Sailor Moon Z: #15 - Child of the Future By: Janelle Jimenez (pandora@indy.net) Offical WebPage: http://www.indy.net/~pandora/sailormoon/zodiac/intro3.html Veronica was bored, she absolutely detested school. She glanced at Joanna who looked enthralled. When am I ever going to need to know how to do any of this? she asked herself. She sighed and rested her elbows on her desk. She jumped back painfully. She was still burned in some places from the last battle with Arseniru. She gritted her teeth. There were no physical marks on her body to prove that the rain of fire had actually occured..the pain was all in her mind. She flipped her green braid over her shoulder and sat back in her chair. She hated T*A, it was NOTHING like her school back in America, it was so much harder. She hated having to pay attention to know exactly what was going on. The door opened, the class looked up. A girl with purple hair entered the room. Her hair was tied in a messy bun that was oriented on the left side of her head, she had some hair hanging down from it (Note: Think Vampire Princess Miyu sort of. Or maybe sorta like Usagi missing one of her odango.) Her bangs were kept long and hung in front of her face. It seemed like a very bothersome way to keep one's hair styled. "Class, here's a new student. Miraino Ako-chan." Taikutsu-sensei introduced. (Note: Thats how teachers in Japanese are addressed, 'last name'-sensei.) Veronica glanced at the girl, she looked like a sloppy person. One of her knee-socks was lower than the other, and her top button was undone on her uniform. Ako nodded at the class. "Miraino-san (Note: In Japan, students are addressed family name first with -san added to it.), go ahead and sit by O'Riley-san over there." Taikutsu-sensei directed. "Hai (yes), Taikutsu-sensei." Ako nodded and sauntered over to her seat. All eyes followed her. No one had ever seen anyone like her before. Ako plopped down in her seat and slouched down. Veronica looked at her critically. "Hello." Veronica said politely. "Hey." Ako said nodding her head. That was the end of the conversation. Ako said nothing more, and Veronica had nothing else to say. Class was over and Veronica had totally forgotten about Ako, she had other things on her mind. Apparently, her friends hadn't forgotten as she met up with Joanna, Janie, Alana, and Jessica. "You guys meet that new girl yet?" Alana asked. Jessica shook her head. "Nope, but I saw her in the hall.." she replied. "I did! She's soooo COOL! She rides a motorcycle and has thousands of boyfriends!" Janie exclaimed. Jessica snickered, "SHE has thousands of boyfriends? Yea..sure she does." she laughed. Veronica smiled as well, she too found it a little difficult to believe. "Well, she's really nice." Joanna said in Ako's defense. "She's a very intriguing person..and don't you love her hair?" she asked. "It's so space-like!" Janie exclaimed, "I've never seen hair done like that before!" she added. Jessica rolled her eyes, "I'll have you know that that style of hair was extremely popular about a hundred years ago." she replied, "You are so easily amused..well.. come on, we better get going before Shikami blows my head off." she added rather annoyedly. She rushed forward, heading off the grounds of the school. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" a voice shouted. Jessica felt herself being forcefully shoved to the ground. She roughly pushed away the body that had landed on top of her and blew her hair out of her face. "Who do you think you are?!" she demanded. "She saved you!!!" Janie was shrieking, she was pointing to a building near them, there was glass on the ground from when the window had shattered. "Ohmigod! If she hadn't jumped on you, that baseball would have taken off your head!" Alana exclaimed in shock. Jessica looked horrified, she looked down at the girl, who was sitting on the ground indian style. "Thanks.." Jessica said, rather shamedly. She reached her hand out to help the girl up. "Nah, no thanks.." the girl smiled. "AKO-CHAN!" Joanna exclaimed, "Thank you SOO much for saving Jessica!" Ako smiled and shrugged, then hoppped up. "How did you know? That ball must have been flying at a hundred miles an hour.." Alana asked quizzically. Ako shifted her eyes to the left, "Nah..don't worry bout it, ya know? I just..knew." she said and shrugged again. "Well, ja ne minna..! (See ya, all!)" she said and waved and walked back towards the school. "Hmm..she seems..familiar.." Alana mumbled. "Just another weird girl at T*A..what can I say..ya got Rei Hino, the freak psychic..us, the wonderful Zodiac Senshi in disguise..and now you have Ako." Jessica smirked. * * * * "Where were you?" Shikami demanded. "You are the rest of you are fifteen minutes late. Do you think you could have the decency and not keep us all waiting?" "I was almost killed by a baseball!" Jessica shouted in return, Janie winced. "You think you could have answered sanely, Jessica-chan?" Tenshi asked. "Yea! Ako-chan saved her!" Janie exclaimed cutting in. (NOTE: hmm, hope it's not too late, but Ako is NOT pronounced Aye-ko as in Project A-ko, it's pronounced ah-ko) "Ako? Who's that?" Shikami questioned. "Some weird girl at T*A..she's..really..strange." Veronica answered. "SHE'S NICE!!!" Janie declared. "We've almost found all of the Zodiac Senshi..all except Aries, Pisces, and Libra." Estrella said, totally changing the subject. "And we have zero of the stars..we'll never be able to save the Golden Millenium." she said and looked up at the girls. "We may not need the Golden Key to actually go back in Time," Shikami said and looked up. "I agreed to be partners with the Sailor Senshi, one Sailor..Sailor Pluto controls time. I'm almost positive with some practice and the use of my teleport we can go back there.." she replied. Estrella looked thoughtful, "That COULD work, Shikami..good thinking." she nodded, "Glad we have a leader who does for a change.." she added coldly. "Shut up." Jessica muttered. "That was slightly uncalled for, Estrella." Hikari said sighing. "You're just as bad as Shikami and Jessica..I swear.." Jessica glared at Hikari. "Umm..anyways.." Alana said trying to divert the conversation from a fight. "As I was saying..maybe we should suggest this to the Sailor Senshi?" Shikami replied. "I think its a wonderful idea, Shi-chan." Tenshi replied quietly. "This way, we do not need to fight with our allies." she added. Alana nodded in agreement. "So, how exactly do we contact them?" Natalia asked, leaning up against the headboard of Jessica's bed. "Umm..how do we usually see them? We used our pins, or..it was a freak coincidence.." Joanna said thinking. "How about..we call them?" Janie suggested. Jessica shot her a dirty look. "Oh..I see, we dial 1-800-SAILOR-SENSHI, right?" she snickered. "Actually..Janie has a good point there. We'll call them somehow." Shikami answered. Jessica's eyes darkened. "Anything to disagree with Jessica.." Jessica muttered under her breath. "Well..maybe..I can communicate with that computer thing that Sailor Mercury has.." Tenshi suggested ignoring Jessica's comment. "I'm GREAT with computers..you tell me what to do, and I'll do it." Natalia said excitedly clapping her hands together. "Well...I'm not sure it'll even work..but..I'm thinking, I might be able to zero in on its frequency.." Tenshi replied. Veronica and Alana stared at them blankly. Joanna made a motion of her hand sweeping right over her head. "Yea..alriiightt..just..go ahead and use my computer..just don't.. blow it up..or anything." Jessica said and gestured to her computer sitting on her desk. Tenshi walked over to it and turned it on. Natalia leaned forward on the back of Tenshi's chair and watched over her shoulder. Hikari sighed and rested her head against the headboard of Jessica's bed. "Your world is very strange, you know? It's so..violent.." she commented. "What's the Golden Millenium like, Hikari?" Janie asked, she curled up into a ball in the corner of the bed, prepared to listen intently. "Yes, Hikari-chan..please do tell..I've forgotten.." Shikami murmured, her eyes looking wistful. Hikari smiled, and tossed her green hair over her shoulder. She sat back in her chair and let her green eyes gaze out the window. "The Golden Millenium is a trully beautiful time..hundreds of times more beautiful than now. No one knows evil, or unhappiness, or illness.." Hikari began. Shikami smiled. Hikari continued, "The Palace of the Gold is also extraordinary, a building that appears to be made of pure light..Queen Selestia had two daughters who we protected..Princess Solana and Princess Sele-" "Where was the Golden Millenium stationed? The Silver Millenium was centered around the Moon..whatta bout the Golden?" Janie interrupted, Hikari didn't seem to mind that she was cut off. "That's the most beautiful part I was getting to..The whole Gold Kingdom is suspended in space..it hovers on the light of the sun..it's utterly extrodinary. The shadow of the earth casts our night..You have never seen a sunrise until you've seen the sun rise on a canvas of pure black. Our skies are not blue, you see..the beauty of the sun against black is one of the most beautiful things in the universe." Hikari said, sighing contentfully..everyone could see she missed it dearly. "YEA!" Natalia screamed suddenly, she jumped up and down excitedly. "You got in contact with Mercury's computer ALREADY?!" Jessica exclaimed, she was very impressed. "I think we did.." Tenshi replied timidly, she pushed her glasses up on her face, and pushed back a strand of white hair. Everyone jumped up and looked at the computer. Janie scractched her head. The computer screen was scrolling strange messages up and down. "Uhh..what's that?" Veronica asked. "Well, it's just about everyone in the world's transmissions from cellular phones, and other stuff like that..We should be able to find Mercury's..but..it could take days." Tenshi explained. "DAYS?! We can't wait that long!" Estrella cried. Jessica gently kicked the cat under the table, "I think that it'll be worth it in the long run..this seems to be the fastest way. We can't just wait until they transform again..that could take months." Jessica replied. She waited for Shikami to disagree, but instead Shikami nodded in agreement, and didn't even open her mouth. The computer began to emit a beeping noise, and the scrolling had stopped. "Hey..look at that.." Janie said and leaned over Natalia to look at the screen so her nose was almost touching it. "Is it Mercury's?" Joanna asked tip toeing over everyone else's head. "Almost positive.." Tenshi replied and hurriedly typed on the keyboard. The screen started to blink and beep, and all of a sudden the face of Sailor Mercury appeared on the screen..except it wasn't Sailor Mercury. "OHMIGOD!" Natalia said in pure shock, "What?" Jessica asked. "That's..Ami Mizuno!" she exclaimed. "Ami Mizuno?" Joanna and Janie asked in unison. "She's the smartest girl in Juuban High School." Tenshi replied rather bitterly. "Are you sure that's Sailor Mercury's computer?" Jessica asked. Tenshi nodded, "98.9% positive.." she reported. Natalia's eyes widened, "So..That means..AMI MIZUNO IS SAILOR MERCURY?!" * * * * "Oh no!" Ami exclaimed, she quickly shut the compact. "What is it Ami-chan?" Minako asked, she was trying to tie her hair into Odango, like Usagi's, but was doing a very bad job. "Why can't I do my hair like yours, Usagi-chan? I had it up before.." she whined. Usagi grinned, "No offense Minako-chan, but you made an awful Sailor Moon.." Usagi winked. "LISTEN!" Ami exclaimed, Minako and Usagi stopped giggling and looked at her seriously, "Someone..saw me!" Ami gasped. "What?" Usagi asked looking up. "My computer started beeping. I thought maybe it was Rei-chan telling us why she was late, or the Outer Senshi..but it wasn't. I don't know who it was, but they knew who I was!" Ami said in horror. "How..on EARTH?!" Minako exclaimed, dropping her brush on Usagi's carpet. "This is awful..awful..I can't believe it..what did they want with us?!" Ami exclaimed wringing her hands. Suddenly the phone rang, Usagi jumped a mile, she reached over and picked it up. "Hello, Mizuno residence." she answered, "No, this is not Ami, this is her friend Usa-" she began, she paused then listened for a moment..after a few seconds her face blanched. "How..did..What do you want with us?" Usagi demanded, she listened once again..it seemed like an eternity for Makoto and Minako, however. "Alright..we will." Usagi whispered finally and hung up. "WHO WAS IT?!?!" Minako shrieked. "It..was..Sailor Leo.." Usagi gasped. "She didn't know who it was.. she just said for Sailor Mercury to bring the Sailor Senshi to the park.." Usagi reported. Minako looked confused, "Is it a trap?" she wondered. "I'm not sure..I don't think so. We have to go, if not..they'll tell Sailor Mercury's true identity.." Usagi sighed. "Everyone transform..After that..contact Rei-chan, and Haruka-san and the others." Usagi instructed. Luna smiled silently to herself, it was the first real time Usagi had ever taken lead as leader. * * * * "Do you think they'll come?" Sailor Aquarius asked, she was sitting on a tree stump in the park. They'd been waiting for a for what seemed to be hours..she was extremely bored. "They better come..I made it sound like there would be trouble if Mercury didn't tell the others." Sailor Leo replied, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I can't believe Ami Mizuno is Sailor Mercury..she's so..so..quiet and everything!" Sailor Gemini exclaimed. She knew..she had three classes with Ami. "Sailor Mercury isn't exactly the strongest of the Sailor Senshi.." Sailor Capricorn laughed. "Well..I'm quiet and I definatly know I'm more powerful than you." Sailor Virgo replied sweetly. Capricorn looked slightly taken aback. Leo smirked, "Heh..she's right on that one." she snickered. Sailor Leo was rather ill of Capricorn's constant criticism and negativity towards everyone, and now was the perfect oppurtunity to laugh at her. Virgo joined in on the laughing when she heard something behind her. She immediatly stopped and turned around. She was nearly face to face with Sailor Uranus who was much much taller than herself. Tenshi stepped back. "Well, looks like you finally showed up." Sailor Leo said, looking down at her nails. "What exactly do you want us for?" Sailor Mars demanded. "Don't get so testy. We're ALLIES now." Sailor Leo said, making a face. "Listen. There isn't any possible way to get the Golden Key without jeopardizing lives. My idea is to teleport to the Black Star Galaxy..then, after we've defeated Princess Lithia and Sulfirira we'll teleport to the past and make sure it's okay. However, we need your help Sailor Pluto." Sailor Scorpio explained. "Well that work, Pluto-san?" Neptune asked. Sailor Pluto closed her eyes for a moment and thought. "I believe so. It may be as easy as finding the gateway to the past. That shouldn't be so difficult." she answered. "You mean..you don't know where it is?" Sailor Venus asked. "No..I guarded the door from the future to the present..I have the key to the door, I just don't know where it is." Pluto replied bluntly. "I agree with Sailor Scorpio's idea." Sailor Moon replied speaking up, the sliver of the moon shined down on giving her an eerie blue aura. "Ah, but it won't be so easy.." a male voice laughed. Sailor Leo groaned, by now she had heard the voice so many times she knew who it was without having to guess. "Arseniru!" Sailor Mars exclaimed. She turned towards the direction of the voice. "FIRE SOUL!" she shouted, sending a stream of fire up to the trees where his voice was originating. "Did you like to get burned, Mars-chan?" Arseniru laughed from a different location. "So, you think it'll be it'll be that easy to reenter the Black Star Galaxy, do you Scorpio-chan? Your idiocy amuses me." Arseniru said smirking in the darkness. "When we come to the Black Star, my dearest Arseniru, you'll be happy to know you'll get to return to your home in Hell." Sailor Scorpio said in a chilling voice. "Such idle threats given by such powerful woman. It's a tragedy." Aresniru laughed. "But you see..My brother has more loyalty to me, than he has to you. Look at this ring he made me.." Arseniru said flashing an orange ring. "This..heightens my power ten fold..so now, Scorpio, I'm twice as powerful than all of you put together.." Arseniru smirked. "Just twice? One would think you'd be ten times as powerful as all of us put together." Sailoe Leo laughed. Sailor Scorpio looked back at Sailor Leo and smiled, but Arseniru's words tore at her soul. Leadan has more loyalty to this cruel brother than to his one love? She thought. Arseniru's eyes darkened. He raised his fist to the sky and a dome surrounded all the Senshi. "What the hell?" Sailor Uranus said and pounded on the wall of the dome, suddenly the dome flashed with a bright light and the walls caught on fire. The dome walls collapsed and a firey mist surrounded all the senshi. This time, none of them where spared. The pain swept to every Senshi, the screams thickening the air. Arseniru smirked. "Your screams excite me." he laughed and kissed the ring, he raised his fist to the sky, "Thank you brother! I knew you were useful for something!" Arseniru laughed. "He who plays with fire will surely be burned." a voice whispered over the screams. Arseniru's head snapped to the orgin of the whisper. He looked into the firey mist, admist the fallen Senshi a siloutte was walking forward. It was that of a girl, as she walked a blue aura around her dissolved the mist until finally it cleared. The girl stared at Arseniru, she was just inches away from him. He created a ball of fire in his hands and raised his arms, the girl quickly grabbed his wrist, the fire disappeared. Arseniru stared at the girl in horror. She stared at him with peaceful eyes, nothing about her seemed violent or benevolent. She had long purple hair tied up in a bun that rested on the side of her head, the rest of her hair hung free from it. She was dressed in a school uniform. "Let..let go of me.." Arseniru demanded. The girl released her grip and he quickly created another fireball and directed it at the girl, the aura around her dissolved it just as quickly as before. Arseniru stared at her in shock and disappeared in a burst of flame. "Why'd you let him go?!" Sailor Capricorn demanded, she painfully stood up from the ground, the girl turned around, she looked sadly at the Sailor Senshi who were less hurt than previous attacks. "I had to." she whispered and disappeared, "The future of the Earth depends on you all. If you defeat Arseniru now..then what needs to be accomplished will not." The girl replied. Aquarius looked at the girl intently. She looks very familiar..somehow..She thought to herself. "Who are you?" Sailor Scorpio demanded, brushing the dirt off her red fuku. "I am...The Future." the girl whispered. Sailor Leo stared blankly at the girl. "Yeah, and I am the President of the United States." Sailor Leo retorted. "You aren't expected to understand. Tomorrow, two stars will rise into the night..they will shine the light of truth and knowledge upon those who seek it. Their arrival will mark the start of a new millenium." the girl replied. Sailor Cancer looked at her quizzically, "That's an ancient Golden Millenium Prophecy..How did you know it?" Sailor Cancer asked. "The Golden Millenium is my home." she replied, stepping farther into the shadows. Her whole body was shadowed over. "How..do you even remember that passage from The Book? It isn't even a very popular prophecy.." Sailor Cancer questioned. The girl was silent for a moment. "The Fire That Never Dies.." the girl answered quietly. Sailor Cancer was suddenly hit with a realization, "The Water That Never Dries.." Cancer whispered in response. The girl seemed to smile and then totally disappeared into the darkness. Sailor Aquarius also had a sudden realization. "DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT WAS?!" she exclaimed. "Umm..The Future?" Sailor Leo replied. "Sailor Aries.." Cancer said bluntly. "AKO MIRAINO!" Aquarius shouted in unison. "Ako?" Sagittarius repeated. "Aries?" Taurus asked. "The Fire That Never Dies, The Water That Never Dries..she was.. talking about Sailor Aries and Pisces..the Twin-Zodiac Senshi." Sailor Cancer answered. (Note: I guess I shoulda mentioned that Ako Miraino more or less means Child of the Future..now ya now.)