After the End
Chapter 2: Dark Blue
1992
Tokyo
Serenity stood before her mirror, arranging her hair on top of her head. The blonde locks tumbled from a massive bun and spilled over her shoulders. She frowned.
"This is not working." There was simply too much hair.
"I liked the braid better." Luna interjected from the rabbit-patterned bedspread.
Serenity turned the frown towards her feline advisor. "The braid was like a handle attached directly to my brain. Too easy for it to catch on things." She pulled out the pins and let her hair fall loose. It hung nearly to her knees. "I still think scissors are in order."
"I told you, your hair can't be cut." Luna said. "Now that you remember your past life, your body wants to return to the way it was then. Including your hair."
Serenity picked up the scissors from her desk. She'd agreed to try other methods to quiet her nearly-hysterical cat. Enough was enough. She grabbed a chunk of hair just above her elbows and chopped through it. Luna mewled in distress, shutting her eyes.
"There." Serenity said triumphantly, holding up the shorn hair. "Now what was that ab-"
The pain.
She fell to her knees, dropping the scissors. Clutched her head. Bit her lip to keep from screaming. She could feel it growing back. It was pulling energy from her to grow more swiftly, shooting out of her scalp like bamboo.
It stopped.
Serenity lowered her hands gingerly from her temples and took a cautious breath. "What in the seven murdering circles was that?"
"I did warn you." Luna answered, peeking with one eye. "It's longer than ever now."
"But why?" The hair was like medusa's coils now, like Lady Godiva as a twisting snare. Her hands were caught in it.
"It has to do with fates remembered."
"Is that a real thing, or just something you made up?"
Luna ignored this. "The part of your soul that traveled from the past remembers you as you were then. Every time you try to change your appearance, it reacts badly. And since you have probably more magical power than anyone else on Earth..."
"It has extra for hair-growing." Serenity sighed. "Great. Is there a way to shut it off? I mean, what if Mom tries to cut my hair or something?"
Luna just shrugged.
000
Jadeite had failed. This was new. He hadn't had any trouble gathering energy on Earth before. He had set up the store and the plan for doomed Morga, and gone off to play with his newest pet. No problem, just as planned. He'd done it a dozen times already. But he'd barely gotten the human strapped into place when he felt something strange. It was not unlike a bubble popping. A bubble of energy, carefully gathered. This was not good.
He was walking to Beryl's throne room. Walking because teleporting would leave him no time to think. He'd been sloppy. Too sloppy for her liking. Beryl's white-glove test of his technique would not come up clean this time.
The question, of course, was what to do next. Jadeite pondered possible plans for a few paces. Clearly, the plan should follow in three steps. Firstly, discover who or what had disrupted his plans. Secondly, discover if the person or persons had allies or other forms of back-up. Thirdly, capture or kill the person or persons. Ideally of course, he would torture this unknown until their tiny mind snapped and then reshape them into an all-too-willing slave. It was his specialty, and he enjoyed the opportunity to work.
By the time Jadeite reached the throne room, he had to pause for a full minute to control his smile.
000
Pain. Everything is pain. How long have I been trapped here? I cannot see sunlight. I cannot hear the wind. Only the flicker of torches and the drip of water into these gray puddles.
I will keep fighting. I have no weapons left, but a shield I keep inside my head. I have not lost yet. I know there are others. They will come for me.
If they do not come soon, I shall be lost.
I shall die.
I do not want to die. Not yet.
000
"Yeah, the hospital sent me home in the afternoon. I was really only there for half a day. So it wasn't that serious." Naru was trying to pretend she didn't love being in the middle of a cluster of her classmates, but it was clear to Serenity how much she was enjoying herself. The energy drain didn't seem to have damaged her at all. She always had bounced back quickly. Serenity was no longer sure how many times the other Naru had been drained. She hoped the number would be lower this time.
She was at her desk, doodling and writing in French. None of the other students would understand that, and it gave her a way to work out her tangled plans. And to sketch badly-drawn images of herself with a pageboy. Once she'd decided to return to her customary odango style, it had become laughably simple to tame her blonde locks.
What would be next? In the past few days, she had battled familiar foes- a tarot reader, the pop-idol youma, the energy-stealing flowers, among others. Everything had gone according to plan, with one exception. Jadeite had not appeared at the radio station as she remembered. He hadn't been there when she arrived. She was unsure if her more competent combat style had scared him off or if it was just a subtle shift in the timeline based on her previous actions and the timing of her arrival. She had yet to encounter the Shitennou.
In each incident, Serenity had arrived much earlier than in the previous timeline, and acted more decisively. As soon as she realized another youma had begun its wicked work, she would track it down and slay it. As a bonus, she now had much more time between assaults to play at the arcade. Serenity hadn't realized quite how much she missed having fun in the last few years of the invasion. She had not played an arcade game or eaten ice cream in years, even before things began to wind down to the end of her world.
Her hair, meanwhile, had resisted most of her attempts to change it. So far the best she'd been able to do was let it down after transforming. She didn't want Jadeite to notice the similarity between her and her senshi form. She was also concerned that no one else uncover her secret. It had been mostly luck that had saved her from exposure last time. Now, with her sudden alteration in behavior, it was entirely likely that some bright spark would make the connection.
She had tried to conceal her new maturity to some degree, but it was hard to be as spontaneous and carefree as she knew she should be. She had merged with Usagi, true, and to some degree she was Usagi, of course, but most of her soul was centuries old and had simply forgotten how to giggle and be unconcerned about the future.
She was too concerned about the future. About the past. About the present. Right now, she was concerned about the Dark Kingdom. If Jadeite never emerged from hiding, she would not be able to defeat him. She did not want to have to face down all four generals when she arrived at the North Pole.
Serenity consulted her notes. If she was correct, she'd be meeting one of her oldest friends very soon. If events unfolded as she anticipated, Ami should be transferring to Juuban within the week. Sailormercury had been dead for three years already when Serenity traveled back in time.
The first assault on the Grey Court had been unexpectedly one-sided. They had been lucky to lose only one senshi. The battles to follow had been far deadlier. Mars and Uranus had both fallen in the same year. All their strategies fell apart as soon as they began fighting. Somehow, the Grey Court had known everything they planned almost before they had planned it.
"They sent the plague against us."
"We cannot let this go on. We have to fight back."
"Our spies have not been detected. We will strike without warning."
"The goal of this first assault is to capture –or kill- Contesse Lilliana."
"They don't look surprised to see us!"
"Fall back! Fall back!"
"Mercury, no!"
"Did I... did I get her?"
"The assault has failed, Your Majesty."
It would be different this time. Serenity would make sure of that.
000
Jadeite was furious. His failures had been piling up at an alarming rate. He had to change that, and soon. If he didn't bring back more energy next time, he'd be a head shorter within moments of his return. Even his toys were not soothing his snarled nerves, and he couldn't seem to conjure an adequate plan to deal with his issues.
He had hidden a scrying crystal in the radio station that housed his most recent venture, and kept a minion stationed to watch the results. He had watched the arrival of the skirted warrior with a growing sense of doom. The speed with which she dispatched his creature did not help his mood.
A girl in a blue sailor fuku, with red bows and long blonde hair, loosely flowing. He'd seen this before. He'd thought that the problem had been solved. He had the evidence, after all.
Jadeite opened the door to his personal dungeon, a sequestered section of the main dungeons. The door was locked and only he held the key. Inside was a row of empty cells and a room with a wide assortment of deadly tools, facing the open bars of the cells. Any prisoners he had would have to watch as he tore the knowledge he desired from those who went under the knife.
At the end of the hall was another door, which led to a special cell. This one was occupied. Crumpled in a corner lay a teenage girl, blonde and blue-eyed. She wore a tattered blue sailor fuku with red bows.
They could have been twins.
000
Mizuno Ami walked back to her seat after introducing herself. A new school was always rather exciting, if quite intimidating. The teacher was passing out the history test. Ami rather liked history. It wasn't her favorite subject, but it was quite enjoyable in its own way.
She had it filled out and finished ten minutes ahead of everyone else.
The scores were posted by lunchtime.
"Second place?" She was shocked. Ami had never placed second. Not even in kindergarten.
"Wow, that new girl is smart." A voice behind her said, "she almost beat Tsukino-san."
"Don't you think it's weird how Tsukino's been doing so well all year?"
"Yeah, it's like she's had a brain transplant or something."
Ami frowned slightly. This was not right. She was always first. Not that she minded, of course. That would be silly. She turned around and ehaded back to the classroom. She'd just go ahead and study through lunch. Not that she minded, but it would be interesting to see if she could catch up to this girl.
000
Serenity was sitting on a low brick wall, watching the cram school down the street. Ami had walked into it after school, before Serenity could corner her. She was waiting for her to emerge. She knew their first meeting wouldn't be exactly identical to the one in her old timeline, but she hope it would at least be on the same terms. She wanted so desperately to have her old friend back, alive and unahrmed, and to see that this time, she remained that way.
"I don't know why you're so nervous." Luna remarked from her lap. "You know her already, after all."
"I know the old her." Serenity answered truthfully. "And she doesn't know the new me." Again, true. Why was she hiding the truth about herself from Luna? Serenity told herself it was because the cat wouldn't believe her, but she knew it was a lie. She didn't want to explain. She didn't want to share that horrible future with anyone.
Why?
Two reasons. First, the future was just that- the future. Changeable. Always in motion. Everything she did, everything she'd already done, was changing it. Telling Luna what had happened couldn't really help. Second, the future was her failure. Serenity didn't want to share that with anyone. Partly for her personal shame, and partly because it was just too horrible. She wanted a future where she was the only one who remembered that any of that had even happened.
If it was possible, she wanted to change everything bad that had happened, make it so it never existed. She wanted to save everyone from everything. She knew that wasn't going to be possible. The enemies would come. They were drawn to her dear blue jewel in the heavens like moths to a bug zapper. And, like the moths, she would make sure they did not venture too closely without consequences.
Serenity smirked at the mental image of Beryl with giant brown moth wings, electrocuted by blue light.
"She can't have changed that much." Luna said, reassuringly. "You haven't."
She had.
"I can't help worrying." Serenity said. "I think it's just something I have to do."
Luna sighed. Then she perked up. "I hear footsteps."
The cram school doors opened.
000
The cell doors closed.
I am alone.
For now.
This chain feels looser.
My mind feels... looser.
Hurry.
000
"What a lovely kitty!" Ami exclaimed.
Luna preened, purring as Ami stroked her pointy ears.
"She's very tame." Serenity agreed. "I've had her for a very long time."
"Most cats I've seen are much more shy."Ami tickled Luna's chin. "I'm Mizuno Ami, by the way."
"Tsukino Usagi. You're the new girl at Juuban, right?"
"Tsukino?" Ami stiffened up. "The Tsukino Usagi with the high score in every subject?"
"...yes?" Serenity wasn't sure what the problem was.
"I have to go. I'm sorry, Tsukino-san." Ami turned and walked away.
000
Luna found Serenity in a park down the street, banging her hand into the trunk of a tall tree.
Smack "Stupid!"
Smack "Stupid!"
Smack "Stupid!"
Luna sat back and watched for a moment. This was going to take a while.
000
Ami frowned at her books. She'd left quite abruptly. She hadn't forgotten anything, but she felt bad about the encounter.
It wasn't really Tsukino-san's fault that she was doing better than Ami. In everything.
Why was that?
Never mind, Ami.
So why was it getting to her? Why couldn't she just be polite, be nice, study hard, all of that? Because she wasn't the best anymore, that was why. She had to be the best. Didn't she?
And why do you have to be the best?
Why indeed.
She should apologize. Ami sighed. She'd been rude, for no good reason. She'd have to make it up somehow.
That was when she noticed her cram school floppy disk was missing.
000
Ami was searching under her desk when she heard the footsteps approaching the classroom. She ducked behind the desk, a little ashamed of herself. She didn't want to explain to the teacher that she'd lost her disk. The door swung open.
Ami saw the teacher enter and give a cursory glance around the classroom. Seeing no one, the teacher smirked, an ugly expression. She held up one hand.
"Jadeite, first of the Shitennou, Jadeite, keeper of darkness, Jadeite, right hand of Her Majesty. I call you three times and ask that you appear."
There was a shimmer in the air. The wavering, illusory head of an arrogant blond man appeared in the air before her. Ami gasped, covering her mouth to hide the sound.
She saw the teacher report on energy collections. She saw the blond man smile. She saw the illusion vanish. And then she saw the teacher pull her arms into her chest and close her eyes... and the plastic disk on the floor under her desk activated, pulling energy away from her.
Ami collapsed as her knees gave way. The room was all sideways and going... fuzzy. She reached for the disk, but it was running away from her, laughing lightly.
000
Serenity walked into the cram school, Luna following her. The little black cat hadn't said a word about her outburst in the park. Wise Luna.
She climbed the stairs to the classroom, reaching out with her senses- there! The youma was inside, and so was Ami. Still alive.
Serenity raised her hand to the brooch at her neck. "Moon Prism Power...
000
The floor was harder than it looked. You'd think that all that wood would be a little softer than concrete. Ami felt more as through the floor had teamed up with all of her textbooks and jumped her in a dark alley. She blinked her eyes slowly open. Across the room was a war zone.
Her teacher was in a Mexican standoff with a girl Ami recognized instantly as Sailor V, and then corrected herself, it was the new heroine, Sailormoon. Her long blonde hair fell looosly to the ground behind her. The two were standing still, watching each other with deadly eyes. Behind the teacher, a great gash had been carved into the wall. Similarly, a scorch mark stood out on the white paint across from her.
Sailormoon held a glowing gold disk in one hand. She seemed to be waiting for something.
Ami started to sit up slowly, rubbing her head. She had a vague idea of getting to the door, or at least out of the way, but before she could, several crazy things happened at once.
First, a talking cat ran up to her and said, "Stay down!" jumping at her and knocking her back onto the very hard floor.
Second, the teacher shimmered and changed into something from one of Ami's more horrible dreams.
Then, she hit her head again, in the same place, and the (now rather blurry) monster jumped at Sailormoon, wielding an axe.
Ami clutched her temples and whimpered quietly. Why was there a monster in her cram school? (This did explain the complaints of 'evil' tests, but really!) Why was there a talking cat? Why any of it? There wasn't anything important about this cram school. It was exactly like every other cram school. Nondescript, boring, and not really a place anyone wanted to go.
Good place to hide monsters, said her right hemisphere, adding that it could really go for an aspirin about now.
Ami twisted so she was facing the cat, and heard from behind her a loud 'thunk', as if something sharp (say an axe) had just struck something hard (like the desk or the wall). She winced, but didn't look.
"Cat!" She hissed, "hey cat!"
"Luna." The cat corrected her from where she lay pressed against the (very hard) floor.
"Can we get out of here?" Ami said in a whisper.
The cat shook her head. "Better to stay out of the- LEFT! LEFT!"
Ami rolled, adrenaline rushing. The axe took a chunk out of the (very hard) floor as the blade grazed her arm. She screamed and scrabbled at the floor, trying to get away. Her arm left little drops of blood on the wooden floor.
The heavy red hand of the creature grabbed a handful of her uniform blouse and hauled Ami up off the ground. It looked at her at eye level and cackled unkindly. The axe rose. Ami shut her eyes.
The axe flew through the air towards her.
The golden discus severed the hand that held Ami. She dropped. The axe ran past her head, slicing a few hairs.
Ami looked up at the handless monster. Why didn't she cut off the axe? she wondered to herself.
Sailormoon looked a little worse for wear. The axe had grazed her several times in passing, and a large chunk of her golden hair was missing, just below her ears.
The monster charged her. Ami screamed again. If only there were something useful I could do!
A blue glow surrounded her. Everything was tinged in soft aquatic tones. The cat gasped as Sailormoon dodged the oncoming axe, losing another chunk of her locks.
"'ake 'is!" Luna shouted around a funny-looking wand in her mouth. Ami bent and gently took the wand. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. She raised it up.
"Mercury Power, Make-up!"
Everything was blue. She was cold, then naked, then frozen, then clothed again- but such clothes! There wasn't time for a full inventory, but her legs felt quite drafty. She felt stronger, faster, and full of energy. She looked around. Sailormoon was facing the creature again. She didn't seem able to get away from it for long enough to aim her gold discus.
There must be something I can do...
There was. As soon as she reached for it, the knowledge was there. She moved quickly through a series of set gestures, and added the words. "SHABON SPRAY!"
A cloud of fog. She could make out the fight only dimly, but she had a feeling that others would be nearly blinded by her magic. My magic. Now that's special.
The gold discus cut through the fog and the youma with equal ease.
Sailormoon picked her way around the ashes left by the disintegrating creature and picked up the disc from the floor. She crushed it in one gloved hand. There was a puff of white energy.
"There." She smiled and held out her hand. "Hello Sailormercury. It's very nice to see you again."
"Again?"
"Yes, we've met before. Not just in this life." Sailormoon closed her eyes and a soft wind rippled over her, changing her back into Tsukino Usagi. Her hair remained at its new, choppy length.
Ami stared.
And stared.
"I'm going to need an explanation." She said finally. "And maybe a chart." She looked down at herself and blushed. "And how do I do... what you just did?
000
000
AN- Two things!
1) I'm sorry this took me so long to write. I honestly didn't think it future reference, I will be posting a completion percentage tally on my profile, updated whenever I write more of the current chapter. I have my reasons to be busy, and I'm sure you understand. If you don't, nuts to you! :)
2) Thank you all for the reviews and the favorites! Feedback helps a story grow, and reviews make a writer want to write faster and more often! Please continue to review, even if it's just to say you liked it, it really does help.
3) Any author's notes I post in the future will be on my profile, to avoid cluttering up the chapters with obsolete explanations. Profile will be updated after the chapter posts, and it may take a few minutes, so don't freak.
4) I know I said two things, but I lied.