THE SORCERESS OF NY,
based on the novel by L. Frank Baum
Chapter 3: "Lacking in Heart"
By Bill K.
Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Luna continued down the sunlit
path, headed toward the shrine of the Sorceress of Ny. With a little
prompting from Sailor Moon, Mercury had recalled how to walk and was
keeping a brisk pace - - too brisk for Sailor Moon.
"Mercury," moaned Sailor Moon after a while. "Can we rest for
a minute?"
Mercury looked at her, puzzled. "I don't know," she replied.
"Can we?"
"We may as well," Luna replied sourly. "Otherwise we'll be
subjected to her whining for the next half mile."
"Luna, has anybody told you that you're not the least bit
funny?" snapped Sailor Moon angrily.
"What makes you think I was being funny?" Luna asked, her
eyebrow arched.
"Do you two fight like this a lot? I thought you were
friends," Mercury asked. Sailor Moon blushed. She didn't think it
possible, but it looked like Luna was blushing, too.
After a short rest, they started down the path, but it wasn't
long before their progress came grinding to a halt.
Sailor Moon sighed. "I'm hungry."
"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Luna grimaced.
"Oh, look!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, pointing to an orchard just
outside of the sunlit path. "Apples!"
"Are you certain?" Luna queried. "They don't look like any
apples I've ever seen."
Sailor Moon popped to her feet and scampered over to the
orchard. Leaning against the rail fence, she reached up and was
about to pluck one of the strange fruit. Then, to her surprise, a
tree spirit rose up out of the limb. She stopped short and stared at
it in wonder. The tree spirit gravely shook its head.
"No?" Sailor Moon asked. "Aren't they any good?"
The tree spirit shook its head, then pointed over Sailor Moon's
shoulder. She turned and saw another fruit tree further down the
path. One limb was sticking out over the path in the sunlight.
"You mean only the fruit in the sunlight is safe?" she asked.
The tree spirit bowed to her. "I'll remember. Thank you!" she
beamed.
Then she reached up and tickled the tree spirit under its chin.
"Oh, you guys are just so cute!"
Followed by Mercury and Luna, Sailor Moon walked down to the
limb dangling over the path. She reached up and plucked three of the
largest of the red fruit from the limb.
"Thank you," she said sweetly, bowing respectfully to the tree.
"You're welcome," the tree responded in a rough, sepulchral
voice. Sailor Moon's eyes grew to saucers.
"Um," she replied nervously, "I-I-I-I-I h-have to b-b-be
g-going now. Bye!" And she tore down the path at supersonic speed.
By the time Mercury and Luna caught up with her, she was a
quarter mile down the path, leaning against a fence post and gasping
for breath.
"Did something scare you?" asked Mercury.
"No!" Sailor Moon replied, much too quickly and in much too
high a voice for her liking.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I suppose I should have known that."
Sailor Moon was about to explain, then thought better of it.
Instead she handed Mercury a piece of fruit.
"What's this for?" Mercury asked.
"It's an apple - - I think. You eat it," Sailor Moon said,
then demonstrated, taking a huge bite. "Like this."
"I'm not sure my mouth can open that far," Mercury said
doubtfully.
"Most humans can't," Luna replied acidly. "But Sailor Moon is
gifted with some unique talents."
"You're just jealous," huffed Sailor Moon, downing the bite.
"But they are good! Here, I even got one for you."
"Well I do appreciate the sentiment, Sailor Moon," Luna
replied, "but cats don't eat apples. Assuming that is an apple."
"Oh yeah," Sailor Moon scowled, then brightened. "Oh well,
I'll eat it." Luna glared at her.
"This is very good," Mercury exclaimed. "Have I ever eaten
apples before?"
"Sure!" grinned Sailor Moon.
"Well, at least there's one good thing about this spell. It's
letting me experience the wonder of discovery all over again!"
"I don't suppose there's a pond with some trout anywhere around
here?" Luna grumbled.
"Well knowing this place, the trout probably carry fishing
poles and fish for cats," Sailor Moon said.
"What a gruesome thought," Luna replied, visibly shaken.
"Sure you don't want any of this apple?"
Luna sighed. "I suppose it beats starving to death. But mind
you, it'll never replace a properly cooked trout amandine." Sailor
Moon handed Luna a piece of the fruit with a quizzical look and the
cat reluctantly ate it.
As they wandered down the sunlit path, munching on their fruit,
Mercury glanced at Sailor Moon.
"That's a very pretty stone you wear around your neck," Mercury
commented.
"Thanks," smiled Sailor Moon. "This is what that nasty
Princess Nocturn is after."
"Really? What does it do?"
"Well nothing, so far. Maybe its only power is to negate hers.
Maybe that's why she wants it, so nobody can stop her."
"That's a very good deduction, Sailor Moon," Luna said. "I
hadn't thought of that." Sailor Moon grinned proudly. "Come to
think of it, she doesn't seem to be able to attack you directly so
long as you wear it."
"Maybe it negates everyone's powers. That would explain why I
can't summon the Moon Tier."
"But you were able to use Moon Tiara Action," cautioned Luna,
"so I don't think that's quite the explanation." She glanced over at
Mercury. "Sailor Mercury, do you recall anything about your time as
Princess Nocturn's prisoner?"
"No," Mercury said glumly. "I don't even remember how you and
I met now."
"You don't remember you were staked out in that awful field
with those flying creatures attacking you?" Sailor Moon asked.
"No," gasped Mercury. "Oh my, it must have been horrible!"
Continuing down the path, they stopped when Mercury spotted
something. She pointed at it.
"Look!" she said in amazement. "Look at that poor woman in
that clearing!"
"Mako-chan!" gasped Sailor Moon in dismay.
Standing away from the path, in a clearing near the forest,
was Sailor Jupiter. She was surrounded by thick brambles with razor
sharp points. As long as she stood perfectly still with her arms at
her sides, there was just enough room between her and the brambles to
keep from being harmed. Though she stood rigid within the brambles,
the scratches on her arms and legs revealed that she hadn't been
completely successful.
She caught sight of her fellow senshi on the path, eyeing them
nervously from the side because she didn't dare move her head, not
even to speak.
"What a terrible thing to happen!" gasped Mercury. "I wish I
was smart enough to know what to do!"
Then, growing out of a shadow that seemed to elongate from the
ground, Princess Nocturn appeared. Sailor Moon was about to angrily
charge her, but Luna cut in front of her and stopped her.
"Let her go!" roared Sailor Moon.
"You know my price, Princess," Nocturn hissed, glaring back at
Sailor Moon.
"You can't hurt me, so you can't threaten me!"
"Perhaps not directly," Nocturn said. Then she stuck a finger
through the brambles and lightly, teasingly caressed the underside of
Jupiter's chin. Jupiter tried to flinch away, but all that got her
was a cut on her cheek from the brambles.
Sailor Moon stood there helplessly. Nocturn's implication was
clear and there wasn't a thing she could do about it except give the
woman what she wanted. However, Luna wasn't so helpless. She inched
unseen behind Sailor Moon.
"Mercury," Luna hissed quietly. Mercury looked down at her.
"I want you to look at Princess Nocturn, then hold your right hand to
your side, fingers spread, and say "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody."
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" Mercury repeated. The wave sprang up
from nowhere and crashed headlong toward Princess Nocturn. Only the
woman's keen agility allowed her to disappear back into her shadow.
They waited for some sign of her return, but after a time concluded
she had gone.
"Well, that takes care of her for now. But we still have to
rescue Jupiter." Luna looked up at Sailor Moon. "Do you think you
have enough control with your tiara to cut those brambles away
without harming Sailor Jupiter?" Luna asked.
"Piece of cake," Sailor Moon replied.
She pulled her tiara off and converted it into its energy disk
form. With a level of skill and dexterity not usually associated
with her, Sailor Moon whipped the disk at Sailor Jupiter. It sliced
through the brambles, arcing back and forth with a life of its own.
After ten passes, enough of the bush had been whittled down to allow
Sailor Jupiter to gingerly step out. Instantly she whirled,
searching the dark forest behind her as if expecting an attack. When
none came, she backed out cautiously until she reached the sunlit
path.
"Mako-chan, you're hurt," cried Sailor Moon, rushing up to tend
to her friend.
"Boy, nothing gets past you!" Jupiter snarled. Using her
superior strength, she viciously shoved Sailor Moon away.
"Mako-chan?" Sailor Moon gaped in surprise. "Why are you
acting this way?"
"Because I want to," she snapped belligerently. "You want to
make something of it, blondie?"
"This isn't like you," Sailor Moon told her. "Why are you so
angry?"
"Why?" Jupiter glared. "What's being selfless gotten me?
This!" and she held up her scratched arms. "Well I'm fed up! From
now on, I look after me!"
"But what about the team?" cried Sailor Moon.
"The team can look after itself!" Jupiter began to walk off,
callously turning her back on Sailor Moon.
"Say!" Mercury spoke up indignantly. "She helped you out of a
tight spot and you're not being very grateful!"
"Oh, wild guess!" spat Jupiter, whirling menacingly to look at
Mercury. "Want to know something else, dummy? I don't give a damn!
Now you want to make something of it?"
Mercury was about ready to charge in, but Sailor Moon
restrained her.
"Mercury, no," Sailor Moon pleaded. "Fighting never solved
anything, particularly fighting with ourselves."
"You're a sucker, Sailor Moon," sneered Jupiter, "and you
always were!"
Sailor Moon looked down, stung by the response.
"This is Nocturn's doing," Luna whispered to her.
"You think so?" Sailor Moon asked, daring to hope.
"I'm sure of it. I'm beginning to see a pattern. It's as if
Nocturn has managed to rob you all of your greatest gifts. You're
missing the Moon Tier. Mercury's been robbed of her ability to
think. And now she's taken Jupiter's good heart."
"No," sobbed Sailor Moon.
"What are you two whispering about?" Jupiter demanded, stomping
up to them. "I thought I heard you say somebody took something from
me?"
"Your heart," Sailor Moon began.
"- - shaped pendant!" Luna quickly added. "Made of solid
gold."
"What?" gasped Jupiter angrily. "Is it valuable?"
"Oh, it's priceless!" Sailor Moon nodded.
"Who took it?" Jupiter asked in a low snarl.
"We think it was Princess Nocturn."
"Nocturn? That little witch you were fighting just now?"
Jupiter smacked a fist down into her open hand. "Well I'm just
going to find her and I'm going to take back what's mine," and she
glared off into the shadowy forest with a fierce look none of them
could remember seeing before. "With interest."
"Do you know where Princess Nocturn is?" Luna queried
cautiously.
"I'll find her."
"You know," the cat smiled slyly. "We could offer you an
easier solution."
"I'm listening."
"It's said that the Sorceress of Ny knows everything. We were
all traveling to her shrine. You're welcome to accompany us if you
like. Perhaps the Sorceress can give you Nocturn's exact location so
you can - - settle accounts more expeditiously?
"Uh huh. What do you get out of it?" Jupiter asked
suspiciously.
"Well, the more people in our party, the less likely we are to
be attacked," reasoned Luna. "In spite of the protection of the
sunlit path, this is still dangerous country. Protection in numbers,
I say."
Jupiter thought this proposal over.
"All right," she replied. "I'll travel with you. But just
remember, if we do get attacked, you three are on your own.
Understand?"
"Perfectly," Luna replied coldly.
Jupiter turned and started walking down the path, unconcerned
as to whether the others were following her. The three quickly fell
in behind her.
"That was smart thinking, Luna," Sailor Moon murmured to the
cat.
"Thank you," Luna replied, smirking proudly.
"Where were we going again?" Mercury asked.
"The shrine up on the hill," Sailor Moon pointed. Mercury
craned her neck to see it above the dense forest.
"My, we've got a long way to go yet," Mercury commented.
"I hope we get there soon," Sailor Moon whispered. "I don't
like what Mako-chan's become."
"Ask me if I care," snapped Jupiter without turning around.
"Sorry," Sailor Moon squeaked, flushing in embarrassment.
Continued in Chapter 4
based on the novel by L. Frank Baum
Chapter 3: "Lacking in Heart"
By Bill K.
Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Luna continued down the sunlit
path, headed toward the shrine of the Sorceress of Ny. With a little
prompting from Sailor Moon, Mercury had recalled how to walk and was
keeping a brisk pace - - too brisk for Sailor Moon.
"Mercury," moaned Sailor Moon after a while. "Can we rest for
a minute?"
Mercury looked at her, puzzled. "I don't know," she replied.
"Can we?"
"We may as well," Luna replied sourly. "Otherwise we'll be
subjected to her whining for the next half mile."
"Luna, has anybody told you that you're not the least bit
funny?" snapped Sailor Moon angrily.
"What makes you think I was being funny?" Luna asked, her
eyebrow arched.
"Do you two fight like this a lot? I thought you were
friends," Mercury asked. Sailor Moon blushed. She didn't think it
possible, but it looked like Luna was blushing, too.
After a short rest, they started down the path, but it wasn't
long before their progress came grinding to a halt.
Sailor Moon sighed. "I'm hungry."
"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Luna grimaced.
"Oh, look!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, pointing to an orchard just
outside of the sunlit path. "Apples!"
"Are you certain?" Luna queried. "They don't look like any
apples I've ever seen."
Sailor Moon popped to her feet and scampered over to the
orchard. Leaning against the rail fence, she reached up and was
about to pluck one of the strange fruit. Then, to her surprise, a
tree spirit rose up out of the limb. She stopped short and stared at
it in wonder. The tree spirit gravely shook its head.
"No?" Sailor Moon asked. "Aren't they any good?"
The tree spirit shook its head, then pointed over Sailor Moon's
shoulder. She turned and saw another fruit tree further down the
path. One limb was sticking out over the path in the sunlight.
"You mean only the fruit in the sunlight is safe?" she asked.
The tree spirit bowed to her. "I'll remember. Thank you!" she
beamed.
Then she reached up and tickled the tree spirit under its chin.
"Oh, you guys are just so cute!"
Followed by Mercury and Luna, Sailor Moon walked down to the
limb dangling over the path. She reached up and plucked three of the
largest of the red fruit from the limb.
"Thank you," she said sweetly, bowing respectfully to the tree.
"You're welcome," the tree responded in a rough, sepulchral
voice. Sailor Moon's eyes grew to saucers.
"Um," she replied nervously, "I-I-I-I-I h-have to b-b-be
g-going now. Bye!" And she tore down the path at supersonic speed.
By the time Mercury and Luna caught up with her, she was a
quarter mile down the path, leaning against a fence post and gasping
for breath.
"Did something scare you?" asked Mercury.
"No!" Sailor Moon replied, much too quickly and in much too
high a voice for her liking.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I suppose I should have known that."
Sailor Moon was about to explain, then thought better of it.
Instead she handed Mercury a piece of fruit.
"What's this for?" Mercury asked.
"It's an apple - - I think. You eat it," Sailor Moon said,
then demonstrated, taking a huge bite. "Like this."
"I'm not sure my mouth can open that far," Mercury said
doubtfully.
"Most humans can't," Luna replied acidly. "But Sailor Moon is
gifted with some unique talents."
"You're just jealous," huffed Sailor Moon, downing the bite.
"But they are good! Here, I even got one for you."
"Well I do appreciate the sentiment, Sailor Moon," Luna
replied, "but cats don't eat apples. Assuming that is an apple."
"Oh yeah," Sailor Moon scowled, then brightened. "Oh well,
I'll eat it." Luna glared at her.
"This is very good," Mercury exclaimed. "Have I ever eaten
apples before?"
"Sure!" grinned Sailor Moon.
"Well, at least there's one good thing about this spell. It's
letting me experience the wonder of discovery all over again!"
"I don't suppose there's a pond with some trout anywhere around
here?" Luna grumbled.
"Well knowing this place, the trout probably carry fishing
poles and fish for cats," Sailor Moon said.
"What a gruesome thought," Luna replied, visibly shaken.
"Sure you don't want any of this apple?"
Luna sighed. "I suppose it beats starving to death. But mind
you, it'll never replace a properly cooked trout amandine." Sailor
Moon handed Luna a piece of the fruit with a quizzical look and the
cat reluctantly ate it.
As they wandered down the sunlit path, munching on their fruit,
Mercury glanced at Sailor Moon.
"That's a very pretty stone you wear around your neck," Mercury
commented.
"Thanks," smiled Sailor Moon. "This is what that nasty
Princess Nocturn is after."
"Really? What does it do?"
"Well nothing, so far. Maybe its only power is to negate hers.
Maybe that's why she wants it, so nobody can stop her."
"That's a very good deduction, Sailor Moon," Luna said. "I
hadn't thought of that." Sailor Moon grinned proudly. "Come to
think of it, she doesn't seem to be able to attack you directly so
long as you wear it."
"Maybe it negates everyone's powers. That would explain why I
can't summon the Moon Tier."
"But you were able to use Moon Tiara Action," cautioned Luna,
"so I don't think that's quite the explanation." She glanced over at
Mercury. "Sailor Mercury, do you recall anything about your time as
Princess Nocturn's prisoner?"
"No," Mercury said glumly. "I don't even remember how you and
I met now."
"You don't remember you were staked out in that awful field
with those flying creatures attacking you?" Sailor Moon asked.
"No," gasped Mercury. "Oh my, it must have been horrible!"
Continuing down the path, they stopped when Mercury spotted
something. She pointed at it.
"Look!" she said in amazement. "Look at that poor woman in
that clearing!"
"Mako-chan!" gasped Sailor Moon in dismay.
Standing away from the path, in a clearing near the forest,
was Sailor Jupiter. She was surrounded by thick brambles with razor
sharp points. As long as she stood perfectly still with her arms at
her sides, there was just enough room between her and the brambles to
keep from being harmed. Though she stood rigid within the brambles,
the scratches on her arms and legs revealed that she hadn't been
completely successful.
She caught sight of her fellow senshi on the path, eyeing them
nervously from the side because she didn't dare move her head, not
even to speak.
"What a terrible thing to happen!" gasped Mercury. "I wish I
was smart enough to know what to do!"
Then, growing out of a shadow that seemed to elongate from the
ground, Princess Nocturn appeared. Sailor Moon was about to angrily
charge her, but Luna cut in front of her and stopped her.
"Let her go!" roared Sailor Moon.
"You know my price, Princess," Nocturn hissed, glaring back at
Sailor Moon.
"You can't hurt me, so you can't threaten me!"
"Perhaps not directly," Nocturn said. Then she stuck a finger
through the brambles and lightly, teasingly caressed the underside of
Jupiter's chin. Jupiter tried to flinch away, but all that got her
was a cut on her cheek from the brambles.
Sailor Moon stood there helplessly. Nocturn's implication was
clear and there wasn't a thing she could do about it except give the
woman what she wanted. However, Luna wasn't so helpless. She inched
unseen behind Sailor Moon.
"Mercury," Luna hissed quietly. Mercury looked down at her.
"I want you to look at Princess Nocturn, then hold your right hand to
your side, fingers spread, and say "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody."
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" Mercury repeated. The wave sprang up
from nowhere and crashed headlong toward Princess Nocturn. Only the
woman's keen agility allowed her to disappear back into her shadow.
They waited for some sign of her return, but after a time concluded
she had gone.
"Well, that takes care of her for now. But we still have to
rescue Jupiter." Luna looked up at Sailor Moon. "Do you think you
have enough control with your tiara to cut those brambles away
without harming Sailor Jupiter?" Luna asked.
"Piece of cake," Sailor Moon replied.
She pulled her tiara off and converted it into its energy disk
form. With a level of skill and dexterity not usually associated
with her, Sailor Moon whipped the disk at Sailor Jupiter. It sliced
through the brambles, arcing back and forth with a life of its own.
After ten passes, enough of the bush had been whittled down to allow
Sailor Jupiter to gingerly step out. Instantly she whirled,
searching the dark forest behind her as if expecting an attack. When
none came, she backed out cautiously until she reached the sunlit
path.
"Mako-chan, you're hurt," cried Sailor Moon, rushing up to tend
to her friend.
"Boy, nothing gets past you!" Jupiter snarled. Using her
superior strength, she viciously shoved Sailor Moon away.
"Mako-chan?" Sailor Moon gaped in surprise. "Why are you
acting this way?"
"Because I want to," she snapped belligerently. "You want to
make something of it, blondie?"
"This isn't like you," Sailor Moon told her. "Why are you so
angry?"
"Why?" Jupiter glared. "What's being selfless gotten me?
This!" and she held up her scratched arms. "Well I'm fed up! From
now on, I look after me!"
"But what about the team?" cried Sailor Moon.
"The team can look after itself!" Jupiter began to walk off,
callously turning her back on Sailor Moon.
"Say!" Mercury spoke up indignantly. "She helped you out of a
tight spot and you're not being very grateful!"
"Oh, wild guess!" spat Jupiter, whirling menacingly to look at
Mercury. "Want to know something else, dummy? I don't give a damn!
Now you want to make something of it?"
Mercury was about ready to charge in, but Sailor Moon
restrained her.
"Mercury, no," Sailor Moon pleaded. "Fighting never solved
anything, particularly fighting with ourselves."
"You're a sucker, Sailor Moon," sneered Jupiter, "and you
always were!"
Sailor Moon looked down, stung by the response.
"This is Nocturn's doing," Luna whispered to her.
"You think so?" Sailor Moon asked, daring to hope.
"I'm sure of it. I'm beginning to see a pattern. It's as if
Nocturn has managed to rob you all of your greatest gifts. You're
missing the Moon Tier. Mercury's been robbed of her ability to
think. And now she's taken Jupiter's good heart."
"No," sobbed Sailor Moon.
"What are you two whispering about?" Jupiter demanded, stomping
up to them. "I thought I heard you say somebody took something from
me?"
"Your heart," Sailor Moon began.
"- - shaped pendant!" Luna quickly added. "Made of solid
gold."
"What?" gasped Jupiter angrily. "Is it valuable?"
"Oh, it's priceless!" Sailor Moon nodded.
"Who took it?" Jupiter asked in a low snarl.
"We think it was Princess Nocturn."
"Nocturn? That little witch you were fighting just now?"
Jupiter smacked a fist down into her open hand. "Well I'm just
going to find her and I'm going to take back what's mine," and she
glared off into the shadowy forest with a fierce look none of them
could remember seeing before. "With interest."
"Do you know where Princess Nocturn is?" Luna queried
cautiously.
"I'll find her."
"You know," the cat smiled slyly. "We could offer you an
easier solution."
"I'm listening."
"It's said that the Sorceress of Ny knows everything. We were
all traveling to her shrine. You're welcome to accompany us if you
like. Perhaps the Sorceress can give you Nocturn's exact location so
you can - - settle accounts more expeditiously?
"Uh huh. What do you get out of it?" Jupiter asked
suspiciously.
"Well, the more people in our party, the less likely we are to
be attacked," reasoned Luna. "In spite of the protection of the
sunlit path, this is still dangerous country. Protection in numbers,
I say."
Jupiter thought this proposal over.
"All right," she replied. "I'll travel with you. But just
remember, if we do get attacked, you three are on your own.
Understand?"
"Perfectly," Luna replied coldly.
Jupiter turned and started walking down the path, unconcerned
as to whether the others were following her. The three quickly fell
in behind her.
"That was smart thinking, Luna," Sailor Moon murmured to the
cat.
"Thank you," Luna replied, smirking proudly.
"Where were we going again?" Mercury asked.
"The shrine up on the hill," Sailor Moon pointed. Mercury
craned her neck to see it above the dense forest.
"My, we've got a long way to go yet," Mercury commented.
"I hope we get there soon," Sailor Moon whispered. "I don't
like what Mako-chan's become."
"Ask me if I care," snapped Jupiter without turning around.
"Sorry," Sailor Moon squeaked, flushing in embarrassment.
Continued in Chapter 4