DISCLAIMERS:
All canon characters are (C) 1992 - whatever year it is Naoko Takeuchi and all other related parties. The Shadow senshi are (C) Wild Nature 2006. This is a fanfic based upon the anime version and all written work that this consists of is (C) 2006 Wild Nature.
Going to the Dead Moon realm, the Sol Senshi learn of a few dark secrets as well as meet some very interesting characters. And now a new Shadow's been found. Only time will tell what she is though as Eizou befriends her.
But a voice that comes and goes in Eizou's dreams begins to reveal bits and pieces of a life she should have had but now things are different and they must find the one person able to control the Void.
Episode Five: Pom-Pom Knows the Way! Alliances Created
"So Pom-Pom has to come with us?" Venus frowned. "Why again?"
"Because she'll be able to recognize them," Mercury said quietly.
"But HOW?"
"Do you want the truth?" Pom-Pom came in with a smile.
"Yea!" Venus said evenly.
"Because one of them was my sister," She smiled sadly. "My father was ill at the time. In fact, many of the families had fallen mysteriously ill. I was only ten..."
Her eyes became clouded. "But I was there.. I tried to stop them... I knew it was wrong. They shouldn't have listened to him!" She cried out in hurt.
"Who? Void?"
"Yes. He was one of those who were always good. For him to think like that..." She bit her lip. "Duchess also lost a sister as well..."
"She didn't..."
"It's not something we talk about," Pom-Pom smiled wetly. "We have done the best that we can. We can actually thrive here..."
"But it gets lonely here. Tell me, do you think, in time, we will be able to join Earth?" Pom-Pom looked up.
"I will make that a definite thing," Sailor Moon said firmly. "It's a very nice place here though. I like how the people seem to interact so well."
"Well, we are all performers in some sense. We all watch over each other to make sure we fulfill our own destiny."
"Let's talk about yesterday's conversation," Neptune suggested.
"Yes, Duchess Nerthus asked for your help because...?" Uranus paused.
"I was the only one of any family to be there. I saw them... their souls...I could feel them go through me like fire.."
She smiled warmly. "That and I have this."
In her raised hand was perfect round orb, translucent white. "If a Shadow is near, it will light up. I made it myself."
"How?" Mars asked thoughtfully.
"We all have some ability of magic. I was able to use the element of metal to the best of anything. That's how I've become a sword blacksmith. But I used to be able to actually summon metal. But I sacrificed that kind of magic to make this. A eye for an eye, after all."
"So what can you do now?"
"I'm a blacksmith!" She grinned. "But I'm also a knife thrower." She pulled off her string tied shoulder bag from off her frame and reached in. "Tada!" She held out two copies of wrist length blades, the handles wrapped in gold lining and jutting out into a point. "These were my father's. They were the first I ever used and as such, they've soaked up a bit of magic from both him and me. I never go anywhere without them."
"Err.. you'll need to hide those once we get back to Earth," Mars pointed out.
"OH DEAR GOD!"
They all jumped, turning to Jupiter. "What's wrong!" Sailor Moon cried out worriedly.
"I forgot! We were going to meet with Eizou!" Jupiter groaned. "She'll be so pissed off!"
"We'll stop by her house and explain.." Mercury trailed off. "Well, err.."
"Well, we'll think of something," Venus patted Jupiter's shoulder. "She can't be THAT mad, right?"
"I'm not talking to them," Eizou told herself, stomping as she entered school. A new day and she felt good, well, not that much but she felt like she could survive. Her ankle was back to normal. She wondered how it got so in so little time.
She turned a corner and bumped into Kakure. "Hey!" She smiled.
Kakure blinked. "Oh geez, sorry. I was in a hurry to get to my locker! I forgot something," She moved to let Eizou by. "See you at the entrance of school after class, right?"
"Yep!" Eizou smiled, feeling much more better. She turned and entered her classroom.
Time was kinder today as she pulled her books from her locker, changing her shoes as she hummed.
"Eizou!" Makoto walked in, followed by Usagi, Ami, and Minako. "How are you?"
"Not talking to you," She said coldly. "Besides, I'm meeting a REAL friend, thank you very much."
"Come on, wait! Let us explain," Minako suggested. Eizou stopped and turned to face them.
"Well?" She asked pointedly.
"Well.. uh..." Makoto began first.
"HI GUYS!"
The four girls nearly fell to their faces as Pom-Pom came running in. Her hair was still stylized as she liked it but she wore a orange tank top, a logo of a clown colored in the front. She wore ridiculously baggy blue jeans that all the way to her feet. Her black sneakers peeked out as they squeaked at each step.
"The orb was bleeping!" She held up the orb and it became a furious sign of Morse code. "HEY!" She looked at Eizou.
Eizou blinked. "What the hell is that?"
Pom-Pom's eyes went big. "YOU'RE A SHADOW!"
Eizou's face paled. "What kind of nut job are you!"
"Shadow Moon!" Pom-Pom enveloped Eizou in a hug. "OH BOY!"
"GET OFF ME!"
"Hey!" Kakure appeared and once more, the orb began to scream out its beeps.
"OH JOY! Two of you! Shadow..." Pom-Pom sized up Kakure. "JUPITER!"
"I have a sudden urge to attack..." Eizou grumbled. She looked up at the other girls and flinched.
"I.. I don't know what you're talking about!" She shouted at Pom-Pom. "I am just a normal person!"
"And a Shadow! This never lie..." Eizou's hand reached out and the orb was struck out of the other's hands, crashing to the floor. "What.. what was that for?"
"Leave me alone," Eizou hissed.
"No, wait.." Usagi spoke up. "Eizou, she means well.."
"Why aren't you freaking?" Eizou snapped.
"We...we're the Sol Senshi," Usagi straightened her shoulders, standing as tall as she could.
"So?"
While Eizou seemed to be unimpressed, Kakure's eyes widened. "WOW! Can I get your autograph! I love Sailor Moon!"
"I'm out of here," Eizou stomped off. Pom-Pom picked up her orb and took off after her.
"Get away from me!" Eizou tried to move faster but Pom-Pom wasn't without her tricks as she jumped and twirled to land at Eizou's front. "Whoa.."
"My name is Pomona but everyone calls me Pom-Pom," She smiled. "I can help you find things out, why you're a senshi, who you are, and how to do things. Please, let me help you."
"And them?" She moved her hand back in a pointed gesture.
"They're allies! They promised to help too!"
"Really?" She turned and saw the others and sighed. "I don't know.."
"Pretty please?" Pom-Pom gave her best 'Aren't I cute and irresistible' look.
"I..." She turned toward them. "I don't know about this. I mean..."
There was a very distinct car honk as Eizou nearly had a heart attack. "KAKUSHI!"
He came loping up the path, grinning widely. "Why, it's all the cuties.." He trailed off, seeing Pom-Pom." And some freaky hair stylist."
"HEY!" Pom-Pom fingered her hair lightly. "Pom-Pom looks good so nyah!"
"What do you want?" Eizou said through gritted teeth.
"Ah, if you remember, I promised Mom and Dad that I would help you take Apple to the vet."
"WHAT?" Eizou frowned. "When did they say that?"
"Obviously you weren't paying attention last night at dinner," Kakushi blinked. "So, I have Apple waiting very patiently in the car.." He started to point as Apple lightly trotted past him. "How the hell did he get out!"
"Apple's not as stupid as he looks," Eizou commented. There was a slight growl as Apple frowned. Apple turned to peek at the other girls.
"Well? Are we going?"
"Fine, fine.." She turned to the others. "Talk to you later Kakure."
And she reached down to pull Apple to her when he threw back his head in a howl and he took off running toward the back of the school. "HEY! APPLE!"
They all followed and as they neared a corner, they were nearly plowed by a group of students screaming and yelling. Eizou looked up from her crouched self, seeing the others all right, well, except her brother.
"Kakushi!" She shook him hard and he mumbled. "Okay! Who hit him in the head!" She growled at them before the air was split in a high pitched scream. "AUGH!"
She took off, Kakure close to her feet. Up ahead, a faceless humanoid figure had two hands pressed into a slumped body.
"Aye! Not this again!" Eizou blinked before gritting her teeth. "Well...Uh..."
"Transform!" She heard Apple nearly scream in frustration.
"Yea, sure.. why not?" Eizou groaned. "Nepheline Shadowed Light, Make Up!" Her body blazed and reformatted into her senshi form.
"Nepheline Shadowed Earth, Make Up!" Kakure shouted. As she held up her gem, it sent out wild vines that wrapped around her, becoming her fuku. She wore a black strand for a choker, at the center a green orb with two small yellow gems at each side. Her collar was entirely green and her bodice was different. She wore a green sleeveless and shoulder-less dress but the top half was covered in a partial black corset, a huge gape down the front of her body to the waist. It was tied together by black string, making four x's along her breasts and stomach area. Her waistband started at the beginning of one end of the black corset at the front with a green orb. It had two stripes, the top yellow and the bottom one white. It wrapped around her hips to the other side. The two green orbs were connected by three loose black strands.
Her brooch was a green crescent moon, each side adorned in two yellow gems and attached from side to the other were three loose black threads. She wore seemingly detachable black sleeves, that covered three fourths of her arm but cut off at the fingers. At the backs of her hands were a green round gem outlined in yellow. She had a back bow, much like shoelace ribbon, that was a set of two bows, one white and the other yellow. Her feet were high heel Mary Jane shoes, green with a strap across the top of the foot. Her tiara was a straight around yellow band, with a oversized green gem in its center.
She poised, one arm held up high and slightly bent as the other one rested on her hip. One of her feet faced the side, the other to the front. "Shadow Jupiter comes to life! A ha! God, this is so cool!"
The monster turned. "What the hell is this?" Shadow Jupiter blinked. "EWW! No face? It's so.. brr.." She shivered.
"Moonlight Casting!" Shadow Moon shouted. The beams shot out and barely nicked the shoulders. "What..."
"You're a bit too far away," Mercury and the others came from behind.
"This is the second time and it's doing the same thing," Mars grimaced.
"It's looking for the Triad Moon," Pom-Pom came up to Shadow Moon and Jupiter. "It's an item that can control the Void completely."
"That's nice but who has it!" Shadow Moon said stiffly.
"I don't know... It's supposed to be passed down the Dead Moon royal family but no one knows what happened to it."
"Oh great! And apparently, these freaks think it exists in a human?" Shadow Moon gestured to the monster.
Once realizing its victim didn't hold what it was looking for, it turned to the group and lunged out at them.
"Shit!" They all dispersed like petals, scattering to the grounds.
"Aqua Rhapsody!"
"Flame Sniper!"
But the thing sucked into a shadow, disappearing.
"I really, REALLY hate that trick," Shadow Moon grumbled.
"Watch your feet!" Shadow Jupiter felt herself fly and she struck out against the wall of the building. The thing reached in and without mercy, it's hand disappeared.
"STOP IT!" Shadow Jupiter flinched and her body glowed. It became a wave and shot out the enemy of her. It growled and made to attack. "Son of a bitch! You've got no manners! Wild Thorn Slash!"
She twirled around tightly, a thorny vine produced and she grasped it as she made it into a loop, spinning it over her head as she caught the monster. She pulled tightly as the thorns latched on, digging deeper by the moment.
"Finish it off!"
"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Sailor Moon called out and watched her attack merely breeze through it.
"It won't work like that!" Pom-Pom called out. "Only Shadows can defeat these things?"
"Why can't they?" Shadow Moon growled.
"These things derive their power from the darker side of elements. Using the lighter side will only let it be stronger."
"In other words, these freaky things will soak up their attacks?" She pointed at the Sol Senshi.
"They can attack and weaken, for the most part. But since Sailor Moon is so bright, she casts a very powerful shadow."
"I don't..." Shadow Moon began.
"FIGURE IT OUT LATER!" Shadow Jupiter screamed. "Or let me be killed! Will that make you happy!"
"Moonlight Casting!" She pressed her finger to her forehead and beams shot out. It hit full on but the monster, as the vine fell off it, stood up, just barely hurt. "Ah..."
It moved and she held up her hands instantly in defense. The orbs at the back of her hands glowed and two glowing boomerangs formed. "Moonlight Boomerang Ricochet!"
She threw them and watched the monster be sliced up, turning it back into a shadow.
"FINALLY!" Shadow Jupiter. "Next time you want to discuss things, make sure your allies aren't IN TROUBLE!"
"I got you out of that, didn't I?" Eizou untransformed. Kakure did the same as they glared at each other.
"Apple?" Usagi's voice rang out, startling the two girls.
"Apple? Apple!" She found Apple lying down, his body shaking.
"What happened?" Eizou began to stroke his fur. "Come on boy, wake up.. please..."
His eyes fluttered open as he whimpered. "That hurt.. did you catch the license of that thing?"
"Phew..." Eizou sighed.
"EIZOU! EIZOU!" Eizou flinched. "What happened!" Kakushi appeared, holding his forehead. A distinct purple bruise was slowly coloring. "And who the hell hit me?"
"I'm sorry, it was a accident," Kakure blinked innocently.
"YOU HIT HIM!" Eizou glared. "What about saving your stupid..." She felt a hand clasped over her mouth as several more words spilled out. Makoto smiled weakly at Kakushi.
"What was wrong with Apple?" Kakushi asked after a moment.
Apple trotted over to him and past him. "Well, he's fine now. He was just chasing a cat, probably.." Eizou said, staring hard at Kakure.
"Well," He looked at his watch. "HOLY HELL! Move, move!" He grabbed her hand and started to drag her off. "See your friends later!"
The appointment went well. Apple was in perfect health. Her mother bought a cake to celebrate the new, official member of the family.
"He's so cool!" Boya was petting him as Chuukou glared. "What?"
"I wanna pet him! Move!" Chuukou shoved him to the side. "Hey boy! Bet you like me better!"
"Nuh uh!" Boya tried to shove him away and the two began to scruffle.
"MOM!" Boya shouted.
"Stop fighting or no cake!" Her voice vibrated from the kitchen.
"Aww..." They glared at each other before stomping off in opposite directions. Apple went to the living room, where Kakushi was watching Eizou who was watching television.
"What?" Eizou said finally. She looked at him and took note the bruise was pretty damn big. "Does that hurt?" She brushed her hand against it.
"Only when you do that," he glowered before frowning. "You know, I had a really wacky dream."
"Oh, those? They're called wet dreams," Eizou pointed out, poking at him playfully.
His hand came out and grasped hers tightly. "Not THAT KIND of dream. When your friend whacked me! You transformed!" His voice was accusing.
"What me?" She blinked, looking innocent as best as she could.
He softened. "Well, it was just a dream..." He saw Apple. "Here boy!"
Apple went to Kakushi's side. Eizou watched for a moment before getting up to use the restroom.
Kakushi watched her leave before glancing at the television. "Apple, you be a good dog and make sure she stays out of trouble, okay?"
Apple lay his head on Kakushi's leg. "Good dog," Kakushi rubbed between the ears, smiling lightly.
Eizou was in her room, about to prepare to sleep when she remembered the voice.
"Eight others..." She looked out the window, seeing the partial moon painted across the stars. "Kakure said this was familiar but it's not. At least, not for me. I wonder, if the Sol Senshi are around, why would we exist?"
She lay down to sleep, her eyes still studying the stars. "Elemental Pillars..." She yawned. "Like ...if we.. just disappeared, would everything would too?" She mumbled to herself as she fell asleep.
Duchess Nerthus was up, the skies nearly pitch black. She, like many of her people, found the darkness comforting. She moved quietly to enter the Holy Temple, seeing the Solar Cross blazing dimly.
She reached out slowly and touched the glass sadly. "We need you, sister. I can only do so much. If only our parents didn't make that mistake, you'd still be here."
"And maybe, we would have lived so much more than this.." Her eyes watered as her head fell down.
"Duchess?" Njord came in quietly. "You mustn't grieve now. We know that they survived."
"Their souls are still the same, yes but they are no longer just ours. They are now the elements."
She turned toward him, her face grim. "What about Void? Did we find his reincarnated self?"
Njord shook his head. "No, we haven't."
"We must find him. If he awakens to the darkness within him, without the elements, not only will this star completely die, we will take out the sun and earth as well."
"We'll keep searching, night and day..." Njord began.
"Njord, you need to rest," She smiled at him. "You always were like a father to me but lately, it's as if I'm the mother, trying to get her boy to do as she says. Go sleep, be with your wife. And don't worry over Pomona. She's a good, strong girl."
"I just hope she can stay out of trouble," He bowed deeply. "Sleep well, my Lady."
"Void.. Why did you stray from us?" Duchess Nerthus looked up at the ceiling, seeing how the crystal glittered so brightly. "I only hope your Shadows can save you."
And she left the room, closing the door with just a bare touch. The Solar Cross slowly dimmed down as night claimed the civilization, waiting for the sun to reawaken for the Shadows.
"Come on!" Kakure glared at her. "Just put some on!"
The girl waved her lipstick in front of Eizou. The other girls were watching this debate continue for the last five minutes.
"It's your first date! You got to look pretty!" Kakure began.
"He liked me without such frilly things!"
"They're not frilly! They're a necessity!" Kakure argued.
"Hey," Pom-Pom came up, still dressed in that outfit.
"Don't you have anything else to wear?" Eizou asked, studying the other girl.
"When do you think we could talk?" Pom-Pom asked brightly. "Huh?"
"She's about to go on a date!" Kakure frowned. "Help me get her prettied up!"
"Oh no you don't! Both of you, leave me be!" She turned and felt her nose smash into a hard chest. "Ouch! You little S. O...!"
"Ah, ah," Henshou promptly closed her moving mouth with a flick of his hand. "I know you weren't about to call me THAT."
"I'm sorry but they were bugging me and.." She turned and found the area free of any other person. "Where'd they go?"
"To leave you be, I suppose. Are you ready for lunch?" He offered his elbow. "Let's go, my lovely."
They drove down to a small cafe. She eyed his car with pity as he opened the door to the small place.
"What? Something wrong with the car?"
"Yea, it's all lurching and no smooth driving," She fixed him with a good stare. "But of course, it could just be you."
"I am a very good and safe driver. It's the car, anyways."
They settled down and had a quiet meal. She didn't say much as her stomach was in knots. As time wore on, it loosened and by the finish, she was laughing openly with him.
"There, that's what I wanted to see," He smiled at her. "A smile makes my day."
"Geez, you have a lot of corny lines. You get much practice or something?" She asked lightly.
"What? Hey, I only tease those that I really like."
"Uh huh? Bet you say that to all the girls," She grinned.
"Nope. Just you," He looked so truthful, she thought she could actually believe him. But she just chuckled at him as she stood up. She pulled out her wallet only to have him take it and place it back.
"Hey, this is a date. I pay for it, remember?"
"I don't mind going Dutch," Eizou said honestly.
"But I'd rather do this for you."
She smiled. "If it'll make you feel better."
"It would, it really would." He left enough money plus tip and they headed out. The sun was still up although it was nearing mid-evening.
"So, Henshou, what kind of family do you have?" She asked him, as they walked down a walkway. He had parked near a small park and they moved idly down the worn down earth.
"Me? I'm an only child. My mother died when I was young and my father, well, we had our arguments and we couldn't see eye to eye. So I got up and left. I moved here because it's really nice. It's soothing even."
"But it's always busy."
"Keeps my mind off of things."
"Like what?"
"Huh? Oh, well, my father...he wanted me to be like him, follow in his footsteps. I couldn't do that. That's why I left."
"What did he want you to be?" Eizou asked curiously.
"Something that no one should be.." Henshou looked away, up at the stars. "I can almost make out the moon."
"Huh? Yea, it gets really pretty. I was looking at it last night."
"Do you think it's comforting that when we look at the moon, we both see the same thing?" He smiled whimsically.
"Such a romantic," She giggled as she moved away from him. His hand came out and gently wove his fingers to intertwine with hers. She felt it, a spark and she blushed. "Henshou, what do you think of fate?"
"Fate.. is something we make on our own."
"What if we were something more than just what most saw?"
"Then we would have to make the best of it, wouldn't we?"
She leaned her head lightly onto his shoulder. "That would be most logical, huh?"
"Fate has nothing to do with logic, it's all about the heart."
"You know, I should start writing down things like that," She suggested teasingly.
"What? No, don't be doing that! I got others thinking I'm a rough kind of guy! It'll ruin my rep!"
"I don't think people see you as a rough and tumble type," She smirked. "Right from the start, you were a gentleman!"
"AHA! You finally admit that! And yet you said the opposite!"
"Yes well, I guess I shouldn't go by first judgment, huh?"