Tsukino Usagi
Mizuno stops by her class after school the next Monday, and Usagi raises a curious brow at the other girl's presence. Aside from the afternoon they spent questioning Luna, neither has had any interaction with the other outside of fighting monsters, and there's only been one so far. But before Usagi can ask what she needs, Mizuno is speaking. "I found something that might be interesting," she says.
Usagi isn't too sure what to do with that information. "Okay?"
Mizuno rolls her eyes. "Come on."
So she does, following the girl out of the school. "Where are we going?" she asks as they get on a bus, taking seats. As soon as they're sitting Mizuno pulls out that tiny computer Luna had given her and starts clicking away.
"The computer has been receiving some odd scans from one of the Tokyo districts," she replies absently. "We're going to check it out."
"What do you expect we'll find," Usagi asks, looking out the window.
Mizuno shrugs beside her. "I don't know. But I'm hoping we'll get some better readings to confirm my theories."
"Did I really need to come along for this?" Usagi asks, barely keeping the whine from her voice.
"It's a Sailor Guardian thing, I figured you should be involved," Mizuno replied. "Where's that feline companion of yours?"
Now it's Usagi's turn to shrug. "Don't know." Luna had been mysteriously absent this morning, but Usagi just enjoyed the silence. It was rare that the cat was ever gone so early in the morning.
"Have you heard of the Demon 6 PM Bus?" Mizuno asks out of the blue moments later, startling Usagi from her daydreaming.
'She sure is chatty today,' Usagi thinks to herself while mulling over the girl's question. "No."
"Have you heard of the recent kidnappings?" Mizuno asks instead.
"No."
Her companion sighs, and Usagi can see her roll her eyes in the window's reflection. "Several buses full of passengers have gone missing lately," she starts to explain. "All of them have been on the Sendaizaka-ue line, at exactly 6 PM. That's why people are saying it's the Demon Bus."
Usagi's eyes widen. "Wait, isn't that the line we're on?"
Mizuno grins, and it's the liveliest expression Usagi's seen on her face yet. "Indeed." She stands and moves to get off the bus when it stops, leaving Usagi rushing against people to follow. They get off, and Usagi realizes they're right at the point where five roads intersect. Across from them is the entrance to a shrine. "And this is the last stop before 6 PM, where everyone has gone missing from."
Hearing this, Usagi looks around again. She doesn't get any weird vibes from the area, but then again, her senses aren't as nearly fine-tuned as Mizuno's computer must be. "Is this where your readings have been coming from?" she asks, just for confirmation.
"Sort of," Mizuno replies absently, already buried in her computer as she clicks away. Usagi makes to walk away, and is nearly surprised when the girl starts trailing her. Must not be super important that she stays by the stop, then.
She heads into the shrine just because it seems the most interesting. There's a large building directly across from the shrine's entrance, a shorter building off to the left where Usagi sees a group of girls, and a tiny hut off to the right. A sign in front of the building on the left proclaims charms and amulets for sale, which must be what the girls are looking at. Usagi wanders over that way to look for herself. The girls move off to the side when they see Usagi approach, giving her some space as she looks. There's no shrine helper inside, though, so Usagi doesn't think she'll be able to buy one today.
A door to her right slams open, though Usagi doesn't pay it any attention. She's still checking out the charms, wondering if she should maybe get one for studying, when she hears someone shout, "Evil spirit, be exorcised!" Usagi glances to the side and sees a girl walking towards her. She's wearing the uniform of a shrine maiden and looks angry, from what Usagi can tell the moment before the girl slams a thin paper into her forehead. She lets out a surprised shout as the hit pushes her back onto the ground, some unknown force dragging her unconscious.
.
Mizuno Ami
Ami jumps when she hears Tsukino's shout, finally looking up from her computer in time to see her get hit with the girl's paper and go falling to the ground, unconscious. She looks incredulously between her companion and the shrine maiden, who looks almost as shocked as her given she's the one who attacked in the first place. "Oh no," she mutters. "I thought I sensed an evil aura…but she's just a girl." She turns to Ami. "Can you help me move her inside? I'm so sorry."
"Uh, sure," she replies, pocketing her supercomputer. The girl grabs at Tsukino's legs and Ami grabs her underneath her arms, and together they both manage to get her off the ground. Ami follows the other girl as she leads the way into the larger of the buildings, down the hall to a private room. By the time they lay Tsukino on a futon Ami is almost breathing heavily. Manual labor is not her thing.
"I'm so sorry," the girl apologizes again, though Ami waves her off. She's not overly concerned about Tsukino. They're not even friends.
As the girl starts bustling about for some towels to take care of Tsukino, Ami pulls out the computer again when she hears it beep, a sign the programs she's running have picked up something. She pays the girl no mind as she starts reading through the results. The computer has certainly recognized something abnormal, though Ami doesn't think it's the same thing she was looking at before. They're almost…opposite, if Ami had to describe it. She decides it's worth mentioning just as the door opens, another shrine helper pushing a tray forward.
"The towels you requested, Hino-san," he says, his voice low and soothing.
Ami is distracted from the man when her computer picks up something entirely different from what she'd just received. Her eyes narrow in confusion, before widening as she glances sharply to the side. She tries to get a good look at him but he's already sliding the door shut, and much of his face is hidden in the first place. Without a doubt, Ami knows he had something to do with what just happened.
Suddenly, Tsukino gasps and sits up, her eyes wide and her breathing heavy as she stares wide-eyed at the now-shut door. "Who –?" she mutters brokenly, glancing around the room until her gaze catches on Ami. It flicks towards the door briefly and Ami nods, sure the other girl has subconsciously noticed something about him as well.
"Ah, good. You're awake," the shrine maiden remarks, drawing both of their attentions.
"What the hell did you attack me for?" Usagi snaps, clearly annoyed. Ami glances back down at her computer, not interested in getting in between what is sure to become an argument. The readings have gone back to the odd values she had noticed earlier before the man's interruption.
"I'm sorry," the girl apologizes once again, to Ami's annoyance. "I didn't mean to attack you, per se, I just felt a…demonic presence and reacted. I'm terribly sorry you were caught up in this."
Tsukino seems to mull the girl's apology over for several moments. "What do you mean you felt a demonic presence?" she finally asks, anger seemingly forgotten. Ami is surprised; it isn't how she expected the girl to react, but Tsukino seems full of surprises. But she has to admit, she is a little curious herself. Perhaps it'll explain why she's been getting odd readings from her.
The girl looks off to the side, biting gently at her lip before she begins to explain. "Ever since I was young, I've…been able to sense the supernatural. Just little things, odd feelings every now and then. Neither my grandpa nor I have ever been able to explain it, but it's given me a…reputation, here at the shrine.
"Anyways, it's been getting stronger lately, and I've been trying to divine the reason why in my fires, but I just can't seem to figure it out," she says, frustration seeping into her tone. "I don't know why I reacted the way I did around you. You don't seem particularly evil to me," she says with an apologetic smile.
"I should hope not," Tsukino mutters. Then she starts to stand. "Well, thanks for taking care of me, but I think we should get going."
"Of course," the girl agrees, standing as well. Ami stands as well, pocketing her computer once again. "I'm Hino Rei, and again I'm s –"
"Please don't apologize again," Ami interjects, annoyed. She walks right out of the room under their incredulous stares, no longer in the mood to deal with them.
.
Tsukino Usagi
She watches Mizuno leave, stunned, before turning back to Hino, who's flushing slightly from the other girl's admonishment. She almost feels bad for her. "Don't mind her," she tells her. "That was Mizuno Ami, by the way, and I'm Tsukino Usagi."
"It's nice to meet you," Hino says with a bow.
"Likewise," Usagi replies politely. Smiling apologetically, she starts heading towards the door. "I should probably catch up with Mizuno before she leaves me. Goodbye."
The other girl mimics her farewell after a moment's pause and Usagi makes her way out of the building. When she doesn't spot Mizuno in the shrine courtyard she sighs and heads back down the stairs, hoping to catch the other girl before she boards a bus. She does spot her off to the side of the stairs at the very bottom, her nose back in her computer. "That was kind of rude," she remarks.
"Do I look like I care?" Mizuno retorts.
Usagi sighs. "Did you get any good readings?" she asks instead of arguing. Mizuno could probably talk circles around her anyways, and it's not like she particularly cares either.
"I got several very interesting readings," she says. "Speaking of, I got the most interesting ones when that man appeared." Usagi's eyes narrow as she recalls the intense feeling that jolted her back to consciousness. Mizuno must catch the change in her expression because she asks, "You sensed it, didn't you?"
Nodding, Usagi tries to explain. "I know that feeling. It was Jadeite."
Mizuno's eyes widen in surprise. "The mastermind behind all these monsters?" she asks. "Are you sure? What does he look like, do you know?"
"Blond, blue eyes, gray uniform, red details," she rattles off, vividly recalling the single battle she's had with him so far. She watches Mizuno's reaction as she speaks.
"He was blond, definitely," she mutters. "Not sure about the eyes, and he was wearing an outfit not dissimilar to Hino's." Usagi shrugs, not too disappointed. It was probably a far stretch anyways. "But I'm willing to believe your gut feeling in this," Mizuno continues, to her surprise. When she sees the expression on Usagi's face she speaks again, slightly defensively. "It's the only thing that would explain the odd readings I got. And they're not the only ones, either."
Usagi cocks her head to the side. "What else was there?"
"I think the girl – Hino – was giving off some odd readings as well."
"Her?" Usagi asks, but then she thinks back. "I guess? I didn't really get anything from her. But it is interesting that she has these supernatural abilities."
"Hmm, I thought that interesting as well."
"Do you think she might be the princess, or a fellow Guardian?"
Mizuno shrugs. "We'll have to ask Luna for sure, I think. Be sure to report all of this to Luna tonight."
"What?" Usagi blurts, quickly looking towards the other girl. "Why me? They're your readings."
"I have things to do after this," is Mizuno's excuse.
"Well, why are you still waiting here then?" Usagi grumbles.
"The bus," she replies, glancing at her watch. "It's almost 6 PM, and I want to see if the Demon Bus rumors are true. Look," she says, nodding her head to the line of girls at the bus stop that Usagi is just now noticing. "See how they all have amulets from the shrine?" she says, and sure enough Usagi can spot little red and blue charms hanging off their bags or in their hands. "I'd be willing to bet they're related. We just have to wait for the bus to see."
"I'm not getting on," Usagi is quick to proclaim.
"Not today," Mizuno adds, unhelpfully. Usagi would like to say not ever, but if the other girl's theory turns out to be true – and it likely will be, Mizuno is too smart – then they'll probably have to get on to fight whatever monster is responsible for this ploy.
They wait quietly at the stop now, their discussion apparently over. Usagi doesn't mind. She has plenty to think of now, like the fact that Jadeite is working at the shrine. Part of her wants to go and confront him, maybe take him by surprise for a better chance at success. She has Mizuno – Sailor Mercury – now, perhaps she's stand a better chance. But she also remembers how last time went. Usagi left that fight with a couple broken ribs, and she doesn't want a repeat performance.
She's just about to ask Mizuno what she thinks when the other girls shushes her, staring intently down the street. When Usagi looks she sees what the other girl is watching. "The Demon 6 PM Bus," she mutters. "You think that's it?"
"Obviously. Can you see the driver?"
She shakes her head. "Not really."
"Damn. I was wondering if it might be that guy. Jadeite."
"I doubt it," Usagi mutters. "Of all the monsters I've faced before he's only been directly involved twice."
"Two of nine aren't bad odds," Mizuno argues, "especially given we've seen him at the shrine." Usagi opens her mouth to retort, but Mizuno speaks over her. "Watch, they're getting on the bus. They look like they're in a trance."
The line of girls starts filing on the bus, filling the seats in the front first. As soon as they're seated they slump to the sides, against the window or their friends. Once they're all aboard the bus closes its doors and starts driving. Usagi watches in tense anticipation as it heads for the intersection of the five roads. Everything seems normal, but then suddenly a black hole appears above the road. They watch, stunned, as the bus starts to fly off the road straight into the hole, disappearing completely before the hole itself vanishes.
"Damn, I wish I'd had my goggles for that," Mizuno mutters.
"All those girls just vanished," Usagi breathes incredulously.
"We need to get on the next bus." Usagi glances askance at Mizuno. "If we want to get those girls back, we'll have to be on the bus. I can't track where the portal goes from here; we'll never find them otherwise, and I'd be willing to bet whatever is taking them is there as well."
"I suppose you're right," Usagi reluctantly agrees. "I'll tell Luna what happened tonight, so tomorrow be ready." Mizuno nods, and with their plan of attack decided the girls head their separate ways for the evening.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Usagi told Luna what she and Mizuno found that afternoon when she got home later that evening. The cat agreed that getting on the bus was their best bet, hence the reason Usagi is returning – this time plus cat but minus Mizuno, who said she has something to do and will meet them by six – to Sendaizaka-ue after school. The bus stop looks unassuming and innocent in the 4 PM light, but it doesn't stop Luna from poking around the area for a while.
Finally she trots back to Usagi. "Let's go check out this shrine maiden you mentioned," she suggests. Usagi shrugs and leads the way up to the shrine. It's emptier than it was the day before, but Usagi immediately spots Hino sweeping by the main building and makes her way over to the other girl, Luna tailing her.
"Hey, Hino-san!" she calls out, feigning more cheer than she feels to draw the other girl's attention.
"Oh, um, Tsukino-san, was it? Hello," she greets when Usagi and Luna walk up to her. "And who's this?" she asks, looking down at Luna. She crouches to rub gently at her head before straightening again.
"My cat, Luna," Usagi answers. "She likes to follow me around sometimes."
"She's cute. But can I help you with something?" the girl asks, looking at Usagi curiously.
"Oh, no," Usagi shakes her head. "Not really. I was just bored, so I figured I'd come back and get an amulet or something since I couldn't yesterday."
"Ah, my apologies."
"No no," Usagi waves her off with a friendly chuckle. "It wasn't your fault. There was just no one at the shop when I stopped by, that's all."
Hino nods thoughtfully, though she still looks sheepish. "That's usually Jed's responsibility, running the shop. Ever since he's arrived we've been selling a lot more amulets than usual," she remarks, frowning.
Usagi cocks her head, curious. Jed must be the alias Jadeite is going by, and Usagi wants to know everything she can about him on the off-chance it'll help. "Is that a bad thing?" she asks innocently.
Hino shakes her head. "No, not really. I don't know, there's just something about Jed that I just…don't like."
"Do you think he has something to do with that demonic presence you said you sensed yesterday?" Usagi asks.
Hino's eyes immediately drop as she flushes in embarrassment. "You're making fun of me," she mutters, starting to turn away to resume her chores. Usagi is a little taken aback by the sudden disinterest and she throws her hands up innocently.
"No, of course not!" she blurts out. "I'm genuinely curious. I think it's cool, really, that you can sense this kind of stuff. Like, what's it feel like? When do you get these feelings?"
Hino is quiet for a moment as she evaluates Usagi's earnestness. She must believe her, though, because she starts answering her questions. "I'm not sure about Jed," she finally says. "I'll admit I have been feeling something more often since he's been here, but I can't tell if it's related to him or not. It's just…this heavy feeling I get, like something is…off about the world. I don't really know how to describe it, I just know."
"Hmm," Usagi nods, thinking. She's never really encountered something like that unless she really concentrates. Hino must be special, Usagi just doesn't know in what way. But it is something to think about, that these feelings of hers appeared after Jadeite did. They must be related. "Isn't it curious, how Jade – Jed," Usagi begins, nearly calling Jadeite by his real name, "appears, and then you get these demonic feelings, all around the time these kidnappings start happening? Do you think it's related?"
Hino blinks, frowning. "We have nothing to do with those kidnappings. The police have already searched the shrine and questioned us," she says, but there's some steel to her tone, more than Usagi has heard from the girl yet.
Usagi shakes her head. "No, that's not what I meant. I don't think you are and I didn't mean to imply that," she says apologetically, and Hino looks sheepish for her reaction. "But don't you think…maybe there's a chance these kidnappings are…supernatural?" Her tone lowers conspiratorially. "You know the legend about Sendaizaka-ue's mysterious sixth hill, and the demon bus? Perhaps people really are being…spirited away."
"Do you think it's possible?" Hino asks, her eyes wide. "It can't be."
Usagi shrugs. "Maybe. I mean, if you can sense demonic presences, then maybe it's possible there are greater forces at work kidnapping these girls, or something like that."
"I-I don't know," Hino admits. "I've never considered where my abilities came from, I've always had them. But, if there are other things out there…" she trails off, clearly deep in thought.
Usagi suddenly notices how dark it's getting and checks her watch. There's almost 20 minutes until the 6 PM bus will arrive, and she doesn't want to miss it. She'd also like to meet up with Mizuno beforehand to come up with a plan, so she'll have to take her leave of Hino. "I'm going to get on the bus," she tells the girl, abruptly interrupting her thoughts. Hino looks concerned.
"What, no! Tsukino-san, if what you say is true, then you'll be in danger," she argues.
Usagi smiles in an attempt to reassure the girl. "I don't really have a choice," she replies cryptically. "See you later, Hino-san," she says in farewell.
"Rei," she says. "You can call me Rei."
Usagi pauses and gives the girl a considering look. "Then you can call me Usagi, Rei-chan," she says with a small, more genuine smile. "I've got to get going now." She and Luna leave under Rei's watchful gaze.
When they get to the bus station there's another line of girls, all bearing amulets and charms from Hikawa Shrine. Mizuno is nowhere to be found. Usagi checks her watch again, and there's only ten minutes until the bus is meant to arrive. "Do you think she's going to show?"
"You had better hope so," Luna remarks.
They join the end of the line to wait. Usagi checks her watch almost twice every minute, counting down until 6 PM. Mizuno is still a no-show, and the closer it gets to the demon bus's arrival the more nervous Usagi gets. She just found a comrade in Sailor Mercury; she doesn't want to go back to fighting by herself.
By the time 6 PM rolls around, it doesn't seem like she has a choice. She can already see the bus approaching, and she's the only one present. 'Not good,' she thinks to herself as girls start to board. Finally it's her turn. Usagi hesitates, long enough that the driver turns to look at her.
The driver's face is angular and sharp, with her eyes hidden in the shadow of her cap. She smirks and her canines glint sharply. "Make a choice, girl," she spits.
"Usagi-chan," Luna hisses, nudging at the back of her legs.
Usagi stumbles forward and the driver takes the opportunity to yank her onto the bus with a tight grip on her forearm. "Wait, I don't –!" The door shuts behind her with a loud snap and Usagi feels like her fate is sealed. She's tossed into the back when the bus starts to move, and she watches as the black hole opens up in front of the bus. They're heading right towards it and part of Usagi thinks she should try to change their course or attack the driver, but then she recalls what Mizuno said the night before. If they want to find the kidnapped girls they need to get inside, so she holds off.
She closes her eyes when they approach the hole and tries to think of how jealous Mizuno will be when she finds out she's missed the opportunity to go through a warp hole like this. When she opens them back up the scenery is entirely different. The city is gone, replaced by an empty blue and gray nothing. They fly towards the ground, and looking out the window Usagi sees all the other buses that have already vanished.
After they hit the ground with a jolt the driver immediately leaves. Usagi debates for a moment whether to follow, but ultimately decides not to. This is definitely a problem for Sailor Moon, not Tsukino Usagi. "Moon Prism Power Make Up!"
.
Hino Rei
She watches the girl and her pet leave for a moment, concerned for her new acquaintance. Though she's only met her twice now, Rei finds that she doesn't want Usagi to end up missing like all these other girls. She starts to step forward to call out for the other girl, but when she does she feels her foot hit something on the ground. Rei looks down to find a pen that Usagi must've dropped. She bends down to pick it up. The top half is gold, with a wide top encircled by a gold band. The center piece has four stones in the cardinal corners, each a different color. There's a gold band separating the bottom red half from the top, a small red stone in the front. 'It's pretty,' she thinks, pocketing the pen as she comes to a decision.
Determined to do something, Rei heads straight for the ceremonial flame they keep constantly burning. She has to know if Usagi's suspicions are right, and perhaps the flames will tell her something now. The ceremonial flame burns large and warm in front of Rei, but she pays the heat no mind. She's long grown used to it, and finds the warmth comforting during these rituals of hers. With a determined nod she claps her hands together in front of her, closing her eyes in concentration. "Stay focused…" she mutters. 'What's going on?' she thinks to herself. 'What is going to happen?'
An intense feeling strikes her and she opens her eyes, gazing deep into the fire. An image flashes in the flames, growing clearer the longer she stares. She can see a man with blond hair and blue eyes, in a gray uniform she doesn't recognize, though it looks distinctly military. But there's just something about the man…with a start she realizes he looks a lot like Jed.
She recalls Usagi's remark about the suspicious feelings that had popped up around the time when he appeared. She had dismissed the other girl's suspicions about them being related, but now she isn't so sure. Frowning, Rei stands. If she wants to know for sure, she'll have to confront Jed herself.
Mustering up her courage, Rei makes her way to the spare room where Jed has been staying, hoping he'll be there. When she opens the door, she's pleased to find him sitting in the corner, his back to her. "Jed!" she snaps. "What kind of game are you playing here? Why do I get such a bad feeling around you?" He chuckles, and it's certainly not the response she expected. She falters. "W-what's so funny?"
"You, Hino-san," he says, finally turning towards her. When he shows his face Rei has to hold back a gasp; it's the exact same one she saw in the flames. "You may make a beautiful shrine maiden, but there's no way your feeble powers are any match for mine." He stands and starts stalking toward her, Rei matching his steps forward with her own steps back. She barely manages to maintain eye contact for a moment before she turns to run away, only to see the door slam shut before her eyes. She turns back around with a fearful gasp to find Jadeite steps away.
He raises a hand and gently caresses her cheek, though something makes him pause. Rei frowns in confusion, momentarily distracted, until Jed's face twists in anger and he grabs roughly at her neck. "Now that you know I'm afraid I can't let you stay alive. You can give your energy to the Dark Kingdom along with the rest of the girls," he growls. He throws his hand other hand out and a dark swirling portal opens up beside them. Rei eyes it nervously, and before she can even scream he's throwing her into it.
.
Tsukino Usagi
Usagi steps out of the bus once her transformation is completed. The bus driver from before is gone, and in her place stands a monster. Usagi tries to project confidence as she steps down, though she's nervous as hell. "I am Sailor Moon, Guardian of Love and Justice. In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!" she proclaims.
"You'll give up your energy is what you'll do!" the monster retorts, throwing out a hand. Usagi is roughly thrown back into the bus by some unknown force, knocking the breath from her lungs. Usagi gasps and struggles to remain on her feet.
She reaches for her tiara, intending to end this quickly, when they're both sidetracked by the appearance of a smaller black hole almost right above the monster. A figure falls out that the monster immediately catches, wrapping an arm around the person's neck to hold them upright. Usagi gasps when she recognizes her. "Rei-chan!" she shouts, and the girl jerks.
"Let me go!" she shouts.
"I don't think so!" the monster growls. "How are you going to fight me now that I have your friend, Sailor Moon?"
Rei stops fidgeting, finally noticing that there's someone else around. "Sailor Moon?" She looks over at Usagi, and her eyes seem to widen in recognition. "Usagi-chan?"
Usagi is taken aback by how easily the other girl has recognized her – and they barely know each other – but she tries to smile reassuringly. "Don't worry, Rei-chan. I'll take care of this." She turns a determined look on the monster in front of her and charges forward. She still knows some karate, at the very least, and she has to protect Rei now.
"Don't even think about it!" The monster raises a hand and the force hits Usagi again, shoving her even harder this time so she goes through the bus windows and crumples against the opposite wall amidst shards of glass.
Usagi groans and shifts, though it pains her to do so. She knows without a doubt her back is scraped up, but she can't rest. Rei is still out there with the monster, and the girl definitely can't fight it herself. Using the wall for handholds she manages to stand, grimacing as she makes her way back off the bus.
Rei is still struggling with the monster, trying to wiggle her way out of its grip. She's kicking and scratching, but nothing is working against the monster. Usagi grits her teeth. She has to get out there and help, but she doesn't know what to do. This isn't how their plan was going at all. Usagi moves to step forward, when she notices something on Rei that has her pausing.
There's a symbol burning on her forehead, and Usagi knows that her earlier thoughts about Rei being someone special are correct. She struggles to try and think of what Luna would do in this situation. She hadn't exactly been paying attention when Luna discovered Mizuno was Sailor Mercury. Which one of them is Rei even supposed to be? "Rei-chan!" she calls out. "The pen! Did you pick up a pen?" she asks, hoping to whatever gods exist that Luna picked up on Rei's powers too.
Rei, surprised, stops long enough to dig into her shirt and pull something out. "This thing?" she asks.
"What's this?" the monster interrupts.
Usagi panics. If the monster takes the pen then Rei won't be able to fight. "Call out its power if you want to fight!" she tells Rei. Then she tries to distract the monster. "Hey, you shitty driver! Your fight is with me. Forget about her!" When the monster raises her hand this time Usagi immediately dodges to the right. Hopefully she can buy some time for Rei to figure things out, if she doesn't manage to defeat it on her own.
.
Hino Rei
She watches as Sailor Moon dodges the monster's attacks, though it manages to keep a stern grip on her shoulders. 'It's gotta relax at some point,' she thinks, and when the monster becomes off-balance from trying to follow Sailor Moon's movements she twists, using her whole body weight to push herself out of the monster's grip. It doesn't seem too concerned when she rolls away, probably thinking her unimportant compared to the one in front of her. Rei takes the opportunity to think over what Sailor Moon told her earlier.
'Call out its power if I want to fight?' the thinks, confused. It looks like a normal pen, though the symbol on top had caught her attention earlier. If she recalls her classes correctly, it's the astrological sign for Mars. 'Power…' Rei thinks. 'Does she mean I have a power like Sailor Moon?' Debating momentarily, she takes a chance.
"Mars Power!" she calls out.
A warmth not unlike her ceremonial flame fills her, and when she opens her eyes her miko robes are gone, replaced by a uniform similar to Sailor Moon's. She's wearing a leotard now, with a red skirt and collar. There's a purple bow on her front, white gloves on her arms, and tiny red heels instead of her socks and sandals.
"What's this? There's more of you?" the monster shouts, looking between her and Sailor Moon.
"I am Sailor Mars," Rei says, the words coming naturally to her, "Guardian of Fire and Passion. In the name of Mars, I'll chastise you!"
"You –!" the monster chokes out, but before it can move Rei is launching her own attack while it's still caught off-guard.
"Mars Fire Soul!" Fire bursts from her fingers, launching straight towards the monster. It screams as it burns, but Rei turns her attention to her comrade. "Now, Sailor Moon! Finish it!"
She nods. "Moon Tiara Action!" Her aim is true, and when the monster is hit it starts to turn to ash within moments.
Rei is just relieved everything is finally over. She walks over to the other girl. "What is this? What's going on?" she asks, beginning to get overwhelmed. She has so many questions she doesn't even know where to start.
"I'll answer all your questions, or well, Luna will," she says, "but we need to get everyone out of here first. I don't know how long this space will remain since that thing is dead and I really don't want to die here."
"How do we get out then?" Rei asks, but the worried expression on Sailor Moon's face does nothing to reassure her, nor do her words.
"I have no idea."
.
Mizuno Ami
Ami runs up to the bus station ten minutes after six to find it completely empty. "Shit," she mutters. She'd had a meeting with the president of the computer club – that she definitely wasn't going to join – and it ended up running later than she'd expected. Tsukino must've gotten on the bus without her.
"Ami-chan!" she hears a voice call her, and she looks up to find Luna running towards her. "Usagi-chan got on the bus and now they've vanished."
"Shit," she repeats. She paces back and forth near the bus stop as she tries to think, and then pulls out her computer. "I'll bet that idiot hasn't given any thought as to how she'll get back once she defeats the monsters," she mutters as she starts clicking away. She had come up with some vague ideas of a plan last night, but now that she's not even in the other dimension they'll have to be scrapped in light of this new situation. She takes in the energy readings of the area, trying to see if she can pinpoint Tsukino's in the distortion. If she can get a lock on her position, perhaps they can link up their powers and teleport her back or something. It's a stretch, but it's the only thing Ami can think of.
"There's so much energy I can't properly determine which is hers," she growls.
"Usagi-chan," Luna mutters, her voice full of worry.
Ami would never admit it either, but she is a little concerned for the other girl. It's one thing to fight monsters on your own when you're somewhere you know, but it's a whole other game to fight unknown enemies in an unknown territory. She knows Tsukino isn't as stupid as she acts, but the other girl can't afford to make mistakes when she has no backup, and Ami knows how likely that will be.
"If she uses an attack I might be able to identify where the spike of energy comes from," she muses, 'but that would mean Tsukino inviting a fight all by herself,' she finishes in her head, grimacing at the idea.
Her computer beeps, drawing her out of her thoughts. The target has stopped, showing a confirmation of Tsukino's position, but it's not the only one there. Another nearly as powerful has shown up right beside hers with similar readings, and though her first instinct is to assume it's the enemy they're too similar for her to really believe it, upon second thought. Another dozen or so smaller energies lay nearby. 'Well, here goes nothing,' Ami thinks, drawing her transformation pen.
'Sailor Moon,' she thinks, willing Tsukino to feel her power, 'if you can hear this, then we need to connect our energies to form a link back to our world. It's the only way to get you out of there. Please, if you can hear me say anything.' She waits a moment, tense, before trying again.
'Sailor Moon,' she pleads, 'Sailor Moon, for once in your goddamn life think and pay attention. You'll never be able to make it back if we can't link our energies. I didn't think you wanted to die. For fuck's sake, Sailor Moon, answer me!'
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Tsukino Usagi
'For fuck's sake, Sailor Moon, answer me!'
Usagi pauses to look behind her, frowning. "What is it?" Rei asks her, cocking her head as if to listen.
"Nothing," she replies after a moment's pause. "I thought I heard Mizuno yell at me."
"The girl from before?"
Usagi nods. "Yeah. She's Sailor Mercury, our comrade."
"Maybe she was then," Rei says hesitantly. When Usagi gives her a look she elaborates. "Maybe she was trying to communicate mentally with you, since we have no other means to talk, I don't think. Perhaps she's trying to help us get out."
"You might be right!" Usagi gasps. "Hold on, I'll try and reply." She closes her eyes in concentration and tries to think of Mizuno. 'Sailor Mercury, are you there? I can hear you. Do you know how we can get back?'
'Fucking finally, of course I do,' Usagi hears Mizuno reply in her head, and she grins.
"Connection confirmed," she tells Rei, before closing her eyes to focus again. 'How do we get out?'
'We'll need to form a mental bridge between us, and hopefully combine our powers to draw you back to me.'
'Okay, I'll let Sailor Mars know and then I'll tell you when we're ready. We've found all the missing girls too.'
There's a short pause before Mizuno replies. 'I'll wait until you get back to ask what the hell that means. Fine, do whatever and let me know. You shouldn't stay there any longer than necessary; that dimension is unstable.'
'Right.' Usagi opens her eyes to find Rei watching intently. "We've got to mentally link up and then with our combined powers we can…teleport, I guess, back to our dimension."
"But what about all the girls?" she asks.
Usagi turns to glance around at the buses around them. "We'll have to find some way to mentally connect to them, or they won't be able to get back. I have no clue in hell how to go about doing that, though."
Rei chews thoughtfully on her lip for a moment before offering, "Here, let me try. Then I'll connect to you when I'm ready." She closes her eyes, her brows furrowing in concentration, and Usagi waits patiently for the other girl to do her thing. For all her smarts, mental things like this have never been Usagi's strong point, so she's happy to leave it all to Rei. The other girl already has supernatural abilities; hopefully she'll find this just as easily.
Minutes later, Usagi jumps when she hears a new voice in her head. 'Okay, I'm ready.' It sounds exactly like Rei and Usagi knows she's done what she needed to.
'Alright, Mercury,' she calls out to them both, including their third companion. 'We're ready.'
'On three, we'll use Sailor Planet Power. Ready? One, two, three!'
Three voices echo, 'Sailor Planet Power,' in her mind, and all at once a warm feeling fills Usagi to the brim. She feels weightless for a second, but then everything comes crashing back down and she feels her legs collapse on her. The jolt startles her into opening her eyes, and with a flash of surprise Usagi realizes she's looking down on asphalt. Then she looks up and recognizes the bus stop in Sendaizaka-ue.
"You did it!" a voice calls out before a warm and furry object crashes into Usagi. She clutches at Luna instinctively.
"Yeah," she says with a smile. "We made it back." She looks over to find Mizuno with a proud smirk on her face, though she looks nearly as exhausted as Usagi feels.
"And now we should leave before the authorities get here," Luna suggests. "I sense we have much to discuss." Usagi realizes the cat is watching Rei sit up beside her and she nods in agreement.
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Hours later after all the children have made it back home and the cops have finally left the area, the three of them congregate at the Hikawa Shrine, long returned to their civilian guises. Usagi and Mizuno wait in silence for Rei to ask her first questions.
"What does it mean to be a Sailor Guardian?" she finally asks after several minutes of contemplation.
"Extra work," Mizuno deadpans.
"Fighting evil monsters," Usagi adds.
Luna lets out a heavy sigh. "The Sailor Guardians are meant to be the champions of justice, fighting the evil in this world and protecting the princess of the Moon Kingdom, once we find her. It's your destiny to fight alongside Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury, and the rest of your comrades."
"My destiny…?" she mutters, looking thoughtful. She's silent for a moment before she speaks again. "I've always been different from others, with my supernatural abilities, and I never knew why. But now I understand. I was always meant to be a Guardian."
"Does this mean you'll fight with us?" Usagi asks, curious. It had taken quite the argument to convince Mizuno to fight with her, but maybe Rei wouldn't need one, she hopes.
"I will," she agrees with a determined nod. "As you said, this is my destiny. I will not run from it. Though…" Rei trails off, fidgeting with the sleeve of her kosode as she looks sheepishly away.
"What?" Usagi prompts.
Rei shrugs apologetically. "I don't think I'm a very good fighter."
"That's fine," Luna says, "you'll improve the more you train and fight."
Mizuno looks like she wants to say something about that, but thankfully she stays quiet on the matter. "Very well then. Perhaps this will be much easier with you fighting alongside us. Now, I have to get home. It's late and I haven't studied for our English quiz yet."
"Good night," Usagi mutters, Luna and Hino mimicking the sentiment. Then she turns to the remaining girl. "I should get going as well. But I'm glad we have you fighting with us, too."
"I agree, Usagi-chan," she says.
Usagi manages a quick smile. "Well, we're off. See you around, Rei-chan." She waves goodbye, the other girl returning the sentiment as they leave the shrine.