Pinebrook-A Middle-size Town in the USA
27th Century
"Monsters have been appearing in small numbers all over the city. Officials are urging people to use caution and are reassuring citizens that they are doing everything possible to solve the situation. Sports and weather after this commercial break."
"Rini, come on your going to be late. It's the first day of school. Get up," yelled her mother.
Rini came running down the stairs and past the kitchen.
"Bye, Mom."
"Rini, your lunch and your breakfast."
Rini ran back to the kitchen, grabbed her lunch box, and ran out the front door.
"No time got to run or I'll be really late." The front door slammed behind her.
"She really needs to get up earlier," sighed her mother.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rini was usually on time for class at Rose Finishing School, where she was in the ninth grade. Today was going to be an exception. She was almost to school and had a minute and half before the first bell rang, when she heard a high-pitch shriek. She ran towards to screaming. To her surprise, she saw a young girl about her age being attacked by, what looked to be an overgrown, talking dog on two legs.
"Help me," the girl pleaded.
Rini put down her backpack and ran over to the monster.
"Pick on someone your own size," she yelled.
The monster grunted and grabbed her. She had seen her favorite movie, Miss
Congeniality, more than enough times to know what to do. She used her elbow to hit the creature in the stomach then she stomped on his foot. She followed this with a punch to his nose and a kick between the legs. The creature doubled over in pain and then vanished.
"You okay?" Rini asked the girl. She nodded and Rini suggested they run or they would be really late. As if on cue, the school bell rang. The girls ran to the school, not noticing that someone had been watching them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I wonder if that girl is the one I'm looking for? She fought very well, she must be." She said. "I'll be sure to be waiting for her when she gets out of school. Right now I need some food and a cat nap."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After school, Rini walked the girl home, just in case.
"Thanks for saving me this morning," the girl said, "I'm Hotaru."
"I'm Rini. I'm just glad I was able to help."
"Where did you learn to do that?"
"Do what?"
"Beat that monster up."
"Believe it or not, I've seen Miss Congeniality so many times I could probably do that in my sleep," replied Rini. Hotaru laughed.
"I know what you mean," she said, "I seen many movies lots of times, but I've never seen that one."
"It's ancient. It is from the 21st century. It reminds me of something or someone I used to know."
"Who?"
"I don't know, but I know there is a connection somewhere."
Hotaru looked up to see that they had reached her house.
"Would you like to come in? We could do our homework together."
"Sure." The duo walked inside and grabbed a snack from the kitchen. They took it to Hotaru's room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Little did they know that they were being watched again. She had followed them from the school to here. She stayed back far enough not to be seen, but close enough to listen into the conversation. She delighted when she followed their voices and found Hotaru's room was on the ground floor. She sat behind the bushes, hoping no one would spot her and listened to their conversation. An hour later, she was still waiting and listening when someone walked up behind her.
"What's shaking, Diana? Any luck?" he asked.
"I'm never going to find out if she's the right one. I've followed her all day and she only been in one fight. She was telling the other girl how she learnt the moves from a movie." Oh, Khons, do you think I'll ever find her?"
"Oh, Hotaru," they heard Rini say, " I feel like I've known you forever. It's like the movie I swear I know you, but from where?"
"I know exactly what you mean," Hotaru said, "I'll see you tomorrow." Hotaru held the front door open for her new friend. Khons whispered a quick good-bye to Diana and ran off. Rini walked down the steps of Hotaru's front walk and almost slipped on a small gray cat.
"Poor thing. Are you OK?" Rini asked.
"Mew," replied the cat. Rini noticed the Band-Aid on the cat's forehead.
"What's this for?" she asked, removing it. The cat leaped up and ran a short distance away. Rini looked at where the bandage had been; the spot was bald, in the shape of the crescent moon.
"That mark is familiar," Rini thought to herself, "Where have I seen it before? Bye, kitty. Bye, Hotaru."
"Bye, Rini."
Rini walked home, not noticing that she was being followed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Just my luck," her follower moaned, "The girl's room has to be on the second floor. How am I supposed to talk to her or listen to her now? I certainly can't waltz through the front door."
Just then, she heard a phone ring. She ran to the window to listen.
"Rini, Phone's for you. It's Hotaru," yelled her father.
"Coming."
"Hi, Rini. Our class picnic is tomorrow, remember?"
"Hi. Yep, I remember. My mom got cookies and I found a blanket we can sit on."
"Cool. My mom and I just made an awesome lunch, but you'll have to wait till tomorrow to find out what it is."
"Man, and I was hoping you'd spill the beans! Which park are we going to?"
"The Commons. I have to go. See you tomorrow."
"The Commons. I think I'll pay Rini my visit then," thought the person outside.
~~~~~~~~~
The sun was shining high in the sky when Miss Powago's class walked to Boston Commons to enjoy their picnic lunch. In honor of the special event, the class was allowed to wear normal clothes as they called their non-uniform attire.
"Hotaru, that lavender shirt looks awesome with those black overalls," Rini told her friend.
"Thanks. I love that bunny on your shirt. It looks so realistic. The pink goes with your blue jeans. I love the way your sneakers match your shirt."
Miss Powago was guiding the students to the section of the park where they would be spending the rest of the day, when Rini noticed her shoe was untied. She bent over to tie it, not noticing the pair of eyes in the bush. Hotaru who noticed her friend had stopped, waited for her.
"Go ahead, Hotaru. I'll catch up. You go pick a good spot and I'll be there in a second."
"Hotaru nodded and ran off to find the perfect spot. When the eyes in the bush were satisfied that Hotaru was far enough away and that no one was looking, they called Rini's name. Rini looked up startled and walked closer to the bush.
"Who's there?" she asked, voice quivering slightly.
The eyes stepped out of the bush. Rini was relieved.
"If it isn't the kitty from yesterday," she said, as she picked it up, "Are you following me?"
"My name is Diana."
This announcement startled Rini and she almost dropped the cat.
"You talk?" she asked, not believing her ears.
"Do you talk?" Diana asked, "I have been searching for a long time for you and I'm glad I found you."
"Looking for me? Why?"
"Because you are the chosen one. Your Sailor Moon, the champion of love and justice."
Rini was startled at the statement. Diana took the opportunity to produce a locket, which she gave to Rini.
"This locket will help you become Sailor Moon. Just brush your hand across it and yell, 'Moonlight Action, Make-up!' Never let anyone see you transform."
"Me? Sailor Moon. It can't be. Where's the cameras? Am I being set up? Sailor Moon is an ancient legend that started in the 21st century. Everyone knows she doesn't exist."
"They're wrong. She does exist and you are her. It is your destiny. You cannot run from it. You must fight for peace and justice."
"But…"
A bunch of screams pierced the air and Rini looked towards her classmates. A large, very creepy creature was attacking them.
"You must transform into Sailor Moon," yelled Diana.
Rini brushed her hand against the locket and yelled, 'MOONLIGHT ACTION, Make-up!' She was surrounded by silvery moonlight and her clothes changed to a white body suit with a light pink mini skirt. Her arms were covered in long white gloves and she was wearing knee-high pink boots. She also had a pink sailor collar with a red bow on the front with her locket on the bow. There was a red bow on her back, where the body suit and skirt joined. Around her neck was a pink choker with a red heart. Her double cone-shaped pink hair was covered, each cone separately, by a red metallic circle with a pair of feathers. To her surprise, she also had a gold tiara with a red jewel.
"Cool," she said after getting over the initial shock.
"Your friends are in trouble. You've got to help them," Diana shouted.
"Right," agreed Sailor Moon, running towards the group. "Stop it you nasty creature. Those are my friends you're picking on. In the name of the Moon, I shall punish you."
After the last phrase, Sailor Moon froze. "I've heard those words before," she thought. Diana snapped her out of the daze with a loud 'hiss'. The monster stopped, turned, and started to head for Sailor Moon. She tried to kick it, but missed.
"Use your tiara like a boomerang," Diana yelled.
"MOON MAGIC." Sailor Moon pulled off her tiara and threw it at the creature. It went right through, tearing a hole in his body. The creature shrieked and became a pile of dust, which vanished.
"I did it," she exclaimed, "I destroyed it."
"Good job," Diana praised. "But quickly return to your civilian state, before they wake up," she said referring to the children that were beginning to wake up.
"Did you see what happened?" the students asked one another. "Sailor Moon's real and she saved us." Rini just smiled.
"Over her," shouted Hotaru, "I got us a spot." Rini walked over and sat.
"What do you think?" she asked.
"Sailor Moon was awesome. I'm glad she was around to help out."
"Me too," Rini said, taking a bite of her sandwich.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Tell me what you know about the legend of Sailor Moon," Diana asked, later that evening.
"All I know is that she's the champion of love and justice. I also know there are several groups of scouts-Inners, Outers, Starlights, Animates, and the Sailors Galaxia and Chibi-Chibi. Each of the Inners and Outers have a guardian planet, except that the Earth is the guardian of Tuxedo Mask. The Scouts had a lot of power and were famous."
"Anything else?"
"Not that I recall. What's next?" she asked Diana.
"We need to find the other scouts and identify the enemy and stop them. My associate, Khons, is working on finding the other scouts. We need to take care of the enemy in the meantime."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later that night, after Rini was asleep, Diana let Khons in.
"Any luck?" he asked.
"She's the one, the Sailor Scout of the Moon. Any luck on your side?"
"None, though Central Command informed me earlier that once we've found and awaken Sailor Moon they were going to move our terminal."
"To where?"
"Here, Rini's computer."
"That'll make it easier," she said as she turned on the computer. The computer didn't start properly, but instead the screen read, 'Central Control. Terminal Pi Alpha Seven.'
"Welcome. Enter Password," the computer demanded.
"The moon is the bunny's tail," Diana answered.
"The galaxy is her playground," added Khons.
"Welcome, Diana and Khons. Enter your codes. We have new information."
The pair put their paws on a special area of the screen and said their personal codes.
"We have found a girl that is giving off a strong, strange energy. She could be working for the enemy or she could be on our side. She goes to Rini's school, Rose Finishing School, except she is in the eleventh grade. She lives with her parents about ten to fifteen minutes from the school. Her name is..."