[SM][Fanfic] Sailor Moon AX Prologue and Chapter One

[Rob Barba]

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Rob (calic...@geocities.com)
Libby (mih...@eudoramail.com)
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Studio YOGIPIGS presents:
SAILOR MOON AX"
Based on Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon by Takuechi Naoko

Written by Studio YOGIPIGS' "Project Muffinhead"

LEAD WRITER: ROBERT BARBA
CO-WRITER: ELIZABETH THOMAS

SAILOR MOON AX LEGENDS WRITER: AMY ANGEL
SAILOR MOON AX LEGENDS WRITER: EMANUELE BONAMICO

Research by Studio YOGIPIGS' "Odango Labs"

LEAD SAILOR MOON ANALYST (US VERSION): MARVIN PEACE
LEAD SAILOR MOON ANALYST (JAPANESE VERSION): SAKURA EDWARDS
TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYST: JOHN SHEAREN
WEAPONS AND MILITARY ANALYST: DAVID CLARE
PROJECT EDITOR: SAMUEL LAMBSON

FOREWORD: We Got Joy, We Got Fun, We Got Senshi on the Run....

Hiya, and welcome to Studio YOGIPIGS' first group effort! We finally
decided that it was time to do a group project, and after minutes of hard
debate (in which Rob and I told everybody what we wanted to do, and after a
few minutes of moaning and groaning) we all agreed that this should be our
initial group project.
We're hoping that this will be our best project ever, but it won't be
easy. For starters, the Studio is spread out over four regions: Japan (Sam,
John, Marv, and Dave), Italy (Bona), Hawaii (Rob), and the US (Sakura, Amy,
and myself). Additionally, Rob and I are the main writers on the series, but
there are the other YOGIPIGS writers (Bona, John, and Sam) who will be
involved in the research, this time. Also, our usual editors, Sakura, Marv,
and Dave are also taking in an extra role, being more active in research,
as well.
As it is, although Rob and I have styles that appear to be very similar,
even the ways we operate are different. For example, Rob, who wants to be a
professional writer, is exacting and demanding in every way possible in order
to come up with something that people will enjoy immensely; I, on the other
hand, am doing this just for...well, sometimes I'm not sure, really. ^_^.
Rob does very exacting research, while I freely admit that I will make up
anything I can't find easily. Rob throws himself in with a passion and love
that allows him to punch out novel-sized fics in months; I on the other
hand, take a good portion of a century just to scribble a few pages.
This story has echoes of what you had seen before, and in some cases, what

we have written before. It is an amalgam of everything that is and isn't
Sailor Moon. Either way, we all do this as a love for our fandom. Whether
we've seen the Japanese version (Rob), US (Amy and I), Italian (Bona), both
(Sakura and Marv) or none (the rest), you can be sure that we'll do our best
to please.
--Libby

TECHNICAL NOTES: The Bluejacket's Manual

This fiction is based upon the premise that the end of the series did not
occur; that is, you can throw out just about everything you know about the
Super S season and beyond.

For the purposes of this fic, the following rules will be implemented to
differentiate between the US and Japanese Sailors (yes, you heard that
correctly). Before I continue, I would like to say this system shows
favoritism for neither the US nor Japanese versions, but is instead based on
the mind of the Eternal Lost Lurker (who really hated our old system). Bear
in mind that if you think this is confusing, well, what did you expect with a
fic that has at least 20 planetary avatars in it?!?!

To identify a Senshi, the name will be in romajii (romanized katakana):
Short title: Muun, Maazu, Maakyuri
Full title: Sera Muun, Sera Maazu, Sera Maakyuri

To identify a Sailor (I prefer this to "Scout", since it sounds more
professional), the name will be in English:
Short title: Moon, Mercury, Mars
Full title: Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars

The planets and satellite will be referred to in English: the Moon,
Mercury, and Mars. However, since this could cause potential confusion, we
will refer to the heavenly bodies as little as possible.

As for the American names, some will be different than what you know. Due

to some of the later episodes of the Japanese series not hitting the States
yet, we decided on picking a few names that we thought would not only explain
who they are, but also echo Takuechi-san's masterful fun with names, though we
did do a thorough investigation of names when possible. We hope that you'll
accept this, and if you don't bear in mind what we're doing here is beyond the
pale, anyway. And if you don't accept it, well, blame Libby. ^_^;

Now, on with the show, and we hope you'll enjoy.
--Rob

PROLOGUE: I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane....

April, 1994:
It was over, done before it even began. Usagi sat alone on the jet as it
raced through the skies over the Pacific, the plane heading towards the east
and away from Japan.
Away from her friends.
Away from her future.
Away from *the* future.
It was all gone, now. No more Crystal Tokyo. No more Serenity and
Endymion. No more Chibi-Usa--that realization tore into Usagi's heart more
than anything else. No more Mamo-cha...Mamoru. No more, and never again.

Forever.

The tears rolled down her face as she couldn't stand what she had done,
yet it was too late to correct anything. In the end, the world, the future,
would be endangered, because of what she did. In the end, her own daughter
died--no, would never be born-- because of what she'd done. The hot, wet
tears began to roll down her face, and her stomach began to retch at what she
had wrought. Or what she would not do. It made no difference anymore.
She stared dully at the Ginzuisho, the magical talisman left to her by her

original mother, so very long ago. She used it to erase the memories of her
in her earthly parents' minds, and that of all her kith and kin, save the
Senshi. Even now, she was using it to block her presence from Setsuna, so
that the guardian of time herself would not be able to find her.
Still, somewhere within Usagi's Pandora box of a heart, along with all her

sins, was a hope. There would, in the end, be a balance--of that Usagi was
sure; it would just have to not contain her in it. The world, should Crystal
Tokyo come to pass, would have to make it without Princess Serenity, for she
was no longer willing. Someone else would have to lead them to the Promised
Land, and she was sure that Mamoru, with the help of Luna and Setsuna, would
do it.
The main thing to remember was, though, that Usagi would not be a part of
it. Instead, Tsukino Usagi would move to her new home, and make a new life for
herself. And when that new life began, the girl that was Tsukino Usagi would
be dead, at least in name. And the woman that was Serenity, in spirit, would
be free, at last.

CHAPTER ONE: New Moon

July, 1998:
*"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"* Sera Muun shouted as her scepter unleashed an
energy blast that slammed the monster into the wall, leaving a crater in the
side of the building, shattering a nearby window. Still, this creature was
pretty tough, and from its reptilian eyes, came a pair of iridescent beams
that nearly slammed into Muun's torso; at the same time, it rushed forward,
striking her with its claws. At the last second, though, she spun to avoid
the rays, and they simply ripped through her fuku, leaving nasty carbon scoring
as they continued on. However, the creature's sharp claws raked the side of
her leg, spraying blood in the air as it created rents in her leg. Buoyed by
adrenaline and pain, Muun moved forward and threw a punch in the creature's
face, then followed it up with an ax-kick. The beast was stunned backwards,
giving Muun time to breathe, as she stopped momentarily against a nearby
table, favoring her injured leg.
"Why don't you stay down?" Muun said, her voice belying a trace of fear,
but immediately backed up with the steel of resolute anger. Meanwhile, her
mind was a maelstrom of concern. ((Where are the others? I hope their quarry
wasn't as hard as mine,)) the princess thought. She moved her scepter to bear
in front of her, wielding it like a combination of part-mace, part talisman;
she would not be caught so easily a second time.
She took another look at the creature, feeling nothing but pity for what
it once was. By appearances, it had once been a simple dog. Unfortunately,
that dog had made the mistake of ingesting a Daimon egg. Daimons are nothing
if not creative, and with their purpose in life having been extinguished so
long ago, they roamed the world as nothing more than soulless monsters now,
their will becoming whatever they wished. Thus, the monster that fought the
Senshi currently was a reptilian variant of a werewolf, with the eyes of the
Daimon that had absorbed the soul of the mutt.

"Get out of the way, Muun!" At once a hailstorm of fiery missiles and
roses streaked towards the creature, giving Muun minimal time to dodge out of
the way.
"Tuxedo Kamen, Maazu, what are you--" she grumbled but bit it off, as the
projectiles raced past her. Her long, flowing hair was stirred by both the
speed trails they created and the concussion that hit the Daimon. The roses
buried themselves deep in the body of the creature, impaling it to the wall,
even as the magic flames scored a direct hit on the creature. In any normal
situation, this would have spelled the end of the creature, and thus, of the
crisis. This time however, instead of dissipating from the amount of damage
that it had received, it seemed to have absorbed the magic properties of
Maazu' flame, and thus, was now turning the creature into a Lilliputian star.
It appeared that this was *not* the run-of-the-mill Daimon, but instead some
new type of creature that no one had ever seen before.
Sera Muun looked on in horror as she could only guess what was going to
happen next--and her assumption was not inclined towards thinking warm and
fuzzy thoughts. "Everyone, get outta here now!" she roared, as she realized
she was nowhere near an easy escape route and standing right in front of a
huge bomb.
((Oh well, only one way out of here,)) she thought as she flicked her
wrist, shouting, "Moon Tiara Action!" The projectile slammed into the large
glass windowpane, bursting it into a hailstorm of crystalline shards. The
Senshi didn't even bother to wait for the ersatz boomerang to return to her;
she instead began to hightail it for the gaping hole that wasn't there a
split-second ago. She didn't care that she was moving faster than the glass
that could cut her; she'd already taken a wound, and currently that was the
least of her problems.

On a beautiful summer evening, lit by the comforting light of the moon,
the Princess of the Moon leapt out of the observation deck of Tokyo tower and
into the nighttime sky, even as the great metal structure behind her detonated
in a hell-born blast that sprayed debris for kilometers around and rattle
windows for a radius nearly as large. The explosion not only caught a
sleeping city unawares, it was soon followed as similar eruptions appeared all
over the general area.
The shockwave slammed Muun into a painful landing that sent her instantly
into unconsciousness.

***

Some time later, what should have been a quiet 1:00 in the morning on a
Wednesday, the Senshi regrouped at Michiru and Haruka's, sitting and waiting.
Under prior circumstances, it would have been a victory of sorts, but the last
four years had taught the Senshi a serious dose of reality check that none had
expected--this powwow was in fact, a chance for the Senshi to lick their
wounds and discuss what had gone wrong. They were clearly all in horrid
shape, and Ami and Hotaru were running to and fro, checking on the health and
welfare of each despite Ami's own injuries. In the background, Makoto and
Minako were watching the results of their battle courtesy of CNN:

"...It is a horrid sight to behold as several major buildings in the
Shinjuku and Akihibara districts are aflame, with no chance of the fires dying
down soon. Casualties are near a hundred, in the aftermath of the Senshis'
most vicious fight yet has caused damage estimated in the range of billions of
yen. Several witnesses at the scene report that these creatures were powerful
enough to wound at least three of the nine Senshi present....
"We've just received word that government engineers have declared what
remains of Tokyo Tower condemned. A couple of witnesses described seeing one
of the Senshi-- possibly Sera Muun herself-- leap out of the building only
seconds before it detonated. Authorities have not made any comments on the
source of the explosion, but it is believed that a new type of demon destroyed
the building, rather than allowing itself to be caught by authorities.
"We will keep you abreast of this situation as it unfolds here. Reporting
from downtown Tokyo, this is Koe Junsuina for CNN."

Makoto tapped the power switch, a sorrowed expression furrowing her
delicate brows. "Another grand victory for us," she said, her sarcastic
comment not lost on the others. Minako just turned away from the now silent
television, and from the look on her face, it was clear that she'd rather be
anywhere in the world right now than to have to see what she just viewed on
TV.
Behind the pair, the other Senshi were as quite as churchmice, unsure of
what to say. Michiru leaned against her lover, hoping that Haruka could give
her some kind of comfort in this situation. Setsuna simply closed her eyes
and sighed. Ami said nothing, instead deciding to concentrate on bandaging
the large gash that Makoto received on her arm. Indeed, the ones who were
least injured were Minako and Hotaru, and that was neither due to their skills
or to combat experience, but to absolute luck that the creatures each had
taken on were of lesser caliber than their contemporaries, and in Hotaru's
case, raw power.

Finally, it was Ami that broke the silence. "Explosive Daimons. I could
have sworn that I was a goner. Setsuna, why didn't you tell us that they were
coming?"
Setsuna faced her inquisitor. "There's a simple explanation, really. "
"And that is?"
"I didn't know they existed."
A second silence fell on the group as they absorbed this incredibly
unbelievable datum. However, the brief respite didn't last long. Minako
turned and said, "I find that hard to believe, Setsuna. You're the Guardian
of Time; you don't see things the way we do. You've always been able to see
thi--"
"No, I do *not* see everything," Setsuna interrupted the blonde girl. "I
didn't see the events of four years ago." Realizing she just brought up a
painful memory for those present, she continued on a slightly different path.
"I used to be able to see time as a tapestry, rather than linear. That's
changed. Now, time for me is a stained glass window, each part showing
different cycles, but I am unable to see just how they interact with each
other. Additionally, because of what happened back then--"

"--with Usagi," Ami whispered, her face taking on a melancholy cast. Ami
still didn't want to bring up the name of her long-lost friend, but it was
something that the Senshi needed to get over. Ami, as a healer, needed to
help the group get past the tragedy; in doing so, she could get over it
herself.
"Yes, with Usagi," Setsuna replied, understanding Ami's voicing of the
name. "Until what was split asunder is restored, time will be fragmented for
me, and I will not be able to predict the outcome of things as easily as I
might have in the past. Even now, there are things still that I cannot
explain, such as how Hotaru is here, while Chibi-Usa is not."
"Oh." Minako, having no idea of what more to say, turned the TV back on
and changed the channel, hoping that her favorite anime would be on. It would
be a welcome, if not needed, distraction.

As fate would have it, a distraction of its own came into being. A knock
sounded upon the front door. Hotaru answered it, immediately allowing the new
visitors in.
Mamoru waltzed in, carrying a dazed and injured Sera Muun in his arms. To
his side, with a concerned look on her face, was Maazu. Both girls were in
their Senshi fukus, which meant they hadn't had the opportunity to
change...and the fact that the battle ended over an hour ago was a pretty bad
situation. Mamoru had shifted from his Tuxedo Kamen guise to his street
clothing. He moved towards the couch, which the girls were immediately
vacating. Gently setting his charge upon the couch, he looked at Ami and
said, "She's got a serious wound on her leg, Ami, and I think she's got a
concussion as well." The concerned look in his eyes made Ami uncomfortable.
Ami gave him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, Mamoru. I'll take care
of our little lunatic," hoping the reference towards Muun wasn't too accurate.

Sera Muun whispered a fuzzy comment through gritted teeth. "I'll be fine,
Ami. Just get me a bandage for my leg and I'll be fine." She immediately
began to stand up.
Faster than Ami or Mamoru could protest, Maazu gently pushed her back
down. "No. After what I saw you endure, you're lucky to be alive, you
dingbat." The girl in the red- trimmed fuku made it clear that the insult was
being used not as the normal "term of endearment", but more out of habit.
"Now, please lie down."
Sera Muun complied readily, feigning injury in front of her friends.
"Mamoru-sempai," she started, "I may not live through this. But I want you to
know that I love yo--"
Ami grinned. "Oh, knock it off, will you? It's a clean slice. It'll
heal in no time, and probably won't leave a scar. Plus, stop flirting with
Mamoru. He's a married man."
Sera Muun grumbled in mock-dismay, "Smartass."

To her side, Sera Maazu allowed herself the smallest of smiles, at the
moment the closest thing she would normally do to laughing.
Ami looked at the Senshi of Mars. "Don't tell me you're planning on
staying like that all night."
"I get your point, Ami-chan." The girl simply nodded, then raised her
star pen... ...and a minute later, Chiba Rei, once Hino Rei, stood aside her
husband Mamoru, watching as Ami began to work on the wound on Muun's leg. Rei
continued to stifle her laughter as she continued to hear Ami chide her
patient: "--and while you're at it, change out of your fuku. It could use
some repair."
Sera Muun smiled. "Hai, sensei." With that, she raised her hand to the
air, and began the process of transforming back... ...and a second later, Sera
Muun was now in her civilian attire, currently a T-shirt and jean shorts. A
thin, petite girl with waist-length gray hair and wide, expressive brown eyes
that bordered on red, the newest Senshi would be have been called cute if it
wasn't for her professional, possibly emotionless demeanor.
Hotaru, who was watching the whole incident, noticed Ami pulling a brown
bottle out of her pouch, along with a few cotton swabs. "What's that?"
"Don't worry, Hotaru. It's only antiseptic."
The girl who was the new Sera Muun blanched slightly. "That stuff
stings."
Ami made a show of putting the bottle to the side. "We just won't worry
about this, then. I'm sure you can learn to live with gangrene."
The gray-haired girl reached over, snatched the bottle out of Ami's hands,
and poured a small amount on her leg, nearly yelping in pain as she did so.
Giving Ami a crooked eye, she deadpanned, "You were saying?"
Rei clinically eyed the woman that now wore the fuku of Sera Muun. "You
don't smile enough, Hikaru-chan."
Hikaru looked at her fellow Senshi, and it seemed for a second that actual
emotion had permeated her stoic expression. "There's not enough to smile
about, Rei. Two years ago, I was just Gekkou Hikaru, a girl from Nikko hoping
to get into Juban University and work on my major in astronomy. Then I had to
run into you at Tokyo Disneyland, which triggered my memories."
Rei nodded her understanding. Hikaru turned out to be, in her earlier
life, a nondescript member of the House of the Moon, but the only one who had
talents close to that of Serenity. In that life, she was chosen to be
Serenity's replacement in the event something might have happened; in this
life, her task was fulfilled. Another thing that carried over, was in the
previous life, Hikaru was known for a severe and terse personality, while in
this life, that trait had translated as a cold professionalism, though she
tended to be a bit of a flirt in civilian life. When Rei finally bumped into
her, the first member of Serenity's clan that they'd seen since Usagi's
disappearance, the choice was clear: Hikaru would be the new Sera Muun. With
a little help of the lunar pen Usagi had left behind, the lineup of the Senshi
was once again complete, now under the command of Minako.
Unaware of Rei's prance down memory lane, the silver-haired girl
continued. "You all asked me to be Muun, and I took the spot. But I didn't
know that the trail would be so bloody. I mean, I'd heard of the Sailor
Senshi before, but I never heard of casualties or constant major property
damage caused in their battles.
"I've been with you guys for two years, and you're all my dearest friends.
But I never thought being a Senshi would mean this." She held her hands in
the air, as though she were summoning some kind of explanation from the
heavens--an explanation that would never come. "People died tonight. They
*died*--because we couldn't stop these new creatures that were obviously *way*
more powerful than what we're used to! We're supposed to be the future
nobility and protectors of this planet! What good can we do if we can't stop
the things we're supposed to protect people from?!?"

Rei was about to give the girl a soothing comment when Mamoru barked an
answer. "Hikaru, Rei's not at fault. If it's anyone who's to blame, point
the finger at Tsukino Usagi."
Of course, Hikaru didn't understand the reference. "Who?"
"She doesn't exist," Rei said, a catch sounding in her throat, "but she
was my best friend...and Mamoru's previous girlfriend."
*"Was,"* Mamoru emphasized. "Now, there's only you, Rei-chan." However,
the bittersweet look in his eyes clearly stated the obvious: a mixture of
desire, pain, and hatred connected with that name.
Hikaru chanced it. "I don't understand, Rei."
Rei sighed. "Maybe someday you'll hear the full tale, Hikaru, when one
of us feels the strength to tell it. But here's the short version. Usagi
was, as I said, my best friend, and Mamoru's girlfriend. She was also the
original Sera Muun. More so, she was also Princess Serenity."
Hikaru's eyes lit up. "Serenity? She was my cousin in...my previous
life. We never really got along, and it seems I'll never get a chance to
correct that. But you said she doesn't exist anymore. What happened?"
"She disappeared," she said, her voice reedy and whispering. After a
second, she continued. "She betrayed us. Ran away from us, telling us she
didn't want to be the Princess anymore, that she couldn't take the madness one
moment longer. She broke off her engagement to Mamoru, then used the
Ginzuisho to erase the memories of anyone who ever knew her--only we remember,
either due to quick thinking by Setsuna, or because she could bring herself to
use a spell like that on us. She then left the lunar pen at my grandfather's
temple, after using a final spell to hide her from us forever.
"She's gone now. She's been gone for four years. We all love and miss
her. But at the same time, it was her power--though she never really
understood that--which held everything together. She ran away from her
responsibility, and now the whole world must pay. For that, we've all lost
our respect for her."
Hikaru nodded her understanding. "I see. So Crystal Tokyo will never
come about then."

"Not true, thanks to Minako," Mamoru said, as draped an arm around his
wife. It was clearly now his turn to talk--and just as obvious that it was
something he needed to get off his chest. "Here we were: the Senshi on the
verge of falling apart, my heart broken and my life nearly destroyed, and the
idea of Crystal Tokyo now nothing but a dream. We all thought that would be
the end. Truth be told, it almost was.
"It almost was, until someone took the reins and swore that she would do
her best to ensure that Crystal Tokyo would come about. That person was
Minako. She had the courage to pick up and swear that she would continue,
whether as Sera Binassu or as Sailor V. She vowed that she'd do what it take
to go the distance."
Everybody looked at Mamoru, looks of surprise on their faces. As long as
they'd known him, this was just about the longest thing he'd really ever said,
and the first time he'd ever discussed Usagi's departure. On Minako's face,
an appreciative smile crept into view, surprised that she was thrust into the
momentary spotlight.
Unfazed, Mamoru continued. "True to her word, she did her damnedest to
make sure the team held together. She brought me back from depression and
drilled into me the responsibility I have. She persuaded Luna to become my
advisor, when it was clear that she wanted retirement. She convinced Rei and
I that the covenant between the Lunar and Terran houses was broken, and I was
free to marry whoever I chose. She continued to push for the future through
all this; it's no wonder that she was the Senshi Commander in her past
life--she certainly has the qualifications for it.
"We're pushing on ahead with nothing much really changed, except the
marriage of the Houses of Earth and Mars instead and now Minako's in charge of
the Senshi. The problem is, you as Sera Muun aren't as powerful as Usagi was,
probably because you're still learning the ropes. Unfortunately, some of the
creatures and enemies we've encountered lately were apparently designed with
Usagi's power levels in mind, and the truth is, we're losing more ground than
we've gained, as of late. But it's probably only a transitory situation until
you come into your full power.
"As for our current troubles, I blame Usagi for that. I did love her
once, but that's in the past. I no longer have any respect for her actions,
nor believe in whatever excuse she might have for what she did. Serenity is
dead in my eyes, and it matters little to me since Rei is my queen now."
Mamoru's eyes now had such a cold cast to them that inside, Hikaru shivered.
"I never want to see her again."
Hikaru could only nod her understanding.

"There. You'll be fine, now," Ami announced as she finished the bandaging
on Hikaru's leg. "It'll still hurt for a few days, but as long as you're easy
on your leg, you'll be fine."
Sensing the opportunity Makoto turned towards the pair. "I guess that's
the last time you'll be patching us up for a while, ne, Ami? We'll have to
make do with Hotaru's healing spells."
Ami looked down at the dark-haired waif at her side, then turned towards
Makoto as she helped Hikaru to her feet. "Hotaru will do fine, though she may
have to do some studying up on her medical knowledge. Besides, I'll only be
gone for a year. If you need me, I'll teleport back. There's nothing to
worry about." The slight edge in Ami's voice hinted at bemused annoyance;
she'd thought this argument long since over.
Ami had received an invitation to study medicine abroad at the University
of California at Irvine, a suburb of Los Angeles located in the Orange County
area. It had a well- known medical program, and so when Ami got the
invitation, she jumped at the chance. The others were supportive of her
decision, even though they did tease her about it from time to time, calling
her "Sera Valley Girl", "Surfer Maakyuri" and other such things. Tonight was
her last night with her friends; tomorrow, she'd be starting her year in the
West.
"Still, we won't get to see you from day to day," Minako commented, a
catch in her throat. She and Ami had always been close, and she was truly
going to miss her friend. "Promise you'll call?"
Ami only smiled, knowing that would be enough. A second later, she
followed it up with, "It certainly will be interesting, having to live life as
a normal girl for most of my time there. It's been years since I did that."
"Don't get too comfy," Haruka commented. "You never know when we--"

"I sense a disturbance in time."
Those words, uttered from Setsuna's mouth, brought a quieting chill to the
room.
"Che," Hikaru spat. "We haven't had time to recover. Damn!"
Minako spoke. "Let's see where it is. Maybe it's just nothing," she said
to Setsuna in wishful thinking.
"It felt...odd," Setsuna replied as she answered Minako's query. "Not
quite magic, but very powerful. Maybe scientific; I'm not sure. I don't
think that it's a danger to anyone, however."
"Nonetheless," Minako said as she turned on the TV, switching to CNN, with
an apparent Special Report already in progress. The reporter on-screen was an
American, looking somewhat worn out and haggard, with what appeared to be a
baseball stadium in the background:

"...and authorities estimate that as many as 55,000 people were attending
the `Rockin' AmeriCares' Charity Concert to Aid Victims of the Indonesian
Civil War; a packed house for Dodger Stadium, where the concert was held. The
concert, to be headlined by prominent international rock artists such as
Aerosmith, Bryan Adams, Midnight Oil, Cocteau Twins, the Pizzicato Five, and
Chad Thompson & the Lava Bombs, was to be the first in a world tour to raise
funds for IndoAid Ltd.
"Instead, the concert was attacked by members of the Bloody Triangle, a
gang that California law enforcement agencies have been trying to shut down
for years. They arrived with the intention of making off with the 4.7 million
in ticket and concession sales that were tallied to go to the fund.
Authorities also estimate that the majority of the 5,000-member gang arrived
en masse, an army that easily moved in to overwhelm Stadium security and LAPD
forces present."
The scene shifted to the inside of the park, where a lone figure stood on
a platform in front of the huge video display, just above the performance
stage. The camera closed in on a sight of a longhaired, well-built man
dressed in black, white, and rainbow colors, waving an AK-47 in the air,
firing every couple of seconds. Occasionally he was screaming obscenities
that were being bleeped out every few seconds.
"The Triangle's leader, identified so far only as `Isosceles', dared the
LAPD, FBI, and other law enforcement organizations, to as he claimed, `try and
stop the Tri' from receiving a little charity of their own.' LAPD estimates
conclude that the Triangle members were equipped with the latest in weapons
obtained from the black market, more than enough to hold police forces at
bay."

As the scene of Isosceles continued, a whitish-blue blur zoomed across the
screen, slamming against him. Hard. The gang leader ricocheted into the
wall, where he slumped against the display, unconscious. The blur continued,
unabated, as the cameraman panned as fast as he could, barely keeping up with
the blur as it continued on, dropping various members of the Triangle like
flies.

"The weapons, however, did not hold *everyone* at bay. Three members of
the Los Angeles-based superhero team, the Sailors, went into action,
immediately going on the offensive. The members, Sailors Mercury, Mars, and
Saturn, may have been either already in attendance, or nearby."

The image shifted to a person, encased in a red aura, repeatedly repeated
a maneuver akin to throwing something, sending great blasts of energy forward
to knock enemies over as though they were tenpins. The person then punched
the ground itself, creating what appeared to be a seemingly precise earthquake
that knocked more enemies off their feet. Although there was so much dirt and
other obstructions flying around, there were some details to be made about the
person: it was most likely a she, due to the long black hair, and was wearing
a white short-sleeve, mid-riff top and biker shorts with red trim on both;
there also appeared to be a red shirt underneath. It appeared for a second
that there could be a sailor suit's flap at the back of the shirt, but it was
unclear.

"In any case, the three Sailors, operating without the seven other members
of the group, managed to put down the overwhelming majority of the group
before the remaining Triangles surrendered to LAPD. Special commendation of
the day was given to Saturn, who managed to foil an attempt at a kidnapping by
extremist members of the group, and quite an original way."

The TV then showed a scene on the stage, where the lead singer of one of
the bands had a gun to her head, courtesy of one of the Triangles; six other
members flanked him. Their opponent was a smaller person with short black
hair that drew up to a battle standard against them. Her uniform was similar
to the previous one, only it had highlights of purple...and the motif carried
on to the shoes and purple socks; the uniform even had a sailor's flap on it.
Her face wasn't too clear, but something indicated she radiated anger.

"There's something familiar about her," Hotaru commented.
"Sssh, will ya?" Makoto hissed. "I'm trying to watch this!"

Onscreen, a violet aura flared around the combatant. She slowly moved her
right hand towards her left side, then swung it back into place. Instantly,
seven similar auras flared around the gang members. The girl rushed forward
to meet her opponents, who suddenly could not move.

"That's a time halting spell, I'm sure of it," Setsuna breathed, her voice
displaying an awe that was rarely heard in her voice before. "But there's no
magic involved, or else we would have *all* sensed the spell. That has to be
impossible. And I do mean *impossible*."

The action continued on screen as the young woman walked forward, striking
each individual as she went by; they however didn't move, having becoming
living statues. The girl made her way down to where the lead singer had the
gun to her head. The young fighter took the gun out of the assailant's hand,
helped the woman to her feet, and walked her back to the safety of nearby
police while talking to the singer as if nothing had happened. Once she'd
delivered her charge to the LAPD, the girl turned around to face her
opponents.
She snapped her fingers.
Triangle one fell from what seemed to be a blow to the head.
Number two spun and hit the deck.
Three held his head as though he was injured.
Four crashed to the floor, his nose bleeding profusely.
Five clutched his stomach, then dropped to his knees.
Six fell atop five.
Seven, the group leader, well...he dropped to the floor in a fetal
position, as though he'd been kicked in a *very* sensitive place.

At the end of the scene, the camera turned back on the reporter, now
reporting from inside the stadium.
"As the LAPD and LA Sheriff's Department surrounded the remaining members
of the group, the gang was stunned to learn they'd been defeated by only three
out of the ten Sailors. In the meanwhile, the concert continued, thanks to
the efforts of the trio. Furthermore, to end on a happier note, the estimated
4.7 million that was supposed to come out of the concert expanded to slightly
over 6.2 million when the Sailors agreed to pose for photos and sign
autographs for fees to be entirely donated to the IndoAid charity.
"And so once again, crime in Southern California is thwarted thanks to the
efforts of the Sailors. Reporting live from Los Angeles, this is Christian
Guttenberg for the CNN Special Report."

The next story was a report on some other item, but no one was bothering
to listen anymore. They were too busy trying to ingest what they had just
seen.
Minako turned to Setsuna. "I don't suppose that you have any knowle...on
second thought, don't bother answering that. You probably wouldn't tell us
anything, anyway."
Michiru looked at Minako. "That's not fair to Setsuna. I don't think she
has anything to do with this." Setsuna didn't bother answering, but instead
simply stared back at the blonde, initiating a battle of wills at this point.
While this was going on, all the other Senshi also stared at Setsuna, save
for Hikaru, who had not known them long enough to quite understand why Setsuna
was blamed whenever something strange happened.
"No. I don't know," Setsuna said once she realized an ugly optical
spotlight was being trained on her. "I have no idea what we just saw."
"Could they be other Senshi?" Hotaru ventured.
"Probably not. They're probably exactly what the news said they
are--Sailors," Mamoru replied, as he looked at the holodisplay on Ami's
pocketcomp; she'd pulled it out during the news broadcast. "According to the
Internet, there's a major US Navy base in southern California--a SEAL commando
training site. They could be an anti- terrorist team, or something."
"But what about what they were doing?" Haruka replied. "That *had* to be
magic."
"Not really. Maybe they're some new types of weapons systems that America
is developing. I mean, how much do we really keep up on those type of
events?" Rei turned to Minako. "Still, I think we should investigate this.
It could be something that we may need to know, later on down the line."
"You may have a point," Minako commented. "Still, even with teleporting
over there, I don't like the idea of leaving Japan for so long. In light of
all the events that have occurred recently, a mega-Daimon might show up while
we're gone and destroy the place."

"Well, I have an idea," Ami said, as she put away her terminal. "I'm
going to be living in that area for the next year or so. I'll be getting a
stipend from both my mother and the scholarship, so I don't need to get a job
right away. Thus, with that much free time on my hands, I'll have plenty of
time to investigate this. With this plan, you have both a long-term
investigation going, and a Senshi nearby in case things get rough. Plus, if
things get bad over here, I can teleport straight over. It's a perfect
situation; I don't think we need anyone else."
"Are you sure about this, Ami?" Rei asked.
Ami shook her head vigorously. "Yes. I can do this."
Minako frowned; it was clear that she didn't like the plan at all. "Well,
if you're sure you're up to this, I guess I can't say no. Just promise me
you'll be careful, Ami."
Ami's smiled reply was genuine. "Of course, Minako. After all, what
could there be out there that I couldn't handle as Sera Maakyuri?"

***

As the hours passed, the group chatted easily about old times and many an
adventure, although it was an uneasy discussion, with several attempts not to
bring the subject of Usagi into the conversation. Finally, at last, it was
time to go. Ami went back to her home, readied her items, said goodbye to her
mother. Rei and Mamoru took her to New Tokyo International airport, where the
other two Inner Senshi were waiting; the Outer group and Hikaru were absent,
though this was no indication of a snub. Rather, it was out of respect for
the Inner Senshi, who were so close that they were more like sisters than four
friends, and would need the time to say their proper good- byes.
Ami cried as she hugged her friends goodbye, wishing them the best and
assuring them she would be back within a year. A teary-eyed Minako promised
she would visit her in LA when she got the chance; she also wanted a shot at
Hollywood. No less somber was Makoto, who also said she would plan to visit,
and would also be ready with a big party the day Ami got on the plane to
return home.
Rei's response was a little different. As she held Ami, she whispered in
her ear, "Mamoru-kun would kill me if I told you this, but there's something
that I want you to do; something you've probably thought of. "
"And that is?" Ami remarked, full knowing what Rei was asking.
"If you should see her--Usagi--tell her...tell her--" Rei paused for
thought, then finished her statement as a tear slid down her cheek, "--tell
her that we love her, miss her, and no matter what, want her to come home to
us. We don't care what happened, we forgive her. We just want her back."
"I'll tell her," Ami said, eyes growing red from the tears. "I'd be just
happy if I could see her so I could tell her."
Last up was Mamoru, who although wished her well in her endeavors, gave
away in his eyes his hope for her failure in one area; he knew as well the
silent wish of the girls. Suddenly, though, his eyes softened, and Ami knew
he reluctantly gave his blessing for her hopeful quest.
With nothing more to say, she then tearfully waved goodbye to her friends,
walked down the jetway to the plane, boarding a Delta bound for Los Angeles
International Airport.

As the plane lifted off the Narita tarmac, Rei, Mamoru, Makoto, and Minako
watched their friend disappear into the distance. Mamoru knew what--or
rather, *whom*--they were going to talk about. Not wanting to be a part of
their conversation, he feigned thirst and went off in search of a soda
machine; he'd meet them at the airport restaurant for lunch.
As he wandered off, Rei spoke first. "I wonder if she'll find Usagi."
"I hope so," Minako said. "I just miss her so much."
Makoto said nothing, simply deciding to embrace her friends. "Let's not
hope for things that can't happen," she said, finally. "Rather, let's simply
hope that our Ami comes back to us soon."
Tired of staring at the meaningless viewer's windows, the three turned
away, in search of the restaurant. Yet another Senshi may have left, but that
didn't mean that they didn't have their duties to perform...or their normal
lives to live.

***

A day and a half later, Ami sat in her hotel room, awaiting her sponsor,
set up by the UCI Medical Club. She was still hurting from jet lag, and ready
for the trip down to Irvine. The last few hours or so had been harrowing, to
say the least. She'd arrived in LAX hours later than planned due to an
unexpected weather front in the area caused by El Niño. Ami instead spent the
afternoon on the cramped, confining aircraft having a nice conversation with a
precocious six-year-old Japanese girl eager to see America and Disneyland.
Ami really thought nothing of it until the two had forgotten to introduce
themselves, which the small girl immediately rectified.

"So, what's your name, lady?" the girl asked.
"Ami. Mizuno Ami," she said, bobbing her head in a short bow. "And what
is yours?"
"Oh, I'm Ummei. Totsuzenno Ummei. My mommy says that I live up to my
name."
"And why's that?" Ami said, thinking about what the name meant: unexpected
destiny.
"Because I'm a ha-a... har...." The girl furrowed her cute little brows,
trying to think of the word.
"Harbinger?" Ami supplied, inwardly chuckling at the concept of one so
small being a portent of fate.
"Yeah, that's the word." Suddenly the girl's face brightened, as if
something became a revelation to her. Yanking a yellow stuffed bunny out from
the backpack at her side, she showed it to Ami. "An' this is my Moon Rabbit."
Taking its little stuffed arm, she said to her plaything, "Say hi to
Mizuno-san, Usagi-chan."
Moon rabbit--tsuki no usagi. Plus, the stuffed animal had a white
crescent on its forehead. Ami was no longer laughing.

Ami was still thinking of this as it echoed in her mind. ((She said I'd
see Usagi. I hope she *does* live up to her name.)) She flopped down on the
bed while still in her bath towel, still feeling the jet lag. Since she'd
arrived too late for her sponsor to show up, she opted to stay at an airport
hotel that night; she left her name, number and hotel room with Student
Services, and her sponsor could meet her in the morning.
Earlier than expected, she got a knock at the door. She immediately dove
for the nearest T-shirt when she heard a pleasant female voice ring out, "Ami
Mizuno? Hi, I'm your sponsor from the UCI Mediclub."
Ami responded in what she hoped was good enough English, "Just a moment,
please. I will be right there." Through the jet lag-induced haze in her
mind, she tried to remember the name she was given. "Are you Sandra Ochoa?"
The door, oddly enough, didn't come with a peephole. ((Oh well, Americans can
be so contrary,)) Ami mentally shrugged.
The voice on the other side of the door replied, "Sorry, but Sandy had to
fly back home this week; family matters. So I'll be your sponsor instead.
I'm supposed to show you my Student ID as proof; let me go through my mess of
credit cards here real quick...."
The girl sounded nice enough, Ami decided, and knew somehow that she would
ask for some kind of ID for safety's sake. At last, Ami slipped on a pair of
jeans, and walked over to the door, opening it. Ami, wishing to be polite to
her sponsor and a potential friend, bowed formally. "Hajimemashite. Nice to
meet you. I am Ami."
The girl was still looking in her small wallet for her card. "Gimme a
sec...ah, here it is." The other female pulled out her ID card, then looked
at Ami as she stuck her hand out for a shake. "Nice to meet you, Ami. Name's
Amelia Andersen, but you can just call me Amy, and I--"

Amy Andersen abruptly stopped, staring in stunned silence at Ami. Which
although normally considered rude, was acceptable at the moment... ...because
Ami stared right back at Amy, much in the same condition.
Amy stared at Ami.
Ami stared at Amy.
Both girls were looking at a virtual mirror image of themselves.