Sorry for the very long wait. Looks like this show went on a very long mid-season break. Unfortunately I can't guarantee regular episode broadcasting from here on out as I'm about to have other commitments take over in my real life (mainly my going to study abroad for 12 months). So with about a month before I go, I might try and punch out a few more Sailor Moon B adventures for you all to enjoy. Thanks for all the reviews and I hope they keep coming with this latest chapter!
~In this world, there exists two types of souls: those that are sustained through a pure heart and able to guide themselves to through the outerworld. We can equate these souls to the majestic shooting stars of our cosmos.
However there are also those whose souls are deprived of a heart, unable to sustain themselves without feasting upon others – forever hungering the satisfaction of a heart – but never able to fill the dark void which tears through their chest each and every waking moment. They are the black holes of our galaxy, consuming the stars and all in its path.
...But some posses a hunger far greater than a mere human could withstand...It is this immense yearning for fulfilment which drives some of the darkest forces to plague their misery on earth...It is these forces which the Sailor Senshi must thwart in order to save those of pure heart...and to save the very earth itself from becoming a Hollow's Domain...~
Sailor Moon B
Episode 6: A Hot New Homeroom Teacher!? Cirucci Enters the Scene!
The cold evening breeze brought up goosebumps on Rukia's exposed legs. She flipped open her mobile one last time, with the faint blue light of the phone revealing her frustration and tested patience in this environment.
Leaning back against the wall of a building in an alley just off a fairly secluded road itself, she sighed, a cloud of vapour escaping between her numb lips.
She sensed his presence before he could even appear. "You're late."
"My bad! My bad!" The man said as he held what appeared to be a hat down in front of his eyes. "I'm certainly no gentleman leaving a poor girl to shiver out here in the middle of the night...I'd offer you a coat or a blanket but..."
"Just cut the crap and give me the order already," Rukia huffed angrily as she held out her hand.
"Hai, here you go M'lady!" the man handed over a small box which rattled when Rukia put it into her skirt pocket. "I can only hope he gets his memories back soon."
"Me too." Rukia let out another steamy sigh. "Even my memory's getting hazier from back then."
"Have you made sure to take them daily?" the man asked in a manner as though he were a doctor speaking to a stubborn patient.
"Well...when I can remember to..."
"Tsk-tsk, you've gotten a lot cheekier lately. I just hope you're still looking after Ichigo now."
"Of course I am!" Rukia stammered in defence all of a sudden, before she began to hug her arms and shiver. "I mean, how else will he cope, when he remembers it all again...?"
~/~/~
"Quieten down everyone and take your seats," the principle said as he stood in front of the classroom. Usagi thought about the last battle, the two sword-weilding warriors who seemed to be on their side, as well as that odd surge in power she suddenly felt before blacking out.
The five girls had a brief meeting at Rei's shrine before school this morning:
"These two swordsmen appear to be on our side for now," Luna mentioned in front of the other girls gathered around the steps into the shrine. "If we knew what they were after or their goal, we could ally with them against this latest threat."
"That reminds me," Rei put a hand to her chin. "The 'Daikon' was it? That girl kept saying something about a Daikon, like a Great Soul or something."
"It sounds like these new enemies like to devour souls, ugh that makes my fur stand alright!" Artemis chipped in as his tail went straight up.
"We'll just have to be on our guard and stay close in case they come back soon." Ami summed up their little meeting with probably the best possible advise for the time being.
As the remaining students finally packed themselves into the classroom the principle made his announcement. "Now I have some unfortunate news to relay to you all. Your Homeroom teacher Mr. Tanaka is taking leave from this school due to stress."
"Oh well..." One boy with his hands raised above his head in the back of the room showed his sympathy for his old teacher.
"Silence." The principle said as he cleared his throat to continue. "In his indefinite absence, your home-room class will now be taught by a new teacher who has transferred from a French High School. I want you all to make her feel welcome in this school and in this new country of hers." As he stepped aside from the teacher's desk, he gestured for the teacher to enter. "Ms. Sandwhich if you would please."
"Kogh! Sandwhich!?" That same rambunctious student scoffed alone.
"Ah yes, please excuse my strange foreign surname." As the teacher gracefully strolled into the room, she revealed her stunning looks; dark-purple hair which zigzagged down her cheeks and purple lipstick and eye-liner for her doll-like face. And dressed in a white blouse which almost seemed solely worn to show off her curves and bust, she would make every boy in this classes midnight fantasies quite literally come true.
"Whoa, she's our new teacher eh?" Rukia overheard Ichigo's words of awe as he tried his best not to stare at any particular part of his new teacher's body for more than a second.
"My name's Shirley Sandwhich and I'm looking forward to teaching you boys and girls all you need to know from now on. Okay?" Ms Sandwhich introduced herself with a friendly wink that seemed to assassinate the rowdy kid at the back, making him fall off his chair and drawing a few well deserved laughs his direction.
Meanwhile Usagi scrunched her pen as she felt a strange sensation emanating from this teacher. She would have thought nothing of it until she caught Rukia's equally discomforted expression a few seats away.
So I'm not the only one. Usagi thought as she returned her gaze to the teacher's thick-lipped smile. What is it about this teacher, which makes my heart feel so cold?
~/~/~
"I'm serious you two, I felt really strange when that teacher came in," Usagi squeezed her juicebox angrily as she tried to convince Minako and Makoto that she wasn't going insane.
"Oh stop it Usagi, I admit I'm a little jealous of her gorgeous looks too," Minako sighed as she gazed up at the sky but you can't say she's a bad person just because she's pretty or a foreigner or something."
"I don't think that's what Usagi meant," Makoto tried to act as a mediator as she rested a hand on the school lawn outside. "Maybe Usagi did sense something odd about this teacher. I mean it wouldn't be the first time an enemy has tried to mask their identity around us."
"See Mina-chan! Makoto understands me," Usagi said as wrapped her arms around a nervous Makoto.
"Hey guys, what are you all talking about?" Ami finally found her group as she sat down with her boxed lunch.
"Oh Usagi-chan's just all worked up about our cute new teacher," Mina said dismissively again.
"She felt a strange aura around her didn't you Usagi?" Makoto explained properly to the Blue haired member of their group.
"Really?" Ami said with genuine concern rather than any condescension. "I felt a like our new teacher was a little strange too."
~/~/~
The curtains were all shut and the lights turned off in the science room where an informal staff meeting was taking place.
"So did the students muck up for you today too, Ci?"
"Just one little smart-cookie sitting at the back but I think they all enjoyed my circus act as a teacher."
The first teacher offered a crude smile, his teeth shining white in the otherwise pitch-black room. "Whoever gets the prize first won't just be promoted at this lil' school'y eh?"
"I've already begun assessing the students." The female voice snickered with a husky tone. "I made that naughty boy stay back and receive a remedial lesson he'll never forget..."
~/~/~
"GAGK! ARGH! What's happening to me? Why can't I stop shaking?" In the hidden corners of Juuban High, where you can often find pompadours and bandaged waists were the boy from class 2-3's delinquent chums hanging out as usual.
"Dude what kind of drug's've you been takin'? Coz I want some too!" One of the pompadour freaks inquired as a few other less feral looking buddies actually showed some concern for the poor kid.
"Hey man, I think he might need to go to the nurse or something. Maybe he OD'd on somethin'"
"What? Come on Goro, harden up. Snap out of your trip and give me some of that medicine eh?"
But he was unable to respond, with the bones in this hands flexing and stretching beyond human limits. His skin was getting colder, paler and harder, as his jawline began expanding forward into a mutilated form.
"Gah! What the hell's happened to you Goro?" The main delinquent tripped backwards as the others began running for their lives.
All that remained was the silhouette of a deformed young boy against the wall that was now streaked in red.
~/~/~
"Help! Somebody! Our mate Goro's just, he's just-"
The four Sailor Senshi stood up and were alerted by a couple of screaming students. Emerging from the corner of a building was a large bony hand as it grabbed a female student by the leg and lifted her 10 metres into the air before slamming her head onto the ground in a bone-crunching landing.
"What's going on!?" Usagi shouted in disbelief. "Don' tell me they've come to attack our school again?"
"Again?" The other three blinked in brief confusion before they realised they had something far more pressing to do right now.
With all the other students eyes focused on the direction away from the mysterious monster, the four Senshi raised their hands or brooches in unison and transformed into four Sailor Warriors.
"MERCURY PLANET POWER: MAKE UP!"
"JUPITER PLANET POWER: MAKE UP!"
"VENUS PLANET POWER: MAKE UP!"
"MOON ETERNAL POWER: MAKE UP!"
Sailor Venus sized up their latest enemy as the other three Senshi advanced. "Another one of them Hollows huh?"
Sailor Moon seemed to shed that same concerned expression she offered her teacher this morning. "What is it Sailor Moon?" Sailor Jupiter asked.
"It's just, this one seems a bit different to the other's."
"Let's go get him." Sailor Jupiter declared as she went up first to attack the Mantis-like creature. "JUPITER: OAK EVOLUTION!"
The volley of energised tree bullets seemed only to annoy the monster rather than inflict any serious damage. As he went to swipe Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus caught his arm with her Love-Me Chain.
"Now Sailor Mercury!" Venus called out to the aqueous warrior as she summoned a harp of water for her attack.
"MERCURY: AQUA RHAPSODY!"
"The turbo-charged stream of water threw the Mantis-like monster back a few steps but otherwise just drenched him with no real effect.
Sailor Moon was still unsure about this latest enemy. "Hey guys I think there's something-"
"What are you doing Sailor Moon?" Jupiter cut her off as she pointed at the enemy. "Now's your chance to-OOF" But she was flung across the playground as the Hollow managed to strike her torso.
"Sailor Jupiter!" Venus ran over with an attack ready to avenge her fallen comrade. "VENUS: LOVE AND BEAUTY-Ow!" Another wayward strike ended Venus Love and Beauty session as she remained crumpled against some garden bushes.
"No! Sailor Moon you must stop this enemy now." Mercury said as she guarded the Moon Princess. But just as Sailor Moon braced herself to try and confront the enemy, two black cloaks descended onto the playground.
"Another Hollow, I hope we've made in time." The female swordsman said as she slid her sandals firmly into the ground.
"Those Sailor girls beat us to the scene again." The fiery haired boy mentioned as he gripped his sword tighter.
"Don't worry, your friends took a little beating but are okay." The raven haired one assured Sailor Moon and Mercury. "We'll take over now."
"Wait you two!" Sailor Moon pleaded with the pair just as they were about to slash their blades down upon the Hollow. "This one's not like the last few, he's"
"Goro!"
The four of them turned towards the cries of a fellow student as he held onto his knees in exhaustion. After he caught his breath he looked up at the strange visitors at his school and begged for their help. "You've gotta save my buddy Goro. He's inside that monster!"
"WHAT!" But just as the two swordsmen were about to return their gaze to the enemy they too were swept to the side by his powerful swipe. The boy managing to cushion his female friend's impact somewhat as they were flown into the trunk of a nearby tree.
"SOULS...NEED...SOULS GRAOW!" The distance between Sailor Moon and this monster named Goro was shortening with each long step the creature took. As Sailor Moon clutched her wand, she realised she had to do something to save the presence that she felt dwelling within the tormented beast.
"Sailor Moon I'll-" But with Mercury the latest victim of the heavy mantis swipe, now only Sailor Moon stood between this behemoth and his lust for souls.
Sailor Moon...Sailor Moon, can you hear my voice?
"What?" Sailor Moon froze up as Goro's shadow overcame her tiny frame.
Sailor Moon...If you want to live and save those precious to you, then you must heed my voice. Raise your wand and call out this command! Hurry do it now, Sailor Moon!
"You, you have a pretty Soul...I must take!"
But just as Goro's claws were about to pierce the Eternal Moon Warrior's heart, she blocked it with a suddenly modified wand; a wand that was flatter and appeared to have a sharp edge, like a pink sword.
"What's she doing?" The Raven-haired swordswoman got up and noticed Sailor Moon blocking the Hollow's attack. With a glowing aura around her body, Sailor Moon pushed back the Hollow as she raised her new weapon in the air and shouted.
"MOON SOUL PURIFY KISS!" And as she motioned her sword-like wand downward, an arc of light energy penetrated the Hollow's body from his head down his left leg, slicing through the evil shell which encased Goro's body.
"GAAGH! GRACEFUL!" And with that somewhat random final word, the impure hollow was exorcised from Goro's body, as a more human form slumped to the ground unconscious. A tiny parasitic-like hollow emerged from the back of his chest, crawling only a few metres before turning his body up and dying a loud, painful death.
"So another smaller Hollow had possessed this boy's soul?" The orange haired Shinigami observed as the pair walked over towards the boy.
"Stay away from that boy." Jupiter grunted as she limped to her feet. "If Sailor Moon hadn't used that power of hers just now, you two probably would've chopped that monster up without thinking there might be a human inside."
The Raven grew insulted at Jupiter's words and snapped back. "You know nothing about Shinigami, we would've had this situation under control, but you Sailor Senshi keep interfering with our work!"
"You two were late!" Jupiter continued arguing. "If we weren't already here, that boy could've done a lot more damage and hurt more people!"
"Tch."
"Cut it out Rukia," the male Shinigami mumbled as he rested a hand on her shoulder.
"What did you say?" The other Senshi thought they heard a familiar name but the orange-haired kid just laughed it off.
"Well, I admit you've got a pretty effective Hollow fighting power there...ugh...Sailor Moon was it?"
"Wah! Uh Um...Yeah that's it thank you," Sailor Moon answered blushingly as she averted her gaze towards her strange new weapon.
"Looks a bit like a Zanpakuto, but you girls don't appear to be Shinigami," the boy regarded with a light chuckle as he tapped his comrades shoulder. "Maybe if we need help fighting these guys, we'll call you up sometime."
"Oi!" But his female friend didn't seem as pleased with the proposal as she elbowed his side.
"Ow! Come on I'm sorry then."
As Sailor Moon watched the pair banter with each other, she couldn't help but feel reminded of another odd couple that had come across her life recently. She also wondered who that voice belonged to that was calling out before. And she also wondered who was behind this latest attack on people's souls.
~/~/~
Unbeknownst to her wavering thoughts, behind a slightly open curtain blind, a purple-haired teacher was cursing to herself.
"So it seems I've got a few troublemakers in my class after all..." said Ms. Sandwhich, otherwise known by her Espada colleagues as Cirucci Sanderwicci.
Usagi: My new Homeroom teacher gives me the creeps
Rukia: I know, look at how she plasters all that make-up on, trying to woo the boys...
Usagi: Everytime she looks at me, I get a shiver down my spine.
Rukia: ...And the way Ichigo pants like a dog every time she passes his desk...
Usagi: I think we should keep an eye on her. I believe she might be up to something
Rukia: ...Yeah, that whore's trying to steal my Ichigo away.
Usagi: Um...I think you're getting the wrong idea...
Next time on Sailor Moon B: A Deadly Detention!? Rukia and Ichigo's Identity revealed!?
~The Moonlight carries the message of love~