Author's Note: I would like to state before continuing that I'm using the personality types and histories from all 3 universes of Sailor Moon - - manga, anime and PGSM (live drama.) This means more mature characters than you would find in the anime. They're not out of character, I'm just dealing with a different set of personalities than most people do.
Chapter 1: The Preventers
Motoki smiled at us as we walked into the arcade and restaurant. Ever since Makoto had revealed her identity to him, he'd been nicer to us than ever before. This wasn't to say that he'd ever been mean, it just meant he now treated us like royalty. It was nice but unnecessary on his part.
Nephrite glanced up at me from behind the counter. The once terrifying general of the dark kingdom had been reduced to counter cleaning and other such demeaning tasks. He was adjusting to life here on earth and had since sworn his loyalty unto me.
"Looking for Haruka and Michiru?" he asked. I nodded in reply and he pointed over to the corner. "They're right over there, Usagi."
"Thank you," I said and continued over to their booth.
Haruka was the most masculine of the two, her body all muscle and hard lines instead of curves, her almost white blonde hair cut boyishly short and her clothes decidedly androgynous. As the former Soldier of Uranus, she had been the strongest of us all, the most ready to draw her sword in defense or offense, the most ready to protect me even against friends.
Michiru was almost the exact opposite in appearance. She was thin and curvy, like the waters upon which she called, her hair shoulder-length and wavy, her aquamarine eyes deep and beckoning in any whom would fall into their snare. As the former Soldier of Neptune, she had been undyingly loyal to both her lover and to me, ready to reflect the truth of any given situation
I scooted in next to Haruka, who was flipping through an auto racing magazine and sipping a glass of water. Today she'd decided upon a pair of blue jeans and a man's white shirt, un-tucked and a pair of flattering sunglasses. "Hello, kitten," she greeted, using her pet name for me. She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "Would you like anything? My treat."
Okay, seriously, she had to know better than to offer me that! But to be quite honest, since I'd lost my powers I'd been craving less food. I shared this information with my friends. Haruka scrunched her eyebrows together in what appeared to be worry.
"It could be that since you're no longer expending so much energy that you simply don't need as much energy supplements," Michiru offered. She'd favored a short jean skirt and green camisole. "I always found myself craving sweets after battle, didn't I, Haruka?"
The other woman chuckled. "And I always offered to be your plate." I blushed at the comment. They had no shame! "Anyways, are you sure you don't want anything?"
I thought for a moment, "Just a cola, please." She waved the waitress over and relayed my request.
"Princess," Michiru said, the mood darkening at that one word. She set down her Styrofoam cup of tea and folded her hands together in seriousness. "After our the battle with Galaxia, we all lost our abilities. I don't think any of us are so stupid as to believe our enemies aren't aware of this." My stomach dropped. I suppose I wasn't the only one worrying.
Haruka looked at me. "While we know how to protect ourselves should anything happen, we're afraid you don't." Okay, I couldn't disagree with that, but I wasn't entirely sure I liked where this was headed. "We understand that the Preventers have a new program. We would like you and the inner senshi to enroll."
"You would have to live there," Michiru added. "but that would just mean you'd have a lot more security than we can provide you on our own."
I blinked. Preventers. I barely knew anything about it beyond the fact that its goal was to prevent wars. I was vaguely aware of a headquarters here in Japan, somewhere in this prefecture, actually, but I'd never visited.
"You're kidding, right?" I asked, hoping, nay, praying that they were joking, but the looks on their faces were way too serious for that. Oh dear gods. Me, shoot a gun? Ha! They must have gone absolutely mad! Yeah, that was it. Galaxia must have stolen their minds along with their star seeds!
Did they understand what that would mean? I would have to explain it to my parents. I would have to leave my school…
"Kitten, we love you, not only as our princess but as our friend," Haruka explained, taking my hand and clasping it in her own. "We know Endymion and his generals have sworn to protect you, but you know as well as we do that it will take more than they to defend you once you're found to be powerless. Many will come to take their revenge upon you and we fear it will be more than any of us could bear to see you fall to their grasps"
"Not to mention what would happen to earth," Michiru reminded me, her voice suddenly gone quiet and gentle, like the calm before the storm. I wanted to stick my tongue out at her, but it didn't seem like the best idea considering the subject.
The waitress placed my cola down on the table in front of me and I smiled up at her. She smiled back. Never underestimate the power of a smile. Even without my powers, I was determined to save the world, if it was just by one smile at a time.
