
Rei was waiting at the car.
"What did they say?" She asked, unprepared for the stream of expletives that spewed from her friend's mouth.
"They said they couldn't find her." Ami's words were dangerously sharp. "They said," she
added pointedly, "that they had to move on to other, more recent cases."
Rei promptly kicked the car.
"Don't do that." Ami said with a growl. "It was in for body work last week, I don't need another bill."
"Sorry." Rei grumbled, and she got into the blue car.
They were silent all the way back to Mahoto's apartment where she and Minako waited.
Mamoru opened his eyes blearily, hating the sun for coming so soon. He had to get up and
get ready for class, one more absent and the prof. would fail him for sure.
As he made his way to the kitchen he stepped on something sharp. He swore and looked down.
It was the locket. Their locket. But what was it doing here? Wasn't Usagi still in Never
Never-land with Peter Pan?
Well, not quite, but same difference.
Mamo-chan
I've decided to stay in the other world for a while longer.
Sorry,
Usagi
It was even in her handwriting.
He picked up the locket and opened it, but it did not play for him.
'How strange.' He thought.
"Oh Mamo-chan, I love it here. It's even more beautiful in the moonlight!"
He smiled and fumbled in the back pocket of his jeans. What he pulled out was a beautiful
silver locket, adorned with three tiny diamonds; two white, and one a rare blue. He pointed
at the first, the second, and then the third, describing what each of them meant for the couple.
"This one on the left is for friendship, this one is for trust, and the blue one in the
middle represents our love. There's an old legend that says this locket will play for
soulmates only."
"Well," she said coyly, "let's just see about that."
When she opened it, a beautiful melody played for them.
Three weeks later, Usagi dissapeared.
"We thought we were your friends."
"So did I."
"What changed?"
"Nothing has... I have... But I don't want to leave yet, and you can't make me."
"Please Usagi! We need you, everyone needs you. Me, Mamoru, Minako, Ami, Makoto, and everybody else needs you!"
"Why?"
"The fate of the universe rests in your hands, Usagi. Everything is being destroyed as we speak."
"Don't lie. Are we speaking?"
"Would you listen to me for a minute! You've been gone for almost two months!"
"It seems like years. I think I've worn off on myself."
"What does that mean?"
"Not much, i'm afraid. At least not to you."
"Stop talking like that and listen!"
"I'm trying!"
"He who can not be named is breaking free of his bonds!"
"I still have some things I need to sort out yet."
"I'll be back, Usagi. And next time i'll be bringing you home with me!"
"Toodaloo, Rei-chan."
She was naked.
That was the first thing she noticed when she opened her eyes.
It was cold and dark.
"Hellooooo!! Anyone there???? With clothes, preferably!!!"
Nothing.
There was only silence.
That's when she realized she was sitting on air.
The blackness began pulsing with light. The dark grew brighter and brighter until it was
really just one big bright black encasement.
"I never knew the darkness could be so light." She murmered in awe, as she temporarily
forgot her naked ness and let her arms fall away from her chest. She uncurled herself and
reached out to touch the light.
"There are many things you do not know, child."
A man, also naked, floated lazily out of the shadows to her. She recovered herself and
turned her face, blushing. He laughed. It was not a cold laugh, nor was it particularly
warm, but it was comfortable. She turned back and forced herself to look him in the eye.
"Who are you?"
He smiled at her, and she felt she was being mocked.
"I am the dream weaver."
"Thanks a lot. That helped me so much. Now all I have to do is follow the yellow brick
road home with my dog Toto. Just give me the ruby red slippers, I have all the answers."
Her sarcasm was biting, frosty.
He smirked, but it was almost regretful. "You have to go on your Ordeal. I hope you make it back alive."
She was confused.
Not as confused as she would be in a few seconds when she fell into an ocean of grief.
"My name is Haruka."
"Birthdate?"
"December 2nd, 1979."
"Height?"
"Six feet, one inch."
"Sex?"
"Female."
"Favorite colour?"
"Yellow- oh, and blue."
"Occupation?"
"Racer."
"Weight?"
"One hundred forty-six pounds."
"Last book read?"
"The Lord of the Rings."
"Last meal eaten?"
"Um... I don't remember... Dinner I think."
"Hair colour?"
"Blonde."
"Eye colour?"
"Blue."
"You're perfect."
"Huh?"
Someone drew back a big purple curtain which had suddenly appeared on the wall. Behind it
was a girl of medium height, with long, curly blonde hair and shining blue eyes.
"Absolutely Perfect." The strange girl said to her.
Then she was woken up.
"Haruka!"
"Huh? Wha..."
"Haruka!" Michiru cried in exasperation. "I've been trying to wake you up for the past ten
minutes! My recital starts in half an hour and I want you there!"
Three girls sat quietly in the Temple.
"She told me she wasn't coming back."
"Don't worry, Rei-chan, I'm sure she will."
"It's better to just not hope Rei-chan, Mina-chan."
"Makoto, please don't. We can't afford to lose you too."
"We have so much to deal with, right now. The fire has told me Ami has gone on some sort
of race, or an evaluation. It says she wasn't a willing participant, and that in itself is
something that will make her journey all the more work."
There was a collective sigh.
A small blue computer started beeping urgently.
"A youma. At least she left her locket and stuff behind."
"That might not have been for the best."
The sailors Mars, Venus, and Jupiter left the temple two minutes later.
Tears fell from her eyes like rain. She lay curled up on the mossy green floor af some
unknown forest, and her arms and legs were drawn tight around her body. She was still
naked, and there was no sign of the man she had seen in the darkness. She eventually
stopped crying and dried her eyes, she was not one to have irrational outbursts.
She was ashamed of her nakedness, and the first thing she tried to do was cover herself
somehow. Unfortunately, she was unable to find anything even remotely suitable that she
could use for clothing.
"Ah well, noone's looking. Might as well try and find out where I am."
As she began looking around, something that amazed her was the size of the trees. They
were huge! For all she could tell, there were no trees like that on earth, but the place
felt very familiar. As she gazed in wonder at the peculiar trees, she did not notice the
figure coming up behind her.
A pair of arms encircled her waist, and she jumped.
"Mercury, don't be frightened, it's only me!"
"Only I." She corrected. Then she turned around to see the man's face, stepping
uncomfortably out of his grasp.
He laughed. "Oh Mercury, you always know how to ruin the moment!"
She shook her head confusedly. "What do you mean? Do I know you?"
He stepped back, with a surprsied look on his face. "Mercury, I know you are not one for playing games."
She grasped desperately at the truth he did not believe. "What? I don't know you and I
don't know this place. This is no game! Please help me!"
She could see in his expression that he really didn't believe her.
"What's your name?" He was testing her.
"Ami Mizuno."
"What's your age?"
"I'm sixteen years old!"
He was taken aback by this answer, and pulled a robe out of the air. "I imagine that you
would be very uncomfortable like this, seeing as you are in the body of the thirty-two
year old high queen of Mercury." He mocked her. "Where do you come from?"
"Tokyo." She said while wrapping the robe around herself. He frowned, so she added "Earth,
the twenty-first century."
He gasped. "You don't lie, Mercury. You have never lied to me in all the days you have
known me. Why are you lying now?" He seemed angry.
"I'm not! I'm not!" Finally she broke down crying, unable to hold back the feeling of utter
hopelessness of the situation she was in.
He was taken aback, but he held her in his arms.
"I believe you, Mer-A...Ami." He whispered it to her over and over, urging her to stop
crying. But she did not stop, she cried until she fell asleep. "What has happened here?"
He muttered as he carried her back to the palace.
~*~With this book, the power of God will instill in you His word, His message. He will guide
you and show you the path to the light.~*~
What? Who's that?
~*~Take this book now, or all will be lost. Within it's pages are the words of the Lord and
his disciples. This book will be your guiding light, your path on the road to salvation.
You will become His messenger, you will be His strength in the physical world. You are the
New Messiah. You will bring joy and triumph into the hearts of even the lowliest of
believers. You will be It.~*~
I don't know what you're talking about! I don't believe in God!
~*~He is trusting you to take this Book into your possesion, and by doing so you will be
embraced by your savior. You may not believe in Him, but He believes in you! Heed His
word, and you will be all the better for it. Make your place in heaven. Save those who do
not rejoice at His sacrifice!~*~
Jon woke with a start.
At the foot of his bed there lay a gleaming white Bible.
~*~Take it.~*~
"Have you heard the word of our Lord?" A man on the corner of the street asked her. She
shook her head and her voice was full of scorn.
"There's no such thing as god. It's all a big scam."
The man looked shocked. "Here." He said, and shoved a small bible into her hands. "You can
still be saved! Believe in His sacrifice, His love!" The man moved on to the next person,
shoving a bible into their hands. She moved to throw the bible into the trash can, but
something held her back. She tucked it into her jacket pocket and turned as someone called to her.
"Rei!" It was Minako. She smiled and waved. When Minako reached her friend she looked in
the direction of the man at the street corner. "Some people, eh? It's crazy. They seem to
think... I dunno." She laughed, and shook her head. But Rei felt an irrational surge of
anger at her friend for insulting His power.
His power?
What?
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
Usagi heard a distant voice. Her partner in the mist smiled sadly.
"I guess it's time for me to return."
"What?" She said. "I don't understand."
"I told you once that the next person to find their way here would be the one to take you home."
"But... I'm sure I don't know who it is that's calling. And they're not even calling for me!"
"I love you."
"I love... You... Me..." She smiled widely. "Okay." A feeling of completion settled over
her, and her lover was gone. The clouds were gone from her eyes, and she began walking
toward the voice. "I'm here!"
Ami, now known as High Queen of Mercury, had lived in the palace for less than a month,
and she already knew it's secrets. She knew who shared animosities, she knew who was
unfaithful, she knew all the problems of her subjects.
And she knew she was in love.
Mave. The first person she had seen when she left her own world. Her shoulder to cry on,
her help in returning to the 'real world', and apparently the Queen's lover.
"Majesty, the royal family of the Moon has arrived." She had been dreading this moment.
"Where are they?"
"In the throne room, majesty."
"Well they can't be comfortable there, can they?" She snapped at the young servant girl.
"No, majesty."
"Move them into the common room to the left of the throne room." Ami ordered.
"Left..." The poor girl was so obviously uneducated. She sighed.
"The side of the throne room with all the mirrors on it."
"Yes, majesty." The girl curtsied and scurried away.
"You shouldn't be so hard on them." Mave had entered the room, Ami felt herself blush and sigh again.
"I've got to get ready very quickly." He nodded and began to help her into her royal
robes. "Thank you, Mave." Ami walked slowly to the common room, dreading the moment she
would have to face her best friend who most likely wouldn't even know her. Eventually,
even after walking so slowly, she arrived at the large wooden doors. The guards opened the
doors and she watched the vision before her unfold.
Shock.
She had never once thought that she herself, Usagi's protector, would have come with them.
In truth, all of Usagi's guardians had come, and a man who stood beside Queen Serenity who
must have been her husband.
"I hope I haven't made you wait for too long." The words slipped out easily, as did the
rest of the conversation she had. With peace talks, and dinner, and the aggreement to a
treaty, her words had flowed as though someone had come into her body and taken over. She
had been grateful, and the Royal family would be returning in one month to finalize the contract.
"Have a safe and pleasant trip." She sight with relief when they left, and slumped against
Mave, almost unable to keep the tears from spilling.
Ami later learned that the ship carrying the Queen and her entourage had been hit by
another space craft. The King of the Moon had been killed in the collision, and every
person in the other ship had died.
"Hello? Who's there?"
"My name is Usagi."
"I am ... Um..."
"Nice to meet you."
"I can't see."
"I couldn't see when I got here."
"You can see now?"
"Yes."
"Why can't I see?"
"I don't know."
"..."
"So..."
"Where are we?"
"I'm not really sure. I'm supposed to wait here for my soulmate to come and get me."
"Oh? Who's that?"
"I don't know."
"I see."
"Y'know, when I got here I was completely freaked out."
"I think I'm in shock."
"Oh. Right."
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
"Yeah..."
"..."
"Dear God, please bring Usagi and Ami back to us, wherever they are. We need them to help
us win this unholy war. Also, please bless Minako, Makoto, Grandfather, Yuiichiru, and
everyone else, even though they haven't been saved yet. I'll do everything in my power to
help them! Please help us make the world a better place, and please let us all be safe."
Rei pushed back the cover on her bed and slipped in. She stared reverently at the small
red bible that lay on her night table, and smiled. "Amen."
Minako hurried toward the Shinto temple where her friend lived. She remembered their
rushed conversation:
'I need you to come here quick! There's a big problem!'
'Right.'
And that was that.
She never asked Rei what the problem was, she didn't even wonder. All she knew was that it
had to have something to do with Usagi or Ami.
The temple was deadly quiet.
She found Rei cowering away from a beautiful light, one brighter than the sun.
"Make it go away!" Her friend screamed. "It's wrong!"
Minako couldn't think of a single reason not to go into the light.
After a few moments it blared, enveloping one screaming girl, and one who embraced it.
When it dissapeared, two girls lay still on the floor of the paper house.
Slightly mad, but they had been that way to begin with.
MORE COMING SOON!