Sailormoon Neo: #1 - Toshi ga Kuru! Neo Tsuki ga Deru - Coming of Age! The Neo Moon Rises - By: Janelle Jimenez (miaka@bishounen.org) Official Webpage: http://www.sailormoon-millennia.net/ [http://bishounen.org/smmillennia/] [ Try one or the other if one doesn't work ] "MOMMY!" a voice called, Neo-Queen Serenity stopped walking down the stairs and looked for the location of the voice. Her blue eyes stopped upon her daughter, who was standing in the balcony above her. "Yes, Chibiusa-chan?" the Queen asked smiling. The pink-haired girl pouted and ran down the staircase towards her mother. She was tugging at the skirt of her dress, her hair was unfixed and it fell behind her shoulders like a pink river. "MoMmmmmY! I TOLD you! I'm NOT CHIBIusa-chan anymore. I'm sixteen today so from now on, call me Usa-chan!" the girl demanded. Neo-Queen Serenity smiled gently and looked at her daughter with adoration. Just like I used to be, could't wait to grow up, she thought. It was true that everyone in court who was close enough to the Princess called her 'Usa-chan.' The Queen, however, had trouble adjusting to this new nickname...even if it had been in use for over 300 years. It seemed just yesterday when Neo-Queen Serenity was Usa's age, fighting evil on a troubled Earth as Sailormoon. Usa-chan too was a Sailor Senshi, but only a Senshi in training. Luckily, Usa didn't have to be a Sailor Senshi since the Earth was at peace. When Usa had returned from her Senshi training in the past, the Queen erased her memory in hopes she could lead a normal life. So far, so good. But then again, who could lead a normal life when your parents were rulers of the World? "Well, anyway, USA-CHAN, what is it that you need?" Serenity asked. "Mommy, this dress is too small! I can't be a debutante with a dress that's too small!" Usa cried. Serenity frowned, "Oh dear, why didn't you say something sooner? The ball is in just under half an hour." the Queen asked. Usa looked torn. The sight of her daughter in such anguish made the Queen come up with an answer. "Ara! (Oh!) I know..come along.." she said and headed up the stairs to the quarters she and King Endymion shared. She opened the door and walked inside, Usa trailing behind her. She opened a glass case and pulled out a red velvet pillow, sitting atop it was a beautiful pink wand topped with a crystal. Usa gasped, "You're going to let me use the Disguise Pen?!" "Yes, but be quiet..don't tell any of your friends where your dress came from, it'll be far more beautiful than theirs..and they'll probably be jealous. It happened to me before." Serenity whispered, she carefully gave her daughter the wand. Usa was in awe, "I can't believe I get to use the wand you used when you were Sailormoon! Mommy...tell me the story again of how you and the Sailor Senshi defeated Queen Beryl!" Usa urged and sat on the bed, "Another time, Usa-chan, you have to get ready for the ball.." Serenity smiled. "Whatever happened to the other Sailor Senshi?" Usa asked. "Oh...they're still around." Serenity answered. "Where? How come I haven't met them?" Usa questioned. "Oh..you..have..but you were very young." Serenity smiled. This answer seemed to please Usa. "Okay, I better get ready now.." she said. She raised the wand to the sky, like she remembered her mother telling her she did. "MOON POWER! Make me the most beautiful debutante at the ball.." Usa shouted. Like magic she was dressed in a long white dress trimmed with red ribbons and white lace. A tiny wreath of red and white roses surrounded her oval pointed odango. "Oh, how beautiful you look.." Serenity said and smiled wistfully, longing for the days when she was that young. True, she looked as if she were still in her late twenties or early thirties, but she and the rest of the people in the Crystal Millenium had been alive for over a thousand years. The power of the Silver Crystal kept them alive and young. "Wow, Kasumi-chan is going to be soooo jealous!" Usa exclaimed. Serenity frowned, "Usa-chan...that isn't very nice...you're all supposed to be friends." Serenity said. "But MOMMY! Kasumi-chan isn't nice...I know you and Umino Ami-san go back a long time and Ami-san is nice and caring, but her daughter isn't like her mother!" Usa whined. "Yes, that's true..well, Usa-chan, you better go back to your own quarters, your father and I have to get ready." Serenity said with a new smile. Usa grinned happily and left the room. Serenity sighed, lately she had been longing to be young again...or at least lead a normal life. Her old Sailor Team-mates and dear friends all had normal lives and they all had children, all except Haruka and Michiru who never married...they were all far from her. This ball would be the first time she saw many of them for months and months. The door opened just then and a man stepped into the room, it was Serenity's husband, King Endymion. "Mamo-chan!" she exclaimed standing up, she still called him by his childhood name. "Usako, don't you need to get ready?" he asked with a smile. Endymion was already dressed, looking as handsome as he always had. He was wearing a brand new suit, his lavender hair brushed and combed perfectly. "Oh yes, I guess I should.." Serenity smiled and looked at the dress she had layed out. It was the finest gown she had ever owned. It was made of the purest white silk, embedded with pearls and lace. She needed the finest for her only daughter's Coming of Age ball. She looked back at her husband and smiled, "Would you be so kind to unzip my dress?" she asked. Endymion smiled, even after a thousand years their love hadn't weakened. * * * * "Hisakino Genjuuro-sama and Hino-Hisakino Rei-sama, accompanied by their children Nijiro, Megumi, Seijuuro, Genjuuro, and Karei." the butler announced. "Oh, Mamo-chan! Rei-chan is here, come on let's greet her.." Serenity exclaimed and hurried across the Crystal Palace's Grand Ballroom toward her dear friend. "REI-CHAN!" Serenity exclaimed and gave her a hug. "Usagi-chan, you look wonderful!" Rei exclaimed, she was dressed in the height of fashion looking absolutely breath-taking. She wore a long chinese-style high-collared red dress with a slit up the side and matching high heels. She had her long black hair tied in an intricate bun. Rei could have been the poster-girl for glamourous. She always looked utterly breath-taking, she was known not only in Japan but throughout the world, but yet her violet eyes seemed to be hiding something dark... "I'm so happy you could make it!" Serenity smiled. "Usagi-chan! The 'Star Team' isn't so important to me that I'd miss my own god-daughter's Coming of Age ball! Where is Chibiusa-chan anyway?" Rei asked. Serenity giggled like old times, "She doesn't want to be called Chibiusa-chan anymore, call her Usa-chan or she'll yell.." Serenity whispered. "She not only inherited your looks, but you vocal chords, ne?" Rei laughed musically. When the music stopped, her eyes glanced to the ground and the smile faded from her lips. "Morino Masato-sama and Morino Makoto-sama, with their children Ryuu and Yoseiko." the butler announced. Rei looked up and her smile widened once again, "Mako-chan? I haven't seen her in ages!" she exclaimed, "MAKO-CHAN! OVER HERE!!!" Rei shouted. The familiar brunette looked around, trying to find the origin of the voice. Her eyes gazed around the room until she found Rei and Serenity waving hysterically at her. She whispered a few words to the man beside her, her husband, and hurriedly walked over to them, trying to look proper, her face broke out in a wild grin. "REI-CHAN! USAGI-CHAN!" she exclaimed and gave both of them hugs, "How has the Star Team been, Rei-chan? I hope your doing a good job representing Usagi-chan here." Mako-chan asked, referring to the popular anime based on the Sailor Senshi. Ironically, Rei was the seiyuu for the character of Star Moon, instead of Star Mars. "Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way.." Rei smiled, "What a gorgeous dress you have on Mako-chan!" she added, admiring Mako-chan's short sequined green dress. Makoto grinned and turned for them, her brown curls falling over her shoulders. Ever since Makoto's restaurant, Jupiter's Moon, became world famous, she had aqcuired a new look. Deciding her brown hair was boring, she had it curled and cut. She was never seen with her hair constricted in a pony-tail again. "You too, I can't even tell you just had twins!" Mako-chan exclaimed referring to Rei's still perfect figure after having five children. "Umino Mitsuru-sama and Umino Ami-sama, with their daughters Megami and Kasumi." the butler announced, interrupting the reunion. Ami found them automatically and rushed to them. "Ami-chan!" the all exclaimed in unison. "Minna! What a wonderful ball this is going to be. I had the biggest trouble trying to find a dress Kasumi would wear, and she still hates it." Ami said shaking her head. All heads turned to Ami's youngest daughter. They saw Kasumi, a girl the same age as Usa-chan. She looked almost identical to her other in her youth, but this girl looked unhappy. "I've never seen such sibling rivalry between any two girls than in your daughters.." Rei commented. Ami shook her head, "It isn't as much Megami's fault as it is Kasumi's..she thinks everyone is out to get her.." Ami sighed. "Why's everyone so depressed, isn't this a party?" said a familiar masculine voice behind them. "Haruka! Michiru!" Serenity exclaimed. "I didn't even hear you two get announced.." Makoto said. "Oh, Mamo-..er..Endymion snuck us in. We didn't want to be announced." Haruka replied. She was dressed in a black tuxedo, her golden hair in the same hair style that it had always been in. Standing next to her was Michiru, her aqua hair held in a ponytail with a jeweled clip and dressed in a satin rose colored gown, looking as elegant and sophisticated as always. "Shino Masaya-sama and Shino Hotaru-sama, with their daughter Seishi." the butler announced. Michiru looked surprised, "Hotaru came? Oh...my..." she said and looked down. Makoto looked at Michiru in confusion and gave Serenity a confused look, but Serenity simply nodded towards the trio entering the ballroom. It was a rather depressing site. Ever since Hotaru gave birth to Seishi she became terribly ill and was confined to a wheel chair. Masaya was pushing the chair towards the group. The three all had dark hair, and they were all dressed in black. Hotaru looked tiny, even more pale than she already was. But she looked beautiful in her black dress, her daughter Seishi was the exact image of what her mother used to look like, except she wore her hair much longer than Hotaru used to. Of course, Hotaru had grown her hair to a very long length, it flowed had flowed around her like a black river, when Hotaru used to be well. The Senshi all thought in their minds she looked exactly like Mistress 9. In fact, when Michiru and Haruka returned from a trip a month long trip around the world, they almost killed Hotaru, thinking she was actually Mistress 9 herself. Seishi looked nervous, but after seeing someone in the distance, she wandered away from her mother's side. "Hello." Masaya said quietly, he whispered something into Hotaru's ear and then left her side. Hotaru smiled weakly at her friends. "Why does everyone look so depressed?" she asked. "No reason.." Serenity said forcing a smile, it was horrible to see such a beautiful person inside and out deteriorating into nothing. "Hotaru, it's wonderful to see you.." Haruka said finally, Hotaru weakly raised her arms up, gesturing she wanted a hug. Haruka bent down and hugged her carefully, tears forming in her eyes, but she held them back. She knew Hotaru didn't want anyone pitying her. "Tokino Yokinori-sama and Tokino Setsuna-sama, with their daughter Yoake." the butler announced, "Ah, there's Setsuna, the gangs all here, ne?" Michiru said. "Except for Minako-chan." Ami replied. "Oh, how is she anyway?" Rei asked, she was never very up-to-date on the goings on of her friends due to the fact her careers demanded so much of her. "You'll see." Serenity replied finally. By then Setsuna had made her way to them, "OOOH..Setsuna, is that a new design?" Rei asked enviously eyeing Setsuna's mauve velvet dress. "Yes, it's apart of my new line...would you like to model it for us, Rei-chan?" Setsuna asked. Setsuna was a very successful fashion designer and frequently used Rei to model her clothing. "Of course, of course!" Rei exclaimed happily. "Oh..Hotaru-chan.." Setsuna said and looked down, her eyes gazed sadly at the girl. Setsuna gave her a hug, "How are you feeling?" "I've been better." Hotaru replied, smiling weakly once again. "Hateshinai Minako-sama, accompanied by her daughter Aiko." the butler announced. All heads turned towards the door, Rei gasped in surprise. "Yes, Rei-chan...gasp away." Minako said as she headed towards them, her eyes looked sad. Her voice touched with bitterness. "Minako-chan..I.." Rei stammered. "Ne...It's strange to see such a beautiful woman look so horrible." Minako demanded. Even if Minako had lost her happiness, it was obvious she hadn't lost the slight touch of arrogance that had made Minako who she was. She was dressed in nothing special, her hair was brushed neatly, but also nothing special was done with it. Minako was never the kind of woman to miss out on dressing up and looking beautiful. Her life used to revolve around glamour. But now her eyes were red as if she had been crying for years, and it also appeared as if she hadn't slept for that long. She looked like her tears hadn't stopped since the day her husband died. Serenity looked away sadly, she now knew she wasn't the only one who wished she was younger and happier. * * * * "WHAT are they doing?!" Kasumi screeched, looking through the crack in the door. "You guys, we shouldn't be spying.." Aiko replied looking nervous. "How long have Ryuu and Seishi been in there?" Yoake giggled. "About an hour.." Karei replied peeking through the hole. "They're just talking.." Usa shrugged. "Why do guys like Ryuu always like freaks like Seishi?!" Kasumi complained. "She is not a freak! He doesn't like her that way anyway, they're best friends.." Usa replied. She had always felt some sort of duty to defend Seishi, who even Usa admitted was slightly strange. Usa and Hotaru, Seishi's mother, were also good friends. Hotaru seemed to know Usa as if she were her best friend...Usa always asked how she knew all these things and Hotaru would weakly smile and say 'Some day you'll remember..' Kasumi peered through the crack, sure enough she saw Seishi and Ryuu sitting in opposite chairs talking animatedly and laughing. "That's just disgusting." Kasumi said and turned away from the door. She eyed Usa's dress, "Where did you get that?" she demanded. "It's my mothers.." Usa replied. It was sort of the truth..sort of. "I bet." Kasumi said sarcastically. "Hey...what do you suppose that is?" Aiko asked, she was looking out the glass doors into the foyer. "What?" Karei said, diverting her attention from Ryuu and Seishi to the foyer. Sure enough there was something going on out there, a group of four or five people...very oddly dressed...their clothes looked almost... metallic. "What on earth.." Usa began as she peered outside, suddenly they heard a crash and loud screaming. Usa and the rest ran out towards the center of the ball room. The glass domed roof had been shattered and standing in the middle of a shocked crowd was a very beautiful woman. Her face wore a twisted smirk, she was dressed in a rather skimpy looking gold outfit which showed lots of skin. Her hair was the color of cherries and was tied up in odango similar to Neo-Queen Serenity's, however it was thicker and touched the ground. "Dear Dear DEAR citizens of Crystal Tokyo, sorry to interrupt such a LOVELY party.." she said sneering, "BUT..I just HAD to crash and give a call to my dear dear friend, Neo-Queen Serenity.." the woman snapped her fingers, "Vandium! Gallium! Technetium! Thulium!" she called. Four figures dressed in metallic clothing jumped down from the broken glass dome and stood around her. They disappeared and reappeared before each doorway, standing in front of it. "I just thought you might try and escape my demonstration.." the woman said with a smirk. "Who are you?" Neo-Queen Serenity demanded. "Why, Serenity dearest..don't you recognize me?" the woman demanded sounding slightly hurt. "Obviously not. Well, now you know me, and how can you forget a name like...Queen Rage?" the woman smiled coldly. "What..What..do you want with us?" Serenity asked, she looked totally confused. Queen Rage smirked again, "What I want is..the Opaque Prism.." she said staring at Serenity. "I don't know what that is!" Serenity exclaimed. Queen Rage scoffed, "Oh please, don't give me that nonsense. Ah...well, if you SAY you don't know what it is, I GUESS you don't. But just so you never DO find out what it is..." she said smiling again. "Vandium, you know what to do." Queen Rage nodded, turning to one of her henchman. She snapped her fingers again and she and three of the others disappeared. Vandium, obviously the one who remained smiled cruelly at the crowd. He closed his eyes and the lights disappeared. Screams filled the air in the darkness and suddenly the ceiling surged with lightning. Usa-chan felt someone grab her, "GET OFF! NO!" she screamed. "USA! BE QUIET!" a familiar voice hissed, it was her mother, "MOMMY!" Usa cried and buried herself in her mother's arms. "Turn yourself into Sailormoon before they hurt anyone!" "Usa-chan..I can't. I gave up the power to be her..but..you can be Sailormoon.." she revealed. "ME?!" Usa exclaimed, "No! I can't! I don't know how! I don't have the slightest idea!" "Usa..shh..you do. You've been trained..I just..erased it from your memory.." Serenity said. "Erased it..? But....why?!" Usa demanded. "There's no time for that now, take this..and all your memories will return. You'll know exactly what to do." Serenity said and slipped a heart shaped brooch into Usa's hands. Usa looked up to say something more, but her mother was gone..she looked down and pressed a latch on the brooch. Inside was a large beautiful pink crystal, Usa tenatively reached forward and touched it. Light poured forth and filled her body..Memories.. "I'm...I am..I was Sailorchibimoon...but now..I'm...Sailormoon.." Usa whispered as all her memories flooded back to her. Usa instinctively stood up and raised the brooch into the air, words came to mind. "MOON ANGELIC POWER! MAKE UP!" she shouted. The brooch lit up as she waved her hand over it. She brought the brooch down to her chest and pink ribbons flew from it and wrapped themselves around her body as transparent pink angel wings appeared from behind her back and folded over her chest, then unfolded back on her back. Where the ribbons had been was now the bodysuit of the uniform. The extra ribbons which didn't form the bodysuit, hung loose, and as Usa spun they formed into a pink skirt. The angel wings on her back formed backbow. From the brooch, another pink ribbon grew, which formed her front bow. From her feet a circle of light appeared which travelled upwards and formed her boots, collar, tiara, and lastly formed a halo above her head briefly as she opened her eyes. To finish the transformation, she then posed briefly. Vandium smiled wickedly as the lightning in the ceiling built up, he loved human misery..anything to make the death longer and more painful amused him. It was almost time, however, to let the lightning devour these pitiful creatures. "HEY YOU!" a voice said from above him. The screaming from below stopped and everyone looked up as a mysterious spotlight shined on a girl. She had pink hair and wore a pink sailorsuit. "IT'S SAILORMOON!" someone shouted. "No! It's Neo Sailormoon!" the girl in the sailorsuit answered. Vandium looked up and yawned, "Little girl in a costume is going to get burned.." he sang. "Not quite. You've destroyed a beautiful party with your hate crimes and I will NOT forgive you! I am the pretty sailorsuited soldier, Neo Sailormoon! In the name of the Neo Moon...I will punish you!" she exclaimed pointing to Vandium. "Punish me, oh please do.." he said smiling lewdly. "Umm..Not only will I punish you, but I'll heal you're perversion as well.." Neomoon muttered. She jumped down and removed her tiara and threw it at Vandium, the tiara turned into a disc of pink energy. It struck him in the middle of the chest and caught him off guard. Neomoon raised a pink wand with a star shaped crystal on top surrounded by a pair of angel wings to the sky, "ANGEL!" she shouted as she pointed the wand at the man, "MOON!" she exclaimed as she span around once, "HEART BREAK!" she shouted again. A beam of pink energy shot from the wand and struck Vandium. To her surprise he didn't disappear like normal youma, but fell to the ground coughing. He looked up and smirked, "I'll be back..you're too cute to stay alive.." he said. He snapped his fingers and disappeared. The lights went back on. A woman turned to her side to thank Neomoon, but this new defender of Justice had disappeared. "That was...AWESOME!" Yoake exclaimed, jumping up and down. "I wonder who that girl was.." Aiko murmured. "Hey, Usa-chan..where were you? Aren't you jealous! There's a new Sailormoon who's as good as your mom was..don't you wish you could be her?" Kasumi asked smirking slightly as she turned to Usa, who walked up beside her. Usa smiled, "Yea, I wish.." * * * * Vandium bowed before his Queen, Queen Rage who was lounging in her throne. Her legs were crossed, hanging over one arm of the throne, and her back was to another. "I should have known there was going to be Sailor Senshi.." Queen Rage giggled. "Yes, My liege..very cute too.." Vandium smiled. "Really...well..why don't you go raise a little hell there..HOWEVER, do not kill the pink haired girl. Kill whoever you want to kill, except her. When we get the Opaque Prism, that little girl can be all yours.. " Rage smirked. Vandium smiled lasciviously, "Trust me, Queen Rage-sama...the pleasure will be all mine.."