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A figure sat in front of a blazing fire, eyes closed and concentrating. Long hair flowed down the figure’s back, dark and glossy as glass. In an instant, the figure’s eyes suddenly flew open to reveal large violet eyes that were wide with sudden discovery.
Tsukino Usagi raced home from school to reach her house when she suddenly tripped over a curb.
“Waaaaaahhh!” her voice echoed throughout Tokyo as she saw the drop of blood that was coming from her knee.
“Usagi-chan!” a voice suddenly cried from behind her.
She stopped wailing for a moment and saw a blue haired, blue eyed girl waving her hand frantically. Brilliant Mizuno Ami was one of Usagi’s oldest friends. With an IQ of 300, Ami was the smartest friend Usagi ever had. Usagi, however, did not mind that Ami always seemed to make her grades worse than they really were. If at all possible.
“Ami-chan, what is it?” Usagi asked as she saw her friend’s worried look as Ami helped her up.
“Usagi, Rei-chan wants us to meet her at the temple as soon as possible. Didn’t she contact you on the communicator?” Ami asked.
“Oh!” Usagi’s face suddenly contorted in surprise as she suddenly remembered her communicator. “I forgot it at home!” Usagi sheepishly scratched her head.
“Naturally,” a black cat with a crescent moon on its forehead said as it landed in front of Usagi.
“Usagi-chan, do you have any idea how loud your voice can get! I could hear you from two miles away,” Luna, Usagi’s guardian scolded her.
“Luna, I forgot my communicator,” Usagi whined. “And there’s new news. Why is it that I’m always the last person to hear the latest gossip!”
“Forget it! Come on, Rei-chan’s not exactly going to like this,” Ami sighed as she grabbed Usagi’s hand and ran toward the temple, leaving Luna to sigh as she ran after them.
Soon, Usagi, Ami and Luna reached the long stairs that would lead into the shinto shrine. Waiting at the entrance to the temple were two other girls and a white cat who looked rather impatient.
“Usagi-chan, I know we’re supposed to be used to this, but really,” a rather tall girl with brown hair and deep green eyes glared at her.
Kino Makoto was usually on Usagi’s side as a loyal friend. A very fierce fighter who was known for her fighting skills at school, Makoto was actually a very gentle person and a very good cook.
“What are we supposed to do? Wait all day?” the other girl, whose blonde and blue eyes matched Usagi’s perfectly, added.
“Mako-chan, Mina-chan, since when were you two as nagging as Rei?” Usagi groaned.
“I heard that,” the girl with long dark hair and violet eyes appeared with her arms crossed.
Hino Rei was the perfect picture of beauty and grace even as she stood in the shadows. Her dark hair which was never really tied was blowing softly behind her as the wind in the temple picked up speed. Her red and white garment, that of a shinto maiden, seemed to match her personality at that very instant.
“Usagi, I called you on the communicator two hours ago,” Rei scolded. “You never answered.”
“Well , how was I supposed to know you’d call?” Usagi muttered as she sat down.
The others looked at her, exasperated.
“Just get here on time, next time,” the white cat who sat on Minako’s lap groaned.
Like Luna, Artemis was the guardian of Aino Minako and had a gold crescent moon on his forehead.
“What’s going on Rei-chan?” Ami asked suddenly.
“Ami-chan, why are you late? This is so unlike you,” Mako-chan observed.
“I was tutoring someone,” Ami explained.
“Hmph, I still don’t see the excuse,” Usagi muttered as she saw that her friends weren’t going to bug Ami as much as they would bug her.
“Anyway, I was doing a fire reading yesterday and I found something interesting that might involve the Sailor Senshi,” Rei said confidently as she sat down on the highest step of the stair.
“What might that be?” Usagi piped up.
Rei glared at her before continuing, “There was a disturbance yesterday at the jewelry store and something really valuable was missing.”
“So? Have we been reduced to the everyday common burglar?” Usagi said dramatically. “As God as my witness, I will never fight youmas again!”
Before she could say anything more, Rei had her hand on her mouth. Usagi tried vainly to free herself, but Rei continued on.
“This valuable thing is a gem, much like the Ginzuishou,” Rei said triumphantly.
“That can’t be right, there is only one crystal and Usagi has it,” Luna contradicted.
“Much to the world’s horror,” Rei smirked.
“Heeeey!” Usagi glared at her.
“But anyway, I have a feeling that this gem is really important, Luna, don’t you think there must be something about it. I mean I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything in the sacred fire that isn’t correct,” Rei said thoughtfully.
“I guess we can only track the gem down and find out, huh?” Artemis looked around at the girls.
“Hey, look, isn’t that that new girl in town?” Mako suddenly said as they saw a tall, slender figure with violet hair walking toward them.
“Oh, yeah, my brother says that she’s probably a real brat,” Usagi said, watching the girl with awe.
“Not as bratty as you, Usagi-chan,” Rei laughed.
“Takes one to know one!” Usagi shot back, sticking her tongue out. “Why?” Minako asked, ignoring Rei.
“Because her mom is one of the richest people in town,” Usagi rolled her eyes as if they should have known that.
“Huh?” all four girls said, looking at Usagi in surprise.
“If that’s true, then what’s she doing over here?” Mako commented, scratching her head.
“Who knows,” Minako shrugged.
As the new girl approached, Usagi and the others saw that she was taller than even Mako, her eyes however, shone with wisdom that was beyond her years. Her hair, reaching to her knees, was a violet that was mixed into her indigo eyes and put up into an old fashioned hairstyle with a braided crown on her head. She walked with such grace, even in large heels, that it seemed like she was floating. All in all, the girls felt as if they were in the presence of royalty as the girl’s sad, violet eyes glanced at them.
“Pardon me, but where can I find the keeper of this shrine?” the girl asked with a slight British accent.
“My grandfather runs this shrine,” Rei said getting up.
“Oh, please allow me to introduce myself, I am Chiyo Hiroshi, and I was wondering if I could study the shinto religion. You see, I just moved here and I wish to learn more about the Japanese culture,” Hiroshi said, slightly bowing her head in greeting.
“These are my friends, Usagi, Ami, Makoto and Minako, and I’m Rei,” Rei said. “My grandfather is taking a nap, but he’s probably going to wake up pretty soon, you’re welcome to wait,” she added.
“No, I cannot impose. However, I wonder if you know where this jewelry store is located?” Hiroshi said disappointedly, yet brightened as she took out a piece of paper.
“That’s okay, you wouldn’t be imposing,” Rei assured her as she took the piece of paper and looked at it.
“Besides, if you want to learn about the shinto religion you’ll have to talk to Rei-chan,” Usagi added as she peered over Rei’s shoulder.
“Oh, I know where that is, that’s where the old charm store used to be,” Usagi said suddenly.
“Oh, I remember that store from my last visit. Thank you, I was beginning to wonder whether it was real,” Hiroshi smiled.
“You’re welcome, but really, you can stay,” Rei said as Usagi glared at her, thinking she was taking the credit.
“I cannot, I have errands to do for my mother, but maybe tomorrow,” Hiroshi smiled again and left.
Luna watched the fleeing girl and wondered whether she had seen her before.
A little girl in a small blue sailor dress with pink hair skipped her way to the temple without even looking up when she suddenly crashed into a tall girl with long violet hair and large violet eyes.
“Oh, pardon me,” the violet haired girl said.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Chibi-usa apologized as the girl stood up to help her up.
“Oh, you bear a great resemblance to someone I met today!” Hiroshi exclaimed as she looked at the child carefully, certain that she had met her before.
“You must be talking about Usagi, she’s my cousin!” Chibi-usa said quickly.
“Oh, I’d think you two were sisters!” Hiroshi smiled.
“Well, everyone makes that mistake,” Chibi-usa assured her.
A faint beeping noise interrupted Hiroshi and she looked down at her watch. “Oh dear, look at the time. It was nice meeting you-uh.”
“Chibi-usa,” Chibi-usa finished for her.
“It was nice meeting you, Chibi-usa..uhh...chan, I have to go, though. My mother is counting on me to finish a few errands in time for supper, goodbye,” Hiroshi said, rushing off to the opposite direction from Rei’s shrine.
Hiroshi suddenly realized that she knew who Chibi-usa was just as she turned the corner. However, when she turned and looked back, Chibi-usa had disappeared.
******
Deep in another galaxy, far away from our own,
a planet stood in ruins. A blonde-haired man
with piercing blue eyes stood above the wreckage
and the remaining people, glaring at them from
under a large black cape.
“I will be heard!” his voice, menacing and harsh said to the people.
“The universe can belong to us! All that we need to conquer is a galaxy known as the Milky Way! Look at yourselves! Will you stay here in this wreckage without compensation for your troubles? No, my friends! I have not taken your rulers for nothing! They were weak and could never have given you what you deserved! Join the army of Gorgons! It shall bring you power over many! Join us!”
The man’s voice grew intense as a large, hairy beast appeared by his side.
“M’lord,” the beast said, presenting a red box gilded with gold.
“Ah, you found it! Where was it?” the man asked.
“In a jewelry store located in a kingdom called Japan,” the hairy beast said.
“Ah, that is where we shall strike. I heard that Beryl had quite a large opposition in that planet,” the man laughed cruelly as he opened the box to reveal a large gleaming crystal that was as dark as night.