Usagi was walking to school, knowing that she would be late. She was always late...some things were inevitable. Why bother to fight destiny? As she passed a parking lot, she noticed a bunch of little kids picking on a cute little black cat with a bandaid on its forehead. "Poor little kitty," she thought. "Get away from that cat!" she shouted, charging in. The kids scattered at the sound of her angry voice. She scooped up the cat, which stared at her intently. "Are you okay? What happened to your forehead?" Usagi wondered whose cat this was. It had no collar or ID tag. Curiousity overcame her and she pulled off the bandaid, revealing a gold crescent moon. The cat seemingly panicked and fled. "Hey!" It was gone. She shrugged. I'd better run or I'll be late! She took off running. The cat watched her run and shook its head. My memory is so foggy, the cat thought. For a moment, I thought...I must have imagined it. It was like...I knew her, then I didn't...I must be getting desperate. Beryl is free...I have to find the Princess of the Moon...I'm starting to think every girl I see might be her...and I must find the Senshi... She let the girl run off, little knowing she'd made her first major mistake... Two minutes later, a teenage girl with dark blue hair stepped out of a nearby store with her mother. "Ami dear, can you unlock the car for me?" Ami nodded. "Oh, what a cute kitty! What an unusual fur coloring...a little crescent moon." Luna leaped up on the hood. Something about this girl...no, I must be imagining things again...I need a closer look. Ami reached out and petted Luna, then unlocked the car for her mother. Ami's mother smiled. "What a nice cat." She petted Luna with her free hand. Luna purred. "Would you like to take it home, Ami? I normally don't like stray animals...but this one seems very nice." Ami smiled. "Would you like to come home with me, kitty? I think I'll call you Luna after the moon." Luna blinked. Maybe she is one of them...if only I could remember which one. She purred and jumped in the car. This bore investigating if nothing else, and she was hungry too. ********************************************************************* Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Mercury # 1 All that glitters is not gold. The Bookworm Ami's Splendid Transformation. Translated by Jenny "Tex" Borchelt from the BSSM Anime Comic #1 adapted to story format by John Walter Biles ********************************************************************** Queen Beryl sat on her throne, in the land of Mordor...okay, actually in the Dark Kingdom. Her minions surrounded her, chanting her glories. She gazed into her crystal ball, then realized it was time for Jadeite to appear. He did so. "Greetings, Queen Beryl." "Have you found the Silver Crystal yet, Jadeite?" "Not yet, my queen. However, I have begun another plan to collect human energy. Gullible fools." He smiled. "Good. If we cannot find the crystal, enough energy will do the job. Go to work. Be warned, the punishment for failure is great." He nodded and vanished. Beryl sat and gazed out on her kingdom. Deep within her, she felt a tiny sliver of nervousness...She crushed it out. I have no time for weakness. My plans cannot fail. I shall have my REVENGE! ************************************************************************** Ami and her mother sat at the dinner table. The TV was on, turned to CNN, which was blathering along in English. Since Ami and her mother both spoke English very well, this was not a problem. "Ready for your new school, Ami?" her mother asked. "I'm a little nervous...Is it really necessary that I switch schools? I'll practically have to start the year all over..." Ami said. "Well, we live too far from your old school. I don't want you to have to get up two hours early just to get to school on time. This way we can at least eat breakfast together. It will also be more convenient for days when you go to visit your father." Ami's mother ate demurely, and her daughter did her best to imitate her manners. "One more week and I'll never see my old school again..." Ami sighed. "Well, hopefully this new school will be up to a higher standard. I've heard good things about Juuban. They didn't press you very hard at Tokugawa, at all." "Well, the principal was more interested in sleeping than his duties, but it was a nice place," Ami said. "I've been there since third grade...it's just...so strange to leave it." Ami's mother's beeper went off, she checked the number and sighed. "Another emergency. I'll clean the kitchen when I come home so you don't need to worry about it." She gave her daughter a quick hug and ran for the stairs. "Don't forget to leave the porch light on for me if I'm late!" "Don't worry. I never forget that." She sighed and looked down at Luna, who was finishing off her dinner admidst mostly unpacked boxes. "I guess it's just you and me tonight, Luna." Luna nodded. ************************************************************************** Ami sat at her computer, typing a paper from her notes. It was due in a month, so she felt she needed to get it done now. I've already procrastinated too long on this, she thought. I just hope I have time to read some more of Kant before I go to bed. Luna sat and watched her. The girl was a genius, it was clear. She read so fast Luna couldn't keep up. She seemed to spend all her time studying, when she wasn't doing chores. Could she be Senshi Mercury? Or am I just grasping at straws, Luna wondered. Ami looked over at her new pet and smiled. "I can use a new friend. I hope I meet some nice people at my new school when I start there...I won't know anyone." Her cat seemed so smart, she thought. When I was reading, it looked like she was trying to read too. I wish animals could talk...I could use someone to talk to. Ami sighed. A little switch clicked in her mind. "Wait...I'll be leaving my old school before this paper is due!" In fact, all her homework she'd been working on didn't matter...She'd already finished all her assignments for her old school...and didn't have the new ones yet for Juuban. She closed the file on her computer and activated her drawing program, drawing a very rough doodle of Luna, then gave it a voice bubble that said, "Hello, Ami!" "Well, I'll never be as good as Father..." she sighed. She tried to draw, to do art like him, but she just didn't have the knack. "I guess I really do take after Mother more than him. I miss seeing him so much, Luna. I wish we hadn't moved out of our old house...but I guess Mother couldn't take the memories anymore." Suddenly, Ami realized she was talking to her cat. "Look at me, talking to you as if you could answer me...But I have no one else to talk to..." She trailed off. Luna smiled and leaped into her lap. Poor girl...so alone. She purred and Ami smiled, hugging her. "Maybe you understand being alone too, Luna. I guess you would." Luna nodded. I've wandered the world for months? Years? Searching for something I may never find...I know Artemis is out there... somewhere. I wonder how he's doing? Probably shacked up with an alleycat somewhere. She sighed. If this job was up to Artemis, the world would be doomed. Ami flicked on her radio, which was set on the News Station. "And in International News, a ring of British Jewel thieves was broken up by the British Heroine, Sailor V. This mysterious girl appeared about a month ago in Britain, and has since made a name for herself defeating a variety of criminals. Rumor has it that she has signed a movie deal with..." Ami smiled. "I wonder if she's really a superhero or if it is just a publicity stunt? It would be really neat to be able to really do things like that. I want to be able to help people some day...that's why i want to be a doctor, Luna. I feel like helping people is my destiny." She looked up at the calendar. "I need to get Mother a birthday present. But what can I get her?" Luna flicked her tail and accidentally struck the radio knob. It spun and a new channel flickered to life. "Come on down to OSA-P! 90% off sale today! The best jewelry bargains you'll ever see!" "90% off? I could get Mother something really special! Come on, Luna, we're going to get Mother a birthday present." Ami grabbed her wallet and a jacket for the cold night air, scooped up Luna and took off. ************************************************************************** The sun had set by the time Ami reached OSA-P, but she could see through the glass that there were people inside. Luna shivered. Something wasn't right about this place...She tugged on Ami's pants leg. Ami looked down. "Getting tired, Luna?" She picked Luna up and walked in. Something clearly was wrong. The lights were dim, everyone was lying passed out on the floor, and some woman had pinned a red-haired girl to the wall with her arms and was laughing maniacally. Ami shivered. That poor girl, she thought. Some instinct took over. "Put that poor girl down! Who are you anyway?" To her horror, the woman twisted her head around one hundred and eighty degrees without turning around, then said, "What's it to you?" Her face was twisted and evil, a parody of a human face, with short red hair the same shade as the trapped girl. "What have you done to these innocent people?" Ami felt a strange anger filling her. Something awful had happened here. She couldn't let it happen to anyone else. Unseen by her, a symbol began to shine on her forehead...the symbol of... "Mercury!" Luna shouted, then realized she'd spoken aloud. Ami is Sailor Mercury! Luna leaped into the air and released the spell that had kept Mercury's pen in stasis for so many years. It fell to the ground at Ami's feet. "Ami, take that pen." Ami blinked. "I must be dreaming...my cat is..." "No time for explanations! Take it and shout MERCURY POWER, MAKE UP!" The woman laughed. "Too late for you and your little black kitty, too! Here's how you DIE!" She gestured and the unconscious shoppers began to rise to their feet. Ami grabbed the pen nervously and shouted, "MERCURY POWER, MAKE UP!" Energy rushed through her like a wave. She knew what to do. She spun, rising into the air, trailing waves of energy around her from her pen. Her clothing ripped apart and reformed. Waves of water washed through her, taking away her weakness and giving her strength. A tiara formed on her forehead. She struck a pose instinctively as the transformation finished. "I am...Sailor Mercury!" She felt like a door had opened in her mind, inviting her into new, yet familiar territory. "Well, I'm cringing in fear. SLAY HER!" the youma shouted, sending its minions forward. The crowd of zombified women closed in from all sides. "Use your bubbles, Mercury!" Luna said, hoping she hadn't gotten their powers confused again. For a moment, she'd been about to tell Mercury to blast them with fire... Mercury nodded. The command phrase came easily to mind, as if she'd done this all her life. "SHABON SPRAY!" She crossed her arms in front of herself, then spread them out and a cloud of bubbles erupted, filling the room. The bubbles will chilly and the army of zombies collapsed as it struck them. The youma finally dropped the girl and peered through the mist. I can't see, blast it. Further instinct brought Mercury's hand up to her earring. She touched it and a blue screen dropped down, enabling her to see through the mist. First step, save the girl, she thought. She sprinted forward, hefted the girl from the floor, then fled across the room. "I'll get you, Mercury!" the youma shouted, leaping about the room desperately searching for her. The little bell rung as the door opened again. Mercury, Luna, and the youma all turned and instinctively looked, even though only Mercury could see. A blond girl with twin long pony-tails stood in the doorway. "Naru? Are you there? Are you okay? Hey, did someone set off the sprinklers again or what?" She wasn't sure why she had come...some instinct had told her Naru needed her...how or why she had no idea. The youma charged towards the voice. Another hostage, if nothing else. Naru stirred. "Usagi? Is that you?" "Is that your friend's voice, Naru?" Mercury asked the girl she was carrying. "I'm Sailor Mercury." "What's going on?" Usagi shouted. "Why is there fog inside the store?" "Usagi, run! There's a monster!" Naru yelled. "A WHAT?" It was too late. The youma grabbed Usagi and lifted her. "More energy for Queen Beryl!", the youma cackled. Usagi felt herself getting weak. Her resistance dwindled. Mercury put down Naru on a jewelry counter. What can I do to this thing? My bubbles didn't do much to it... There was the sound of castanets. Suddenly, a rose flew across the room and struck the youma on the cheek. It howled, spun, and tossed Usagi aside. She hurriedly scrambled under a case and hid. "Fear not, Sailor Mercury! You are not alone in the world! I am Tuxedo Kamen, defender of the innocent!" He stood in a second story window of the store, looking down on them. "Time to take 90% off of you!" The youma shouted, stretching its arms towards Tuxedo Kamen. Sailor Mercury saw her chance. She leaped and kicked the youma, knocking it down. Its arms snapped back into its body. Meanwhile, Tuxedo Kamen leaped down and grabbed Usagi, then carried her far across the room from the youma. She got hearts in her eyes. "You're dreamy!" He bigsweatdropped. The youma turned to Mercury. "So you want to get physical, eh?" "I fight with my brain! But I'll do whatever it takes!" It began stretching out its' arms at her. She stared at it, then noticed the star-shaped splotch on its forehead. Her visor blinked out a message. "Weak Point." She jumped into the air and aimed her kick at its forehead, flying over the arms. She struck it and its head collapsed like a deflating baloon. It gave a shriek of rage and dissolved away into sand. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" Tuxedo Kamen put Usagi down. "Nice work, Sailor Mercury! Quick Thinking and a boot to the head will always get you more than just a boot to the head!" Sailor Mercury tried not to laugh. "Thanks, Tuxedo Kamen!" "Everyone is safe, so it's time for me to go!" He leaped to the window. "Farewell!" He lept out the window. Usagi stared after him. "He's dreamy. I hope he isn't dating anyone." Naru sat up. "Wow...I feel so faint..." Usagi ran over to her. "Are you okay?" I guess I won't be getting Mother a necklace after all, Mercury thought. "Do you two feel alright?" "I need some...sleep..." Naru said. "Thanks for helping us!" Usagi said. "Do you work with Sailor V?" Mercury smiled. "Maybe someday. This is just my first mission." Usagi said, "Hey! I've seen that cat before! Hello, kitty!" She giggled. Luna blushed and hid under a display counter. "Well, I'd better be going," Mercury said. "I've got to go buy a...umm, I need to go. Can you help your friend get to bed or do you need my help?" "I'll help Naru upstairs. Are all these people going to be okay?" They groaned and started to sit up. "I think so. Bye!" Mercury took off with Luna, running until she found an alleyway, then sat down hard. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine...I just...that was scary! I sort of felt like I've done this before, though..." "You are Sailor Mercury, one of the Sailor Senshi! You are the reincarnation of one of the guardians of the Princess of the Moon. We have to find her before the Dark Kingdom does. You see..." Luna began a long explanation, which Mercury easily memorized. "Any questions?" "How do I get back into my normal clothing?" Luna facefaulted. **************************************************************************** The next day at school, Ami caught herself yawning in class. I guess I need to get more sleep, she thought. Maybe I wore myself out with all that fighting last night. The class stopped and everyone started yakking back and forth before the next class began. Ami overheard someone say, "And then Sailor Mercury showed up and defeated the monster! She's great!" Ami smiled. I wonder who'll play me in my movie...She started to laugh, and everyone just stared in surprise. **************************************************************************** The next day at school, Naru wanted to tell all her friends about what she had seen. "Yeah! And then this beautiful female warrior showed up and defeated the monster with the help of this really hunky guy in a tuxedo with magic roses!" Her friend Naoko said, "I had the same dream! Weird!" Several other kids who had been at the store chimed in, "Me too!" Usagi raised her head from her desk and said, "I had a dream that everyone wouldn't let me get any sleep...then I found out it was true." She slumped back down and everyone laughed. ************************************************************************* *************************************************************************