I don't own Sailor Moon, nor did I create it. Naoko Takeuchi created Sailor Moon, this is just my alternate universe version, a sort of "If I created Sailor Moon" story...

Note: Any dialogue written like this, unless another language is specified, is in Japanese. Furthermore, any dialogue in Japanese will use Japanese naming convention, which puts family(last) name first, followed by given name.

CHAPTER 9: COMING CLEAN

NOVEMBER 22, 1986

Ikuko Tsukino picked the morning edition of The Orange County Register up off the driveway where the paperboy left it. She brought it into the house, and poured herself a cup of coffee with cream and sugar. She sat down with her coffee and the paper, just as her son Shingo sat down at the table, with a couple frozen waffles on a plate, topped with peanut butter and syrup, as well as a glass of Tang. While Ikuko was reading the Metro section, a photograph of Sailor Moon on the front page of the section(from a story about the battle the Sailor Soldiers had the day before during an event at Fullerton College) caught Shingo's eye. Just as Ikuko finished the story she was reading, she put the section down. May I see that section, please? Shingo asked.

You never read the Metro section, Ikuko said. You only read the comics and sports page.

A picture caught my eye, Shingo said. When Ikuko handed him the section, he unfolded it so he could see the whole picture of Sailor Moon, which was in the middle of the page.

A picture of what? Ikuko asked, as Shingo looked at the picture.

Her, Shingo said, pointing to the picture of Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon? Ikuko asked. I've heard about her, how she's joined Golden Hawk as protector of the Tri City area. Don't tell me you have a crush on her.

Not exactly, Shingo said, pointing at Sailor Moon's head in the picture, which was in color. From what few pictures of her people have managed to take, it's obvious that Sailor Moon's around 15-16 years old. Now look at her hairstyle and tell me how many blonde haired 16 year old girls do you know who wear their hair in that particular style.

You trying to tell me you think Sailor Moon is really Usagi? Ikuko asked. What makes you think Usagi is Sailor Moon?

This picture, for one, Shingo said. They say the camera never lies, and we have Sailor Moon, with her hair worn in the same style as Usagi. Another thing, Sailor Moon has been known to occasionally be accompanied by a black cat. Usagi adopted Luna around the time Sailor Moon first showed up, and Luna's a black cat. And why do you think Usagi would have named her Luna in the first place?

I never thought about it, Ikuko said.

You know what the name Luna means, don't you? Shingo asked.

Moon, Ikuko said, realizing that her son may be on to something.

And there are reports that the cat that accompanies Sailor Moon has the ability to speak, Shingo said. And the other night, I was going back to my room after using the bathroom, and I heard an unfamiliar voice coming from Usagi's bedroom. And another thing, you know who Golden Hawk is, right?

That superhero who first showed up just before Christmas last year, Ikuko said. What does he have to do with anything?

Golden Hawk has been known to come to the aid of Sailor Moon on occasion, Shingo said. And reports say the two of them act like they've known each other for a while, which means they know each other's secret identities. Anyways, you know Usagi's friend John? The guy who lives behind Tri City Park and drives the red Mustang convertible? Anyways, I hear his mom figured out that he's Golden Hawk.

What makes you think she knows who he is? Ikuko asked.

I know I have a crush on John's aunt Trish and not his mom, even though they're identical twins, Shingo said, but I know his mom has a good head on her shoulders. If anyone can figure out who Golden Hawk is, it's Caryn Frehley.

What's with all the noise? Usagi Tsukino said, coming down the stairs into the kitchen, followed by Luna. She grabbed a box of Meow Mix from the pantry, and poured some of it into Luna's bowl. I was trying to sleep.

It's almost 9:00, Ikuko said. You almost never sleep this late.

I was in the middle of a good dream, Usagi said. I was dreaming that Paul Stanley and I were making love on Waikiki Beach. Why don't you ever make this much noise when I have a dream where Freddy Krueger is about to carve me up like a Thanksgiving turkey?

Because you're too young for Paul Stanley, Ikuko said.

So what were the two of you jabbering about anyways? Usagi asked.

Why don't you tell us? Shingo asked. "Sailor Moon."

How long have you known? Usagi asked.

Just about five minutes, Shingo said, showing Usagi the picture of her in the paper. Since I saw this in this morning's paper.

I can't believe it, Usagi said. They didn't get my good side.

That's all you're concerned about? Ikuko asked.

I figured Shingo would figure it out eventually, Usagi said.

"You figured Shingo would figure out what eventually?" Kenji Tsukino asked, as he came down to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee with sugar.

"That Usagi's Sailor Moon," Shingo said.

"And why would you say Usagi's Sailor Moon?" Kenji asked.

"Because I am Sailor Moon," Usagi said.

"Take a look at today's paper," Shingo said, handing his father the section of the paper with the picture of Sailor Moon on the front. "Notice anything about her?"

"Well, she does have the same hairstyle as Usagi," Kenji said. "But that doesn't prove anything."

"We got Luna around the time Sailor Moon first showed up," Ikuko said. "And what do you think the word Luna means, anyways?"

"It means moon," Kenji said. "But the fact Usagi named the cat Luna doesn't really mean anything, it could have just been a coincidence."

"Even though Sailor Moon is sometimes accompanied by a black cat who can speak?" Ikuko asked.

"What does a talking cat have to do with anything?" Kenji asked.

"Because I'm the reason Usagi became Sailor Moon in the first place," Luna said.

"Did you put anything in my coffee?" Kenji asked. "I just heard the cat speak."

"Just the sugar you put in it," Ikuko said. "We have a talking cat, and our daughter is a superhero."

Meanwhile, at John McCoy's house, John was preparing for a rare Saturday off from his after school job at Cavern Records. His aunt Trish had made breakfast, she made scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, diced potatoes, gravy, and biscuits. John made himself a plate, with eggs, bacon, potatoes, and biscuits, putting gravy on his eggs and biscuits. He made himself a glass of Tang, along with a cup of coffee with sugar. "Any plans today?" Caryn Frehley, John's mom, asked.

"Not really," John said. "Have the day off, so I may go roller skating with Ami."

"She seems like a nice girl," Caryn said. "I would have expected you to date Usagi."

"We're friends," John said. "We tried the dating thing last year, remember? We decided we made better friends than lovers."

"Anyways," Caryn said, "I need to talk to you about something."

"I think I have an idea what you want to talk about," John said.

"You do?" Caryn asked.

"You're going to ask me if I'm Golden Hawk," John said.

"What makes you think that?" Caryn asked.

"Because I know you at least suspect I'm Golden Hawk," John said. "And you're right, I am."

"I was right," Caryn said. "I was right about you."

"I can't explain it," John said. "One day, I find I'm able to tap into this other dimension, which I call Hammerspace. I find it gives me superhuman strength, speed, and agility, grants me low level telekinesis, allows me to fire blasts of energy through my hands or channel them through my tonfas, gives me the power of flight, and allows me to teleport by entering the dimension, and exiting at my destination. I can also use the dimension to store items, such as my costume, tonfas, and staff. Speaking of my staff, I also got it there, I can transform it into any weapon I can think of."

"So why do you call the dimension Hammerspace, anyways?" Caryn asked.

"You know that gag in cartoons where a character seems to pull objects out of thin air?" John asked. "I read an article in some magazine a couple years ago, the author called the area where they actually pull the objects from Hammerspace. When I discovered my ability to tap into the dimension, it didn't have a name, I just gave it that name. Anyways, it was either that or Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogeryhwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, and Hammerspace is a lot easier to pronounce. But enough about that. I found I had these powers, and got the staff, I designed myself a costume, and became a superhero."

"You know I worry about you," Caryn said.

"I know," John said. "You always tell me that if you didn't worry, you'd get kicked out of the mother's union."

Meanwhile, across the street at the Mizuno household, Ami Mizuno was trying to think of just exactly how to tell her mother. Is something bothering you? Naoko Mizuno asked.

I have something I want to tell you, Ami said, But I don't know how to tell you.

Why don't you just come right out and tell me? Naoko asked.

Okay, here goes, Ami said. You've heard of Sailor Moon, and the other Sailor Soldiers, haven't you?

I've heard of them, Naoko said.

"Mercury Power, Make-Up!" Ami said, and was transformed into Sailor Mercury. "I figured this was the best way to tell you," Sailor Mercury said.

"This is a lot to take in," Naoko said

It was a lot to take in when I first became Sailor Mercury, Ami said.

At the Aino household, Cecily Aino was walking past her daughter Mina's bedroom, where Mina was talking with her cat, Artemis. "Who are you talking to?" Chelsea asked. "You know how your father and I feel about you having boys up in your room."

"I don't have a boy in my room, mum," Mina said.

"Don't lie to me," Cecily said. "I just heard a male voice coming from your room."

"Okay," Mina said. "I do sort of have a boy in my room."

"What do you mean, sort of have a boy in your room?" Cecily asked. "Either you have a boy or you don't. Which one is it?"

"There is a boy in my room," Mina said. "But he's not like other boys."

"How is he not like the other boys?" Cecily asked.

"I can assure you I'm the closest thing to a boy Mina has ever had in her bedroom," Artemis said, coming out of said bedroom.

Cecily took a sniff of the cup of coffee she had in her hand, went into the bathroom, dumped the contents into the toilet, and flushed it. "I thought there was something off about that coffee," she said.

"What's wrong with the coffee?" Mina asked.

"I swear Artemis just told me he was the only boy who's ever been in your bedroom," Cecily said.

"And what's wrong with that?" Mina asked.

"I don't know if you've ever noticed," Cecily said, "but Artemis is a cat. Last I checked, cats don't speak, they just go meow."

"Trust me," Mina said. "It's not the coffee."

"Right," Cecily said. "I'm having a flashback from all the acid trips I took back in the 60s. Only problem with that is, I've never done acid."

"You're not having a flashback from any drugs you did or didn't do during the 60's," Mina said. "But if it makes you feel better, I freaked out the first time I heard Artemis speak."

"But why would he speak to you?" Cecily asked.

"Remember about 3 months after I got Artemis?" Mina asked.

"What happened then?" Cecily replied.

"That's when Sailor V first showed up," Mina said.

"What does that have to do with you or Artemis?" Cecily asked.

"I was Sailor V," Mina said. "Artemis told me that it was my destiny to become a superhero, and he unlocked my special powers. First, when we were back in Liverpool, I was Sailor V. And about a few weeks ago, just before dad got transferred, and we moved here, I faked Sailor V's death in an explosion. And when we moved here, I learned my true destiny. Artemis told me that I only became Sailor V as a means to train for my true calling, as Sailor Venus."

Meanwhile, at Rae Hino's house, Rae was in her bedroom, doing her nails, when she heard a knock at the door. "Come in," Rae said.

"We need to talk," Sharon Hino, Rae's mom said, entering the room.

"What about?" Rae asked.

"I heard that you had a boy down in the shelter," Sharon said.

"I can assure you there's nothing going on in there," Rae said. "Besides, he has a girlfriend."

"That doesn't matter," Sharon said. "You know how boys are."

"Just because of what my so-called "father"(Rae used finger quotes for emphasis) did, doesn't mean all guys are like him." Rae said. "Yeah, he did what he did, but you have no right to say all guys are like him. Believe it or not, there are some nice guys out there."

"I just don't want you to get your heart broken," Sharon said.

"Golden Hawk's not going to break my heart," Rae said.

"Golden Hawk?" Sharon asked. "You mean, the superhero?"

"He prefers the term suburban vigilante," Rae said.

"But why would Golden Hawk be in the shelter, anyways?" Sharon asked.

"Because the Sailor Soldiers use the shelter as a headquarters," Rae said.

"And why would they use our fallout shelter as a headquarters?" Sharon asked.

"Because Sailor Mars offered to let them use it," Rae said.

"And what gives Sailor Mars the right?" Sharon asked, visibly upset.

"She has a very good reason," Rae said.

"And what reason would she have?" Sharon asked.

"Mars Power, Make-Up!" Rae said, transforming into Sailor Mars. "Is this a good enough reason?"

"I guess it would be," Sharon said.

"Anyways," Rae said, "Having your heart broken is part of life, even if you are trying to protect me from it. And when it does happen to me, who's to say it won't be another girl?"

Finally, at the apartment shared by Jessica and Makoto Kino, Jessica was reading the morning paper, while Makoto was doing her nails. "You know today's the state finals in football," Jessica said.

"Like I care," Makoto said. "You know I really don't care much for football."

"Anyways," Jessica said, "if it wasn't for you, maybe Valencia would be in the title game."

"You mean how I took out their star quarterback?" Makoto said. "He was picking on someone smaller than him, I tried to intervene, and he took a swing at me. It's not like I was trying to injure him, I just wanted to teach him a lesson. Besides, we've been through this before. And even though it happened off campus, I still technically got punished for it."

"What do you mean technically got punished?" Jessica asked. "You got expelled. I can't see how that couldn't be a punishment."

"Because I'd never hear the end of it if I was still at Valencia," Makoto said. 'And at El Dorado, I'm not labeled as a troublemaker, and I've actually made a few friends. They don't care what I did to Valencia's starting quarterback. And since I transferred, I found my true purpose in life, as Sailor Jupiter."

"You mean, one of those fugitives from a Japanese comic book we've been hearing about lately?" Jessica asked.

"Pretty much," Makoto said. "And believe me, it's a lot more satisfying fighting demons than bullies."

Later that afternoon, John went to Rae's house. "Tell me why I'm here again," John said, when Rae opened the door.

"One of the conditions of you being allowed in the shelter," Rae said. "My mom said she had to meet you first."

"I have no problem with that," John said.

"Just one thing, though," Rae said. "I have a feeling my mom might ask you to transform."

"And she probably doesn't want me to set off a smoke pellet in the house," John said. "Don't worry, the smoke pellets are just for show. I don't need them. Besides, my mom already told me I'm not to use them in our house, either."

"You must be John," Sharon said, when John came into the house.

"Nice to meet you, Rae's mom," John said.

"It's Ms. Hino," Sharon said. "Anyways, Rae tells me you're Golden Hawk. Personally, I always thought Golden Hawk was something Channel 7 created to boost ratings for the 6:00 news."

"I'm real alright," John said. "I've been Golden Hawk for almost a year now."

"I just ask one thing," Sharon said. "Please don't use smoke pellets in the shelter."

"Don't worry," John said. "The smoke pellets are just for show. Since everyone who's going to be in the shelter already know who I am, I don't need to use it."

À Suivre...