Sailormoon Neo: #3 - Sailor Senshi no Kokoro wa Ikiteiru, Kasei to Suisei no Senshi ga Kaettekita - The Spirit of the Sailor Senshi Lives on, the Warriors of Mars and Mercury Return - By: Janelle Jimenez (miaka@bishounen.org) Official Webpage: http://www.sailormoon-millennia.net/ [http://bishounen.org/smmillennia/] "Queen Rage-sama, I have news for you.." a musical voice said. Queen Rage was lounging on her throne and sipping wine when she heard this voice speak. She looked up and saw one of her four generals, Thulium, standing there. Rage sighed heavily, she detested Thulium out of all of her generals. Thulium was the only female General, she was also quite incompetant. She was extremely lovely and she knew it. She used her beauty to her advantage. She manipulated Vandium and Gallium, Rage's male generals, into giving her whatever it was she wanted. In addition to this, Vandium and Gallium spent much of their day fighting for her attention, ignoring their other duties. "What is it now, Thulium?" Rage asked, swinging her legs over the arm of her throne. Her red eyes glanced to the ceiling apathetically. "That Sailormoon girl has been spotted again, she defeated a Tree Monster several days ago." Thulium replied. Queen Rage looked up with surprise in her eyes, "Oh, who ordered that to be sent? I didn't. Did Vandium? I told him not to harm that girl." Rage said and sat up straight in her throne. "No, Queen Rage-sama, we didn't send it." Thulium answered. "Well now, isn't this just delightful. That obviously means that we have competition on Earth." Rage said smiling slightly, she smoothed out the material of her golden skirt and crossed her legs. "So, who's the competition?" Rage asked, she lifted the golden chalice she was holding and took another small sip of her wine. "My sources say these others are from Tau Ceti." Thulium reported. Rage's eyes suddenly widened with fear, her fingers trembled and the chalice fell from her hands and crashed onto the marble floor. Red liquid spilled, tainting the pure white floor. "Tau..Ceti?" Rage repeated. "Are you frightened, Queen Rage-sama?" Thulium asked, a tiny smirk playing on her red lips. Thulium disliked Rage even more so than Rage disliked Thulium. Rage was also very beautiful, and since she was queen, naturally Gallium and Vandium had more of a loyalty for her. This loyalty stopped Thulium from getting everything she wanted. "Of course I'm not frightened. How dare you even insinuate such a thing." Rage said coldly, giving Thulium a dirty look. Thulium nodded her head, as if she were patronizing her Queen, "Of course.." she replied. "Get out of my sight, Thulium. Oh, and tell Vandium to go down to Earth to investigate this matter." Rage ordered. Thulium raised an eyebrow and turned around promptly. Her heels made a timed clicking noise in the otherwise silent throne room as she walked out the door. Rage picked up the chalice from the ground, there was a bit of wine still left in it. She drank the last few drops, "Tau Ceti, ne? I'm not frightened of them...Not in the slightest. They must be destroyed...Last time I heard of them was a thousand years ago...A thousand years when it happened...No, I don't fear them...I hate them..." * * * * "Karei-chan...may I come in?" a voice asked, it was accompanied with a knock. Hisakino Karei looked up from the manga she was reading, immediately her mind filled with worry. Her mother never talked to her in such serious a voice unless something horrible was going to happen. What could it be? A divorce? Karei knew her mother and father had problems... but...Maybe her mother lost her job. What if they were moving? "Karei? Are you alive?" her mother asked again, "Oh, yeah...Mother, come in.." Karei answered, her thoughts interrupted. The door opened slowly and Karei's mother, Rei, entered. She had her arms wrapped around herself as if she were cold, her purple eyes looked very serious. "What are you reading?" Rei asked, her eyes scanning the cover of Karei's book. "The Star Team Manga (comic), Mother." Karei grinned, trying to lift the tension of the room. Rei flashed a dazzling smile. The Star Team was, of course, the name of the anime which Rei was the seiyuu for. Like many anime, it was based on a manga first. (Learn something new everyday :)) "I can never get over how ditzy Star Moon is. It's pretty annoying, how can you stand lowering your intelligence to be her voice? I think Star Mars is just the best.." Karei commented before putting the book down. Rei smiled again, "It's based on a true story you know...Star Moon was Sailormoon, and you know that was who Neo-Queen Serenity was.." Rei answered. "I know, I know, you always tell me the stories. How do you know so much? It's almost like you were actually there." Karei commented. Rei smiled again, but then turned serious. "Karei-chan, I was just talking to Neo-Queen Serenity...about old times, you know, the late 20th century. I also had a talk with Diana." Rei started slowly, "Diana? The cat? Why? What's going on?" Karei asked sitting up on her bed. "You remember that attack by the 'Dark Side of the Moon' during Usa-chan's coming of age, right?" Rei asked. "Mother, what exactly are you getting at?" Karei urged. Rei sighed, she quickly slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a red wand topped with a red glass dome. Engraved in it was a small arrow. "Here.." Rei said hastily and quickly stood up, "What is this?" Karei asked looking at it closely. Rei hestitated for a moment by the door. She lowered her head, her eyes looking downward. "I'm sorry for this, Karei...I'm very sorry." Rei whispered and hurried out of the room. Karei stared at the door and looked back at the wand in her hands, it felt strange. Warm. Like some sort of energy was radiating from it. "This looks kind of like..." Karei murmured. Her eyes widened as a thought rushed to her mind, she quickly open her manga to the page she wanted. On it was a wand much like the one she held, Star Mars' henshin (transformation) wand. Karei looked up confused. What was this? It was certainly not a toy...What if...It all came to Karei, all of a sudden. She understood now. She knew what this all had to mean. The appearance of Neo Sailormoon...could it be Neo-Queen Serenity's daughter, Usa-chan? They resembled each other...Karei was getting a strange feeling deep down in her heart about all of this. She wasn't totally positive, but it was all starting to make sense now...Could she be Neo Sailormars...Was her mother the old Sailormars? What did her mother mean? Why would was her mother apologetic? What was this strange feeling Karei felt...it was a voice, that's what it sounded like. A voice telling her this was her destiny. (Note: Hisakino Karei means, Beauty of the Flame...not meaning she's a beautiful person from the a Flame, more like how a Flame is beautiful. Hisaki = Flame, no = of, Karei = Beauty. The name is also pronounced like this: Hee-sah-ki noh Kah-lay/ray. Hisakino sounds like two words, and you can pronounce the rei part of Karei as 'lay' or 'ray' depending on what you like better.) * * * * "Diana, where are we going again?" Usa-chan asked as she followed Diana down the street. "Going to find other Sailor Senshi." Diana replied. "Going to find them? What, are they hiding behind rocks or something??" Usa-chan questioned, her voice was starting to sound whiny. "No, Usa-sama. I've already spoken to the old Inner Senshi, at this very moment...they're choosing four girls to take their place. The Neo Inner Senshi.." Diana answered. Usa-chan's eyes brightened, "Oh! How neat..Eto (Let's see)..Rei-san will pick Karei of course, Ami-san will pick Megami. What about Minako-san and Makoto-san? Minako's daughter is hardly Senshi material....and Makoto's daughter is five years old." Usa-chan said, she wasn't talking to anyone in particular..more like herself. "Usa-sama, they don't have to be the daughters of them. It can be anyone who's heart is pure. The power of the Sailor Senshi isn't hereditary, it's destiny." Diana replied. Usa shrugged and stared off to the sky, a small smile on her lips...it's going to be great being a Sailor Senshi again. * * * * Ami looked outside her window, she saw her daughter walking towards the house. It was Kasumi. Ami had to make one of the most difficult choices imaginable. Who would she choose to take her place as the new Sailormercury? The obvious choice seemed to be Megami, her oldest daughter. Megami was very smart and very capable of being Neo Sailormercury. Kasumi was brilliant, though. Her intelligence probably exceeded Ami's. She never studied for anything...one glance at a book and she knew the material. She was also wise beyond her years. Her maturity also exceeded Megami's, even if Kasumi was younger. But Kasumi's intelligence was often used in frightening ways, she was devious...she always had been. Should Ami then choose Kasumi? It seemed very obvious that Megami was the correct choice. But how would that affect Megami's life? Would Ami dare impose such a thing on her? Also...something seemed to tell her not to choose Megami. So, was the obvious choice now Kasumi? Kasumi was insanely jealous of her older sister.. would being a Sailor Senshi help eliviate the problem? Ami blamed this rivalry on herself and her husband Mitsuru. From the moment Megami was born, she was doted upon and showered with love. A year later, Kasumi was born. She too got attention and love, however by that time Megami was doing all sorts of amazing things. Every accomplishment Kasumi had made, was in the shadow of her older sister's works. Over the years, Kasumi grew more and more resentful of her sister. It frightened Ami, to see her daughter on the verge of hatred for another daughter. The door opened all of a sudden, breaking Ami's thought process. "Tadaima (I'm home)." Kasumi's voice said, "Okaeri nasai, Kasumi-chan (Welcome home, Kasumi-chan.)" Ami replied putting a smile on her face. "Is Megami home?" Kasumi asked, her eyes darkening. "No, not yet. I think she went to Karei-chan's house." Ami answered. Kasumi was silent, she started to head up the stairs. Ami turned away, she was so distant from Kasumi. It isn't even like she's my daughter, Ami thought. I owe it to her...to make up for all these years. "Kasumi, wait.." Ami called, Kasumi stopped halfway up the stairs. "Yes, mother?" she asked, there was no emotion in her voice, she sounded so cold. "Kasumi, I want to give you a gift, the most precious gift you can ever recieve." Ami began. "What!" Kasumi demanded, she raised her eyesbrows. Ami blushed slightly, "No, don't look at me like I'm ecchi (perverted), this is something different, it'll change your life forever. I decided to give this to you, and not Megami, because I think you'll do a better job." Ami said, she wasn't really lying....it was the truth, sort of. She pulled out a blue wand. The glass dome on top had a gold harp carved on it. Kasumi slowly descended the staircase, "What is that, mother?" she asked, sounding entranced. The mere idea of being better than Megami automatically raised her curiosity, but this wand which her mother held out for her...she was drawn to it. "I'm going to tell you a story now, Kasumi. It's the entire truth, you know I don't lie..." Ami said quietly. No, she didn't lie...not usually. Ami sat down on the steps and Kasumi followed her lead. "You know of the Sailor Senshi, the Sailor Team...right?" Ami inquired. Kasumi nodded, "I was once apart of them..." Ami began. Her words began a story of a time many millennia ago...Ami looked up during a pause in her tale, and thought, I owe this to you, Kasumi. * * * * "Usa-chan...what are you doing here?" Karei asked in surprise, she slipped her wand into her pocket. She had been looking at it closely all day. "Ne, Karei-san, is your mother here?" Usa asked, Karei shook her head. "No, she just left to go shopping, I think." Usa looked down at Diana, worry forming in her eyes. "Would you like to come in?" Karei asked. Diana nodded at Usa and stepped into the doorway of the Hisakino Mansion. "Has....your mother talked to you about something?" Usa-chan asked, she wanted to remain vague...but clear enough for Karei to understand. This was uncomfortable as it was...she wasn't even that good of friends with Karei. Usa thought Karei was a bit of a snob at times, but she was generally nice...and very pretty. Karei's violet eyes glanced nervously to the side. She flipped her black hair over her shoulder, "Umm, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about." Karei replied, she shifted her eyes, wondering if she sounded suspicious. "Why don't we talk about this elsewhere?" Diana asked, speaking up as she took sight of Karei's twin brothers Seijuurou and Genjuurou watching the group intently. Karei shrugged and lead them outside, shutting the door behind her...She didn't realize she was being watched... "Saa (well) what is this about?" Karei asked, smiling slightly as the trio began to walk away from the house. She felt slightly uncomfortable. She didn't know Usa or Diana very well... not to mention Usa was Princess of the world and Diana Advisor to the Queen. She didn't want to seem stupid... "Saa...I...you see..it's like this.." Usa began, she didn't know how to say it. What if Rei hadn't told Karei? What if Karei wasn't even the one who was chosen...It was destiny, not heredity. Karei looked at Usa, trying to listen to what she was saying...but she felt distress all of a sudden. Something bad was going to happen...Something to Usa-chan. "ABUNAI (watch out)!!!" Karei screamed all of a sudden and jumped on Usa's body, bringing her down towards the ground. A bolt of lightning shaped like a dagger passed above their heads. Karei winced from the heat. If Usa had still been standing there, she would have been dead for sure. "WHAT THE HECK!?" Usa exclaimed. A figure stepped out from around the corner. It was male, dressed in gold armor. A smile was on his face, he crossed his arms. "Hello there, my beautiful one.." he said staring at Usa. Usa gasped, she knew this face. "It's that man from the party!" Diana shouted. The man nodded his head, a bolt of lightning appeared in his hands. He formed it into a rose, "Sou desu. (That's right.) I am General Vandium, from the Dark Side of the Moon." the man said with a lascivious smile. He inhaled the nonexistant fragrance of the rose and threw the deadly flower at the females, the lightning exploded between Usa's legs. "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?!" she shouted and jumped up. "Ah, my beautiful one, you're even more beautiful out of costume.." Vandium sighed. Usa's eyes widened, Karei looked up at her with confusion in her face. "How..do..you recognize me out of costume?" she whispered. Vandium shook his head, "Ah, what a ridiculous question. How could we NOT recognize you? All you do is change clothes...You'd recognize me if I weren't wearing my uniform. Would you like to see?" he asked, his smile broadnening. Usa reddened, "You're disgusting!" she exclaimed, she pulled her henshin brooch out of her pocket and raised it to the sky. "MOON ANGELIC POWER! MAKE UP!" Usa-chan quickly transformed into Neo Sailormoon and posed. Vandium clapped, "That was the most amazing thing I ever saw.." he said with a low whistle. Sailormoon glared at him, "This world is full of perverts and we don't need anymore... especially not evil ones." she said, gesturing to Vandium. "For Love and Justice, I am the beautiful sailor-suited solider, Sailormoon! In the name of the Neo Moon, I will punish you!" she exclaimed and pointed to Vandium. "You keep saying that, is that a threat or a promise?" he asked. Sailormoon rolled her eyes, "Just what do you want here anyway?" she demanded. "I was merely here to investigate...we seem to be having some sort of competition here, Tau Ceti? Heard of them? We need to eradicate them." he replied. Diana looked at Neo Moon, "What are you doing talking to him? He's the enemy!" she whispered. Karei backed away from the situation, "It's true then...if Usa-chan is Neo Sailormoon...then...I've got to be Neo Sailormars....but it can't be true...it can't be.." she murmured under her breath. Just at that moment, a head appeared in the air, it was another male. He had silver colored hair which matched his silver armor. The rest of the body appeared and stood by Vandium, he looked annoyed. "What are you doing?" he demanded. "Gallium, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be trying to win Thulium's love?" Vandium asked dryly. "You are such an incompetant. You were sent down here to do your job, not to coerce with the enemy. She could very well destroy you." Gallium said. "I'm not allowed to touch the pink haired girl...Queen Rage-sama said so." Vandium replied. "What about that cat and the girl? Why not kidnap them all? Then she won't bother us as we search for the Opaque Crystal. You have NO sense!" Gallium exclaimed. "Opaque Prism..." Diana repeated. "They're bickering like kindergarteners.." Sailormoon whispered to Diana. "FINE! Watch, I'll do it then!" Vandium shouted. He turned towards Neo Sailormoon, his face suddenly angry. He created a ball of lightning in his hands and shot it towards her. The ball exploded at her feet throwing her into the air. Another bolt of lightning was shot under her which hit her and trapped her against the sidewalk. The lightning brightened and Usa started to scream. "Ooh, the old energy drain...I bet you're getting some sort of sick erotic pleasure watching her defenseless, screaming on the ground." Gallium said with a twisted smile. Vandium turned his head and glared at the silver-haired one. Gallium snickered, "Heh, now that you're doing your job...I'll go see to wooing Thulium away from you. Ja na! (See ya!)" he said bowing and disappeared into thin air. Vandium clenched his fists and growled. He looked over to Neo Moon who was still screaming and smiled faintly. "NO! How DARE YOU!" a voice screamed from the corner, she was surrounded by a red aura, her black hair flew around her wildly as her purple eyes raged in anger. "HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO USA-CHAN!" "Karei..." Diana gasped, so this really was to be the new Mars. "Karei, call upon the powers of Mars...then become Neo Sailormars!" she directed. "Spirit of the Fire Planet.." Karei began, the aura around her flared. It seemed like second nature, the words formed in her mind. She knew exactly what she had to do. "I call upon your powers which are rightfully mine by destiny. In the name of the deity of Mars!" she shouted. The aura around her burst into flame and a red beam appeared from her forehead. A heart shaped sign with an arrow pointing away appeared from the red beam.... Meanwhile....in Hisakino Mansion, Hisakino Rei suddenly paled. She stumbled to grab hold of the table for support and gasped for breath. She screamed in terror as the sign of Mars appeared on her forehead. A beam of light shot from it and into the sky and then gradually died down till the sign faded away. The red aura around her lifted into the air, as if it were being sucked from her. Rei fell to the ground in a weak, unconcious heap... The beam of light disappeared. Karei felt different now, she felt warm. More words formed into her mind as she took out the wand from her pocket. She raised it to the sky, swirls of red light appeared around it and changed the wand into a red stick topped with a diamond shaped red crystal. "Mars Cosmic Power...MAKE UP!" she shouted. She closed her eyes and held her arms out as translucent red wings appeared on her back briefly. Small balls of fire appeared from around her wrists and spiraled around her arms forming her gloves. They merged together at her throat forming her choker and travelled down her body forming her Sailorfuku and as the reached the ground they exploded, from the split second explosion came Neo Sailormars. To finish the transformation, she posed with her hand on her hip. (Like the normal Sailormars did.) Vandium looked up and saw the other Sailor Senshi standing before him. She had long black hair and violet eyes. Her uniform was much like Neo Sailormoon's, but her skirt was red and so was her collar. Her bow was long and purple, the back bow she wore was very long and almost reached her red heels and was coupled with another long translucent bow. On her ears she wore earrings which were two red stars resting one on top of the other. "Kirei ne..(She's beautiful..)" Vandium gasped. "In the name of the Red Planet Mars, I am the Beauty of the Flame, Neo Sailormars! I will vanquish you!" she shouted. "Another of you pretty Sailors?" Vandium asked. "I'm not just a pretty face, don't underestimate me." Neo Sailormars said coldly, "Release Sailormoon right now." she ordered. Vandium stood his ground, silently chanllenging her. Karei's eyes raged, she blew a kiss at Vandium, "FIRE BOMB!" she shouted, as she held her palm out, a small ball of flame appeared which flew towards Vandium and grew bigger, it landed near his feet and exploded. He was thrown off guard and the lightning which had retrained Neo Moon, released. She rolled over to her side and started to cough. "You are no match for me." Vandium whispered. "But are you a match for three?" a colder voice asked. A figure stepped from behind Vandium. She had short dark blue hair, and icy eyes. She was surrounded by a blue aura, the sign of Mercury shining on her forehead. "Ka-Kasumi-chan?!" Karei exclaimed. Kasumi looked at Karei quizzically, "I assume you are Neo Sailormars, but how do you know me?" she asked. She shook her head, "Now is not the time to ask." she said. She took out a pink wand topped with a blue globe out of her pocket and raised it to the sky, the wand instantly turned into a blue wand topped with with a blue diamond. "MERCURY COSMIC POWER, MAKE UP!" she shouted, translucent blue wings appeared on her back and then disappeared. A wash of shimmery blue surrounded her and turned to ice beneath her feet. The ice them rose up and encircled her in double-helix spiraling bands which formed together and seemed to encase her in ice. The ice then shattered, revealing a girl dressed in a Sailorfuku. Her skirt was blue and so was her collar. She wore a pale blue bow in the front, and her back bow was so long it nearly touched the tips of her heeled blue boots (Like Pluto's in the manga, but blue.) Her eyes were as cold and hard as the blue gem in her tiara, and on her ears were many small blue stud earrings which went all the way up and around her ear. To finish her transformation, she stood with her arms crossed, an icy glare fixed on her face. She stepped forward, like a statue coming to life. (BTW: Neo Mercury's hair is more like Arimi from Marmalade Boy's than it is Ami's.) "Amazing, three beautiful soldiers.." Vandium said, raising his eyebrow. Neo Sailormercury wasted no time, she brought her hands together, "Aqua Ice Purification!" she shouted, blue ball of ice appeared in her hands and shot forward, it struck the ground to gain momentum, the ground was touched by frost as it trailed towards Vandium. He smirked and created a lightning ball in his hands to counter the attack, but much to his surprise the ball split into two and flew around him. A circle of frost appeared as the ice circled him, they swirled faster and faster, closer and closer. He screamed out in pain as the ice brushed against his skin, instantly freezing it. "Now, Neo Sailormoon." Mercury ordered. Moon nodded and got up, the Angel Moon Wand appeared in her hands, "MOON!" she said and pointed the wand at Vandium, "ANGELIC!" she chanted as she spun once, "HEART BREAK!" she exclaimed as she waves the wand. Light emitted from the top of the wand, Vandium stared at it and laughed, the ice melted away and he disappeared with the blink of an eye. The beam of light passed through his former position then died away. His voice laughed in the air, "It's so fun to play with you girls..but we're much harder to defeat than that. I'll be back, practice a little more..I wouldn't want to hurt you beautiful soldiers....yet." he laughed. Sailormoon gritted her teeth in anger. "Thank you, Neo Sailormerc-" she began, "Don't thank me." Mercury cut in, "We failed, there's nothing to be thankful for." she said icily. Her transformation faded away with a sparkle of blue lights, she was back to being Kasumi again. "This is all a secret, of course. I'm sure you all know that. I assume that Neo Mars is Hisakino Karei. Anyway, be sure not to tell Megami. Our real identities cannot be revealed." she added, "Not to mention this is my destiny, not hers. No matter what she does, it cannot exceed this." she murmured under her breath. "I'm not stupid, Kasumi-CHAN." Neo Mars snapped, (BTW: calling her Kasumi-chan was sort of an insult, even if Kasumi is younger, it's obvious that Neo Mercury is stronger and more powerful.) Kasumi stopped walking, and turned her head. She narrowed her eyes, "You'll pay for that, Karei-CHAN. You will someday." Kasumi said, and then continued to walk away. (Note: Yep, major insult there..Karei is older, so calling her -chan is an insult.) * * * * "Oh Diana...it's so unfair.." Usa sighed as she brushed her hair later that night. "Already I see a problem. The power of Mercury is alot more powerful in Kasumi than it ever was in Ami. Kasumi is so devious and mean..As for Karei, she's weaker than her mother was..but she thinks she's got such an ego. Worst off, none of us are friends..." Usa said. Diana shook her head, "Give it time, eventually everything won't be so bad." Diana answered. "Besides, we've got much more important matters, the Dark Side of the Moon and Tau Ceti aren't working together...but they might join up and become much more powerful now. The Dark Side wants the Opaque Prism, whatever that may be...and Tau Ceti wants their new Silent Messiah. We need to destroy one or the other.." Diana explained. Usa-chan looked up quickly, "De-Destroy? Why?" she demanded. "Because, if one of what they're seeking isn't there...they won't be seeking it, right?" Diana answered, she sounded dead serious. "It'll obviously be the Opaque Prism though, right? We can't kill Hotaru-chan's daughter!" Usa exclaimed. "If it comes down to it, we must. So far, the Tau Ceti seems to be the most threatening. If they do revive the Darkness of Hotaru which is dormant inside of Seishi, it would be the end of the world and the Universe.." Diana said, she looked down, she hestitated to say what it was she had to say. "But..but Diana.." Usa stuttered, "Usa-sama, if it comes down to it, we will destroy Shino Seishi."