In the remaining days of the twentieth century a great evil attacked the Earth. To combat this evil Sailor Moon and the Sailor Senshi revealed themselves to the entire world. But this battle had its consequences and the Earth became covered in a blanket of ice and snow. One thousand years later Sailor Moon awakens the world through the power of her Silver Crystal. A great city of crystal had arisen in Tokyo during the darkness. The world now looked to this city and its rulers Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymoin to protect the world. The time is twenty-three years after wakening and a new group of Sailor Senshi is about to emerge.
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"Oh no it's here and they don't even know it." Rini muttered to herself.
********
"How can she be a lunar feline when my brother made it clear she wasn't?" Diana probed a bit farther wanting an explanation.
"Because when she became Chaos's loyal follower she gave up who she was and doing that meant giving up the sign of her birth the crescent she once had." Orion began trying to hold back the tears; "She betrayed her ancestors and her people."
********
"Diana you know there's probably a good chance he didn't go looking for her." Rini said.
"If you saw the look on his face this morning you'd know he wanted to see her again." Diana replied to her best friend.
********
"Soldiers of Chaos you have been chosen because you have dark hearts. Our mission is to search this city and find star seeds. Not just any star seeds but sailor star seeds. Our great lord Chaos needs these star seeds if he is going to rule over this puny little planet. Now go, go and spread chaos upon this land."
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Sailor Moon: Senshi in Training
Part Five: The First Battle
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Nikki hated her punishment. Her hands were raw and sore. The combination of the dish soap and the hot water was doing a good number on her hands. The café had an automatic dishwasher but her mother insisted Nikki wash every single dish by hand. Nikki didn't mind helping out in the café she just didn't like washing dishes. The worst part was she was on KP duty at the palace as well as a part of her punishment from the queen.
"Don't I get a break?" Nikki whined.
"Sorry little one. No breaks except to eat and use the ladies room. Your mother was very strict on that point." Jean Paul told his daughter as he chopped some green onion.
"I hate my life." She stated.
"Well you wouldn't be in this mess if you didn't use the language you used. Just be thankful only the princess knows French. If the queen knew what you had said your punishment would have been much worse than it already is."
"Great, here I am working my fingers to the bone and the others got off a lot better than I did."
"Not so, your mother told me the princess is in just as much trouble as you are."
********
Nikki wasn't the only one being punished by her mother. Kari had received extra chores around the house for her remark to her mother. At the moment the blonde haired girl was forced to hand wash every hard surface in the house. That meant staying on her hands and knees on the entire first floor and doing every single bathroom on the second level. And when her mother meant every hard surface that even included showers, tubs, and spas. Kari was not a happy camper at the moment.
"My aching back." Kari stated trying to get some sympathy from her father.
"Sorry I can't help you there." Akira said not even looking up from his papers.
"Gee dad whose side are you on here?"
"No one's. I chose not to get involved. This is between you and your mother."
"Well could you at least let me use your shiatsu machine when I'm finished?"
"No because then you wouldn't learn anything. Besides your mother said I was not to give you any assistance and even if I could I can't because I have a lot of work to do today."
"Why in the world did I have to open my big fat mouth? I always put my foot in it."
Kari heaved one last heavy sigh before going back to her scrubbing.
********
A week had passed since Orion had come to the palace. Not only was Rini banned from dating and on KP duty with her friends she couldn't leave the palace and she had to write one essay a day on the rules of protocol. Five pages hand written single-spaced each day.
"This is torture." Rini whined sounding much like her mother did at her age.
"Gee who does she remind me of?" Endymoin joked to his wife in the conference room.
"I wasn't that bad." Serenity shot back with a grin.
"There has to be a law against this." Rini said continuing to whine.
"You forget we make the laws." Serenity reminded her daughter.
The king and queen had resigned to doing their paperwork in the conference room so they could keep an eye on their daughter. They knew if they weren't in plain sight of the princess she would procrastinate and even try to sneak out. This was one punishment they were determined to have stick.
Rini was stuck in her train of thought and about to start pounding her head on the table when a knock at the conference room door saved her from utter embarrassment.
"Come in." Endymoin called out.
A very worried looking Luna and Artimes came into the conference room wanting to see the king and queen. Ever since Orion's arrival Apollo had been spending much of his time away from the palace.
"Luna, what's wrong?" Serenity asked her friend.
"He's gone. We've looked everywhere but he's gone. Apollo never came home last night." Luna told her in a state of panic.
"Did he say where he was going last night?" Endymoin wondered.
"No he never tells us where he's going anymore." Artimes replied.
Serenity felt sorry for her friends. She didn't know what she could do to help them. Their family situation had gotten pretty bad.
"Um Luna how's Diana taking this?" Rini wanted to know.
"I don't know. She hasn't been talking to us that much about this situation." Luna said.
"Mom dad would it be alright if I go and check on Diana and see how she's doing? Rini asked.
"You may go but no more than one hour." Serenity told her daughter.
********
Diana paced back and forth in the rec room. She was in the room looking for some peace and quiet on this frantic Saturday morning. Diana had spent a good chunk of her morning helping her parents look for her brother. It was the first time he stayed out all night. This had her worried. She knew he was with his new love interest doing who knows what. Diana was ready to give Apollo a piece of her mind if she ever saw him again.
Orion watched as Diana paced back and forth mumbling things to herself about how her brother was going to be a dead man. Orion had never met Apollo face to face but from what he was hearing he felt the young lunar feline was going to need a good swift kick in the pants. The more Orion saw Diana the way she was the more he wanted to hold her and protect her. Something inside him was telling Orion it was the right thing to do.
"Diana pacing around like that isn't going to bring your brother home any faster." Orion said.
"I know but it makes me feel better." Diana told him.
"Things certainly have been quiet around here since I showed up."
"Everyone is serving time for what they did and said that day."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The queen has my trainees on KP when they're at the palace. They can't do any training until Queen Serenity feels they've learned their lesson. And most if not all of them are in hot water with their parents who won't end their punishment until the queen does. I'm surprised I didn't get into any trouble with my own parents."
"I think they feel your situation is unique. And besides trying not to rush off and confront your brother is a very hard thing to do which makes it a lesson in itself."
"I never thought of it that way."
Diana began thumbing through the extensive CD collection on the shelves before her. Mixed in with the classical music and show tunes was Rini's collection of J pop and American teen pop from the 20th century. Somewhere buried between the Three Lights and Backstreet Boys albums was the album she was looking for. It was rarity sitting there amongst the teen idols but the Vertical Horizon CD was exactly what Diana needed at this point. Her favorite song always helped to calm her frazzled nerves and right now she needed it more than anything else in the world.
As the music filled the room Diana could hear a knock on the door. Opening the door Diana saw Rini standing on the other side with a look of concern on her face. Diana feigned a weak smile because she knew her best friend in the entire world truly cared about her. And it was her family situation that had gotten Rini and the others into trouble with the queen.
"Diana I heard about Apollo. I'd offer to help but I can't leave the palace other than to go to school. And only then it's with an armed escort." Rini said.
"I understand." Diana answered quietly.
"Has your mother come to forgive me yet princess?" Orion asked Rini.
"She's said very little about the incident in the past week." Rini informed him.
Diana looked up at the small clock on the mantle above the fireplace. As she noted the time Diana realized Apollo had been missing for twenty-four hours. Great big tears began to fall down her tired weary face. Where are you, she thought.
Rini saw the tears falling down her best friend's face. Concern for her lifelong friend dictated she try and comfort the sobbing lunar feline. But before she could even get near her Orion was holding her in his arms. Rini knew the best thing she could do was to leave them alone. Right now Diana needed to be with Orion that it just seemed right that way.
********
Apollo was enjoying every moment of his freedom. He didn't have to answer his mother's questions or live up to his father's expectations. And being in feline form gave him the freedom to go anywhere he wanted. The night had found him once again in Gaia's arms but this time he stayed with her the entire evening. They wandered around the city talking about this and that until they found themselves in the park under the tree that was now their special place.
Spending the entire night away from the palace for the first time felt invigorating to Apollo. The young lunar feline felt as though he was truly important. For the first time in his life Apollo was out of Diana's shadow and he was in love.
The feline next to him didn't care he was Luna and Artimes's son or Diana's brother. All she cared about was the fact that he lived in the palace. She kept asking him questions about the palace staff and the palace guard. And the more questions he answered the more kissing and making out they did. Apollo thought it was all just a game.
Gaia woke from her slumber and left the sleeping Apollo under the Japanese oak. The sleeping palace cat had proven quite useful in giving her an army and information. The time had come to initiate phase one of her plan, capture a sailor star seed. It was time to test her new hunters abilities and now was as good a time as any.
********
After the battle between Sailor Galaxia and Chaos Galaxia went from planet to planet turning their Senshi evil. These evil Senshi became known as the Sailor Animates. The Animates were stripped of their star seeds and given control bracelets to wear. With the control bracelets in place these Senshi became loyal followers of Galaxia and Chaos doing their bidding. These evil Senshi were ordered to search for the star seeds of Senshi on Earth.
It was during this search that Sailor Moon and the Sailor Senshi met up with the Starlights. These three Senshi, posing as brothers who were also a popular J pop idol group, fought to find their missing princess. With their arrival the Sailor Senshi learned of the existence of other worldly Senshi and the Sailor Star Seeds. Each Senshi and even Tuxedo Mask possessed a Sailor Star Seed connected to their planet.
********
Lunchtime on a Saturday at the Rose Café was usually quite busy. The quiet small crowds seen during the week were replaced with the boisterous sounds of people out enjoying a perfect Saturday afternoon. And with the increase in crowd size came an increase in the number of dirty dishes. The bus boys were instructed to leave all the dirty dishes with Nikki to wash and they knew better than to ask why.
Nikki was up to her elbows in hot dirty soapy water regretting having ever opened her mouth in front of her mother. As she scrubbed and scrapped the food off of each dish Nikki began mumbling about having to learn another language so she could swear without Lita knowing it.
"Maybe Annya could teach me Russian or Swahili." Nikki thought aloud.
"Learning a new language isn't necessarily the answer." Jean Paul told her.
Nikki turned to face her father.
"Papa can I ask you a simple question?" Nikki said.
"Of course." He replied.
"Does mom have it out for me because I swear she's got you putting only the messiest dishes on the list of specials for the day."
"Your mother does not have it out for you. She's hoping you'll learn something from this experience. She's doing this because she loves you. She didn't have parents to help her through life when she was your age."
"I forget that sometimes." Nikki said as she went back to the dirty dishes.
As Nikki continued with her never ending task a loud crash came from the alley outside the kitchen. Jean Paul who was having just about enough of the stray animals rummaging through the garbage went to confront them. Opening the back door to the restaurant Jean Paul got the shock of his life when he saw a huge cat come bounding towards the door. This was no ordinary stray.
At the same time the cat entered the kitchen screams could be heard from the dinning area of the café. The screams were accompanied by the crash of tables and glass. Another identical cat and an even larger cat like creature were reeking havoc upon the popular café.
The cat in the kitchen began staring at Nikki with the look of a predator who has found its prey. Jean Paul knew he had to do something to protect his baby girl from the creature. Reaching for his heaviest iron skillet Jean Paul whacked the cat in the head getting its attention.
"You want to pick on someone then how about me." Jean Paul challenged leading the cat out of the kitchen away from Nikki.
"Papa no!" Nikki yelled.
Ignoring her wet wrinkled hands Nikki reached into her pocket and pulled out her henshin rod. Whatever was attacking her family's café and her papa was going to pay.
"Jupiter Planet Power!" Nikki called out.
The kitchen became engulfed in electrical energy, which wrapped itself around Nikki. When the last of the visible electrical energy was gone Nikki stood poised and ready to fight as the younger Jupiter.
********
Lita had spent a chunk of her morning running errands here and there. There were things that needed to be done for the café and she needed to get her mind off of the situation with Nikki. Her daughter's punishment was going to stand until Serenity lifted the KP duty off of Rini's court. And until then the whining complaining Nikki would just have to suffer with the rest of them. As Lita got closer to the café something didn't seem right.
The blast of lightning that lit up the café like a Christmas tree was the first thing to catch Lita's attention. As the blast subsided two identical creatures came racing out of the café with what appeared to be large grins on their faces. Lita knew right away something was wrong and someone in her family was in terrible danger. Lita did the one thing she hadn't done in over ten years; she transformed.
Ducking into a nearby alley Lita called forth her henshin rod and called out her transformation phrase turning herself into the elder Jupiter.
"Jupiter Crystal Power!"
The moment the transformation was complete Lita rushed into the café. There in the main dinning room she saw a large cat like creature holding Nikki down by the arms. Not too far from them lay a knocked out Jean Paul. Seeing her family in danger brought forth a great well of anger.
"You leave her alone ugly!" Jupiter yelled.
The creature upon sensing a stronger star seed tossed Nikki aside like a piece of trash and went after Jupiter. The older version of the Senshi that attacked it was going to make a perfect victim.
"Mama no!" Neo Jupiter yelled.
Jupiter let forth her strongest attack at the charging creature.
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
The oak-based attack weakened the creature enough to slow it down. As the creature regained its composure and senses Jupiter took the opportunity to join her daughter and formulate a plan.
"You're doing good so far daughter. Think you're up for a little monster bashing with your old mother?" Jupiter said.
"You bet mama." Neo Jupiter replied.
"Okay then we're gonna combine our attacks into one. That should destroy this thing."
"Right."
"Jupiter Oak..."
"Jupiter Thunderstorm..."
"Evolution!"
"Crash!"
The combined oak and thunder attacks ripped the creature apart. When it was all over the mother and daughter pair rushed to Jean Paul's side.
"Jean Paul speak to me." Lita said.
"Papa wake up please." Nikki pleaded.
It was at that moment Chloe decided to walk into the café for work.
"Why does this place look like it was torn apart by a tornado?" she asked.
"Chloe help me get your father to the hospital." Lita told her oldest child.
"Oh my god papa! What happened to him?" Chloe wanted to know as she rushed to his side.
"Something attacked the café looking for me or mama, I don't know at the moment, but papa tried to protect me from it." Nikki explained.
********
The news of the attack on the café traveled fast and soon afterward the palace was put on full alert. The royal family made their way to New Tokyo General Hospital to be with Lita and her daughters while they waited for the doctor to finish examining Jean Paul. By the time the royal car pulled up to the hospital the other Senshi and their families were at the hospital. The punishment set down by the queen was temporarily forgotten for the time being.
"Any word on Jean Paul?" Ami asked Lita.
"No the doctor hasn't come out yet. I'm worried." Lita told everyone.
The girls went to comfort Nikki while their parents sat near Lita in the waiting area. Seeing her close friend in tears Kerri sat next to Chloe.
"Why did this have to happen to him?" Chloe asked Kerri.
"Even though he knew Nikki could protect herself your father still wanted to keep her safe from harm. It's what any parent would do for a child. When they are small children parents will place themselves between their child and any danger. But as they get older parents protect them in other ways. Your father was only doing what he saw was necessary at the time." Kerri explained.
Not too far from them Nikki sat trembling in fear. Rini held the taller Senshi in her arms and let the Senshi of thunder cry her eyes out. If anyone knew what Nikki was going through it was Rini.
"It was horrible. By the time I got out of the kitchen he was on the floor out like a light. Then that thing pinned me down. I don't know what it was after but the way it looked at me had me frozen in fear." Nikki said between sobs.
"I know. I know. It's all over now. Everything is going to be alright." Rini said soothingly.
From a corner of the small crowded waiting room Helios, Diana, and Orion watched as Rini comforted her friend. Helios could see why he loved Rini so much. She was always there for her friends no matter what the circumstances. She was just like her mother.
The door between the exam rooms and the waiting room opened. Every pair of eyes in the room were focused on the petit demure doctor standing before them. She was the one member of the assembled group not in the room. Going over to Lita the once frail tiny Dr. Hotaru Tomoe Pietre prepared to give her friend the news.
"Lita, Jean Paul is resting comfortably and you can see him now. After running a series of x-rays and neurological scans I've come to the conclusion that he suffered a mild concussion. Though I would like to keep him over night for observation." Hotaru told her.
"I understand." Lita replied.
"Doctor can Nicole and I see him too?" Chloe asked Hotaru.
"Well I would like to see your sister for a moment but you can go with your mother. I don't want too many visitors in there at one time." Hotaru said.
"Why do you need to see me?" Nikki wondered.
"I just need to run a couple of tests. Ami I'll need your help please." Hotaru explained.
"I'd be glad to help." Ami said.
********
Lita and Chloe walked into the room where Jean Paul was being kept. The patriarch of the Morne family smiled when he saw his wife and daughter walk over to him. The little girl he cared for so much was all grown up now but whenever he looked into her eyes he saw the fragile preemie he used to cuddle and protect. Now the twenty-two year old was about to start her first day of grad school soon so she could earn a masters degree in journalism. And between going to school, working at the restaurant, and writing reviews for a small local paper Chloe lead a full life.
"Hey you." Lita said lovingly as she bent over to give him a kiss.
"I am so stupid Lita." Jean Paul replied.
"You're not stupid papa. You did what you thought was the right thing." Chloe reassured him.
"Jean Paul next time leave the big ugly things to me." Lita said.
"I promise no more stepping on your territory." Jean Paul replied with a smile.
The smile on Jean Paul's face vanished when he saw Nikki was not in the room. The concern he had for his younger daughter returned.
"Lita is Nicole alright?" he asked his wife.
"Nikki's fine Jean Paul. Hotaru and Ami are just making certain she wasn't hurt in the attack." Lita told Jean Paul.
********
"What did you need me for Hotaru?" Ami asked the younger doctor.
"I need you to scan Nikki to make certain it's still there." Hotaru told her.
Ami knew full well what Hotaru meant. The younger doctor wanted her friend and mentor to make certain Nikki's star seed was still inside her body. Without it the younger Jupiter could be turned against the princess and the other members of her court becoming an Animate.
Ami pulled out her computer and punched in a few commands initiating the scan. The scan showed Nikki still had her star seed inside her. Upon receiving this information Ami breathed a sigh of relief. The girls were safe for now.
"What did you just do Dr. Urwa?" Nikki asked.
"I ran a scan with my computer to make certain nothing was taken or damaged in the attack." Ami explained to the confused Neo Senshi.
"What do I have worth taking?" Nikki asked the two doctors.
"Your star seed." Hotaru told her.
********
The younger Senshi sat in the waiting room with their parents waiting to see if Nikki was alright. The attack on the café had every Senshi mother and daughter worried. The attack even had Diana and Orion concerned as well. Orion knew Gaia had made her first move. Diana however, began to wonder if Apollo had told Gaia about Lita and Nikki being the Senshi of Jupiter.
"There is no doubt Chaos is making himself known." Orion said.
"What if Apollo had something to do with this? What if he told her who Lita and Nikki really are? What if she's using him to get to us?" Diana asked franticly.
"I don't know what her plans are for your brother but we have to do what we can to get him to see how dangerous she is." Orion told her.
********
Gaia listened to what the twins had to say. The news was not good. The twins had told her through a series of mews, growls, and body language that they found many star seeds. Two of them happened to belong to a pair of Sailor Senshi a mother and her 'kitten' as they called the child. The child was strong but the mother was stronger and together they were unstoppable. The creature sent by Gaia became another addition to the ever-growing numbers of youma destroyed by the Sailor Senshi.
"Those idiotic cats can't get anything right. They had a Sailor Star Seed within their grasp and they couldn't even get it. I need those Senshi and I need them fast if I am to release chaos on the world." Gaia said quite irritated.
Turning to the creature that was once Big Orange Gaia gave him her ultimatum.
"Listen you I gave you and your pack of idiots power beyond your wildest dreams. Either you learn to use that power or so help me I will take it away from you." She told the creature.
"Yes mistress we won't fail you" Big Orange replied through his body language.
********
Summer beak ends and the Neo Senshi and their friends are back in school. Life in Juban High gets turned upside down when a member of Big Orange's gang attacks the school looking for Star Seeds. The Neo Senshi have their first battle together as a team. Meanwhile Luna and Artimes take the first step to getting Apollo away from the influences of Gaia by enrolling him with Diana in Juban High. Next time on Sailor Moon Senshi in Training Part Six: Schoolyard Bullies.
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"Oh no it's here and they don't even know it." Rini muttered to herself.
********
"How can she be a lunar feline when my brother made it clear she wasn't?" Diana probed a bit farther wanting an explanation.
"Because when she became Chaos's loyal follower she gave up who she was and doing that meant giving up the sign of her birth the crescent she once had." Orion began trying to hold back the tears; "She betrayed her ancestors and her people."
********
"Diana you know there's probably a good chance he didn't go looking for her." Rini said.
"If you saw the look on his face this morning you'd know he wanted to see her again." Diana replied to her best friend.
********
"Soldiers of Chaos you have been chosen because you have dark hearts. Our mission is to search this city and find star seeds. Not just any star seeds but sailor star seeds. Our great lord Chaos needs these star seeds if he is going to rule over this puny little planet. Now go, go and spread chaos upon this land."
********
Sailor Moon: Senshi in Training
Part Five: The First Battle
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Nikki hated her punishment. Her hands were raw and sore. The combination of the dish soap and the hot water was doing a good number on her hands. The café had an automatic dishwasher but her mother insisted Nikki wash every single dish by hand. Nikki didn't mind helping out in the café she just didn't like washing dishes. The worst part was she was on KP duty at the palace as well as a part of her punishment from the queen.
"Don't I get a break?" Nikki whined.
"Sorry little one. No breaks except to eat and use the ladies room. Your mother was very strict on that point." Jean Paul told his daughter as he chopped some green onion.
"I hate my life." She stated.
"Well you wouldn't be in this mess if you didn't use the language you used. Just be thankful only the princess knows French. If the queen knew what you had said your punishment would have been much worse than it already is."
"Great, here I am working my fingers to the bone and the others got off a lot better than I did."
"Not so, your mother told me the princess is in just as much trouble as you are."
********
Nikki wasn't the only one being punished by her mother. Kari had received extra chores around the house for her remark to her mother. At the moment the blonde haired girl was forced to hand wash every hard surface in the house. That meant staying on her hands and knees on the entire first floor and doing every single bathroom on the second level. And when her mother meant every hard surface that even included showers, tubs, and spas. Kari was not a happy camper at the moment.
"My aching back." Kari stated trying to get some sympathy from her father.
"Sorry I can't help you there." Akira said not even looking up from his papers.
"Gee dad whose side are you on here?"
"No one's. I chose not to get involved. This is between you and your mother."
"Well could you at least let me use your shiatsu machine when I'm finished?"
"No because then you wouldn't learn anything. Besides your mother said I was not to give you any assistance and even if I could I can't because I have a lot of work to do today."
"Why in the world did I have to open my big fat mouth? I always put my foot in it."
Kari heaved one last heavy sigh before going back to her scrubbing.
********
A week had passed since Orion had come to the palace. Not only was Rini banned from dating and on KP duty with her friends she couldn't leave the palace and she had to write one essay a day on the rules of protocol. Five pages hand written single-spaced each day.
"This is torture." Rini whined sounding much like her mother did at her age.
"Gee who does she remind me of?" Endymoin joked to his wife in the conference room.
"I wasn't that bad." Serenity shot back with a grin.
"There has to be a law against this." Rini said continuing to whine.
"You forget we make the laws." Serenity reminded her daughter.
The king and queen had resigned to doing their paperwork in the conference room so they could keep an eye on their daughter. They knew if they weren't in plain sight of the princess she would procrastinate and even try to sneak out. This was one punishment they were determined to have stick.
Rini was stuck in her train of thought and about to start pounding her head on the table when a knock at the conference room door saved her from utter embarrassment.
"Come in." Endymoin called out.
A very worried looking Luna and Artimes came into the conference room wanting to see the king and queen. Ever since Orion's arrival Apollo had been spending much of his time away from the palace.
"Luna, what's wrong?" Serenity asked her friend.
"He's gone. We've looked everywhere but he's gone. Apollo never came home last night." Luna told her in a state of panic.
"Did he say where he was going last night?" Endymoin wondered.
"No he never tells us where he's going anymore." Artimes replied.
Serenity felt sorry for her friends. She didn't know what she could do to help them. Their family situation had gotten pretty bad.
"Um Luna how's Diana taking this?" Rini wanted to know.
"I don't know. She hasn't been talking to us that much about this situation." Luna said.
"Mom dad would it be alright if I go and check on Diana and see how she's doing? Rini asked.
"You may go but no more than one hour." Serenity told her daughter.
********
Diana paced back and forth in the rec room. She was in the room looking for some peace and quiet on this frantic Saturday morning. Diana had spent a good chunk of her morning helping her parents look for her brother. It was the first time he stayed out all night. This had her worried. She knew he was with his new love interest doing who knows what. Diana was ready to give Apollo a piece of her mind if she ever saw him again.
Orion watched as Diana paced back and forth mumbling things to herself about how her brother was going to be a dead man. Orion had never met Apollo face to face but from what he was hearing he felt the young lunar feline was going to need a good swift kick in the pants. The more Orion saw Diana the way she was the more he wanted to hold her and protect her. Something inside him was telling Orion it was the right thing to do.
"Diana pacing around like that isn't going to bring your brother home any faster." Orion said.
"I know but it makes me feel better." Diana told him.
"Things certainly have been quiet around here since I showed up."
"Everyone is serving time for what they did and said that day."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The queen has my trainees on KP when they're at the palace. They can't do any training until Queen Serenity feels they've learned their lesson. And most if not all of them are in hot water with their parents who won't end their punishment until the queen does. I'm surprised I didn't get into any trouble with my own parents."
"I think they feel your situation is unique. And besides trying not to rush off and confront your brother is a very hard thing to do which makes it a lesson in itself."
"I never thought of it that way."
Diana began thumbing through the extensive CD collection on the shelves before her. Mixed in with the classical music and show tunes was Rini's collection of J pop and American teen pop from the 20th century. Somewhere buried between the Three Lights and Backstreet Boys albums was the album she was looking for. It was rarity sitting there amongst the teen idols but the Vertical Horizon CD was exactly what Diana needed at this point. Her favorite song always helped to calm her frazzled nerves and right now she needed it more than anything else in the world.
As the music filled the room Diana could hear a knock on the door. Opening the door Diana saw Rini standing on the other side with a look of concern on her face. Diana feigned a weak smile because she knew her best friend in the entire world truly cared about her. And it was her family situation that had gotten Rini and the others into trouble with the queen.
"Diana I heard about Apollo. I'd offer to help but I can't leave the palace other than to go to school. And only then it's with an armed escort." Rini said.
"I understand." Diana answered quietly.
"Has your mother come to forgive me yet princess?" Orion asked Rini.
"She's said very little about the incident in the past week." Rini informed him.
Diana looked up at the small clock on the mantle above the fireplace. As she noted the time Diana realized Apollo had been missing for twenty-four hours. Great big tears began to fall down her tired weary face. Where are you, she thought.
Rini saw the tears falling down her best friend's face. Concern for her lifelong friend dictated she try and comfort the sobbing lunar feline. But before she could even get near her Orion was holding her in his arms. Rini knew the best thing she could do was to leave them alone. Right now Diana needed to be with Orion that it just seemed right that way.
********
Apollo was enjoying every moment of his freedom. He didn't have to answer his mother's questions or live up to his father's expectations. And being in feline form gave him the freedom to go anywhere he wanted. The night had found him once again in Gaia's arms but this time he stayed with her the entire evening. They wandered around the city talking about this and that until they found themselves in the park under the tree that was now their special place.
Spending the entire night away from the palace for the first time felt invigorating to Apollo. The young lunar feline felt as though he was truly important. For the first time in his life Apollo was out of Diana's shadow and he was in love.
The feline next to him didn't care he was Luna and Artimes's son or Diana's brother. All she cared about was the fact that he lived in the palace. She kept asking him questions about the palace staff and the palace guard. And the more questions he answered the more kissing and making out they did. Apollo thought it was all just a game.
Gaia woke from her slumber and left the sleeping Apollo under the Japanese oak. The sleeping palace cat had proven quite useful in giving her an army and information. The time had come to initiate phase one of her plan, capture a sailor star seed. It was time to test her new hunters abilities and now was as good a time as any.
********
After the battle between Sailor Galaxia and Chaos Galaxia went from planet to planet turning their Senshi evil. These evil Senshi became known as the Sailor Animates. The Animates were stripped of their star seeds and given control bracelets to wear. With the control bracelets in place these Senshi became loyal followers of Galaxia and Chaos doing their bidding. These evil Senshi were ordered to search for the star seeds of Senshi on Earth.
It was during this search that Sailor Moon and the Sailor Senshi met up with the Starlights. These three Senshi, posing as brothers who were also a popular J pop idol group, fought to find their missing princess. With their arrival the Sailor Senshi learned of the existence of other worldly Senshi and the Sailor Star Seeds. Each Senshi and even Tuxedo Mask possessed a Sailor Star Seed connected to their planet.
********
Lunchtime on a Saturday at the Rose Café was usually quite busy. The quiet small crowds seen during the week were replaced with the boisterous sounds of people out enjoying a perfect Saturday afternoon. And with the increase in crowd size came an increase in the number of dirty dishes. The bus boys were instructed to leave all the dirty dishes with Nikki to wash and they knew better than to ask why.
Nikki was up to her elbows in hot dirty soapy water regretting having ever opened her mouth in front of her mother. As she scrubbed and scrapped the food off of each dish Nikki began mumbling about having to learn another language so she could swear without Lita knowing it.
"Maybe Annya could teach me Russian or Swahili." Nikki thought aloud.
"Learning a new language isn't necessarily the answer." Jean Paul told her.
Nikki turned to face her father.
"Papa can I ask you a simple question?" Nikki said.
"Of course." He replied.
"Does mom have it out for me because I swear she's got you putting only the messiest dishes on the list of specials for the day."
"Your mother does not have it out for you. She's hoping you'll learn something from this experience. She's doing this because she loves you. She didn't have parents to help her through life when she was your age."
"I forget that sometimes." Nikki said as she went back to the dirty dishes.
As Nikki continued with her never ending task a loud crash came from the alley outside the kitchen. Jean Paul who was having just about enough of the stray animals rummaging through the garbage went to confront them. Opening the back door to the restaurant Jean Paul got the shock of his life when he saw a huge cat come bounding towards the door. This was no ordinary stray.
At the same time the cat entered the kitchen screams could be heard from the dinning area of the café. The screams were accompanied by the crash of tables and glass. Another identical cat and an even larger cat like creature were reeking havoc upon the popular café.
The cat in the kitchen began staring at Nikki with the look of a predator who has found its prey. Jean Paul knew he had to do something to protect his baby girl from the creature. Reaching for his heaviest iron skillet Jean Paul whacked the cat in the head getting its attention.
"You want to pick on someone then how about me." Jean Paul challenged leading the cat out of the kitchen away from Nikki.
"Papa no!" Nikki yelled.
Ignoring her wet wrinkled hands Nikki reached into her pocket and pulled out her henshin rod. Whatever was attacking her family's café and her papa was going to pay.
"Jupiter Planet Power!" Nikki called out.
The kitchen became engulfed in electrical energy, which wrapped itself around Nikki. When the last of the visible electrical energy was gone Nikki stood poised and ready to fight as the younger Jupiter.
********
Lita had spent a chunk of her morning running errands here and there. There were things that needed to be done for the café and she needed to get her mind off of the situation with Nikki. Her daughter's punishment was going to stand until Serenity lifted the KP duty off of Rini's court. And until then the whining complaining Nikki would just have to suffer with the rest of them. As Lita got closer to the café something didn't seem right.
The blast of lightning that lit up the café like a Christmas tree was the first thing to catch Lita's attention. As the blast subsided two identical creatures came racing out of the café with what appeared to be large grins on their faces. Lita knew right away something was wrong and someone in her family was in terrible danger. Lita did the one thing she hadn't done in over ten years; she transformed.
Ducking into a nearby alley Lita called forth her henshin rod and called out her transformation phrase turning herself into the elder Jupiter.
"Jupiter Crystal Power!"
The moment the transformation was complete Lita rushed into the café. There in the main dinning room she saw a large cat like creature holding Nikki down by the arms. Not too far from them lay a knocked out Jean Paul. Seeing her family in danger brought forth a great well of anger.
"You leave her alone ugly!" Jupiter yelled.
The creature upon sensing a stronger star seed tossed Nikki aside like a piece of trash and went after Jupiter. The older version of the Senshi that attacked it was going to make a perfect victim.
"Mama no!" Neo Jupiter yelled.
Jupiter let forth her strongest attack at the charging creature.
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
The oak-based attack weakened the creature enough to slow it down. As the creature regained its composure and senses Jupiter took the opportunity to join her daughter and formulate a plan.
"You're doing good so far daughter. Think you're up for a little monster bashing with your old mother?" Jupiter said.
"You bet mama." Neo Jupiter replied.
"Okay then we're gonna combine our attacks into one. That should destroy this thing."
"Right."
"Jupiter Oak..."
"Jupiter Thunderstorm..."
"Evolution!"
"Crash!"
The combined oak and thunder attacks ripped the creature apart. When it was all over the mother and daughter pair rushed to Jean Paul's side.
"Jean Paul speak to me." Lita said.
"Papa wake up please." Nikki pleaded.
It was at that moment Chloe decided to walk into the café for work.
"Why does this place look like it was torn apart by a tornado?" she asked.
"Chloe help me get your father to the hospital." Lita told her oldest child.
"Oh my god papa! What happened to him?" Chloe wanted to know as she rushed to his side.
"Something attacked the café looking for me or mama, I don't know at the moment, but papa tried to protect me from it." Nikki explained.
********
The news of the attack on the café traveled fast and soon afterward the palace was put on full alert. The royal family made their way to New Tokyo General Hospital to be with Lita and her daughters while they waited for the doctor to finish examining Jean Paul. By the time the royal car pulled up to the hospital the other Senshi and their families were at the hospital. The punishment set down by the queen was temporarily forgotten for the time being.
"Any word on Jean Paul?" Ami asked Lita.
"No the doctor hasn't come out yet. I'm worried." Lita told everyone.
The girls went to comfort Nikki while their parents sat near Lita in the waiting area. Seeing her close friend in tears Kerri sat next to Chloe.
"Why did this have to happen to him?" Chloe asked Kerri.
"Even though he knew Nikki could protect herself your father still wanted to keep her safe from harm. It's what any parent would do for a child. When they are small children parents will place themselves between their child and any danger. But as they get older parents protect them in other ways. Your father was only doing what he saw was necessary at the time." Kerri explained.
Not too far from them Nikki sat trembling in fear. Rini held the taller Senshi in her arms and let the Senshi of thunder cry her eyes out. If anyone knew what Nikki was going through it was Rini.
"It was horrible. By the time I got out of the kitchen he was on the floor out like a light. Then that thing pinned me down. I don't know what it was after but the way it looked at me had me frozen in fear." Nikki said between sobs.
"I know. I know. It's all over now. Everything is going to be alright." Rini said soothingly.
From a corner of the small crowded waiting room Helios, Diana, and Orion watched as Rini comforted her friend. Helios could see why he loved Rini so much. She was always there for her friends no matter what the circumstances. She was just like her mother.
The door between the exam rooms and the waiting room opened. Every pair of eyes in the room were focused on the petit demure doctor standing before them. She was the one member of the assembled group not in the room. Going over to Lita the once frail tiny Dr. Hotaru Tomoe Pietre prepared to give her friend the news.
"Lita, Jean Paul is resting comfortably and you can see him now. After running a series of x-rays and neurological scans I've come to the conclusion that he suffered a mild concussion. Though I would like to keep him over night for observation." Hotaru told her.
"I understand." Lita replied.
"Doctor can Nicole and I see him too?" Chloe asked Hotaru.
"Well I would like to see your sister for a moment but you can go with your mother. I don't want too many visitors in there at one time." Hotaru said.
"Why do you need to see me?" Nikki wondered.
"I just need to run a couple of tests. Ami I'll need your help please." Hotaru explained.
"I'd be glad to help." Ami said.
********
Lita and Chloe walked into the room where Jean Paul was being kept. The patriarch of the Morne family smiled when he saw his wife and daughter walk over to him. The little girl he cared for so much was all grown up now but whenever he looked into her eyes he saw the fragile preemie he used to cuddle and protect. Now the twenty-two year old was about to start her first day of grad school soon so she could earn a masters degree in journalism. And between going to school, working at the restaurant, and writing reviews for a small local paper Chloe lead a full life.
"Hey you." Lita said lovingly as she bent over to give him a kiss.
"I am so stupid Lita." Jean Paul replied.
"You're not stupid papa. You did what you thought was the right thing." Chloe reassured him.
"Jean Paul next time leave the big ugly things to me." Lita said.
"I promise no more stepping on your territory." Jean Paul replied with a smile.
The smile on Jean Paul's face vanished when he saw Nikki was not in the room. The concern he had for his younger daughter returned.
"Lita is Nicole alright?" he asked his wife.
"Nikki's fine Jean Paul. Hotaru and Ami are just making certain she wasn't hurt in the attack." Lita told Jean Paul.
********
"What did you need me for Hotaru?" Ami asked the younger doctor.
"I need you to scan Nikki to make certain it's still there." Hotaru told her.
Ami knew full well what Hotaru meant. The younger doctor wanted her friend and mentor to make certain Nikki's star seed was still inside her body. Without it the younger Jupiter could be turned against the princess and the other members of her court becoming an Animate.
Ami pulled out her computer and punched in a few commands initiating the scan. The scan showed Nikki still had her star seed inside her. Upon receiving this information Ami breathed a sigh of relief. The girls were safe for now.
"What did you just do Dr. Urwa?" Nikki asked.
"I ran a scan with my computer to make certain nothing was taken or damaged in the attack." Ami explained to the confused Neo Senshi.
"What do I have worth taking?" Nikki asked the two doctors.
"Your star seed." Hotaru told her.
********
The younger Senshi sat in the waiting room with their parents waiting to see if Nikki was alright. The attack on the café had every Senshi mother and daughter worried. The attack even had Diana and Orion concerned as well. Orion knew Gaia had made her first move. Diana however, began to wonder if Apollo had told Gaia about Lita and Nikki being the Senshi of Jupiter.
"There is no doubt Chaos is making himself known." Orion said.
"What if Apollo had something to do with this? What if he told her who Lita and Nikki really are? What if she's using him to get to us?" Diana asked franticly.
"I don't know what her plans are for your brother but we have to do what we can to get him to see how dangerous she is." Orion told her.
********
Gaia listened to what the twins had to say. The news was not good. The twins had told her through a series of mews, growls, and body language that they found many star seeds. Two of them happened to belong to a pair of Sailor Senshi a mother and her 'kitten' as they called the child. The child was strong but the mother was stronger and together they were unstoppable. The creature sent by Gaia became another addition to the ever-growing numbers of youma destroyed by the Sailor Senshi.
"Those idiotic cats can't get anything right. They had a Sailor Star Seed within their grasp and they couldn't even get it. I need those Senshi and I need them fast if I am to release chaos on the world." Gaia said quite irritated.
Turning to the creature that was once Big Orange Gaia gave him her ultimatum.
"Listen you I gave you and your pack of idiots power beyond your wildest dreams. Either you learn to use that power or so help me I will take it away from you." She told the creature.
"Yes mistress we won't fail you" Big Orange replied through his body language.
********
Summer beak ends and the Neo Senshi and their friends are back in school. Life in Juban High gets turned upside down when a member of Big Orange's gang attacks the school looking for Star Seeds. The Neo Senshi have their first battle together as a team. Meanwhile Luna and Artimes take the first step to getting Apollo away from the influences of Gaia by enrolling him with Diana in Juban High. Next time on Sailor Moon Senshi in Training Part Six: Schoolyard Bullies.