LEGAL NOTICE TIME: You should know the drill by now. Naoko Takeuchi created Sailor Moon, this is just my alternate universe version. I don't own anything she, or anyone else not created by Gerald Logue. And Gerald Logue is copyright 1969 by Jerry and Sharon Logue.
SAILOR MOON: 1987
EPISODE 9: DATELINE-MIRACLE MILE
DECEMBER 20, 1986
THE HOME OF NAOKO MIZUNO 12:45 PM
Ami Andersen had been practicing her guitar for the past 20 minutes. Her guitar was older, it had originally belonged to her father, Gunther Andersen. He had left it with Ami's mother, Naoko Mizuno, after their divorce earlier that year, due to the fact that he was no longer able to play, due to an injury to his left hand, which resulted in 2 fingers being amputated. After the divorce, Naoko and Ami moved from Ami's hometown, just outside of Seattle, Washington, to Placentia, where Naoko, an emergency physician, had accepted a position in the emergency department of Palm Harbor Hospital, in nearby Garden Grove. When they had been packing to move, Ami had seen the guitar, and had expressed an interest in learning how to play. Ami had always had a love for learning, and playing the guitar was the same to her as learning math or science, or any other subject. However, there was one problem with playing her father's old guitar: while the instrument was strung for a right handed player like Gunther, Ami played left handed. Fortunately, the solution to her problem was simple, she just had the instrument restrung upside-down.
Ami Andersen had a secret, one that very few people knew. One of those people was her friend John McCoy, who also happened to be her guitar teacher. He knew her secret, because he sort of shared it with her. Their shared secret was that both John and Ami were superheroes, John going by Golden Hawk, and Ami going by Sailor Mercury. As part of her life as Sailor Mercury, Ami wore a bracelet, which doubled as a communicator, which she used to keep in touch with her friends and fellow superheroes. Her communicator went off as she was busy practicing a song that she had learned the day before. "Mercury here," Ami answered(Ami and her friends agreed to use their hero names over their communicators).
"Hey Mercury, this is Golden Hawk," John McCoy said. "You busy tonight?"
"Not really," Ami said. "I was going to do my nails, but I can do them tomorrow. What's up?"
"Great," John said. "Artemis and I will be over there around 7:30. Sailor Soldier business, that's all I can say about it for now."
Ten minutes later, over at Mina Webb's house, Mina had just gotten out of the shower. She wrapped a towel around her body, and went into her bedroom. On the bed, instead of her cat Artemis, was a note. Mina picked the note up, and read it.
To the Soldier of Love and Beauty, the note began, Don't worry, Artemis is with me, I need to give him a briefing before tonight. If all goes well, I should have him back by 11:00 tonight. Any later, I will contact you. Hopefully, everything goes well tonight, but make sure to keep an eye on your communicator, just in case. With love, as well as everything that is awesome and wicked cool, Gōrudenhōku.
P.S.: Don't feel bad about not being able to come with me tonight. Our friend, the Soldier of Love and Wisdom is coming, but I do appreciate you giving me some feline assistance.
P.P.S.: If you hear me say "The shit just hit the fan" over your communicator tonight, it means we may be dealing with one or more of Old Scratch from the Bad Place's boys. IMMEDIATELY drop whatever you're doing, transform, and teleport to my location.
"I wish I could have come with you tonight, John," Mina said to herself. "Even though I have no idea for what. But, at least you'll have Ami. And if I don't get called into action, I'll have to ask Artemis what happened."
Meanwhile, in John's bedroom, he was busy briefing Artemis. "Sorry I couldn't say anything until now," John said.
"Sometimes you have to keep secrets," Artemis said. "Even from your friends. Anyways, it's good that you and I have a little time together. Don't get me wrong, I love Mina, and all the girls, but sometimes, it's good to have another male to talk to. So what is this secret mission for tonight, anyways?"
"You ever hear of a country called Santa Julia?" John asked.
"Name sounds familiar," Artemis said.
"Anyways," John said, "it's a small country in Europe, actually, it's an island about 40 miles west of Portugal, slightly larger in area than Connecticut. It was originally a Spanish colony, they won their independence in 1743. Their main export is spices, they make money out the butt from it. Anyways, they're displaying the Crown Jewels of Santa Julia at the Muckenthaler Museum starting next week, and I have conformation they're bringing them in tonight. That's part of the security, not making it public when they'll be bringing them in. I've heard about them, they're worth a few shitloads of money. There's a couple pieces in the collection, that if I were inclined to snag them and sell them on the black market, I'd have enough money to retire somewhere around, say, 1974. In other words, a jewel thief's wet dream. They're going to have around the clock security, which will be tighter than Mr. Drake's asshole, but during transport, they will be vulnerable. Word gets out, we could have every jewel thief from Honolulu to Hartford willing to take a chance at it here. Like I said, they will have tight security, 24/7. Not only Fullerton Police, but police from Brea, Placentia, La Habra, Buena Park, and La Mirada, as well as deputies from both Los Angeles and Orange Counties, and even the National Guard. Get this, since the Crown Jewels are the property of the Santa Julia government, the government is not only footing the bill for security, they're paying the salaries of every officer in the Fullerton Police Department for the entire month the Jewels are here. They're even sending a couple platoons from the Santa Julia Army. Basically, anyone who wants to steal anything is going to have to deal with some pretty serious opposition. They know I'm going to be there, I have a contact with the Fullerton PD, they appreciate an extra pair of eyes or two, and some extra muscle to deter anyone who would try to filch something, but that's not the whole reason I want to be there."
"What is the reason?" Artemis asked.
"Zoicite, Kunzite, and Nephrite," John said.
"The Four Lords of Hell?" Artemis asked.
"Don't you mean the Three Remaining Lords of Hell?" John asked. "Don't forget, we eliminated Jaedite a couple weeks ago. Anyways, nobody outside Santa Julia knows exactly what's in the Crown Jewels, it wouldn't surprise me if the possibility the Legendary Silver Millennium Crystal is part of the collection attracts one or more of our least favorite sons of Old Scratch from the Bad Place."
"Neither Luna nor I know exactly where the Crystal is," Artemis said. "For all we know, it is part of the collection. But for something that big, shouldn't we call the whole team in on this one, not just you, Ami, and I?"
"That would draw too much attention for my tastes," John said. "Besides, the rest of the girls are just a shout away by communicators."
"I suppose you're right," Artemis said. "Of course, you've been doing this a little longer than any of the girls."
"A year," John said. "Hopefully, we won't be doing much more than sitting around watching guys unload jewelry off a couple armored cars. I don't want to get into a situation where I'd be forced to kill anyone."
"Have you ever been in that position before?" Artemis asked.
"Fortunately, no," John said. "I just hope it stays that way. And I hope we don't run into any of the Lords of Hell."
"John," Caryn Frehley-McCoy said, as she came into John's bedroom, "Who were you talking to just now."
"That would be me," Artemis said.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," John said, "But mom, this is Artemis, he's Sailor Venus's cat. Artemis, this is my mom."
"Nice to meet you, Artemis," Caryn said.
"Likewise," Artemis said.
"Anyways," Caryn said, "John, there's a phone call for you. From the voice, I'm guessing it's a girl."
"Thanks, mom," John said.
"This is John, John said, as he answered the kitchen phone.
"Hey John," Mary Ann Kino said. "My uncle said you called a couple hours ago. What's up?"
"Sailor Soldier business," John said.
"You could have used your communicator for that," Mary Ann said.
"That's what Mina said after I called her," John said. 'Anyways, I had something to do tonight, and I needed one of you to come with me."
"Sorry," Mary Ann said. "I have a Christmas party to go to tonight."
"That's okay," John said. "I got hold of Ami, she's coming with me. But I do have something important to tell you. If you hear me say "the shit just hit the fan" over your communicator, immediately drop whatever it is you're doing, transform, and teleport to my location. That phrase is a code, it means one or more of the remaining Three Lords of Hell are possibly involved."
As soon as John hung up, he went to get something to drink. He got a can of Hawaiian Punch for himself. As he opened it, Artemis came downstairs. "Meow," Artemis said.
"I don't suppose you want a little cream," John said, pouring a little saucer for Artemis.
"So when did we get a cat?" Joseph McCoy, John's father, asked, when he saw Artemis.
"He's not ours," John said, drinking the can of punch.
"I actually belong to Sailor Venus," Artemis said. "My name's Artemis."
"She's the blonde with the red bow in her hair, right?" Joseph asked.
"Yes," Artemis said.
"What did I put in my coffee this morning?" Joseph asked.
"Two packets of Sweet-N-Low," John said, "Just like you normally do. Why?"
"Because I swear I just had a conversation with a cat," Joseph said.
"You're not imagining things," John said. "Sailor Venus has a talking cat."
"It's official," Joseph said. "Nineteen eighty-six is officially the weirdest year of my life."
"And 1987 has the potential of being even stranger," John said. "Anyways, Artemis and I are going out for about an hour, we're going to do some street level surveillance."
"Just don't use smoke pellets inside, please," Joseph said.
"When have I ever done that?" John said, as he picked Artemis up, and the two of them disappeared, as if there was a trap door in the floor.
DOWNTOWN FULLERTON
Golden Hawk and Artemis appeared in a puff of smoke near Jackrabbit Slim's campsite. Who's there?" Jackrabbit Slim asked.
"Just me," Golden Hawk said. "Well, Sailor Venus's cat and me. How you doing?"
"Good to see you," Jackrabbit Slim said. He had his left arm in a sling, a result of having his shoulder dislocated during his encounter with Jaedite. "As you can see, I still have a bum wing. But I'll be back at full strength in no time."
"Good to hear," Golden Hawk said.
"Anyways," Jackrabbit Slim said, "I hear you got the guy who put me in the hospital, you and your friends got him good."
"Good and dead," Golden Hawk said.
"That's good to hear," Jackrabbit Slim said. "He was definitely bad news."
"Well," Golden Hawk said, "It's good to see you up and around, even with a bum wing. I gotta go check up with a few other people, find out what the word is on the street."
Golden Hawk and Artemis did rounds around downtown, and found nothing out of the ordinary. When they got near John's house, Golden Hawk tossed a pellet from one of the pouches in his belt to the ground, and both he and Artemis were surrounded by gold smoke, and when it disappeared, they were gone.
They appeared in John's bedroom, as if from an elevator in the floor, after which, John transformed from Golden Hawk. "How do you do that?" Artemis asked.
"I'll tell you one of these days," John said, as he and Artemis went downstairs. Artemis climbed on John's shoulders, as he went to check the mail. "Nothing," John said, looking at the mail, which was almost all ads(mostly for last minute Christmas sales), but he did receive a letter from his pen pal, a young woman from Japan named Naoko Takeuchi. While he was replying to her latest letter(his reply also included a newspaper clipping of Sailor Moon), he heard a knock at the door. Since he was the only person downstairs, he answered the door, to see Ami Andersen there, carrying a small suitcase, as well as her guitar. "My mom's pulling an all-niter in the ER at Palm Harbor," Ami said. "She doesn't want me staying in the house by myself, so your parents agreed to let me sleep in the spare bedroom tonight."
"That would be perfect," John said.
"Hello Ami," Artemis said, as he came downstairs.
"Hello Artemis," Ami said.
"So has John briefed you about our little mission the three of us are going on tonight?" Artemis asked.
"I was just about to ask what you were doing here," Ami said.
"We're going to be doing a stakeout," Artemis said. "They're going to be displaying the Crown Jewels of Santa Julia at the Muckenthaler Museum, and we're going to be some extra eyes for the security detail guarding them while they're unloaded."
"We'll be sitting on a roof a couple buildings away," John said. "We'll be looking for anything out of the ordinary, but hoping nothing out of the ordinary happens. Basically, the Jewels are safe in the armored cars, they'll be safe once they get inside the museum, but it's the transport from the armored cars to the museum that's where they're valuable. I hope all we end up doing is watching them unload the armored cars, we go grab a bite to eat afterwards, and come home some time between eleven and midnight.
"Time to get into character," John said, when it was time to leave.
"Mercury Power, Make-Up!" Ami said, and transformed into Sailor Mercury.
John just disappeared into the floor, as if he was standing on a trap door, and came back a second later, transformed into Golden Hawk. "Now if you'll be so kind as to pick up our feline companion and hold on to me," Golden Hawk said, "we can get into position."
"Aren't you forgetting a little something?" Sailor Mercury asked.
"Nah," Golden Hawk said. "I don't really need the smoke, it's just for show. Besides, I promised my parents I wouldn't use smoke in the house, and when we get to where we're going, it's going to draw a bit too much attention."
Golden Hawk, Sailor Mercury, and Artemis teleported to the roof of a building that was both close enough to observe the action, while also being far enough away not to attract attention to themselves. "Sailor Moon here," Usagi Tsukino said, over Golden Hawk's communicator.
"Hey Sailor Moon," Golden Hawk said. "Everything's A-OK here on our end."
"Just checking in," Usagi said. "Just reminding you the rest of the team is just a call away."
"You remember the code phrase, right?" Golden Hawk asked.
"The shit just hit the fan," Usagi said. "That means drop whatever any of us would be doing, and get to your position, stat."
"Correct," Golden Hawk said. "Golden Hawk out."
Golden Hawk and Sailor Mercury then observed, using binoculars. "All seems normal," Sailor Mercury said.
"Hopefully, it stays that way," Golden Hawk said. "Anyways, before I cast my lot with you and the other girls, this was a major part of my life as Golden Hawk. Hanging out on a rooftop with a few sloppy joes and a soda, watching things through binoculars. Don't get me wrong, sometimes you do need to get down to street level, but there are times you get a better view from a vantage point up high."
"I never thought I would spend my first date sitting on the roof of a vegan restaurant, watching through binoculars while jewels are unloaded off armored cars," Sailor Mercury said.
"This is a date?" Golden Hawk asked.
"If you want it to be," Sailor Mercury said.
"I'll let you know later if this is a real date or not...," Golden Hawk said, as he was scanning the area with his binoculars. He noticed a young man in the distance. The man appeared to be in his early 20s, with closely cropped, but still fashionably long black hair. The man was wearing a black tuxedo, with white shirt, vest, and bow tie, and had a red sash under his jacket, and was also wearing a small mask. "Oh shit, not him,": he said.
"Not who?" Sailor Mercury asked.
"To your left," Golden Hawk said. "The tall, dark, and handsome gent in the monkey suit and mask."
"I see him," Sailor Mercury said. "Who is he, and what's so bad about him?"
"He goes by the name of Tuxedo Mask," Golden Hawk said. "For some reason, every time I've dealt with him, someone nearly got killed. Once, that person was me. Anyways, I'm going to confront him, just watch my back from where you are for now."
"Affirmative," Sailor Mercury said.
Golden Hawk flew down, and intercepted Tuxedo Mask, about 2 blocks from the museum. "Let's have it, Mamoru," Golden Hawk said.
"Have what?" Tuxedo Mask asked, confused.
"The gun," Golden Hawk said.
"What gun?" Tuxedo Mask asked.
"The one you don't know I know you carry for protection," Golden Hawk said. "I know you don't exactly make friends easily, and you have to carry a gun to protect yourself. Thing is, I don't want anyone getting killed tonight. Believe it or not, that includes you. So if you'll be so kind as to hand over the pea shooter, we can avoid any unnecessary violence."
. "Fine," Tuxedo Mask said, removing a Beretta pistol from his shoulder holster. "I didn't really feel like killing anyone tonight anyways."
"So where have you been the last couple months?" Golden Hawk asked.
"Tahiti," Tuxedo Mask said.
"What were you doing in Tahiti?" Golden Hawk asked.
"I met this woman," Tuxedo Mask said.
"Let me guess," Golden Hawk said, "her husband is 6'4", 250 pounds, is either stationed at El Toro or plays linebacker for the Rams, and has a third degree black belt in some obscure martial art that involves killing as painfully as possible."
"I don't think I'll have to worry about this particular woman's husband," Tuxedo Mask said. "Because she's my wife."
"I don't know whether to congratulate you or ask when the baby's due," Golden Hawk said.
"Her name's Beryl," Tuxedo Mask said. "What happened was, I had gone to Las Vegas, I heard there was a huge score there, diamonds. I went there with a partner, who ended up double-crossing me, he took nearly the entire haul from the job, he got a few million in cash, and enough carats to feed Bugs Bunny for the next 10 years, while he nearly got me killed. Fortunately for me, I didn't exactly leave empty handed, I managed to snag a few grand for myself. I decided to have some fun, and use that money as a stake at the casinos. After all, it was Vegas. Anyways, I was at the craps tables, I had been playing a while, I would win some and lose some, but at that point, I figure I was a couple hundred dollars in the black. I had just rolled a 7, and looked up, and there she was. I can't explain it, but when I looked at her, even though I had never seen her before, it was like I'd known her since before the beginning of time. Believe me when I tell you it was definitely love at first sight. Next thing either of us know, we're at a wedding chapel, standing in front of a preacher, marriage license in hand. We spent the next couple days in bed, after which, we end up on the red eye to Faa'a International Airport. Turned out, Beryl had always wanted to make love on the black sand beaches of Tahiti. We spent a week there, and after that, we went to Japan for a while."
"So what brings you back to California?" Golden Hawk asked.
"The Legendary Silver Millennium Crystal," Tuxedo Mask said. "Beryl wants to find it, to keep it out of the hands of the Four Lords of Hell."
An elegant woman appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. She appeared to be in her early 50s, but looked younger(although Golden Hawk could tell she was definitely older). She was the same height as Golden Hawk, slender, with fair complexion, with long, wavy red hair and green eyes. She was wearing a red floor length strapless gown, that she appeared to have been poured into, along with red pumps with high stiletto heels, and her long fingernails were polished red, and she was wearing red lipstick, black eyeliner, and green eye shadow. When she arrived, she kissed Tuxedo Mask deeply. "You must be Golden Hawk," she said. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Beryl. And as Tuxedo Mask told you, he and I are married."
Meanwhile, back on the roof of Rutebagorz restaurant, Sailor Mercury and Artemis were watching events unfold. "So what's happening?" Artemis asked. "Golden Hawk still talking to the guy in the monkey suit?"
"You mean Tuxedo Mask?" Sailor Mercury asked. "Yeah, except there's a lady with them now. She's older, but still has her looks. She has long red hair, and she definitely has business wearing that dress she has on."
"I don't suppose she's wearing a strapless dress," Artemis said.
"How did you know?" Sailor Mercury asked.
"Her name's Beryl," Artemis said. "I wouldn't necessarily say she's a friend of mine, but I can say there is definitely no love lost between her and the Four Lords of Hell, or, I should say, the Three Remaining Lords of Hell. She also wants the Legendary Silver Millennium Crystal. Not for herself, but to keep it out of the hands of Metalia."
"Why do I have a gut feeling you're about to have me call in the troops?" Sailor Mercury asked.
"Just Sailor Moon for now," Artemis said.
"Sailor Moon," Sailor Mercury said into her communicator, "Transform and meet Artemis and I on the roof of Rutabegorz."
"Be right there," Usagi Tsukino said, holding up her transformation amulet, and touching the gem in the center. "Pretty Moon Soldier, Make-Up!"
A few seconds later, Sailor Moon had teleported to the roof of Rutabegorz restaurant. "Take these," Sailor Mercury said, handing her binoculars to Sailor Moon.
"What am I looking for?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Golden Hawk," Artemis said. "Particularly, the company he's currently keeping."
"The guy in the tuxedo is kind of cute," Sailor Moon said. "And that woman with them, she's older, but I can still see John being attracted to her."
"Her name is Beryl," Artemis said.
"Sailor Moon," Golden Hawk said, over her communicator.
"What is it?" Sailor Moon asked, when she reached where Golden Hawk was.
"How did you get here so quickly?" Golden Hawk asked.
"I was already with Sailor Mercury and Artemis," Sailor Moon said.
"The Guardian Princess of the Moon," Beryl said.
"I prefer to be called Sailor Moon," Sailor Moon said. "And who are you?"
"My name is Beryl," Beryl said. "I wish to atone, Princess, for what I stole from you..."
UNTIL NEXT TIME...
OUR NEXT EPISODE: THE TRUE ORIGIN OF SAILOR MOON