mbfanfic12 Episode 12:
A Tail of Discoveries

"What was that all about, Hitomi?" Allen asked, furtively glancing behind him. "How did she know my name? And what did she mean by 'the answer to your question is 'yes''? What did you ask her?"
"I asked her..." Hitomi hesitated. "I asked her if she knew what happened to me last year."
Allen froze. "You don't mean..."
"Yes. That's how she knew your name. She must have had some sort of insight on what happened..."
"But how can that be?"
"I don't know... but you wouldn't believe what she showed me... it was a pendant."
"Like yours?"
"Yes! Exactly like it. And she said that her grandmother gave it to her, and that it also swung one cycle a second, just like mine... but that's not all. Her pendant was a little different... because it opened up, and inside it was..." she paused. "was Van."
"Van?"
"A little figurine version of him... it was him, there was no doubt. He was sitting on some rocks in that red shirt and beige pants and... his wings were out."
"But how?"
"There's more." They rounded the corner and started up the many steps leading to the temple. "But it's something I should say in front of all the senshi."
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Yukari looked at the ground, tapping her foot impatiently as she sat on the main temple steps. Millerna sat near her, looking dazed. In between the women sat Naria and Eriya. Eriya was busy cleaning herself while Naria took a quick catnap.
Patience was not one of Yukari's strong points. She jumped up. "Where are they, where are they??" she paced, as if walking around would help answer her questions.
"I'm sure something must have held them up," the princess in her temple attire assured. As if on cue, Hitomi and Allen's bobbing heads appeared past the long stairway. "Here they are now."
Immediately, Yukari rushed up to her best friend.
"Where have you been?" she demanded angrily. Sensing friction, Allen decided to take a seat next to Millerna, kissing her hand in greeting before sitting down.
"I was at a friend's house." Hitomi stated simply.
"Oh, so that's more important than Sailor Senshi business??"
"I was there on Sailor Senshi business!!"
Hearing that seemed to mend Yukari's frazzled nerves a little, and sighed.
Swiftly, Hitomi walked over to the temple steps where Millerna, Allen,a nd the two cats were sitting.
"I have some interesting information," she said coyly. Yukari pursed her lips and joined her friends on the steps.
"Well, out with it already!" Eriya said impudently, licking her paw. Millerna looked at the green-eyed girl apologetically, excusing Eriya's boldness.
Shrugging it off, Hitomi filed through her duffel bag, trying to locate the object she had 'borrowed' from Haylee...
"Aha!" she sprung out a small object, and held it up for the others to see. It was a keychain of a girl with blue hair, blue eyes, and a blue outfit exactly like the senshis'.
"This," she introduced the item, "Is a keychain version of Sailor Mercury."
They gasped. She passed it to Yukari.
"How do you know this, Hitomi?" Millerna inquired, her deep purple eyes never straying from the keychain. "And where did you get it?"
"Oh, it isn't mine."
"Whose is it?"
"Haylee Graham's. She's a new girl who just moved here from America." she turned to Allen. "Mr. Schezar here has already met her."
"How does she have this keychain?" Yukari asked, passing the objectback to Hitomi for safekeeping.
"Apparently," began Hitomi, tossing the little Sailor Mercury doll up in the air, "Where she comes from, Sailor Mercury exists and battles evil quite frequently." she paused. "I have reason to believe that Haylee is Sailor Mercury."
"Before we jump to any rash conclusions," began Eriya sardonically, "Why don't we hear the proof that you have collected that gives you the crazy notion that this American girl is Sailor Mercury."
Millerna shot the cat a menacing glance, quite appalled by the feline's contempt towards the leader of the senshi.
"Well, for starters... she knows about Gaia. And what happened to me last year. She even had a pendant just like my old one... and inside the pendant was a little figurine version of him."
"Perhaps she was a Gaian, at one point? A Fanelian?" Suggested Allen lightly.
"No, I don't think so. This girl was clearly from the United States."
"Go on." urged Eriya, curling up into a comfy position. Naria appeared to be lost in sleep.
"She also looks like this Sailor Mercury. Allen's seen her, he can verify it." Allen nodded. "And Sailor Mercury was this girl's favourite senshi."
"So?" Eriya was skeptic. "Just because Sailor Mars is my favorite senshi doesn't mean that I am her!"
"Oh, quit being so whiney!" grumbled Millerna, shoving the cat's head downward to shut her up.
"But there's more, get this:" Hitomi said, holding eye contact with each of the senshi consecutively. "Her initials. Yukari, do you remember last year how we studied the periodic table in science class."
"Ugh." groaned Yukari, disgusted at the memory. "Yes."
"Do you remember what the symbol for Mercury was?" The other shook her head.
"It was 'Hg'. Those are Haylee's initials!!" she smiled, satisfied. Everyone appeared to be convinced now. Everyone, except Eriya, that is. For some reason, the cat continued to show her obvious taste to the girl. Hitomi wondered if she had accidentally stepped on her tail in a previous life.
"There was more..." Hitomi closed her eyes, trying to re-focus her thoughts. "What was it again?..........Oh yeah! The Crescent Moon Wand!"
At the mentioning of the item, Naria's ears perked up and she opened one eye.
"It was beeping!"
Eriya looked shocked. After a long moment, she decided that Hitomi was right, after all.
Naria, on the other hand wasn't convinced. She opened her mouth to speak. "Bu--"
"So this 'Haylee' is the next senshi?" Millerna said, getting to her feet and flattening her skirt.
"Bu--"
"That's right,:" nodded Hitomi.
"Bu--"
"I say we go over there right now and introduce ourselves!" Yukari exclaimed, following Millerna's influence.
"Bu--"
"Right!" said Allen.
After Millerna rapidly changed into her normal street clothes, the group, along with the yellowy-orange cat headed for Haylee's house.
"Wait!" Called Naria, lagging behind. They didn't seem to hear. Oh great, she thought to herself. I didn't get to explain that the beeping was a homing device in the wand... used to locate the next Crystal Carrier!
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"Well, Iolaus," said Haylee, stroking her dog's back. "What shall we do today?"
It was Tuesday on a lovely August day. The Scouts had decided that it would be best to confront Haylee about her secret identity when it was still light outside. The day before had transformed into night before the Senshi were able to go back to Haylee's.
"Perhaps a little ball in the park?" the aqua-haired girl suggested as she held up Iolaus's favourite chewed-up tennis ball. But the dog didn't seem to be interested. He was in "alert" mode, and was sniffing the air rapidly.
"What is it, boy?" she asked. Just then, Haylee saw 4 figures approaching her. She was not alarmed, however. The people bore happy looks on their faces, and most importantly, appeared to be following Hitomi.
"Hi Hitomiiii!" Haylee called, and waved. Hitomi and her "group" reached the girl sitting on her front porch. This provided Haylee with an excellent view of who was in Hitomi's company. She saw Allen, and refrained from turning her eyes into large hearts. She also saw Yukari (Oh, it's nice to see that they're still best friends, she commented silently) and another girl Hitomi's age or older, who had long raven-black hair. There was something very familiar about her, although Haylee couldn't put a name to her profile. "So, what can I do you for?" Haylee grinned a welcome.
"Haylee, I'd like you to meet Yukari Uchida. Yukari, Haylee." they exchanged polite smiles. "And this here to my right is.... Leina." again, the polite smiles, but this time, Haylee was a little less open as she tried to figure out who Leina was. It wasn't long before it came to her. She had seen enough episodes of Escaflowne, and felt stupid that she didn't notice it before.
"Millern--" and she stopped herself. Ahhhh stupid mouth with its stupid need to express thoughts openly!!
"Excuse me?" Leina eyed her carefully.
"Oh, he he." a sweatdrop appeared on Haylee's forehead. "You... erm... you look just like one of my old friends in the States." she said lamely. "See, her name was Natscha Miller, but everyone called her 'Millernat' for some reason...
"Anyway," she said hastily. "What brings you guys to this neck of the woods?"
"Haylee, do you have a minute?" Allen said carefully. "We have... urgent matters to discuss with you."
Hitomi could hear the faint beeping of the crescent wand in her bag.
Haylee turned pale. What kind of urgent matters? she wondered with worry. "Sure, come on in." she invited them.
"Thank you."
"Come on, Iolie!" Haylee called to her pup who was still on the porch. "Time to go inside ." but Iolaus didn't listen. Still focusing on whatever had first attracted his attention, he suddenly ran away from the house in a burst of speed.
"Iolaus!!" the girl shrieked. Her dog was never allowed out without a leash, in case he should lose his wayu in the strange new country. "Iolaus!!" She called again, more frantically. "Oh sh--"
"What's wrong, Haylee?" Hitomi asked.
"Iolaus just ran off. I'm sorry Hitomi, I'll be right back!" she dashed away in the direction of her lost dog.
Naria jumped up the steps of Haylee's house, finally catching up to the Senshi. She had overslept her catnap.
"Hit.....omi...." she panted, struggling to catch her breath.
"what is it, Naria?"
"I.... for..got.... to tell... you....about....wand..."
"Oh?"
"The... beep......ing indi...cates that.... a crystal.... carrier.... is near...by...."
"What???"
"So...."
"So Haylee is a crystal carrier?"
"Yes."
The others, hearing the commotion, rushed out.
"I have to go, Haylee's in danger! She's the 2nd Rainbow Crystal Carrier, and chances are, the NegaWorld is already after her!"
"I'm coming with you!" announced 'Leina'.
"Me too!" piped up Yukari.
"Me--"
"Ohhhh no you don't, Allen." said Hitomi sternly. "You wait here, in case Haylee comes back."
Grudgingly following orders, Allen plopped himself down on the front deck in wait. The other 3 ran off in search of their American acquaintance.

part 2 here
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"Iolaus!" called Haylee. "Where are you, boy?" she peered into a dark alleyway and heard a faint bark. "Iolaus!" without hesitation, Haylee bounded in.
"Aha, so there you are!" suddenly, a figure appeared up above Haylee. Her long silvery hair fell down her back in a ponytail and her eyes glowed red.
"You're from the Negaverse, aren't you?"Haylee spat.
"Not quite." said the woman, descending slowly. "The NegaWorld."
Haylee threw her hands up in the air. "Oh, great. First it's Sailor Mystic Moon, not Sailor Moon, then there's no Sailor Mercury, and now there's the person who appeared before me, telling me it's NegaWorld not Negaverse. Next you're going to tell me that your name isn't Zoicite."
The woman chuckled maliciously and took a menacing step towards Haylee, who faltered and fell. "No girl, it's not." she hissed. "It's Linaddua. You'll need to know that when you're serving the NegaWorld!" and with that, she brought out the Dark Crystal.
"'Serve you'?" Haylee said cynically. "I don't think so. What, am I a 'crystal carrier' or something? Destined to become a vulture with boxing gloves or something?" she laughed at the notion.
Damn it, she knows too much. With one swift blow, Linaddua knocked the poor girl unconscious. The Dark Crystal shone the beams onto Haylee's body.

"Quickly guys, this way!" Hitomi pointed towards the alleyway that Haylee had previously entered.
"I heard Linaddua's evil laugh!" declared Millerna.
"You're right." agreed Yukari. "It's ass-kicking time! Jupiter Power!"
"Mars Power!"
"Mystic Moon Prism Power!!"
Simutaneously, the girls transformed.

Linaddua was growing frustrated.
"Damn it, why isn't it working??" she demanded the empty alley. The beams from the dark crystal seemed to have no effect on the girl. "Unless...." Linaddua's eyes widened as she remembered the image that the dark crystal had projected. Of a girl and her dog. This girl and her dog. But why was the dog included in the picture? "Oh no... It's that stupid MUTT that has the crystal inside of him!" She was about to run off looking for the dog when she heard a voice.
"Stop right there!"
Linaddua turned to find 3 of the senshi, very much squished in the tight space.
"I am Sailor Mystic Moon and I order you to get away from that girl!"
"Hey Jupiter, you're flattening my leg!" Mars complained.
"Well Mars, you're doing an excellent job of twisting my arm!" Jupiter shot back.
"Can we stop fighting, please? Besides, I'M the one who's most likely to be flattened by you two!"
"Aren't we forgeting about something?"
"You're right! Jupiter... Thunder...."
"Ack, not here!"
"Way to fry us, Jupiter."
"Sorry."
"Quit moving your leg! I'm stuck!"
"Don't touch the hair!"
"Somebody get me outta heeeeere!!!"
"Good going, Jupiter, you just knocked out Mars!"
"Oh no! I'm so sorry!"
"She looks like she's coming to..."
"OoOg..... JUPITER!"
"Hey, no thwapping!!"
Linaddua rolled her eyes. "I don't have time for this." she vanished, in search of Iolaus. At this point, the senshi were so tangled up that they just fell over. Quickly, they "detransformed" and returned to Haylee's house, carrying the aqua-haired girl in their arms. They lay her in her bed (her mother wasn't home), and sat around her room waiting for her to regain consciousness.
Allen decided to head outside to look for Iolaus ("The poor girl's heart would be broken if her dog didn't return, and besides, I could use the fresh air.")
It seemed about 30 minutes before Eriya noticed something.
"Sister," she meowed to Naria. "Why isn't the wand reacting anymore?" at the comment, everyone from the wand to Haylee. Hitomi picked it up and held it over Haylee's head. Nothing.
"Hey, you don't suppose..." began Yukari. "Hitomi, when you first heard the wand beep, was the dog in the same room as you?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. You don't think--"
"Oh dear." Naria said. "I had no idea that it could be located in an animal, but I suppose it's quite possible. If that's the case, then we better head back out there."
"I'll stay behind." Millerna offered. "Her wound need attending to." she pointed to the swollen area on the girl's cheek.
Her eyes fluttered open. "Hitomi?" she said weakly. "Linaddua... she's... she's after Iolaus, isn't she. He's the one they want, not me, isn't he." she didn't wait for an answer. "Bring him home safely... Sailor Mystic Moon," she uttered the title under her breath before falling asleep.
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"The smell of the sea is beautiful..." sighed Allen, pausing at the shore to look out at the falling sun. "The sea in Asturia was also beautiful, perhaps even more goregeous than this." He closed his eyes, remembering the last time he had seen Asturia. That was when the bark echoed through the area.
"Iolaus?" Allen wondered, and turned around just in time to see the little mutt running down the shoreline. "Iolaus, hey, come back!" he rushed towards the little dog. Iolaus suddenly caught his foot on a pebble and fell forwards, injured on his hind leg. He whimpered at the pain. The knight Caeli was just about to help him when the familiar cackle was heard.
"Linaddua.." he glowered, and ducked behind a nearby tree just in time for the wicked woman to make her appearance.. right in front of Iolaus!
"Whassamatter, pooch?" Linaddua sneered at the pup. "Feel weak? Well no more! Welcome to the NegaWorld!!" and with that, she brought out her dark Crystal.
"He's the crystal carrier??" Allen was astonished. "Venus Caeli Power!" within seconds, he had transformed.
"Stop right there!" commanded the blond warrior.
"Who's there?" asked Linaddua, as if it wasn't obvious enough. Sailor V made the scene.
"I am Sailor Venus, champion of Love! That dog belongs to someone who loves him dearly, and on behalf of... of... that planet that I represent, I demand you release him!"
"Oh, I'm afraid that won't be possible," she sighed. "You see, this little canine is one of ours now." licking her lips, she raised her arm and Iolaus's orange Rainbow Crystal. Almost immediately, the dog was surrounded by a swirl of purple smoke. His weak yelp quickly turned into a very loud growl. The smoke cleared, and Iolaus was now an extremely savage wolf-man. His eyes glowed and he glanced in Sailor V's direction. He uttered a low ground and pounced... missing Sailor V by a few inches, but managing to rip his Caeli pants a little.
"Damnit, Iolaus!" the blond exclaimed. "These pants are really expensive!!"
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"Hurry up, Sailor Mystic Moon!" Naria urged the Senshi on. They ran towards the beach.
"How could you possibly fall asleep??" Eriya demanded angrily. "We were supposed to watch the girl, remember?? And now she's run off!"
"But at least we know where she's headed," volunteered Mars optimistically.
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Sailor Venus dodged another one of the wolfman's tackles, seeming helpless because he knew he would be unable to harm Haylee's dog. When it looked like there was no escape, a voice rang out.
"Iolaus, stop!!"
Venus looked up and saw none other than Haylee, standing a few meters away. Her plea seemed to have affected the wolfman, who perked up his ears and stared at her.
"Iolaus, please..." begged the aqua-haired girl, tears brimming in her eyes as she spoke in English. "Don't hurt Allen...Try to remember. Remember home, our old home? How we used to watch Escaflowne every Saturday, just you and me? Remember how you always liked Allen best, and every time he came on the scene, you wagged your tail? Remember... please..." the tears were flowing freely now. From the pocket of her baggy pants, she pulled out a chew-toy that was designed to look like the Knight Caeli. Cautiously, she approached the monster. "Remember this, boy? Your favorite toy..."
The wolfman gazed down at her with intense curiousity, and kept glancing at the toy. A flicker of memory passed through his eyes and he lowered his head down to hers.
At this point, the other Scouts had arrived on the scene and watched, waiting for what might happen next.
To everyone's surprise, the wolfman licked Haylee's face affectionately and barked like the puppy that he truly was.
"That's your cue, Sailor Mystic Moon." Jupiter said, tapping her friend on the shoulder.
"Moon.... Heeealing..... ACTIVATION!!" and with that, Iolaus resumed his everyday appearance and leaped into his mistresses awaiting arms.
"Damn you, Sailor Senshi!" hissed Linaddua. But then she grinned. "But you are foolish. You see, had you not been so distracted with that stupid creation of mine, you would have noticed that i am in possession of yet another Rainbow Crystal!"
"Oh no you're not!" came a deep voice. A stike of red struck Linaddua' hand and she dropped her treasure. Tuxedo Mask smiled triumphantly and snatched the crystal away, disappeared into the evening's light.
"Oh great, Wiseman isn't gonna like this!" growled Linaddua and disappeared from sight.
"Sailor Mystic Moon, did you see who got the crystal??" Naria bursted incredulously.
"Uh-huh..." was the dazed answer, as Hitomi evening-dreamed about her masked man. Naria gained a very decent-sized sweatdrop.
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Haylee cradled her dog protectively, and heard the Senshi coming towards her to see if she was alright. She looked up at Sailor Mystic Moon.
"Thank you, Hitomi, and Allen." she said, looking from the leader to Venus. See their shocked expressions as they wondered how they knew who they were, she added. "I guess I owe you all an explanation... about how I know about you being Sailor Senshi, and also... how I know about Gaia."
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The land was quiet when he came home. It always was when he returned. He was usually finished long before the people decided it was time to "hit the hay", but he couldn't risk returning right away. He might be found out, and then everything would be over. Everything.
Sighing, he climbed up the vine leading to his window and stealthily jumped onto the porch. He walked inside, careful not to wake any of the sleepers sharing the residence.
The small moon's light shone brightly against his back, outlining his features. A top hat, a stylish suit what opened at the front, a long flowing cape... and a mask to conceal his identity. No one knew who he was, and he intended to keep it that way. He looked down at the sparkling object in his gloved palm. It was beautiful, indeed. It was even more gorgeous when he held it in his hand, because it made him realize that this small orange crystal was bringing him one step closer to his goal.
The Rainbow Crystal shone a small yet brilliant light, casting its rays over his body. From the orange glow, his hat, tuxedo, cape and mask dissolved, leaving him standing in his everyday clothes. As he gazed out the window at the two moons in the sky, he brushed away his raven-black hair. Reaching under the light layer of his sleeveless red shirt, he pulled out a magenta pendant, a gift from his loved one, and thought of Hitomi.


Next time, on Sailor Mystic Moon:
The score so far is Linaddua-1, Tuxedo Mask-1, Sailor Senshi-0. Will the Scouts be able to even the odds? And what strange power does Merle's "love interest" hold? find out next time, in Fuzzy Foreseeing!

A/N: *gryn* a lot of you, judging by what is stated in a few of my reviews, guessed who Tuxedo Mask was long before this chapter was actually posted -_-''. Some of you were joking when you mentionned Van being Tuxedo Mask ("*pictures Allen in a Sailor Scout getup and Van in a Tuxedo* O_o") but honestly, I had it planned from the start that this was the way it would work out. I had been eagerly whipping through the chapters so I could write just that last bit there. ^_^ I'm just dying to write out a certain confrontation that takes place sometime in Chapter 16/Episode 14. *_*
Judging from my layout, there will probably be 24 chapters (22 eps) in total, including the epilogue.