Minna, it's so hard being an author! Stupid writers block…Thankfully, mine only lasted about an hour, because at school I ended up filling almost 30 pages of ideas. This means lots of fanfics will come from me in the future, and the fics I've started will be continued. Here's the stupid disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon at this moment. I almost did own it, but then this blonde girl with blue eyes and a red bow jumped up to me and told me this uber-kawaii guy was outside. You can guess what happened…
Usagi hated being late to school. There was that one, brief moment before you went to bed, and thought that tomorrow you would change. Then you'd wake up, and find that life is still a mess and you have five minutes to be sitting in homeroom. So this morning, yet again without a lunch, she ran down the street, pouring all her energy into it. She probably would have made it too, had she not run into someone.
"Urgh, gomen! Are you o" Her profuse apology was cut off as she stared into the face of her twin. Well, almost twin. A girl with blue eyes and long, blond hair blinked. Unlike Usagi's traditional odangoes, she let her hair down, held up only by a large red bow. She looked Usagi up and down, and held out a hand.
"Ohayo! I'm Aino Minako, and it looks like we'll be going to the same school! I can tell by your uniform. What's your name? By the way, I'm the new transfer student from London."
Usagi took a moment to process the questions at the speed they had come from. She shook her head after a moment, flashed her patented (A/N: Hai, minna, I think it's seriously patented) I-love-everything-and-everyone smile, and shook Minako's hand. "Ohayo! I'm Tsukino Usagi. I've heard of you; my friends say you'll be in a lot of my classes. Gomen about knocking you down back there, Minako-san."
Minako winked. "Think nothing of it! It looks like we were both late and rushing anyways. And call me Mina! Minako is way too formal."
Usagi and Minako stood, and brushed themselves off. Noting they were already as late as could be, they began to walk slowly to school.
"So Mina, why'd you move?" Usagi scuffed her toe into a crack in the sidewalk.
Minako shrugged. "Cause of my dad's work. Besides, Japan is the land of anime and, my personal favorite, Sailor V games." Usagi emitted a high-pitched squeal that, amazingly, left Minako unfazed.
"Sugoi! I love Sailor V too! At the Crown Arcade, I've almost beaten the high score, but Baka-san keeps stopping me when I'm almost there. Ooh, he makes me so mad!"
Minako smiled as Usagi. "The arcade sounds awesome! But who's this Baka-san?"
Usagi grinned sheepishly. "Oh, he's this guy I met when I accidentally threw my test paper at him. It hit him in the head and he said 'Are you lazy, or just incredibly stupid'? I was really mad, and called him a baka. Now Motoki, who's the owner of the Crown, says the baka is his best friend! Which means every time I go to the Crown, I have to see him. And he calls me Odango Atama! Just because of my hair! Oh, someday I'll pound him into a pulp, I swear!"
Minako eyed her curiously. "Do you even know his real name?"
"Chiba. Chiba Mamorou." Usagi's voice was flat, but Minako caught the soft tone underneath it.
"You like him, don't you?" At Usagi's horrified face, she held up a hand. "Calm down! I was just asking. So about this Crown Arcade, could you take me there?"
Usagi nodded as they came to the front of the school. "Sure. Meet me at lunch today, ok? That way you can meet some of my friends, and we can all have a good time. Oh, it looks like we have different first period classes, so I'll see you at lunch. Ja ne, Mina-chan!"
Minako waved as the Odango-ed blonde skipped into a classroom. She stopped when Usagi was out of sight, and glanced at her hand. "Mina-chan." She looked up again, staring hard at the door where Usagi had gone through. "Someone else called me that, once." She walked into the classroom on her right, leaving behind an empty hallway and an air of ambiguity.
Lunchtime"Hey! Mina-chan! Over here!" Usagi waved frantically at the other blonde, who smiled and walked over.
Ami closed the book she had been reading, and Mako discarded the cooking book she and Usagi had been poring over. (Usa for the pictures.) Minako sat down and glanced about nervously. "Ohayo, minna."
Usagi took over, and pointed to the blunette. "This is Mizuno Ami. She's like, the smartest girl in the whole wide world." Ami blushed, and nodded slightly. Mina giggled at her inflamed face.
"And here is Kino Makoto. She's real tough at times, but she makes the most awesome food in the world!"
"Food? I love food!" At Mina's reply, the girls burst into laughter.
Usagi wiped a tear from her eyes. "Wakatta, Mina. I love food too!"
Mako snorted. "Don't I know it." Usagi stuck a tongue out at her, and then addressed the whole group. "Ok, minna. Naru-chan is gone in Okinawa for the week, so I was hoping you guys could come with me to the Hikawa shrine on Saturday. This girl there, Hino Rei, she's a priestess and invited me to go."
Ami lit up. "I'd love to study the architecture there must be fascinating! I'll go."
Mako smiled. "I don't have anything to do. I'll go."
Usagi turned to Minako, with such a pleading look on her face that the other blonde laughed. "Sure Usagi, I'll come along."
Usagi made a face. "Call me Usagi-chan, or Usa. Usagi is much too formal!" she mimicked Minako from that morning. "Oh, and minna, we're all going to the Crown after school, right? Haruna-sensei is apparently on a winning streak, so I don't have detention."
Mina beamed. "Neither do I, because I'm new, but I can't wait to go to the arcade! Are there milkshakes there?" Which sent them off into peals of laughter once more. Lunch ended quickly, as quickly as the bond between the girls formed and set.
After school, entering the Crown Arcade"You said that to him?" Mina said in awe. Ami and Usagi were explaining about her encounter with Mamorou yesterday. Usagi nodded proudly as they entered a booth.
"And then he just stood there with his mouth open! You should have seen it!"
"Seen what, Odango?" The girls were shocked at the speed which Usagi's face turned red and angry. She composed herself quickly.
"We were just discussing my victory yesterday, baka." To her disappointment, Mamoru seemed unfazed.
" A mere lapse in my speech doesn't declare it a victory, Odango. I assure you, had I been prepared to know you could say such big words; I would have blown you out of the water. For now, the initial shock that you can say something that doesn't have to do with food is surprising enough."
Usagi spun to face him so fast, he nearly fell over. "Listen, baka, I" whatever insult would have spewed from her mouth was cut off when she saw Motoki approaching with several milkshakes. Both she and Mina jumped up and ran to get them. Motoki did a double take.
"Wha? Usa? And another Usa?" he glanced at Mamorou, who had only just noticed the other blonde and was also speechless. "What did I miss?"
Usagi giggled, as did Minako. Both girls latched onto a chocolate milkshake and practically inhaled the drink. When done, they both discarded the empty containers and ran off to try the Sailor V games.
Mamorou looked at them, then at the girls. He stared for a long, long time, before finally looking at Motoki. "Did you slip something in my coffee again? Last time I ended up on a date with an eighty-year-old woman! Didn't I tell you not to try that again?"
Motoki shook his head. "It wasn't me, Mamorou."
Mako smiled. "You guys aren't hallucinating. That's Usa's new friend, Aino Minako. She just transferred here from London. They are alike in a lot of ways though."
Mamorou looked back to the two blondes, who were currently racing each other in a game. "Yeah, but only Odango makes the day bright." He turned back to find the girls and Motoki staring at him as if he had just let slip he was Queen Beryl.
"What?" he asked, annoyed.
Motoki grinned wryly. "Did you hear what you just said?"
Mamoru's face suddenly lost all color. "I said that aloud?" In almost three seconds flat he had grabbed his jacket, drained his coffee cup, and tossed a few yen on the counter. "Er, midterms, Motoki! See you tomorrow?"
Usagi and Minako approached the table. Usagi pointed to Mamorou's retreating form. "What's with him?" Ami pulled her book closer to her face. Mako suddenly found the menu very interesting, and Motoki realized rather quickly that there were other customers in need of serving.
Minako sighed. " You won't tell us, will you?"
Ami picked herself up and made space for the blondes. "People shouldn't know everything." She said.
Usagi smiled. "Then what the heck are you doing, Ami-chan?"
The giggles soon enveloped the air, causing the incident to go unmentioned for the rest of the day.
Saturday, Outside the ShrineUsagi fumbled nervously with her brooch as she stood outside of the Hikawa Shrine. Ahead of her she could see Rei already talking to her friends, and she suddenly felt left out. But she couldn't go. She felt unworthy of such glorious people. She and Rei had talked many times before, when they bumped into each other in random places. Each time, the priestess had acted as if she were constantly angry with Usagi, but each time, Usagi could see the joy radiating underneath.
But she still felt unworthy.
For more than a year now, she had been Sailor Moon. She had no guardian, and no way of fighting Beryl herself. Her only hope was to find the senshi, especially as the youmas began to get stronger and stronger. The only clue she had to who these people were was a half-faded dream she kept having, and at times memories being shoved back into her mind. But now there were none. She had had no dreams since before she'd met Mina, and the memories had gone after she'd met Mamorou at the mall.
How she longed for her songs, so she could relieve her restless soul. But every time she put a CD in, the song somehow seemed wrong. Music was no solace to her now. It was too loud, too soft, and it made no sense. She couldn't listen to any song now, so with a heavy heart she had put away her CD's into her closet.
She sighed, thinking of the impact it had made on her life. The adrenaline rushes as she fought to a different theme song…those were the days. Now she was in a tangle, and very upset. Even the baka had shut up about the nickname. She had almost keeled over when he called her Usagi-chan on Thursday. Of course, she suspected something after he had been locked into the back room with Motoki, Mako and Ami for almost a half hour.
"Usagi! Are you going to stand there all day or come hang out with friends?"
She looked up to see Mako waving at her. Friends. Yes, she had friends. But what would happen when her senshi duties became a huge factor in her life? What then? Quickly storing that thought to the darkest recesses of her mind, Usagi hopped over to her friends and followed them into the temple.
"This is my prayer room. Here I consult the Great Fire, which gives me answers to my questions, although they are never specific." Ami was fascinated by the tour, and Rei seemed to enjoy the admiration all the girls showered upon her.
Rei led them to the back of the Shrine, where they gasped. A large cherry blossom tree stood tall, over a peaceful pond. Usagi immediately walked over to it and looked in. A girl with wide blue eyes and a happy air about her stared back. Usagi blinked, and straightened. "It's beautiful, Rei-chan."
"Yeah." The other three girls said in unison, too in awe to voice any other opinions. Rei opened her mouth to say something, but was abruptly knocked back by a detonation. The girls were sprawled out on the ground, and lifted their eyes to see an angry youma glaring back at them. It was dressed in an outfit similar to Rei's, except it was all black. Behind it, several ugly creatures snickered maliciously.
The youma smiled and leaned down in front of Ami, who seemed to have been frozen in place. "My dear," it hissed. "I would like to use your energy for my queen!" Ami leaned back as the demons flew from the youma's shoulder and pinned her back.
Usagi stared. Her heart was pounding way too quickly to have been possible. She watched as the youma pulled out a wicked looking fan. Wicked looking because of the sharp blades on the end, threatening to slice her. Ami screamed. It was all Usagi needed, before she stood up.
"Moon Cosmic Power, Make up!" The girls gaped in visible shock as Usagi stood before them, now Sailor Moon. "Leave her alone! You had no right to touch her, especially as she was enjoying the wonderful shrine! In the name of the moon, I shall punish you!"
The youma glared at her. "My little devils, I want her energy!" Sailor Moon had no time to think as more demons appeared and bounded onto her. She struggled, but to no avail. The creature's had her pinned down, and she could only close her eyes as the youma lowered the fan to her throat.
"Venus Star Power, Make up!" Sailor Moon opened her eyes quickly, in time to see Minako vanish in a swirl of bright orange and yellow lights. A moment later, Sailor V stepped out and glowered at the youma. "I, Sailor Venus, formerly Sailor V, will punish you for daring to hurt my leader in such awful fashion!"
Mako raised herself from the ground, and shaded her eyes. Something about those two girls was familiar…
"Venus! Move, I'm trying to work here!" Mako heard herself shout. The cocky soldier flashed a V is for Victory sign. "I guess I'm doing my job then!" A rustle of skirts, and though Mako could not see her, she heard Usagi speak. "Venus, leave Jupiter alone. If she wished to train, let her. Besides, we must see the Lady Mercury on our lessons. Not that I want too." Girlish laughter floated in the air…
Mako's eyes grew wide as she saw a green pen appear in front of her. She hesitated to take it. What if it meant trouble? Rei, meanwhile, was getting a similar reaction. She leaned against the tree for support, scrutinizing the senshi closely as a memory invaded her mind.
"Mars! You need to get out of that stuffy room for a while. Me an' you are going horseback riding!" Usagi's voice reached her. Rei did not turn her head. "We went yesterday." A strong pair of arms lifted her and she protested. "Jupiter!" But as Jupiter tripped and fell over Usagi, she began to laugh uncontrollably.
A red pen seemed to materialize in the air. Rei held out a tentative hand. She felt no dark energy…but should she still use it? Ami glanced desperately at her rescuers, wishing she could help. Her eyes widened as she realized she knew these people.
The sound of muffled footsteps reached her ears a second too late. Before she could say a word, she found herself buried under a pile of books. "Sorry." She heard Usagi's voice, and saw Venus, Mars and Jupiter brushing themselves off. The library's stillness was broken by her soft chuckles.
All statistics left Ami's mind as a blue pen floating next to her. All three girls froze, unsure as to what to do. Venus was thrown back fiercely as the youma held out an arm. The senshi of love was held down by scores of the demons. The youma picked up her fan, and once more held it over Sailor Moon's throat.
"Bye!" It whispered gleefully. Several things happened at once. A rose flew down, knocking the fan from the youma's hand. (A/N: Guess who?) The girls grabbed their pens, and their cries were shouted to the wind.
"Jupiter Star Power, Make up!"
"Mars Star Power, Make up!"
"Mercury Star Power, Makeup!"
Jupiter swooped down and grabbed Sailor Moon from the youma's grasp, then spun around and let out her battle cry. "Jupiter Supreme Thunder!" A sizzle of lightning hit the sky, and knocked the youma back. Mars stared the demons dead in the eyes. "Burning Mandela!" The demons were incinerated. Venus stood and cast Mars a grateful look. Mercury was the first to notice the youma getting up and prepare to throw her fan. "Mercury Bubbles Blast!" At the same time, another rose hit the youma's hand, causing it to drop the weapon.
Sailor Moon smiled at the frozen monster. "Thanks, guys!" Then she stopped, and twisted to face them. "Oh my gosh! You guys are senshi too! What do you remember?"
Venus scratched her head. "Well, all I know is I have to find the Moon Princess and protect her, but that's about it!" The other girls nodded their agreement, and Sailor Moon almost danced for joy. "Me too!"
Venus winked. 'I got all this from a certain feline!"
Moon rushed to hug her. "You have Luna! You have Luna!"
Venus giggled. "Yep, and Artemis too. Lemme tell you, those cats can get on a girls nerves!"
"Um, Sailor Moon?" Moon turned to Mercury, who was awkwardly producing a computer and visor. "The ice won't hold it soon, so could you destroy it now?"
Sailor Moon smiled. "Sure. Moon Tiara Magic!" The tiara quickly finished off the beast, and Sailor Moon sighed. "I'm so happy to have found you! But, which one of you can throw the roses?"
"I believe that would be me." The girls got hearts in their eyes as a man wearing a three-piece tuxedo, top hat, and a white mask stepped out form the shadows. "My name is Tuxedo Kamen. I will be here to protect you, lest you ever need it." And in a flurry of roses, he was gone. The senshi sighed. "He's mine," stated Mars. The bickering that ensued was not entirely her fault, as Venus had already taken out a pen and a piece of paper.
Chiba Mamorou stumbled back into his apartment. What was that all about? He fell onto his couch, struggling to regain his composure. He had just transformed into a walking best man super hero. He sighed and ran a finger through his hair. But if it helped Sailor Moon…he could bear it.
With another sigh, Mamorou dragged himself to his bed, losing himself to thhe oblivion of the dreams sent by a goddess.
Later That Night
Usagi lay in her bed, watching the furry black body next to her rise and fall. Minako had let her take Luna home, and for that she was thankful. Her head hit the pillow softly.
'I've found them.'
But her heart would not rest. Though she had found the the senshi, someone was still missing. And her memories did not come. She fell asleep quickly.
The next morning, she remembered she had a dream. But this one involved lollipops and rabbits.
Well, minna, there we go! Thanks so much for your reviews. And I have a question. Should Usagi be turned to the Negaverse, or would you prefer dear Mamo-chan?