Sailor Moon volume 1

by UranusLovesNeptune

Basically rewriting the Sailor Moon manga into story form.

2. Act 2-Ami Mizuno-Sailor Mercury

"Jadeite." Queen Beryl started, her voice low and full of impatience. "When will you bring me the Legendary Silver Crystal?" Each syllable wreaked with frustration and annoyance. Her fingers tightened over her Dark Crystal divination ball, long nails scraping over its glassy surface, almost scratching off the protective polish. Emerald flames flicked on either side of her, provided by his last show of power. The light that reflected off her olive skin made her appear even more threatening, her eyes glowing with obsession and power.

Jaw jutting out, Jadeite's muscles unconsciously tightened in the kneeling bow. He was unsure how to answer for fear of weakness being revealed- he couldn't have that. This was a matter of life and death, and staying silent was a sign of submission, and thoughtfulness. Exactly the type of things that Queen Beryl recruited for. Although today, Queen Beryl was not in the mood for elusiveness.

"Speak!" She commanded, her masculine tone echoing around the silent hall. Jadeite sucked in a breath, mind racing and mouth moving on its own, reciting the first sufficient answer that popped in his mind.

"I am sorry, my Queen." He swallowed painfully, internally cursing himself. Closing his eyes, he awaited the imminent punishment.

Queen Beryl glanced at her pale, withering hand that quivered as she raised it from its rest.

"The great ruler needs more power." She muttered, not sure if the kneeling servant at her feet could hear. It didn't matter either way, he was a mindless being. Her fingers shook as she grasped the divination ball again, partly from weakness and from fear of failure.

"Collect more energies. Do anything. Sacrifice yourself if necessary, but collect more." Her breathing turned heavy and rapid, panic spreading.

"Of course, my Queen. I am one the four kings of the Dark Kingdom and my power is far greater than any Sailor Guardian. I will not fail." It was all just filler to give her confidence, in reality, Jadeite wasn't sure my how much stronger were the Sailors over him.

Queen Beryl squeezed her eyes shut and dug her knuckles into her forehead, the pain of losing a battle cascading around her. She breathed as she listened to the methodic clicks of her servant's heels as he left the room, growing fainter and fainter. The mist from her breath floated up and dissipated into the cold air, the green fires that Jadeite lit giving off not a trace of heat. Everything he had demonstrated of his powers had been useless so far. Utterly useless. Hopefully, her attempt to frighten him into action had been enough, but she could feel the lack of strength touch her mind and infect it with weakness, her body wasting away as she waited for energy to come. And yet here she was, chained to her grandiose chair of moonstone, a facade of power draped before everybody's eyes except her own. Soon, she would grow too weak to continue the manipulation, and they would remember. She couldn't have that. It would be catastrophic.

He would return with more soon. She had to have faith in his past. But she couldn't even have enough faith in herself to stand. How can she trust an unwilling prisoner to keep her alive?

Jadeite paced out of the hall, boots slamming far too forcefully to sound natural. And yet he couldn't help it, the fear and anger at himself was too strong to hold back. He had an idea on how to defeat the guardians, but if this didn't work, it would most likely be his last attempt. He had already deemed himself unworthy for this job so he had to make the last try count for something. He flipped around, a fire burning in his eyes as his throat scorched ith anger, he scanned the room, realizing that he had walked farther than he had intended. The velvety darkness seeped in on the fringes of where the light shone, creeping closer and closer to him just as the memories had seemed to recently. He remembered only a vague vision of Queen Beryl rescuing him from...something...leading away from whatever danger he had been in. A scar still cut over his right eye in the place where...he had been wounded by...something. Nothing was clear anymore, and yet his memories seemed to be on the edges of a grasping point- like trying to catch a dream with your hands, it was impossible.

Jadeite raised his fingertips to his temples, massaging them with the silks gloves that covered his slender fingers, caressing the scar upon his brow in hope that it would spark something within. And yet nothing happened, only that consistent nag at wishing he didn't have to obey Beryl's every petty command. But it was absurd to think that way, he owed her for saving his life, destined to serve her as a royal servant. An honor considering his alternate choices.

Setting his jaw, Jadeite breathed deeply, preparing himself for the draining feeling of performing magic that had always occurred. Raising his stiff hand, he summoned all of the power he had from deep inside his mind and soul, letting it skim the inner edges of his skin and course within his veins. Energy seeped into him like a breath of fresh air, letting it flow through his whole self before it could all be sacrificed again. Releasing a smidgen of it, he watched disparagingly as a fissure appeared with a solid clap, right underneath his gloved hand. It blew dust from its edges and spiderwebbed out, ribbons of grey smoke curling from its center as the cracks continued to spread. The scent of burning hair reached his nose, a sense of deja vu pricking at his brain as the gruesome smell faded. A blast of light shone in crisp beams- his signature shade of green, a figure flickered into view as the smoke dissipated. Tall and lean, thin arms like ropes that hung too far down its side- almost to its knees. Horns poked from its vaguely formed skull, curling with a wicked tip as if ready to take down an elephant. It stood there like a black hole in the middle of the illuminated room, such a contrast that it made Jadeite's eyes throb just by looking at it.

Perfect.

He grinned imperiously at the creature he had conceived, dropping his hand at his side with satisfaction and confidence that this one could defeat this loner- Sailor Moon.

"Retrieve the Legendary Silver Crystal. Do not fail." His voice warbled, despite his self induced confidence. The creature ducked its head and crossed its slender hands over its chest in a bow, with hardly a sound, it flickered out of existence- its return meaning victory, and if nothing came back, it signified Jadeite's last chance gone to waste. He would most likely be executed, or sent to the eternal space- time prison, or at best, placed in suspended animation where he would lie unconscious for eternity.

Hair brushing over his slanted eyes, the despair that was hid deep within a glint in his eye was hidden from the view of all. He silently prayed to the planets that protected their dwindling clan, hoping that there was a chance of salvation, that the Moon Clan would rise above, Queen Beryl ruling over all with her all-knowing ways, praying that his demon would come back, and that Sailor Moon would die a painful death.

The lack of energy suddenly weighed upon him, all of his power drained upon creating the beast. With a grunt of pain induced but the emptiness that expanded within him, Jadeite collapsed, struggling to hold on to consciousness as he was dragged into silent darkness.

Two

Usagi groaned, tossing down her school bag, promptly throwing herself facedown onto the bed that was covered in crumpled sheets and ratty stuffed animals. The mattress bounced on its springs, making one of her tails get wedged in between the metal, although Usagi took no notice for she was already half asleep. In the middle of one of her muffled snorts for air, a meow woke her from her brief moment of relaxation. She woke abruptly and jerked her chin up only to face a blank white wall, already groggy, she rolled over and stared down the foot of her bed where a tiny black cat was perched on the wood slabbing.

"Luna," she grumbled in annoyance. "Are you just here to keep an eye on me...?" Sitting up, Usagi stared imperiously down at her new pet. Luna attempted to roll her slip-pupiled eyes but her facial movements were limited seeing that she was a cat.

"Of course not! You just became Sailor Moon not long ago," she protested in that quavery feminine voice of hers, stepping forward in her melodramatic stance. "The evil will appear again!"

Usagi recalled the fight from a couple nights ago, the way she had transformed into a guardian, the army of the possessed citizens, the hellion that had attacked her from above, and the man-Tuxedo Mask, he had called himself, who had jumped from the highest point on the building and somehow survived only to leap into the night. Even the memory induced shivers that rippled over her skin and making her squeeze her eyes shut to try to erase the terrifying experience away. Feeling her stomach clench from nervousness, she stared at the floor.

"Who are these people anyway?" Usagi murmured, her bluebell eyes pinched at the edges in fear. Luna leapt up onto the bed, treading lightly across the mess of fraying blankets and ripped bedspreads.

"Evil beings that are not supposed to exist in this world." Luna peered curiously into Usagi's emotion wrought face in fascination with this strange girl. "Find your allies." Luna commanded, sure of that one piece of advice. "And find your princess and save her."

Usagi took on a small, dreamy smile. "Allies and princess huh?" She sighed, fingers twitching with excitement and wonder as her memory flashed back to the gorgeous man with the silky black hair and billowing cape. He had flitted through her dreams, always that sad smile and observant tendencies. Clasping her hands together, she rotated her head to grin mischievously at Luna, a blush forming in her cheeks.

"So, like, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor V? I hope they are on my side!" With a giggle, she collapsed onto her side, making Luna bounce on the unsteady bed.

"Hmm..." Luna purred with closed eyes. "I think I've got my eye on somebody already." Usagi's smile fell as she watched Luna's sadness, the emotion contagious. While she was extremely hyperactive, her mind going in all directions in a flurry of confusion, Usagi was empathetic. That was the thing that had caught Luna's eye when she had first seen her in the streets. It had reminded her of somebody she used to know, somebody powerful.

That trait had been shared among not many in this area- so the ones who did were special suspects indeed.

Three

Naru and Usagi worked themselves through the crowd, dodging flying arms and swinging backpacks as they made their way to the front. One person had stepped on Usagi's bun-tails and she had been dragged away from her friend as she snatched it back with several cries and a curse. Quite a few others were a bit more rude when it came to people and caused the two to get separated through a series of pushes and impolite words. Luckily, they had a common meeting point and managed to conjoin again, out of breath but successful. Usagi's mind raced, energized by the crowd around her, while Naru was more sensitive to these things and encouraged them to get out of there as soon as possible. They worked their way to the front and ignored the raging mass of people around them, the shouting and chatter driving them to deafness as they squinted to the top of the chart where their class was listed. Naru must have been looking elsewhere because she grabbed Usagi's hand, pointing the the other side of the list where the highest scored were recorded. She balanced on her toes to see over the sea of heads, skimming her eyes over the Japanese lettering for the highest score, dreaming about someday seeing her name at the top, although she knew that it would be impossible. This had been the prep test for the finals at the end of the year, the hardest quiz she had ever taken in all subjects- thank goodness this was a prep.

"Woah!" Naru shouted, still hardly audible over the others. "Mizuno from class five is a genius! Look!" She raised a finger to point out the score. "She got perfect scores in all subjects!" Usagi pinched her lips tight in jealousy, glaring at the name with a mixture of awe and resentment. She quickly looked away and searched for her own class and name on the left top side, but that name was permanently emblazoned in her brain.

Ami Mizuno-class 5: Avg-100%. IQ:300

Usagi's name had been scribbled without care in the low scores section, Usagi Tsukino-class C3: Avg- 40%. IQ: 78. Better than last time, but still very, very, low. Naru had gotten an 80% which was pretty good compared to Usagi's and some of the other student's. Without words, they ducked their way out of the surging crowd and took refuge behind a blank wall, Naru with a huge smile on her face. She glanced at Usagi, ready to gloat, criticize, and chastise as she always did when Usagi scored low.

"You have no luck with it Usagi!" She bounced on the balls of her heels, making her fluffy orange curls ripple.

"You don't have to be so blunt..." She muttered, throwing her bag over her shoulder and readying herself to leave. Her expression must have looked genuinely hurt by Naru's words because immediately, Naru grew apologetic.

"Awe, I'm sorry. You did better than last time! That's gotta count for something right!" Her lips stretched into a liar's grin, looking as if her face was being blown back in a wind tunnel.

Suddenly, Usagi spotted a figure in the corner of her eye that made her heart rate increase faster in fear than when she heard Luna talk for the first time. He wore a bulky wool jacket that made him appear to look stout and broad in the worst way, hair combed straight up and slicked up with duck fat to form seventeen three inch spikes that protruded from his scalp. Umino was the most annoying and oblivious student in the entire grade and unfortunately considered him a friend of Naru.

Usagi jumped back as he piped up from an awkward distance, "It's the Crystal Seminar! I heard that she was scouted to be a student there." His face elongated creepily into a strange smile as he glanced around at the two of them.

"Who?" Naru stepped back and leaned against the wall, nonplussed at Umino's presence although Usagi was thoroughly disgusted. "Are you talking about Usagi?"

Umino let out a cackle that could challenge a hyena's, hooting and throwing his head back as his Adam's apple bobbed with a strange intensity. "Usagi!?" Regaining his composure in a half a second, he returned to his normal stance which still freaked Usagi out a bit. She backed away with tiny steps, unnoticeable to his eyes. "I'm talking about the Mizuno girl!"

"I heard that she continues to study even though her scores are perfect..." Naru commented, her eyes flitting back to the list on the far wall where people still shoved to see their scores. "You could take a leaf out of her book!" She ducked her head while grinning at Usagi, her eyes lighting up with amusement. Usagi pouted, thinking of a way to switch the subject back to the girl again.

"Is that the place near the arcade?" She scrunched her lips to one side, recalling the vivid layout of her walk home and remembering a building that had always looked strangely like a school. "My dad always said that it was super expensive to study there." Umino bobbed his head, glasses nearly falling from the tip of his nose.

"Her mother is a doctor though, plus she is such a genius that I bet the would have let her in for free." His eyes turned wicked as a dirty thought must have crossed his mind, Usagi bumped him with her elbow to distract him. She soon rubbed her elbow to rid her clothes of any excess Umino residue that he might have left from the brief physical contact.

"I envy her." She stated. "She sounds like she would be the happiest, most luckiest girl imaginable." She tried to imagine having such a flawless life that the Mizuno girl must have.

The Genius Girl.

Four

After parting from her friend Naru, and the creature Umino, Usagi made her way down the street that she had traveled by thousands of times. The cars sped past in flashes of color as the people walked by, all having a life undisturbed by evil presences. Unaware of the danger that they faced and maybe, maybe, if they had known that Usagi was the savior that Naru had reported, maybe, maybe, they would have treated her better. Usagi knew that that was purely imagination though. Luna had told her that nobody was to know her identity no matter what the circumstances, although the rule seemed a little unreasonable to Usagi, she kept by it and haven't told a single soul (it was extremely difficult for a blabbermouth girl like her though.) For now, she was stuck in reality where she was bound to numbers of her scores and IQ. Those numbers alone would keep her going in the mortal life.

Usagi sighed as she looked back upon the tiny slip of paper that read her scores off, reaching an average of 40%. It would hardly be enough for her to pass to the next grade- ninth. Thank the stars that this was merely a practice test. She tucked it into her pocket with resignation, used to these type of scores and the punishment that would be inflicted upon her when she returned home. Lids low over her eyes, Usagi peered up as she crossed the street, impatient cars inching their way over the crosswalk before she reached the sidewalk. Only a couple yards away, a huge pine tree cast a huge shadow under its vast canopy, spots of light glittering onto the girl that stood beneath it...petting Luna.

Usagi stopped in surprise, watching as the girl leaned over and curled her fist, letting Luna sniff it before reaching her fingers out to stroke Luna's side. She was slightly shorter than average although appearing to be the same age as Usagi, the same school uniform that she wore except a longer, blue pleated skirt. Her hair was a gorgeous shade of ocean blue, a hint of green where the light shone and darker, midnight blue undertones that added an entire new layer of beauty. It was trimmed raggedly to her ear, a thin layer of grease shining near her part, although it didn't take anything away from its beauty. The girl's floppy hair covered her face too much for Usagi to see many features and yet she could tell that this girl had a pretty face. She looked like a cat. Usagi thought. Listing her head, She realized who this was from the newspaper photographs and the description on the school paper: Ami Mizuno. The genius girl from class 5.

She skipped over to the girl, heels pattering happily on the concrete, all of her scoring troubles forgotten in the moment. She approached the girl who had straightened her back, a slight slump although it was obvious that she tried to hide it behind baggy clothes. Usagi grinned, glancing at Luna who had dawned an emotionless face to the point that she actually looked like a normal cat. She stood and without warning, leapt onto the girl's thin shoulders, making her gasp and wince, stumbling backwards a bit. Usagi watched as she tilted her head a bit to bump noses with Luna, she giggle a sweet laugh that rolled through the air, smooth as water.

Maybe she isn't as unfriendly as everyone thinks.

She was indeed pretty, a small turned up nose with a spatter of light freckles over her fairly pink skin, large eyes that glittered like arctic ice, though intelligent and gentle despite its clear appearance. Her smile scooped into her cheeks and almost wiped away the scaly purple shadows that hung loose beneath her beautiful eyes. Usagi bounced with excitement as the girl spotted her a couple feet away, immediately letting her face fall back into a neutral frown.

"Hi!" Usagi smiled curtly, doing her best to wink like she had seen movie stars do when they saw a cute girl. Unfortunately, she was not that good at winking and covered it up with a long blink, it also must not have been good timing for the girl because she drew back, clutching her back closer as she approached. "Are you okay..." Usagi trailed off, watching the girl's startled expression fall back into a cold stare at the ground.

"Of course. And you are?" The girl attempted to be polite although she stumbled over her words, fumbling with her backpack strap and swallowing hard.

"Oh! That's my cat, Luna! Sorry if my cat scared you." Usagi stepped closer, the girl looking uneasy. "You are Ami Mizuno. Right?" Ami blinked, working her jaw seeming unsure whether to answer or not. "I'm Usagi Tsukino. " The girl nodded, raising her hand to pet Luna again, a soft purr escaping the whiskered mouth.

"Oh, not at all. When she first leaped down from the sky, I thought she was an angel." Her voice was soft, barely reaching Usagi's ears, rolling off her tongue like a song. It held a strange edge to it, like a piano off key, mournful and tense all at the same time as if the tune of a war ballad. Usagi raised and eyebrow as she considered it.

"Luna? An angel?" Ami winced, quickly resting her chin on her chest in an apologetic bow. Her eyes filled with regret over her words, and yet Usagi found them intriguing.

"I'm sorry," She started to say, her speckled cheeks turning red as a sunset, eyes blinking to fast. She began to pry Luna's claws that had gotten caught in the knitted cloth of her sweater in attempt to give the cat back. Luna hung limply in her arms as she held her arms outstretched, almost as an apologetic offering of peace. Usagi obliged, quickly gripping Luna around her furry stomach.

For a half a second, their hands brushed together as Luna wobbled between them, but it was enough to catch a vision of something. A...glass casing. No... a crystal castle that shot from the pearly white ground as a great stump of reflecting light. It was gone too soon as both girls blinked it away simultaneously, a look of confusion crossing their faces. "Did you see that?" Usagi asked, pulling Luna closer and hugging her fluid body close to hers, Luna wriggled, managing to make eye contact with her before turning back to the girl. Ami nodded thoughtfully, glancing up and down their surroundings, she tilted her head back as a grin grew over her face.

"You saw the palace as well?" Usagi nodded, remembering how that weirdo guy had made her hallucinate as well. Must be too much time socializing with strangers that's driving me crazy.

"Well, that car had driven over the speed limit at that moment, most likely kicking up dust. Then the beams of light shone on the particles and must have made it look like pillars...or towers..." Ami trailed off, still appearing to look uneasy at the sight, but that answer was sufficient enough or Usagi. Her thoughts immediately trailed off to elsewhere. She is kinda cute.

"I'm headed off to the arcade. Wanna come?" She chirped, watching Ami's expression morph into several before becoming neutral again. Biting her lip, she looked up from the ground bashfully.

"I've never been to an arcade but its always looked fun..." Ami began resting a finger on her chin in thought.

Maybe she'll be my friend and help me with school work! Then I will be genius girl too!

Sailor V jumped from wall to wall, over pits of lava and barely reaching solid ground. A green scaly beast appeared from behind a stone pillar, repeatedly pawing at the air and creeping towards her with expressionless eyes. Sailor V tried to cast a tiara flower blaster but before she got close to finishing her signature phrase, the beast had inched too close and shredded her to pieces.

Usagi gaped at the screen, eyes bulging from her skull as she watched the screen fade to black, flashing GAME OVER. The controls were cold to her touch as they slid from the counter to her lap like liquefied disappointment. She was used to losing, but usually she got a bit further than this, which was especially embarrassing because Ami was watching. She laughed it off, still dying on the inside, but it was a game. At least she didn't have to fight monsters in real life!

Oh.

"Hi Usagi-chan!" Motoki poked his head from behind the doorway, his usual sweet smile rising on his face like dawn. "Is this your friend?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips and looking behind Usagi to where Ami patiently stood.

"My name is Ami Mizuno, nice to meet you." She spoke politely, voice smooth and lower than when she had spoken before. Usagi waited for them to exchange names and useless introductory messages, still glaring into the flashing screen bitterly. There was a shuffle as she most likely bowed, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Motoki wink. Rancor, Usagi clenched her teeth and forced herself to break the two up,

"Wanna try, Mizuno-san?" She spun around on the swivel stool to face Ami where she pursed her lips delicately, glancing at the screen with a strange curiosity. "Come on!Once!" Usagi pleaded. She hesitated, tightening her mouth indecisively.

''All right..." She kicked her bag up with her knee and rested it against the bulky game, waiting for Usagi to rise from the seat. Usagi bounced on her heels, wiggling with enthusiasm as she waited for Ami to get positioned. She must have been observing Usagi play, because she seemed to know exactly what she was doing- hitting the correct buttons to start and immediately began to toggle the correct mechanisms to get Sailor V past the first obstacle. Usagi squealed with anticipation as the first creature shot spikes from its tail. Ami's fingers were deft with the triggers, maneuvering her way around the dashboard to easily and dodged the first spike, getting a running start to leap for the throbbing heart above its head and splicing it horn off with a swipe of her Venus blaster. The creature dissolved into a mess of pixels just before a vat of hot lava opened from behind. Sailor V would have died if she hadn't jumped at that precise moment to a soft glowing smudge behind a bush. A hidden talisman heart. In the corner, her hearts restored and turned rainbow and signaling the eternal lasting life-force.

Ami, grew fierce, fingers dancing nimbly over the various keys, the tiny figure on screen easily defeating the various zombies and dragon, over lava pits and blasting tumbling boulders. Her eyes were glazed over, almost looking hypnotized by the lit up screen, she didn't even bother to glance down to watch her flying fingers. Back slouching, she looked strangely relaxed, although her face was tensed and eyes blazing with intensity that Usagi didn't think that this girl could have held up in her.

Motoki and Usagi gathered on either side of her as she approached a demon dragon with acid breath. "Careful, this one is strong." Usagi warned. Without pause, she bounded onto the neck of the beast and gave a well timed kick to the head and sent the dragon to the ground, blowing him up for good measure before it could get a chance to open its mouth. Motoki grew a side grin, glancing sideways at Ami, an affectionate look that made Usagi turn red with rage. A girl to the right watched excitedly although they did not know her. She called her boyfriend over and they cheered Ami on alongside the two of them, huddling behind. Ami did not raise her eyes from the game, maybe she didn't even notice. Her gaze was too intent upon the screen, every ounce of focus being poured into the tips of her fingers, strategizing faster than Usagi had time to grasp the situation. The couple behind them muttered something about her not being too bad just as Motoki pulled his phone from his back pocket to film the screen.

Usagi realized that she bore an enormous smile, jumping up and down with glee as Ami continued to the last level. A metal creature fell from the sky, nearly crushing Sailor V with one of its giant, plated toes. Every time Ami sent an attack, it seemed to grow bigger and responding with faster blows with punching fire. Ami began to realize that a crowd was collecting over her shoulder and became distracted, turning her head to the side every few seconds to reply to the cheers and encouragement that was shouted her way. Usagi knew exactly what button to press, her fingers twitched in desire to reach out and finish the beast off, there was one trick that she had been using since she had first started gaming. The goal of the game was to rescue the cat, not defeat the monster. With a combination of the Venus blaster and love chain was enough to freeze even the largest monsters and give enough time to reach the cat that swayed in the birdcage to the right.

Usagi bit her lip, extending her arm and swiftly knocking the enabling switch, the monster froze. Ami grinned a beautiful smile at Usagi as she gestured the arrows left and caught the cat birdcage.

The crowd behind whooped and clapped, clapping Ami's back and doing everything they could to make it clear that they supported her. Nobody in their hometown had beat the game quite this fast, Ami had most likely beat some sort of record just now. Usagi clutched Ami's shoulders, trying to give a half hug as the people behind surged.

"That was awesome, Mizuno-san!" She cried. "You beat the highest score!"

A faint clunk could be heard behind the cheers, coming from the game. Usagi beamed, kneeling down to the hole in the side of the machine where a prize had rolled out, clattering against the thin plastic backing. Eyes wide, she grasped the object and carried it to where Ami still sat, being pelted with back claps and congratulations.

The prize was a small stick, its base color a light Mediterranean blue that almost matched Ami's hair. On the top, it was plated with what looked like real gold, a ring welded into the top and a disk secured inside with a couple cobalt jewels studded into its outer edge. Usagi gasped as Ami pulled on its top to reveal that it was a ballpoint pen with a golden tip.

"I'm jealous!" Usagi squealed, throwing up her arms and eyeing the pen. She screwed up her face, and gave the machine a tiny bump with her tennis shoe, them a push. Motoki, muttered something, backing off in exaggerated fear at Usagi's burst out. In the net moment, Usagi was shaking the entire machine with such force that something else clattered into the black slot as well, she yelped in delight and stooped low, grabbing whatever it was and holding it to her chest. It was a pen that looked almost exactly like Ami's except that it was a pale, milky pink with a hot pink jewel embedded into the top, ringed in a glittering gold that looked like a crown. She giggled, turning to face Motoki who as backing off slowly.

"Can I have it please?" She begged, jutting out her bottom lip. He cringed, awkwardly stretching his hands out in submission. Ami was still quietly observing the scene in her seat, unfazed by her victory, she listed her head as Usagi danced with happiness, smiling softly and ducking her head in a suppressed giggle.

"Your funny, Tsukino-chan." She murmured, raising her hand to her lips.

"Am I really that funny?" Usagi rested her fists on her hips, twisting a smile into her lips. "Well, Ami-chan, you look prettier when you smile." She said it in an insulting tone, although it was an obvious complement. Ami widened her eyes, blushing and lowering her head in embarrassment.

Usagi blinked. "Oh! I called you Ami- chan. Well then, you can call me Usagi!" She winked, raising her new pen to her lips. Ami chuckled, an even larger grin rising over her cheeks.

"Sure, Usagi." She glanced at the clock, eyes suddenly fearful. "Oops! I stayed too late! I have to go to the Crystal Seminar." She glanced at Usagi, waiting for something...almost asking for approval.

"Okay! Do you have to go every day?" Usagi asked, already tired from thinking about how hard that would be.

"Yes, all I'm good at is studying." Ami sighed, a sad look dawning over her eyes, almost like a shadow had fallen over her face. The bags under her eyes stood out once again, her exhaustion so clear now. She bit her lips and bowed her head one last time before ducking out of the arcade door.

Five

Represent the complex number z = 1 + i√3 in the polar form.
Ami's fingers hovered over the mouse as she thought about it, sorting through the numbers in her mind, sifting through and simplifying it with hardly any problem. This was just a review so it didn't require paper, and yet her mind was distracted by something because she had a friend.
A friend.
Her expression did not change in the slightest, not even to outwardly signify her immense explosion of joy at the idea as her head seemed to spark with emotion. Her mind ran through the past events of the day, thinking over the kind words Usagi had given her, the genuine excitement when she had mastered the game, and the way she had insisted that she call her Usagi and have matching pens. That girl had uncanny ability to make her feel comfortable, though a stranger, she did not feel her energy slowly drain from her by being in her presence, but rather, her energy was renewed. She felt new, the change of not heading straight to cram school had woken her from the never ending trance of repetitive events. But there was a time and place for socializing, and her new cram school was not one of them.
She breathed a sigh and bent over the glowing screen, attempting to focus on the equation at hand. The very simple, review of a mere eleventh level of polar form equations. She must have practiced this type of math a hundred times, and yet, she could not seem to translate the numbers into the keys.
Clenching her brow, Ami skimmed through the multiple choice answers, searching for the one that popped out at her. Hmm... D appeared to be the closest to her calculations. Daringly, she tapped the right button on the mouse, gesturing that she was done. The computer loaded for a second, Ami tensed in her seat, more on edge than ever before as the tiny ring rotated around and around and around and around... Just as she was beginning to get a bit dizzy, the screen flashed an angry red X onto her screen, giving off a high pitched beep to signal that she had gotten the answer wrong.
She flinched, sinking lower into her seat as the college student in the study carel next to her shot a gloating look at her, the student in the row behind her actually sat up in his seat to snicker at her failure. The teacher hushed them both and circled around to peer over Ami's screen, watching her progress without a drop of emotion, casting imposing glances at her as she bit her teeth and moved on to the next problem.
Factorize f(x) = x4 x4 – 4 using fundamental theorem of algebra.
She gulped, trying to make herself focus and forget about Usagi Tsukino for one moment to she could make a good impression on her new teacher. Her eyes traced the outlines of the numbers and deciphering the code before her, ignoring the analytical glare of the instructor. I am Ami Mizuno. Japan's best junior student. I will not be daunted by a mere math question. She clenched her teeth and began to move the pointer to B. The teacher chuckled, catching Ami's hand with her own before she could click.
"Here, you seem distracted," she muttered, crouching down to look Ami in the eye. She had a harsh face to look at, a long, sharply pointed nose and porcelain skin that look like hadn't been touched by the sun in a year. Lips coated in a thick layer of sticky magenta paint, they stood out like blood on a white sheet, hair the same ruby- red shade and pulled into a low ponytail. Her eyes were the most disconcerting part. They were a gorgeous deep, cherry red, gold spots flecked around her dark pupil that looked like was swimming in a pool of blood. It gave Ami shivers as she was forced to look into them, her hand releasing the computer mouse and falling into her lap in disgrace and shame. This is what parents do with naughty toddlers, get down to eye level and look at them directly. It was supposed to feel comforting, but it sent the message that she was even more of a failure.
"I haven't gotten an equation wrong since level 42 in trigonometry through computer coding. Sorry, I am just distracted today."
Japan's best junior student indeed. She thought, her eyes falling to her lap. The teacher pursed her lips and reached into the inner breast pocket of her suit, revealing a disk case, square and plastic with a slip of paper tucked on the inside for a label. Ami was able to read the Japanese label easily despite it being upside- down.
Crystal Seminar: Elite study program- part 1.
Puzzled, Ami was handed the disk with a sweet smile plastered to the teacher's face. Under supervision, she clicked the case open and removed the disk from its holder, carefully setting the shell of a case on the desk. Sliding it into the monitor, the screen went black for a second. She waited, still eyeing her instructor from the corner of her eye as the program loaded with a ding.
"Each disk is personalized for each student, ensuring that you will have all of the knowledge you need to get your dream job. A doctor, is that right?" Ami jerked her head up in surprise to stare at her. How did she know that I wanted to be a doctor? The teacher gave a sweet smile and continued down the pathway of studious pupils, surveying each of them with surprising intensity. The exact shade of her eyes still burned into her vision, fierce and analytical, and glowing like the coals in a dying fire, puddles of blood, or a the warning of a red dawn on sea. All of the teachers that Ami had had over the years were all a bit eccentric, but this one was downright creepy.
Suddenly, a tiny lime green light blinked in the monitor, signaling that the disk was ready to go. She swiveled back around and watched as forty-seven pages of questions popped up, all multiple choice and just at her level. She took a deep breath and dove right in, eyes darting across lines of text with simple comprehension.
The problems seemed to get easier as she went until it hardly took seconds to solve each one, clicking her mouse with a rhythm that even she had never accomplished before, racing over the problems without delay and not wanting to ever, ever stop. Even with Ami's acute intelligence and brilliance, even she could not be conscious of the way her eyes had faded to solid green, glazing over at the sight of the program, and how her mind had blanked when she had begun to contemplate the first question.

Ami soon forgot about Usagi and Luna and the students that began to trickle out of the building, the way the sun dipped below the silhouetted horizon, leaving her in a star soaked night, and how the only remaining light left in the room was the white light of the computer screen that penetrated into her eyes and left her mind blank of anything besides pure, undisturbed, blissful and don't forget educational... possession.

Six

Usagi skimmed through the library, her eyes automatically skipping to the titles of books that were displayed on the shelf although none of them looked interesting Gardening- is Milk Replacing Water?, Prosthetics Through the Ages, Nature vs Nurture- a Guide. She only read books for school, and she had learned to hate them with every inch of her soul- except manga. Manga was always welcome into her home at any time of day. She passed by the checkout desk and peered through each aisle until she had reached the computer section that resided near the silent study rooms. With uneasy glances, she skipped through the historical fiction row, letting her fingers trailed lightly over the spines as she moved, the older students giving her a nasty look, although Usagi didn't care a shit about what they thought of her cause she was a fucking free spirit and Sailor Moon for stars sake. She saved all of the towns asses just a couple days ago and deserves some respect amiright?

Amid the sea of heads that bobbed over their computers, she was only searching for one person among so many, and fortunately that person happened to stand out starkly,

"Ami! Want to come with me to get something to eat?" She yelped, dashing over to where she stooped over her screen. A smile was too large on Usagi's face, filling every inch of her with joy at the sight of her new...friend. Yes that word suited her nicely. Ami, however, still had her eyes glued to the screen in peak concentration, her back curving in a low arch and nose only a couple inches from the lit glass. Her finger clicked the mouse without acknowledgement towards Usagi, confirming that she hadn't even noticed her. "Ami?" Usagi scooted closer, noticing how solid emerald green Ami's eyes appeared. Weren't they turquoise before? Suddenly, her face seemed to wake from her trance, just a bit, but enough to allow Usagi to feel comfortable approaching her. Ami drew her eyes from the screen and bent over to grab the pen from the arcade from the side pocket of her bag. "Ami-chan! You're using your pen! I've got mine too!" Usagi unhooked her own pale pink pen from her chest pocket of her uniform, holding it out with a childish grin on her face. Ami blinked, sitting a bit straighter and looking at Usagi for the first time. She squinted at the pen and seemed to give a small grin, her expression getting warmer by the second.

"Hello, Usagi-chan." She murmured either a dazed look, uncapping the pen without looking down. The bags under her eyes had become shadows that dug into her face, oils making her skin shine, the faint lines around her brows had drooped in an unhealthy curve to her chin, appearing to be much older than what Usagi knew her to be. Even her body had changed, looking wasted away and sallow as if she hadn't bothered to eat since the last time they saw each other. Nervously, Usagi looked her over, noting her obvious exhaustion and lack of care, wondering how such a lovely girl had become such a sickly being in such a short time.

"...Wanna get something to eat?" Usagi grinned nervously, still noting that her face had brightened at the sight of her, and the tiny touch of happiness that fringed on the edge of her friend's emotions. Gulping, Usagi returned the pen to her pocket and searched her face for an answer. For a second, Ami's eyes seemed to return to the shining aqua that they had been before, bright as day, on the verge of saying yes, but then, her grin fell as she contemplated the question. Her eyes fell to her lap, turning that emotionless green again, the same glazed over appearance that she had had when staring at the screen.

Usagi twisted her lips, as she watched Ami return her eyes to the screen where strings of numbers were laid out, incomprehensible to Usagi's mind yet must have been simple, for the mouse clicked and it moved to the next question.

"I'm sorry, but I am very busy right now." Ami replied monotonously, her back making its way into her signature slump.

Usagi stood there, stunned, not only at her friend's refusal, but also in fear in the way she looked almost hypnotized by whatever studies she did on the computer.

That's why I don't do homework. Usagi decided, politely backing away from the statuesque Ami.

Luna bounded from her bag, making it swing and feel too light all of the sudden, Usagi was not at all surprised, for Luna had the habit of jumping out at all of the wrong times, her behavior had now become a fact of life. Kneeling down, she discreetly patted Luna on the head, a safe distance from any possible eavesdroppers.

"Luna..." Usagi breathed behind her hand, "what happened to Ami-chan?" Luna grew as determined as a cat could look, her crescent patch glowing for a second as she spoke.

"She did look a bit strange, turning you down in such a hurry... I'll definitely have to check up on that," Her voice wobbled as she raised her paw, pretending to bat at her face.

"I mean, it's only math!" Usagi giggled, fingers dropping in absurd laughter. Luna could only lick her paw and pretend to be a mindless beast, submissive under human power, although she hated every second of it.

They continued to observe Ami, although nothing much happened, the only movement being the slide of a mouse or the low, yet steady rise and fall of Ami's test as she became even more absorbed into that addictive program of hers.

Seven

"No enrollment fee required! The Crystal Seminar! Open to all! Join now and get highs marks on exams! Have fun while studying with our new PC learning program!" The woman raised a fan of brochures, a saleswoman' grin stretched onto her face, fake yet pleasant to see. She waved the pamphlets around in her left hand, another huge stack of thin, plastic boxes piled in her right as she called repetitive words out, putting extra emphasis on "higher marks" and "fun."

Usagi glanced over at the group of people that conjugated at the common point, walking away with heads bowed over a slip of paper. Two girls who walked hand in hand were offered the package but politely refused, the wavy, aqua haired one giving a curt shake of her head before continuing on ward with her glaring girlfriend. The woman sneered at the two of them as they continued on, wiping sweat from her brow in exhaustion before regaining her ageless mannerisms. Usagi groaned at the thought of having to do more work than she already had, although she never finished her homework. Luna, however perked up, straying from her side to get a better look.

"What is it?" Usagi asked, retracing her steps back to where Luna stood. She watched the woman in her impeccable suit of dulled pinks that complemented her rosy hair and heavily painted lips. She had a noticeable face, sharp and high- cheekboned, beautiful in a strangely threatening way. They moved closer, maneuvering around the swarm of people and trying to hear what she shouted out to the passing pedestrians.

"Crystal Seminar! Limited time, free enrollment!" Her voice boomed over the rumbling cars and jabber of others, clear and cool, giving off an intellectual flair. The woman eyed Usagi and came closer, her heels clicking dangerously on the concrete. She whipped out a brochure, sliding a plastic box underneath and held it forward, a hinting glow to her cherry red eyes as she stared at her.

"This is our new program, give it a try." The smooth tone rolled sweetly over her ears, reaching into her brain and manipulating her thoughts into nothingness. Usagi shrugged, unknowing of how else to react and quickly grabbed the set, nodding politely without a word as the woman brushed by again to stand by her building.

Usagi glanced nervously at Luna, she gave a briefly encouraging look before continuing happily along the road home. She stepped to the side and slipped the disk holder into the side pocket of the bag, unfolding the shiny paper that squeaked against her sweaty fingers. The brochure was colorful and neatly organized, squares of text with various titles and accompanying photos of graduation students and teachers of all ages grinning up at her from the page. To Usagi's delight, Ami's kind face was featured on page three, an entire column dedicated to her achievements, having the highest ranking scores in the country, plus a gloating sentence here and there about how she happened to be enrolled at the Crystal Seminar. After reading Ami's section, Usagi realized just how artificial it sounded and she soon declared it rubbish.

"This sounds like torture!" She retorted after reading the paragraph on how they "combine fun and learning to create a satisfactory experience for both the parents and the student." With an angry sigh, Usagi balanced her bag on her elbow while using both hands to crumple the pamphlet. She grunted and tossed the wadded ball over her shoulder, not caring about the incredulous expression on Luna's furry face or the contrived methods of the Crystal Seminar.

"Don't litter!" Luna screeched. With a sour look, Usagi ignored her, squeezing the handles of her bag, horrified at what that school had done with her once healthy, and happy friend, recalling the sickly color that Ami's cheeks had become from its once blotchy blush against freckled cheekbones, the way she slumped unnaturally low and was utterly obsessed with studying. She clenched her teeth and continued down the path, listening for the thump of paper as it hit the ground.

Suddenly, a low, masculine voice spoke from behind, elegant yet obviously annoyed.

"Hey! Bun head!" She flipped around, expression convulsing as she had a strange sense of deja- vu. It was the man from a couple days ago, tall and lean with floppy black hair and slanted eyes that were partially covered by brown- tinted shades. This time, he was dressed in simple school uniform, white lapels and red vest, matching with a dull green pants that looked newly ironed. His mouth was clenched with aggravation, long and curving down in a permanent frown as he clutched the crinkled paper.

"I am not a trash can!" He growled, stepping closer to her.

Usagi flushed red, sweat leaping to the surface of her skin as she squared her shoulders to face him head on.

"You again!" She seemed to shout, her voice coming out too high pitched for her taste. Pinching her lips tight, she readied herself to speak again, but before she got the chance, the man leaned over to her, teeth clenched.

"Your cat was talking, wasn't it." He almost whispered it, low enough for others to not hear, but in a growls tone that made her duck behind her bag. Her stomach dropped into her feet, mouth opening and closing stupidly as if she were a fish out of water. He continued to lean closer, a faint outline of his eyes squinting behind the sunglasses.

"What...!" She squeaked, trying to compose herself. "No...way!" Usagi backed up, forcing an amused smile on her face although she was not nearly a good enough actor to fool him. The corner of the man's lips twitched up as he straightened himself, still observing her creepily, but now from a safe distance.

"Sorry, I really should be going." Usagi ducked her head in acknowledgment, awkwardly backing away.

As she swiftly made her way across the sidewalk, her eyes still bulging and heart racing, she felt Luna patter along side her. She had felt so exposed in that moment, it had scared her more than much else that had been experienced in human form. Why do I keep bumping into him? She chastised herself in her head, trying to make it a goal to never throw paper over her shoulder again.

Red sunlight beamed through the window- warm and red, casting textured shadows onto the floor of the tiny room. Even the white walls appeared to be orange as the last remaining drop of sun descended over the city, a crisp line of shadow running along the length of the wall- dropping swiftly as dusk arrived. Usagi hummed as she dropped her bags and positioned herself, criss-cross on the edge of her bed, leaning over an awkward distance to reach her outdated laptop. Once being her dad's, Usagi never used it because her father's email was still connected, making him able to access all of her recent history. What was the point of having a laptop if it wasn't sealed off from the rest of the world?

Luna pawed open her bag that had been carelessly tossed against the wall, managing to grip the plastic disk case between her tiny jaws. Dragging the case across the room, she was able to crawl up the sheets, her claws giving the only bit of purchase against the cotton bedspread, Usagi's smell emanating disgustingly from it. Usagi stabbed her finger on the power button, waiting for the old thing to boot back up after being dormant for so many months. Thankfully, it was charged up just enough to allow them to slip the disk in and take a peek into what the students of the Crystal Seminar were studying.

"Huh?" Usagi scrunched her brows to together, squinting at the screen in confusion. Luna sat up, her eyes flitting back and forth as she read the text. It had downloaded permanently into the laptop's files, a white background with simple calibri font. Unfortunately, neither of them were skilled enough to make sense of any of the numbers of letters that were passing by as she scrolled through.

"Maybe the answer behind their strange reactions is hidden in the answers to the questions. It might be some some sort of code..." Luna muttered, her tail twitching in annoyance.

"No," Usagi spoke bitterly. "This just looks like normal math questions." Her fingers traced into the shimmering metal of the computer, trying to think of what to do next. "Huh, I thought there was something special about this disk. Whether to do with this enemy, or a way to get better grades." She sighed, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. "I guess I'm the only magical thing around here."

"Usagi!" Luna scolded. "Just because you are Sailor Moon does not give you any reason to brag! There has to be some other version of this disk that makes them act so strange." Usagi perked up, hardly hearing anything that Luna had just said, encompassed in her own thoughts.

"How about if I press random keys!" She grinned, bouncing on the worn springs of the mattress. Luna glared angrily at her.

"Usagi-" Luna started, but was interrupted by the clicking of fingers against several keys at once, clattering noisily. Usagi giggled, almost looking as if she could actually type that fast, although she could only accomplish a slow chicken peck. Wiping her face of that insane smile, she screwed her face up in determination, pretending that she was a secret spy who was hacking through government security. Luna did her best to roll her eyes, glancing up at her, face filled with disappointment and unsurprise.

Suddenly, the computer flashed from white and back to black, beeping three times like a truck backing up. A text box flickered unsteadily onto the middle of the screen, rimmed with black and yellow and looking like an emergency warning. Inside the box were a series of numbers similar to the math problems, in fact, Usagi even recognized one of them, between the numbers were the words: retrieve-the-legendary-silver-crystal. They both sprang forward in their seats, reading the words as they flashed by with wide eyes and racing minds. As the lines of text scrolled, more words appeared, sandwiched between algebraic equations. Sacrifice-yourself-to-our-great-ruler. Usagi felt her chest squeeze in fear, her heart thudding against her ribs like the strike of a drum. Information- of-Legendary-Silver-Crystal. S-A-C-R-I-F-I-C-E.

The last word stood out sharply, filling the her with blinding terror as the screen flickered to black again. "It's...a brainwashing program." Luna decided, her tiny voice even warbling more than usual. Before Luna had a chance to blink her slit-pupil eyes, Usagi slammed her laptop shut without bothering to remove the disk and faced fer cat, eyes wide and watery with desperation.

"We have to save Ami-chan!"

Eight

Usagi huddled behind the Crystal Seminar, shrouded in shadow that was cast by the falling sun that glowed red on the opposite side of the building. The alleyway was fairly dark, pastel graffiti popping out against the black background, bits of chewed gum and cigarettes dropped in the center of the pathway. Usagi tried to avoid these spots, her feet dancing over the gum and disgusting spit wads. It had the faint smell of tobacco and ash mixed with unnatural chemicals, they assaulted her nose and made her screw up her face in disgust. The chilled air made her knee-length, yellow tails fly backwards and disappearing behind the corner, careful not to drag onto the rancid ground. She finally reached a semi-clean place a third of the way down the alleyway, crouching and leaning her hand against the cement wall. A yellow strip of light ascended from the left side, proving once again that night was falling and her parents would soon be looking for her- if they already haven't discovered her disappearance.

"What should we do now?" She hissed, facing Luna. The cat paced in circles, bowing her head to the ground in thought.

"Here, use your pen from the arcade." Luna flipped around again, staring at her sternly with those fierce, ruby eyes. Raising her brows, Usagi moved her hand to her chest pocket, fingering the embellished transformation stick that she had gotten from the arcade not long ago.

"You mean this?" At first she thought that Luna meant for her to transform into Sailor Moon, but something in that almost human-like expression told her that it was something else. She raised her brows in surprise, awaiting instruction.

"Yes," Luna nodded glancing around the alley nervously. "Your Moon stick isn't just for turning into Sailor Moon. Try transforming into anyone you wish with, 'Moon Power Change.'" She backed away, claws extending unconsciously with nervousness. Leaping to her feet, Usagi hardly hesitated to show off her newly found powers. She unclipped the pen and threw her arm into the air without an ounce of doubt, loudly whispering,

"Moon Power!" She thought for a second, thinking over Luna's vague instructions and realizing that she had no clue how to do this job. After a moment, she threw her pen into the dark, her dramatic side showing too plainly. It spun in the air in a halo of pink and gold, miraculously, she caught it as Usagi began to say the first words that came to mind.

"Change me into a doctor!" She kept her voice from vibrating so that it couldn't be heard from afar. Suddenly, a thin ring of golden light peppered on the tips of her shoes, making its way up her body rapidly. The preppy white socks and black buckle shoes vanished, in their place were white, low-heeled and strapless, not bad for running, while also stylish. As the light revolved around her middle, the knee-length skirt and white top morphed into a businesslike dress, the same shade of pink as her moon stick and silky to the touch. Buttons lay over her chest and buckled to the side with elastic straps, a blank name-tag clipped on the right. The transformation finished with the tips of her buns, inserting an unnecessary ballpoint pen on the left, poking out annoyingly with irrelevance to the plot line. The moon stick was tucked safely in the pocket of a small medical bag, packed with swabs of disinfectant, aspirin and bandages, the universal medical cross printed on both sides.

Usagi bounced with excitement, her low heels clattering without care on the dirty ground, face stretching with unrefrainable glee. She smoothed her hands down the silky fabric that fitted over her body, everything feeling so undeniably real. Without a thought, or waiting for Luna, Usagi raced around the corner, clutching the nurses bag at her side.

"Wait!" Luna called with exasperation, padding along after her. They ducked behind a truck, Luna trying to get a chance to say something, although she was soon hushed as Usagi darted out from behind the vehicle, raising her arms and donning a desperate expression.

"Excuse me!" She cried at the two guards stationed outside the glass double doors of the Crystal Seminar. They were both broad shouldered and emotionless, their uniforms deep blue and extremely similar to a police officer's. Their heads moved in synchrony, facing her and giving off a strong air of superiority, jaws jutting out and eyes shadowed and low. Usagi could hardly differentiate their faces. "Excuse me..." She halted at the bottom of the steps, out of breath and holding her thighs for support, sending out a pleading look as she peered up at the two of them. They were unfazed by her apparent urgency, asking her silently what she was doing here. Gasping for air, Usagi tried to gather the sense of authority, nodding her head briskly. "I've received an emergency call. Please permit me to enter." After a mere second of silence, Usagi pushed her way past hem and through the double doors, letting the warm air from inside fill her up. The guard on the right moved to grab her arm, but the other grunted and shook his head meaningfully.

Thank goodness.

Ami's eyes scanned the numbers before her, immediately clicking the answer and skipping to the next question where she did the same. Her brain strained as the complicated equations buzzed through her mind and automatically deciphered the answer with speed that no other could accomplish. It took a good five seconds to do each question but no matter how fast, it would never be fast enough.

Her eyes glazed over and became a solid moss green, not a drop of life left in them as they reflected the white light of the computer screen, flicking back and forth. Her body hunched limply over the desk, her greasy strands of hair tumbling over each eye like a curtain. The teacher loomed behind her, her very presence emanating a fierce frustration that felt contagious.

"This disk was made especially for you." Her tone was smooth and manipulative, spiked with poisonous tension. "Why can't you solve them faster?"

If the square root of x+a+b is three, what is x? Swallowing hard, Ami was quick to calculate, and yet the woman that stood behind was not satisfied even by the ding in response to her choosing correctly. She gave a low growl, her heel tapping impatiently on the carpet and most likely scuffing it up badly. Now, Ami's gaze was firmly set upon the next problem, but if she had bothered to turn around and break through the brainwashing, she would not have seen the assumed expression on an unsatisfied person, but instead, the one that you would find on the one most victorious. A maliciously insane grin entered into her face, the sharply defined corners of her lips raised, thin eyebrows raising in heinous delight. Her scarlet eyes were drawn to the edge of the study carrel where a fat, sky-blue pen was resting in the mouse pad. Her pupils shrunk as she glared at it, heel tapping faster than ever and she uncrossed her arms to pick it up.

"What is this." She muttered, Ami hardly taking her eyes from the screen, and yet out of the corner of her eye, she saw a slender hand pluck it up from where it had rested comfortably by her elbow. The tension in the air rose incredibly high, and Ami was forced to pry her glassy eyes from the algebra to stare dazedly at her instructor. The sight of the lovely embellished pen sent her brain into a flurry of awakening confusion. A burst of memory rebounded back to her of Usagi's annoyingly high, yet sweet voice and the way she had called her "Ami" rather than the standard "Mizuno" for those who were simply acquaintances. The particular and endearing tone that she had told her that her smile was beautiful, and how it had seemed so easy and non-draining to speak to. Her sudden recall was interrupted by the teacher's suddenly shrill voice that echoed off Ami's skull.

"Don't get distractions like this, you need to focus on your studies!" Ami gazed at her wearily like an old drunk, her thoughts slowly processing the events like trying to swim in syrup. As the instructor glared, she raised the pen and threw it across the room, her face tightening with intensified, and unnecessary, rage. It flew n a spiraling arc across the room and clattered against the far wall, thankfully closer to breaking the wall than the pen itself. Immediately, Ami sat up, grasping the concept that she had to get it back, if only because of the lovely words that it brought back into her dizzy brain. Gripping the edge of the table, she managed to set her vision upon the destination and raise herself from the chair, shaking slightly. The teacher grabbed her elbow, nails ripping through the sleeve of her her grey school hoodie. "Wait, Mizuno!" She snarled, voice dense with indignation, trying to push her back into the chair.

Suddenly, a frightened squeal came from the doorway, and yet it was like an angel's song, making them both freeze in place.

"Ami!" It was Usagi, dressed in a nurses uniform, but most definitely her. She skidded into the room, one of her yellow whips of hair wrapping momentarily around the doorframe. Her face was determined, yet clearly frightened, the wheezes making her thin shoulders shake pathetically. The cat with the moon spot on its head was making its way out of the first aid bag that was looped around an elbow, swaying dizzily as she leapt to the ground. Luna snatched the pen from the corner and pranced to where Ami ogled, dropping it at her feet.

The teacher scuffed her heels on the ground like a charging bill, releasing Ami without a thought.

"Who are you!?" She pushed Ami away and neared Usagi, dangerously close now, although Ami could barely process her own thoughts let alone the crazed situation around her. She fell against the wall, mouth hanging as Usagi screwed up her face,

"Im...a...doctor!" She exclaimed, pointing to her blank name badge. Realizing that this would not sate this insane teacher, her expression turned fierce again. "Ami! Do not be tricked by this excuse of a teacher!" They made eye contact, green meeting blue. "She is brainwashing you!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" The woman barked, eyes blazing.

Usagi finally gave a triumphant smile, facing the teacher again. "I've checked up on your disk, and I know how it has that brain-messing-up-thingy in it." She tried to say the words dramatically, but it didn't quite work the intended way. Luna scowled up at her, the moon symbol glowing faintly upon her head.

Out of the blue, the teacher let out a low sound from the back of her throat that seemed to reverberate throughout the entire room. Her face turned a sickly shade of greenish grey, the whites of her eyes turning just as ruby-red as her irises. Usagi's eyes grew as big as dinner plates, stumbling back as she watched the teeth elongate and hair grow from roots out into a frizzy, bulging mess of white. Even her hand expanded till animal-like, and claws shoot from their tips, clean and glittering, ready to use. As the former teacher transformed, a swirl of white squares rippled around her body like the signaling lines on roads- sheets of paper, a soft, lime green glow emerging from everywhere at once. Her face was cracked and deformed like a dead rat, every bit of the expression to the brim with rage.

Usagi crept backwards in fear with her arms crossed protectively over her chest, eyes glued to the deranged figure before her. Ami assumed that it was but a dream and observed quietly from a distance, rolling the pen absentmindedly between her fingers. The two seemed to have forgotten her, and that was just fine with her, but if this is all a dream, she considered, then it must be a lucid dream, which means I can make anything I want to happen.

"Usagi!" Luna screamed over the whir of paper. Yes. definitely a dream. "Transform into Sailor Moon!" Usagi's eyes drew back to where Luna and Ami stood, still petrified with fear.

"In front of Ami?" She asked, bewildered and too distracted. Luna waved her paw, tail whipping back and forth with impatience.

""It's fine! Hurry and transform!" Luna's voice was stern and general-like, she could have easily commanded an army with few words- although she would need to give quite a bit of explanation. Ami's gaze darted back and forth, trying to imagine what her unconscious self was imagining. Usagi nodded firmly, removing from the first-aid bag a small pendant that was too far away to see properly. She raised it into the air and shouted,

"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" The pendant glowed a pure, white light that was hard to look at without squinting, it shimmed as it traveled down to settle on her chest that had become clear of color and was now a black hole in the shape of Usagi. Red ribbons bloomed from the brooch, tumbling around in a tornado around her body, getting tighter until the were sucked away to reveal a white under suit that fitted over her body perfectly. Color and volume returned as she was now clothed, a blue lapel sprouting over her back and neck as a full, red bow bubbled from her chest. Every loose hair blew wildly as she transformed, gloves wrapping around her forearms, red boots covering up to her thighs as her eyes closed blissfully. Her pigtails twirled behind as if air, in each of the buns upon her head, a red crystal embedded itself inside, shimmering as bright as fire. Finally, a sapphire skirt blossomed at her hipbones, twirling in a whorl of color and beauty to cover the wrappings beneath. As a finishing touch, a stone set in gold grew from the center of her forehead, expanding at the ends to create a golden tiara that disappeared beneath her fluttering hairline. Her whole body shone, the crown as the brightest as she opened her eyes, now looking more confident than ever.

"I am the Pretty Guardian in a Sailor Suit." She spoke with a strange elegance that she did not possess before, flaired with dignity and determination. "Guardian of Love and Justice." Her arms crossed in a threateningly, a single finger pointed directly at the beast before her. "Sailor Moon! And now, In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!" She shouted these words last, filled with pride and without fear. Taking a step forward, she glared at the monster that took shape before her, not even bothering to take a defensive stance because this girl was not afraid anymore. "You took advantage of student's pure ambition! I will not allow you to touch my friend any more!" Ami was too stunned to move, for a moment, her thought sped up and she felt everything come into clearer view, every sense magnified by a hundred. The scents of ashes, parchment and that of a sweet rose from Usagi's direction. She suddenly became aware of the fact that her legs were barely supporting her as she huddled by the wall. Her eyes cleared and brain restored her previous brilliance and lightning quick comprehension as she realized that this was not just a dream. Ami's heartbeat spiked all of the sudden, a wave of dizziness washing over her as she collapsed against the wall, unable to look away from the scene unfolding. Usagi glanced over, realizing with a mere glance that she had broken the brainwashing and now knew her true identity.

"Ami! Get out of here! Don't mind-" Her voice barely registered into her ears before a roar erupted from the side where the teacher had finished transforming, the swirl of white squares blurring around her.

"Don't get in my way." The beast rotated its head a near 180 degrees, its eyes burning scarlet. Usagi -or Sailor Moon- shrieked and ducked behind the desk, drawing its attention back to her with startling ferocity. A sheet of paper shot out of line, knife-like, almost chopping off one of her blonde buns as she skittered out of the way. Three more white blades embedded themselves deep into the study carrel, whizzing faster than a bullet, only inches away from where Usagi had been standing seconds ago. Sailor Moon whimpered, tears budding at the corners of her eyes as she let out a scream like no other. It shattered the glass on the opposite wall, a five story breeze blowing the glass inward. Thankfully, there were not many windows but unfortunately, the shards nor screaming made no effect on the monster whatsoever. Ami ducked low, stuffing her fingers in her ears too late, her ears already ringing from the terrible, terrible cry. As the glass blew in, Ami tried to avoid it and accidentally fell to the floor, nearly dropping the pen that had gotten slippery with sweat. She cringed as the scream echoed in her ears, still being able to hear it's deafening pierce.

The monster cackled, unaffected by the outburst, it swung its arms around, arranging the knife paper in a line, ready to be fired. As they shot, each sheet wadded up in midair, becoming tightly packed bullets rather than razors. Sailor Moon's eyes widened as she tried to protect herself behind the desk, fumbling blindly with her tiara. A bullet caught her arm, ripping a hole on her pure-white glove. Another shot too close to her neck, hitting the back wall and bouncing only to hit her dully in the back. She cried out, unable to get the chance to defend herself, Ami feeling too stunned and weak to help. Then, a flurry of vertical paper slammed her against the wall, pinning her there rather than slicing her open. Sailor Moon cried out her body vaguely outlined in the plaster of papers that continued to bombard. The monster's claws lengthened, glimmering like new needles, like the eyes as it crept closer. Ami picked herself up shakily, her mouth working and trying to form her name. "Usagi..." It was unheard over the crumpling and cackles, although she could taste the name clearly in her mouth.

The beast snarled, teeth ripping into its own lip and spraying fluorescent blood onto the carpet.

"I will send you to your precious heaven soon."

Nine

Ami watched, paralyzed by fear as the beat crept closer to Usagi who was pinned against the wall. Sailor Moon screamed, not as a defense like she had done before, but out of pure fear, tossing her head to each side in attempt to rip the restraining sheets off. The monster's flabby grey skin rippled in the breeze that blew in from the far wall when the glass had shattered. Its wicked sharp teeth had strings of saliva hanging from each of its bucked fangs, making it more menacing than ever.

"No!" STOP!" Ami found her voice, it ripped from her throat, cracking and too guttural to be recognized as her, but Usagi new. Sailor Moon halted her cries and stared in confusion and almost terror at Ami. Even the monster halted to turn its smoking eyes at her, its claws retracting just a tiny bit. Ami reached out the arm that didn't hold the pen, staggering closer and doing anything she could to stop the monster. Her mind raced over the possibilities, trying to sort through to find the most logical response as her feet barely made it across the room.

Suddenly, she realized what the both of them stared in such awe, because from the top of her vision, she could make out a glow emitted from over her, a faint shine that was difficult to see. The first occurring thought was that her hair was on fire, but it was now obvious that this was something far different. She stopped, bringing her fingers to her forehead where the warm glow felt centered, right away, she felt grooves form into her skin. Ami had learned braille at age five and knew how to accurately decipher shapes beneath her fingers, but this was not braille. The symbol seemed to be carved into her forehead, dipping in circularly and tracing out before coming to a arrow point. She gaped, feeling the tender skin around the spot and the warmth that came from deep inside her. The tip of the pen that was rested at her side scorched, almost dropping it, she raised it to eye level and held it on the handle where it was a comfortable temperature. Just like her the mark upon her head, the crystal in the center began to glow a cool blue- like the hottest of fires. A murmur room the corner drew her eyes away from the light.

"I knew it." Luna's eyes widened, her silky fur shimmering and casting a long shadow across the floor. Nodding, her awed expression turned determined, "Ami! Repeat after me." Ami drew back aghast that she had just spoken. It was against all forms of logic and science, she had not studied on how to react if a cat spoke to you. "Hurry! Only you can save Sailor Moon." Luna shouted desperately as the attention of the monster's fell back to Usagi. "Mercury Power, Make Up!" Luna enunciated the words clearly so that Ami could remember them, although that was unnecessary, Ami could remember anything.

If this is a dream, I at least want to wake up feeling accomplished. She figured, taking back what she had decided previously because this. Cannot. Be. Real. Ignoring all rationalizations she raised the pen shouting at the top of her lungs,

"Mercury Power, Make Up!" Before she could finish the phrase, the pen became light in her hand, almost floating away if she had let go. It guided her hand in a arc, a misting of water flowing from its tip as it circled around her. The feeling was like taking a breath after holding for so long, a breeze of cool air on a stuffy day, or even rain after a drought. Her whole body tingled with emotion and the bombardment of sensations. She watched as the halo of mist that the pen had trailed turned to a ring of water, exploding and raining around her. The excess water clung to her bare skin and solidified to make a white outfit with blue collars. Knee-high boots grew around her legs, the same color as the lapels, light, Mediterranean blue with a hint of green. At the hipbones, a layered skirt erupted, rippling like a rock in a pond. A puffy blue bow burst from the center of her chest over the cleavage, a tiny azure pendant holding the adornment in place. Lastly, where the mark glowed upon her head, it suddenly burned until it felt like ice, a warm liquid substance molding around her forehead and becoming heavier. Her whole body seized up, and Ami gasped, feeling strength and power bubble in her veins, a faint flicker of a memory of a crystal palace on the moon... The words occurred to her without thinking, as if they had been lurking in her brain and the unearthly feeling of transforming had awakened that life that was buried under so much.

"I am the Pretty Guardian in a Sailor Suit." Her voice did not quaver as it once had, now tinged with courage that she had never felt before. Her hand whipped about, pointing at the monster and glaring with a strange delight is wishing for its murder. "Guardian of Love and Intelligence." She somehow knew these words, reoccurring to her as she spoke. "Sailor Mercury!" Placing her hands on her hips, she felt the silky fabric of her skirt and the magic that coursed beneath her skin, savoring every bit of it. Glaring at the beast, Ami raised her hand threateningly, "Douse yourself in water and repent!"

If I'm dreaming, why can I smell the sweat from the monster and feel the sting of icy air through the window? How come the light that shines on my head makes my eyes throb and Usagi's scream pierce my heart like a knife? Would I even have these self- conscious worries if this were a dream? And most of all, where did those words come from?

Ami gawked at herself for the unruly words that sprang from her lips, she had not trained herself to be like this and she was angry that all of that mental coaxing was put to waste. The outfit covered her completely, but was far too tight and shapely revealing for her taste, if she hadn't been completely focused on saving Usagi, she would have hidden behind a desk in shame. Besides, she didn't feel like Ami, she was Sailor Mercury.

Usagi shrieked, "Ami-chan is a Sailor Guardian?!" Her face went slack, seeming to have momentarily forgotten that she was being pelted and pinned to the wall with paper, claws poised to tear her throat only a couple yards away. "Yes!" She tried to salute but was held back. "You can be the brains of the both of us, I'll be the leader." Usagi winked flirtatiously, Ami could only blush, still stunned by the whole ordeal

"Time to fight back!" Luna loudly reminded sprinting forward to encourage Mercury into action. Something inside her was triggered, courage at maximum, strength renewed beyond anything she had ever experienced, and magic that she could feel sparking in her fingertips. Somehow, she knew exactly how to defend herself,

"Mercury Aqua Mist!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, the words somehow forcing a surge of concentrated energy from her palms, a flame shaped ball of water collected in her hands, writhing and fighting for escape. She drew her hands up and thrust it in the monsters direction, letting it disperse and shrouding the whole room in a thick blanket of mist. The burst of water had gone mostly to the monster which had most likely merely angered it, telling by the roar it gave, and the extras sending them into a cloud of white. Ami could hardly see through her own mist even though she was on the edges where the fog was lightest, barely making out Usagi's form, still stuck firmly to the wall.

"Sailor Moon! Finish it off!" Sailor Mercury screamed the name over the frustrated bellow of the monster, the words foreign to her tongue, and yet it felt eerily familiar.

"I can't!" Sailor Moon screeched, wriggling from behind the stack of sheets. The beast stumbled to the edge of the room, dangerously close to Ami in search of them both.

"Aha!" It rasped, moving towards from where Sailor Moon's voice came. In fear, Mercury grabbed Luna from her perch on the desk and plunged into the fog, unable to see a thing besides white and the feeling her hair and lashes dampening. Luna squirmed and leapt out of her hands, lost in the cloud. She heard the distinct chink of sheets of knife-sharp paper being ready to be shot, the cackle of the monster as it found its target again. In desperation, Mercury cried out, stumbling blindly towards the sound able to discern a muted shape only a couple feet away. The crack of papers being released pierced at Mercury's ears, she lunged forward, arms outstretched in attempt to grab hold of anybody in order to save or kill, depending on whom she happened to grab. A whizzing sound, much different than that of a paper in the air, cut through the shot, sending the line of sheets fluttering uselessly to the ground. As the fog cleared, Mercury could make out the figure closest to her that she assumed to be the monster, it was actually a tall, lean man facing the opposite direction with a flowing black cape and top hat. His arm was out, letting the cape cling to his arm to look like a bird about to take flight, black hair, as silky as Luna's, protruding from beneath the hat. Mercury tried to move around to see him better, still gaping and wondering how on earth he had gotten here, and why?

Usagi yelped and fell to the ground limply, the papers unsticking and fluttering down to brush her shoulders and legs. She peered up, eyes becoming huge with recognition of this strange man who had been conjured from the mist. He sprang to his feet silently, scooping Sailor Moon from the ground with the strange grace of an eagle, placing her on her feet again in a safer place across the room. Mercury did not feel anything that suggested that he was an enemy, nor that she needed to defend them from him in any form, she watched in horrified bemusement as he whispered a few words into the ear of a blushing Usagi, his back still facing Mercury. The only discernible words were "finish her," spoke in a strangely loving yet mournful tone. Sailor Moon nodded, her flushed face fading to her usual pink and puffy cheeks, a look of heroics crossing her face.

The beast was still stumbling in the thick of the cloud although it had began to dissipate at the edges, it snarled every once and awhile, flipping around in attempt to surprise them. Sailor Moon faced the monster, stepping away from the man who let himself slip away in the shadows, whirling his cape around and ducking into the dark cast in the shattered glass. Sailor Moon plucked the golden tiara from her head, raising it into the air until a yellow halo of light shone around it.

"Moon Tiara Boomerang!" She stretched her words long as she went through the enabling motions, it hovered in the air over her palm and became a razor sharp blade on the edges, spinning until it sang. She yanked her hand back and nearly chopped off her twin tail, releasing it and letting the tiara reverberate in its deadly hum through the air. With mouth dropped in awe, Mercury followed it with her eyes as it zoomed across the room and into the bank of white fog. It struck the blurry figure in the center with a gruesome thunk, jerking back suddenly and falling to the floor with a harsh roar that split the air. Mercury clutched her heart in remorse, wincing and eyes budding with tears. This was not the first time she had been the accomplice in killing a bad teacher, and the memories hit her like a train. The smell of singed hair wafted into her nose, the remains of the creature that had attacked them, nothing but dust now.

Sailor Moon gasped for breath, making her way towards Sailor Mercury in a stunned silence. Her tiara hovered back over to her, its thin edge dotted in blood and grain, it bumped her arm affectionately as she carefully placed it back on her head. They stared at each other for an awkward moment, Sailor Moon's mouth closing and opening dumbfoundedly.

"You're a Sailor Guardian?" Usagi gawked, a hint of excitement shining in her eyes. Mercury gave a wry smile, shrugging and looking her up and down and examining her scrapes that dribbled thinly over her pale skin. Of course it was a great surprise, but Ami had always been ready to accept the possible, seeing as she had been put through many strenuous and even impossible situations throughout her life. Plus, she had always dreamt of becoming a magical girl like in manga, saving the world with their mighty powers. She grinned sheepishly, leaning down to scoop up Luna who was sitting at her feet and stroking her fur, not knowing how else to react.

Suddenly, Sailor Moon gasped, flipping around in all directions with a desperate expression, she placed her gloved hands to her lips muttering, "Tuxedo Mask..." Ami listed her head in confusion, assuming that this "Tuxedo Mask" was the man that had saved her earlier. She glanced around the room, behind the doorway and into the cold black night of the fifth story that was exposed for all and clearly telling that he had jumped the distance. The shattered window blew in the ominous darkness that settled over the city, chilling them to their very bones.