Act 14

Bunny was practicing her letters at the kitchen table after supper. Her parents looked at her worriedly.

"Sweetheart, your sisters say you've been acting quite strangely." Her mother, Eloise, said.

Bunny looked up. "My sisters are just mad that I've decided to do everything I can to get Gaston's attention!"

Her father, Raphael sat down. "Get Gaston's attention? Oh dear, Gaston would be a fine catch indeed but…"

"Yes he would! But he likes Belle. She's pretty of course, but there are plenty of other pretty girls." Bunny said. "So, I ask what does Belle have that I don't? Then I figured it out Papa. Belle is smart. She's smart because she reads. Gaston must like smart girls. So, I'm going to get smart. I'm going to learn how to read."

Eloise sighed. "Sweeheart, as… ambitious as that sounds honey… I don't know if you can learn to read or if you should. Reading… it's unladylike."

Raphael put a hand to his chin and looked at her tablet of paper. "I don't know dear. She seems to have a good start. All twenty six letters already?"

Bunny adored her father for this precise reason. "The bookshop owner's cousin, Molly, is teaching me!" She explained. "She graduated from the Sorbonne!"

Raphael patted her head. "The Sorbonne! A very prestigious school."

"Dear," Eloise protested. "It's not proper for a woman to read."

Raphael rolled his eyes. "I see no harm in her learning. How else can she read cookbooks… and if she enjoys it, then say we leave well enough alone. But it's late sweetie. You should take yourself to bed."

Bunny nodded before getting up, and went to her bedroom where Luna waited, looking at her. "What? I'm learning how to read, isn't that enough for you? Does nothing make you happy?"

Luna sighed. "I'll be happy with you when you start acting like the soldier you are!"

Bunny threw Luna off of her bed. "If that's how you feel then get out! I never asked for this! You forced it on me!" She was about to continue yelling when movement outside the window caught her eye. She went over to see what it was. "It's Molly! She's being chased by a monster!"

Luna leaped onto the window sill. "Well Bunny, you know what to do."

Bunny sighed. "I can't! I don't know what I'm doing! I'm not a warrior Luna!" Bunny's instinct was to run for Gaston, but would he even believe her?

"Bunny, not even Gaston could take down that creature!" Luna insisted. "It's not of this world. It has to be you!"

Bunny bit her lip. "Luna… last time it was luck that got me through it."

"Bunny, what choice have you got? Your friend needs help!"

Bunny looked down at her necklace. She could get Gaston, but even if he did believe her, would she be able to get him in time? Molly needed her now. She grabbed her pendant, her decision made.

Molly ran through the village, too scared to even scream for help. She thought if she could only reach her home, the bookstore.

She was close until her foot caught a loose stone in the path and she sprawled down onto the ground. Garoben sneered, raising her one arm above the helpless woman.

"Stop!" Bunny announced herself.

Garoben turned around. "And just who are you?"

Bunny pulled off her necklace and held up the pendant.

"Moon Prizm Power Make Up!" Bunny cried, activating the transformation.

Molly watched with fascination clearly on her face as her seemingly ordinary friend transformed in a flurry of pink ribbons and light. She finally shook herself free of that fascination and took the chance to stand and run to the bookstore, locking herself inside.

Bunny finished off her transformation. "How dare you attack my new friend? I'm Sailor Moon, Champion of justice and on behalf of the Moon, I will punish you!"

Garoben glowered at the meddling girl. "You'll regret your interference." She lunged at Bunny. With a fearful shriek, Bunny threw herself out of the way. "Okay Luna. You want me to do this, then tell me how. Ahh!" She found herself falling head over feet into the side of a house. She struggled to stand.

"You have to figure it out on your own, Sailor Moon." Luna told her. "Come on, you can do it." Luna darted towards the bookstore.

Molly watched the battle from the window. To think this was even happening. She was a woman of logic. Things like this did not happen. Monsters did not exist. Things like this did not happen!

"But it is happening Molly," Luna announced her presence.

Molly screamed and backed into a bookshelf. The shelf wobbled and a book fell from the shelf. The book was the color of ice and bore a stick figure with horns embossed in gold.

The thick, yet small volume seemed to sparkle and she knelt to touch it. She instantly pulled her hand back. It wasn't just the color of ice, it was made of ice. "How can this be?"

"Molly, I know it's frightening but this book is yours. Open it, you'll see," Luna directed her. She had to be fast. She had to awaken Sailor Mercury.

Molly again picked up the book, prepared for the cold. She opened the front page and gasped. A small sparkling bracelet sat there. She picked it up. Dangling from it, like a charm, was the same symbol as was on the front of the book.

"You are Sailor Mercury," Luna told her. "One of five warriors chosen to protect the Princess of the Moon."

Molly looked at the bracelet then at Luna. "What does this mean? I don't understand."

"There's no time to explain," Luna said. "Bunny, Sailor Moon, needs your help. Please, just put on the bracelet and say 'Mercury Power, Make Up.'"

Molly looked out the window, watching as Sailor Moon tried her best to evade Garoben. That was Bunny out there. Her new friend, one of the few friends she could remember ever having. She stood to her feet and put on the bracelet.

"Mercury Power, Make Up!"

From the circle of the charm, bubbles poured out from the glowing bracelet. The bubbles converged around Molly forming one huge bubble with her in the center. The roots of her honey hair glowed and an ice blue grew from them, turning her hair, from root to tip, the same ice blue as her book. The bodice of her dress grew a sailor collar, under which appeared a sky blue bow with a sapphire in the center, and became a white leotard. The skirt of her dress became a light blue pleated short skirt. Her usual black flats turned light blue and became boots that extended almost to her knee. Finally, a gold tiara adorned her forehead and in its center was a deep blue sapphire.

Bunny dodged helplessly. Luna really needed to teach her what to do instead of just relying on her to figure it out magically. No wonder she was doing so badly at this. She would have to give Luna hell for this later if she survived.

Garoben swung her axe at the ground, creating a great powerful wind to throw Bunny against a building.

Bunny moaned as Garoben stood above her. The monster lifted her axe. "Now your interference will end for good."

Suddenly, a green and red blur cut through the air and slammed into Garoben's hand. Garoben screeched and looked up at a nearby roof.

"You claimed to be a woman of the Christian God, however it's obvious the Christian God means nothing to you," Tuxedo Mask stated. "For taking advantage of these good people, you must be punished."

Garoben glared at him. "Me pay? We'll see about..."

"Shabon Spray!" A voice cried. A dense, icy fog filled the square and made it impossible for Garoben to see or move.

"The hell!" Garoben hissed. "What's going on? Why is it so cold?"

Sailor Moon stood up and saw a new girl coming over to her. "Sailor Moon, are you alright?"

"Molly?" Sailor Moon asked, recognizing the voice. The new girl nodded in confirmation."

Luna took the moment to call out. "Sailor Moon, use your new wand!"

Sailor Moon pulled out the pink and gold wand. "This? What do I do? Wait! Those words in the book. Molly, what do these letters spell?" She pulled out the book and turned to the aforementioned page.

Molly read them aloud quickly. "Moon Twilight Flash."

Bunny grinned wildly. "That's it!" She glared at Garoben and gripped the wand in a businesslike fashion. She twirled as she focused on the power drawing into the wand. "Moon Twilight Flash!" She jabbed the wand at Garoben and flashes of white light fired at Garoben like bullets from a gun.

Garoben screamed in pain before the scream was cut off and her body disintegrated into dust...

Bunny bounced up and down joyously. "I did it! We did it!" She clasped Molly in a tight hug. "We did it! And you, you're a Sailor Soldier too!"

"I'm glad you're safe Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury," Tuxedo Mask said. "Until next time."

Bunny watched him with hearts practically in her eyes. He was so handsome.

"Sailor Mercury, you did very well for your first time," Luna said with a grin. "Sailor Moon...ugh..."

Bunny picked Luna up. "No Luna, you listen to me. I told you I don't know what I'm doing! If you want me to do this, then you need to teach me! If you don't want to do that, then I can't do this!" She jammed the cat back on the ground and stomped back home.

AN: Sailor Mercury has awakened and Bunny has told Luna off about leaving her to fight alone and without instruction. Wonder who will appear next? Will Luna lose her attitude?