A fan-fiction Sailormoon/ X-Men crossover.
BIRD HUNT
Disclaimer : none of the characters in this fan-fiction are mine but one
(Read note BELOW).
The Sailor Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, Queen Serenity, Queen Beryl, Queen Metallia,
Luna, Artimis, Chibi-Usa (Chiba Usagi) and Tsukino Shingo are the
copyrighted property of Takeuchi Naoko.
The X-MEN, GENERATION-X, EXCALIBUR, the Starjammers, the Shi`ar Empire, and
the Watcher are all copywrited property of Marvel Comics.
NOTE: In this chapter, I introduce my very own character, an
extraterrastrial feline named Kella. She is the sister of the X-Men Cyclops
and Havok. Now, there has been among fans of the X-MEN comics a big debate
as to whether or not these two brothers have a third brother. Well, needless
to say, my character is not their brother.
Kella is the offspring of Marvel Comics' Capt. Christopher Summers of the
Starjammers ( Cyclops'- Scott Summers- and Havok's- Alex Summers- father)
and Hepzibah, a Feline-like ET the Marvel crew calls a Mephistoid. Kella
looks like a Persian-cat-turned human, except the top of her head, back and
tail are red. .
__________________________________________________________
CHAPTER TWO:
VISIONS
__________________________________________________________
The clock showed it was 4:30 in the morning- too early for any rational
being to wake up voluntarily. But then, given the dreams she'd been having,
Kathryn Pryde was beginning to wonder about many things. Her rational state
of mind was high on the list.
Her years in the X-Men and Excalibur had taught her the logic of stealth,
and so this and her ability to become intangible enabled her to glide past
the sleepers without waking them. "I'll just get some coffee and say 'hello'
to the sun".,she thought.
When She got to the first floor, however, Kate was surprised to find the
kitchen light on . As she came into the kitchen, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hello , Shedakit!" Kella said. Kate had to giggle at this. The way Kella
pronounce "Shadowcat" sounded like "Shadah-kit". Especially when Kella though
spirits needed lifting.
"Twenty-five. You went bust, Rahnie-wolf !" Kella smiled at the other occupant
of the kitchen. Rahne Sinclaire just countered with "deal".
"I thought I was the only one up at this hour," Kathryn yawned," did I wake you
two ?"
"Nah ! Been up for hours ! Y'know us cats love to prowl at night !" Kella
winked and smiled and dealt Rahne a new hand.
"OK. So what's your excuse, Rahne?" Kathryn asked.
"Och! This wee pixie kept me up all night !" Rahne said in her Highlands accent.
"Did not !" Kella pouted in mock- indignation. "Rahnie-Wolf just feels bad 'cause
she's lost ten hands of blackjack."
"Cards ?" asked Kathryn. " I thought you weren't the card-player, Rahne?"
"Well..." Rahne fidgeted.
"Ah, Rahnie-Wolf just no blackjack player! Would've played strip-poker, but neither
one's wearing enough for more than three hands!" Kella quipped. At this, Rahne
reddened and slid slowly under the table.
'Oh! Kella's in rare form this morning!' thought Kathryn.
Kathryn just smiled sadly, for she knew why they were up. She did not want to
trouble her friends, but Rahne and Kella both seemed to have picked up on Kate's
sleeping troubles early on.
Kathryn went to the coffeepot to pour some life into her. She sniffed at what
came out. "Cocoa and hazelnuts ? You're adulterating the coffee again, Kella ?"
She looked back at the half-Mephistoid, who just grinned.
"Me not adulterate good coffee ! Me just help that Muir Isle dishwater!" Kella
tried her best pout.
Kathryn just smiled as she finished pouring a cup and walked back to take a seat
and yawned once more.
"Dealer stands at twenty", Kella continued. "So, how did the Shedah-kit sleep
last night ?"
"Not well, Kella." There really wasn't any use to lie to either one of the girls.
Rahne would be hurt by it and Kella wouldn't stand for it. Besides, they'd been
at this for the past week. "I had that dream again."
"Still dreaming of Shi'ar?" asked Kella. "Give anyone nightmares. Give me plenty."
Kella grimaced at this last thought. Shadowcat and Rahne looked at Kella with sad
smiles and slowly nodded in understanding. For most of the redheaded star-traveler's
life, and long before, her father and mother had been having a running battle as
wanted pirates in the Shi'ar Empire. Before that, they had been slaves of that same
empire. So nightmares of the Shi'ar were expected. And, if Kella's use of the present-
tense of the verb "Give" was any indication, she still had them.
A pirate vessel was no fit place to raise a daughter, so Captain Summers and
Hepzibah had decided to give Kella to her brothers and Christopher's parents back
on Earth. It had been a tough decision, but to do otherwise would have meant Kella's
imprisonment or worse. That had been a year ago, but Kella still felt the pain of
seperation from her family.
"And the Phoenix." Kathryn added.
No one at the table had the ask the why of that. The X-Men all knew the story
behind that cosmic force. Those that hadn't lived through it were told the facts
by those who did. Kathryn thought it was almost a warning. Like the horrors of
the Holocaust were told in her family as a warning. As if to say "Never again".
"Do you have any idea who the banshee was that was talking in it?" Rahne asked
with concern on her face.
"Not a clue, Rahne." Kathryn said this in a touch of fear in her voice. It was
a voice she'd never forget. One she hoped never to hear.
"But I did get a look at who she was talking to", Kathryn said with relief- and
a bit of puzzlement. "But I didn't recognize her."
"Well, that's not unusual", added Rahne with a smile. " You do not know the
gargoyle, why should you know the person she's talking to?"
" True. It wouldn't be the first time the X-Men found themselves in someone
else's war." Kathryn said this with a sharp chuckle and sort of a twisted smile.
The humor in her statement, as dark as it was, did not fail to get any responses.
"But I did get her picture at least. I just wish I had Piotr's touch. I just hope
this mugshot helps."
"Can I see that sketch?" came a voice from the backdoor. Kella's and Rahne's heads
shot up as they registered Wolverine's voice. Neither girl had heard him come inside.
"Sure, Logan. Here you go. The uniform looks almost like a Japanese schoolgirl's."
Wolverine studied the drawing for a minute. "We may have trouble coming our way." He said slowly. "This girl is one on the Sailor Senshi."
"What? Who?" Rahne asked.
"The Sailor Senshi, a super-group that appeared in Japan three years back",
Wolverine said.
"Three years ago ? I thought you started steering clear of that area further
back than then." Shadowcat said.
"I still keep in touch."
"She seems awfully young for our life", Rahne said looking at the picture.
Kella was gazing at it as if trying to recall a memory.
"They weren't much older than you were when you started out, Woflsbane", Wolverine
said to Rahne.
Rahne shuddered a little, involuntarily, at the remark, remembering how her life
had twisted and turned since discovering she was a mutant werewolf. "'tis no` a
life I'd wish on my worst enemy", she whispered low. " Are they mutants? Like us?"
she asked Wolverine.
" Don't think so." Kella whispered slowly. Although she barely spoke, the whole
kitchen heard her.
" Then..." Shadowcat began.
" I ... think ... they're extra-terrestrials," Kella said, "from stories Mom told
me."
The kitchen took on a pall of silence as Kella's statement sank in.
"That explains the Shi'ar in the dream", came a voice from the hallway, "and the
Phoenix-force."
"Jean !?" Kathryn gasped, caught offgaurd. "How long have you... ? Oh! I'm sorry!"
Kathryn wondered at times how hard it must be for Jean Grey to be reminded of the
Pheonix. She had not really remembered it, but to hear what the force had done in
her guise was staggering- and terrible. And, there was still a bit of a link
between herself and the Phoenix, forged all those years back with a dying woman
on a flaming shuttle.
"I've been eavesdropping ever since those dreams started haunting you," Jean
whispered, "I'm sorry" as she hugged and kissed Shadowcat softly. She hadn't
known Shadowcat for long, although she had been a member of the X-Men for about
four years. With the constant reshuffling of the teams, Jean felt lucky she
had met Kathryn at all. And very honored. And she hated causing the Shadowcat
to hurt.
"'s OK", Shadowcat said softly.
"What is NOT 'OK' is that these leeches have attacked my kitten in her dreams!"
All turned as Storm walked into the room. "How DARE they ? By all I hold holy,
whoever is doing this will pay a high price!"
"Easy, Ororo !" Kathryn said, trying to relieve the building tension. "I don't
think they're trying to hurt me. I think it's more of a warning."
"A warning ? Who? What? Why?" Ororo asked, lowering herself to eye-level with
the young Hebrew.
"I wish I knew." Kathryn answered Ororo with a hug.
"Maybe we should ask her." Kella said, tapping the picture of the Sailor Senshi.
"But who is she?" Jean said, moving to Kella and hugging her sister-in-law.
"From her hairstyle, I think she's the leader of the group. She goes by the name
Sailor Moon", Wolverine said.
Inside Kathryn's head, something clicked at the mention of that name.
"Well ?" Ororo asked. "What do we do? We know nothing of these 'Sailor Senshi'."
"Well," said Kella , "Step one is to find out about these Sailor Senshi. Since
it's Monday, the library should be open. Kate and I'll make an expedition down
there to see if they've made any news. Many we get lucky."
"Good!" Ororo said. "That sounds like the start of a plan."
"A first for this group." A voice came from behind her. "Maybe we'll start a
trend ?"
"Oh, Jubilee." Jean said mock-scoldingly.
"Kid's got a point", Wolverine said. "Hey, Jubilation ! What got you out of bed
so early ?"
"Couldn't sleep, so I came down for some coffee." Jean poured Jubilee a cup.
"Hmmm... Kella made it today. Whatcha doin', Boss-lady?" Jubilee called to Kathryn.
"Huh ? Oh ! Nothing, Jubilee." Kathryn was looking at the dawn touching the
Westchester landscape. And she was remembering something from her dream. The high,
clear response of the ponytailed blonde in her dream last night:
"I am Sailor Moon, Champion of Love and Justice! And in the name of the Moon-
I WILL PUNISH YOU !"
The three women walked briskly into the library, oblivious to the stares they were
receiving.
Kella knew who was the cause of the sudden stillness. She was. But how can you
disguise a six-foot-two feline ? Even when she's wearing blue jeans, blouse, a
jacket and boots ?
"No pets in the library !" came a raspy voice.
"Stuff it, O'Connell", replied an annoyed Kathryn.
"Don't worry, Francis," Kella said with a lilt, "Kate's had her shots !"
"I wasn't talking about Kate." The annoyance continued. "It was Jubilee I was
talking about! Come for the comics collection, Jubilee ?"
"No, I haven't, Franky ! And you'd BEST back off ! I haven't gotten my shots yet."
As to prove her point, Jubilation started to snap at Frank.
To which Frank jumped back.
"Jerk !" Jubilee muttered under her breath.
"Sleezeball" Kathryn responded. "How do you put up with him, Kella?"
"'Tis easy, O Solomon ! Me just answer in way that deflect barbs!", she answered.
"By the way, Jubilee, nice comeback !"
"Thanks, Kella !" Jubilee grinned.
"Hello, Miss Summers !" said the librarian. "Studying up on your family again
today?"
"You want to check the family-tree ?" Francis sneered . "Check the AKC."
"That's for dogs, jerk !" Jubilee said with a hint of contempt. "Might find your
folks there, though !"
"Huh ?" O'Connell asked.
"Brickhead", Jubilee muttered.
"Just ignore him, Jubilee." Said Kella. "No, Mrs. Takeuchi !. I need to read back-
issues of the newspapers today."
"Alright. What papers ? " asked the librarian.
"New York Times, London Times, L. A., and anything out of Tokyo."
"You know where the microprint readers are, Kella-chan".
"Arigato, Takeuchi-sama."
"OK !" Said Kathryn saluting to Kella. "What do we now, Commander ?"
"Well, since you've had a bit more Japanese, Kate," said Kella, "you grab the
Tokyo Papers! I'll read the New York and London Times. And, Jubilee ! You take
L. A. !"
"Ja ! Mein Commandant !" Jubilee snapped to attention and saluted. The three
compadres then went to their assigned readers.
The girls came back from their expedition to the library with some success, though
not much. The newspapers had very few news stories about the Senshi, even in Japan.
Kathryn had marveled enviously at how inconspicuous the Senshi had been, even in
Japan, where most of their battles seemed to at least cause serious property damage,
and even when someone saw them at Tokyo's International Airport when a battle took
place.
However, some hints about these mysterious Senshi had surfaced. Enough clues,
anyway, to point Kella into the direction she must go.
It was time to talk to Mom.
As they came to the front door , Nightcrawler met them.
"Wie geht's es dir, meine Liebchen ?"
"Traurig" exclaimed the ladies.
"Snacks are in the kitchen." Nightcrawler then motioned to Shadowcat. "Katchen !"
"Yes, Kurt ?"
"You have a visitor." Kurt whispered and led Kathryn to the Living Room.
Kathryn froze for a second.
"Hello, Kate", Pete Wisdom said.
"Hello, Pete", Kate replied with she found her breath again. Their break-up in
England had been too quick for Kate's liking, and Excalibur's break-up and Kathryn's,
Kurt's, and Piotr's departure for America had left no time for explanations.
"So. What brings you Stateside ?" Kathryn said at last. "Is.. this a social call?"
"I wish it was", said the Englishman. "Kate, my contects in British Intel have
told me that agents in Tokyo found a super-group called the Sailor Senshi asking
about the X-Men over the weekend. I also heard that they boarded a plane for the
States this afternoon. I found that out after my plane landed here."
"Thanks, Peter. It means a lot, you helping us again."
"It's just a little. I wish I could be more help. But it needed doing."
Pete reassured Kate.
"Well, it matters to me", Said Kathryn.
"What do you think they want ?" Peter Asked
"I wish I knew, Pete. I wish I knew."
Cyclops and Havok caught up to their sister as she settled down to read the
photocopied pages and notes she had taken at the library.
"Heard that someone caused a stir at the library today." Alex grinned.
"Kella know. Me sorry, Alex, Scott, but couldn't be helped."
"We know, Kella. We know." Scott gave Kella a reassuring hug. "What did you find?"
"Not much", Kella sighed. " Just enough make remember some stories Mom told me.
They were sketcky, since no involve Mephistoids too much. But do involve Shi'ar."
"Did any of the stories in the papers involve the Shi'ar ?" Alex asked.
"No. But Sailor Senshi sound like warriors of old Moon Kingdom. In fact," Kella
continued, "leader sound amazingly like Moon Queen that beat back Shi'ar."
Scott and Alex looked at each other, stunned.
"Beat back the Shi'ar???"
Later that night, Kella prepared herself to contact her Parents. She adjusted
her head into the modified Cerebro unit. She slowly let her mental energies expand.
"Mom ? Dad ? You there ? Mom ? Dad ?"
"We're here, Kella." Answered her Mother. "What's wrong, cub, homesick ?"
"Always, Mom." Kella smiled. " But got problem here." Kella took a serious tone.
"Shadowcat been having nightmares about Shi'ar and Phoenix. And she's been seeing
ghoul in dreams called Beryl."
Hepzibah took a long breath before she answered her daughter. "Beryl.", Hepzibah
repeated. "Do you remember stories I tell of early Shi'ar, Kella?"
"Yes, ma'am. That why I call. Shadowcat seeing Beryl-ghoul and someone that sound
like Moon Queen." As Hepzibah considered this, Kella asked another question.
"Mom why is .. who is it ? Queen Serenity ? .. revered so much by our people?"
"Because, Kella, Queen Serenity was only being outside planet to defeat Shi'ar."
"How did she do it ?" Kella asked.
"Through sheer force of will !" Hepzibah said. "She try to dissuade Shi'ar from
Beryl's alliance. But Emporer refuse to listen. Earth was pretty bauble and he
think Beryl could be worked as puppet ! So, when reasoning with Emperor fail,
Queen Serenity use mind and silver crystal to burn into Emperor's head. Emperor
die. But it drain Queen in process. She almost die herself."
Kella just sat there stunned. 'It will happen again', a voice inside her kept
saying.
"Kella ! If Shadowcat having dream of Beryl and Shi'ar, it be warning." Her mother
said, "Shi'ar never forget Earth. Or bargain with Beryl. Mean to claim what was
promised."