Okay, this is a Blue Seed, Sailor Moon, and Yu Yu Hakusho Crossover and one I'm really excited about. I'm treating it like a real anime, with twenty six episodes all planned out and coming attractions and everything. Although the other characters will be in it, the three main characters of this story are Momiji, Yusuke, and Serena (Yes, I'm using the dub names for Sailor Moon because those are the ones I'm accustomed to) and there will rarely be a part that doesn't include one of the three. They're the only ones who really have any character development or anything - this is THEIR story. Anyway, as for what time this takes place in each of the series, it's really hard to say. I guess it takes place before the Sensui Arc in Yu Yu Hakusho, sometime during R in Sailor Moon, and sometime during the course of the series in Blue Seed (considering there's only one season of Blue Seed and an OAV that I haven't seen). But it is important to note that they're all fifteen during the time this story takes place. Also, I'm not the greatest when it comes to attack names or technical details or whatever, so if there's some sort of error when it comes to that, just try to ignore it. The story's really about the three main characters (Yusuke, Momiji, and Serena), anyway, not the technical details of their powers. Also, although you may notice that the episode titles resemble that of Blue Seed, the story is not primarily about Momiji. In fact, all three of the main characters are supposed to have equal time - they're ALL the stars. Anyway, I originally thought of doing a crossover with just Sailor Moon and Blue Seed because I thought that Momiji and Serena had compatible personalities and would make good friends. But then, for some strange reason, I just saw Yusuke there, too, and he somehow just fit. I think he makes the trio's friendship a bit more humorous, especially when they all first meet. And I'm trying to keep all the characters IN character as best as I can as well as be faithful of the coupling of the show (Serena and Darien, Keiko and Yusuke, and Momiji and Kusanagi), meaning that Serena, Momiji, and Yusuke never express any type of feelings toward each other other than friendship - AT ALL. I don't know if that disappoints people or not, but it would be just be too weird if there's any romance between the three. It's really about their developing friendship, anyway, among other things...Oh, yeah! I especially like the "Coming Attractions" part - it's probably the funnest part to write! I think that's it...well, here goes nothing! I hope you enjoy!
"What's My Line Again…?"
Episode 1 - "Duty or Destiny? An Unexpected Meeting!"
Serena bit her lower lip as her eyes scanned the cookie aisle early Thursday morning. There was so much to choose from - why did life always throw her such difficult choices! Still, she had actually been on time this morning; why not stop and get some well-deserved snacks on the way to school? Besides, she had even passed her math test yesterday (even if it was only with a 67) so she had every right to splurge. But as she deliberated on what treat to buy, she had begun to lose track of time…
Meanwhile, Momiji walked around the supermarket cheerfully, deciding to buy some snacks for the TAC for that afternoon. She had gotten up early that morning just to buy some special treats for her friends and she still had quite a bit of time before she actually had to start heading for school. She smiled pleasantly as she placed the scrumptious items in her shopping cart.
"Hmm…Ms. Kome will like this," she said to herself. "And this is for Mr. Tagashi…what should I get Ms. Ryoko? Hmm…"
"NO!" Serena's voice wailed and Momiji turned her head, blinking in bewilderment to see the blond girl in pigtails rushing toward her, snacks and candy piled up in her arms. "I'm going to be LATE!" she continued to whine loudly. It took a perplexed Momiji a few moments to realize that Serena was neither going to stop or turn, although Momiji stood directly in her way; the snacks were piled so high that they had obstructed Serena's view. Momiji let out a shrill scream of warning, but it was abrupt; Serena had collided into her. Both girls whimpered as they sat, sprawled out on the supermarket floor with the rest of the customers and employers staring, snacks scattered everywhere. Each rubbed their backsides in some sort of pain. They both lifted their heads and stared at each other with baffled faces.
Then, Serena's face turned bright red. With a pitiful groan, she began to gather all the packages she had dropped faster than Momiji thought humanly possible. "I'm sorry!" she cried frantically, pulling herself to her feet, and brushing off her school uniform. "But I'm going to be late!" Momiji, still utterly puzzled, watched as Serena ran to the cashier and paid for her treats as quick as lightening, impatiently jogging in place as she waited for the cashier. It was only when Serena was heading toward the exit that Momiji snapped out of her daze and noticed that Serena had left her school briefcase.
"Hey, wait-uh-miss!" Momiji called, rising and holding up the briefcase. "You forgot your…books…" She trailed off weakly, noticing that Serena had already left and was nowhere in sight. She frowned in dismay and lowered the suitcase. Now what was she going to do? Then, glancing down at her watch, she realized the time herself. She let out a gasp. She was going to be late, too, if she didn't hurry up. So she quickly placed the briefcase in her shopping cart and made her way to the cashier, forgetting all about the strange blonde girl with the meatball hair for the moment.
Yusuke strode down the street, taking his own sweet time, although he knew very well he was late for school. He also knew he'd most likely get a good beating from Keiko when he arrived, having promised Keiko the day before he would be on time for once. This probably caused him to slow his pace even more. He yawned, stretched out his arms, and crossed them behind his back.
Then - "Oh, Yusuke!" He stopped, recognizing the voice almost immediately. He turned to see the bright-eyed, blue-haired guide of the River Styx waving at him with a wide grin. Dressed in a school uniform herself, she jogged over to him,
"What is it, Botan?" he asked her.
"A new assignment!" she chimed and held up a file that contained the briefing for Yusuke's new mission. Yusuke sighed, brushing her off with a gesture of his hand.
"Can't it wait until later? I've got to get to school…"
Botan frowned. "I'm afraid not, Yusuke. It's very important." Yusuke merely shrugged and began walking. A frustrated Botan followed. "Yusuke! It's your job as a spirit detective-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he interrupted her and then replied unenthusiastically, "Let me see that, " snatching the file from her hand. He skimmed it over briefly. "'Baken-Ai,' huh? What the hell is that?"
"Well, it's a demon," Botan answered matter-of-factly.
"Like I didn't know that," Yusuke remarked sarcastically.
"You didn't let me finish, Yusuke," she continued on. "Now, there's three of them-three Baken-Ai, that is-Hana, Masaki, and Shiko. All three must be killed."
"And why is that?" Yusuke questioned.
"I'm not exactly sure myself. The details are a bit obscure, and very vague, but from what Lord Koenma and I gather, the three are planning to rise a very powerful, very dangerous, and very evil demon named Torazo, but, unfortunately, we don't know much about him either."
"Do you guys know ANYTHING?" Yusuke asked annoyed.
"Well, we do know the location of one, the beast Shiko," Botan stated optimistically. "But that's the only one so far."
"So where is he?"
"'Where…?'" Botan repeated slowly. She then let out an embarrassed laugh. "Well, I guess I forgot to ask!" She started laughing again and Yusuke exhaled, shaking his head.
"Don't you think you ought to find out, then?"
"That's right! I better get going! Back to the Spirit World!" she exclaimed in agreement. But then she grew stern and pointed a finger at Yusuke. "But as SOON as I get back, YOU'RE going off to fight this Shiko, do you understand?"
"Yeah, yeah! I will!" Yusuke replied irritably. "You worry too much, Botan."
"Well, you worry too little, then," she said curtly and turned from him with crossed arms. "Besides, I already told you that this is important. As soon as we get more information on this Torazo and his Baken-Ai minions, I'll be sure to tell you, but right now all I want you to do is concentrate on fighting Shiko."
"Except I don't know anything about him, not even where he is," Yusuke said. "How do I even know how I'm supposed to kill him?"
"I'm sure you'll figure SOMETHING out," Botan insisted.
"Well, I can't do anything until you go to Koenma and tell me this Shiko guy is."
"Yes, yes, I know that," she said, somewhat annoyed herself. "I should be back by the time school lets out. As soon as you're let out of class, meet me on the roof and I'll tell you where you can find the first Baken-Ai."
"That's fine with me," Yusuke replied agreeably. He then smirked. "Then I'll get to kick some ass."
"Yes, you'll get to do all the butt-kicking you want," Botan added hastily. "Just make sure you kill the first Baken-Ai as quickly as possible. We can't take any chances, especially when we have such little information as it is."
She then gave him a perky smile, cocking her head cheerfully to the side. "Well, I better get going," she told him as her oar appeared by her side. She bounced onto it and gave him a wave. "I'll see you after school, Yusuke!"
"Bye, Botan!" he called as she rose up, disappearing into the sky. Yusuke simply sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. Another day, another mission, he thought with a wry grin. Then, he started plodding along again.
"You lost your school books, Serena?" Amy questioned as the two sat outside that bright afternoon at lunch. Serena gave her a reluctant nod. "Do you remember where you saw them last?" She shook her head now.
"No," she sniffled. "And all the homework I had - well, the homework I did, anyway - was in there, too! Ms. Haruna was so angry at me! She scolded me in front of the whole class!"
"Well, it is a bit irresponsible to lose your school books, Serena."
"I didn't LOSE them!" Serena defended herself. "I merely…misplaced them. Yeah, that's it! They're probably still at home."
"Well, that's still irresponsible too, I suppose," Amy commented. "What do you expect to do in school if you forgot them at home?"
"Jeez, Amy! You sound almost as bad as Luna!" Serena suddenly gasped and shot to her feet. "Oh, no!"
"What's wrong, Serena?" Amy asked in concern.
"I just remembered! I left my moon wand in my briefcase!"
"No, Serena! You didn't!" Amy cried, not wanting to believe it. But all Serena could do was whimper, bite her lower lip, and nod. "We'll look for your briefcase as soon as school lets out. I'm sure we'll find it."
"I probably just left it at home, right, Amy?" Serena asked her friend nervously, looking at her with pleading eyes to assure her.
"Right, Serena. It's probably there," Amy answered, although she was unsure herself. "And if it isn't, I'm sure we'll still find it anyway." Serena slumped back down to the grass. Then, she suddenly seized Amy by the hand.
"Promise you won't tell anyone, Amy!" she begged. "I mean, if Luna finds out, or Rei, or-"
"Don't worry; I won't, Serena," Amy reassured her with a warm smile. Serena released her hand then and lowered her head, a look of desperation still in her eyes.
"I just hope it doesn't fall into the wrong hands…"
Momiji slugged her way into the TAC office, a dejected expression upon her face. She held both her briefcase and the mysterious blonde girl's still, as well as a sack of treats. With a sulk, she dropped to her desk, although she still hadn't changed from her school uniform into her TAC uniform, slamming the blonde girl's briefcase on her desk and letting her own to slip from her hand and onto the floor beside her along with the snacks. Leaning forward in her chair, she rested her elbow on the desk and her chin in the palm of her hand and studied the suitcase hopelessly.
"Now what…?" she muttered out loud. She still had no way of finding out who the briefcase belonged to. "Maybe I should have just left it there. She might have gone back looking for it…" Momiji sighed in dismay. "Whoever 'she' is…I mean, how many school girls are there in Tokyo, anyway?! I'm even one of them! How am I suppose to find just one?" She grimaced, her chin sinking toward the desk. "And there's tons of schools in Tokyo, too…it would be impossible to go to everyone to ask if a girl reported a missing briefcase, especially if I don't even know if she would actually report it." She sighed once more. "It really is hopeless."
"Hello, Momiji," a voice spoke and Momiji rose her head slightly to see Ryoko and Kome enter the room.
"Oh, hello, Ms. Ryoko and Ms. Kome," Momiji muttered somberly. "I bought some snacks if you'd like some…" She glanced at the bag of snacks she bought that morning that laid beside her feet.
"Well, that was sweet…" Ryoko trailed off warily as she gave Momiji a long, hard look. "Are you feeling all right, Momiji? You look kind of down."
Momiji sat up a bit then, straightening herself up. "No, I'm fine, Ms. Ryoko. It's just that - well -this girl - about my age, I think - left her briefcase this morning at the supermarket." She gestured toward the suitcase on the desk. "I wanted to give it back to her, but I don't know how to find her again. I don't know her name or what school she goes to -"
"Well, that's an easy one!" Kome interrupted, slamming her hand on the briefcase. "Just open it up!" Momiji immediately yanked the suitcase from her and drew it close to her chest.
"I couldn't do that!" she protested frantically. "It's not mine to open! She might have something private or really embarrassing in there…"
"She probably also has something with her name on it, too." Kome argued. "Like a test or homework assignment or something."
"Still," Momiji insisted, "It's not my place; it would be wrong."
"Jeez, Momiji!" Kome exclaimed. "It's not that big of a deal! People open things that aren't there's all the time!"
"That doesn't make it right!" Momiji cried.
"You'd be doing her a FAVOR by opening it!" Kome persisted. "Are you really that selfish that you wouldn't open this briefcase - even though that's the ONLY way you're ever going to find out who this girl is so you can return it to her - just because YOU don't want to feel guilty?!"
"Well, I…I never thought about it that way…" Momiji said pensively, looking down at her feet. Ryoko laughed.
"Don't listen to her, Momiji. Kome's just talking nonsense," she stated firmly.
"Then how do YOU propose she find out who this girl is, hmm?" Kome interrogated crossly.
"Well, I -" Ryoko stopped and put a hand to her chin in deliberation. "Hmm. I guess that IS the only way you'll find out who this briefcase belongs to, Momiji."
"Really?" Momiji inquired and set her reluctant eyes on the briefcase. Well, if Ms. Ryoko thinks it's the only way, Momiji thought and then, determinedly, narrowed her eyes. "Here goes!" she exclaimed and popped open the briefcase. "Huh…?"
In the briefcase, lay a strange wand, with a pink handle and a crescent moon on top. Momiji slowly reached in and picked it up curiously, twirling it in her hand and examining it in the light. "A wand?" she whispered aloud. "Well, that's strange." She then gazed past the wand into the disorganized mess of books and papers. On one of the papers, Momiji read the name, "Serena." She then noticed the name of the school. "Crossroads High School…"
Yusuke stood on the rooftop waiting for Botan and rubbing his left cheek that was still sore. "She gave me a big slap this time," he said to himself and almost smiled. But he didn't have much time to think about it for Botan came flying down upon her oar.
"I have it, Yusuke!" she exclaimed and then jumped to the ground. "I have it!" She handed him a map of Tokyo. "According to Lord Koenma's sources, the first Baken-Ai should be surfacing somewhere in the human world - right there!" She pointed directly on the map at a small school.
"Crossroads High School," Yusuke read. His face then dropped. "Hey, wait a second! That's nearly on the other side of town! How do you expect me to get there?!"
"Now, it's not that far!" Botan insisted and took back the map. "Really! You see, we're here and the school's -" She cut herself off and frowned. "Well, I suppose it is pretty far." Yusuke let out an irritated sigh.
"Can't you get Kurama or Hiei to go?"
"Nope. This is your assignment," she stated, standing up erect and placing her hands on her hips. Yusuke just groaned and fell to the ground miserably. Botan glared at him sternly. "Now, Yusuke, don't be so lazy! It's really not all that bad, you know! It could be worse, after all."
"Anything could be worse if you think about it long enough," Yusuke muttered.
"Well, what type of attitude is that?!" Botan shouted, stomping her foot. "Now get off your lazy butt and hurry up! According to Lord Koenma, Shiko plans to show himself before nightfall. That means you don't have a lot of time." Yusuke reluctantly stood up.
"It'll take me awhile to get there on foot…" he thought out loud. "A good few hours, at least."
"Well, then, take a bus!" Botan exclaimed in frustration and gave him a push forward.
"Hey!" Yusuke protested.
"Take a taxi, take a bike - fly for all I care - just get there!" She shoved the map back into Yusuke's hand and jumped back onto her oar. Yusuke scoffed.
"Yeah, thanks a lot, Botan," he muttered as she floated away. Then he looked back at the map. "I have to get all the way to Crossroads High School by nightfall." He paused, scoffed again, and pessimistically replied. "Like that's going to happen."
"It's nowhere!" Serena cried in defeat as she and Amy walked along the streets of Tokyo trying to think of the next place to go on their search. "We've searched all over my house, the supermarket, the arcade, and everywhere else we could think of and still no briefcase!"
"I know!" Amy suddenly exclaimed, trying to hold onto the last shred of hope. "Maybe you lost it at school the other day. We can go look there."
"All right," Serena agreed reluctantly, the chances seeming rather slim.
She and Amy returned back to Crossroads High School as the sun had begun setting. But after searching the school high and low, they still found nothing. An expression of horrible distress formed on Serena's face as the two walked outside into the schoolyard.
"This is all hopeless! It's like it disappeared!" she exclaimed, still defeated.
"It couldn't have just disappeared…" Amy then frowned, looking at her watch. "Sorry, Serena, but I really have to get going. I have a lot of homework to still do and it's almost night. But I'll try and help some more tomorrow." Serena sighed as she bid her best friend Amy farewell.
"It's all right. See you, Amy," she said sincerely. "Thanks for all the help."
"Don't mention it, Serena," she modestly replied. "And I'm sure your briefcase will come up eventually."
"I hope so," Serena muttered not very optimistically. She then waved at Amy and called out, "Bye!" As soon as Amy had faded into the distance, Serena let out a pitiful groan and fell back against the chain-linked fence of the school with a frown. "I can't believe it! What am I supposed to do now? What will I tell Ms. Haruna? I'll be missing all my homework tomorrow, too! And Luna - I have to find my moon wand! How am I supposed to fight the forces of evil without it?!" She dropped her head in a sulk.
Then, suddenly, she her head shot up with a small gasp. "Huh?" I'm getting a strange sense of something, Serena thought, something on the school grounds. Her face grew serious. She pushed off the fence, eyes resolute. "Something's coming," she said firmly. "Something evil…I better transform!
"Moon Crystal Power!" She transformed into Sailor Moon. And as quickly as possible she headed toward whatever she was sensing.
Yusuke lowered his map swiftly, his eyes gazing at a school building. "Well, this seems to be the place. Except no scary demon." He frowned, scrunching his eyebrows in puzzlement and walked through the gates of the school and into the parking lot. Scanning the area, he scratched the back of his head. Nothing seemed to be unusual. He looked toward the sky. "It's already sunset. I thought this guy was supposed to show up before nightfall…hmm?"
Suddenly - foot steps. They were running toward him. He moved his head to the right to see a blonde in a strange sailor suit appear a few yards away. Both stared at each other for a long moment, eyes wide with startled bewilderment. Then Yusuke raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
"Now who the hell are you?" Yusuke questioned, eying her suspiciously. "Don't tell me YOU'RE the Baken-Ai."
"Baken-Ai?" the blonde girl in the sailor suit asked innocently.
"I thought so," Yusuke flatly replied. He sighed and turned from her. "Look, I suggest you get out of here, whoever the hell you are. In a few minutes, I'm guessing that this isn't going to be the safest place in the world, and I'm in no mood to look after some little girl in a sailor skirt."
"'Little girl?!'" the girl in the sailor uniform exclaimed in outrage. "I'm not that much younger than you, you know! You might even be younger than me!" Yusuke sighed in annoyance, not bothering to even glance at her in acknowledgement. The blond girl shook her head in aggravation. "That's no the point! I don't need you to look after me! I can take care of myself, thank you very much!"
Yusuke turned to her with an amused smirk. "Is that so?" he asked, nearly bursting into a fit of laughter.
"YES," she answered, rather offended. "I'm Sailor Moon, Champion of Justice-"
"'Sailor'…'Moon'…?" Yusuke asked through snickers and then fell into hysterical laughter. Sailor Moon's face turned bright red with rage as she stomped her foot angrily.
"It's not funny!" she exclaimed furiously and Yusuke laugher harder. "Well, what are you supposed to be then?"
"Huh?" Yusuke stopped chuckling and blinked. Then, pointing to himself, he asked, "Me?"
"Yes, you! And what's this Baken-Ai that you thought I was, anyway?"
"I really don't know much about the Baken-Ai, but…well, I'm Yusuke, a spirit detective." Now Sailor Moon looked confused
"What's that?"
"Well, it's -" He stopped, however, and grew annoyed. "Why the hell am I telling you all this for?! Will you get out of here?!"
"I'm not going anywhere! I'm here to fight!"
"'Fight' what?" Yusuke questioned.
"Uh…" Sailor Moon looked dumbfounded and Yusuke rolled his eyes.
"Right."
"Look, I may not know what I'm fighting, but I do know something bad is nearby and you can't stop me from fighting it!" Sailor Moon declared resiliently, firmly standing her ground and her convictions. Yusuke stared at her in surprise at her stubbornness.
Then, both on instinct, they unexpectedly turned their eyes to the left in perplexity to see a small little boy smiling at them pleasantly.
Momiji ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Still in her school uniform, she carried the blonde school girl's briefcase with her. She had left the TAC as soon as she found out where the girl's name and where the school was in hopes that the girl may have stayed after school for awhile. But as Momiji looked up at the setting sun, she frowned.
"She's probably gone home already," she said with a regretful voice. But her eyes darted in front of her again and she declared firmly, "Still, I have to try!" And she ran even faster. Then, she came upon it - Crossroads High School. She grinned widely with a joyous laugh. "There it is!" she exclaimed, although panting hard.
She made her way through the gates of the school and she then saw her - the blonde girl from that morning. She was accompanied by a little boy and a male student that looked Momiji's age. "It's her!" Momiji cried excitedly to herself, her smile widening. But as she came closer, her face became quizzical and she raised an eyebrow. "Why's she dressed in that funny sailor uniform for?" She shook her head, however, and kept running. "That doesn't matter!" she decided and then called out:
"Wait! Um-Serena! That's your name, isn't it?"
"Serena…?" the male student repeated, staring at Serena and then Momiji.
"It's that girl," Serena replied quietly, recognizing Momiji from that morning. "But how does she know my name…?"
"I have your briefcase!" Momiji then informed her as she got closer, holding up the briefcase.
Surprisingly, her blue seed began to glow brightly under her shirt. She stopped running, placing a hand to her chest as both Serena and the black-haired student gazed at her with curiosity. "My blue seed…is it an Arigami?" She narrowed her eyes in deep thought. "No…it feels like something else…"
The little boy giggled eerily and took a step back. Then, suddenly, the ground began to shake violently.
"What's going on?!" Serena whined as she lost her balance and fell to the pavement. The male student seemed to be having difficulties standing as well, but he kept his feet firmly on the ground. Momiji's seed was glowing even more brilliantly and although she though she should be more concerned with the earthquake, her eyes were locked on the smiling boy, who stood calmly, not struggling in the slightest to keep his balance.
"Who are you…?" she wondered softly to herself. Then, the ground burst open and both Momiji and the black haired student fell backwards and onto their backsides, Momiji's blue seed's glow diminishing. From the ground emerged a giant beast, upper body like a beastly man with two hairy arms and claws on it's enormous hands, and lower body like a spider, eight long sharp legs piercing into the pavement, and a strange gold symbol on its forehead. All three looked up at the massive creature in horror as it slowly marched toward them, staring at them violently and hissing.
"Is that the Baken-Ai you were looking for?!" Serena questioned in panic.
"One of them," the male student replied dryly.
"'One of them?!'" Serena fearfully cried, clasping her hands together and drawing them close to her chest. "Just how many of these things are there?!"
"The child," the beast called the Baken-Ai snarled. "Where is the child?"
"You mean that little boy?" Momiji asked and looked passed the beast where the child calmly stood. "You're not going to hurt him, are you?" The beast ignored her now and turned his head to the pleasantly smiling child. It stared at him in deliberation for a moment before it's eyes grew determined.
"You must die, child," it declared in a hiss. Momiji and Serena gasped as the male student scoffed and narrowed his eyes furiously. Momiji quickly gathered herself up to her feet.
"No! You can't kill him!" she protested. "I won't let you!" The beast turned on her in fury.
"You dare to protect this child?" he questioned, eyes raging. Momiji stood her ground. "Then you must die as well!" Momiji let out a whimper and winced, taking a step back as the beast heaved it's body around toward her with a savage growl. Then, it began to stamped straight for her. Both Serena and the male student got to their feet, Serena with a gasp of worry and the student with clenched fists and a bitter face.
And Momiji let out a shrill shriek as the beast opened it's mouth with a hiss, baring it's fangs, sickly venom dripping from it's black lips…
TO BE CONTINUED
Coming Attractions:
Yusuke: So the battle with the first Baken-Ai is about to begin and I'm ready to take it down, along with the other two Baken-Ai!
Serena: Hey! What about us?!
Yusuke: What about you?
Serena: We're going to help, too, you know!
Momiji: That's right! The only way we're going to beat this monster is if we work together - it's called TEAMWORK!
Yusuke: Teamwork? Who said anything about us three being a team?!
Momiji: Well…we did!
Serena: That's right!
Yusuke: This is my mission! Can't you two get your own?! You're both just going to get in my way!
Momiji and Serena: Hey!
Momiji: But wait a second! What is this mission exactly, anyway?! Just what are the Baken-Ai and why do they want to kill a poor innocent kid for?!
Yusuke: What are you looking at me for?! How am I supposed to know?!
Serena: Well, you're the one who keeps saying it's YOUR mission!
Momiji: Get ready for our first big fight on the next episode of "What's My Line, Again…?," Episode Two: "A New Alliance! A New Mission! A New Mystery!"
Serena: Hey, Yusuke, what's that scar on your forehead, anyway?!
"What's My Line Again…?"
Episode 1 - "Duty or Destiny? An Unexpected Meeting!"
Serena bit her lower lip as her eyes scanned the cookie aisle early Thursday morning. There was so much to choose from - why did life always throw her such difficult choices! Still, she had actually been on time this morning; why not stop and get some well-deserved snacks on the way to school? Besides, she had even passed her math test yesterday (even if it was only with a 67) so she had every right to splurge. But as she deliberated on what treat to buy, she had begun to lose track of time…
Meanwhile, Momiji walked around the supermarket cheerfully, deciding to buy some snacks for the TAC for that afternoon. She had gotten up early that morning just to buy some special treats for her friends and she still had quite a bit of time before she actually had to start heading for school. She smiled pleasantly as she placed the scrumptious items in her shopping cart.
"Hmm…Ms. Kome will like this," she said to herself. "And this is for Mr. Tagashi…what should I get Ms. Ryoko? Hmm…"
"NO!" Serena's voice wailed and Momiji turned her head, blinking in bewilderment to see the blond girl in pigtails rushing toward her, snacks and candy piled up in her arms. "I'm going to be LATE!" she continued to whine loudly. It took a perplexed Momiji a few moments to realize that Serena was neither going to stop or turn, although Momiji stood directly in her way; the snacks were piled so high that they had obstructed Serena's view. Momiji let out a shrill scream of warning, but it was abrupt; Serena had collided into her. Both girls whimpered as they sat, sprawled out on the supermarket floor with the rest of the customers and employers staring, snacks scattered everywhere. Each rubbed their backsides in some sort of pain. They both lifted their heads and stared at each other with baffled faces.
Then, Serena's face turned bright red. With a pitiful groan, she began to gather all the packages she had dropped faster than Momiji thought humanly possible. "I'm sorry!" she cried frantically, pulling herself to her feet, and brushing off her school uniform. "But I'm going to be late!" Momiji, still utterly puzzled, watched as Serena ran to the cashier and paid for her treats as quick as lightening, impatiently jogging in place as she waited for the cashier. It was only when Serena was heading toward the exit that Momiji snapped out of her daze and noticed that Serena had left her school briefcase.
"Hey, wait-uh-miss!" Momiji called, rising and holding up the briefcase. "You forgot your…books…" She trailed off weakly, noticing that Serena had already left and was nowhere in sight. She frowned in dismay and lowered the suitcase. Now what was she going to do? Then, glancing down at her watch, she realized the time herself. She let out a gasp. She was going to be late, too, if she didn't hurry up. So she quickly placed the briefcase in her shopping cart and made her way to the cashier, forgetting all about the strange blonde girl with the meatball hair for the moment.
Yusuke strode down the street, taking his own sweet time, although he knew very well he was late for school. He also knew he'd most likely get a good beating from Keiko when he arrived, having promised Keiko the day before he would be on time for once. This probably caused him to slow his pace even more. He yawned, stretched out his arms, and crossed them behind his back.
Then - "Oh, Yusuke!" He stopped, recognizing the voice almost immediately. He turned to see the bright-eyed, blue-haired guide of the River Styx waving at him with a wide grin. Dressed in a school uniform herself, she jogged over to him,
"What is it, Botan?" he asked her.
"A new assignment!" she chimed and held up a file that contained the briefing for Yusuke's new mission. Yusuke sighed, brushing her off with a gesture of his hand.
"Can't it wait until later? I've got to get to school…"
Botan frowned. "I'm afraid not, Yusuke. It's very important." Yusuke merely shrugged and began walking. A frustrated Botan followed. "Yusuke! It's your job as a spirit detective-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he interrupted her and then replied unenthusiastically, "Let me see that, " snatching the file from her hand. He skimmed it over briefly. "'Baken-Ai,' huh? What the hell is that?"
"Well, it's a demon," Botan answered matter-of-factly.
"Like I didn't know that," Yusuke remarked sarcastically.
"You didn't let me finish, Yusuke," she continued on. "Now, there's three of them-three Baken-Ai, that is-Hana, Masaki, and Shiko. All three must be killed."
"And why is that?" Yusuke questioned.
"I'm not exactly sure myself. The details are a bit obscure, and very vague, but from what Lord Koenma and I gather, the three are planning to rise a very powerful, very dangerous, and very evil demon named Torazo, but, unfortunately, we don't know much about him either."
"Do you guys know ANYTHING?" Yusuke asked annoyed.
"Well, we do know the location of one, the beast Shiko," Botan stated optimistically. "But that's the only one so far."
"So where is he?"
"'Where…?'" Botan repeated slowly. She then let out an embarrassed laugh. "Well, I guess I forgot to ask!" She started laughing again and Yusuke exhaled, shaking his head.
"Don't you think you ought to find out, then?"
"That's right! I better get going! Back to the Spirit World!" she exclaimed in agreement. But then she grew stern and pointed a finger at Yusuke. "But as SOON as I get back, YOU'RE going off to fight this Shiko, do you understand?"
"Yeah, yeah! I will!" Yusuke replied irritably. "You worry too much, Botan."
"Well, you worry too little, then," she said curtly and turned from him with crossed arms. "Besides, I already told you that this is important. As soon as we get more information on this Torazo and his Baken-Ai minions, I'll be sure to tell you, but right now all I want you to do is concentrate on fighting Shiko."
"Except I don't know anything about him, not even where he is," Yusuke said. "How do I even know how I'm supposed to kill him?"
"I'm sure you'll figure SOMETHING out," Botan insisted.
"Well, I can't do anything until you go to Koenma and tell me this Shiko guy is."
"Yes, yes, I know that," she said, somewhat annoyed herself. "I should be back by the time school lets out. As soon as you're let out of class, meet me on the roof and I'll tell you where you can find the first Baken-Ai."
"That's fine with me," Yusuke replied agreeably. He then smirked. "Then I'll get to kick some ass."
"Yes, you'll get to do all the butt-kicking you want," Botan added hastily. "Just make sure you kill the first Baken-Ai as quickly as possible. We can't take any chances, especially when we have such little information as it is."
She then gave him a perky smile, cocking her head cheerfully to the side. "Well, I better get going," she told him as her oar appeared by her side. She bounced onto it and gave him a wave. "I'll see you after school, Yusuke!"
"Bye, Botan!" he called as she rose up, disappearing into the sky. Yusuke simply sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. Another day, another mission, he thought with a wry grin. Then, he started plodding along again.
"You lost your school books, Serena?" Amy questioned as the two sat outside that bright afternoon at lunch. Serena gave her a reluctant nod. "Do you remember where you saw them last?" She shook her head now.
"No," she sniffled. "And all the homework I had - well, the homework I did, anyway - was in there, too! Ms. Haruna was so angry at me! She scolded me in front of the whole class!"
"Well, it is a bit irresponsible to lose your school books, Serena."
"I didn't LOSE them!" Serena defended herself. "I merely…misplaced them. Yeah, that's it! They're probably still at home."
"Well, that's still irresponsible too, I suppose," Amy commented. "What do you expect to do in school if you forgot them at home?"
"Jeez, Amy! You sound almost as bad as Luna!" Serena suddenly gasped and shot to her feet. "Oh, no!"
"What's wrong, Serena?" Amy asked in concern.
"I just remembered! I left my moon wand in my briefcase!"
"No, Serena! You didn't!" Amy cried, not wanting to believe it. But all Serena could do was whimper, bite her lower lip, and nod. "We'll look for your briefcase as soon as school lets out. I'm sure we'll find it."
"I probably just left it at home, right, Amy?" Serena asked her friend nervously, looking at her with pleading eyes to assure her.
"Right, Serena. It's probably there," Amy answered, although she was unsure herself. "And if it isn't, I'm sure we'll still find it anyway." Serena slumped back down to the grass. Then, she suddenly seized Amy by the hand.
"Promise you won't tell anyone, Amy!" she begged. "I mean, if Luna finds out, or Rei, or-"
"Don't worry; I won't, Serena," Amy reassured her with a warm smile. Serena released her hand then and lowered her head, a look of desperation still in her eyes.
"I just hope it doesn't fall into the wrong hands…"
Momiji slugged her way into the TAC office, a dejected expression upon her face. She held both her briefcase and the mysterious blonde girl's still, as well as a sack of treats. With a sulk, she dropped to her desk, although she still hadn't changed from her school uniform into her TAC uniform, slamming the blonde girl's briefcase on her desk and letting her own to slip from her hand and onto the floor beside her along with the snacks. Leaning forward in her chair, she rested her elbow on the desk and her chin in the palm of her hand and studied the suitcase hopelessly.
"Now what…?" she muttered out loud. She still had no way of finding out who the briefcase belonged to. "Maybe I should have just left it there. She might have gone back looking for it…" Momiji sighed in dismay. "Whoever 'she' is…I mean, how many school girls are there in Tokyo, anyway?! I'm even one of them! How am I suppose to find just one?" She grimaced, her chin sinking toward the desk. "And there's tons of schools in Tokyo, too…it would be impossible to go to everyone to ask if a girl reported a missing briefcase, especially if I don't even know if she would actually report it." She sighed once more. "It really is hopeless."
"Hello, Momiji," a voice spoke and Momiji rose her head slightly to see Ryoko and Kome enter the room.
"Oh, hello, Ms. Ryoko and Ms. Kome," Momiji muttered somberly. "I bought some snacks if you'd like some…" She glanced at the bag of snacks she bought that morning that laid beside her feet.
"Well, that was sweet…" Ryoko trailed off warily as she gave Momiji a long, hard look. "Are you feeling all right, Momiji? You look kind of down."
Momiji sat up a bit then, straightening herself up. "No, I'm fine, Ms. Ryoko. It's just that - well -this girl - about my age, I think - left her briefcase this morning at the supermarket." She gestured toward the suitcase on the desk. "I wanted to give it back to her, but I don't know how to find her again. I don't know her name or what school she goes to -"
"Well, that's an easy one!" Kome interrupted, slamming her hand on the briefcase. "Just open it up!" Momiji immediately yanked the suitcase from her and drew it close to her chest.
"I couldn't do that!" she protested frantically. "It's not mine to open! She might have something private or really embarrassing in there…"
"She probably also has something with her name on it, too." Kome argued. "Like a test or homework assignment or something."
"Still," Momiji insisted, "It's not my place; it would be wrong."
"Jeez, Momiji!" Kome exclaimed. "It's not that big of a deal! People open things that aren't there's all the time!"
"That doesn't make it right!" Momiji cried.
"You'd be doing her a FAVOR by opening it!" Kome persisted. "Are you really that selfish that you wouldn't open this briefcase - even though that's the ONLY way you're ever going to find out who this girl is so you can return it to her - just because YOU don't want to feel guilty?!"
"Well, I…I never thought about it that way…" Momiji said pensively, looking down at her feet. Ryoko laughed.
"Don't listen to her, Momiji. Kome's just talking nonsense," she stated firmly.
"Then how do YOU propose she find out who this girl is, hmm?" Kome interrogated crossly.
"Well, I -" Ryoko stopped and put a hand to her chin in deliberation. "Hmm. I guess that IS the only way you'll find out who this briefcase belongs to, Momiji."
"Really?" Momiji inquired and set her reluctant eyes on the briefcase. Well, if Ms. Ryoko thinks it's the only way, Momiji thought and then, determinedly, narrowed her eyes. "Here goes!" she exclaimed and popped open the briefcase. "Huh…?"
In the briefcase, lay a strange wand, with a pink handle and a crescent moon on top. Momiji slowly reached in and picked it up curiously, twirling it in her hand and examining it in the light. "A wand?" she whispered aloud. "Well, that's strange." She then gazed past the wand into the disorganized mess of books and papers. On one of the papers, Momiji read the name, "Serena." She then noticed the name of the school. "Crossroads High School…"
Yusuke stood on the rooftop waiting for Botan and rubbing his left cheek that was still sore. "She gave me a big slap this time," he said to himself and almost smiled. But he didn't have much time to think about it for Botan came flying down upon her oar.
"I have it, Yusuke!" she exclaimed and then jumped to the ground. "I have it!" She handed him a map of Tokyo. "According to Lord Koenma's sources, the first Baken-Ai should be surfacing somewhere in the human world - right there!" She pointed directly on the map at a small school.
"Crossroads High School," Yusuke read. His face then dropped. "Hey, wait a second! That's nearly on the other side of town! How do you expect me to get there?!"
"Now, it's not that far!" Botan insisted and took back the map. "Really! You see, we're here and the school's -" She cut herself off and frowned. "Well, I suppose it is pretty far." Yusuke let out an irritated sigh.
"Can't you get Kurama or Hiei to go?"
"Nope. This is your assignment," she stated, standing up erect and placing her hands on her hips. Yusuke just groaned and fell to the ground miserably. Botan glared at him sternly. "Now, Yusuke, don't be so lazy! It's really not all that bad, you know! It could be worse, after all."
"Anything could be worse if you think about it long enough," Yusuke muttered.
"Well, what type of attitude is that?!" Botan shouted, stomping her foot. "Now get off your lazy butt and hurry up! According to Lord Koenma, Shiko plans to show himself before nightfall. That means you don't have a lot of time." Yusuke reluctantly stood up.
"It'll take me awhile to get there on foot…" he thought out loud. "A good few hours, at least."
"Well, then, take a bus!" Botan exclaimed in frustration and gave him a push forward.
"Hey!" Yusuke protested.
"Take a taxi, take a bike - fly for all I care - just get there!" She shoved the map back into Yusuke's hand and jumped back onto her oar. Yusuke scoffed.
"Yeah, thanks a lot, Botan," he muttered as she floated away. Then he looked back at the map. "I have to get all the way to Crossroads High School by nightfall." He paused, scoffed again, and pessimistically replied. "Like that's going to happen."
"It's nowhere!" Serena cried in defeat as she and Amy walked along the streets of Tokyo trying to think of the next place to go on their search. "We've searched all over my house, the supermarket, the arcade, and everywhere else we could think of and still no briefcase!"
"I know!" Amy suddenly exclaimed, trying to hold onto the last shred of hope. "Maybe you lost it at school the other day. We can go look there."
"All right," Serena agreed reluctantly, the chances seeming rather slim.
She and Amy returned back to Crossroads High School as the sun had begun setting. But after searching the school high and low, they still found nothing. An expression of horrible distress formed on Serena's face as the two walked outside into the schoolyard.
"This is all hopeless! It's like it disappeared!" she exclaimed, still defeated.
"It couldn't have just disappeared…" Amy then frowned, looking at her watch. "Sorry, Serena, but I really have to get going. I have a lot of homework to still do and it's almost night. But I'll try and help some more tomorrow." Serena sighed as she bid her best friend Amy farewell.
"It's all right. See you, Amy," she said sincerely. "Thanks for all the help."
"Don't mention it, Serena," she modestly replied. "And I'm sure your briefcase will come up eventually."
"I hope so," Serena muttered not very optimistically. She then waved at Amy and called out, "Bye!" As soon as Amy had faded into the distance, Serena let out a pitiful groan and fell back against the chain-linked fence of the school with a frown. "I can't believe it! What am I supposed to do now? What will I tell Ms. Haruna? I'll be missing all my homework tomorrow, too! And Luna - I have to find my moon wand! How am I supposed to fight the forces of evil without it?!" She dropped her head in a sulk.
Then, suddenly, she her head shot up with a small gasp. "Huh?" I'm getting a strange sense of something, Serena thought, something on the school grounds. Her face grew serious. She pushed off the fence, eyes resolute. "Something's coming," she said firmly. "Something evil…I better transform!
"Moon Crystal Power!" She transformed into Sailor Moon. And as quickly as possible she headed toward whatever she was sensing.
Yusuke lowered his map swiftly, his eyes gazing at a school building. "Well, this seems to be the place. Except no scary demon." He frowned, scrunching his eyebrows in puzzlement and walked through the gates of the school and into the parking lot. Scanning the area, he scratched the back of his head. Nothing seemed to be unusual. He looked toward the sky. "It's already sunset. I thought this guy was supposed to show up before nightfall…hmm?"
Suddenly - foot steps. They were running toward him. He moved his head to the right to see a blonde in a strange sailor suit appear a few yards away. Both stared at each other for a long moment, eyes wide with startled bewilderment. Then Yusuke raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
"Now who the hell are you?" Yusuke questioned, eying her suspiciously. "Don't tell me YOU'RE the Baken-Ai."
"Baken-Ai?" the blonde girl in the sailor suit asked innocently.
"I thought so," Yusuke flatly replied. He sighed and turned from her. "Look, I suggest you get out of here, whoever the hell you are. In a few minutes, I'm guessing that this isn't going to be the safest place in the world, and I'm in no mood to look after some little girl in a sailor skirt."
"'Little girl?!'" the girl in the sailor uniform exclaimed in outrage. "I'm not that much younger than you, you know! You might even be younger than me!" Yusuke sighed in annoyance, not bothering to even glance at her in acknowledgement. The blond girl shook her head in aggravation. "That's no the point! I don't need you to look after me! I can take care of myself, thank you very much!"
Yusuke turned to her with an amused smirk. "Is that so?" he asked, nearly bursting into a fit of laughter.
"YES," she answered, rather offended. "I'm Sailor Moon, Champion of Justice-"
"'Sailor'…'Moon'…?" Yusuke asked through snickers and then fell into hysterical laughter. Sailor Moon's face turned bright red with rage as she stomped her foot angrily.
"It's not funny!" she exclaimed furiously and Yusuke laugher harder. "Well, what are you supposed to be then?"
"Huh?" Yusuke stopped chuckling and blinked. Then, pointing to himself, he asked, "Me?"
"Yes, you! And what's this Baken-Ai that you thought I was, anyway?"
"I really don't know much about the Baken-Ai, but…well, I'm Yusuke, a spirit detective." Now Sailor Moon looked confused
"What's that?"
"Well, it's -" He stopped, however, and grew annoyed. "Why the hell am I telling you all this for?! Will you get out of here?!"
"I'm not going anywhere! I'm here to fight!"
"'Fight' what?" Yusuke questioned.
"Uh…" Sailor Moon looked dumbfounded and Yusuke rolled his eyes.
"Right."
"Look, I may not know what I'm fighting, but I do know something bad is nearby and you can't stop me from fighting it!" Sailor Moon declared resiliently, firmly standing her ground and her convictions. Yusuke stared at her in surprise at her stubbornness.
Then, both on instinct, they unexpectedly turned their eyes to the left in perplexity to see a small little boy smiling at them pleasantly.
Momiji ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Still in her school uniform, she carried the blonde school girl's briefcase with her. She had left the TAC as soon as she found out where the girl's name and where the school was in hopes that the girl may have stayed after school for awhile. But as Momiji looked up at the setting sun, she frowned.
"She's probably gone home already," she said with a regretful voice. But her eyes darted in front of her again and she declared firmly, "Still, I have to try!" And she ran even faster. Then, she came upon it - Crossroads High School. She grinned widely with a joyous laugh. "There it is!" she exclaimed, although panting hard.
She made her way through the gates of the school and she then saw her - the blonde girl from that morning. She was accompanied by a little boy and a male student that looked Momiji's age. "It's her!" Momiji cried excitedly to herself, her smile widening. But as she came closer, her face became quizzical and she raised an eyebrow. "Why's she dressed in that funny sailor uniform for?" She shook her head, however, and kept running. "That doesn't matter!" she decided and then called out:
"Wait! Um-Serena! That's your name, isn't it?"
"Serena…?" the male student repeated, staring at Serena and then Momiji.
"It's that girl," Serena replied quietly, recognizing Momiji from that morning. "But how does she know my name…?"
"I have your briefcase!" Momiji then informed her as she got closer, holding up the briefcase.
Surprisingly, her blue seed began to glow brightly under her shirt. She stopped running, placing a hand to her chest as both Serena and the black-haired student gazed at her with curiosity. "My blue seed…is it an Arigami?" She narrowed her eyes in deep thought. "No…it feels like something else…"
The little boy giggled eerily and took a step back. Then, suddenly, the ground began to shake violently.
"What's going on?!" Serena whined as she lost her balance and fell to the pavement. The male student seemed to be having difficulties standing as well, but he kept his feet firmly on the ground. Momiji's seed was glowing even more brilliantly and although she though she should be more concerned with the earthquake, her eyes were locked on the smiling boy, who stood calmly, not struggling in the slightest to keep his balance.
"Who are you…?" she wondered softly to herself. Then, the ground burst open and both Momiji and the black haired student fell backwards and onto their backsides, Momiji's blue seed's glow diminishing. From the ground emerged a giant beast, upper body like a beastly man with two hairy arms and claws on it's enormous hands, and lower body like a spider, eight long sharp legs piercing into the pavement, and a strange gold symbol on its forehead. All three looked up at the massive creature in horror as it slowly marched toward them, staring at them violently and hissing.
"Is that the Baken-Ai you were looking for?!" Serena questioned in panic.
"One of them," the male student replied dryly.
"'One of them?!'" Serena fearfully cried, clasping her hands together and drawing them close to her chest. "Just how many of these things are there?!"
"The child," the beast called the Baken-Ai snarled. "Where is the child?"
"You mean that little boy?" Momiji asked and looked passed the beast where the child calmly stood. "You're not going to hurt him, are you?" The beast ignored her now and turned his head to the pleasantly smiling child. It stared at him in deliberation for a moment before it's eyes grew determined.
"You must die, child," it declared in a hiss. Momiji and Serena gasped as the male student scoffed and narrowed his eyes furiously. Momiji quickly gathered herself up to her feet.
"No! You can't kill him!" she protested. "I won't let you!" The beast turned on her in fury.
"You dare to protect this child?" he questioned, eyes raging. Momiji stood her ground. "Then you must die as well!" Momiji let out a whimper and winced, taking a step back as the beast heaved it's body around toward her with a savage growl. Then, it began to stamped straight for her. Both Serena and the male student got to their feet, Serena with a gasp of worry and the student with clenched fists and a bitter face.
And Momiji let out a shrill shriek as the beast opened it's mouth with a hiss, baring it's fangs, sickly venom dripping from it's black lips…
TO BE CONTINUED
Coming Attractions:
Yusuke: So the battle with the first Baken-Ai is about to begin and I'm ready to take it down, along with the other two Baken-Ai!
Serena: Hey! What about us?!
Yusuke: What about you?
Serena: We're going to help, too, you know!
Momiji: That's right! The only way we're going to beat this monster is if we work together - it's called TEAMWORK!
Yusuke: Teamwork? Who said anything about us three being a team?!
Momiji: Well…we did!
Serena: That's right!
Yusuke: This is my mission! Can't you two get your own?! You're both just going to get in my way!
Momiji and Serena: Hey!
Momiji: But wait a second! What is this mission exactly, anyway?! Just what are the Baken-Ai and why do they want to kill a poor innocent kid for?!
Yusuke: What are you looking at me for?! How am I supposed to know?!
Serena: Well, you're the one who keeps saying it's YOUR mission!
Momiji: Get ready for our first big fight on the next episode of "What's My Line, Again…?," Episode Two: "A New Alliance! A New Mission! A New Mystery!"
Serena: Hey, Yusuke, what's that scar on your forehead, anyway?!