ROAD TRIP
Chapter 8: "Too Good To Be True"
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.


Jun's first impulse was to bolt. Her second impulse was to stay where she was. The one she followed was the one that told her to stay put, stand her ground and see what this very handsome man wanted. He was tall for a Japanese but about average height to someone like her from the South American jungles. Of course, being short herself, just about anyone was tall. He had thick black hair and soft copper eyes and a mouth that smiled easily. His body was solidly built and draped in the latest fashions. This told her he had a bit of an ego, but the entire package spoke of confidence and an assurance in his place in life.

"Do you mind if I sit down here?" he asked. She nodded him to sit, but he was already sliding into the chair. "Tourist?"

"What makes you say that?" Jun asked, praying that her voice didn't quaver.

"You're clearly not Japanese," he smiled. "And the way you're dressed suggests that you're hiking in the mountains." His head cocked. "Am I right?"

"And why would I tell my secrets to a perfect stranger?" Jun asked, though there was no edge to the question.

"Forgive me. I'm Tendo Nakahara," he smiled again. He smiled easily. "And you?"

"Jun," she replied. "Actually I live in Crystal Tokyo. I'm just doing some sight-seeing on my way to Minami-Satsuma."

"That's beautiful country," he nodded. "How soon were you planning to leave?"

"Why?"

"Well, I was hoping I could spend a little time with you," he replied. "It's not often I get to see someone as beautiful and as exotic as you." He tilted his head again. "Is the green hair dyed?"

"No, it's genetic," Jun said self-consciously, smoothing her hair with her hand. She had given up her traditional Amazon headdress style for utility's sake during the trip and it flowed loosely below her shoulders. "I was caught in the chemical waste accident in Brasilia when I was a kid. I'm originally from Brasilia. Well, Colombia, actually, but I lived mostly in," and she realized she was rambling, "Brasilia."

Tendo's hand covered hers.

"I think it looks quite becoming," he said. "It adds to your exotic qualities. You look like a wild, free-spirited creature from the Amazon. It's quite eye-catching."

"I do?" Jun asked. She felt herself becoming entranced by this man.

"Do you have to go soon?" he asked. "If you can stay, I'd like to show you the sights of Koshu. I confess, they pale in comparison to Minami-Satsuma, but perhaps with the right company they can be just as enchanting."

The good girl Jun would have demurred, despite the trip-hammer beating of her heart and the sudden warmth she was feeling below her belt. The impulsive Jun of the jungle would accept, feeling that she would handle anything that went awry in order to gain a chance at excitement.

"I shouldn't," Jun murmured. "I barely know you."

"Then think of this as a chance to find out more about me as well as Koshu," he countered. Jun looked at him.

"OK," she grinned.


"I apologize, Haruka," Ami said, sitting at her desk in the infirmary. "It's been a very busy morning. I understand you wish to talk about Hotaru. Let me put your mind at ease. She came through the surgery in excellent condition and everything looks good for a full recovery."

"Good to hear," Haruka replied, exhaling a held breath. "But that's not why I wanted to meet with you."

"Oh?" Ami asked, intrigued.

"Yeah," Haruka began, then stopped. "Firefly wants to get back to working out as soon as she can, and, well, I kind of volunteered to be her coach. That's all right, isn't it? I'm not putting down your staff."

"Well, I would like to have an idea of what you plan to do to help her train," Ami ventured. "But if Hotaru is more comfortable training with you, I don't see a problem with it."

"Great!" Haruka grinned. "I was going to put her through some of the same stuff I did to train for sprinting and distance running. You know, lots of stretching, lots of cardio, maybe some mild weight training - - just to tone her. Don't want to turn her into a bodybuilder."

"That sounds fine," Ami nodded. "Once our physical therapist is done rehabilitating her Achilles injury, you can take over. Just remember not to let her overdo it. Hotaru is proving to be very single-minded about that. You're going to have to tell her to stop when necessary and mean it."

"Yeah, it'll be tough when she gets that pleading tone in her voice," Haruka grinned. "But I can do it."

"Fine," Ami smiled. "I can expect a written outline of your training regime in a few days then?"

"What, you mean," Haruka asked, "a list or something?"

"Yes. I have to know what you intend to have her do in order to assess each individual exercise and its effect on her condition and her recovery."

"Oh."

"Is that a problem?" Ami asked.

"Uh, no. No, I guess not." Haruka rose from her chair. "Hope you don't mind the spelling errors."

"I'll try to overlook them," Ami replied, not quite able to smother the grin on her face.


Quickly paying for her meal, Jun allowed herself to be escorted out to the front terrace by her new acquaintance. As they walked, she couldn't help thinking about how the other Amazons would flip out if they could see her now. Ves would take an instant dislike to Tendo and probably challenge him there in the terrace. Cere would look down her nose at him and find a hundred flaws. Palla-Palla would probably be intimidated by his charm and his presence, as she was around more mature people. And she, and the others, might sense the dangerousness of this man, like Jun did.

Her impression of him wasn't that he was violent or sinister. But there was a barest hint of a predatory quality to him, a quality that, rather than repel her, interested her. It seems she was always attracted to the "bad boys". Quad had possessed that predatory quality, too.

Tendo was probably just out for a good time, seeking a way to charm her into bed. That was OK. If he was charming enough, she might agree.

"Oh!" Tendo exclaimed suddenly, bumping up against her. His weight nearly knocked her over, but Jun managed to keep her feet. His hands moved to steady herself, landing on her shoulder and her bottom. With some embarrassment, he quickly withdrew them when he'd regained his balance.

"Are you OK?" Jun asked.

"I tripped on the step," Tendo replied, a little shaken. Then he turned to her and smiled. "I guess I was too busy watching you to watch where I was going."

"Better be careful," Jun smiled. "You could get hurt that way."

"The reward is worth the risk," he volleyed back.

Then out of the corner of her eye, Jun saw a woman approaching, an instinct she had possessed in the jungle that never really went away. The woman was about her height, a little heavier, with long, silky jet black hair and fashionable, but low-cost clothing. Her face bore the demeanor of someone absolutely livid. There was no question that she was headed directly for them.

"What in the Hell do you think you're doing?" the woman screamed, violently shoving Tendo in the chest. The man stumbled back several steps and she kept pace. "Just who the Hell is this?"

"Mariko, it isn't what you think!" Tendo quickly alibied.

"You said you were on a sales call!" Mariko roared. "You said you had to work! That's why you couldn't come home and be with your wife and children!"

"Wife?" Jun gasped.

"I saw her at the restaurant!" Tendo told her quickly. "We're old acquaintances from the insurance game! We were catching up on old times!"

"Don't lie to me!" Mariko spat.

"Mariko, you've got the wrong idea!"

"How many times, Tendo?" Mariko demanded. "How many times are you going to do this to me?"

"Wait, you've done this before?" Jun goggled.

"SHUT UP!" Mariko snarled, whirling on Jun. "He'd be a more dedicated husband and father if it weren't for people like you running around, throwing yourselves at him! You probably led him on!"

"He came on to me!" Jun protested.

"Mariko, you're making a scene," Tendo said, grabbing for the woman's shoulders. But she violently shrugged him off.

"Get your hands off me!" Mariko fumed. "I've had it! My family was right about you! This is the end!"

"Mariko!" Tendo gasped.

"Look, I'm just going to let you two settle this . . ." Jun said. She began to back away.

"I'll settle this!" Mariko snapped. "I'll settle with you once and for all!"

And she pulled a dagger from the back of her skirt's waistband, its razor point aimed directly at Jun.


"Why isn't Ves-Ves studying her lessons!" Palla-Palla demanded - - loudly.

"Aw, get off me!" grumbled Ves as she searched the web for new vid-streams. "It's vacation break! Nobody studies during vacation break!"

"Jun-Jun did!" Palla-Palla shot back, her jaw jutting out.

"Well, Jun was a little goody two-shoes," Ves returned.

The silence caught Ves by surprise. Turning, she saw the look of deep hurt and shock on Palla-Palla's face, making her feel like a lower form of life in that uncanny way Palla-Palla had.

"You know what I mean," Ves muttered, looking away. "Jun don't know how to have fun anymore. The only reason she went out with me and the Princess last month was because of that band we were going to see. She's afraid to do anything exciting."

"Jun-Jun knows Ves-Ves thinks that way," Palla-Palla said thinly. It caused Ves to look at her again. "Jun-Jun doesn't like people thinking of her as scared and no fun. That's why Jun-Jun went away."

"You reading her mind again?" Ves asked, an eyebrow arched.

"Palla-Palla couldn't help it," the teen alibied. "Jun-Jun's thoughts were in her head before she could close it. Jun-Jun thinks people don't perspect her."

"Perspect? What the Hell does that mean?" Ves frowned. "You mean respect? I respect Jun!" She thought a moment. "Although I got to admit she was more fun before we all met Nehelenia. She was more free and easy. She wasn't afraid of messing up and getting all the straights mad at her."

"Ves-Ves doesn't care if the straights are mad at her," Palla-Palla nodded. "That's why Cere-Cere calls Ves-Ves an animal."

"Priss," muttered Ves.

"Ves-Ves, why is it wrong?" Palla-Palla asked.

"Why is what wrong?"

"Caring about whether the straights are mad at her," Palla-Palla asked innocently. "And who are the straights?"

"People who follow the rules and let other people shove them around," Ves replied. "They're not going to care what you do. They're going to look down on you no matter what. So that's why I don't care. And Jun shouldn't either." Ves sighed in frustration. "But she does. Which, I guess, is her choice to make. But she lets it run her life for her. That's the part that's wrong. You got to be you, and to Hell what other people think." Ves grew introspective. "Did Jun really take off because I thought she was hiding who she was?"

Palla-Palla nodded gravely.

"Damn," mumbled Ves. "I didn't hurt her, did I?"

"Palla-Palla's not sure."

"Man, I'm so dumb sometimes," Ves shook her head. "Maybe I ought to call her. You think?"

"Yes, Ves-Ves, you should call her," Palla-Palla nodded. "And then you should tell her you love her and you're very, very sorry."

"Hey, let's not go too far."

"And then you should study, so you won't be so dumb," Palla-Palla added.

"Kid, school can only do so much," Ves replied.


"Lady, put that thing away!" Jun barked, getting into the defensive crouch Makoto-Sensei had drilled into her head when she first started at the palace. "He isn't worth this!"

"I'll cut your face open so you can't seduce anyone else's husband!" Mariko hissed. Tendo looked on in horror.

The two combatants just faced off for several seconds. Jun wondered if Mariko was waiting for her to attack or flee. Finally Mariko lunged with the dagger. It was a wild lunge and easily evaded. If this was an example of her technique, Mariko was clearly an amateur at this. But an amateur armed with a dagger was still dangerous. Jun could tell that she was preparing to slash at her. Her hand went out and her henshin stick appeared.

"Juno Planet Power Make Up!" she called out.

To Mariko's amazement, and Tendo's, and the small crowd that had gathered to watch, Jun transformed before their eyes into Sailor Juno. Gasps of recognition went up through the crowd, for the Senshi of the fabled Princess Usagi were known throughout Japan. As the transformation took hold, Mariko and Tendo both continued to stare at this unexpected turn of events.

"Aqua Initiation!" Sailor Juno proclaimed.

Drawing water out of the air, Juno formed a ball of water about the size of a shot put. Then, using her utter control of the element, she fired it directly at Mariko. Before the woman could react, the dagger was knocked out of her hand. It spun into the air and landed on a decorative lawn about twenty feet away.

Immediately Mariko turned and ran for her life. Rather than satisfaction, Juno felt relief that the confrontation was over and no one had been physically hurt. Then she noticed Tendo was running, too, as if he were afraid she would turn on him next. It was an absurd notion, though for a moment she felt like it. As she watched him flee, a thought occurred to her: something had been hurt - - his marriage, in all probability.

"Serves him right," Juno muttered.

"Excuse me," came a male voice behind her. Juno turned and found a CDP officer standing there. "You're a Senshi with the Palace, aren't you?"

"Sailor Juno," she nodded.

"What's the situation here?" he inquired.

Juno sighed in disgust. "Just a date gone wrong," she replied.

After giving her statement to the CDP officer, Jun went back inside the inn. Bypassing the restaurant and the other amenities, the teen headed up to her room. While the bed had been nice, the scene at the restaurant had left a bad taste in her mouth. And it was after nine. Since she'd altered her destination from "somewhere over the horizon" to Minami-Satsuma, she was suddenly anxious to go. If she wanted to get to Shizuoka before dark, she had to get going. Camping out had reminded her of the old days in the Amazon, but the bed at the inn had reminded her of the creature comforts of the Crystal Palace and she had to concede she had become a domesticated animal.

"Besides, I don't want to run across anymore 'guardians of the wild' again," Jun chuckled to herself.

Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, Jun headed down to the desk to check out. The desk had an automated check in/check out terminal, for which Jun was grateful. Dressed as she was, she was leery of the suspicious looks she always seemed to inspire in the Japanese.

"Greetings," the terminal said in perfectly modulated, soothing Japanese. "How may I assist you?"

"Checking out," Jun answered and pressed her right index finger to the terminal. The terminal scanned her finger.

"Junelle Batista, room 121," the terminal reported. "Is this correct?"

"Yes." Jun had used her birth name reluctantly because she hadn't wanted to be recognized as a Crystal Tokyo senshi.

"Did you enjoy your stay, Batista-San?"

"Yes, it was very nice."

"Would you like us to message you about future specials or festivals?"

"No," she sighed.

"As you wish. Your total charge is ninety-six Crystal Credits. Please insert your transaction card in the slot on your right or touch your PDA to the screen." Crystal Credits were the currency for Japan and roughly eighty percent of the world, while people used electronic transfers or laser-encoded debit cards rather than paper currency in the thirtieth century.

Jun reached for her card. Her hand fished into the pocket on the back of her hiking shorts. It wasn't there. Her hand touched the bottom of the pocket and found it empty. Concerned, Jun tried her other pockets, both in her shorts and her shirt, but could find no trace of the card. Kneeling, she pulled off her backpack and began frantically searching through it.

"OK, Jun, keep calm," she told herself. The terminal in front of her blinked patiently. "You used it at breakfast to pay for your meal. Then you stuck it in your back pocket. Right, I remember doing that." She checked her back pocket again, on the slim hope that she had missed it. "Where is it? Did I lose it?"

"Ma'am?" a human representative of the inn approached and said. "Is there a problem?"

"My transaction card!" Jun exclaimed. "I think I lost it!"

And once more she got one of those suspicious looks, the ones she always detested.

Continued in Chapter 9