Disclaimers: Neither Bejiin nor Ekaterinn own Sailor Moon or Utena...if we did, we'll be rich and y'all would be bowing down to us!^_~
Part 2:
In which our heroes experience changed hair, eternal love, and a general and unfortunate lack of shaved ice.
By Lady Bejiin and Lady Ekaterinn
(certified mentally insane by Akio's Asylum and Mamo-chan's Mental Ward)
*********************************************
She sighed as she took the bright red brush and
ran it slowly along her toe. Bending over and blowing on her toes, she
smiled. Now that her nails were a beautiful Bing Cherry red, she just had
to do her hair. Pulling up a lock of her long blonde hair, Anthy frowned
as she looked in the mirror. Her hair wasn't blonde, like it was supposed
to be, but a dark raven color. This was bad. "Rei?" a rough tenor shouted.
This was very bad. She was in Rei Hino's body. Walking over to a
small wooden desk, Anthy picked up the bright red phone. She carefully
dialed an eleven digit number. "Hello, Akio?"
The truth was, the joke wasn't funny, as par for Minako's usual course; but this time, the joke truly wasn't funny. It was one of those cruel jokes that people tell everyone but one person in the room to laugh at and then wait to see how long it takes the final person to laugh. She'd already tried the joke on Makoto but sadly it hadn't worked. However, this was Ami, the newest hapless victim and they were going to try their hardest to make her laugh . . .
Minako and Makoto stared at their blue haired friend in apprehension as they continued to giggle. //Come on, come on!// Minako thought, but sadly, Ami just didn't get the joke.
"Uhm, you guys?" she finally asked. "I don't get the joke. What's so funny?" Minako and Makoto sighed in fake annoyance and started walking towards Usagi's house again.
They walked in complete silence as Minako debated explaining the joke to their friend or simply letting her wonder for a while. Makoto sighed and decided to walk faster. Finally noticing that the blue haired genius was no longer walking with them, she grabbed Minako's wrist to stop her. She watched Ami stand in contemplation with her hand to her chin when she suddenly burst out laughing.
"I get it!" she exclaimed through her laughter.
"You . . . do?" Makoto asked in disbelief.
"Why of course!" she gasped for air as a tear slid down her cheek. "The radio! It's simply brilliant! I never knew you were so good at telling jokes Minako. Usually you just mess them up!"
Minako blushed. "I guess we won't be telling this one to Usagi then, ne Mako Chan?"
"Hmm, no." Makoto said as she stared at Ami.
"End of the World" he answered calmly.
"Akio?" a silky voice said . . . Tsukino Usagi had a nice voice. He noted that for later. Perhaps then . . . he smiled knowingly. "Something's gone wrong." The voice said with a tone of urgency. "I'm not where I should be. I woke up in Rei Hino's body."
He bit into his tongue. Hard. Swerving on the road, Akio drove over the middle divider as the yellow lines grew slower again. He swallowed, wincing at the strong copper taste filling his mouth. "WHAT?" he shouted. Jerking the car back around on the road he hurried back toward the Academy.
He grinned. "Usako!" he exclaimed as he pulled the girl into his warm embrace. Closing his eyes he dwelled on the perfection of the moment; the scent of cherry blossoms, the warmth of the sun, the feeling of a muscular body buried within his arms. Mamoru's eyes popped open. He didn't even know if this truly was his Usako. What if he had been tricked? This could be the step before brainwashing . . . slow insanity inducing torture. What would his Usako say if she found him hugging this pink haired beauty . . . what wouldn't she say? Quickly removing his arms from the girl he scrutinized her appearance. She sort of carried herself like Usagi did, the childlike spritefulness shone through even if she looked totally different. But, maybe this person was just a good actress.
"Mamo-Chan?" the girl asked uncertainly batting her light blue eyes.
She was a very good actress, but . . . he wasn't going to fall for good acting this time. "Why do you keep on calling me that?" he asked innocently.
The girls who had lined their path had recovered. "Touga Sempai hugged Utena Kun!" they whispered excitedly to each other. "Utena Sama likes Kiryuu San." they gasped.
Rei frowned as their excited murmurs flew through the whole area. She didn't like how they were talking about Usagi and Mamoru. She didn't like it all. Rei showed her dislike by yelling angrily "What are all of you staring at?!?" because, of course, it was a very Rei-like thing to do. She gulped as the entire schoolyard turned their surprised gazes to her. " . . . What?" she asked uncertainly. They stared at her in shock and quickly dispersed, muttering about how being on the Student Council made people wierd as well as cool.
"We were looking for Usagi." Minako replied patronizingly.
Shingo frowned in puzzlement. "Odango's not here. The baka called last night and said she was sleeping over with one of you-"
Minako thought quickly and cut in, slapping her hand against her forehead. "Oops! We must've forgotten she was spending the night at Rei's! Sorry, Shingo! See ya later!" she yelled, dragging Ami and Makoto off with her.
Shingo watched them go, shaking his head. "Usa's friends sure are weird." he muttered to himself as he shut the door and went off to continue playing the latest Sailor V game.
Rubbing her arm where Minako pulled her away, Ami sighed. "Mina-chan, don't you think that was a bit too dramatic?"
Minako gave her a sheepish grin. "Well I had to do something. C'mon, let's go check to see if Usagi-chan is at the temple."
Makoto snorted. "Actually, I'll give you ten-to-one odds that she's at Mamoru's apartment instead…and that they're doing more than sleeping!"
Ami's face turned bright red. "Mako-chan!"
Makoto laughed. "What? Did I say something wrong?" she replied innocently.
Minako smiled at the sight of a red Ami confronted by an "innocent" Makoto. "C'mon, we need to at least check to see if she's at Rei's" she told them both as she led them to the bus stop. "We can check Mamoru's apartment after that."
"Rei?" the samesaid voice asked tentatively.
Anthy looked at the door and sighed. She didn't know much about Hino Rei, other than that she was Tsukino Usagi's best friend . . . but she had to answer the door.
"Rei!" the rough voice called again.
She set down the phone carefully.
"REI! You okay in there?" the voice yelled, obviously concerned.
She smoothed her dark hair down as she smiled at herself in a nearby mirror.
"REI!!!!!!!!!!"
She schooled her face to an expression of sweet innocence and stepped out to face the caller, a boy with long messy brown hair. "Yes?" she asked him demurely.
She was going to be civil to Yuichirou.
Mamoru glanced at the purple haired girl who had dragged him here. She certainly sounded like Rei. She acted like Rei too. Who were these girls?
"Mamo-Chan?" Usagi asked hesitantly. "Are you . . . mad at me? I didn't mean for this to happen. I certainly didn't plan on switching bodies when I woke up this morning, but, I woke up in a room with Rei, and . . . I've been so scared." she babbled.
Mamoru looked at the girl even more closely. He hated seeing her hurt. How could he be so heartless as to let his Usa suffer like this? And oh kami . . . she was about to cry. He pulled her into his chest and rubbed her back. He whispered soothing words to her and rocked her back and forth.
Rei smiled. He could be an idiot sometimes, but Chiba Mamoru was a marshmallow at heart. He couldn't bear to watch Usagi cry. Not even his bullheadedness would mess with that.
Miki stepped onto the fencing platform, clicking his stopwatch before putting it down. "Ten seconds. You're in good form today, even by your standards, Juri-san." The fencing team captain said nothing but began her opening parry. Miki frowned as he raised his foil up to a defensive position, his attention caught by the scene that was unfolding between Tenjou Utena and Kiryuu Touga above. "Did you see that, Juri-san?" he asked captivated. "Touga-sempai's acting like a lovesick puppy! I wonder what brought this on?" His gaze on the two in question instead of Juri's foil, Miki continued to wonder.
"Miki!" Juri yelled, pulling him out of his reverie to find out her sword pointing at his throat. Miki started and stepped back in amused defeat. Pulling her mask off, her orange curls falling down her back, she chortled. "You need to pay more attention to the one you're fighting instead of being distracted by pointless events." Taking his own mask off, Miki had the grace to blush. "But you're right, something strange is going on." Juri snorted. "Never thought I'd see a whipped Touga!"
Miki was about to reply when his beeper…well…beeped. Nodding politely to Juri, he walked quickly over to where he left it and his stopwatch. Hi picked the small black, innocent-looking object up and scanned the message. He promptly turned pale. There has to be a good reason why Akio-san wants to see me now, he reasoned to himself. There's no way anything could've gone wrong. Somehow, he didn't feel reassured. Quickly, Miki picked up his things and went to go change and report to the Dean. As he left, he could hear the fencing begin again.
"Next!"
"I do love your spirit, Tenjou-kun…" He sighed as she stumbled backwards in the dark, inadvertently hitting the…light switch. And Touga found himself in front of a…mirror.
"AGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The scream echoed throughout the building, moving on to Toyko, and reaching distant Ohtori .
Utena looked up.
Anthy looked up.
Ami, Minako, and Makoto looked up.
And in the observatory, Akio looked up, shrugged, and went back to trying to find some shaved ice for his injured tongue.
"My hair! What happened to MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR!?!" Touga, needless to say, was frantic. "It's supposed to be red and long and beautiful, NOT black and short and silly!" Utena's eyes widened at the sight of Touga with short black hair and she laughed. Struck by a thought, she moved so she could see herself in the mirror. Her mouth went 'O' shaped as she gazed at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl in the mirror. Gently, she touched the long golden locks.
"I..I actually think I like it" she heard her voice say.
Touga looked up at this comment and was treated to the sight of a gorgeous blonde that somehow still looked like Utena in some intangible way. Seeing her like that, he fell in love with her all over again. "Ah, my Utena-san, you are beautiful no matter how you look…"
Miki opened the door timidly, his blue head peeking out of its edge. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
"Yes." He stomped over and slammed the door himself, forcing Miki to scramble for support against the wall. "Something has gone wrong. Anthy woke up in the wrong body! You know what this means, Miki?"
Miki was pushed back against the wall as Akio towered over him. He clutched his stopwatch protectively in his hand as he answered, scared out of his mind. "Umm…not good, right?"
Mercifully, Akio threw his arms up and stalked across the room, away from Miki. "My plan is ruined! Ruined, I tell you! And it's all your fault!" He pointed an accusing finger at Miki. "Unless you fix things right now, my plan will be ruined and you will be in pain!"
Miki cringed. "But Ohtori-sama sir, I don't know how to use half the technology you have! What if I make another mistake?"
In response, Akio sauntered over to him and leaned forward. His hand caressed Miki's cheek. "Do you want to go for another drive?" he asked seductively.
The boy's eyes widened in fear and he tried to back away. "Umm, no thank you."
*Bej and Ekat materialize behind a screen wearing strange uniforms*
Do you know, do you know?
Have you heard the news?
The best-laid plans often turn out worst.
So much goes astray in this world of mice and men.
But who is the mouse and who is the man?
Can you tell, can you tell?
Brave hero can you tell?
*Bej dusts off her uniform whilst Ekat burns the screen*
"Rei-Chan?" Minako's off-pitch shout disrupted the
peace of Hikawa Ginga.
In the center of the temple the young man who was
concentrating on prayers for good fortune jumped in surprise, stumbled
over the red rope protecting the shrine, and stumbled into a large brass
bell.
Rei's grandfather shook his head amusedly and went
to find Yuichirou. The shrine would need repairs.
Ami was the first to reach Rei's room. She observed
a dumbstruck Yuichirou stumble away from Rei's door. "Is everything alright
Yuichirou Kun?" she asked with concern.
The young priest seemed so disoriented that he didn't
even respond to her question. He simply staggered down the hallway heading
towards the front of the temple.
Ami watched as Rei cautiously stuck her head out
of the door. Somehow she seemed different . . . a little more gentle and
much more timid. Perhaps this was why Yuichirou was acting so strangely?
She turned to watch Makoto's and Minako's reactions to Rei. If they weren't
going to say anything, then she wouldn't either.
For a long moment the three girls stared, scrutinizing
their tardy friend.
Anthy smiled anxiously. Fidgeting momentarily she
settled for clutching her fingers behind her back. For some reason all
three girls were staring at her as if something was wrong.
"Rei-chan?" Kino Makoto asked. "Are you feeling
allright?"
Anthy exaggerated her smile letting the grin reach
her eyes. "Of course Makoto San. I feel perfectly fine. Well, why don't
you come in? Perhaps I could get you a snack?"
The girls stared at her like she had grown a second
head. Anthy sighed inwardly. How was she ever going to accomplish her mission
if they kept on looking at her like that? Finally Aino Minako nodded and
walked into Rei's room. Anthy followed her in, praying that she'd catch
on to being Rei-chan . . .
Anthy searched the room frantically for a block
of ice and some syrup, but she was unable to locate either. That made sense
though because right now she was Hino Rei. What would Hino Rei serve her
guests? Being a priestess, she'd most likely give her guests tea. Anthy
easily found the teapot and some cups. Crisis averted.
While Anthy was getting the tea together, the girls
exchanged glances. Minako's glance said that it probably had something
to do with how weirdly Yuichirou was acting and how sweet it would be if
they finally got together. Makoto's glance disagreed with this theory and
said that she didn't like the fact that Usagi had disappeared at the same
time that Rei had started acting strangely. Ami's glance reassured them
that he'll try to work on the problem. When Anthy returned and began serving
tea, all of them shot her the same searching glance.
Anthy fidgeted under their glares. This was not how this was
supposed to go...
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To be continued next time in Part 3: In which the joys of the
Akio-car are experienced, the woders of Toyko are revealed, and the strangness
of new hair styles are reveled in!