Second chances are precious and not to be squandered. From bustling Juban in the 20th century to a lonely asteroid in the far flung future, that is a lesson many know all too well. Anime Canon. Post-Stars. Written for the 30th Anniversary of the Rainbow Crystal story arc…and a few other characters too…
Chapter 1: Complimentary Colours
Once upon a time seven people found themselves transformed into hauntingly familiar monsters. They were saved from themselves, but what became of them years later?
Rated: T - Spiritual/Friendship - Words: 1,889 - Ayaskahi Sisters/Four Sisters, Nehellenia/Nephrenia, Rei's Grandfather, Ryo U./Greg
A/N: This fic is a gift for SinJazz.
Please feel free to share your thoughts on my fic. Take care.
Dark clouds were steadily gathering in the sky above the Hikawa shrine as Joe nervously attempted to tie the parchment to the tree. The news had announced that Juban was due for some unexpected rain and Joe was decidedly not dressed for the weather, though that was hardly the root of his current anxieties. Nevertheless, a rumbling sound from behind made him lose his grip on the parchment, a gust of wind almost immediately snatching up the paper. With arcade honed reflexes and a little 'mental push', he grabbed the parchment before it got too far and at last affixed it to the tree branch.
"Let me guess. It's a woman, right?"
Joe whipped around but saw nobody behind him, though he did spot a rather fat turquoise cat lounging beneath the shrine torii.
"Down here, son."
Lowering his gaze, he beheld a bald and very squat old man in shrine robes, a wide mischievous grin.
"How'd you know that?" He asked.
"Years of wisdom, youngster. Plus…" the old man leaned in and lowered his voice, "...I'm a little psychic," he whispered conspiratorially. "Runs in the family"
As the elder began to chuckle Joe began to relax somewhat Joe. "She's this really beautiful girl who hangs around at the Game Center Crown."
"I know the place," nodded the elder, "And you're hoping she'll notice you?"
Joe shook his head. "She's already noticed me. We talk all the time. I like her, but she's also…kinda tall for me. I don't wanna feel embarrassed, but I also can't stop thinking about her. I just don't know what to do."
"Kids today," grunted the old man, though his tone was not entirely harsh. "Nevermind that thing," he ordered, thrusting a finger at the parchment Joe had tied to the tree. "Just look at me!" The old man spread his arms and legs wide, Joe staring at him in utter bewilderment. "See how short I am?" Slowly, tentatively, Joe nodded, the motion causing his glasses to slip down his nose. "If I got hung up on a lady being taller than me I'd never have met the love of my life. Get that nonsense out of your head and grab your chance before you regret it. Understand?"
And then, just like that, Joe finally did. After all, if there was one thing he knew all too well, it was the art of grabbing things.
Although his face was composed with a calm serenity, Bou had to admit he felt a certain amount of trepidation as he watched the bride descend the aisle. It was only thanks to the discipline he'd learned during his teens and twenties that he stopped himself from laughing. After all, it was most unusual for the priest to be nervous during a wedding.
There was a point in most ceremonies where the priest had the opportunity to say a few words about the union between the couple. In the past, Bou had found it easy to be original, despite how little he typically knew about the bride and groom; a fact he liked to attribute to the Almighty. This time though, he'd found himself utterly lost for words, trying in vain to work on his speech all morning. Now, though, he'd run out of time. The afternoon's ceremony was upon him, and the dark rain clouds outside did not seem to bode well.
A part of him appreciated the irony of the situation given how he'd known the young man and woman before him since they were children. Another part of him felt far more nervous than he'd been even during his first sermon.
In desperation, he wracked his memory for some of the other weddings he had officiated, sincerely praying any of their speeches might do if he could just change the names.
Then, all of a sudden, several things happened at once.
The blushing brunette bride reached the altar. An almost unfathomably large (and vaguely familiar) turquoise cat had begun to trot inside the church. Lightning momentarily flashed through the windows. And Bou heard the very faint, very distant, chiming of a bell. A bell quite unlike the ones above in the church rafters, but very much like the kinds he'd heard countless times before. It was then that divine inspiration seemed to strike and he knew exactly what to say.
"During my youth, before I joined the church, I trained hard to become a professional boxer. Those of you who are familiar with boxing might have heard the phrase 'going the distance'. It refers to when a boxer succeeds in lasting all twelve rounds of a match."
Bou took a moment to observe the assembly, many of whom were staring at him, and each other, with mild confusion, clearly lost as to where he was going with this.
"Going the distance is exceedingly difficult. When enduring the pain and hardship of round after round, it is all too tempting to give up."
Bou locked eyes with the groom who seemed as bemused as the rest of the assembly. Turning towards the bride, however, he thought he could see the faint dawning of comprehension through the white veil. Well, he reminded himself, she didn't earn her doctorate for nothing.
"However, through years of being separated across whole oceans, not to mention bad weather," a chuckle rippled through the assembly, "this man and this woman never gave up."
He noted, with a small, warm smile, the bride interlace her fingers with her husband-to-be.
"And so, I am very happy, and far more proud, to say that" Bou paused for a single heartbeat, "Reika and Motoki have gone the distance…"
The early evening rain was beating a steady tattoo upon the Juban shopping district. Normally Yumemi didn't like the rain at all, but at the moment, she didn't particularly notice nor care. Even in the bright summer sun, the world seemed a lot less colourful than it used to be. Intellectually, she knew she was just going through a rut, that this current drought of creativity would pass. But neither she, nor most painters she knew, tended to favour their heads over their hearts.
And so she plodded along the streets, indifferent to the veritable shower she found herself in, unfazed by the numbness creeping into her fingers and barely aware of her steadily clouding glasses. That was, until they flew off her face as the world began to tilt upside down.
With her surroundings moving in slow motion, and her own mind at lightspeed, she quickly deduced that she must have slipped on a particularly wet patch of pavement and was now falling backwards. Despite her current hyperawareness, she was at an utter loss as to how to save h-
Her surroundings stilled themselves as a firm hand caught the small of her back. Then the world completely righted itself, bringing into her blurry vision the image of a man with dark hair.
"Here, I caught these before they hit the ground," he said, handing over her glasses as Yumemi took a few steadying breaths.
Putting the spectacles back on brought into focus the kind face of her saviour.
"Wow, fast reflexes," she complimented, astonished that the young man had been able to catch both the glasses and herself. "Thank you so much."
"No problem, Ms. Yumeno," he replied.
"Oh, you really recognise me?" Though far less shy about her appearance these days, Yumemi still rarely encountered anyone who knew her on sight.
The young man gave a slight shrug. "A few years ago, me and my girlfriend went to some of your exhibits."
The adrenaline that had flooded Yumemi's body suddenly left her, leaving her body, much like her fingers, feeling numb. Looking for a distraction, she noticed a sheet of rapidly dampening paper laying at the man's feet. "That must have been back before I dried up," she said, trying her best to sound casual as she bent down to retrieve the paper. As she rose back up, she noted that it was a ranking of the top students in the country, the joint number 1 scores encircled in cool blue ink.
"You'll find your inspiration again," said the man gently, "And sooner than you think." Yumemi was so taken aback she entirely forgot to return the paper. Something told Yumemi his words were more than kind platitudes. There was a distinct steely certainty behind his tone.
With an affirming nod, the stranger turned around and began to walk away. "What makes you so sure?" Yumemi piped up before he got too far.
The man slowed his pace. "Just trust me." Then he stopped completely and threw Yumemi a warm smile over his shoulder. "I know a thing or two about the future. Enjoy the sunshine."
Yumemi stood there confused by the man's final statement that weirdly lacked all sense of sarcasm.
"What sunshine? Hey!" she called after him again. But the man did not stop this time, and swiftly disappeared into the crowd. "Please wait, Mister-" Only then did it strike Yumemi that she had no name for her saviour. Remembering the damp sheet still in her hand, she took a second look at the two encircled names. Gambling one of them must belong to the mystery man she quickly ruled out the more feminine sounding name. "Mister Urawa, hold…on…"
It was too late, he had already vanished.
However, when Yumemi at last gave up scanning through the crowd, she suddenly became aware that the shopping district seemed a lot quieter and a lot warmer than it had been moments ago.
Turning around, her eyes squinted at the golden rays steadily breaking through the dark sky. Lowering her gaze, her eye caught sight of a wall upon which two cats, one a proverbially herculean turquoise beast, were canoodling. And, just above them, as if restoring colour to the world, was a sight that banished all numbness from her body.
Yumemi changed course at once, eager to get home and start her new painting. A bright smile broke across her face. A smile almost as bright as the rainbow that hung in the sky above.
A/N: Just to let you know I am involved in a discord called 'Moonlight Legends' which is dedicated to sharing all sorts of Sailor Moon fanworks, including other fanfics. If you would like to join so you can share your own work, get help with your current projects or just connect to other fan creators shoot me a PM and I'll send you an invite. All are welcome!