Author's Note: So, I just realized that I forgot to explain this AU in the last chapter. So basically, there's no Crystal Tokyo, and Usagi and the Inners were never Senshi. It's kind of like the Parallel Sailor Moon story that stars Kousagi, except it stars Chibiusa and her Senshi. And I had them move to America because I really have no idea how things would work (culture, schooling, all that stuff) in Japan. Besides, it's an AU!
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.
It was a rather odd, but certainly true, fact of life that most would not realize just how much he or she has appreciated something until it is taken away. Chibiusa pondered over this, wearing a scowl on her face as she watched the pine trees fly by the window.
It had all started one day after school. Chibiusa's father, Mamoru, had announced that he had accepted a job offer in America. According to him, the family would move to America towards the end of summer. Needless to say, Chibiusa was not very excited. She was perfectly content with her life in Tokyo. Her two best friends, Momoko and Kyusuke, had tried to cheer her up with promises to keep in touch, but to no avail. She was gloomy for the entire summer, especially now that she and her family had landed in America. At least she didn't have a problem with adjusting to new culture. A few years in the country had taught Mamoru everything he needed to know, and he in turn taught Chibiusa and her sister, Kousagi, everything he learned.
Speaking of Kousagi…
"Are we there yet?" Kousagi asked for the umpteenth time, stuffing a handful of crackers into her mouth. Chibiusa sighed and rolled her eyes as their mother shook her head at the question. Both of the Tsukino-Chiba sisters were like miniature versions of their mother, Usagi, in looks, but only Kousagi inherited her personality. Just like Usagi, Kousagi ate, slept, and procrastinated constantly. Meanwhile, the smarter and slightly more serious Chibiusa resembled her father in personality much more.
"So what's the name of the town again?" Chibiusa asked out of curiosity, having forgotten.
"Serenity, Montana," Mamoru replied shortly, concentrating on the road.
"If I'm correct, it's the town of your favorite superhero," Usagi added, beaming at her older daughter.
Chibiusa straightened up slightly at this. Serenity, a small rural town in the state of Montana, was indeed the town of her favorite superhero—the Silent Warrior. Chibiusa discovered the American comic about a year ago, and since then, the heroine clad in purple became her favorite fictional character (well, apparently the comic was based on a true story). She looked up to the girl as a role model, someone able to break barriers and rise above expectations. She had even planned on cosplaying her while going to a convention with her friends…if she still lived in Tokyo, she noted, scowling again.
The drive to their new town was proving to be monotonous. Nothing but trees, mountains, and the occasional bird. She did see a deer once, but that was just about the only exciting thing.
Finally, after what seemed like the longest time, the family drove into a little town. Well, maybe it wasn't that little. It was definitely much smaller than Tokyo, yet it was also bigger than she was expecting. Chibiusa gathered that if the pine trees were taken away, she would be able to tell exactly how large the town of Serenity was. It definitely didn't look like a bad place to live. As they drove to the top of a hill, she could even see a shopping mall in the distance.
The new house was hidden among a maze of trees and side streets. It was approximately the same size as their old house, yet the wood was polished instead of painted. It reminded Chibiusa of a log cabin, complete with a stone chimney. The moving truck was already parked in front of the house, looking very much out of place in the serene little neighborhood.
Unpacking was no easy business. Every member of the family had to rush back and forth, carrying heaps of boxes. Even Kousagi was expected to pitch in, although she had help from her parents. As for Chibiusa? She was stuck carrying her own things in. Carting a particularly heavy box, she wasn't in the mood to explore the house much yet—however, at least she had the first pick of her bedroom. And if Kousagi wanted that room, then first come, first serve!
Eventually, she dumped the box into a large room in the back. The window offered a view of the forest behind the house. It was a rather nice view, but with a sigh, she realized that she didn't have much time to admire it. There were still many boxes to unpack. She made to turn around and leave, but a flash of gray caught her eye and caused her to look out the window again.
It was a cat. A kitten, by the look of it. It had solid, cement-gray fur. It also lacked a collar. But what intrigued Chibiusa the most about this cat was its face. Its eyes were a beautiful ruby-red shade, a color she knew was not normal for cats. Also on its face was what seemed to be a bald spot right in the middle of its forehead, shaped exactly like a crescent moon turned on its side. The kitten spotted Chibiusa and mewed plaintively. With somewhat of a sad smile, she turned to resume her unpacking.
When she turned back, the cat had vanished.
"Strange," Chibiusa murmured, before returning outside and grabbing another box.
Author's Note: This chapter was pretty hard to write, and for a reason you can probably guess—nothing happens. Just descriptions and introduction and slight foreshadowing. I apologize for this, and I can also tell you that the pace will pick up during the next couple of chapters. Oh, and the chapters will definitely get longer.
Please review! It really gives me motivation to write more! Even constructive criticism will be appreciated! Just no flames, please.
Oh, and would anyone be interested in beta-ing this story? I really want to improve my writing, and I'd love to have someone help out, especially with this fanfic. I plan on making it epic and I really don't think I'll be able to pull that off without a beta.