A/N: Hello all! I'd just like to do some house cleaning and explain what going on here as briefly as I can. I am originally SmileysBasis. Feel free to go ahead and check out my other stories at that penname, most of which I will be editing and continuing. I'll be writing them under this penname because I cannot access my other one (stupid ).
Thanks and enjoy!
Toxic
Prologue: Of Odds and Ends
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing
Earth. Such an ambiguous term when referring to the celebrated planet holding the only complex organisms for light years. It's more than just the planet, more than the oxygen, and nitrogen, the carbon, the layers of atmosphere and the thick and thin crusts. It contains complex infrastructures, intricate societies, has developed a detailed history of discovery, violence, resolve and growth. The planet holds one of the most complicated organisms to walk its solid grounds; an organism that has developed speech, ideas, expression; that organism is mankind.
Mankind had aged. It had started out young, creating countries and leaning on faith. It developed difficult thought, sought power and killed over large sums, morals and petty disagreements. Mankind edged into the modern ages, humans developed cars, cell phones, plasma screens and destructive military weapons. It sleuthed on further to borders beyond it's own and extended the hand of technology to the unknown black chasm of space. Homelands formed, named Colonies, and more war was waged on the already weary planet. Military personnel mauled its land and disastrous machines called Mobile Suits were the optimum mode for attack. The large, bestial mechanisms were brought to their height with the discovery and utilization of Gundanium Alloy. This, in turn, brought about contraptions that were virtually unstoppable, maneuvered by five emotionally distraught and hard-willed men.
What Mankind had forgotten, however, was the supernatural, almost magical phenomenon that had been predestined before humans singularly ruled the planet. Some remembered, those old enough to be witness to the grandeur of the ones leisurely dubbed the Sailor Senshi. Some recalled the mention of a crystal city, a paradise of purity amidst the muck that had been slopped to mar the rest of the world. What most had forgotten was the natural explosion of intense marvel, a phenomenon that rocked the norm and, instead of containing itself to the island it had been predetermined to devour, it spread like a virus over the entire planet.
The Great Freeze.
For one whole year the Great Freeze enveloped Earth and all that it had become. It transformed the planet, the scarred orb Mankind had left behind, and cleansed its filaments in order to sift out all of the toxins implanted in its firm body. Purity seeped into its core and transformed the lives of the people of Earth. However, instead of creating a paradise hub, focusing all of its energy on one secure location, something urged the freeze on. An unknown, indistinct force acted upon it as the phenomenon surged over globe and covered every inch of land and water. The cleansing was spread amongst the entire planet and, instead of completely eradicating corruption, it merely gave the planet a new start.
The only result that had been expected was the rise of Crystal Tokyo and its Queen. Mankind was confused, their previous lives humming within their body, their skills still fresh in their bones. Memories, however, were hazy. Who were they again? What had they been doing? But an unclear, almost forced acceptance of where they were and what was happening buzzed in the back of their minds. It was as if they couldn't resist the now literally shining new planet. They put their pasts behind them, not quite sure what those pasts had been, and adapted to the purity they felt humming in their veins. That ever-present distinction between past and present was still evident in Mankind's mind and an uneasy move towards life started again, but not without consequence.
Some remembered the old Earth a little too well. Some wanted to revert back to their home, the normal Earth they knew, and rid themselves of the seemingly fake and cotton candy-esque falsity that they faced. New history was formed when, seventeen years after the Great Freeze, those who remembered revolted. They were led by the ever young and radically minded Duo Maxwell. He wrote books on the human mind, on what he called the memories of the Previous Earth, P. E. He criticized the world for following like drones and published more on ways to live happily while rejecting the newly determined outlook on life and Earth. He created meditative rituals meant to cleanse the mind of the Great Freeze's poison and eradicate the magical walls that constrained their vision to the future and blocked any notion of the past. This was not the real world, he believed. It was a dream they were all stuck in, a foolish dominance of embellished control cloaked in purity.
Followers of his ideals sprung up all across the planet and he moved to base himself in Japan, in Crystal Tokyo at what he called the Zero Location. Those who believed in his words followed him into the heart of the poison. Rumor spread across the nation that he was a savior, a Messiah meant to rectify the invasion purification that had taken away their humanly growth. Only he had a perfect memory, only he had been completely saved, and he was going to lead them from the darkness. They gathered in mass numbers at the Zero Location, forced underground by their radical beliefs especially in the heart of their nemesis. They protested once and then they protested again, their numbers growing and the dangerousness of the protests escalating. And then it turned into a full on revolt, violent and cruel. Crystal Earth was scratched with its first blemish.
Thousands were injured in a simple effort to express dissatisfaction against those who were attempting to live happily. Lines were muddied and none were found to be at fault but the insinuator of the entire motion: Duo Maxwell. The trial was long and arduous. Duo Maxwell was eventually charged with treason and conspiracy against the throne, a verdict which earned the highest degree of punishment. He was sent to the Crystal Palace, the safest place in all of the world, and sentenced to life imprisonment in its tallest tower until death claimed his soul. He'd earned one barred window which faced North towards the glittering city in spite of his contemptuous beliefs. He was forbidden to write for the rest of his life and spent the remainder of his days quiet and alone.
Our story begins en media res, decades after The Uprising. The revolution was disbanded, factions uprooting and moving back from whence they came. A disquiet marred politics and the debate continued but with their savior, with their Messiah locked away in an impenetrable prison never to be seen again, hope faltered. Eventually the world hung in balance, disagreement about Crystal Earth's memory destruction and purification was contained within politics and life settled down.
Despite everyone else's inability to remember the world before Crystal Earth the Senshi maintain their full memories and powers, as they'd seen themselves have when they visited the future. After the threat of Galaxia had been terminated, the Cauldron had yet to manifest Chaos once again. At Pluto's calculations based on Chaos' previous revivals, the Senshi had at least a few centuries to live in moderate peace. So the protectors of Neo-Queen Serenity moved on to lead the normal lives they never thought they'd have. All except for one.
Minako Aino, alternately known as Sailor Venus, remained at the side of Neo-Queen Serenity. The leader of the Inner Senshi preserved the idea that her Queen should be surrounded with those who were meant to protect her. She explained that they'd been given their powers for a purpose, their lives had been pre-ordained and they had a duty to fulfill. The opposing arguments were stronger in number, but not in will. When Chaos returned they would be called upon. They would know when they would need to be called back to the line of duty. Hard feelings manifested and friendships drifted and bonds dissipated.
A new protective service was put into place in Crystal Tokyo. There was the Royal Guard, those who protected the Crystal Palace both inside and out. Integrated to a position alongside Sailor Venus herself was the ambitious WuFei Chang. He was originally from China, but felt that his ability to protect with extreme precision would serve best by a Queen's side. The Sailor Senshi of Love, however, disapproved of a new security member so close to her Queen. The only people she believed should be even relatively near Neo-Queen Serenity were herself, Mamoru, and any of the other Senshi.
Below the Royal Guard was an organization called Black Ops. It was an undercover system that had concrete bases stationed in large populaces around the world. Here authorities dealt with high-ranking classified missions, ones in foreign relations and domestic. They took care of the dirty work that not even the Queen was aware of. In this department was the still emotionally drained and deprived protective agent Heero Yui.
And lastly, below Black Ops was the Crystal Services. While the hub of the Great Freeze, Crystal Tokyo, maintained a less corrupted population than other countries, that didn't stop the human urge to kill. It was Mankind's flaw, the one eerie thing that they could not escape as if destruction of life was code imbedded in the human mind. This department was small, and handled petty theft, civil disobedience and the infrequent murder. Stationed in this unfortunate department were Makoto Kino and Ami Mizuno. Ami relished in their lackluster job, doing the things that she loved in a large forensics lab while Makoto pouted continuously at being stuck in a dead end job. Ami knew that she just wanted to get moved up to Black Ops, where they could both exercise their actual abilities more freely but unfortunately one cannot just jump to the top. They both knew that they had more than enough reason to be promoted, based on their supernatural build, but they were not allowed to reveal to the rest of the world who they were. They remained close friends, due to congruent work environments in the same department, but things would never be how they were.
Haruka and Michiru had moved on to become performers. Finding two women unfortunately still did not gain as much recognition as they desired, they decided to add a third member on to their party. After several auditions the spritely, kind violinist Quatre Winner was added to their team. Their success became easy and their popularity grew. Classical music had become far more popular after the Great Freeze, now that a monarchy stood at head of the state. They played in various countries and sometimes even for the Queen, a strained reunion between old friends.
Rei and Trowa had drifted the most from their previous friends. During the days Rei cared for her grandfather at their still standing Shinto Temple. At nights she performed as a singer in a small, classy bar; it was a fun job where she could escape from daily duty and immerse herself in something she actually loved to do. She became very quiet, however; reserved. Despite all of her efforts to remain normal, her abnormal beauty caught many eyes and her slightly flirtatious voice and sensual presence on stage brought many visitors to her small shows.
Trowa had fallen off the deep end. His memory already blitzed from his previous life he awoke with no buzz of reminiscence of any of his skill. The only familiarity that burned in his veins was his uncanny ability to fight. He dabbled in underground fighting where he earned money for winning matches. He struggled his days as a waiter in a small, run down diner and wasn't opposed to sleeping on the street.
All of their lives had begun to run different paths, a winding road towards individuality. But one thing, one singular yet shell shocking happening, was going to rock Crystal Tokyo for all it was worth. It started with a single note, one small seemingly insignificant piece of paper. It was the words on the paper that held the meaning. One bloody fingerprint was embossed on the side as if it was a stamp and in the middle of the card, neatly written in capital letters was two cold words:
First Victim.