I'm Usagi Tsukino and I'm 14 years old. I'm in eighth grade. I'm a little clumsy and a bit of a crybaby. That's about it.
"Usagi!" called her mother from downstairs as the blonde tossed in her sleep, pulling the purple blanket with bunnies over her as she tried to drift back to sleep. "It's past eight o'clock!" This made her practically jump out of bed and rapidly begin to change into her school uniform consisting of a long blue skirt, a white blouse with a sailor-style collar, and a ribbon that was tied at the bottom. Once that was done she raced down the stairs where her mother, Ikuko, was putting the finishing touches on her lunch.
However, Usagi didn't pay much attention to this as she raced to the bathroom and began to rapidly brush her teeth while crying, "MAMA! Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" Usagi cried as she wiped off her mouth.
"I did darling," Ikuko replied with a sigh as she walked out of the kitchen to finally Usagi nearly falling over as she piled her books into her schoolbag. "Are you going to have breakfast this morning?"
At the mention of food, Usagi peeked in and began to drool at the sight of the delicious meal that her mother had prepared for her family with her father and younger brother's plates already gone. It looks so steamy and delectable and Usagi was so hungry but before she could walk in, she heard the clock ticking. She turned her head! It was already 8:15! If she was late again then she would be in trouble again!
Usagi sighed before quickly running over, grabbing her lunch bag, and shoved it into her mouth. "Bye, mama!" the fourteen-year-old said with her mouth full as she nearly tripped over herself as she ran full speed out of the house.
"What am I gonna do with that girl?" Ikuko said, exasperated as her daughter left the house.
Usagi started to run out of breath from running so long, even though she was still pretty close to her house. Taking a moment she began to take deep breaths, slumping over with her hands on her knees. "Why can't school be closer?" she said in an exasperated voice in between taking deep breaths when she heard the wailing of a cat. Curious and scared for the feline, Usagi took off running in the direction to find some kids harassing the terrified creature which broke the blonde's heart? How could people be so cruel?
Without another thought Usagi ran towards the children, shouting, "HEY! STOP THAT!" and to her joy this seemed to have been enough to send the children running with their tail between their legs (no pun intended). "Little brats," she said before looking down at the black cat who was laying on its side with a bandage in the middle of her forehead.
Carefully she crouched down and picked her up, "Ah poor thing," she said as she held the cat up to check for other bruises. Luckily, it seemed like besides being scared, those boys didn't do anything too horrible but Usagi couldn't help but be drawn to the bandage on the cat's forehead. "That's weird. Why would they put a bandage on you?" she asked permission and as if to answer her, the cat began to howl in pain with her paws scratching at the said bandage. "You want me to take it off? Okay," Usagi continued and in seconds she managed to peel away the offending object to reveal that the bandage had been hiding a golden crescent moon facing upwards. With the bandage uncovered Usagi knew this sounded strange but she could've sworn that the cat was staring directly at her. Crazy right? Yeah. Crazy. Like that bald spot. "That's a crazy bald spot," Usagi said out loud, and almost like the cat could understand her, she began to scratch up Usagi's face causing the injured girl to drop the cat. "Well, you're welcome!" Usagi angrily said as she held her injured face in her hands. Stupid cat! Do something nice for her and the next thing you know they're trying to scratch out your eyeballs. Ugh! Usagi looked down at the place where she could've sworn she saw the cat fall but when she did the feline disappeared. Well, all for the best then, that cat was mean.
Wasn't she doing something beforehand? Oh, right! School! Oh, she was so late! With newfound energy she bolted to school, hoping that she could possibly sneak in before Sakurada-sensei realizes she wasn't there.
Breathing heavily and pushing her body to its limits, she made a final mad dash before ducking into the school building where she barely managed to sneak in undetected but somehow she managed to reach class without being noticed by anyone in the halls so that was lucky and maybe even a sign that today wouldn't be so bad. Sure a messy morning but hey that happens all the time, and if she could just manage to not be noticed by her reading classmates, maybe she could be actually seen as on time for once. Hopefully.
"Tsukino Usagi!" cried her teacher who with the other students were staring directly at her as she clung to the wall hoping to somehow be able to fade into it or develop the ability to camouflaged. Well, so much for being seen as on time. "What excuse do you have for us today?"
"Oh, um...Well, I was on my way to school when I saw this cat who was being beat up by these kids so I, with the courage of Sailor V, herself I fought them off to save the cat," Usagi replied with her hands on her hips in a heroic pose, looking quite please with herself, only to be met with laughter by the other students and a grim look on her teacher's face.
"Miss Tsukino. Do you think I was born yesterday?"
Usagi gave a very obvious nervous chuckle before smiling at the teacher. "Well, of course not, sensei," Usagi replied.
"Then do you think I would really believe such an outlandish story?" her teacher asked.
Usagi looked down and cringed. Why won't she believe me? Okay, sure she may have made up a few stories to explain her being late like how she tripped and ended up in the hospital but to be fair she did actually trip but the rest may have been a slight exaggeration, but this time she was telling the truth! "But it's the truth, sensei," Usagi replied.
"Like that time, you scraped your knee and ended up in the hospital?" asked her teacher which caused Usagi to blush out of embarrassment. "Exactly. Meet me today at lunch, but right now take your seat."
"Yes, sensei," Usagi said, dejected as her class laughed at her misfortune. Once in her seat, she rested her head on the desk and groaned. Why was she always messing up?
When lunchtime came Usagi was left in the hallway watching as everyone was happily chatting and laughing with each other while she was stuck waiting for yet another scolding by her teacher and to top it all off she had to do it with an empty stomach. She groaned at this feeling the ache in her belly became immense that she grabbed her stomach to soothe it. She looked over at her teacher who was busy with some papers on her desk and then back at her own hand that held her lunch bag. Well, if Sakurada-sensei was going to be taking a while might as well have something to eat in the meantime, sitting down she pulled open the drawstring bunny-decorated bag and pulled out the bento box that her mother had lovingly made for her. Usagi brightly smiled at that and opened it and pulled out an onigiri and just as she raised it to her lips, "Miss. Tsukino! No eating in the halls!" she was caught by her teacher which nearly made her drop her food.
Usagi gave the biggest, fakest smile as she quickly packed up her lunch and placed it back in her lunch bag. "Sorry."
Sakurada-sensei didn't seem to notice or care too much as she pulled out an English test in front of her face with peering, ugly, bright red 30 staring at her, that Usagi recognized as being their last test. "Does this look like a grade you want?" Sakurada-sensei asked.
"No, sensei," Usagi said as she was being handed the test, still staring at the 30.
"Exactly. Also, does this look like a good use of your time?" her teacher said pulling out a doodle Usagi made of a cartoonish version of her shouting at Usagi which led the former to give a small chuckle. "Well do you?"
"N-no," Usagi said quieting down.
"Also, you are constantly tardy and to top it off you make excuses instead of owning up to them," Sakurada-sensei continued.
"I'm sorry," Usagi said, blushing again.
"I expect you to do better in the future and to pay attention," Sakurada-sensei tells her before walking back inside her classroom.
Usagi walked out into the hallway with her head hung low staring at the bright red thirty taunting her on the page before sighing and hitting her head against the paper. Sure, she never had the best grades but if her parents see this, it will kill them. Or they will kill her.
"Usagi!" she heard a familiar voice call and the blonde whipped around to see a redhead with a bright green bow in her hair running towards her.
"Naru-chan," Usagi said, forcing a smile onto her face, still thinking about the thirty on her test.
"Hey, Usagi," she said, stopping next to her. "Everything okay?"
Usagi saying nothing just held out her paper to show her friend. "Oh, I'm sorry Usagi," Naru said placing her hand on her shoulder.
"Ugh. What am I gonna do?" Usagi cries, hunching forward.
"Well you could join me for a study session," a male voice said from behind the two girls that caused them to jump up in fear...before seeing it was their sort-of friend, Umino.
"Umino!" Usagi cried. "Don't sneak up on us like that."
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear your little predicament," he said, hanging off their shoulders, much to their obvious annoyance.
"Oh yeah, and you're going to help me?" Usagi asks in a frustrated tone.
Umino holds up his own test which held a 95/100 in bold red coloring inches from Usagi's eyes. "With a little help from me, Tsukino Usagi, you will be an English genius!"
Usagi stared at the test then at Umino before thinking back to the last time she tried asking him for help and ended up being worked to the bone by him. "Eh...no thank you."
"Besides she doesn't need you forcing her to study all night," Naru said stepping in on her behalf.
"I'm just trying to help," Umino whined.
"Sure you are," Naru said rolling her eyes before turning to look at Usagi, "You know, Usagi, why don't you and I head to the Osa-P after school?"
Usagi looked over at her, "Doesn't most of that stuff cost 300,000 yen?"
"Well, yeah but it's still fun to look. Besides it's right near The Crown," Naru gestured.
"That's right! The new Sailor V video game should be there by now!" Usagi cried.
"Exactly! So you wanna go after school?" Naru asks.
"Definitely!" Usagi said hugging the redhead...before they were once again interrupted by Umino who appeared between their hug.
"Speaking of Sailor V, did you hear that she stopped a robbery in Kyoto?" Umino asked.
"Oh, yeah! She's so cool! Mama told me she beat up all those guys and sent them to jail," Usagi said. "Oh what I'd give to be just like her."
Naru smiled dreamily, "Come on, Usagi. Nobody even knows who she actually is. I mean for all we know she could be someone who collects coins as a hobby or something."
"I collect coins," Umino said from the sidelines.
Usagi looked over Umino for a minute then at Naru, thinking for a minute before opening her mouth, "Well, even if she did that, she's still so cool. She's so brave and strong and smart. Now come on, I'm hungry!" With that, she dragged her friends away to help her find a place to eat.
Meanwhile, in the darkness of an underground cavern far from Tokyo or any sentient life, a woman holding a staff with an orb placed on top, hidden by the shadows surrounding her, stood over a tomb with a dark fog of deep purple spilling out of the lid.
The woman watched before saying, "I understand, my queen. We will not fail you." With this, the woman cried, "Jadeite, stand before me."
At this a man emerged, his face hidden by his golden hair as he bowed before the woman, "You called for me, my lady?"
"Our great queen is in need of life energy, and you will gather it for her. Understood?" the woman told him with a voice of ice.
"Of course. Anything to revive our queen," Jadeite says.
"Good. Now off with you," the woman said and with one final bow, he walked away into the darkness that glowed with blood-red eyes.
With the Westminster chime signaling the end of the school, Usagi raced out to find Naru and together they headed to the jewelry store her mother owns which was only a few blocks away, and once there they saw it was surrounded by what could only be described as chaos. Women and some men were pushing and shoving each other, trying to fit through the automatic doors with shouting and crying being heard by the two middle schoolers.
"What's going on Naru?" Usagi asked her friend who looked just as confused as her friend as the other times she had been there, it was usually very empty besides the occasional customer looking to buy an engagement ring or a necklace for a formal party or a bracelet as a present.
"I...don't know," Naru replied. "We should find my mom since she'll know." Usagi nodded at this and the two girls tried to squeeze themselves into the store with them being pushed and shoved by the patrons before somehow they were spat into the store with Usagi falling onto her face. "Are you okay, Usagi?" Naru asked looking over at her fallen friend.
"Yeah. This happens all the time," Usagi sadly said as she grabbed her hand.
"You know you really should get that whole clumsy out of the way. Have you ever thought of ice skating?" Naru asked as she pulled her up from the ground.
"Oh, yeah, imagine me skating across the rink like a beautiful ice fairy," she said imagining herself in one of those beautiful, rhinestone-covered dresses figure skaters wear...until she's pushed to the ground again by the customer who didn't even have the decency to apologize. "Hey!" Usagi cried at the woman as she picked herself up again only for her not to even give her a second glance as she marched towards the oddly familiar woman who was shouting about the low, low prices that the jewels were selling as men and women crowded each other to be the first to have their picks of the remaining jewels.
"5,000 yen necklaces! 3,000 yen bracelets! Diamond rings and earrings are only a whooping 6,000 yen!" called the woman.
Usagi's eyes widened in shock. Only a thousand yen for a pair of diamond necklaces? Sold! She then pulled out her purse only to find that only had enough for games at the Game Center Crown. Maybe mama would give her more money when she got home or-
"Mom?" Naru asked from beside her. Usagi looked up at Naru who stared in shock at the woman announcing her prices.
Usagi nearly burst out laughing since Naru's mother would never practically give away jewelry like this since she was always so prickly all the time, especially when it came to working. However, just as she was about to look over at Naru to tell her she was crazy, she gave a second look at the woman who was still very familiar before a realization hit Usagi like a truck. The woman shouting possessed the same auburn hair and blue eyes as her friend and looked to indeed be her mom but that couldn't be right.
"We have to go talk to her," Naru said, grabbing Usagi's arm and once again they were being squashed between the crowd before being literally dumped in front of Mrs. Osaka. "Mama, what's going on?"
Mrs. Osaka paused for a moment and looked at the two girls before putting on a smile, "Oh nothing, dear. I'm just having a sale today," she then turned her attention to Usagi who straightened up, feeling a chill rush down her neck, but why? This was just Naru's mom. "Would your little friend like anything?"
Usagi looked at her and then at the absurdly cheap jewelry hidden by the glass case. "Well, I-"
"I have just the thing for you!" Mrs. Osaka said, before walking away from the two girls who glanced over at each other. Seconds later, she came back with a polished black case and held it in front of the blonde fourteen-year-old. She opened it slowly to build the anticipation and temptation towards her before it finally opened all the way to reveal a beautiful and ornate crescent moon necklace of silver with a Gothic red rose being held in between the two horns resting on dark green velvet. It was truly beautiful and it seemed to almost be calling towards her. "Like it?"
"It's beautiful!" Usagi cried, already reaching towards the purse she kept in her backpack.
"Good. Only 6,000 yen," Mrs. Osaka replied.
Usagi looked up dejected. "I'm sorry. I don't have enough money."
The air suddenly grew colder and Usagi awkwardly smiled at Mrs. Osaka as she snapped the box close as one of her eyes began to twitch. "Well, maybe you can ask your mother then."
This line made Usagi go pale and seemed to visibly shrink at what she said with her backpack, where her failed test was, growing much heavier almost as if it wanted to weigh her down and she knew why. She put her backpack down and pulled her test and glared at it, drowning out the voice of Naru arguing with her mother over this sale.
"I gotta go Naru," Usagi said, as her grip on the test tightened.
Naru paused before looking over at Usagi before saying, "Oh okay, Usagi. See you later."
Usagi nodded before shoving through the crowds before finally finding herself at the door to the store, her eyes still on the thirty of her test as she walked out. "If only I studied a little more," Usagi scolded herself, staring at the bright red 30 that taunted her and how it promised her that once her mother sees it she will be in for a world of trouble. Usagi groaned loudly at the taunting number before starting to crumble it up and shouting, "Oh! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you, you stupid test!" before trying to throw it out of her life forever.
"Watch where you're throwing things bunhead," came the voice of an unfamiliar male.
Usagi blushed before turning around. "Oh, sorry!" she apologized only to see the guy she had hit in the head looking at her failed test.
"Thirty percent?" he commented and Usagi could've just died from embarrassment right then and there. It was bad enough her friends saw it but now this random guy too. "Looks to me like you should study harder next time bunhead."
Usagi's face turned from embarrassment to anger. Who does this guy with his stupid green jacket, boxy sunglasses, and a red necktie think he is teasing her like that!? "Well! That's none of your business," she said, reaching out to snatch her test from his grasp before sticking out her tongue at him and began walking to the Game Center Crown. "Stupid jerk! In his green jacket, making fun of me," Usagi muttered before stopping for a moment, looking at the guy in the green jacket who was just staring at the Osa-P's sign without any obvious motion to walk away or inside. If he wanted something just go in! And don't loiter! "What a weirdo," Usagi whispered before walking away just as he took off his glasses to reveal his sapphire blue eyes that held a suspicious look.
Eventually, she made it to the Game Center Crown where she saw an advertisement for the new Sailor V video game and stopped a moment to stare at the poster where the titular hero was fighting off a pair of Yakuza members. "The new Sailor V game looks so cool!" Usagi then stopped to stare at the poster a bit longer, specifically at the illustrated superhero who looked so beautiful and courageous just like in real life, that it made Usagi smile as she imagined her heroine striking poses and beating up the bad guys, but that soon turned into a frown and give a sigh as she plopped down onto the floor. "I wish I could be like you," Usagi said under her breath to the picture. "You're my hero. So strong, courageous, beautiful, and you never seem to back down no matter how difficult it seems. You don't have any tests to deal with or homework, and I bet taking all those bad guys down must be so amazing." Usagi stared at the picture a moment longer before shaking her head and looking down at the failed English test still in her hand. "And I'll bet you never disappointed your parents or teachers with bad grades," Usagi said out loud as she stared at the dreaded paper. "I can't believe I have to take this stupid test home!" Usagi cried before beginning to actually cry, no bawl, as she realized that she couldn't even play the new game without her mother being furious at her for taking so long to get home when she had this stupid piece of paper in her hand that guaranteed her being chained to her desk to study.
Sniffling in defeat, Usagi wiped her nose before walking away with her shoulders slumped and her head hung low. However, unbeknownst to her, she was being watched by a pair of familiar red eyes who said as she left, "Tsukino Usagi, I've finally found you."
Usagi took deep, heavy breaths as she pushed the door to her house open. "Hey! I'm home!" Usagi cried in a cheerful voice to hide the nervousness in her voice while hoping her mother had gone shopping but like the rest of today, luck for her seems to have take the day off as standing before her was her mother holding a wooden spoon.
"Oh, you're back. You're sure late getting home today," Ikuko said with a smile which did little to ease Usagi's fears.
"Uh...Yeah, a little bit," Usagi replied, scratching the back of her head.
"You know your friend Umino?" Ikuko continued. "I ran into him today at the store earlier today and they told me that your class got your exam results back and his score was a 95%. His parents must've been so proud to see that."
"Oh really? Good for him," Usagi said in response accentuating with a little, nervous chuckle before you looking to the side and muttering darkly, "Darn you Umino. I'm so going to get you back for this!"
As she grumbled and thought about the different ways she was going to end up strangling Umino, her mother walked closer to her and asked, "What did you get on your test, Usagi?"
Usagi halted her thoughts, her face twisted into one of fear at what her mother will do when she sees her test so quickly she started to think up an excuse, "Well...uh...actually the thing is," but she couldn't think up a single one.
"Can I see it?" Ikuko asked, holding out her hand to her daughter.
Dispirited, Usagi said in a sad tone a small, "Okay," as she handed the test over to her smiling mother which was kept on, but Usagi knew better. She watched as her mother's hands trembled, her face slowly transitioning into a frown, and the vein in her forehead visibly throbbing.
"30 percent?" Ikuko asked as she brought the test closer to her face, tightly squeezing the paper and wrinkling it in the process. "Usagi!" she cried, barely managing to hold back the frustration in her voice.
"Yes," Usagi piped up a bit as she braced for impact.
"STOP BRINGING HOME GRADES LIKE THIS!" Ikuko screamed as she shoved the test in front of Usagi's face. "GO OUTSIDE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" she finished as she shoved the fourteen-year-old outside the front door.
Usagi began pounding on the door crying, "What? But Mom!"
"I don't wanna hear it!" Ikuko called from inside.
As Usagi was crying at the door, she felt someone kick her behind and when she turned around she saw it was her obnoxious younger brother.
"Hey! You're in the way," her brother said. "So what huge mistake did you make for mom to kick you out for this time? You know I sure wish I had a sister that wasn't a total loser," he continued as he sprinted inside while flashing an L on his forehead at his older sister.
Usagi's face turned red at this and she yelled out, "Oh how dare you talk to me like that!" Unfortunately, all she got in response was Shingo in the doorway sticking out his tongue at her. Needless to say, this did nothing to lessen her anger, and in fact, only caused her to shout louder, "That's it! Sailor V Kick," and she wound up kicking but only managed to hit her knee against the front door as Shingo shut it which caused her to whimper from the pain that was now flooding her senses. "OWIE!" she cried. "COME ON, MOM! LET ME IN ALREADY!"
At sunset, Naru was walking back to the store after having picked up her and her mother's dinner for the night, just as a woman wearing a ruby necklace passed her. Naru took no mind of her since that was a common sight especially as people were heading home for the night, but what wasn't a common sight was what happened next. As Naru continued on her path, she heard a loud thud from behind her and quickly turned around to see the woman face down on the concrete, unmoving. Without another thought, Naru rushed over to the woman's side and flipped her over to get a better look to make sure she had no visible injuries, no cuts or bruises, but she was pale. Too pale. Almost like all the color in her face had been drained out of her. That wasn't good. "Don't worry ma'am, I'll call someone to help you. Just please hang on," Naru said, as she laid the woman down and ran to the nearest payphone. Quickly, she deposited the coins into the slot and began to dial 119, tapping her fingers impatiently as she waited for the operator to come on.
"Hello? What's your emergency?" the operator asked over the phone.
"A woman passed out on the sidewalk near the Jewelry Osa-P, please s-" Naru said when she felt the hairs on her arm stand upright, the air around her grew thick, and she felt cold eyes peering into her back. Naru looked behind her to see the woman she was trying to help now standing but her hair was covering her face, her necklace was glowing a blood red now, and her hand was raised above her head to come down to hit Naru! "AHHH!" Naru cried before without another thought, she dashed passed the ghoulish looking woman without even putting the phone back as the operator called out for her. She continued to run, calling, "Help! Please, help!" To her horror, though these would be calls that go unanswered as she saw that the people still on the streets were in the same state as that woman with pale skin and glowing jewelry and they were trying to attack her. "Someone help me!" she continued to scream before seeing her mother's store still open, she gathered the last of her energy and raced inside, away from the mass of people following her.
Safely inside she pushed the button that allows the automatic door to open before locking it up tight as the mass of zombie-like people pushed against the door trying to force their way in which caused Naru to take a few steps back, trying to process what just happened and what was wrong with all of them. Her terrified eyes watching the frightening display when she noticed the jewels they were wearing looked just like the ones that her mother had sold earlier that day, but how would that be possible? Maybe her mother knows. Oh no. Her mother! Naru turned on her heel, ignoring the creatures outside as she ran screaming until her throat was hoarse, "MAMA! MAMA!" No response. She continued crying out for her as she jumped over the counter and threw open the door that led to the back room where the jewelry was kept where she finally found her mother but Naru couldn't breathe a sigh of relief for instead of finding her mother safe, she found her bound, gagged, and unconscious. "Mama," Naru whispered. "MAMA!" she called out again as she tried to run over to her, she felt something sharp dig into her arm.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," an unfamiliar, cruel voice whispered in her ear. Frightened, Naru turned around and screamed.
"I'm so tired of homework," Usagi whined as she flopped onto her bed. After her mother finally let her back into the house, she immediately sent Usagi to her room to finish her studies and warned her if she continues to bring home grades like this, she won't ever see another sweet or TV again. Sighing Usagi flipped onto her side as she stared at the moon outside her window because, for some unknown reason, the sight of the moon was something that always comforted her, even as a little kid.
Yawning, Usagi's eyelids began to grow heavy as she stared at the pale, crescent moon outside her window. She blinked once, then twice before her eyes shut as her body became still, but unbeknownst to her, a shadow lingered over her half-asleep form which was promptly awoken with the sound of a large thud. Usagi's eyes snapped open out of fear that her house was now being invaded by a home intruder only to find that it wasn't a human invader but a black cat that was now staring at her from the foot of her bed. At first, Usagi was simply confused, how did a cat get in her room since she knew for a fact that she had closed her window that night. Did she open it? No. That can't be it. She was just a cat and yet...Wait why did she look so familiar? Usagi stared at her as the cat continued to lock eyes with her until Usagi shot up from her bed. "You're that cat with the bald spot!" she cried sitting upright, pointing at her as she prepared herself for another round of being scratched up.
"Um, excuse me. It's not a bald spot," a female voice said.
"Who said that?" Usagi asked, looking around her bedroom only to find no one but her and the cat. It can't be the cat because cats don't talk and if they do, Usagi might need to see a doctor.
"That was me," the voice came back and to Usagi's shock and horror, it was the cat that made Usagi fall off her bed before hiding next to it.
"Y-you can talk?" Usagi asked, staring wide-eyed at strange talking, bald-spot having a black cat. "No way," Usagi continued since this couldn't really be happening since this is something that only happened in magical girl mangas. "How can a cat talk?" Usagi then asked out loud.
The cat, completely calm despite everything, coughed into her palm before saying, "Usagi, my name is Luna and you can't imagine how long I've been looking for you."
'Oh no, this cat came to eat her or something!' Usagi thought as she shook in fear at what was happening, though maybe that's a stretch, but who knows? Maybe talking cats do eat beautiful and amazing 14-year-old girls.
The cat, Luna, continued, "First things first, I just wanted to say thank you for saving me from those kids earlier today and not mention taking that bandage off. With it on, I couldn't talk and it dulled my sensory powers. I thought I was done when those kids put it on, but because of that it led me to you." She then chuckled before walking closer to Usagi until their noses were practically touching but the middle schooler now aware of how close they were and out of her shocked state, tucked her head into her arms, praying that this weird dream would end.
"Go away," she said, as she made loud snoring sounds hoping the cat would get the hint and leave already.
"What are you doing?!" Luna yelled. "This isn't some kind of a dream you know!" she continued before placing her paws on Usagi's head and trying to shake her up. "Come on! Stop fooling around!" she cried but Usagi was still pretending to snore away. "Okay! Let me prove to you it's not a dream," Luna finally relented, then took a deep breath before doing a backflip with a stream of energy flowing from her that fell onto the body and gathered to create a golden brooch with a crescent moon at the center with four colored jewels in red, green, blue, and orange.
Usagi peeked out from her arms, one eye-opening that landed on the beautiful piece of jewelry. "A little gift from me just to you," Luna said with a smile.
"WOW! For me?" Usagi asked as she grabbed it to get a better look at it. "It's so beautiful!" Usagi cried as she pinned it to her bow, completely forgetting about the fact it came from a magical talking cat.
"Usagi, I need you to listen to me," Luna tried again to no avail.
"Thank you so much!" Usagi said as she twirled in place before rushing off to look at herself in the mirror.
"USAGI! I need you to listen to me!" Luna yelled again, trying to pull the fourteen-year-old's attention away from her hanging mirror. "Strange things are happening in this city and the police won't be able to handle what's going on. A dangerous enemy has appeared and you might be the only one who can defeat this enemy! You're the guardian that's been chosen for this mission," she continued jumping in front of Usagi who was finally looking at her again. "But there's more than just that, you also have to find the other guardians and our princess."
"Wow, really! That's so cool," Usagi said with the biggest, fakest smile.
"You don't believe a single word I'm telling you, do you?" Luna asked with exasperation prevalent in her voice. How is she going to turn this girl into a guardian?
"Oh, sure! Of course I do," Usagi said, though her shaking her head suggested otherwise.
Luna sighed, "Great. Just repeat the words I'm about to say, alright? Moon Prism Power Make-Up."
"Okay, magic talking cat," Usagi said with a salute, not really expecting anything to happen since this is just a dream anyway. "Moon Prism Power Make-Up!" Suddenly, she was sent into a trance as her body began to engulf in a bright shining light that transformed her normal uniform into something brand new and also felt compelled to salute at the end.
Once out of this trance, however, she saw herself in her mirror but instead of the normal fuku she was used to in its place was now a much shorter blue and white one with a reddish-pink bow at the back with similar colored boots with white trim and crescent moon decoration on each on her feet and a pair of opera-length gloves covered her hands with pink at the edge. On her head, she saw she now had a golden tiara with a red jewel that was also the same as the ones that now decorated her buns and a pair of crescent moon earrings were now hanging from her ears. Taking a minute to register the change in her attire before crying out, "No way! What's going on!?" Usagi looked herself over just to make sure she wasn't imagining what just happened. "I don't believe it! I transformed," Surely this proves it's a dream, right? Right?! She then pinched herself but the cat was still there and so was the transformed fuku. Okay, maybe it's not a dream. "What is this? What's this all about? Why do I look like Sailor V!" Usagi whined, why was this happening to her, "Tell me!" Usagi cried, tears now streaming down her face.
However, before she could get an answer from the cat, she heard a beeping sound from the hairpieces in her buns that steadily shifted into screams for help.
"HELP! Please, help!" the screams cried from someone very, very familiar. "MAMA! MAMA!" The connection then broke and it was silent once more.
'Is that Naru?" Usagi thought to herself before looking at the cat. "How did I hear that?"
"Do you believe me now?" Luna asked.
Usagi looked down for a moment before back at the cat who possessed a smug smile. "I'm still not sure what's going on but I can hear that Naru's in big trouble!"
"Usagi, you have become a sailor guardian, so you have the ability to go and save your friend," Luna told her.
Usagi stared at the cat. She knew this was weird and that she should probably just get back to bed, forget any of this ever happened...but she heard Naru's screams of fright. What kind of friend would she be if she deserted her when she needed her? What kind of person would she be if she did that? Usagi took a deep breath in before nodding at the cat. "So what do I do?"
"I'll train you when we get there, let's go," Luna said as she jumped out the window.
"HELP! Let me go!" Naru cried, tears running down her face as she struggled against the monstrous humans as she stared up at the horrifying monster that had worn her mother's face before changing into a true form.
"Cry all you want but no one will save you," the creature said without a hint of emotion as she snapped her fingers and the humans held her head up to expose the pale flesh of her neck as the creature pulled out an exquisite necklace of pearls with an emerald pendant dangling from the middle, but like the others, it glowed with a sickly green.
Naru's eyes widened as she fought harder against the ones holding her captive since even if she does become like one of them, she refused to go down without a fight. She kicked and screamed and even tried to bite one of them when she tried to silence her by covering her mouth. "HELP! SOMEBODY! HELP!" Naru screamed as she tried to back away from the creature who was now reaching out towards her and gripped her chin between her claws causing Naru to fall into a state of deep fear as she trembled in fear at seeing the horrifying creature move closer and closer towards her, her smile showing off her sharp fangs, the empty sockets with only small yellow orbs where her eyes should've been peering at her.
"Don't worry. It will be over soon," the creature said, breathing into Naru's face that smelled like death itself.
"Get away from Naru-chan!" someone called as Naru fell and her consciousness slipped away from her and fell to the floor in a slump as the possessed humans let the fourteen-year-old go.
"Who are you?" the creature asked the shadowed figure at the doorway.
"Who am I...uh..." the figure asked before looking down at herself and at the moon before snapping her fingers and looked up cautiously at the humanoid monster. "I am the pretty guardian who fights for love and for justice. I am Sailor Moon and now in the name of the moon, I punish you!"
"Sailor Moon?" the creature asked before chuckling followed by the bursts of empty, mocking laughter from the humans around her which caused Sailor Moon to awkwardly shift in her boots. The creature then stopped and glared at the girl before making a flicking motion with her hand at the humans gathered around her. "Destroy her," she said and all at once the humans flung themselves at Sailor Moon.
"AHH!" screamed Sailor Moon as she clumsily ran to the side as the drained humans raced towards her. One tried to scratch out her eyes. Another had tried to hit her with a bat then someone else ran up to her and it tried to staple her pigtail to the wall. Sailor Moon was quickly out of breath as she continued to barely avoid the mass of possessed humans who were now crowding around her, holding makeshift weapons around her. One of the women even managed to almost get a good hit in by smacking her into the back of the head with a glass bottle only foiled when Sailor Moon dodged to the ground. However, this didn't stop the woman who now aimed the sharpened at Sailor Moon who barely managed to flee from its direction before tripping on the ground near a column. Pulling herself up, she stared at the advancing possessed humans and the evil creature now hovering above the ground, her wild tangled spread out as pointed towards Sailor Moon. "Why!? Why is this happening to me!?" Sailor Moon cried as tears came from her eyes.
"Time to end this!" it screeched as it's arm extended out towards Sailor Moon, ready to strike as Sailor Moon screamed in terror when a rose appeared and pinned the monster's hand to the ground.
"Now who are you?" the creature asked the figure hidden in shadow on the open second floor above.
"None of your concern," the male voice replied before he turned his attention towards Sailor Moon who was still cowering against the column. "If you want to defeat this thing, you can't cry. You have to fight."
Sailor Moon felt a small bit of relief at hearing his voice, though she didn't know why. Maybe it was the fact that he just saved her? Or maybe it was just nice hearing the voice of someone who wasn't being possessed by the abomination before her, but it still wasn't enough to stop her crying. "But I...!" Sailor Moon felt more tears pour from her eyes as they turned to bawls. "I WANNA GO HOME!" she screamed and as if on cue, her red jewel bun pieces began to vibrate and let out piercing, ultrasonic waves that caused the monster and possessed humans to clutch their ears to protect them and glass to shatter the cases on the empty jewelry cases
"Stop crying!" the monster cried as the frequency continued to leave her wide open something that didn't go unnoticed by Luna who peeked out from behind the column where Sailor Moon was sitting next to you.
"You have an opening Sailor Moon!" Luna cried. "Take the tiara off and cry 'Moon Tiara Boomerang."
Sailor Moon nodded and took off her tiara. "Moon Tiara Boomerang!" she cried and just like that her once docile tiara became a spinning weapon of pure light that searched out the evil that was plaguing the store and it was a direct hit!
"AH!" the creature screamed as the tiara hit her in the abdomen before seeking out Sailor Moon once again who caught it in her right hand. Slowly the creature crumbled to dust before Sailor Moon's shocked eyes and the once possessed humans fell unconscious where they stood as streams of energy flooded from the ash to their forms restoring them to a healthy state and the jewels to regular jewels once more. Wanting to get a closer look just to make sure that the thing was truly dead, Sailor Moon took a few cautious steps towards the pile of what was just the creature.
"Great job, Usagi!" Luna said.
'Did I really just do that?' Sailor Moon asked herself as continued to stare in a trance. Hopefully, that wasn't a person at one point.
"How unfortunate. I couldn't find what I was looking for," she heard that male voice closer again. This brought her out of her thoughts and she looked behind her to see a male figure with his back to her with two fingers on one of the girl's neck.
"Are they okay?" Sailor Moon asked him.
"They'll be fine," he said as he stood up and looked back at her to reveal he was wearing a white domino mask covering his face, and for some reason he made her blush.
"W-who are you?" Sailor Moon asked ducking away from his gaze.
He paused before he smiled and turned towards her to reveal he was wearing a classy black tuxedo. He grabbed his cape and held it over his face before swishing to the side as he said, "Call me Tuxedo Mask! I hope we'll meet again, Sailor Moon."
"Tuxedo...mask?" Sailor Moon asked as he jumped up to the second floor and then faded into the shadows. She blushed as she watched him leave as hearts appeared in her eyes, her heart hammering in her chest.
"Usagi?" Luna asked.
"He was so gorgeous!" Sailor Moon said with a dopey smile that she didn't take notice of the sirens announcing the arrival of the ambulance and police.
"USAGI! We have to go!" Luna cried.
"Oh, uh, yeah," Sailor Moon said as she followed Luna out an open window.
"How are you doing Naru-chan?" asked one of the other girls in their class. It was the next day and all the school had been talking about the break-in and the hypnotized people from last night. The official story the police put out was that someone broke into the Osa-P before escaping and that the people had been knocked out by the thief.
"I'm fine, just a little tired," Naru answered. "You know I could've sworn there was a monster and possessed people, but everything just becomes fuzzy afterward."
"The mind can make up a lot of stuff when you're frightened," Umino said in response.
Naru nodded. "But it felt so real," she continued before looking at Usagi. "Let's see what Usagi-chan thinks. Usagi-chan!" she called.
"No...Too tired," Usagi said with a yawn she hid further into her arms as she tried to get a few minutes of shut-eye before class started.
"What? Up all night playing video games again?" Umino asked.
"...Something like that," Usagi replied as she clutched her brooch.
Up Next: Punishment Awaits: The House of Fortune is the Monster House!