Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S A New Quest Part Two: A Royal Revelation written by Mike Koos ----------------------------------------- Our story so far: Having come from an upsetting visit to her boyfriend's apartment, Makoto took to drowning her sorrows in games played on a computer given her by her relatives. She plays a game the Sailor Senshi knew well - "The Adventures of Ondyre," fully aware of the possible risks in playing the game - and is returned to the world of Ondyre. So, too, is Naru, except through different means. While Ami begins a search for Makoto and Naru, the two adventurers join forces and try to determine a purpose for their adventure. They arrive at a port town only to end up confronting a demon to free a part-rabbit girl named Hana, who helps them win the fight. * * * * * Don't ask me to tell you what it felt like when I hit the wall, or what I was thinking. You don't really think about that kind of stuff when you get hurt. The pain sees to that, I guess. It's funny how your mind sometimes starts to wander when you're really hurting... I was so sure I'd broken at least three bones. If falling off the top of that tall wooden fence behind the goods store got me a broken arm, then this should've turned all my bones to dust or something. Okay, so that was seven years ago. I'm not sure if I'd take that bet today... I'll have to ask Sara to dare me to do it again... Oh. Right. I'm doing exactly what I was talking about. Okay... I've landed on the ground. I'm not sure *how* I know that, because I was too busy living through the *last* pain to worry about any new pain. But the best part of all is that this means I'm left vulnerable. I have to laugh. Hana, the greatest adventurer in Mirinis, taken out by a gust of wind... Here, I'll try to stand. Lemnias hasn't won yet... No good. Pain's too much to bear. I can't see him, though I know he's standing right above me. I can hear him laughing. "You do your namesake proud, little rabbit-girl. Rushing headlong into a situation you are barely prepared for, sticking your cute little nose where it doesn't belong... you belong in captivity, where you can be safe from further harm." "Go ahead and kill me," I cough. "I'm not gonna let you lock me up like an animal." "But you *are* an animal, dear girl. Don't worry... I am not locking you up to put on display for a personal zoo. You will have the honor of being my personal servant... and consort." Consort...? *Consort*!? "You want me to *WHAT*!?" "An individual in my position can always use a friend, someone to talk to. The possibility of *heirs* is also one that must be considered." Pain's leaving; nausea isn't. I open my eyes to see him watching me. "Although you are part animal, you are still a beautiful young woman. And you know what they say about rabbits..." Oh, *this* again? Guess I know where *his* mind is! "I don't care what you think!" I screamed. Suddenly, the pain that was still there didn't seem to hurt as much. "I'm NOT gonna be your zoo exhibit, your slave, OR your consort! So go ahead and kill me! I'd rather die than live those kinds of lives!" He didn't change the look on his face. "By all means, do take a little time to think it over. Consider your options. I'll leave you to yourself in your room to make up your mind. Guards?" Two monsters dragged me up by the shoulders - where did they come from? - and threw me into a cell. I'm not sure exactly how long it took for me to black out again. "No............!!" I wake, sitting up. I can feel... yeah, a cold sweat. Eww... Just thinking about what that demon wanted to do with me is enough to make me shiver... or sick to the stomach, whichever comes first. A bed. I'm in a bed. My bed. How did I get here? Well, someone's also gone to the trouble of dressing me in my bedclothes and tucking me under the covers. Okay, I'll say it again. How in Ondyre did I get here? Those two who saved me. I'll bet that's it! One of them was a Sailor Senshi, too, I think. Hmm... the sun's about to rise. I wonder if they're still around... I want to meet them. I let my legs hang over the side of the bed. Yeah, the sun should be coming up over the horizon anytime now. .........There. I was right. I don't know why, but I've always had an ability or something to sense things like that. I have no idea why. In fact, if that dream hadn't caused me to wake up, the sun would have. My bed is right in the path of the sunlight that filters in through my window each morning, and I guess there's something about the warmth of those rays, 'cause they always wake me up, no matter how much I want to sleep late. I know, I shouldn't sleep while there's work to do. Father needs my help, and in an Inn there's always a lot of work to do in the morning. Our guests are the only ones who get to sleep. We have to work. Most of the time I don't get any recognition for it from people visiting our town. See, no one seems to know where my... 'people' come from, or what I am. Everyone in town knows me and treats me like one of them, but many of the out-of-towners treat me like a dirty, flea-infested wild animal and don't want me anywhere near them. I'm glad Father doesn't listen to them when they tell him he'll lose business because of me. Then others try to be nice to me, as a simple animal. Let me tell you, whistling "Here, girl!" or the "Me friend" routines get old *real* fast. At dinner they try to feed me scraps under the table like they're sure I'm not being fed. Sighing, I walk over to the window to stand in the sun's rays for a moment. I often feel like an outsider. What if Lemnias was right and my parents abandoned me? Why would they do that? Didn't they care for me? Or maybe they had no choice. Maybe they were killed and someone left me in Mirinis hoping they'd take care of me here. I still have to wonder if... where I come from, they treat people like me better. Hmm... I've got time to take a bath before starting the day, so I'd better do that. I need it after a night like last night. I continued to think about it all while in the bath. Actually, I think about it from time to time. I can't help it, with people constantly reminding me I'm different. I told myself. Every time these thoughts come to me, I wind up depressed. That's not what everyone expects from me. Without giving it much thought, I ran a towel through my hair, past my ears. Fur does take a little more attention and consideration than hair, more so since I've got it all over my hands, too, and I'll get to that soon. Having two long, delicate ears coming out of the top of my head requires some thought, too. Oh, sure, it's been proven I can hear better than a normal person, but more often than not they get in the way. I *can* move them around a bit, but so what? I put on my regular frock before combing my hair and making a valiant effort to keep my fur from flattening. Well... I don't exactly wear a frock like everyone else's. Because of my tail, it's easier if everything I wear's like a leotard below the waist. Oh, well. Guess it's time I go see if the two who saved me are still in town. * * * * * Ranel had already taken his appointed spot behind the Inn's counter when Hana walked down the stairs. Even as a teenager she had a problem with looking overly cute; if not for the fact that she was part rabbit, some of the town's boys might have lined up to ask her out. In a way, Ranel was glad they didn't. Keeping Hana out of mischief and trouble was difficult enough. Hana wore a top that appeared more to be a fancy blouse than part of an ordinary frock - her favorite. It was a thin, loose-fitting and multilayered sky blue garment, with the top layer - a shorter section of cloth that rested solely around her shoulders - a darker blue, giving Hana the impression of a blooming flower. Her sash was of the same dark color, unlike her leotard underneath, which had a special cut made to accommodate her tail. All in all, it was an outfit that went strikingly well with her long brown hair, fur and emerald-green eyes. A little too well, perhaps. "Good morning, Hana," Ranel greeted her. Her face brightened. "Good morning, Father!" She walked up to the counter. "Umm... those two that brought me back here last night...... they wouldn't still be around, would they?" "I insisted that they stay the night in Room 10 for free. They were so weary when I met them and after they returned that I never quite had a chance to properly thank them. Why do you ask?" Hana rested the tips of her fingers against the counter, drumming her right hand's fingers in succession. "I never got to thank them at all, really. Plus, I wanted to meet them before they left." Hmm... Ranel decided he wasn't sure if he liked the intent in Hana's eyes. "Are you sure you don't have anything else in mind?" There was, in fact, a definite gleam of intent to her eyes. "Of course not! You know me better than that." "Yes. That is why I asked." Ranel shook his head. "When you go up to their room, ask them if they would like some breakfast, okay?" Hana made a dash for the stairs. "Okay!" Hana raised the back of one of her hands to politely knock on the door to Room 10. "Hello...? Is anyone in there?" She received no response. Drawing her copy of the master room key, she unlocked the door. Hopefully, the pair wouldn't mind... and goodness knew they deserved a good night's rest. Hana felt she owed them that much... as well as her life. She would have taken her own life before suffering through the remainder of her years as Lemnias' consort. To think about the possibilities only disgusted her more. She allowed the door to creak slowly open rather than open it quickly and quietly, hoping that the noise would awaken one or both of the pair who had rescued her the night before. It did; Naru brought her head about to look toward the door. "Mmm......" The last time Naru had awakened in an Inn in Ondyre was to greet Liana. The thought would cross Naru's mind, but not until much later. For now she was waiting for her conscious mind to return so that she could understand the world around her. "...Who?" Naru sleepily murmured. Her eyes focused on the image of a strangely-attired girl with the ears of a rabbit growing out of the top of her head. Now that she had the image, all she needed was the name. Details could wait until then. Hana apologized. "Sorry to wake you. I just came by to see how you were doing and find out if either of you would like to have breakfast." "Hana," Naru finally placed the name. The girl nodded. Reality started to return to Naru. She had somehow been brought back to the world of Ondyre after about a month - her time - and wound up teaming with Sailor Jupiter to once again fight through countless battles with monsters, eventually challenging what apparently had been a minor demon to save a would be adventurer and hero: Hana. "How do you feel?" "I guess I've recovered, if that's what you want to know. And you?" "Better," was the only word Naru would say, as she dredged herself out of bed, leaving Hana to wonder why. "Well... I wanted to make sure I thanked you myself for the rescue before you left." Hana glanced at Sailor Jupiter, but the taller girl was still asleep under the bedsheets of her bed. Naru followed Hana's eyes to her partner in monster-fighting. Makoto, not wanting to reveal her secret identity even in private, had refused to change out of her Sailor Senshi uniform for bed. She did, however, remove her armor, earrings, tiara, gloves and boots, in addition to letting her hair down. Makoto had made up her mind not to let anyone know who she actually was. Especially since there was someone present who knew her by her true identity. "Is she a Sailor Senshi?" Hana spoke into Naru's thoughts. "Yes. She's Sailor Jupiter, and I'm..." Naru paused. She had almost told Hana she was Sailor Ondyre. But was that a good idea? If Jupiter was afraid to give away her secrets, even in this world, maybe she should do the same. "...I'm Osaka Naru." For some reason, that brought a wide-eyed response from Hana. "*The* Osaka Naru?" "I... suppose so. Why?" "You're the one who freed Ondyre from that demon... what was her name... Chelise? Along with the Sailor Senshi!" "Well, I... er, yeah. But how did you know? No one else was there except for us..." No one, except for the wanderer Corwyn and Liana, the rogue. Had one of *them* spread reports of what had happened? "Word-of-mouth, I guess." Hana sat on the edge of Naru's bed. "If you hadn't rid our lands of that demon our problems could have been a lot worse. Thanks to you things have improved these past two years." "*Two years*!?" Naru exclaimed, then clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from saying anything else loudly. "It's been two years since we fought Chelise?" Hana wondered why Naru hadn't known how much time had passed. Unless... "You were one of the people brought from the other world, weren't you?" "Yes. Me, the Sailor Senshi, and a lot of other people. But... it's only been about a month in our world since we were last here. I don't understand how it could have been two years here..." Or how Jupiter could sleep through all this. Well... time *did* often progress faster in an RPG than it did in real-time. Naru had experienced that fact for herself. Yet two years didn't sound quite right... "All I know is it's been two years since Chelise disappeared. You were all brought here by magic, weren't you? That might explain things," answered Hana. Naru thought about it. Magic... an easy way to explain everything away. "Maybe." She decided to change the subject. "You mentioned something about breakfast?" "Oh, right. If you're interested, we'll be serving breakfast downstairs in the dining room soon." "Thank you." Naru had walked over to Jupiter's bed to attempt to wake the Sailor Senshi up. Among Jupiter's smaller possessions on the nightstand was a pair of pink, rose-shaped earrings... Meanwhile, Hana was watching expectantly. "Umm... was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" The question made it sound as though she were trying to get rid of Hana, Naru knew, but she couldn't think of anything better to say right about now. Hopefully, Hana would tell that that wasn't her intent from the way Naru carried herself. "Yeah... there is," the part-rabbit girl said somewhat haltingly. Before she had a chance to explain, another voice spoke up. "What's going on?" It was Makoto. Naru smirked. "Ah, you're finally awake." "Good morning, Sailor Jupiter," Hana greeted Makoto, while the Senshi propped herself up on her elbows. Makoto was silent for a second. "We're still here?" "This is Hana," Naru brought Hana into Makoto's view rather than answer the offhand remark. "Hana, this is Sailor Jupiter." "Pleased to meet you. I wanted to make sure I thanked you both for saving my life before you left." The Sailor Senshi pulled herself out from under her covers. Sleeping in her uniform had not been a good idea as far as the uniform was concerned... her bodysuit had more or less survived the night intact, only a wrinkle here and there mingling with the smudges or grass stains that were already there - but her skirt, collar and ribbons were heavily creased and wrinkled from being slept on. A restless sleep hadn't helped, either. She'd dreamed she was in a video game - not unlike the Sailor V game - and all her ex-boyfriends had taken turns at the controls. There was one moment when the boy of her dreams, her *sempai*, stopped to take a look at the screen for a moment... and then walked away, deciding not to play. She stretched, yawned. "We don't really have anywhere to go." "That's right," Naru picked up the conversation to give Makoto a chance to straighten herself. "Right now, all we're doing is wandering around the countryside--" "The life of an adventurer, traveling everywhere and exploring, visiting new lands and fighting all sorts of monsters!" Hana fought to keep her voice from going silent. "That's the kind of life I want to lead! Oh, please... when you head out on your adventures again, can I go with you? Please? Oh, can I?" Makoto and Naru each nervously met the other's gaze. If anything, Hana was practically brimming over with eagerness as well as enthusiasm... "Uh... umm..." "Uh, aren't you the one in charge here?" Naru asked Makoto. "We never designated a leader," her partner answered. "Oh. Right." Makoto pulled her hair back into a ponytail for the moment, securing it. "Don't take this the wrong way, Hana... but although you've definitely got power, you seem a little inexperienced. What... um, abilities do you have?" she put the question to the girl, recalling the nature of what she had gotten herself - and Naru - into. She also knew that Ranel and the rest of the town wouldn't be as willing as Hana to allow Ranel's adopted daughter to leave town on a dangerous voyage. "I'm just curious." Hana raised a fur-covered finger to her lips in thought. "Well... I know Wind and Water magics... and I can Summon, too..." Her voice lowered in slight embarrassment. "...but I only know how to summon small woodland creatures right now. Oh, and I know how to use a sword! And-and I'm fast, agile... a great runner, and great at high-and-distance jumping, too!" "Well..." "I'm not asking this just for myself," the young girl insisted. "I want to see if I can find out more about my people. Where they live. No one around here knows anything about them or has ever heard anything about them... but someone out there *has* to know something!" "Even Lemnias?" Naru gently approached the issue. From what she and Jupiter had observed, Lemnias implied that he may have known a few clues as to Hana's origin. Hana's face darkened. "He didn't know anything." "Are you sure?" "Yes." Makoto began anew. "Well... we'll think about it." "Oh, thank you! Uh, before I forget, they're preparing breakfast now. We should be serving it in about half an hour," she added as an afterthought before leaving the room. At one time, she had assisted with the cooking in the Inn... however, she had been forced to quit doing so after guests made an uproar over the thought of her coming anywhere near their food while it was being prepared. Sooner or later, she knew, they'd insist that she not be involved with anything that had to do with the business of the Inn. Ranel would refuse, of course, but in the end if he wanted to keep his business running, he would have to oblige them. It was only a matter of time. The disheveled Senshi got out of bed and onto her bare feet, giving her uniform a sharp tug to pull it back into place. She forced back a rather severe yawn. "Great. That'll give me time to take a bath." * * * * * The newest visitors to the Inn discovered they had a special place set aside for them to sit when they came downstairs for breakfast. Hana met them at the door and escorted them to their seats at Ranel's own table, heedless of the stares the rest of the guests were giving her. "If you don't mind me saying so, Sailor Jupiter," she took her seat, "your clothes look a lot neater than they did this morning. How did you get them so clean and pressed in only half an hour?" Makoto's uniform was, in fact, remarkably cleaner and uncreased. She looked as though she hadn't fought a single battle in this particular uniform; as if she had transformed into Sailor Jupiter within the last ten minutes... which she had. She flashed a brief smile. "Well, umm... you see, my clothes are... 'magic,' I guess. If I want to repair or clean them, all I have to do is change out of them and then back into them." Naru rolled her eyes. Jupiter had been so secretive about her identity that she'd done all her costume-switching in the privacy of a locked bathroom. She had reverted back to normal to take a bath... and once that was done, transformed again into Sailor Jupiter. thought Naru. Another member of the serving staff, a girl scarcely older than Hana, placed complete meals before everyone with something of a courteous flourish. Naru noticed with interest that Hana's plate was made up almost entirely of an unusual salad. "Hana? You're a vegetarian?" "Uh-huh," Hana nodded. "I could never bring myself to eat anything from another helpless animal." Naru wondered, then let the issue drop. As with the elixirs and free lodging Ranel had kindly given them, he was now treating them to a full breakfast, no corners cut or expense skipped. Both adventurers received equal helpings of what might have been considered a typical Earth breakfast in some circles - scrambled eggs, a small side arrangement of sausages and an irregular hash-brown, plus a drink that looked, smelled and *tasted* like orange juice... Now why would they assume Ondyre to be radically different from Earth when it came to breakfast? They didn't have cold cereals, sure, but what difference did that make? Certainly Naru and Sailor Jupiter couldn't have come to Ondyre to market boxes of processed grains with a simple plastic toy buried somewhere inside... "How much do we owe you for this meal?" Makoto asked. Ranel shook his head. "All meals are free as a service to our guests here at the Inn." "But, surely you wouldn't mind if we insist on paying you, anyway." "No. I won't hear of it. You saved my daughter and our town. That is payment enough. Besides which, I'm sure you could put your gold to better use, such as in buying better weapons and armor. You will no doubt need them if you are going to continue your travels." Naru pursed her lips. "Have things actually gotten to be that bad? I thought that after the demon Chelise was gone, this world would be peaceful." "It was, for a while," admitted Hana. "But everything slowly went back to the way it was before. Some say that this isn't the influence of one, but many demons, scattered across Ondyre." She glanced to her side at Ranel. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce you. Father," Hana gestured toward Naru and Makoto, " this is Naru, the very same person who defeated Chelise at the Temple of Ondyre two years ago, and Sailor Jupiter, one of the Sailor Senshi who was there with her." "Is this true?" Naru seemed to want to withdraw. "I... yes. It is." "Then I should be twice as grateful to both of you." Ranel smiled. "Have you come to help free our world of Evil once again?" Makoto met Naru's gaze. Did they have much of an alternative? "We'll do what we can." Although she wasn't finished, Hana pushed her chair away from the table. "And, Father... I want to go along with them." "What? Hana, please tell me you aren't serious! Look at what happened to you last night!" "I know. But my skills, stamina and defense will improve with practice. Father, I hope you don't think I don't love you or this town, but I've already packed. I want to find my own destiny, and my people, too." Ranel turned to glance at the two adventurers. "She told us her intentions earlier," Naru tried to refrain from shrugging. "We never said whether she would be able to come with us or not." "Please, Father? I'm old enough to make my own decisions. You know I won't be happy here forever - this is a port town, and everyone who comes to the Inn treats me like an animal in the zoo!" Hana pleaded. Ranel closed his eyes and sighed. "You're right, daughter. You are old enough to make your own decisions. Therefore, if Naru and Sailor Jupiter do not mind, you may go with them." "Really?" The joy in his daughter's voice brought another smile to Ranel's lips. "Absolutely. I know you will be safe in their company." Hana saw the blush rising in her new friends' faces. "Father, you're embarrassing them!" "I apologize," Ranel laughed. "Promise me, Hana... that if you do find your birth parents or your people, you will never forget me or the town in which you have grown up." "I promise. I will never forget... and someday, I'll return." "I know you will. I know you aren't one to break her promises." Now all that was left was to get Naru and Makoto's permission. Hana rushed to Naru's side of the table and rested her hands on it. "Naru, can I go with you? Please?" Makoto grinned. "I guess this means you're the leader, Naru-chan." "Yeah. I suppose we can use all the help we can get, so if you still would like to come along, you can. But I want you to be aware that we're probably going to be putting ourselves in a lot of danger." "All part of the world of adventure," Hana said. "I need all the experience I can get." Naru added, silently. "Okay, you're in." Hana let out a loud whoop to celebrate. Most of the guests in the room shot her an icy glare. She ignored it. Try as he might, Ranel couldn't bring himself to scold his daughter. "Okay, okay. After breakfast, I'll take the three of you to the shops in town. Hana, I know you definitely need better armor and a better sword, and I'm sure the two of you would like to visit the shops before you leave town," he said in a quieter tone of voice, hoping Hana would understand the subtle hint. Makoto had another reason to visit the shops - she and Naru had amassed a small pile of extra equipment to sell for even more spare change. There wasn't very many other reasons for anyone to carry that much loose equipment around with them. From the looks of their money purses, they really didn't need to bother with scrounging around for whatever money they could get, either. So why bother? The price of arming oneself had actually gone down in the wake of the monster plague. The reason for the drop? There were precious few people in Ondyre who could or dared lift a sword, presently. Fewer still were those who were qualified to be heroes... and now, the little girl Ranel had watched grow up was on her way to becoming one. Ranel figured he was going to be very, very proud. * * * * * Hana truly did need a change in armor. She had bought her present gear by setting aside enough of her allowance until she could afford the cheapest equipment available. "I'm afraid that it would take at least a week for us to design armor for anyone of you... especially you, Hana. I'm sorry." The proprietor of the armor shop fastened the last section of what had originally belonged to a suit of armor meant for a female soldier - mostly from the waist up - around Hana's shoulders. Hana preferred armor that was strong, yet wouldn't interfere with her mobility or speed. Because of the limitations of existing armor, this meant that Hana was limited to protecting her upper torso - save for her head and arms - in armor. After a bit of persuasion, she had agreed to use a pair of knee guards as well. For now, there was no easy way to protect her bare feet, which she understood might become a problem at some point during her travels. "Please feel free to build your own custom suit of armor out of our available stock, however. For you, the heroes who saved our town, everything is only half-price." Makoto and Naru traded looks again. How had the entire town found out what they'd done so rapidly? Everywhere they went, the townspeople turned out to be quite friendly and grateful, gathering in crowds to watch whatever the trio did. The owner of the weapons shop had essentially behaved in a similar manner; Makoto suspected he had actually given them *more* money than what all of the excess weapons she had collected from the battlefields were truly worth. Surely, she thought, they hadn't done anything to warrant this much gratitude from the people of Mirinis. The Sailor Senshi also preferred a high degree of freedom in her armor. Her uniform protected her against magic and energy attacks well enough - but against bladed weapons, spiked maces and the like, even the advanced fabric of her uniform wouldn't hold for long. Naru, on the other hand, wanted a full suit of armor. She was a magic user, a mage of sorts... which implied she should be walking around in a hooded cloak and holding a staff. She had the staff, though from experience she knew nothing short of armor plating would be suitable. For some reason, despite all her magical abilities she often wound up taking monsters on in hand-to-hand combat. And until she was skilled enough in fighting with a staff, a mage's cloak wouldn't do. Trading mobility for protection was also out. Naru took her time in piecing together her armor. Currently, she was inclined to equip herself with more armor than Liana had insisted she buy. There was some anger here that Naru refused to let her thoughts dwell on. She'd had to endure a lot of pain in her previous armor. So - more armor, less pain, right? It made sense... until she finally found she was far too loaded down with armor to effectively move. "Someone help me stand straight before I embarrass myself," Naru hissed under her breath. "Before?" Hana giggled. "Would you like me to change my mind about letting you come along?" "Okay, okay." Hana - still smiling - and Makoto lined her up against the nearest wall. Makoto began prying some of the excess pieces of armor away from Naru. "Now why'd you go and put on so much armor? Surely you know you can't move with all that stuff on!" Naru shrugged... or tried to, at any rate. "I do *now*." Fifty minutes later, Naru's new adventuring party was fully prepared to leave. Naru had finally settled on an array of armor much like what Makoto and Hana wore. All in all, Naru thought the sight of them must look like versions of the main characters from that one show Naru recalled watching... 'Magic Knight' something or other. Nearly everyone in town had turned up to see them off and wave farewell to them. Mirinis' unofficial mascot was heading out to make a name for herself alongside the two heroes whom had saved Mirinis the night before. There was also a rumor making the rounds that the pair had also been part of the group which saved the whole of Ondyre from the demon Chelise two years ago. The girl known as 'Naru' had supposedly been the one to defeat Chelise - but as to how, the rumors were not clear. They ranged from Naru defeating Chelise at swordpoint... which made no sense as Naru apparently favored a staff, to Naru inadvertently calling upon powers she hadn't expected to find. None knew of her transformation into Sailor Ondyre, which was just as well. Ranel walked with them to the town limits, a fact which Hana dreaded because it gave him the opportunity to run through a standard 'worried parent' checklist. "You're sure you have packed all the necessary clothes for traveling?" "Yes, Father." "What about special or formal events?" "Father, you know that if I take that kind of clothing with me, it'll just get all messed up before I have a chance to use it." "I see." "Anyway, if I *do* have to go to some kind of special event, it'll be easier to just buy what I need." "How about your supply of medicine?" Hana exhaled. "I'll be fine. I've got all the healing potions and antidotes I need. Oh, and thank you for the extra elixir." "I'm sorry," Ranel apologized. "I suppose I would be less frantic if this weren't happening so rapidly. My only daughter, leaving home to put her life at risk... I never truly expected this to happen." Makoto turned her head to look at Ranel as she walked. "If she wanted to go on an adventure so much, wouldn't leaving home to find it be high on the list?" "Perhaps it would. I never imagined Hana would want to do so, however." Hana frowned. "I want to stay as much as I want to go. But you understand that I need to do this... for my sake." "Why?" The question was expressed with calmness and mild curiosity, not pleading. "I... Father, I can't really explain my reasons." "I do not expect you to," the man's voice eased somewhat. "As time goes by, you will come up with further reasons. I only ask that you never forget your original reasons for departing on this quest. They shall always be a major part of the force that drives you." Hana's smile was back. "I understand. I want you to know that I'll try to write whenever I can." "Yes... I will be waiting for each letter. They should help me understand where you're going and what you have done." They reached the town's border. Naru and Makoto continued to walk on ahead, giving Hana a chance to say her farewells to her father in private. "I guess this is it," Hana near-shrugged. "It's time to say the last good-bye, for now." "You still have time to reconsider." "Father......" Ranel embraced his daughter for a long moment. "I shall truly miss you." Tears formed in each of Hana's eyes. "Me too. I, uh, mean that I'll miss you too." Ranel chuckled and dried her tears. "I know neither you nor I find good-byes easy. So, why don't we conclude our farewells for now? You probably should catch up to Naru and Sailor Jupiter before they go too far." She understood what her father was attempting to do. "I *will* be back as soon as I can. I promise, really!" "Hana, if you don't, I will head out myself to find you." "I believe you." Hana turned to go. "I have to go now. Bye!" She ran to catch up to her new friends, leaving her adopted father to watch and silently wish her good luck. "Oh, there you are," smirked Makoto, as Hana joined them. "We were getting worried." Naru tossed her a dubious look. "Isn't that an old joke?" "There's always a chance she hasn't heard it yet." Hana fell in beside them. "I have." "Oh, well," Sailor Jupiter shrugged. Naru watched Hana stride confidently along the road, barely checking to make sure there was nothing in her path that might hurt her bare feet. But then, hadn't Hana been walking around without shoes for most of her life? Maybe Hana's feet were stronger than she assumed... "You know, I still find it remarkable that I didn't notice any races other than 'full' human when I visited Ondyre last time," Naru remarked. "But, as Sailor Jupiter said, we really didn't have much time to look around." "Our world is filled with magic," Hana admitted off-handedly. Her words set off a warning note in Naru's mind; a certain someone had said essentially the same thing to her two years of this world's time ago. "I think that's one of the main reasons we've got a bunch of different races and tribes living in the lands." The younger girl appeared thoughtful for a few seconds. "Hey, are there any races like mine on your world? Maybe I could've come from there..." Naru shook her head. "Not that I know of." "Me neither," added Jupiter. She waited a moment before asking her next question. "Pardon me for asking, but wouldn't you rather have been a regular girl than a fighter? Settle down someday and have a family? You don't have a boyfriend, do you?" She hadn't meant to ask the last question, but the incident with Shouichi was still playing itself out in her mind as if it were a movie she'd found to be bad after renting it, and then left it to play unattended in an obscure corner of the house. "Well... I do wanna get married someday and have children... but before that, I want to make sure I haven't wasted my life. Does that sound silly to you?" Makoto was about to tell her that no, it didn't sound silly to her at all, when Naru unwittingly interrupted. "Children?" Naru blurted, eyebrows raising. "You mean like rabbits do?" "Naru-chan!" Makoto admonished her. "It's okay," Hana breathed a fairly bitter sigh. "Everyone thinks like that. Even Lemnias did. 'Better not leave the boys alone with her, dear, or this room will be filled with baby rabbits in no time.' Or when they smile and say, 'You know how rabbits are.'" She growled. "I hear it all the time from people that come to town, when they're not treating me like a dirty wild animal." Naru quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. I didn't know... I didn't mean any insult. But... if a lot of people look at you like that, why would you want to leave town - and your family and friends?" She could see the determination in Hana's eyes. "Because I don't care what they think about me. Father and the rest of the town taught me that. If an entire town can treat me like there's nothing different between me and anyone else, then others can, too." "That's true." "You know, now that I think about it," Naru wished she could take back her earlier words. "You kinda remind me very much of a friend of mine back in my world." Makoto withdrew her breath. "Her name is Usagi." Hana repeated the name. "'Usagi.' That's an unusual name. What does it mean?" It was then that Naru realized what she had done. "Mean...?" "You know, most names usually have a meaning. Father tells me my name means 'lovely flower.'" "Well, um..." "It means 'rabbit,'" Sailor Jupiter interrupted. Hana glanced at Naru. "Is *that* why I remind you of her?" "N-no!" Naru stammered, bringing her hands up. "It's just a coincidence! Honest! You and Usagi-chan really *do* have a lot in common!" "You really think so? Hmm... if it's ever possible, I'm going to have to meet this Usagi and see for myself," Hana locked her hands behind her back. Makoto shrugged. "Usagi-chan *is* a lot like you." Her remark had the effect of shorting out their young friend's smugness. wondered Naru. All of a sudden Hana stopped, her expression turning coldly serious. She wrinkled her nose and tested the air. "What's wrong, Hana-chan?" The girl swiveled her rabbit's ears forward. "Monsters," she went pale. "A group of monsters is coming this way." "Geez..." Makoto spat, "we're not out of town ten minutes and already we're being attacked." "Monsters like to hang around towns and toy with the people. Though getting rid of Lemnias got rid of most of the monsters." Hana drew her sword in order to ready it in one hand. "You'll do better if you hold the hilt of the sword with both hands," Naru thought to advise her. "I know." Something in Hana's voice almost sounded sad. "But my hands are too big to do that all the time." She was telling the truth; her fur-covered hands were a bit larger and thicker than one would expect. Otherwise, she possessed the same number of fingers on each hand as any full-Human girl her age, as well as the same amount of control a full-Human hand afforded, barring accidents with the fur covering her hands. To be sure, the nature of her hands had led to some unusual ballgames, for one... She didn't have time to debate the issue, as the monsters Hana had sensed charged into view. Like Hana, they had caught the scent of young warriors on the wind and weren't about to pass it up. The girl's prediction that there would be a lot of them had also been right. Fortunately, Naru's group was already prepared to face the attack. But not a potential horde of monsters. Hana sniffed the air again with displeasure. The creatures *did* smell quite strong... If only her senses of smell or hearing were refined enough to give her a better idea of how many opponents they stood to face... "I don't know if we can take out this many monsters without wasting our magic!" Naru said out of the side of her mouth. As far as she was concerned, her magic was her primary weapon; Naru wasn't satisfied with her level of skill in using a staff against monsters, let alone ordinary people. After her past experiences and especially the previous night, she had learned the benefit of saving her magical strength until it was truly necessary. "What did you expect? We'll be placing ourselves in a lot of danger if we just fight these things off by sword alone!" Even Hana could see that taking on an entire horde with nothing but a sword or staff was far from advisable. Naru felt her arms go numb momentarily. Ever since her return to Ondyre, she had faced more battles per square mile than on her original adventure. Why should she worry? She had two fighters by her side this time... one skilled, one learning. And she'd found she could do well enough in a battle without any outside help, as long as she had her spells to fall back upon. There was one other avenue left to her... but it seemed lost to her forever. She urged her arms to move... they did, slowly. Makoto lunged into the horde, blade whisking haphazardly from one point to another as she cut her own path through the monsters. Most of her slashes were only effective in wounding her opponents. Hana tried to follow her example - *and* the Senshi - through the horde. Most of these monsters looked quite tough; she'd hoped then to start with weaker opponents whenever possible. Hana succeeded in skewering a monster here and there, gaining her some much-needed experience, though not as much as she'd hoped. It was here that her physical agility helped the most. She ducked, feinted and dove through the space in between a pair of monsters, causing them to strike each other while trying for the girl. Feeling unusually euphoric, she used the head of one as a high vaulting horse, springing up into the air and flipping neatly over the angered monster. It struck, but Hana wasn't there. It turned its glare in every direction to find the rabbit-girl. She stood atop the helmeted head of a nearby monster, taunting it, pulling down a lower eyelid and sticking out her tongue. The monster, though dull, knew a taunt when it saw one. It brought its broadsword down... Down, into the helmet of a fellow monster. The rabbit-girl, of quicker reflexes, had leapt to perch on another monster's head. More and more monsters joined the attempt to pound or cleave her. In this manner, she let them do her work for her as she jumped from head to head. A feeling of giddiness was riding high in her chest. How foolish of her to believe that experience came from swinging swords and casting spells alone! She sprang to another monster's head. Suddenly, the ground disappeared from under them all. Or, more precisely, from underneath the entire group of monsters. A tremendous chasm had opened in the ground. Hana's eyes went as wide as the chasm. As the monsters were taken by their fate, Hana ran from monster to monster in a desperate attempt to reach the edge of the Chasm before she, too, was lost. Finally, she made it. One final leap with all her strength. brought her to the edge. She caught the rim by her fingers... though her fur made it hard to achieve a solid hold. There were pads there, undesigned for rock climbing as her hands were, and her fur limited their effectiveness. Cursing her hands, she scrambled to pull herself up. The last of the monsters had fallen, and the chasm was rumbling shut. It was closing! She panicked. Hana's frantic scrambling meant she would not find a foothold, while her hands continued to slip. She recalled Sailor Jupiter's words, modifying them for her own use. Here she was, barely ten minutes from the home she'd departed on her road to starting her grand new adventure... and now, her fingers were the only thing distancing her from death. Something took hold of one of her wrists. It was Naru! The auburn-haired mage locked both hands around Hana's wrist, ordering Hana to do the same to her wrists. "Hang on!" she shouted the first thing that came to mind. "I won't let you fall!" But would her declaration hold true? Already, Naru's feet were sliding along the grassy plain toward the edge as she tried to keep her ground. Hana was relatively lightweight, but Naru had no experience in pulling others from the edge of a chasm. By the time it occurred to Naru to wonder where Sailor Jupiter had gone, the Sailor Senshi was there, tying around Naru's waist the end of line of rope she'd pulled from her pack. Whatever the other end of the line was secured to was out of her eyesight. She was grateful to have it keep her steady, nonetheless. With Makoto's help she strained again to pull Hana free of the chasm. Hana's rescue came as the chasm was sealing itself shut - she had to jerk her feet up and away to avoid having them caught in the trap. While Makoto helped Naru untie the rope that held her in place, Hana collapsed onto her back, facing the skies... and in one long breath released all of her anxiety. "Okay," she said, once she believed she had resumed breathing normally, "which one of you overdid it with the Earth magic?" Naru registered a slight amount of surprise at the use of the word 'Earth.' "Not me. I only know Fire and Ice, and Sailor Jupiter's powers count as Lightning." "So who--" "Hey - you, over there! I apologize... I'm still learning my spells. Are you okay?" A girl's voice, not to mention a *familiar* one... "*You*!?" Naru spat, venom quite apparent. Makoto wisely moved to restrain her. Otherwise, she would have tried to reunite the newcomer with her staff the painful way. Two years' time had not done much to age or mature the girl's features. Although she was a rogue, her clothing and armor suggested that she was, instead, a mercenary. Parts of her outfit - particularly the olive-drab tank-top and tan fatigues, implied a connection with the military. Then there was the matter of her short-cut mop of jade hair, except the rogue's dark clothing made it seem right at home. Hana had no way of knowing who this rogue was; Makoto had recognized her almost as readily as Naru, however. Then again, Naru *had* known the rogue longer than either of them. "*Liana*," whispered Makoto. Liana also came close to whispering. "I don't believe it," she forced, temporarily ignoring Hana and Makoto. "Naru......... i-is it really you?" She fidgeted. The rogue had imagined this meeting taking place many times. Liana hadn't even been sure it *would* happen. No - it would, she always argued. Her faith had always done a great job of convincing her Naru would return one day. Unfortunately, her imagination had led her to believe Naru would forgive her soon after. "It's me," Naru growled, at which Liana's face began to turn ashen. Naru was clearly not in the mood to forgive anyone. "So what are *you* doing here, *thief*?" Out of force of habit Liana fired back, "I am NOT a thief! Why don't you understand that?" Because Naru still felt angry, betrayed and completely justified in her anger, harboring it all this time, she realized. She steeled herself. "I heard some rumors that a demon had taken over the town of Mirinis and wanted to see if there was anything I could do." A derisive snort. "Yeah. You probably wanted to join up with the rest of the bandits, take advantage of the situation and rob everyone blind." Liana fought hard to keep her temper. "I said, I am *not* a thief, or a bandit! Ever since you left, I've been trying to help anyone I can! You can see I've also made the effort to learn some magic!" "The use of magic isn't just limited to those who are Good," warned Hana. She had decided to be wary of this newcomer - if Naru didn't trust Liana, why should she? At her side, Makoto seemed indifferent. "Big deal." "'Big deal?' I thought you would be happy that I have made it my task to help those who need it! When I said that traveling with you had changed me in the Temple of Alliene, I meant it!" Makoto stared at Liana. "You told everyone, didn't you?" she asked, softly. "You told everyone what happened at the temple." Liana nodded. "Yes. I, and Corwyn - we spread the word. Everyone had to know the truth about what had happened there." "But you didn't tell everyone exactly *how* it happened." At that, Hana mentally recalled the version of the story she had been told. "I understand the need to keep a secret," the rogue concluded. "I figured Naru wanted it that way." Naru's eyebrows furrowed. "Now you're making my own decisions for me?" "Corwyn did as well. He noticed how little the Sailor Senshi said about themselves as anything but a team, and assumed you would not want *your* secret to be revealed." Hana's ears, along with the rest of her expression, perked up. "Secret? What secret?" Liana's fingers found the hidden pocket inside her vest. She removed the item resting there - an item that was carefully wrapped in clean tissue - and presented it to Naru. "This secret." Naru unwrapped the tissue to find that the item inside was the exact possession she had been hoping to have all along - the Amulet of Ondyre. The very item that triggered her transformation! She touched it to make sure it was real. Nothing happened. Was Liana going for another insult? A carefully planned hoax? The thief *had* gone and sold the Amulet for a lot of money, having this... *fake* Amulet made as her way of sticking out her tongue in Naru's face, hadn't she? "I knew you would return," Liana said, hopefulness showing through, before Naru could throw this Amulet away. "...so I kept it safe for you. Naru... I really am truly sorry about what happened between us. I really did abandon that plan shortly after we started out. I came to think of you as a friend, but I was already trapped by the lie I had created. Can you ever forgive me?" Something made Naru choose to drape the Amulet's fine chain around her neck instead of throwing it away. "She kept the Amulet for you until you returned for it," Sailor Jupiter whispered to her. "Doesn't that say anything?" Naru was silent for a while. "Okay, fine. She can come along with us." She walked back to the path. The others watched her. "Gee, thanks. Make me feel like a pet, why don't you?" Liana called after her. On her way to the path, Hana stopped long enough to give Liana an odd look. "No, *I'm* supposed to be the animal around here." Liana stared at Hana as she joined Naru. What had she meant by that? Sailor Jupiter walked beside Naru, whose thoughts were on the Amulet. Naru cradled it in the palm of her free hand. Hana was a handful of paces behind them, and Liana maintained a slight distance behind them all, her hands in her pockets. She knew Naru didn't want to speak to her or look at her. This, she wasn't used to. Usually, everyone yelled at her. They got furious, threw things... but the silent treatment? Never. "What are you thinking about?" "Umm..." Naru raised the Amulet so that Makoto could see its face - the first time anyone other than Naru or Liana was able to see it. "I'm wondering if this is real, because I... changed into a... Sailor Senshi when I touched the real Amulet. Now, nothing's happening." Makoto turned her gaze to the sky. "I don't really know for sure. I mean, I can't really explain it. You might be a special case, but most of the time the special items we're given to transform don't do anything unless we call on their power." "How do I do that?" "You want my opinion? Try searching your mind, your thoughts... anything. You might have the answer you're looking for and not even know it." Naru gave in to the urge to comment. "You know how *ridiculous* that sounds?" "It's worked for us," shrugged Makoto. "Are you serious?" "Yeah. Most of what we can do, we have to figure it out on our own. No one hands us these clothes and then tells us what we can do and how to do it." "Mmm." Naru murmured. She slowed. "Okay, I'll give it a try. If you and Hana can keep watch as we go, I'll see what I can find in my mind." Liana thought to protest. "What about me?" "The *three* of us will keep watch," the taller girl corrected. They positioned themselves in a loose ellipse around Naru, Makoto and Liana at the ends because the young Hana wasn't as experienced, and because Naru wouldn't have wanted Liana anywhere except far behind her. Naru began searching through her mind. After about a minute of this, she found herself being distracted by the slightest of things, such as the ripple she felt when she let the butt of her staff hit the ground. Okay, no distractions. Just thoughts... A bird chirped its own melody. Naru thought. She scolded herself for letting her thoughts stray so readily. Now. No more distractions. Start from the beginning. Who was she? Before coming to Ondyre, she thought she knew. A simple girl - an innocent - to whom strange things happened on an irregular basis. She *had* fallen in love with a man who had been the enemy of the Sailor Senshi... and, despite all odds, had brought him to the side of Good before he died in her arms. Chances were, if anyone needed a victim to kidnap or threaten, they would come looking for her. She did seem to have some sort of connection to Sailor Moon and the Sailor Senshi, occasionally crossing paths with them, as she did now... but never had she imagined *she* would one day become a Sailor Senshi. What? A voice, not her own, inside her thoughts. Was she - as they said - losing it? the voice asked. It was the same voice that had summoned Naru from her bedroom, though she didn't recognize it. There was a pause, and Naru wondered if the voice had left her. Naru cried. But no answer came. "I know," she spoke up. The eyes of her three companions turned to her. "I now know what I have to do." Makoto studied her. "You do?" It was apparent Hana and Liana also wanted to know. Naru tightened her right hand into a fist. "Yes." Her resolve wavering, she raised the same hand to the sky. "Ondyre Crystal Power... make... up!!" The Amulet of Ondyre melted to pure light that soon spread to the rest of Naru's body. When the light abruptly faded back to tolerable levels, her new clothes settled around her. The uniform had changed slightly; it possessed the basic white bodysuit, midnight-blue collar, choker, earrings, skirt and boots. But the orange ribbons attached to her chest and the back of her waist were longer, more pronounced. Strangely enough, she had a new ribbon tied in her hair - of the exact same color as her other ribbons. She now had partial sleeves made up of a semi-transparent material - perhaps chiffon, although it didn't *feel* like chiffon against her shoulders. The most remarkable change of all was that the Amulet of Ondyre, which normally rested against her chest, had become what appeared to be a polished sapphire, or perhaps lapis lazuli, in the shape of a heart. But her staff... the *Vibrance Fork*, had returned, along with its owner. Naru had become Sailor Ondyre once again! Though she had been present for Naru's original transformation into Sailor Ondyre, Liana couldn't help but marvel at this transformation. Hana, on the other hand, gaped. "You mean *you're* a Sailor Senshi, too!?" A slight smile formed on Naru's lips for no real reason. "Yeah. I'm Sailor Ondyre." "That's how she was able to defeat Chelise," said Liana. "Amazing! Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?" Naru sighed. "I didn't want to get your hopes up. I wasn't sure I'd be able to become Sailor Ondyre again." "But you were, because I kept the Amulet for you." Liana's remark caused Naru to bristle. Hana suddenly became aware of a familiar sound and accompanying scent. She craned her ears to better hear the noise. "Take credit later! I think that light must've brought all the monsters in the area to us!" Sailor Ondyre readied her reformed staff. "It's a good thing I changed, then." Privately, however, she had her misgivings. Sure, she was a Sailor Senshi and people would expect more of her. But that wasn't the point. She only had *one* attack that she knew of - the Sonic Maelstrom. That seemed more of a 'final blow' attack than anything that could be used to weaken a group of enemies first. An attack like the Sonic Maelstrom would become ineffective if she used it with abandon. A remnant of the mysterious voice drifted back into her mind's window as the monsters - a mix of trolls and sinister-looking knights, by her account - burst out from the tree cover to greet them, and her party went on the defensive. Jupiter had said to try searching her mind, her thoughts... anything. She might have the answer without realizing it. Well, if it worked once before... "Naru... Sailor Ondyre!" Hana called. "C'mon, we could use some help!" "I'm working on it!" The Sonic Maelstrom. 'Sonic.' Something to do with sonic energy? The Vibrance Fork *was* shaped like a large tuning fork, come to think of it... So, if Jupiter had an impressive control over the forces of lightning... Naru aimed the Fork at one of the trolls and concentrated. She felt the presence of power building within the fork, yet it wasn't enough. How could she forget how to use a *tuning fork*? She struck the edge of the Fork against the ground. The Vibrance Fork resonated with a clear, perfect chime - and held it, intensifying the energy she'd already given it! Now then... time to prove to these monsters not to fight Sailor Ondyre. She found a new target and loosed a focused beam of sonic energy at it, forgetting that there might be some slight recoil from such a release of power. The blast had an effect comparable to Jupiter's Sparkling Wide Pressure strikes. Given enough force, the element of surprise and just the right spot... this method of attack could be useful for overwhelming opponents, not just softening their defenses. Naru picked a different target, one knight who was taking the initiative by charging her. She fired another beam into the knight's chest. It disappeared into an explosion of light. Hana, meanwhile, had resorted to a Water magic-inspired rainstorm to rust each of the knights' suits of armor, with a little help from a bit of Wind magic. It worked quite well; in no time the knights were unable to move their thoroughly rusted armor at all. But even though Hana had effectively prevented them from using physical attacks, the possibility of magic still existed. Liana stepped forward before Hana. "Oh, you're all so helpless, aren't you? Too bad... it looks like a bad case of rust. Maybe I can help you *burn* that stuff right off!" She opened her arms wide and cast a spread of fireballs to the wind. The knights forgot for a second that they couldn't run. A lucky few escaped the blasts by forcing their suits to tip over. Naru and Hana took care of the remaining knights left behind after Liana's spell. Sailor Jupiter was faring differently; the trolls were keeping a wary distance from her, thanks in no small part to her charged attacks. Using her Sparkling Wide Pressure was haphazard at best; most of the attacks the Senshi currently used were only designed for one target at a time. The Sparkling Wide Pressure could hit more than one, but she still had to be careful where she aimed. Her Supreme Thunder or Supreme Thunder Dragon had more of a widespread effect, though not as powerful. A troll managed to heave something unidentifiable and slimy at her. She dodged to the side... and collided back-first with the trunk of a tree. The pain shot like a jagged bolt of lightning through her shoulder as she awkwardly slumped further to the ground. "Jupiter!" Sailor Ondyre cried. Her pulse was racing faster than her feet. She ran to place herself in between her friend and the advancing monsters. Her mind raced, too - she knew she needed an attack more powerful, one that covered a wide area, as opposed to just throwing around focused beams of sonic energy, to repel all the monsters descending on the fallen Senshi. The Sonic Maelstrom was powerful, sure, but it too was largely limited to one target at a time. If she put her mind to it, again... As she skidded to a halt between Sailor Jupiter and the monsters, staff at the ready, the answer fell into place. It was that simple... Naru went into a pirouette before everyone's eyes. "What is she doing?" asked Hana. Liana held up a hand to quiet her. Naru spun faster, picking up speed. When she could go no faster, she broke her spin, slicing the Vibrance Fork through the air in a diagonal motion. "Sonic... Revolution!!" A tornado of sonic energy shot forth from the motion she had just completed. The tornado engulfed each of the monsters and turned them to colorless dust. She dropped to her knees, unused to the power of her Revolution. "Is... it... over?" she rasped. Hana nodded. "No one's left. Until the next fight." "Do me a favor - don't spoil the moment, okay, Hana?" Sailor Ondyre strained to stand up. "...Okay." * * * * * "You're sure this is the correct place?" Ami stared at the numberplate on the door. Apartment 238. Minako also stared at the numberplate. "Umm, not really. I've never been here. I don't even know if this is the correct address. I just heard Mako-chan mention it in passing." Ami turned her attention to Minako. "Then why didn't you ask the manager which apartment was his?" "Hey, *you* didn't think of that, either." "Touche," Ami shrugged her shoulders in resignation. "So what do you want to do? Go back downstairs and talk to the manager?" "I wanna try this apartment, first. I've got a good feeling about it." "I don't know..." Minako shut her eyes. "Don't be such a wet blanket, Ami-chan! You're always so cautious!" "And you're always so reckless." Minako paused. "Okay... we're even." She rang the doorbell. It took a couple of minutes for the person living in the apartment to answer the door. Shouichi opened the door, trying to place the two girls as they stood in the hall. "Can I help you?" Minako noted that the boy looked tired. His clothes were wrinkled, his hair wasn't combed, and patches of dark skin underscored his eyes. What triggered this change? Shouichi-kun was always clean and well-kept at school... "We're friends of Kino Makoto-chan's," Ami told him. "I'm Mizuno Ami, and this is Aino Minako. Can we ask you a few questions?" Without giving the matter much thought, Shouichi glanced past them to both ends of the hallway. "Sure. Please, come in." "Thank you." The boy closed the door behind them after giving the hall one final check. He drew a deep breath and began by apologizing for his appearance. "Look... I don't know what Mako-chan told you, but I'm sorry about the other day. She misunderstood..." Minako and Ami exchanged startled glances. "Misunderstood what? Did something happen between you and her?" "She didn't tell you?" "She's vanished," Ami said, shaking her head. "We're trying to determine what's happened to her." Minako wondered whether or not it was a good idea to reveal that particular fact to Shouichi at this time. Shouichi slumped into the nearest chair. "Oh, man - I'll bet this is all my fault." "Maybe not. But we need to know all the details, first, before we can come to a conclusion." Shouichi told them the story. The girl that Makoto had overheard him talking to about her was, in fact, Shouichi's older sister. "Maki's really overprotective of me. She's always interfering in my relationships and other things." Minako struck a thoughtful pose. "So she was interfering in this relationship?" "Yes. Every time she finds out I'm seeing someone, she starts digging for information on her. Most of the time she finds something she doesn't like and tries to force me to break up with whoever it is I'm seeing... even if she has to sabotage something. She never gives up. That's why I lied to her." And Maki had likely found a lot of information about Makoto that troubled her. "She came over to talk you out of seeing Mako-chan, and Mako-chan inadvertently overheard the conversation," Ami drew a conclusion. "I dunno," came her friend's cautious reply. "Sounds too easy, if you ask me. Are you SURE you're telling us the truth?" "I am! Honest! I really care about Mako-chan, and I'm not just saying that because you're here! If there's anything I can do to help find her, please, tell me!" "I know I bought her a few presents," he added before Ami or Minako had a chance to respond. "Flowers, candy, a stuffed animal, even some copies of my shareware and freeware computer games. But I didn't give her any of that because I was trying to buy her off. I did it because I really do care." Minako bit back a smile. "Good. Because I don't think Mako-chan is the type to be won over by gifts. Unless they're given with true romantic intent." The brown-haired Makoto was definitely hopeless when it came to matters of love. She would let herself go distant, describing at length her vision of the man of her dreams... her 'sempai.' How the boys she met or passed shared qualities with that vision... his eyes, the way his smile put her at ease, his warm, friendly demeanor... "I meant everything I did. Er... except for what I told my sister." "What do you say, Ami-chan? Just to be on the safe side, why don't we do a little digging of our own on his sister?" There was a gleam in Minako's eye that Ami wasn't sure she liked. "Perhaps. But it will have to wait until *after* we find Mako-chan." "Again, if there's anything I can do to help..." the boy reminded them. "There is," Ami asserted. "First, there are a few questions I would like to ask you." * * * * * The four adventurers happened upon a sign by the side of the road that read: "You Are Now Entering The Town Of Geles, Population 617. Have A Nice Day." Some things really *did* stay the same no matter which world one was on. "At the rate we're going, I thought we'd never get here," Hana sighed. Sailor Ondyre followed suit. They had spent most of the day getting to a town which normally should have been a four-hour walk from Mirinis. There had been far too many attacks on the way for comfort. As far as she could tell, the frequency of those attacks was growing worse. Evil's hold on Ondyre was rapidly strengthening. But why? Who was behind it all? Two years' time aside, maybe Chelise hadn't been the one in charge as she had claimed to be. So. If there was a new evil presence emerging, it would eventually fall to them to confront it. Something had to be the cause of Naru's return to Ondyre, since she hadn't intentionally triggered her shift to this world as Sailor Jupiter had. Neither of them had a watch to indicate how much of their world's time had passed since they arrived. Not that it would make a real difference right about now. Geles was not as urban a town as Mirinis, by comparison. In fact, although it, too, had a similar look, there was more of a rural feel to the town. More markets lined the streets than in Mirinis, and a few of those merchants glared at the party of adventurers in the glow of oil-based street lamps. "It's her!" Naru heard one merchant say to another. "That jade-haired thief is back! Better keep an eye on all your stock!" Naru turned on the rogue. "I knew it was too good to be true! If you're trying hard to be such a big hero, why does everyone here think you're a thief!?" Liana, who ordinarily would have responded with a retort or equally acidic response, let her head drop slightly in silence. "Oh, knock it off!" her fellow Senshi exploded. "Stop acting so stuck-up! Like you're so much more better than her! You two were *friends* once. I'm sure you know how easy it is to bring up the bad things someone's done in their past instead of the good things they've done!" Makoto took a breath. "How long are you going to be mad at her for something she didn't even go through with?" she asked, referring to Liana's original scheme to con an adventurer into obtaining the legendary Amulet of Ondyre for her so she could sell the Amulet at a lucrative price. Uncomfortably aware more and more people were stopping to watch their little scene, Sailor Ondyre didn't respond. The four went back to walking. Seeing as how she wasn't going to succeed in getting Naru to apologize, Makoto decided that she, at least, should do apologize to Liana. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve to be treated like that." "No. She has every right to be mad at me. I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of in my life. Now, I'm getting in trouble for not doing the *wrong* thing. I guess I can't win either way." Liana understood when Makoto wasn't immediately sure how to reply. Makoto came up with a response she hoped was good enough. "Naru-chan'll forgive you eventually. Give her a little time. Just make sure you keep doing the right things and she won't have much reason to be mad at you." "You think so, huh?" Sailor Jupiter shrugged. "Don't take my word for it. I'm a terrible judge of character. I keep falling in love with the wrong guys." Liana's pace slowed a step. "Huh? What do you mean by that?" The Sailor Senshi were people, individuals with feelings, strengths and weaknesses. They, too, could harbor resentment upon feeling betrayed... A new voice rang out. "--*Princess*!" The four girls came to a halt. There was a Princess somewhere nearby? Strange... there weren't that many people that stood out from the rest of the crowd. And although both Makoto and Naru had had encounters with royalty in the past, it wasn't safe to assume all royalty would behave in similar fashion. The two Senshi reminded themselves that they were still outsiders to this world... to assume everything would go according to the ways of *their* world would be a regrettable mistake. What did the Princesses of this world look like? A seer approached the group appearing from out of nowhere - or more specifically, Liana. "Princess!" she repeated. "It *is* you! You have come, just as I hoped you would!" Liana retreated a few steps, nervous and afraid. "Wh-wh-what are you talking about? I'm not a princess!" Naru thought about making another negative comment but decided against it. The seer brought her face closer to Liana's own to study the rogue's features. "Your name is Liana, is it not?" "Yes, but...... How did you know my name?" "Please, follow me into my shop," the seer urged. "I have something urgent to discuss with you..." She glanced at Makoto, Hana and Naru. "...as well as your Sailor Senshi and half-rabbit friends." Naru was taken aback, more so than Makoto. "How... did she know we were Sailor Senshi?" "Are you kidding?" smirked Makoto. "Who else would go around dressed like this?" The seer's shop was a virtual reflection of its owner, warm and weathered. Everything was colored largely in earth tones, yet without the equivalent feel such colors usually gave. So much so, that parts of the shop easily faded from perception unless one looked directly at them. The seer removed the hood of her mud-toned cloak. "You must be the girl named 'Naru,'" she said to Naru. "I have heard of what you have done for this world." "Rumors do spread fast," offered Hana. "But it wasn't a rumor!" Liana insisted, feeling a bit out of place in the calming atmosphere of the shop. "Corwyn and I made sure to tell everyone the truth!" The seer took a seat behind the table she used when telling a customer's fortune. "Your young friend is correct. Without complete evidence as proof of what has taken place, an account of the event is only word-of-mouth." Liana absorbed this new information. At the same time, Naru was hoping that this didn't mean what she could do and had done had been blown vastly out of proportion. "You said I was a princess," Liana said at last, skepticism influencing her voice. "And you know my name, too." The seer nodded. "You share the name and countenance of your mother. You look almost exactly like her, though you are younger." "I *don't* have a mother. My brother Corwyn and I are *orphans*. We grew up in an orphanage." She heard Makoto and Hana's sharp intake of breath. "You mean Corwyn was your *brother*?" Jupiter asked, to which Liana replied, "Yes." "Perhaps I should tell the entire story," the seer offered. "Liana, you and your brother Corwyn are the daughter and son of King Corwyn and Queen Liana of the Diaran Kingdom. I was one of the Kingdom's advisors... and your caretaker, as well." "Oh, really?" Liana spoke with obvious disbelief. "When you were but one year old, the Kingdom was endangered by the forces of a powerful demon...... Pientris." thought Naru. Did it ever end? "Things did not fare well for the Diaran forces and soon, we found the tables were turned. Fearing for your safety, your mother and father asked me to hide you and your brother in an orphanage so that no matter what happened, you would continue to be safe." "Safe?" Liana snorted. "Yeah, whatever. And I got to grow up never knowing my parents." "What happened to the kingdom?" intervened Makoto. "The demon succeeded in taking over the kingdom and assuming power, sending the King and Queen to exile. As far as I have heard, Pientris is still in power, yet the King and Queen continue to fight to regain their kingdom." The seer got to her feet once more and walked around the table to where Liana stood. "I tried my best to keep track of you and your brother, but it soon became impossible after a while." Another snort. "A convenient excuse. But that still doesn't prove I'm a princess." Their host was unshaken. "On the lower left half of your back, near your waistline... you have a birthmark in the shape of a five-pointed star." Liana's face went pale. "Liana?" one of the others - she wasn't sure which, as she was no longer paying complete attention - asked, "What's wrong?" When she next spoke Liana's voice had curiously decreased to almost a whisper. "She's right. I... do have a birthmark like that there. So does Corwyn. And we never told anyone about them... because we thought everyone would make fun of us." She turned her back to them and, taking off her gear, pulled up her shirt and vest to show them that she did indeed have the mark on her lower back. "So you *are* a Princess!" Hana exclaimed excitedly. Liana's mind was swimming. "I don't know..." After all, just because she or Corwyn hadn't told anyone about their birthmarks didn't mean the staff at the orphanages had also kept it a secret. But no matter how she attempted to justify this as a scheme of some sort, one question always remained. *Why* would anyone go to such trouble for such an unimportant young rogue? "Oh, come on! That's not the Liana I know!" Naru offered. Liana looked at Naru in surprise. Had Naru finally forgiven her? "...Okay. So maybe your words have some truth to them. We'll see. So where do we go from here? Are my parents still alive?" The seer paused. "The rumors I have heard say they are. But I have no way to verify those rumors. I believe it is your Destiny and that of your friends to help liberate your kingdom and return to your rightful place. But first, you must locate your father, mother and brother. The greater your numbers, the better a chance you will stand." "Then why couldn't we just send in an army?" Naru suggested. "That has been attempted in the past, and none have succeeded. A closer-knit group such as yours, with the special powers each of you possesses, stands a better chance of succeeding than would sending in outside forces to fight the evil." Makoto thought, yet kept it to herself. "Well, what are we waiting for?" Hana's voice rose, overflowing with youthful enthusiasm. "When do we get started?" Everyone except the seer gave her a strange look. In the dark alley behind the seer's shop, a peasant girl watched and listened to the conversation through a dirty window. Once she had heard enough, the girl turned away from the window. Her body began to reform. Soon, there was nothing left of the peasant girl. In her place stood a young woman, her mop of short hair as dark as the shadows and clothing to match. Her ears came to point in an obvious Elven influence, while dark wings matching those of a dragon's emerged from her back. The succubus' eyes glowed red. She clenched both fists. Laughing aloud, Chalea dissolved into the shadows. No one detected her presence... which was exactly the way she wanted events to be. * * * * * The entire matter continued to haunt Ami as she and Minako walked home from Shouichi's apartment house. Both Naru and Mako-chan had disappeared without much of a trace. She kept returning to the same conclusion. Makoto now owned a computer of her own, so it was theoretically possible. But where would she find a copy of the game? After their visit to Ondyre, Hirokazu, the programmer of 'The Adventures of Ondyre,' had given the Sailor Senshi the fully registered version of his game in case they ever needed it. Ami kept the disk locked away alongside her more precious possessions. Usagi had destroyed her copy of the shareware version of the game, and checked to make sure Naru did the same. They had believed that there was nothing left to worry about. With Chelise gone, surely the game wouldn't send anyone else in person to the world of Ondyre. Most of the people who had been sent to Ondyre never wanted to play the game again. This was a major setback to the game's programmer; few wanted to use a game or program that Hirokazu had a hand in creating... a problem worse than having a virus scare attached to one's programs. With the help of the Internet and Nifty-Serve, no doubt the warning was being spread throughout Japan and the entire world. For those who would believe it, anyway. Ami knew none of the Senshi would intentionally give the game to anyone else. So, if Makoto had a copy, she had received it from an outside source. If it had been on Makoto's computer from the start, Ami would have noticed it during her setup - and deleted it. <"I know I bought her a few presents. Flowers, candy, a stuffed animal, even some copies of my shareware and freeware computer games."> Shouichi's words. Ami's eyes widened. If the game happened to be among those copies, and, in an emotionally charged state, Mako-chan had *intentionally* played through the game... Ami stopped, motioning Minako to do the same. "What is it, Ami-chan?" "I've got to make a phone call," Ami stated, then began looking for a pay phone. ------------ Credits: Written by: Mike Koos Prereaders: Artemis & Luna, Richard Beaubien, Tom Williams, David Wills Special thanks: Edison Pongklub Apologies to: Takeuchi Naoko and the others who brought us the manga and animated versions of Sailor Moon. All parts of this series are available at the RAAC archives at ftp://ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/archive/anime-fan-works or from my WWW pages at http://www.fanfic.net/~makoto/ Comments and questions welcome. Please note: I try to respond to all mail I receive - except for the spam, of course. Please - if you email me, be sure to include a valid return address. I occasionally get interesting mail but can't reply to it because the replies always bounce. * Mike ('Kino Makoto') Koos: makoto@cal.net * http://www.fanfic.net/~makoto * * "I can do nothing to stop you. Your background music is too strong * for me." - Sam Johnson, Whose Line is it Anyway?