Oh god, this fanfic is so old. I wrote it long before I joined and it was my first ever fanfic. Actually, it's not even that bad – it's so old I forgot what happened and have just been reading through it again. So hopefully you guys will enjoy it! I just came across it now, in the back of my laptop's files somewhere. Frankly I'm amazed I still have it. Anyway, I thought I'd post it here for Sailor Moon fans to read:

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Yeah, here's all that disclaimer stuff... I didn't create any of the characters from Bishojo Senshi Sailormoon and the credit goes fully to those companies involved in the various anime and manga series in both Japan and the US (Bandai, DiC, etc.). Not to mention Naoko Takeuchi, whose wonderful idea it was in the first place!

I'll be using the US names, not because they're better, but because they happen to be a personal favourite of mine. By the way, this is my first (and probably only) fanfic, so if it isn't up to scratch then I doubt I'll ever even attempt another. (Note from present self: I proved myself wrong on this one!) Started on 20th October, 1999.

Jaded Perspective
Part One - Another Shade of Green
By Skylark3
Rated PG. I think.

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Prologue

Far across the endless voids of fantasy, in the endless twilight of a barely known universe, a man stirred, on the verges of awakening as if from a deep sleep. His head rested on rich soil, a darkened brown, untainted from the sun's patronising rays. The grey, cloudless sky never gave any hint of change, yet the entire world shivered in the throes of destruction. Nothing grew upon the soil, though it was as soft and capable of nurturing life as it was possible to be. The only thing that lay between earth and sky was that one solitary obstruction, the only thing that cast a shadow on the even horizon which stretched infinitely in every direction.

The man's eyelids fluttered open, creating the gentlest of breezes, but spreading a slight chill throughout the universe. For a moment time stood frozen in place. Then the fragile balance was shattered, distorted into delicate shards of fragmented memories and blown away on that very same breeze.

Almost hesitantly, the man rose to his knees, brushing off dirt that had clung to his clothes. Looking down at himself, he noticed how unfamiliar the garments appeared. Certainly he did not recognise them.

But I do not seem to recall anything, he thought silently, mystified. Perhaps I do not even know myself, who I am.

As if upon pure instinct, he looked above him at the uneventful sky. It sparkled with a fleeting, iridescent light, a glimmer that even he remembered had not been present a few seconds before. He raised his hand to that mystical rooftop of the universe, searching for an answer hidden in the stony grey skies. And as if from nowhere, a glistening

teardrop of water fell onto his upturned palm.

"Water..." he whispered softly, and as he stared in surprise at the tiny splash in the centre of his hand, it condensed and solidified into a crystalline gem, the clear colour of ice. The exquisite jewel was hardly as big as the nail on his smallest finger, yet it captured the pure essence of the liquid that had fallen upon his hand only a moment before.

Barely had this occurred, when the skies abruptly turned dark, and faded into blackness. For a reason unknown, the ground and himself were still perfectly in view, though the darkness of the skies was even more greatly disturbing than the twilight. No stars. He shivered, though the temperature was hardly cold. Perhaps this is the equivalent to night, in this deserted place, the man thought curiously. Yet almost immediately a bright flash of light blinded his eyes, making him perceive dazzling images and colours until his vision cleared. Lightning! A distant rumble of warped sound reached his ears then, confirming his uncertain thought. He was amazed, for this strange universe had seemed so lifeless and uneventful, but in the space of a few seconds the world seemed to be on the edge of collapse.

The thunder still ringing in his ears, he gradually became aware of a soft crackling sound behind him, and the slightest sense of heat on his back. He turned, getting to his feet, to perceive an amber flame on the soil only a few feet from him, the product of the fascinating lightning strike. The man found it hard to comprehend exactly how it stayed alight, as there was nothing to fuel it. As it was, the flame was tiny, and rapidly dying into just a glowing ember.

"Fire!" he uttered in wonder, but even as he spoke, the miniscule spark erupted into a misty cloud of smoke. The swirling gas cleared in a matter of seconds, revealing a second gemstone, this one an amber colour, the blaze of fire visible within its transparent walls.

Picking it up, the man held it in his palm with the other jewel. Another bolt of lightning took him by surprise, for it struck his fist in which the two gemstones were clenched tightly. The noise of thunder once again filled his ears, but a thousand times greater than before - it was a sound that the man felt could tear a world to shreds, just like the crackling of the fire could melt a heart of stone, or the tinkling of ice could freeze a furious temper. Yet he did not feel afraid. In some elusive memory that lay hidden in the depths of his mind, he knew that this blinding electric charge could kill him, and still he felt no pain.

In a split second it was over, and he was left standing, though a little shakily, as he had been before. Yet he knew something had changed - the air was almost tingling with anticipation, almost like it had a life of its own. He looked down at his hand and slowly uncurled his fist. There, beside the two other jewels, was a third, glowing white like the lightning it contained.

The man regarded the crystals thoughtfully. It seemed obvious to him that each one had something to do with one of the four elements. Water, Fire, Air... Truly, it was more as if the crystals had captured ice, heat and electricity, but nevertheless, the resemblance was present. He laughed softly. "Why not?" Clearly this had not happened by accident.

Bending down, he scooped up some of the loose, rich soil into his other hand, and sifted it carefully through his fingers. Earth. Why, it's all around me!, he chuckled to himself.

He couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness the dark skies gave him. He found it impossible to remember any other place than this universe, but he knew there ought to be stars to shed a soft, silver glow on the land beneath. The stars... and the moon. Something briefly jolted his memories, but it vanished like a flash, lasting only for a moment.

Shaking off the feeling that he'd missed something vital, the man turned his attention back to the soil. From the small mound the fallen dirt had made after he'd filtered it through his fingers, a single green shoot was emerging. Life - the only beautiful thing in this whole empty world. He could have cried at the sight, but the tears became caught at his throat. Gently, he reached towards the growing plant and touched an emerging bud. It unfurled in a graceful dance, revealing the fourth gem, a vibrant green, shining with life and love.

He could barely bring himself to take it, but a sudden instinct arose within him like a long-forgotten memory. The only beauty in this world, and I must destroy it. Sadly, he plucked the jewel from the plant, which immediately withered and shrivelled into a dying black stem.

The man gazed at the four jewels now resting in his palm. Gleaming iridescent in the reflection of the shimmering pitch-black sky, they appeared to glow with a light of their own. But as he looked a second time, he realised with mild interest that they were indeed shining. Turquoise, scarlet, emerald and gold beams emanated from each glittering treasure, providing an unforgettable beacon radiating from his hand, seeming to light up the whole dull landscape that stretched eternally into the horizon. The gemstones began to rotate, giving off greater amounts of light and energy as they spun faster and faster. The man trembled, and shielded his eyes from the brilliant flashes that lit the universe.

A gradual rumbling began from the depths of the soil below him, all too noticeable in such a silent place as this desolate plain. Almost at the very same instant, the man noticed a quaking sensation beneath his feet, and the brightness he held began to fade. Judging it safe to regard the jewels without being blinded, he turned his attention back to his hand.

The gems had vanished! All that remained was a vague sparkle at his fingertips, then even that frail sign gradually dwindled to nothing. Yet the man could sense them still, faintly. He shook his head in wonder. Absorbed into my blood? Surely impossible!, he thought. But he could achieve no other explanation.

However, he discovered that there was no time to ponder the mystery, for intimidating columns and segments of stone were breaking free of the ground, and chasms opened from the earth as the quakes grew in velocity and strength. The man was almost thrown off his feet, but he just barely managed to keep a steady balance as the once serene landscape became a panic-inducing scene stolen from a nightmare. Shards of rock and showering dirt rained down towards him, heralding the broken fragments which burst from the ground and spewed skywards to the ebony heavens.

Agile though he was, the man was unable to avoid the relentless bombardment of these falling missiles and regain his balance at the same moment. Narrowly escaping a razor-sharp splinter the size of a dagger, he lost his footing as a crack formed in the earth precisely below him. With a desperate cry, he pitched over backwards into the formidable mouth of the cavernous fissure.

He seemed to be falling not into the fiery depths of the earth, but into the same starless darkness as the sky above the torn and disintegrating world above. Plummeting down into what appeared to be utter oblivion, he felt his few memories shift and fling away, even as he slipped silently into unconsciousness...

----

It was a warm and sunny morning in the city of Tokyo. Not a cloud in sight, the sunshine played over the rooftops and urban life. All was quite well...

"Hey, Ami!"

The blue-haired girl sitting on the park bench looked up from her book expectantly, in time to see her friend rushing up the cobbled path excitedly. "Oh hello, Serena!"

Serena, who was bright red in the face and panting a little, replied with a cheery wave. "Wait - just let me catch my breath for a moment." Her hair was blond, and pulled up into two long pigtails topped with sphere-like knots of hair. She sat down heavily next to her friend on the bench.

"Serena! Are you all right?" Ami looked concerned, putting down her book. "All the blood's rushing to your face."

She nodded firmly, making her unique hairstyle bounce up and down. "I'm fine. Sprinting just isn't my style, that's all."

Ami yawned softly. "Everything's been so quiet recently. Don't you think you ought to use the extra time to catch up on your school work, instead?" She received an incredulous look.

"Hello, Ami! It's the middle of the holidays!" Serena yelled, waving an arm in front of her face to emphasise the point. "I came all the way here to ask you if you'd like to go shopping!"

The blue-haired girl sighed. "Well, I suppose I could spare an hour or two."

"All right, then!" Serena exclaimed happily. "Now I've only got to find Mina and Lita! I bet they're already there!"

Ami suppressed a groan. She stood up and let Serena pull her by the wrist towards the mall.

----

"So, are you sure?" The girl who asked the question had blue eyes and long blond hair tied with a large pink ribbon.

"As sure as I'll ever be!" her companion replied cheerfully. "Just look at the day! There hasn't been such nice weather in weeks! You'll regret this, you know."

She shook her head. "I know, I never thought I'd actually turn down an opportunity to go shopping - but I've had this weird feeling all morning. You know, like something dreadfully important's about to happen. I'd better stay here, at home."

Her friend laughed. "You're beginning to sound like Rei. Well, if you change your mind, I'll be at the mall. Serena said there's a sale on today. See you, Mina!"

Mina waved half-heartedly, as her friend walked out the door. "See you, Lita." She turned to the white cat standing at her feet. "Artemis? Is it just me? Nobody else seems to have noticed anything out of the usual."

Artemis, who was licking his paws, looked up at her. The talking cat sighed. "Why don't you ask Rei? I'm busy."

"Some help you are!" Mina huffed in frustration, and stomped into her bedroom.

----

Rei tossed her long, black hair back as she tried in vain to concentrate on the dancing flames in front of her. Something had been bothering her all day, and she kept feeling too distracted to read the Sacred Fire with any success. When the telephone started to ring, she felt ready to explode.

"That's absolutely the last straw!" she screamed, furious. Looking around for something cheap to smash and finding nothing, she picked up the receiver and snapped, "Hello?"

The voice on the other end sounded familiar. "Rei? I hope I haven't got you at a bad time."

"Mina?" Rei was surprised, and momentarily forgot her bad mood. "I thought you were going shopping today!"

Mina groaned. "Oh, don't remind me. I'm kicking myself for not going - but I've been having this feeling that makes me want to stay around home. Like something's going to happen."

"Really? Me too!"

"Oh, great! That makes me feel a whole heap better - now I know I'm not coming down with a fever."

Rei smiled to herself. "Hey, I'll come round to your place, okay? I bet whatever it is will happen near your house, at least, if my hunch is right."

"Well... I suppose so."

"See you, then." She hung up.

----

Mina listened to the dial tone for a few seconds before replacing the receiver on its hook and sighing. About to die from boredom, she had nothing to occupy her time except to talk to Artemis - who was still cleaning himself. Ignoring the licking noises he was making, she gazed out of her bedroom window impatiently, waiting for Rei's arrival.

A few minutes later, Rei had not yet arrived, but something else caught her attention. It began simply as an occasional flicker in the blue sky, but it was exactly the kind of thing Mina was in the right mood to notice. As she stared, trying to figure out exactly what was happening, she witnessed a small, pitch-black opening appear right in front of her window, only a few metres away. As if that wasn't impossible enough, a man toppled out of it, falling with a thud to the ground. The dark tunnel closed behind him. Jumping up from her seat at the window, she rushed to the front door, nearly tripping over Artemis, who'd also seen this development.

Throwing open the door, she ran over to the man, who lay sprawled over the concrete path that led to her doorstep. She didn't have to get too close to know that he was out cold. The man was tall, with wavy brown hair that reached just below his shoulders. He was wearing blue jeans and a stylish black leather jacket. All in all, he had to be one of the most gorgeous hunks Mina had ever seen. Practically swooning, she looked around to see if anyone else had seen this remarkable occurrence. The street was bare.

Artemis ran out the door behind her. "Mina! Get back! That man could be dangerous!"

She found it impossible to even consider. "Don't be ridiculous, Artemis. Like the old saying goes: With an enemy like this, who needs friends?"

The white cat sighed. "I believe that's: Friends like these, who needs enemies?"

"Oh? Uh... whatever." She giggled nervously. "Well, anyway, he couldn't possibly be dangerous. Just look at how cute he is!" She started drooling over him, in much the same way Serena often drooled over chocolate, totally oblivious to everything else.

She jumped a mile high when a finger prodded her in the back. "Ahem!"

"Ahh! Oh, it's you, Rei." Her eyes roved from her friend back to the mysterious and handsome stranger.

Rei pointed her finger at the unconscious man. "Let me see, Mina - you're in the way. I bet this guy's got something to do with whatever's going on." She shoved Mina aside and bent to look at the man's face... only to jump back in shock. "That's Nephrite!"

Mina shot her a confused look. "Who?"

Rei rolled her eyes. "Nephrite - Queen Beryl's second general! From the Negaverse, duh! We must have mentioned him enough times!"

She did vaguely remember the name from somewhere, but she'd certainly never met him before. "But -"

"But nothing!" Rei interrupted. "We've got to get him to a place where he can't harm anyone! And quickly, before he comes round! Though I could have sworn he died last time I saw him."

Mina was hardly listening. "You knew him? Talk of luck!" She couldn't stop staring at the man, despite Rei doing everything she could to distract her.

"Mina, this guy is one hell of a dangerous enemy. He's not going to want to go out with you - more likely you'll end up dead."

Something finally registered. "Oh, don't be such a spoilsport. He might have changed his mind about being evil. Beryl's dead - he won't have anyone to work for."

Artemis interrupted. "Rei's right. If this man is Nephrite, it'd be best to get him somewhere where he won't be able to work his evil doings."

"No!" Mina shouted, earning herself strange looks. "Look, I just think we ought to give him a chance."

Rei was about to protest again, but a groan from the man lying on the ground was enough to make them all shut up. They watched silently as he slowly sat up and looked around at his surroundings, then at the two girls. "Could you tell me what's going on? I can't seem to remember anything."