I do not own Sailor Moon. Are you happy now, you malicious lawyers?! Lol, anyway, I do however, own characters I have created. There will be a claim for them at the end of the chapter they are introduced in.*
Falling Stars
By Meirou
Chapter 1
Usagi sighed heavily as she walked home from school that dreary Friday afternoon, cerulean eyes turned downwards. Weeks before, even days, she'd praised the coming of the weekend, overjoyed to have those familiar hours of freedom once again. Yet now, her thoughts and her very existence were enveloped in her destiny: to save the world, to save her friends, and to be strong and never give up. Once in a while, she wished that she could just let the innocents fend for themselves. Let them feel how it is to be powerless, all the while knowing that if you do not proceed, the universe will be destroyed as a result of their lax efforts. For once she wanted to walk away and smirk maliciously at them…perhaps scream and maybe laugh hysterically at them. Her job was so fierce--even emotionally constricting--and yet she never received any sort of thanks.
"What is it worth anymore?" she whispered half-heartedly to herself. An underlying tone of bitter anguish rang out clear beneath the quiet remark. Usagi shook her head, smiling ironically as a drop of water splattered on the tip of her nose. Usagi's glance shifted heavenwards, and she noticed how unusually fast the sky was darkening to a dull, sullen black. "Wonderful, a storm." Following her words, a crackle of thunder and a bolt of lightening streaked across the sky and illuminated the world. The rain then followed its all too familiar entrance upon Tokyo. The odangoed girl drew her light, periwinkle-colored summer jacket closer around herself and shivered.
'I hate rain, and even more so thunderstorms. Just my luck. There's no one home today, so I can't even catch a ride,' she thought dismally. Usagi had no choice but to begin her soaking journey home. Arms hugged around herself, Usagi sped off, feet pounding against the pavement and her streams of gold flapping behind her. Within twenty minutes, she'd made it to her front door, completely drenched. Sluggishly trudging up to the stoop, Usagi's delicate hand slid around the brass doorknob and her eyes flickered with relief. Trying it twice, however, she found that it was locked.
"Where is my key?" she shouted, mildly irritated as she searched her backpack and pockets frantically. Usagi cursed under her breath angrily.
She was locked out.
Her parents were currently away for the weekend, in addition to Rei, Ami, Makoto, and Minako who were also out of town. "How convenient. All the girls are away for the weekend on school trips. I'm the only one left and I'm locked out of my own house!" Slumping down onto the stone steps with a low growl, Usagi grimaced at the chill of the rain-soaked porch. Miserable, she propped her elbows up on her knees and rested her forehead against her palms. 'So this is what being Sailor Moon gets me,' she thought bitterly.
"Could be worse, you know," a sophisticated, feminine voice observed from beside her. Caught off guard, Usagi's head lifted in surprise and she found her wide gaze settling upon a gorgeous young woman of deep, wavy chestnut hair and gleaming, fiery blue-green eyes.
"I can't exactly agree with you," Usagi replied, rising. "Who are you?" The girl stepped closer and held out her hand, her head slightly tilted.
"Hinotama," she answered with a slight smile, eyes twinkling mysteriously. It were eyes such as these that Usagi had learned to be wary of. This individual's, however, held a strange familiarity to them. Her eyes were wide and bright, and seemed to brim with an infinite, possibly archaic knowledge. "It seems that you and I share a similar fate."
"How so?" Usagi asked as she shielded her eyes from the downpour and shook her out held hand. Upon contact between their hands, Usagi felt a tiny prick, almost like a shock or spark. Her already-wide eyes opened slightly wider, but Usagi did well to conceal her surprise. Apparently not well enough, however, for the young woman must have read her thoughts via the skeptical expression she wore, and a bit embarrassed, Usagi broke the handclasp. Hinotama, seeming pleased, bore an expression of delight and glanced up at the sky, barely moving the rest of her body, and smirked. The blonde followed her line of vision and nodded in compliance. It was rather putrid.
Usagi, at this moment, felt the distinct need to address the young woman, and facing her with a calm resolve, eyed her carefully in the midst of such a deplorable environment. Hinotama seemed quite intelligent and controlled, and she carried herself with an air of sophistication and security. It was the fierce, fiery aura of determination and indelible will, however, that irked Usagi most.
"This weather has made things difficult for me."
"Yeah, I'm locked out for the weekend and there's no one who can help me get inside. Basically, I'm stuck!" Usagi laughed lightly as she pointed at her door. The moment she turned her eyes away from the young woman, however, she felt a chill working its way up her spine.
"I see. Things haven't exactly been easy for me either. Finding you has been quite a chore, Usagi Tsukino," Hinotama agreed. Usagi froze.
Her deep eyes suddenly flickered, deep-seeded alarm becoming evident. "I never told you my name," she replied a bit unnerved, her gaze steeling. Hinotama nodded.
"That's true. You didn't," she confirmed.
"You didn't come here for small talk and tea. Who are you and what is it that you want--really?" the odangoed girl inquired, eyes narrowing as she touched a finger to the moon broach in her pocket. The young woman flashed a brilliant, confident smile and strode right past Usagi towards the locked door. Befuddled and rather annoyed, Usagi spun around on her heel, just barely containing her spastic nature as she balled her fists at her sides. "What are you--
Hinotama glanced back over her shoulder, eyes fierce and nearly glowing through a shield of chestnut that swept in front of her glare. Usagi caught herself before saying another word and stood stiffly in place. "I'm opening locked doors," she answered, her tone reading something of philosophy--until Usagi realized that she was serious. Resuming her previous action, Hinotama proceeded towards the door, smiling again, and waved a hand over the knob. Almost instantaneously, the door swung open with a resounding click. The blonde gasped, her blue eyes saucer-like but filled with a growing aversion. Hinotama turned to her and flashed her eyes that seemed to glow even in the darkness of the storm. A loud crackle of thunder rolled appropriately across the sky, menacing in its low grumble.
Usagi's jaw dropped and she half-muttered, half-stammered--with a glazed look in her eyes--something to the effect of: "I can't believe this is happening..."
"Would you rather we talk inside, or here in the pouring rain?" Hinotama said simply, both her tone and her eyes taunting. The young blonde, in all of her seventeen years, had never met such a defiant, intruding, downright rude person in her entire life. And somehow...it felt...familiar. Not really quite sure what to do, Usagi glared at her and slowly entered her home, filled with a dark caution. Something was not right with this girl. Appearing suddenly out of the blue, blessed with a strange and unknown power? As if that could be considered normal in Tokyo of all places...
Filing into the house one after the other, the two girls entered the house in silence as Usagi hung her soaked jacket on the wallpeg to dry. She cast Hinotama a wary glance, keeping a distance between them as they moved towards the living room. Usagi soon noticed that Hinotama was wearing no such coat; as a matter of fact, she was wearing jean shorts and a navy halter-top…and yet she was entirely dry, even despite their prolonged meeting in the pouring rain.
After promptly, though icily ushering the young woman into the living room, Usagi folded her arms and stared at Hinotama. "Please tell me that this is some kind of sick joke. Opening doors? You're one of those door-to-door magic trick people, aren't you?" Usagi demanded, still maintaing a distance.
"Door-to-door magic tricks?" Hinotama repeated in question-form.
'A lot like Catsy selling makeup,' the blonde reflected with a comical smirk, but Usagi quickly returned her thoughts to the matter at hand. Hinotama stood unaffected, her eyes glowing as she smiled. Her lips curled upwards in a wicked smile, and soon a melodious sound---that of laughter--soon filled the quaint room. "What are you laughing at?!" the moon rabbit shouted, becoming irritated beyond belief.
"I was smart in searching for you after all," Hinotama laughed. Usagi tilted her head to the side and glared daggers. "Now, let's not be hasty, Usagi. After all, I happen to know that you are going through a time of great antipathy for your duties."
"Duties?" Usagi interrupted, holding up a hand. "Now just one minute, honey. I think perhaps you have the wrong person--I mean, after all, sometimes patients do get lost on their way to the mental institution..."
"Aren't we demure," Hinotama countered, but then continued after a moment's silence. "Usagi-san, I know what it's like. Therefore, I am here to teach you something."
"Luna, I believe, has done a fine job of that. To be honest, I find that fact that you know my name, where I live, and have a distinct knowledge of my so-called duties, rather scary. Now I suggest that you come clean and run back to satan's master and--
"I come from a world filled with darkness; one so dark even your powers combined with the others cannot penetrate it. But you alone can help us. You possess something inside that you, like I, were born with," Hinotama cut in, eyes fierce and slightly-narrowed. "This is no laughing matter." But just as her dark, intense expression came...it faded to a rather light and bouncy one, accented mostly by another smile. Her long chestnut hair swayed as she made herself at home on the living room couch.
"What do you think you're doing? Get out of my house!" Usagi shouted furiously as she stepped forwards, making her way over to the coffee table. "I don't know what your problem is, or what you want with me, but I know that I want you out. Now." Seeing that the woman had no intention of moving, Usagi's balled fists shot to her sides and her eyes flared with an angry fire. Hinotama rolled her eyes, rose from the couch, and stood directly in front of Usagi with a fierce expression.
"Listen, Usagi-san, let's cut to the chase. You may not enjoy being Sailor Moon, here in a world with little problems compared to mine. You take this as a curse, yet it is a blessing to have a strength inside, a gift that enables you to change life itself! But alone, you are nothing. You and I have been chosen, chosen to take on a new life, filled with challenge and responsibility. You may have been a reckless teeny bopper here, girl, but in my world, a single, even quite miniscule mistake could end your life…not to mention the universe," Hinotama continued, staring Usagi down though they stood at an equal height. "Are we done playing games?" The odangoed girl cringed slightly, though simultaneously furious and bewildered.
"How do you know about me? What gift that we share? What do you want?" Usagi exclaimed, flailing her arms.
Hinotama turned a cool gaze on her, and cocked her head to the side. "I opened the door...are you willing to step through it?" she inquired cryptically. Hinotama stepped back a few feet from Usagi and closed her eyes as she was enveloped in a deep concentration. Usagi eyed her for a moment, brows raised. Suddenly, the feeling of familiarity rushed back to beyond-irritated hostess, and before her eyes the mystery began to unfold.
A bright orange light burst out from around the young woman and wrapped around her body like great, flapping ribbons. A gown of silken, sunburnt orange fabric--like that of the sunset--graced her slim, strong body and draped over her now-bare feet. Thin straps of the same material tied behind her neck in a halter-fashion. In an equally attractive manner, a fringe-like necklace composed of shimmering amber hung against her tanned skin, clasping beneath her shining hair at the nape of her neck. Around her wrists were slim, delicate bracelets of amber, matching the necklace. Each sported a small charm that resembled celestial bodies like that of the sun and the stars. In moments, her eyes flickered open and soon enough, a brightly glowing symbol emerged upon her forehead.
A golden sun.
Hinotama's hair fell around her beautifully, swaying gently with the light. Her eyes were bright and glowing with a splendor far surpassing anything Usagi had ever seen or known. The blonde gulped nervously, stepping back and automatically reaching for her locket. "But I-
"Don't you see, Usagi?" Hinotama inquired gently, a complete contrast to her prior tone of superiority and strength. Usagi now saw who the young woman had been concealing. The strangely warm, but at the same time, icy aura burned through and many things were beginning to become clear. " You are the bearer of the Moon, the Princess who holds incredible power in her very hands. Now you have met your other half, Usagi…"
"Y-You look like me when I'm--
"Yes, Usagi-san. The Moon now meets the Sun," Hinotama cut in, glowing with an awesome radiance. "We're sisters."
Usagi's heart stopped and in that moment the entire world shattered like glass and fell around her in sprinkling shards. The Sun and the Moon…bodies of the heavens…the eternal bearers of power: now reunited.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To be Continued~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Hinotama is my character, I own her! Don't forget that! I hope I've snagged your interest thus far--I can promise it will be a wild ride to remember! ^__^
Chapter 1 rewritten and revised as of 1/4/2002
