This morning, Crystal is up early with Gracie, and Gracie is smiling, conversing quietly with her at the kitchen table. It was hard to tell if Crystal is dressed differently, as though she had her own style. She could wear almost anything and look nice. However, her hair remained unchanged, yet her eyes seemed...cold. Also, she ignored the other girls as they came in, which did not bother acknowledging her. The king, queen, cats, servants, and original Sailor Senshi greeted her and, though she tried to be polite, you could tell it was forced.
Another rough day, but this time, Jewel had an idea...
"Animamates?" Christen asked with a hint of mocking as this name was not as stupid as some of the other names she had heard, but she was confused about how this related to their current situation.
"Lead Crow, Aluminum Siren, Iron Mouse, Tin Nyanko, Heavy Metal Papillon, Pewter Fox, and Titanium Kerokko, if you want to count those last 3. Lead Crow and Pewter Fox used to fight over who was the leader..." Jewel reminisced how she had spent a minimum amount of time with these women as they taught her what they knew about Sailor Guardians.
Sailor Iron Mouse was the first of the Sailor Animamates to be sent to Earth to search for Star Seeds. She exhibits both a childlike and intense personality, which is why Jewel got along best with her. She enjoyed her work but often became lazy when she wanted to. Sailor Iron Mouse is a young girl, who is extremely short, at least a foot shorter than most people, about Chibiusa's height.
Iron Mouse is openly terrified of incurring Sailor Galaxia's anger and also suffers from a cat phobia. Sailor Iron Mouse has white hair and gray/silver eyes. She has mouse ears on her head, looking like odango, surrounded by yellow beads, and loose hair curls hanging from her ears. Her mouth curves like a mouse's as well. Her accessories - earmuffs, shoulder protectors, gloves, and the top of her boots - are made of or are lined with fine, white fur. Iron Mouse's tank top is white as well, with fur on the bottom half, and it is covered in some black ribbon.
She wears white stockings and white boots, black bottoms, and her Galactica Bracelets hidden under the fur on her wrists. She also has a mouse tail. Once, Sailor Iron Mouse attacked Luna with a purple beam, released from her left hand. It severely damaged the cat, but no other effect, and she was able to summon a telephone box, which she could use to transport herself and block attacks. However, she was not protected from Galaxia's power when she removed Iron Mouse's bracelets.
Sailor Aluminum Siren is very polite, ditsy, and oblivious when off-duty and always eats or feels hungry once engaged in battle. However, she drops her flaws and becomes completely ruthless. Sailor Aluminum Siren has long wavy blue hair that reaches almost to her ankles with blue eyes to match pale skin. She is the same height as Sailor Star Maker and manicures her nails to sharp points.
Three of her accessories feature a yellow five-pointed star: winged earrings, a lilac ribbon crossed over her face, and a beaded choker with a large scallop shell. Her other accessory is the Galactica Bracelets. She wears a sky blue, high-low dress open in the center, revealing a lilac v-shaped bikini bottom. The two sides of the dress are tied across her torso with crisscrossing lilac ribbons. The back of her dress features similar ribbons. She has a matching blue sailor collar and lilac suspended stockings. Her outfit is completed with a pair of white high-heeled slingback shoes, featuring crisscross straps that come up to her Aluminum Siren fights using ice.
Sailor Lead Crow is dominant, driven, and easily frustrated by failure, as well as cunning. However, she had a soft side, as she and Aluminum Siren had a deep, respectful friendship under their rivalry. Lead Crow has long, red hair going down to her hips, dark brown eyes, and tanned skin. She has a golden star on her forehead with a black feather through it, and her earrings are red triangles.
She wears a brown one-piece bikini with a black, corseted front. Her sailor collar and boots share the same brown color. Her knickers are red and match the color of her choker. She has two black side panels that look like feathers attached to her bikini. She has black, feathery, crow wings and similar feathers on her shoulders. Like the other Animamates, she wears the Galactica bracelets and a whip.
Tin Nyanko is disrespectful and cruel, and ambitious to get to the top position in her organization. She lacks remorse for causing Sailor Aluminum Siren's death and mocks Sailor Lead Crow as she dies. When Tin Nyanko was hit by Eternal Sailor Moon's attack, she was partially healed, and her former self resurfaced. This meant that half her mind was her former good self and the other still under Galaxia's control.
As she could not stop fighting with herself, Galaxia kills Nyanko wears a black top with a matching skirt, gloves, collar, bow, hat, and boots. She has clear golden eyes, light skin, and a black cat tail. Her headpiece has three rows of golden balls with a golden star on her forehead, her right cat ear has a silver hoop through it, and two plaits are coming out of the tops of her cat ears.
Her gloves and top are lined with red, and she has a matching red choker. Her bow and choker both have bells on them, and her boots go all the way up to her skirt with straps over the exposed skin. She, like all the Animamates, has Galactica bracelets. Sailor Tin Nyanko carried a gun shaped like a cat's paw, which could fire energy blasts.
Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon is very emotional, cries fragile tears, and promiscuous. She is a mother of one, which came in useful when caring for Jewel, and is a samba dancer. Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon has royal blue wavy hair past her shoulders, matching blue eyes, and light skin. She dons a blue scaled bra with black frills and matching pants with a pink semi-transparent skirt.
She has armbands with the same scale pattern and a blue manicure. Her boots are black and thigh-high, with the top part being the same blue scaled pattern. In addition to this, she has a trademark sailor color in blue with a scale patterned choker. Her tiara is pink and detailed, with a star on her forehead. She has large butterfly wings with blue, yellow, and pink details to match her animal theme. She uses vines, fire, and an energy-based attack called Galactica Scales, though she never got to use it.
Sailor Pewter Fox is dominant, drive, cunning, ambitious, and taunting, similar to Lead Crow, which is why they rival top positions. Sailor Pewter Fox has a white uniform with a black collar and belt. Her skirt and bow are silver with black vertical stripes. She has fur around her white gloves and collar, and she wears white boots going over her knees. She wears a brown hat that looks like fox ears and has a silver headpiece and collar. She wears Galactica Bracelets just like the other Shadow Galactica and has a short tail like; a fox. She uses mirages, Galactica Twister (with Tin Nyanko and Titanium Kerokko), and Shadow Galactica Attack (with the others!)
Sailor Titanium is childlike, pure, innocent, and a joker, and she got along with Jewel just as well as Iron-Mouse. Her entire sailor uniform is green, with a black collar, green skirt, green choker with two back circles combined attached to it, a frog head-like top, black gloves with Galactica bracelets, and green and black boots with frog egg designs on them. While she used Galactica Twister and Shadow Galactica Attack with the others, he also used a variable attack called Dark Power which manipulated lighting, weaken foundations, open gateways, and summon blue fire!
"How do they compare to what's going on now?" Trisha questioned.
"Each of them is connected to an animal, and Lead Crow could even turn into a crow as she is from Coronis like; Phobos and Deimos. Since this is Sailor Moon, it might not be so farfetched to think our new enemy could be a person who can turn into an animal. Besides, we never saw what attacked Gracie and Crystal, and it was always at night." Jewel elaborated.
"You think our enemies are crows?" Christen smirked as she was joking.
"Christen, this not a joking matter! Your supposed to be our serious teammate!" Chibiusa scolded.
"Christen's just trying to lighten the mood." Ariel calmed Chibiusa.
"While I don't think our enemies are crows, they might take the form of more predatory animals." Jewel clarified.
"What predatory animals are common to this area?" Holly asked.
"Panthers, which are just darker colored leopards and jaguars, bears, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, wild dogs, owls, bats, raccoons, and wild cats." Jewel listed off the animals she remembered seeing, at least, from afar.
"Sounds like shape-shifters," Christen commented.
"Might be." Jewel agreed.
"I'll be right back with a few things that will help." Christen got up to leave the room, but she was back in almost no time with her arms full of books on Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism!
"Are you certain those are going to aid us?" Trisha is skeptical.
"I'm not sure, but it's a good next step. Let's get cracking!" Christen dumped the books on the bed.
They were not looking long when Alexis screamed in horror and dropped the book she had been reading! Alexis got spooked fairly easily. Everyone suspected it stemmed from her being abandoned as a baby, left to face the elements and life alone, though this could not be proven. Clamoring around to take a peek, Chibiusa, Emily, and Jewel screamed too; under the heading Navajo Skinwalker-Witches of the Southwest is a picture of what looks like a monster, not quite a witch, yet not quite an animal, but a mix of both! While the body and legs remained human, the face, arms, and feet were hairy, fanged, clawed, and did not look...sane.
Christen began reading, "In the Navajo culture, a Skinwalker is a type of witch, who has the ability to turn into, possess, or disguise themselves as an animal. This witch is called a "yee-naaldlooshii" by the Navajo, which translates to "with it, he goes on all fours." It is just one of several types of Navajo witches and is considered the most volatile and dangerous.
For the Navajo people, witchcraft is just another part of their spirituality, culture, history, and traditions. Witches live alongside humans and are not supernaturals because the Navajo believe there are places where both the powers of good and evil are present. Those powers can be harnessed for either from the Earth, not from oneself.
Medicine men utilize these powers to heal and aid members of their community. At the same time, those who practice Navajo witchcraft seek to direct the spiritual forces to cause harm or misfortune to the type of Navajo witchcraft is known as the "Witchery Way," which uses human corpses in various ways such as tools from the bones and concoctions that are used to harm, curse, or kill intended victims."
"That what that Navajo tribe called Diana!" Chibiusa pointed to the Navajo name for Skinwalker.
"Sounds promising." Ariel mused.
"Gracie and Crystal aren't hurt, cursed, or killed, right?" Alexis quivered, clutching onto Holly.
"Keep reading, Christen. If this is the right track, we're going to need to know more." Holly urged, hugging Alexis.
Christen's dark eyes continued to trail along with the text, "The knowledge of these powers are passed down from the elders through the Navajo are part of a larger culture area that also includes the Pueblo people, Apache, Hopi, Ute, and other groups that also have their own version of the Skinwalker, but each includes a malevolent witch capable of transforming into an animal. Though they can either be male or female, they are more often male.
They walk free among the tribe during the day and secretly transform under the cover of the night. To become a Skinwalker, he or she must be initiated by a secret society that requires the evilest of deeds- the killing of a close family member, most often a sibling. After this task has been completed, the individual then acquires supernatural power, which gives them the ability to shape-shift into animals.
Most often, they are seen in coyotes, wolves, foxes, cougars, dogs, and bears but can take the shape of any animal. They then wear the animal skins they transform into, hence, the name Skinwalker. Sometimes, they also wore animal skulls or antlers atop their heads, which brought them more power.
They choose what animal they wanted to turn into, depending on the abilities needed for a particular task, such as speed, strength, endurance, stealth, claws, teeth, etc. They may transform again to escape from pursuers. Because of this, The Navajo consider it taboo to wear the pelt of any predatory animal. However, sheepskin, leather, and buckskin are acceptable."
The girls look at each other, and it is obvious what they are thinking...
"Well, it appears we ARE dealing with a Skinwalker," Trisha confirmed.
"Still doesn't explain what happened to Gracie and Crystal." Chibiusa countered.
"I'm getting to that." Christen's attention turned back to the book. "The Skinwalkers are also able to take possession of the bodies of human victims if a person locks eyes with them. After taking control, the witch can make its victims do and say things they normally wouldn't. Once they were shape-shifted, others could tell that their eyes are very human, and when lights are shined on them, they turn bright red.
Alternatively, when they are human form, their eyes look more like those of the animal. The evil society of witches gather in dark caves and secluded places for many purposes-to initiate new members, plot their activities, harm people from a distance with black magic, perform dark ceremonial rites, dance, feast, do rituals, sand-paint, grave rob, and..." Christen goes pale,
"do other things if I mention you'd probably throw up. The leader is usually an older man, who is a very powerful and long-lived Skinwalker. Skinwalkers also have other powers, including reading other's minds, controlling their thoughts and behavior, causing disease, illness, drought, poor crops, windstorms, alienation of affection, death of livestock, and reversal of fortune, destroying property, and even death.
It is said that, in addition to being able to shape-shift, the Skinwalker can control the creatures of the night, such as wolves and owls, and make them do its bidding. Some can call up the spirits of the dead and reanimate corpses to attack their enemies. The rest is just more Navajo history, which really isn't what we're dealing with, and accounts of more trickster-like Skinwalkers."
"So, Gracie and Crystal ARE possessed!" Alexis began crying.
"That spirit guide woman...her eyes..." Chibiusa remembered the Navajo woman she had given cookies to; her eyes were not right!
"Didn't some Navajo guy tell you they don't speak of Skinwalkers?" Holly questioned as she also tried to soothe Alexis.
"Yeah..." Chibiusa said slowly, wondering where Holly was going with that question.
"If they fear retribution from the Skinwalkers, why are the Skinwalkers attacking now if they NEVER talk about them? Also, if you talked about it, wouldn't that mean people would know to look out for it and learn how to kill them, making us all safer?!
I get culture, but culture changes. It's like damned if you do, damned if you don't! Plus, if they NEVER talk about them, how is there a book on it?!" Holly didn't expect anyone to have the answers, as that is a valid argument.
"A Skinwalker explains the bear claw marks I saw on that wall...Wait! If the Skinwalkers can use magic, with no danger to themselves, why do they need to turn into animals at all?!" Jewel exclaimed.
"When we catch one of those creatures, you can ask it," Holly replied sarcastically.
"With the power to control the minds and bodies of others, how are we going to catch one?!" Trisha asked incredulously.
"Shoot it," Christen answered plainly.
"Christen, this isn't an animal of sport. It's a mystical-" Chibiusa began, but Christen cut her off.
"No. Seriously, you shoot it. It says so right here...with a white ash-covered bullet...and you have to hit in the neck or head." Christen deadpanned.
"Sailor Moon, a world of magic and adventure! Now, we need guns." Ariel joked.
"Anybody got good aim?" Holly questioned.
"Me." Jewel gulped.
"Let's not worry about catching a Skinwalker. Just focus on saving Gracie and Crystal." Chibiusa advised, and the girls agreed.
"Wouldn't killing the Skinwalker save Gracie and Crystal?" Christen asked, an undertone of obviousness in her voice, a sign she really wanted to defeat a Skinwalker!
"Maybe I can just try and use my magic to get into their minds?" Jewel suggested.
"That takes a lot of energy." Queen Beryl's voice finally spoke up from Elizabeth's mouth.
"Let her try!." A new voice spoke up, and Selina bounced into Jewel's arms, her eyes glowing.
Jewel pressed Selina's button-like nose, and a spectral image of who appeared to be Esmeraude appeared in one of Selina's eyes as Pluto did through Luna-P to Chibiusa! Esmeraude, or what you could see of her, is tall, pale, has long, wavy, bright green hair, brown eyes, the top of her sleeveless black dress, her pink, feather-lined fan, and the trademark upside-down, black, a crescent moon on her forehead.
"Esmeraude!" Jewel exclaimed happily.
Though Esmeraude is vain, selfish, greedy, and jealous, she shared these with Jewel, who tried to suppress those feelings if she ever had them.
"Hello, Princess. I am disappointed to see the friends you've made turned out to be the new Sailor Senshi, but it is appropriate to see you with girls your own age." Esmeraude acted like Sailor Senshi is a bad taste in her mouth, but she sounded genuinely loving and happy for Jewel.
As uncommon as it was for the villains to feel for anyone other than themselves or those they were in love with, they all felt sad for Jewel as she never asked for power, beauty, love, glory, fame, or anything of the sort, all she ever wanted was friends.
"Does everyone you know hate us?" Christen asked Jewel.
"Pretty much. You make it easy to hate you." Jewel teased.
"You don't know Christen in a good mood," Chibiusa said.
"She has a good mood?" Jewel asked, still joking.
"Alright, children! Behave! You have a plan. Get to it! My spirit needs to rest. Farewell, Princess." Esmerausde snapped as her image vanished.
"Jewel, concentrate. All your energy needs to go into this." Queen Beryl instructed as Jewel attempted to harness all her powers.
However, as she began to weaken, the Neo-Sailor Senshi transformed and combined their power with her's to reach into Gracie and Crystal's minds!