Orion Saga

Part 1

Quest for the Orbs

Chapter 7: The new soldier comes sparkling in

It is late in the afternoon when Usagi walks into the zoo with Minako. Looking around, she sighs. "Ami-chan said she'd be here."

Flipping her golden hair over her shoulder, Minako looks at her friend. She's probably behind a book somewhere."

"Well, the movie will start soon."

In a bubbly voice, the slightly taller young woman smiles. "I've got an idea. Why don't we split up? We'll probably find her faster."

"Okay. I'll go this way." Usagi points ahead of them.

"We'll meet back here in fifteen minutes."

As Usagi nears the tiger enclosure, she sees a tall girl in a high school uniform draped over the rail, purple hair pulled into a low ponytail. The twisted curly bangs fall over her face as she stares through them. Usagi approaches slowly. In as jovial a voice as she can muster, she greets the girl. "Zentora-chan. Hey."

Turning at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, Zentora sees a small young woman standing next to her. "Um, hello. Do I know you?"

"Not really. We-haven't actually met yet." Usagi smiles nervously. "I'm friends with Michiru and Haruka. My name's Usagi."

She looks at the extended hand and clasps it. "Nice to meet you."

Usagi smiles a little, as the cool hand is release from her own. She watches as the girl leans back onto the rail, unconsciously tossing a few stray hairs out of her line of vision. "She seems so calm now. And she looks at lot different than she did at the festival. Not quite the same girl Mamo was staring at." Scanning the crowd for some sign of Ami, she bends with her back facing the rail. "So. What's up?"

Zentora's brown eyes glance at the older girl. "I just like to come here sometimes, that's all."

Usagi turns to see a tiger walk out into the enclosure. "Cool! A tiger."

"Yeah. They're incredible." Usagi looks at her and the soft voice takes on a reflective tone. "Calm and mysterious, but when they have to, they'll fight. And they won't let anything stop them."

Usagi looks at her. Somehow wondering if she's talking about more than the animals before them. The animals that this strange girl is named for. "Oh."

"Then it's back to calm."

"Don't they eat people?"

Zentora laughs a slight low chuckling sound and shakes her head. "Bye, Usagi-san."

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah…homework." She picks up her school issue bag. Maybe I'll see you later."

"Sure." She watches the girl as she walks off, her bag swinging at her side.

"Usagi! There you are." Minako comes running up with Ami behind her. "We have to hurry to make the movie. She stops talking when she gets a good look at her friend. "What are you looking at?" Looking up, she sees Zentora walking off. "Her?"

"Yeah. She's totally different."

Minako nods. "A bit too mysterious if you ask me."

Usagi grumbles. "I was nowhere near that deep at her age."

Ami clutches her book and looks at Usagi. "You're nowhere near that deep now."

Usagi frowns and Minako tries not to giggle.

Zentora is about to leave the zoo, but stops short in front of the lion enclosure. She has a strange feeling and begins to look around. Running between some cages, she speaks in a soft, yet firm voice. "Orion Star Power."

The jewel in the amulet around her neck begins to glow a bright purple, the star itself glowing gold. Zentora is bathed in a golden light as her clothing disappears and her hair begins to blow in the wind created by the energy of the light around her. Her entire form becomes a transparent purple as the star rises above her, increasing in size. Eventually, the massive star is over her body and a purple light twirls around her. First in a small stream and then growing bigger as the light turns into stars. As the golden energy combines with the purple, the star emits a shaft of light.

A pair of purple shoes can be seen as the light fades away. Golden star earrings are in each lobe and the silver clip is no longer in the upper left ear. Turning, she folds her arms, lifting a hand to the side of her face. Orion stands in her fuku ready to fight.

An old man walks out into the lions' enclosure and strokes one of the enormous cats. "Hey. How are you guys doing today?" He smiles as he pours water from a large bucket into the pond for them. As he walks past some flowers, one of them twists into a lion and jumps on him. The lions in the enclosure begin roaring loudly at the intruder who has attacked their human friend.

"Looks like my cue." The purple clad senshi stands near the cages and runs to the enclosure.

Usagi, Ami and Minako are walking on their way out of the zoo, when a man runs into Minako. Usagi and Ami rush to help their friend up. "Are you alright? Mina-chan?"

"Yeah, Ami. Thanks. She stands, rubbing her behind. Her eyebrows shoot up at the crowd running past. "What's going on?"

Ami looks up. "I don't know, but should probably change ourselves.

Usagi looks at Ami as she runs over to a group of trees. "Come on Usagi." Minako takes her friend's hand and runs after Ami.

"Mercury Crystal Power!"
"Venus Crystal Power!"

"Moon Crisis Power!"

The three senshi run in the opposite direction of the mob. They stop when they reach the lions. There, they see a man being held up as his energy is drained. "What is that?"

Mercury lowers her visor. "A flower?"

"What kind of flower is it?" Venus stares at the green bodied lion holding the man.

"I don't know, but we'll get rid of it!" Sailor Moon looks down. "How do we get down there?"

Sailor Venus rolls her eyes. Grabbing Sailor Moon's hand, she jumps. Mercury and Venus land lightly on their feet, but Sailor Moon yells all the way down, falling on her bottom. The villainous lion turns at the sound of her yell. The embarrassed senshi quickly stands to her feet assuming a battle stance. "I am Sailor Moon. In the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

"I am Sailor Venus. With the beautiful love power of Venus, I will defeat you!"

"I am Sailor Mercury, and I am also here to punish you!"

The flowery lion ignores them and continues to drain her prey.

"Hey! Stop that!" Sailor Moon yells while waving her arms in the air.

Sailor Venus points her arms out in front of her. "Crescent, Beam Smash!"

"Mreoow!" Dropping the man, she looks at the soldiers.

"Well, at lest we've got her attention." Venus looks at the angry monster.

"Dandelion!" She jumps up and lunges, extending a clawed hand to scratch Sailor Venus.

"Aagh!" She clutches her arm as she backs up.

Their new enemy begins to spin. "Dandelion Torture!" When she stops spinning yellow petals fall over the three senshi.

"I feel so weak…" Venus begins to sway and falls to the ground.

Mercury looks at Sailor Moon as she fights to keep her balance. "Try to attack it!"

"I can't I feel so…" The small soldier drops to her knees.

Dandelion smiles wickedly, bearing her fangs. She turns back to her target as the three sailor scouts struggle to stand.

Sailor Moon looks up to see some sort of jewel come from the man's body. A second later, a purple arrow shoots through the sky and Dandelion's tail is severed. The old man falls to the ground.

Sailor Moon and the others look up as their strength is slowly replenished. Standing above them on a rock is a purple clad senshi, her lavender bows billowing in the slight spring breeze. "Who's that?"

A quiet voice drifts out to them as the strange new soldier addresses their enemy. "Like a shooting star at the end of its life, so will you be extinguished."

Dandelion looks at her and jumps into the air. Bearing her claws, she lunges at the new sailor. Dodging, the purple senshi says an attack. "Starshock spark."

The three soldiers watch as she throws a star at Dandelion, only for her to shrivel up into herself. The new senshi jumps down to the man as the other senshi watch. Pushing themselves to their feet, they watch as the mysteriously quiet soldier stands over the man. A silver sphere hovers over his body and they see her pick it up gently, cradling it in her gloved hands. Turning to leave, she stops at the sound of Sailor Moon's voice.

"Wait! What are you doing?"

The calm voice is tinged with sarcasm. "I'd love to sit down to a cup of tea and explain it to you, but I'm kind of in a hurry." They can only watch her as she bounds from rock to rock until she is out of the enclosure. Within moments, after she is gone, Mercury manages to stand and goes over to the man. He opens his eyes slowly.

"He's awake." She turns from her sister soldiers and looks at him again. "Are you alright?"

Slightly weakened, the man nods as he is helped up.

Usagi, Ami, and Minako stand under a tree as they watch the man talking to zoo security officers. Ami holds the book that she'd had earlier. Minako nervously twirls a strand of hair with her hand. "Who could that have been?"

"I don't know, Mina. It must have been a soldier."

Usagi is contemplative. Her silence draws the attention of her friends. The royal blue eyes are clouded with concentration as she looks at the man. "If it was, why would she take that thing…from the man over there? And what was it?"

"That's a good question." Ami looks at the man. "Whatever it was, her taking it, doesn't seem to have had any effect on him."

A reddish brown hand reaches into a school bag and a silver ball is taken out. "You've found an orb?"

Nodding, Zentora sits down next to her telepathic friend. "Now that I have it, what do I do with it?"

Sirius speaks up from her spot on the desk. "I would suggest putting it in a safe place."

"In the house? Isn't that dangerous?"

Pup shakes his head and thinks. "No. By itself, it can't do much damage. And even then, not without being activated by someone."

"Someone has to activate it?"

"Yes, and it is best if that person is you."

Puzzled, she places the orb in a drawer. Turning to her guardians, she wonders if she should ask the question on her mind. "Who else could activate it?"

Sirius shakes her head. "I think that answer should wait till another time."

Zentora looks at the cat lying on the desk. "What? Why not tell me now?"

"Pup interjects, his calm voice piercing the girl's mind. "She's right. You've already got enough to worry about."

Reluctantly, Zentora drops the subject.

The russet eyes widen at the site of the strawberry ice cream cone as it is placed into the girl's hands. Smiling, she tilts her head up to look at the salesman before taking a lick. "Mmm…"

"How is it Chibi Usa-chan?"

"It's great!" The child swallows and reaches for a napkin. "Domo, Mamoru-chan."

Mamoru smiles at the overjoyed girl. "You're welcome." The sound of a bell causes him to turn his head. A small girl about Chibi-Usa's age walks in. Wavy black hair bounces around her brown face as she smiles. Turning around, she puts her hand through the open door. Mamoru watches as an older girl walks in behind her.

"Mamoru-chan?" Chibi-Usa looks up at him. "What are you staring at?"

Slowly, he takes a lick of his cone as he realizes that he is looking at the same girl from the festival and the gardens. "Um, I thought I saw someone I knew."

The pink head turns to the counter and she sees the tall girl and the little girl standing next her. "You mean them?" She continues looking as she sees the younger girl take a strawberry cone. Smiling, the older girl allows herself to be led to a table. "She's pretty." Chibi-Usa watches as the purple haired girl sips on a smoothie.

Zentora quietly sips the watermelon smoothie, lost in her own thoughts. After a moment, her bandaged left hand reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. With a slight smile, she looks at her younger sister. "How's the ice cream, Nyumi?"

Looking up at the sound of the quiet voice, she smiles brightly. "It's good." The eight-year old looks at her older sister's choice. "You should've gotten a cone too."

"That's okay. I like this."

"But it's nothing but fruit."

"Yeah? And that's just sugar. Maybe I should take yours back and get one of these for you."

"Uh-uh." Nyumi holds the cone away from her older sister and sticks out her tongue.

"I like strawberry too." Zentora and Nyumi turn in the direction of the voice. Nyumi smiles at Chibi-Usa, who is sitting across from their booth. "Hi."

"Hello." She waves at the pink-headed girl.

"I'm Chibi- Usa. This is Mamoru-chan."

"My name's Nyumi."

Mamoru smiles warmly at the girl and then looks at her sister. "Who's this?"

"My sister."

Looking at Mamoru and Chibi-Usa, she finishes the introduction. "My name's Zentora."

"Hi, Zentora-san." Chibi-Usa holds her cone just in front of her mouth before taking a lick.

"Hi." A slight smile plays over the full lips.

Mamoru watches as she begins sipping her smoothie again. In an effort at small talk, he looks up. "Are you new around here?"

Nyumi looks at him. "We've been in Japan for a month now. My teacher says I'm a fast learner."

Mamoru smiles at the bright hazel eyes that peer up at him. "I'm sure you are." Returning his gaze to Zentora, he asks her where they are from. Once more the child intercepts the question that was meant for her sister, telling him that they are from America.

"America? Really?" Chibi-Usa's eyes light up. "What's it like?" At the chance for an audience, Nyumi begins talking rapidly about what life was like back in the States.

For about ten or fifteen minutes, Nyumi goes on until she is interrupted. "Nyumi. It's getting late."

The two girls look up at Zentora. Mamoru is startled by the quiet voice, having not heard it since she told them her name. "Do we have to go now?"

A silent nod is her answer. Reluctantly, she stands up next to her sister and takes her hand. A glimmer of hope is in the young voice. "Can we come back?"

"I'm not-"

"Maybe they could see each other at the park tomorrow?"

Chibi-Usa nods energetically. Nyumi clutches her sister's hand. "Can we?"

"I guess so." She looks at Mamoru as she throws away her cup. "Tomorrow then." Taking Nyumi's hand in her own, the two leave.

"Come on, Usagi-chan, we'll be late."

"Oh, be quiet! I'm coming." Usagi is seated in front of her dresser putting her hair up into the customary odanga. "Okay, Luna. How do I look?" She turns to the black cat as she stands up.

From her point on the dresser, she sits up. "You're only going to the park, Usagi."

The young woman looks down at the trendy black dress. "Too much?"

"Yes, I should think so. Maybe something a bit simpler…"

"Usagi-chaaan!"

"QUIET! You little brat! I'm getting dressed."

Luna shakes her head in disapproval. "Very respectable. A princess shouting at her own daughter."

Usagi blushes. "Oh, Luna. It's just that Mamoru and I haven't done anything together in a while." "Not since the festival."

The pink skirt rustles a little as Usagi stands next to Chibi-Usa in front of the house. "Usagi-chan, what are you doing? If you eat them all, there won't be any for when we get to the park."

Usagi stops chewing for a moment, holding the decapitated bunny in her hand. "I'm not eating them all. I'm just tasting to make sure the cookies are still fresh."

"The way you eat, they won't have time to get stale."

Glaring at Chibi-Usa, Usagi opens her mouth to yell. Thinking better of it, she finishes the rest of the bunny.

"Usa-chan, Chibi-Usa-chan." Both girls look up at the sound of the deep male voice.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi flings herself at her boyfriend.

"Hi." He gives a slightly embarrassed smile as he embraces her. "Are you guys ready?"

"Yeah." The russet eyes sparkle with excitement.

"Well, let's go." Taking Usagi's arm, he walks with them to the park.

Deep liquid brown eyes gaze past fuchsia locks as their owner scans the pages of a book. Nyumi looks at her silent sister as she sits against the tree, both her knees bent to prop up her book. Picking up her ball from the ground, she walks over and stands next to the older girl. As he peers down, the quiet voice speaks, her sister seeming to sense her agitation. "They'll be here soon. Don't worry."

Leaning against the tree herself, Nyumi looks up to see the pink puffs as Chibi–Usa walks into the park. "They're here!" She looks toward her sister before running to greet her.

Usagi walks into the park to see Chibi-Usa running towards a little black girl. The two of them walk over to a tree where Usagi sees another girl stand up. "Zentora?"

Mamoru glances at her. "Yes, that's her sister. Chibi-Usa and I met them yesterday when we went out for ice cream."

"Is that why we came to the park? So you could see her?"

Mamaoru gives her a worried look. "No, Usagi. What are you talking about?" Usagi is silent as Nyumi and Chibi-Usa approach her.

"Usagi-chan! This is Nyumi." Chibi-Usa smiles as she points to her new friend.

Smiling, the girl looks at Usagi. "Hello, Usagi. Hi Mamoru."
"It's Usagi-san and Mamoru-san." The quiet girl stands next to her sister and Chibi-Usa.

"That's okay. You can call me Mamoru-chan."

With a less than sincere smile, Usagi follows his lead. "Yeah…call me Usagi-chan."

Nyumi smiles at the two of them before turning up to look at Zentora. "Can we play now?"

"Sure, go ahead." Pushing the hair off of her face, she watchers the two girls run off. Facing Usagi and Mamoru, she talks. "We were sitting under that tree over there. I though the shade would be nice."

"Okay." Usagi is quiet as Mamoru takes his hand and follows Zentora as she leads them up the hill and sits and the base of the huge tree. Picking up her book, she begins to read where she left off.

"What's that?"

She glances at Usagi. "A book on mythology."
"Is it for a school project?"

"No."

Usagi nods, understanding that she is reading the book for pleasure. Mamoru notes her silence as the five of them eat the lunches they'd prepared. She speaks almost as little as Zentora and Mamoru finds himself wondering what is wrong.

Eventually Nyumi and Zentora say goodbye. Usagi gives the slightly younger teen a curt 'bye'. Standing beside her, Mamoru watches them leave. "Usa-chan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."