Title: The Thirteenth Year
Summary: When All-American girl Serena Warren turns thirteen, weird things start happening. Every night she dreams of the life of a Moon Princess and as time progresses, her dreams become more and more real, so that finally, she cannot distinguish between the life she leads in her dreams and the one she is trying to live during the day.
Author: Silver Sparklze
Reason for Writing: A challenge, issued by Sage: The Dark Dryad
Author's Notes: Words written in bold will be translated at the end of the chapter. Heya peeps. Sorry for making you wait an extra week, my mum went to NSW last week, so I had to stay at a friend's. I feel really guilty now. L
Kawaii Lily: Thanks. J That's so sweet!
Marni: Yeah, it is interesting. But I'd hate it, wouldn't you? *shudders*
Silver Moonlight-81: Thanks. Your comment means a lot to me.
Sage: The Dark Dryad: Thanks. I'm really glad you like it.
Dedicated to my little sister Celeste. Happy Birthday!
"'Rena! 'Rena!"
"Huh? Wha?" Serena looked up from the manga she was reading. Amelia rolled her eyes.
"Serena, I've been calling you for 10 minutes. Is something wrong?" She asked.
"No…sorry…I just didn't hear…" Serena answered. Just then, Amelia spotted the manga.
"Er…Serena…you don't understand Japanese, right?" She asked.
"Right…" Serena replied, wondering where this was going,
"And you can't read it, right?"
"Uh huh…"
"Then why are you reading a Japanese manga comic that's written in Japanese?"
"It is?" Serena looked at the cover, noticing for the first time that it was written in Japanese. Now that she was looking at it properly, she couldn't understand it, although she knew perfectly well that it was a Sailor V manga. How strange…she hadn't even realised. "Oh…uh…I'm studying the artwork for…art!" She said, thankful that she'd come up with such a good excuse. After all, her friends all figured that the dreams were over now…
~Dream Sequence, Tokyo, The Arcade~
Serena followed Luna to The Arcade. She knew she ought to be in bed asleep, but she just couldn't. Perhaps it was those five peanut-butter sandwiches that she'd had after dinner. She blinked when Luna pressed her paw to one of the screens, and it flickered.
"Password?" The computer intoned.
"Princess of the Moon has bunny shoes." Luna replied.
"Winkin Blinkin and Nod." The computer answered. "What's the update on Sailor Moon?"
"She's a clumsy klutzy cry baby with no brains." Luna said crisply. Serena gasped, tears filling her eyes. "However, she's also sweet, sensitive, and has a great sense of humour and justice. Her first few battles didn't go too well, but I think we're on our way."
"Good. There's a new monster from the Nega-verse after you. We think it may be trying to stop you from succeeding in your mission to find the other scouts and the Moon Princess."
"I'll see what I can do," Luna said, "End transmission." The screen went blank.
Serena checked the scoreboard at school the net day to see how she did on her test. She sighed when she realised that she'd come in last again.
"Are you ok, Serena?" Molly asked.
"I'm fine." Serena replied. She scanned the list, and gasped. "Masaka!" She cried. "Tenkousei Ami Mizuno got the highest score in all of Japan!!"
"What? Are you sure?" Molly glanced at the list. "Gosh, you're right!" Suddenly, her face changed. "You know what I heard? I heard that she studies at the Crystal Seminar Cram School!"
"No wonder she gets such good grades." Serena said enviously. She noticed that Ami Mizuno was glancing their way, and she quickly changed the subject. "Andrew Motoki is so cute." She said loudly, before dragging Molly away.
Serena was walking home from school when she noticed that Ami was right ahead of her. She was surprised when Luna leapt out and landed on her shoulder. Luna didn't look too happy at first, but Ami's gentle stroking soon won her over.
"Luna!" Serena called, running up, and, by some fantastic feat, managing not to fall over.
"Oh!" Ami placed a hand to her chest, "You startled me."
"Gomen nasai." Serena bowed, "I didn't mean to."
"That's all right." Ami stroked Luna again. "Is she your cat?"
"Yes." Serena nodded. "Her name's Luna."
"Oh, what a pretty name. She has an interesting marking on her head, doesn't she?"
"Er…yes…" Serena said slowly. "She had that when she was born."
"Oh. Ok. I thought she was an angel for a second there, when she jumped onto my shoulder" Ami smiled brightly.
"Nah, she's just Luna. My name's Serena Tsukino." It might be handy to be friends with Ami. She's a genius, so maybe she can help me get better grades. Serena thought to herself.
"I'm Ami Mizuno. Nice to meet you."
"Yes, you too." Serena bowed politely.
"Serena, don't trust her," Luna whispered, "She has a strange aura, I think she's a monster from the Nega-verse."
"Are you sure?" Serena replied, "She looks pretty normal to me."
"Pardon? Were you saying something, Serena?" Ami asked, turning around. Serena shook her head wildly.
"No! Oh no! Nothing!" She babbled. "Say, wanna come to the Crown Game Center with me?"
"Sure," Ami nodded happily.
"Ok, let's go," Serena led her there, babbling about the Center's owner, Andrew, the whole way.
"Here we are," Serena said, sweeping her arm around the noisy building.
"It's a bit loud…isn't it?" Ami asked, wincing.
"Nah, it's actually pretty quiet." Serena replied. "C'mon, they've got the new Sailor V game in, wanna play?"
"I've never played a video game before," Ami began doubtfully.
"Uso daro, konna! How can you have never played a video game before?!" Serena was dumbfounded. "Ah well, never mind. I can teach you." Serena proceeded to bash the hell out of the keys, but only managed to kill five monsters before she died. "Chikusho! I always die!" Serena wailed. "Here, you have a go." She put in some more money, and gestured for Ami to sit down.
"Oh…no…I couldn't…" Ami said slowly.
"C'mon! Have a go." Serena coaxed.
"Eto…ok…I'll have a go." Ami agreed. She sat down, and began to play. Serena watched in disbelief as Ami racked up a high score in a matter of seconds!
"Are you sure that you've never played before?" She asked sceptically.
"Yes. Never in my life." Ami replied. She took her eyes off the screen for a moment, and gasped. "Oh no!" She cried; "I've gotta go. I'm late for cram school." She ran off, forgetting that she'd left her disk on the bench. Andrew walked over, and picked it up.
"Damn!" He said, "She left her disk here! And I've got an important appointment."
"I'll take it to her, Andrew," Serena said, thinking this might be a good way to see inside the legendary cram school.
"Would you? Thanks, Serena."
"You're welcome." Serena took the disk, and she and Luna ran off to the cram school.
Serena stood at the door of the Crystal Seminar Cram School. She looked at the poster on one side. It was advertising a new disk, called the 'Crystal Disk', which supposedly could make anyone a genius.
"I don't like that." Luna said. "It seems suspicious."
"Oh, hush, Luna," Serena scolded. "It's just a stupid disk. It probably doesn't even work."
"Talking to yourself again Meatball Head?" Serena turned around, and saw Darien Chiba.
"Shut up, baka." Serena snapped. "My name is Serena. Not Meatball Head."
"Whatever. You here to study? You certainly need it." Serena glared at him. "By the way, was your cat talking?"
"What?!" Serena was sure her face was bright red. "Don't be an idiot. How can a cat talk? It's just a stupid animal. Ouch!" Luna had dug her claws into Serena's shoulder.
"I don't think your cat liked that remark." Darien smirked. "Cya Meatball Head."
"It's Serena!" Serena yelled after him.
"That was close," Luna remarked. "We'd better go back to the school and check this out."
"But I can't use a computer!" Serena protested as she followed Luna.
Serena watched as Luna tapped away on the computer adeptly.
"Ah hah! Just as I suspected." Luna said. "This disk has a brain-washing program on it. Ami must be from the Nega-verse!"
Serena and Luna once again stood outside the Crystal Seminar Cram School. This time, Serena was debating whether or not she should go inside.
"Serena!" Luna snapped, "Stop daydreaming and transform!"
"No," Serena said, "I have a better idea. Luna Pen Disguise Power! Make me into a hip nurse so I can enter the building!" She transformed into a school nurse, and ran inside. Then she hurried into the classroom. "Get away from those computers!" Serena yelled, "Don't you know too much studying makes you dull-witted?"
"You shouldn't interfere." Ami said, "We're trying to work."
"You won't get away with this, Nega-sleaze!" Serena replied, "Moon Prism Power!" She transformed into Sailor Moon. Ami stood there, mouth open. Suddenly, the teacher appeared, and grabbed Ami.
"Who are you?"
"I am Sailor Moon, champion of justice. I right wrongs and triumph over evil, and that means you!" Sailor Moon said.
"Nice to see you here, Sailor Moon." The Nega-monster sneered.
"I knew Ami wasn't from the Nega-verse!" Sailor Moon said triumphantly.
"But I sensed something." Luna protested.
"Enough of this!" The Nega-monster commanded. "I have a question for you, Sailor Moon. The genius Newton's question; Why did the apple fall from the tree?"
"Don't ask me, as the apple." Was Sailor Moon's smart reply. Ami slapped her hand to her forehead.
"Hah ha!" Yelled the Nega-monster in triumph. She shot a bunch of test papers at Sailor Moon, who dodged them, shrieking in fear when they blew up a computer right behind her.
"The correct answer is gravity." Luna hissed.
"Oh, right, I knew that." Sailor Moon said, jumping out of the way yet again. "The reason the apple fell from the tree is because of the Earth's gravity!"
"Very good," Said the Nega-monster. "Question 2: Explain what gravity is in under fifty words."
"That's impossible." Sailor Moon replied. Something told her this was the wrong answer, perhaps the way the Nega-monster sent the zombie students walking towards her. Sailor Moon dodged their attacks, not wanting to hurt them, since they were people. She watched, helpless, as the Nega-monster pressed Ami's forehead against the screen.
"Give up your mental energy to the Nega-verse." She requested. She noticed that it wasn't working. "You haven't been using your crystal disk!" She yelled.
"Studying is something done with your mind, not with a computer or a stupid disk." Ami retorted. She cried out in pain when the Nega-monster pushed her harder against the monitor. It was then that Luna and Sailor Moon saw a strange blue symbol shine on Ami's forehead.
"Mrow!" Luna yelled, jumping into the air and creating a new wand. She slid it towards Ami. "Say Mercury Power!" She instructed. Ami took the stick, and did just that.
"Mercury Power!" Ami held up the wand, and Sailor Moon watched in surprise as Ami transformed into a Sailor Scout. She had a white leotard, just like Sailor Moon, but with a pale blue bow and bright blue skirt. Her neck ribbon was bright blue, and so were her knee-length boots. Sailor Moon's boots were red, as were her bow and her neck ribbon. Her skirt, however, was the same bright blue as Sailor Mercury's.
"What?! Who are you?" The Nega-monster shrieked.
"I am Sailor Mercury. How dare you use people's minds for your own evil deeds! People's minds are their own!" Sailor Mercury yelled.
"Say Mercury Bubbles." Luna instructed.
"Mercury Bubbles!" Soon the whole room was filled with a thick mist. Sailor Moon struggled to find Mercury and Luna.
"Sailor Mercury, Luna, where are you?" She called.
"Over here." Sailor Mercury emerged from the mist with Luna on her shoulder. Slowly, the mist faded away. The Nega-monster was stumbling.
"Moon tiara magic!" Sailor Moon yelled, and the Nega-monster turned back into the teacher, who fell to the ground, as did the other students.
"Wow," Sailor Mercury whispered.
"I'm sorry for thinking you were from the Nega-verse." Luna apologised for the thousandth time.
"That's all right," Ami said, "I forgive you." She turned to Serena. "I can't wait to fight more monsters," She said, "It was absolutely amazing.
"Yes, it was," Serena agreed, although she was worried because Ami was obviously a lot more powerful, and if Ami hadn't been there, she knew that she'd have lost the battle…
~A park bench in Central Park, New York~
Serena jerked awake, and pushed some of her blonde hair out of her eyes, breathing heavily.
"Whoa, what an intense dream." She muttered; ignoring the strange looks she was getting from passers by. She grabbed her stuff, (the initial reason she'd been in the park was to study,) and headed for home, trying not to think how much Ami Mizuno looked like Amelia…
Well? What do you think? Was it good? I'm trying, but it's really quite hard to remember the episodes…
Masaka!: Japanese for I don't believe it!
Tenkousei: Japanese for transfer/exchange student.
Gomen Nasai: Japanese for I'm sorry/very sorry.
Uso daro, konna!: Japanese for you've got to be kidding me!
Chikusho!: Japanese for damn!
Eto…: Japanese for hmm…
Baka: Japanese for stupid.