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 (w/o italics) will be translated at the end of the chapter.
~ Magickal Bean Coffee Shop/Internet Café, 132 West Street South, New York City ~
PrincessSerenaNYC has logged on
PrincessSerenaNYC: hey, MilleniumFire
MilleniumFire: present, lol
PrincessSerenaNYC: nice 2 c u again
MilleniumFire: u 2. r u ok
PrincessSerenaNYC: fine, y
MilleniumFire: u seemed upset yesterday
PrincessSerenaNYC: i was. but i'm fine now
MilleniumFire: good. just a sec, brb
PrincessSerenaNYC: kkz
MilleniumFire: sorry, a friend was @ the door. needed 2 talk 2 me
PrincessSerenaNYC: that's k. can i ask u somthin
MilleniumFire: sure
PrincessSerenaNYC: if som1 told u they were havin dreams about another country, and that they were som1 else in these dreams, and that it was like somthin out of a manga, wat would u say?
MilleniumFire: dunno, would depend. gah, must go, my friend Ami needs me. ja?
PrincessSerenaNYC: sure…cya.
MilleniumFire has logged off
PrincessSerenaNYC has logged off
Serena leant back, the computer going satisfyingly blank. She grinned happily, thinking about the conversation. Although MilleniumFire hadn't been particularly helpful since she'd needed to go off and talk to her friend Ami…Serena's eyes widened as she thought quickly. MilleniumFire…what an odd sign-in name. Could it perhaps mean more than it appeared to???
~Dream Sequence, Shopping Mall, Tokyo~
Serena walked along the side of the mall with Lita, munching on a crepe. They were giggling about the rubber tires they'd seen a couple of mannequins wearing in a rather hip shop, when they heard a cry of fear. They both looked up, and saw that a pair of window washers who, (surprise, surprise), had been washing windows, were in trouble, because the ropes on their scaffolding had been cut. Suddenly, a strange girl wearing an outfit much like Sailor Moon's, but with a purple skirt, tiara stone, neck ribbon, and boots, saved him. Serena began to cry. She couldn't believe that someone would be so mean!
"We should contact Luna and the others." Lita said practically. Serena nodded, still blubbing. While they were telling Ami and Rei, the faux Sailor Moon escaped. At the back of her mind Serena catalogued the blonde girl around her age who was staring at her strangely, as if she couldn't believe Serena existed, but she was too caught up in her own sorrow to really pay any attention.
Later that day, all four of the Sailor Scouts gathered at the dock.
"I saw the news about Sailor Moon helping those guys, and fighting off those bank robbers. I knew it couldn't be the real thing." Rei said tactlessly.
"I wish the real Sailor Moon was that good." Lita sighed. Serena's lower lip trembled. She'd thought Lita was her friend.
"We need to find out what this impostor is up to." Ami said, "We don't know if she's friend or foe."
"How can she use my name?!" Serena cried, "It's not fair!" Suddenly, the girls heard someone scream. They ran down an alley, and saw the fake Sailor Moon hanging by her hands, seemingly unconscious, and Malachite just above her.
"We've got to save her!" Serena exclaimed.
"We can't," Ami said, "It might be a trap."
"I hate seeing Sailor Moon like this," Sailor Moon said anxiously, "Whether it's me or not is irrelevant." She took out her brooch, face determined. "MOON PRISM POWER!" Sighing, the other girls followed her lead.
"MERCURY POWER!"
"MARS POWER!"
"JUPITER POWER!" After they'd transformed, they hurried down the alley. Malachite still hadn't seen them, as he spoke to the faux Sailor Moon.
"What a waste of light," He said, gazing out at Tokyo, "I want to see the darkness."
"Not a chance!" Sailor Moon cried. "I am Sailor Moon, champion of love and justice! In the name of the Moon,"
"And Mercury," Sailor Mercury added,
"And Mars,"
"And Jupiter,"
"We will punish you!"
"It's a bad habit, tying up girls like that." Malachite laughed.
"So, you came," He said, "Just as I knew you would." He threw out his hand, and a large black dome suddenly surrounded the Scouts.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" Sailor Mars yelled, but the fire just burnt the Scout's feet, and was absorbed by the dome.
"Is that the strength of the might Sailor Scouts?!" Malachite laughed. He made the dome smaller and smaller, trapping the Scouts closer together.
"Jupiter Thunder!" Sailor Jupiter tried. Sailor Moon yelped as some of the thunder zapped her hand before being absorbed by the barrier.
"Sailor Jupiter, stop it!" She cried, "You're going to electrocute us! And I think you're making the barrier stronger!"
"Sailor Moon's right, Sailor Jupiter." Sailor Mercury said, "You are making the barrier stronger."
"Sailor Moon's right? Now there's a surprise." Sailor Mars muttered.
"It's impossible for you to break the barrier, Sailor Scouts." Malachite crowed, unaware of the Scout's conversation. That was when they saw Zoisite. She went straight over to Malachite, and they had a whispered conversation. None of the Scouts could breathe very well anymore, and Sailor Moon was beginning to feel faint.
"Look at them, Tuxedo Mask" Zoisite said, laughing. "Don't they look pathetic? If you want to save them, come out now, and bring your three Rainbow Crystals with you."
"Don't do it, Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon yelled, using the last of her breath. But Tuxedo Mask came anyway. Zoisite giggled.
"There's no hope for you, just give up now." She said.
"No matter how hard it is; you should never give up." A girl said. Sailor Moon gasped. It was Sailor V! Then she took off her mask. "Crescent Beam Smash!" A burst of gold light hit Malachite and Zoisite, and the dome around the Sailor Scouts vanished.
"Who are you?!" Zoisite cried.
"I am Sailor Venus, champion of love and justice. I right wrongs and triumph over evil and that means you!" Sailor Venus said, glaring at Zoisite and Malachite.
"Sailor V, you're Sailor V, right?" Sailor Moon asked, getting up on shaky legs. A white cat that looked rather like Luna walked out from behind her.
"Sailor V is Sailor Venus." He said.
"Artemis!" Luna greeted, "It's been a while."
"It most definitely has, Luna." Artemis replied.
"Enough chit chat!" Zoisite cried. She turned to Malachite. "Go, Malachite. I'll fight them." But then, Queen Beryl appeared in the sky.
"Enough!" She said, "Retreat!" Both Malachite and Zoisite disappeared. Sailor Moon looked around for Tuxedo Mask, but he was gone.
Later, Artemis said,
"The five Sailor Scouts have found one another, and the two cats have gathered. Everything is ready. Now all we have to do is wait." This reminded Sailor Moon of the princess. She turned to Sailor Venus.
"Are you the princess?" She asked. Sailor Venus just smiled.
~Sick Bay, Wessington Catholic College, New York ~
Slowly, Serena woke up. She frowned. Matty…and Sailor Venus…they were so similar…
Ja: see you later.
More Author's Notes: Thanks to these reviewers;
Yotaro88rocker: Thanks ^-^ will do.
Shimmering Angel: Yeah…let's hope that what little's left of Serena's brains after all the sleep deprivation tells her to change the name of the characters!
Silver Moonlight-81: *waves* Hi! I see you! ^-^
Sage: The Dark Dryad: Here's more. Still haven't reviewed chapter 8, tho. *sniff sniff, I feel so unloved!*
**Did you know? In the manga, there is evidence that Zoisite, Kunzite (Malachite), Nephrite (Nephlite), and Jadeite are lovers of the Inner Senshi (Sailor Moon not included), and there are even drawings of the Senshi being held romantically by the four! (Of course this was before Beryl brainwashed them, while they were still Mamoru's [Darien's] bodyguards.)