Journeys Through the Past
A Sailor Moon fanfic by Sailor Chronos
Chapter Two: Moving On
It was past midnight and Marie wasn't back from town yet, but that didn't bother Alyssa. She and her best friend, Darla Hayden, were discussing private matters over a second cup of tea. It was nice just to sit and chat, like they often had in the old days.
"I don't understand how you got here so quickly," Alyssa said. "I know that all the Senshi are able to sense when another of their number is in danger, but teleporting solo?"
"You did it yourself," Darla reminded her. "You told me that when you woke up from cryosleep, you went into some sort of trance and teleported yourself from that asteroid you were trapped on to Tokyo. It didn't make sense at first, since I believed that it took at least two Senshi to make an effective teleport. After all, back in the Silver Imperium, you and I teleported between the planets frequently with no problems."
"Yes." She sighed sadly. "You know, I still wish I could have been there when you were fighting Metallia's forces with the others."
Darla put a hand on her shoulder. "You tried your best to defend your planet, as I tried to defend mine. It's not our fault that both our planets were destroyed. Metallia was just too powerful for us." She smiled. "But we're together again now, and that's what matters. Now then, back to teleporting. When I began to correspond with Ami and Artemis on the subject via Email, we came to the conclusion that we CAN in fact teleport solo, at least for short distances. How do you think Pluto gets to a battle scene as quickly as she does?"
Alyssa shook her head skeptically. "She can create portals."
"Yes, but she is bound by her duty to use her time powers only when the safety of the entire Earth is at stake, like she did last winter against Pharoah 90. Or haven't you been told?" Alyssa nodded, she had heard the story about that. Darla continued, "For routine battles against Daimons and such, she teleports to wherever Uranus and Neptune happen to be, if she isn't already with them."
Understanding dawned. "I get it, but teleporting alone must take a lot of energy. I nearly killed myself when I did it. How were you able to 'port here and still be able to use your powers?"
"It all depends on how far you're going." Darla held her hands a meter apart. "The greater the distance, the more energy it takes. To go to the North Pole or to the moon and still be able to fight, you need at least two Senshi." She moved her hands closer together. "But for a few kilometers, such as across a city, one can do it without losing much."
"Amazing! And in all this time, the others haven't figured this out? I think it would really cut down the time it takes them to assemble for a fight."
"I don't think it ever occurred to them, seeing that they spend most of their time together anyway. Artemis admitted to me that he'd forgotten, otherwise he would have mentioned it. A thousand years in cryosleep might have killed a few of his brain cells, who knows." Darla giggled. "But I admit, I was pushing it earlier. Seattle is more than just a few kilometers away, and I wasn't sure if I would have enough energy after I arrived for more than one shot. My staff can only provide so much."
"Are you all right?" Alyssa asked, concerned.
Her friend nodded. "Oh sure. I just wouldn't want to do that on a regular basis." She rose and stretched, then glanced at her watch. "Goodness! It's very late, and you said that you have an exam tomorrow." She brought out a gold star-shaped wand with an atom symbol on it.
Alyssa groaned. "Yes, and I need my sleep. Well, I'll do a quick review in the morning-" she yawned, "-and hope for the best. That's my last exam, so afterwards I'll wrap things up here and book a flight for Japan. I have a feeling that I should go back."
"Then do that. I wish I could go with you, but there's a biology seminar next week that I have been planning to attend for ages. We can still keep in touch via Email." Darla held up her wand. "Mara Star Power, Make Up!" She transformed in a blaze of gold and red. When her transformation was complete, she moved into the center of the room. "I'll show you how it's done. You have to have a clear picture in your mind of the place you want to go, same as a regular teleport." She crossed her arms over her chest. "The only difference is that you focus your energy more tightly, and you have to use a lot more of it. See you later!" she said cheerily, then closed her eyes in concentration. "Sailor Teleport!" She was surrounded by a bright orange-red light, then she vanished.
In the next moment, the door opened to admit Marie, who was carrying several parcels. "Hey, Alyssa, are you still awake?"
"Not for long."
"Are you certain you won't reconsider staying on for another semester, Miss Jikanno?" the principal asked. "We can allow you to stay on campus if you have no other accomodation arrangement for the summer."
"I'm afraid not, Mr. Taylor. I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to study at your fine school, but I ought to be going home. I want to finish my academic year there before taking on anything else."
The man sighed, then smiled. "All right. You've been an excellent student and a good example for many others. You'll be missed."
Journal, April 7th 1995
The past day has been difficult to say the least. I aced the math exam, but that wasn't the problem. It was having to pack up and leave Marie, Jen, Ingrid and all the other girls whom I had considered good friends. We all exchanged Email addresses and promised to keep in touch but it just won't be the same. On the other hand, I'll be returning to some good friends: Usagi, Ami and Makoto. Chibiusa often asked me why I had trouble getting along with Rei... perhaps her hot temper and my detached manner don't mix well. Minako is okay but she can be silly at times. She and Usagi are like two peas in a pod, to use the American expression, but at least Usagi has a big heart and cares about more than just becoming a teen idol. Maybe being popular as Sailor V went to Minako's head.
"Hello! I hope there's nothing in that book that I ought not to know about," a male voice said in accented English.
Alyssa started, her thoughts interrupted. The journal fell to the floor, and she had to grope around on the carpet near her feet to find it. When she got her hand on it, she slipped it into her carry-on bag. "Not really," she said, flushing as she straightened up. "I just like to write my ideas down sometimes." When she turned to see who had spoken, she gasped. The young man who was sitting down next to her was dark-haired, muscular and quite handsome... and somewhat familiar. "Are you going to Tokyo or disembarking in Honolulu?" she asked politely, trying to disguise her sudden inexplicable nervousness.
"Tokyo," he replied easily. "Going home. I just spent three months in an exchange program." He settled himself and buckled his seat belt.
"How interesting, so did I," Alyssa said, then on a whim, switched to Japanese. "Pardon me if I sound strange. I'm probably rusty after conversing in English all this time."
"You're not too bad," he said, also in Japanese. "The structural differences between the two languages ensure that few people can be truly fluent in both. Ichijo Kurisu." He held out his hand.
She took it. "Jikanno Alyssa."
At that moment, she felt something...
Kurisu gazed at her in puzzlement before withdrawing his hand. "Strange. I just got the feeling that I've met you before. But that's impossible, I would have remembered someone like you."
"Yes, I felt the same thing. Maybe each of us just look like someone the other saw once and forgot about." As much as Alyssa tried to believe what she had said, something deep inside her was telling her that it wasn't true. She HAD known this man before, that much she was certain of, but she couldn't quite remember where or when.
"That's probably it. Anyway," Kurisu was saying, "it's going to be a long flight and I hope we don't get bored with each other before we get to Tokyo."
During the flight, Alyssa and Kurisu exchanged anecdotes about school and life in general. She learned that he lived with his parents in Minato-ku and was in his first year of high school. He had wanted to go to Shibakouen High School but his parents sent him to Juuban High School instead, since they knew some of the teachers there.
"I go to Juuban too," she told him. "Perhaps we'll see each other every so often."
"We'd better not be in the same class," he joked, "I'd never be able to concentrate on my work with such a pretty face nearby."
She blushed at the complement. "Thank you, Ichijo-san. I don't think anyone has called me pretty."
With a smile, he leaned a little closer and said in a confidential tone, "Then everyone is blind, Jikanno-san."
"Really?" she asked in a lightly sarcastic tone and began to laugh. "That's exactly what my friend Minako-san says. She wants to be a teen idol, but she won't understand why people don't notice her when she tries."
Kurisu chuckled. "But you don't even have to try." He sighed. "I still can't shake the feeling that I know you from somewhere." He was about to say something else when flight attendants appeared with the food and beverage carts.
"Many people say that airplane food is horrible, but this isn't bad," Alyssa commented as she tucked into a Japanese salad.
Kurisu glanced up from a beef couscous, obviously relieved to be back on a less personal topic. "Do you cook?"
"A little. But Kino Mako-chan is one of the best cooks that I know. I'll introduce her to you sometime."
"It sounds like you have a lot of friends in Tokyo."
"Yes. I hope you'll be one of them, Ichijo-san," Alyssa said shyly.
He nodded. "Please, call me Kurisu-san."