Title: Welcome To Reality
Chapter Title: Juuban Koutou Gakkou
Summary: Serena Warren, now fifteen, graduates the tenth grade with honours and is offered a chance to go to Japan on a student exchange program. Here, she realizes that the reason her dreams seemed so real is that they were.
Author: Silver Sparklze
Reason For Writing: This story was written as a challenge set by Sage: The Dark Dryad.
Author's Notes: I have tried to translate the Japanese next to the words, but even so, anything written in bold will be translated at the end of the chapter if not already translated.
~Serena's new room, Hikawa Shrine, Tokyo~
Finally, Ami stopped crying. Serena knew that this whole scene would probably happen again when the other Scouts found out.
"Gomen." Ami said, "I didn't mean to cry like that."
"Well it's understandable." Serena said practically. "What are you going to tell your friends?"
"Osore irimasu? Atashi tomodachi? Nande o atashi tomodachi?" {Excuse me? My friends? How do you know about my friends?} Ami asked sharply.
"Sere-ko told me." Serena lied. "But how are you going to tell them about Sere-ko?"
"I don't know. But I have to. Poor Darien-kun…" Ami said miserably. "Matte! What about Rini-chan?!"
"What about me?" Serena asked, puzzled.
"Huh?"
"Oh…sorry…one of my nicknames is Rini. I got really used to people calling me that."
"You know…you look strangely like Sere-ko…" Ami said, looking suspicious. "Are you sure your name is Serena Warren?"
"Yes…and I'm from America. Why does everyone keep telling me I look like Sere-ko?! I don't! I'm my own person!"
"You even do your hair the same way." Ami continued.
"I've done my hair this way since I was thirteen!"
"Have you? I'm not sure…" Ami was still looking suspicious. Just then, there was a tap at the door.
"Come in." Serena called. Rei stuck her head around the door.
"Have you seen…Ami-chan! Ossu! Just the person I was looking for. Ami-chan…nande genki da?" {Ami! Hi! …what's wrong?}
"Sere-ko…" Ami whispered. "Rei, call Mina-chan, Lita-chan, Darien-kun, Rini-chan, Hotaru-chan, Trista-san, Amara-san and Michelle-san. We need to talk…" Rei shot Serena an apologetic look, and followed Ami out.
~ Serena's new room, Hikawa Shrine, Tokyo (the following day)~
Serena awoke the following morning bright and early, having set her alarm for the earliest time possible. The night before, a red-eyed Rei had told her that Ami would be walking her to school, and had handed her one of Ami's school uniforms to borrow until she could get one of her own.
After putting it on, Serena sat down on her bed, looking at her small backpack sadly. Suddenly, she remembered the bag that Sere-ko had given her. She ran to the cupboard which house her clothes, and dug through the bottom of it quickly. She found the little pink bag, and took it out, upending it on the bed.
Serena stared at the objects in awe. A beautiful heart shaped compact with wings that Serena recognised as the Eternal Moon Compact glinted up at her. Also, there was a long wand with a pink jewel at one end. The wand (the Kaleid Moon Scope) had a strange handle shaped into a heart, with wings just above it. Also there was a communication device, a transformation brooch, and a beautiful fuku. She quickly bundled them under her pillow when she heard someone coming. It was Mr. Hino.
"Hello, Sir." Serena said politely.
"Please, Serena-san, call me Ojii-chan." The old man said.
"Only if you call me Sere-chan." Serena returned.
"Very well, Sere-chan. Did you sleep well?" Ojii-chan asked.
"Hai, domo. Anata?" {Yes, thanks. Did you?} Serena grinned cheerfully at him, all the while wishing he would leave.
"Yes, I did. Be sure to eat breakfast soon, you have to leave in an hour."
"Hai, Ojii-chan." {Ok, grandpa.} Serena nodded, and sighed in relief as he left. She immediately took everything out from underneath her pillow. The minute she touched the Eternal Moon Compact, a bunch of memories flashed through her head.
She saw herself fighting against two aliens, Alan and Ann. She saw a man who looked like Darien all dressed in Arabian gear; his name was the Moonlight Knight. Then she saw Catsy, Prisma, Avery and Birdie. Rubeus, Sapphire, Prince Diamond and the Black Lady came next. She saw the Black Lady turn back into Rini, and finally realised who the girl with pink hair was. She saw an older version of herself hug Rini, and an older version of Darien do so as well. Then she saw the other Sailors, Kaori Night, Eugeal, Zirconia, Neherenia, the Amazon Trio and Quartet, and the Sailors Tin Nyanko, Lead Crow, and Aluminium Siren. Finally, she saw Mistress Nine, and Hotaru/Sailor Saturn/Sailor of Destruction. She breathed hard. "Wow…" she whispered. In about twenty minutes she'd seen two years of Sailor Moon's life.
"Serena-san?" Rei knocked on the door. Quickly, Serena swept the magical items under her pillow again. She had a different idea of how she was going to let the Scouts know she was Sailor Moon.
"Hai, Rei-san?" {Yes, Rei?} Serena asked, opening the door.
"Are you wanting breakfast?" Serena hid a smile at Rei's bad wording. She probably sounded sort of like that sometimes.
"Hai. Thank you for reminding me. I would have forgotten. I was reading."
"What were you reading?" Rei asked, interested.
"This Sailor V manga that I bought at the airport." Serena showed the comic to her. "It's my favourite one. I don't speak Japanese very well, but I'm all right at reading it." Rei gulped, and tears filled her eyes. "Rei-san nani genki desuka? Machigatte ikimasuka? Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai!" {Rei, what's the matter? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry! I'm sorry!}
"Iie, iie, Serena-san. You did nothing wrong. Its just…Sere-ko used to read Sailor V comics…" {No, no, Serena} Rei sniffed. Serena hugged her, once again forgetting about the 'this is my space, and this is your space' rule of Japan. She was too used to American touchy-feeliness.
"I really am very sorry for your loss," she said softly, "and I hate to sound like an ikeike, but don't we have to go to school right about now?"
"Hai! Anata machigakunai! Hiyaku!" {Yes! You're right! Hurry!} Rei jumped up and raced out. Serena stood up, following her black-haired companion…
~Juuban High, Outside the Eigo Room (Room 407)~
Serena waited outside her first class, listening intently. The teacher, Chikuso Sensei was inside, having told her to wait out here while she was introduced.
"Kitte, kudasai, minna-san." {Listen, please, class.}Chikuso Sensei called, "We have a new student, from America. Does everyone understand me?" There was a general murmur of affirmation. "Ii desu. Now, as this is English class, I shall be talking only in English. This will help you to learn the English language.
"As I was saying, we have a new student. Serena Warren. She is a transfer student from America. But before I introduce her, I have some sad news. Yesterday, a plane heading to America from Japan crashed. Everyone aboard was killed. On this plane was one of your classmates, Serena Tsukino." A murmur went through the class, and a few of the students began to cry, "This is a terrible tragedy. I propose that we have a minute's silence in honour of the people who died." Outside, Serena was silent too, and the silence was only broken by the sound of muffled sobs.
Finally, Chikuso Sensei poked her head out of the door, and smiled at Serena kindly, her brown eyes full of warmth.
"You may come in now, Warren-san." She said.
"Thank you…I mean arigatoo…I mean…" Serena stammered, unsure of what to say.
"Thank you will do fine. This is English class, after all." Chikuso Sensei laughed.
"Ok…" Serena said, following her inside. There was a large gasp, and a couple of muttered 'Sere-ko's as Serena walked in.
"Now," Chikuso Sensei said, ignoring the noise, which settle down the moment she began to speak, "why don't you tell us something about yourself, Warren-san? In English, if you will."
"Alright," Serena agreed, "well…my name is Serena Warren, and my country of origin is America. I am an orphan, and I am here on an exchange program, possibly I shall stay here, if I like it. I can speak moderate Japanese, read it quite well, but I'm no good at translating, so please talk slowly, or I won't understand a single word you say. It's nice to be here, at such a fine school, and I should like to be as comfortable as possible. Thanks for listening." She bowed.
"Thank you, Warren-san. Sit over there, next to Aino-san." Chikuso Sensei pointed at an empty seat next to a girl Serena recognised as Mina Aino. She walked over to it, and sat down. "Now, today we are going to work on essay writing…"
***
By the beginning of recess, Serena was feeling pretty good about herself. She'd been to two classes, (eigo to suugaku), and had done fantastically. However, she was a bit nervous about the class she had after lunch. Nihongo. How was she going to do? Just thinking about it was pure torture. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she walked straight into a very hard wall of flesh.
"Itai! Anata ni chuui suru!" {Ow! Watch where you're going!} A familiar voice snapped. Serena's head jerked up.
"Amara-san?" She asked.
"Hai…Serena-san, ne?" {Yes…Serena, right?} The blonde senior asked.
"Yes."
"Good." Amara nodded, easily swapping to English.
"Sorry I bumped into you." Serena bowed.
"I suppose I can forgive you this time." Amara grinned, almost flirtatiously. Serena blushed at the thought of Amara flirting with her.
"Ama-chan!" {Amara!} A gay voice called, and Michelle hurried up, lugging a rather heavy looking music case.
"Mi-chan! Ossu!" {Michelle! Hi!} Michelle grinned happily, and then turned her pretty green eyes on Serena. "Serena-san! Konnichi wa! O genki desu ka?" {Serena! Hello! How are you?}
"I'm fine. How are you?" Serena answered in English.
"I'm good, thanks." Michelle bowed slightly.
"Well, I must be going. Ja." {See ya.} Serena bowed to them both, and hurried in the opposite direction. She heard sobbing cries coming from the direction of the sakura ki bower, and hurried over there. There was a young girl, her age, but shorter, being beaten up by two seniors. "Kisama ra!" {You there! (very insulting)} She yelled, "machi nasai!" {Stop that right now!} The boys turned around, and sneered at her.
"Anata ni machi o saseru, ondango atama?" {Are you going to make us, meatball head?} The bigger one snarled. The shorter one snickered inanely.
"Watashi chikusho tadashi kimashoo!" {Damn right I will!} Serena slapped the taller one, and kicked the shorter in the shins. They both glared at her, and leapt. She dodged the first attack, but was caught by the shorter, heavier-set one. She struggled to get out from underneath him, but he was very heavy.
"Aete shoujo kougeki suru!" {How dare you attack this girl!} A rather familiar husky voice yelled. The guy was pulled off her, and Serena managed to kick him in the stomach as she got up.
"Arigatoo," {Thank you,} she said, "watashi no shippai ni kimatte iru." {I thought I was doomed/done for.}
"Douitashimashite." {You're welcome.} Lita panted, snapping her hand up, and kicking the other guy.
"Eigo ni hanashimasuka?" {Do you speak English?} Serena asked, deftly blocking a punch.
"Yes. Sorry. You are the American exchange student Rei-chan is hosting, ne?" {Right?} Lita kicked her guy in the balls, deftly ridding herself of the problem.
"Yes. Serena Warren." Serena copied Lita's action, and her guy crumpled.
"Lita Kino." Lita ran a hand through her hair, closing her eyes briefly as she caught her breath.
"Nice to meet you." Serena offered her hand.
"You too." Lita looked at her, and blinked. "Sere-ko?!"
"No, no." Serena said hastily, "I just look like her. I know that I do. I'm sorry."
"It is not your fault," Lita blinked away tears, "she was a close friend."
"I know. I'm sorry for your loss. If it is any consolation, she thought very highly of you, too."
"Thank you, it is. Wait…how do you know?" Lita looked suspicious.
"Because I met her over the Internet, and she told me all about you." Serena lied, "she said you were like her big sister, the one she never had, but always wanted."
"Oh. Well…thank you. I'll see you later, bye," she jogged off, leaving Serena to deal with the frightened girl.
"Th-thank you." The girl stuttered.
"You're welcome." Serena replied, "my name's Serena Warren, what's yours?"
"Kimiko Tomodachi." The dark-haired girl said.
"Cool. Nice to meet you."
"It is being good to meet me as well." Kimiko said, tilting her head to one side. Serena took a moment to translate what she said, then grinned.
"Well, Kimiko-san, would you like to go shopping tomorrow afternoon?" Kimiko nodded, dark eyes shining.
"We would like that much," she said. Serena's smile broadened.
"Great. Where do you live?"
"Nande?" {What?} Poor Kimiko looked confused.
"Er…yatta da. Doko ni sunde imasuka?" {great. Where do you live?}
"Oh! I live near the school. I live two block away." Serena did some mental calculations.
"Well, how about if I meet you here tomorrow morning, around kyuu-jin da." {9 o'clock.}
"Yes. That would be good." Kimiko nodded. "It is good to have a new friend."
"It is good for me too, Kimi-chan." {Kimiko, (affectionate)} Serena smiled, bowing, and helping the shorter girl up. Just then, the bell rang, signalling the end of recess…
Juuban Koutou Gakkou: Juuban High School
Gomen: sorry
Kun: attached the names of boys you know moderately well, sometimes used instead of chan
Matte: wait
Ossu: hi
Fuku: this is the outfit that the scouts wear.
Ojii-chan: grandpa
Ikeike: bitch
Eigo: English
Chikusho Sensei: Miss Chikusho
Ii desu: good
Warren-san: Miss Warren? (Polite, mainly used by teachers and people who don't know you very well, or in business relationships)
Arigatoo: thank you
Aino-san: Miss Aino (see above brackets)
Eigo to suugaku: English and Maths
Nihongo: Japanese
Sakura Ki: cherry blossom tree
Domo: thanks
More Author's Notes: Thanks to these reviewers;
Sage: The Dark Dryad: I'm going straight to hell, aren't I?
Silver Moonlight-81: Thanks; I'm glad you liked it.
Celticas: Glad you like it.
DarkSun: No need to hunt me down…meep?
Thought for the week: Please don't kill me…I have cheese…