Chapter 2

Lunch

He was a man on a mission.

It was lunchtime at Juban High School and the courtyard was crowded as always. Navigating the living obstacle course would take swift thinking and agile moves, but he was confident in his abilities.

Nimbly, he danced around a moving gaggle of giggling girls. Like a ninja, he slithered between the shrubbery and the tree to avoid some mean meatheads looking to make a meal out of nerds like him. Quick as a squirrel, he skittered the final distance to his secret spot between the fountain and the corner of the school.

Wheezing and a little sweaty, he took a hit from his inhaler and pushed his heavy glasses up his nose. Finally, he claimed his due reward; an uninterrupted view of his goddess. From his hidden vantage, he could admire her all he wanted without threat or ridicule. How her wavy chestnut hair rippled and shone in the sunlight. How enticingly it bounced as she laughed. Oh her laugh. It was like sweet music to his ears.

He let out a sigh and coughed, then huffed his inhaler again.

"He's staring again." Usagi said flatly, interrupting Naru's laughter.

"Who? Umino?" Naru asked, looking around.

"Don't look!" Usagi hissed, "He'll come over."

"Oh!" Naru said, but she had already spotted him. She quickly averted her gaze.

"Does he think we can't see him there?" Usagi asked rhetorically.

"So sad…" Naru murmured.

"More like creepy." Usagi corrected.

"Speaking of creepy," Naru redirected, "Want to go see that new slasher movie tomorrow? I've heard it's really scary."

Usagi sighed dramatically. "I can't. I'm not allowed to leave the house except for school."

Naru made a sympathetic face. "Grounded again?"

"Yeah." Usagi replied sadly. "I'm not even allowed to walk home. I have to wait for my dad to pick me up."

"Wow Usagi, that's extreme! How long?!" Naru exclaimed.

"Until my grades improve," Usagi replied with a whine, "which might be forever!" she bawled.

"Usagi, I'm sorry…" Naru said. "Hey, how about I come over tomorrow instead and study with you? That should be okay, right?"

"Yeah!" Usagi said, instantly cheered. "Thanks Naru, you're such a great friend!"

Naru smiled and ate her lunch.

Naru

After school that day, Usagi and Naru parted ways at the front gate. Usagi stayed to wait for her father, Naru headed down the street toward home. Home, for Naru, was an apartment above her parents' jewelry shop. It sounded old-fashioned, but the loft was anything but. It was large, taking up the whole second floor of the building, and equipped with nearly every trendy luxury her mother could fit in.

Naru was sure that her mother would be in the shop that day. She didn't always work the floor, but she had been unusually energetic and involved in the shop's daily business lately. Then again, her mother did tend to get a little antsy when her father was out of town for a while. He had been on this most recent buying expedition for over a week now. Naru was missing him herself.

As she neared the shop, Naru noticed a growing din of voices from its direction. She looked ahead and saw a crowd of women standing on the sidewalk looking in. Puzzled, Naru quickened her pace. As she did, she realized she could hear her mother's voice over the murmur.

"Come on in, come on in! Don't be shy! No one loves the indecisive!" She was yelling.

Utterly confused, Naru pushed her way into the shop. "Mom?" she said, hesitantly because the woman standing on the stool in the middle of the shop didn't look quite like her mother. She looked more like Mayumi the meth addict; thin and pale and sweating a little. Her eyes were too wide and her teeth were showing too much.

Mayumi ignored Naru and yelled to the crowd, "Come on ladies! Show a little spirit! You won't find prices like these tomorrow!"

Several women were in the shop, crowding around the register. They were yelling at the poor cashier and each other.

"I'll take the special!"

"Hey! I got here first!"

"Wait your turn!"

"Are there any left?!"

"Mom!" Naru said, more forcefully. "What are you doing? This isn't like you…"

Mayumi finally looked down at Naru. "Mom? Oh, Naru right? Go in the back." She said dismissively, then went back to shouting. "Come on, come on! They're going fast! Get in here and grab your chance at happiness!"

"Mom! Stop it! What are you talking about?!" Some of the women who had come into the shop were staring at the two of them.

Mayumi looked down at Naru again and said in a frightening growl, "I said to go in the back."

Naru was taken aback by her mother's suddenly threatening demeanor. She was even certain that her eyes flashed red for a moment. Not knowing what was going on, but wanting to escape the scene, Naru went toward the back room of the shop. She opened the door and looked into the darkened room. There was someone in there, but she couldn't make them out. "Hello? Who are you?"

Someone grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her through the door.

Breakfast

Cooking was not one of Ikuko's strengths. It was not that she was bad at it, so much as she needed practice. She never had much time for cooking before.

Until four months prior, she was a legal aid for a big firm in the city. Her firm underwent a merger with a bigger firm and, just like that, her job was gone.

At that time, she sat down with her husband to examine just how bad the situation was. As it turned out, the promotions and raises he had achieved during his career made it possible for her to stay at home. In fact, if she did the housework herself, they could save a bit of money.

It sounded like a great idea at the time. She had big dreams of cooking hearty, healthy meals instead of ordering in. She had always wanted to learn to sew and she could actually have time to herself when she wanted. Four months of lackluster accomplishments and resounding disappointments later, she was starting to wonder how much longer she could do it.

She sighed in frustration as she scraped at he eggs that were stuck to the pan like glue. She had failed at frying them because of sticking, and so decided to just scramble them. Now the pan was coated in egg cement and things were starting to smell burnt.

...

Usagi had the nightmare again that night. She woke from it trembling and crying. It haunted her and kept her from going back to sleep. Every time she did start to doze, terrifying screams and images of death shocked her awake again.

By morning, she was not her usual Chipper Usagi. She was not even Pleasant Usagi. She crawled out of bed and went downstairs without bothering to dress or do her hair. She slunk up to the breakfast table and slid into her chair with the threatening posture of a feral animal.

Her little brother was there, playing Pokemon on his Gameboy. He looked over at her and said in a conspiratorial tone, "Mom's makin' eggs, Usagi. Pay ya a dollar to eat mine."

Usagi ignored him. She reached for the pitcher of orange juice that was set in the middle of the table to pour herself a glass.

Shingo, put out at being ignored, said mockingly, "What makes you think you even get breakfast, Ew-soggie? Last I heard, you're grounded for the rest of your life."

Shingo must have thought his insulting nickname for her was the funniest thing he would ever say, because he trotted it out anytime he wanted to rile her.

"Shut up, Shingo! I'm in no mood!" Usagi snapped.

Ikuko emerged from the kitchen, spatula in one hand, egg-scorched pan in the other. "Both of you be quiet," she ordered, "or you'll both miss breakfast." With that, she proceeded to scrape and chisel the overcooked eggs out of the pan onto a pair of plates which already bore matching slices of toast.

She placed the plates in front of her children with a smile on the outside. Inwardly, she felt bad for them. Secretly, she planned on eating a doughnut when she went shopping later.

Her son looked at the offering for a moment, then turned to her with a shining smile and said, "Hey, they're not runny! Thanks mom!" He must have thought he was being supportive. Ikuko wanted to cry. She turned her back for a moment to collect herself, then went to her seat at the end of the table.

Shingo shoveled the eggs onto the toast and dug in without hesitation. He said, "Hey mom, can I go play with my friends at the park?"

Ikuko smiled at him over her coffee cup and asked, "Did you finish your homework?"

"Yeah." her son responded quickly.

"Good," she said, her smile widening because she knew he was lying. "Let me check it, and you can go."

He looked down and said, "Oh, okay. I think I might have some I didn't finish. I guess I'll do it real quick."

"Okay." She responded. "Go ahead and get your books when you're finished eating."

Usagi spoke up, "Mom? Naru was going to come over and study with me, is that okay?"

Ikuko looked doubtful. "Hmm… I don't know, Usagi. You are grounded."

"I know," Usagi said, trying not to sound too sullen. "But we'd be dong homework." she plied.

Her mother sighed. "Okay, but you'll bring your books and do it here at the table."

"Okay…" Usagi agreed reluctantly.

But Naru never came.

Umino

Usagi must have called Naru's phone a hundred times over the weekend, without any response.

All day Saturday, she was terribly worried. All day Sunday, she was terribly upset. On both days, she was so distracted that she finished all of her homework, cleaned her room, folded and put away all of the laundry, and took out the trash. All without complaint. Usagi's mother was so pleased with her, she gave her some allowance money and restored her right to walk to and from the school again. Usagi was so angry with Naru, she wasn't as grateful as she should have been.

Sunday night was yet another night of terror for Usagi. Regardless, she was up and out the door so early, she left before even her father. She marched to the school, all hot to tell her ex-friend just how angry she was with her.

Usagi was not used to being at the school so early. She didn't know where to find Naru and, though she looked around for her, she couldn't find her by the time class was to start. At the tolling of the bell, Usagi went to the classroom, thinking that Naru would at least be there and she could confront her then, but Naru wasn't there.

As class commenced, Miss Haruna called the roll. She paused on Naru's name and several students looked toward her desk as no one answered. Naru was almost never absent. Usagi was worried all over again.

At lunch time, Usagi went to her usual spot on the garden wall near the fountain. She sat down, realizing that she had forgotten her lunch in her haste to get there early. How ironic, she usually forgot it because she was running late. She sighed, worry and hunger chewing on her stomach.

She felt eyes on her and looked up to meet the bug-eyed gaze of Umino. He was crouched like a pimply toad next to the fountain and looking directly at her. Umino had been in her class since grade school. They had been chummy in middle school, until he developed an embarrassing crush on her and things got awkward. He started following her around, taking odd photos of her and her friends. The other students had called him the Usagi Otaku.

Over the summer between middle and high school, Umino's obsession with Usagi seemed to wane. Her guess was that he must have found someone else to stalk. But high school came and he was back at it. The only difference was that Naru wasn't plying her to be nice and date him anymore, for which Usagi was grateful.

Usagi realized with embarrassment that she was also staring, but at Umino's uneaten lunch. She came to a conflict of morals as she contemplated inviting him over just so she could try to get him to share.

Umino must have sensed an invitation in her stare, because he hopped to his feet and came over. "Hey, Usagi." He croaked in his squeaky voice as he sat down next to her. He opened his bento box, revealing a neatly arranged and yummy-looking lunch. He took out a perfectly formed sticky rice ball and shoved it into his mouth. "Where's Naru?" he asked casually while he chewed. "Is she sick?"

Usagi was mesmerized by delectable looking food in the box and absently answered, "Um, I guess so?" while she tried not to drool.

"Oh." He answered, now taking a bite out of a miniature hot dog. "Are you going to go see her after school?" he asked with mild interest.

Usagi swallowed and her stomach growled audibly, but Umino's question gave her pause. Her mother had been clear that the terms of her release from grounding included that she should walk straight home without dallying, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something more was going on with Naru than just a cold. She decided. She had no choice. She would go to Naru's apartment after school.

In response to Umino, she said, "Yeah, why?"

He popped the second half of a cucumber sandwich into his mouth and said, "Just wondering." The only thing left in the lunchbox was a hot pickled pepper. Usagi couldn't tear her eyes away from it.

Umino said, "Tell her I said 'Hi'." He picked up the pepper, bit it off the stem, and walked away, crunching.

Second Encounter

Mamoru plodded down the sidewalk in a haze. His thoughts were fuzzy and his head was aching. Fear had prevented him from sleeping ever since the morning he woke up covered in rose petals and he was no longer sure exactly how long that had been. The line between waking and dreaming was becoming blurred.

He wasn't sure what made him leave his apartment and go to the Juban shopping district, other than an attempt to drive out the echoes of that terrible voice intoning "Bring me the Silver Crystal!"

A shudder ran through him, leaving behind goosebumps. He felt a little paranoid, as though he was being watched. He stopped walking and looked around.

He was standing outside of a jewelry store. Enormous, glittery pink letters in the windows above the door spelled out the name "OSA-P". A smaller sign on the door read: "Guaranteed to bring you love and happiness! Rare Silver Crystals on sale now!"

"You have got to be kidding." he muttered.

Someone brushed by him saying, "Excuse me, you're blocking the way!"

Mamoru's body was moving as sluggishly as his mind. Without budging, he looked down at the girl pushing past and blurted, "Hey, it's Bun-head!"

She stopped with her hand on the door. "So rude…" she hissed under her breath. Then she spun around and stabbed her finger toward his face. "I don't have time for you right now…" she admonished, then turned just as quickly around again and pushed on the door. "It's locked!"

Jaedite

Kim knelt on the cold white stone of the audience chamber, waiting for the appearance of Mistress Beryl.

He had been waiting for some time already. It was the scheduled hour, wasn't it? He wanted to check his watch, but the Mistress had forbidden him to bring such technology before her. She was weird like that.

He heard footsteps approaching, but not from the direction of the throne. Kim looked up to see the General walking his way. Lee Cantana was the leader of their cult. The Mistress called him Kunzite. Kim called him a variety of names, but not where he could be heard.

Lee looked down at him and said with a smirk, "Jaedite, have you found the princess yet?"

Kim glared up at him as hard as he dared. "No. Have you?"

Lee's smug expression did not falter. "I'm a lot closer than you think" he said. It was Kim's belief that the man was only bluffing. Lee seemed to think that, because he was tall and wealthy and powerful, he was better than everyone else. It was true that he was the favored of the Mistress, but Kim knew that it was only a temporary position. Beryl was fickle, and her only loyalty was to Queen Metallia. If Kim could somehow get the Queen's favor, he could surpass Lee.

A deep, womanly voice rang out in the chamber. "Jaedite," she said, "what news of your successes on the earth?" Beryl stood on the dais in a regal posture with her garnet hair and onyx gown flowing around her, but her beauty was marred by a frown of displeasure. The presumptuous question was more condescending than confident.

Kim was aware that he held little esteem. He was only seventeen and had just recently been awakened. He had yet to accomplish anything of note. His previous offerings of life energy to Queen Metallia had been meager. Peddling his dark crystals on the sidewalk had gained him poor results. However, his new scheme was raking in a wealth of energy and Beryl was sure to be impressed.

"Mistress Beryl," he began with a salute, "I have come with an offering for our Queen."

Beryl's frown only darkened. Kim felt a stab of fear, then realized she was frowning at Lee who was not kneeling. Arrogant jackass. Kim couldn't understand how he remained the favorite.

Lee said, "I too have come with an offering, my Mistress." Kim wanted to knock that cocky smirk off of his face.

Beryl's face softened, almost to a smile. "I will receive it later" she replied mysteriously. Then she turned her attention back to Kim. "Jaedite, your offering?"

Kim, still kneeling, lifted his head and snapped his fingers. "Morga!" he commanded. The stone next to him softened to the texture of sand, and a creature emerged. Her form was lean and wizened, like a mummy without wrappings. Lee's derisive snort was loudly audible in the echoing chamber. Kim gritted his teeth against a wave of rage. Morga was the only monster that would serve him with his weak powers, but it wouldn't be that way for much longer.

Morga knelt next to Kim, as she emerged fully from the floor, burdened with a brightly glowing orb the size of a bowling ball. Kim couldn't help a smirk of his own. His previous offerings had been like dimly lit golf balls. He cast a glance at Lee to mark his reaction. The General was staring off into space, not paying attention at all. Kim's fists clenched.

Beryl said, "Have you made any progress in locating the princess or the Silver Crystal?" She didn't comment on the offering at all.

Kim's voice was strained to the point of breaking when he replied, "No, Madame."

Beryl's eyes flashed with intolerance. "You will focus your efforts." she growled.

Kim put all his strength into restraining himself. "Yes, Madame."

...

Kim stepped through the portal into the basement of OSA-P with Morga in tow. The portal quickly evaporated behind them as he stomped over to a trashcan and kicked it violently. It crashed into the wall, scattering its miscellaneous contents which he then annihilated with tiny fireballs.

Morga watched his tantrum in silence. When it seemed he had control of himself she asked in her raspy voice, "Master Jaedite, what is our plan for locating the Silver Crystal?"

It was all Kim could do not to snap at her. He didn't have one. He had put all of his time and effort into this energy harvesting scheme.

Kim looked around at the comatose women on the floor, having their life energy sapped by the dark crystals around their necks. With his powers of hypnosis, it had been easy to talk them into buying his tainted "silver crystals". He used hypnotic commands to convince them to put the jewelry on, not take it off, and return to the shop when they started to feel weak. Once he harvested enough energy from them, he took the jewel back and used hypnosis again to make sure they went home oblivious to what happened.

"Master Jaedite?" Morga rasped, irritated at being ignored.

Kim chewed on his thumbnail as he thought. Hypnosis was clearly his strongest power. How could he leverage it to find the Silver Crystal?

"Jaedite?" Morga repeated. He could not help but notice she dropped the honorific. He knew he should reprimand her for that, but he had to tread carefully. If Morga attacked him, she would easily defeat him.

"Just a moment, Morga. I'm thinking." he said, in what he thought was a firm but polite tone. Then he mused aloud, "The princess has the Silver Crystal, right? What we really need to do is to find her…"

Morga offered a suggestion, "Perhaps we can ask Master Nephrite to perform a divination?"

Kim's thumbnail was already short from his habit, but he nearly bit it off with that. There was no way he was going to go to that weirdo.

But it gave him an idea.

"Reopen the shop in the morning, Morga. Continue gathering energy for The Great Ruler. I will return tomorrow evening." Kim gave his orders and headed up the stairs.

Behind him, Morga saluted him with her hand over her left breast and said, "Yes, master." in a subservient tone. However, if Kim had been looking, he would have seen the red flash in her eyes that betrayed her true feelings.

...

Outside the Jewelry store, Usagi was standing with her face pressed to the tinted glass door of the shop, trying to see if anyone was inside.

"They're closed, Bunhead. Come back later." Mamoru was saying in a bored tone, even though he wanted to know what was going on in there as well.

"Shut up, Mister Blue Jeans." Usagi snapped without turning around. "I said I don't have time for you right now."

"'Mister Blue Jeans'?" he echoed, incredulous. "Try harder, Bunhead."

"Look!" She spun around this time to face him and yelled, "This is serious, okay?! My friend is in there, I think, and she needs help, I think."

"You think so?" He mocked. Then he noticed someone on the other side of the door behind her. "Someone's coming out." He said, trying not to show how his heart was suddenly racing.

"Get lost!" She screamed, then said, "Wait, what?" and turned back around. The door was indeed opening and a blonde guy who looked to be about her age was stepping out.

He made a start when he emerged, as if he hadn't seen them through the door.

"Who are you?" Usagi demanded, "And what's going on in there?"

The young man said, "Nothing is going on. The store is closed. Please come by later." and turned to lock the door behind himself.

Usagi watched him do so and walk away without comment, but with suspicion on her face. She turned to look at Mamoru who shrugged and said, "Well, see you later, Bunhead." and walked off as well.

She turned slowly around to look at OSA-P and said, "I have to get in there somehow…"