Quick Note: Many ideas for part of this chapter are from “Parallel Sailor Moon,” in case you've never heard of it. Hee, I wish it was available in English. Also, I'm sorry I haven't updated here in so long. -is catching up- -Tesh : )
Chapter 2- Discoveries
“Aaaami-chaaan!” Usagi Chiba called to her friend. Usagi held a bundle in her arms that hindered her from running over to Ami, so she waved instead. Her golden hair was in its two customary odango, though her two long pigtails were styled into loops.
“Ami!” Ami’s other friends and fellow Senshi called to her as well. They were all the same age as Ami, with the exception of two teens.
“Hi, guys!” Ami greeted, running over to them. Her sundress fluttered.
Usagi switched the bundle to her right arm so she could hug Ami. Inside, a chubby baby with pink fuzz and sparkling red eyes was gurgling happily. Beside Usagi was a girl that resembled a young teen with equally pink hair and red eyes, who waved cheerfully. On the other side of Usagi was her husband Mamoru-san. His deep blue eyes shone in the bright summer sun as he hugged Ami.
Ami giggled. “Chibi Usa-chan, are you taking good care of... yourself?”
Chibi Usa giggled as well. “Yup, me and Hotaru-chan have! We’ve been kinda too busy
studying though- high school entrance exams and all.” Chibi Usa adjusted her oval, red-rimmed glasses. Behind her, her also bespeckled best friend Hotaru Tomoe waved briefly before she beckoned for Chibi Usa to sit with her, heavy textbooks awaiting them. “Gotta go for a sec, Ami-chan!”
Ami smiled before she turned to the rest of her friends. The inseparable Chibi Usa and Hotaru were influenced by Ami, and thus they aspired to become scholars themselves and study abroad. Usagi was very proud of her future daughter, though it was a little amusing seeing the future Chibi Usa and the baby Chibi Usa side-by-side.
“Oh, almost forgot!” Chibi Usa said, turning away from her studies briefly to talk to Ami. “Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta said hi from the Thirtieth Century!”
Ami told Chibi Usa to return the future Princess’s guardian Senshi’s greeting, and then sat next to Rei, the Senshi of Fire, and her husband Yuuichiro Kumada.
Rei and Yuuichiro had married very early, after they realized their feelings for each other. Unfortunately, Rei’s grandfather passed away recently, so Rei and Yuuichiro managed the Hikawa Shrine on Sendai Hill together.
Ami chuckled when she remembered Rei’s initial hatred for men, but as she looked at her friend, her husband, and their beautiful three-year-old son Haruki, she felt happy for Rei-chan.
Rei flicked her very long raven hair behind her shoulder and smiled at Ami, who smiled back.
“Hey, Ami-chan, taste my pastries!” Makoto said to Ami cheerfully, offering a fat, cream-filled cake.
The Senshi of Thunder had always pined for the sempai who broke her heart when she was a teen. Thus, Ami was extremely thrilled when the senior and Mako-chan fell for each other again.
Mako’s husband lived with her for two years before they married. She just opened a small bakery and flower shop, just like she always dreamed of. Mako’s daughter just turned one; she had her mother’s bright green eyes.
Ami accepted the pastry and took a bite. Delicious, as always.
Minako sat near Ami, her little light blue boombox emanating the latest idol cd.
The boy-crazy Senshi of Love met her boyfriend Alan in England, where she fought evil
previously as Sailor V. Alan became a television producer for a famous company, so he was always in the presence of celebrities when he permanently moved to Japan. He helped his girlfriend acquire the autographs of her favorite idols.
Alan and Minako were engaged to be married in the fall, and Minako was pregnant with their first child, whom they found out would be a boy.
Minako-chan winked at Ami and pushed her light blonde hair behind her ear- she grew tired of her long hair and had it cut short to a tiny bit past her face, though she still wore her trademark red bow. She reached for a sandwich, her tattoo of a winged heart on her right shoulder in plain view.
Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna had to miss the picnic. Michiru had to be absent because she was giving violin performances abroad. Haruka, with her husband and fellow race car driver, could not attend as well because of a big grand prix in the United States. Setsuna was single like Michiru because Setsuna had no time for men, being a busy biologist and in addition a pediatric nurse at Chibi Usa’s old elementary school. She had to do paperwork today.
Ami ate happily with her friends, laughing and reminiscing about their early Senshi days.
Usagi laughed her high, bubbly laugh when she exclaimed, “Remember when Rei-chan used Fire Soul when we were trapped in a barrier? Remember? Ami-chan had to play chess against Berthier-chan!” Berthier was one of the four Phantom Sisters of the Black Moon, who eventually became their friends.
Rei glared at Usagi. “I didn’t do it on purpose!”
“Yes you did!”
“Did not!”
“Did!”
“Did not!”
“DID!”
“Hrmph!” the two girls said in unison, turning away from each other in a huff.
Everyone chuckled- one of the many feuds of Usagi and Rei.
Ami turned away from the spectacle when Minako tapped her on the shoulder. “Ami-chan, guess what I heard?”
“What?”
Minako-chan grinned. “Remember Urawa-kun, who went to your school? He moved back to downtown Tokyo and he’s a detective now!” Minako waved a newspaper article in front of Ami, who took it.
“ ‘Ryo Urawa, Tokyo’s youngest detective... is doing a superb job...,’ ” Ami whispered.
Minako grinned widely again. “Soo... gonna ask him out?”
Ami started, and then blushed. “I-I don’t even know if he remembers me!”
“You never know! Ooh, look- the article has his address!”
Ami looked down with her hands in her lap. “...Do you really think I should see him?”
Minako nodded.
“Ah, Ami-chan whatcha talkin’ about?” Usagi asked, her mouth stuffed with a rice ball.
Ami blushed again. “Oh, just some things...”
That got the attention of all her friends.
“You’re so lucky, Ami-chan,” Hotaru said wistfully, “I wish I had a guy too!”
Mako whapped Ami on the shoulder, grinning. “Ow!” was Ami’s reply.
Rei glared at the ground. “Men, hmph.” Yuuichiro looked crestfallen, but then Rei flushed and leaned against him.
Usagi giggled and exclaimed, “Time to play matchmaker!”
Ami’s blue-black eyes widened. “Usagi-chan, n-no...!”
But Usagi already copied down Urawa-kun’s phone number from Minako’s article and gave it to Ami. “If you don’t call him, I’ll do it myself!” she laughed.
Ami was stunned that her friends were so... thrilled for her. For me? Ami thought, her cheeks tinged with pink. She felt so grateful that she had such wonderful friends. However, as she looked at the many lovely relationships the other girls had, she felt a stab of jealousy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryo finally finished work at five p.m., earlier than closing time, and departed, with Detective Keiji breathing down his neck. Ryo sighed.
He hopped into his car, a silver Hyundai Elantra, and left for home. He would change quickly, because he was going to meet his mother for dinner at a nice restaurant near her home. I wonder why Mother wanted to see me? Ryo thought curiously.
After a quick change into more casual clothes, a black Polo shirt and blue jeans, Ryo hopped into his car again.
As he drove, his thoughts drifted again to Mizuno-san...
--x--
Ryo stood on Platform 7 at the train station, determined. He had to find his father, the man who left his wife and five-year-old son so long ago.
His train would arrive in fifteen minutes, so he decided to grab a bite to eat at a little McDonald’s inside the station. He wheeled his suitcase out of the platform behind him.
He thought about his mother’s tears from her bruises. He thought about how roughly his father handled his son. So many memories... which he wished had never come to pass.
Ryo moodily ate his burger and fries. Then he smiled a little when he remembered how proud his mother was when she found out how high he placed in the advanced student national exams.
“How do you do it, my sunshine?” Erika often said to him. She had called Ryo “sunshine” the moment he was born. The light of her life.
Ryo was glad his mother was proud of his achievements, but he always considered himself a fraud due to his mysterious power. He felt like a cheater. And his powers recently made him change into a fearsome beast and almost made him kill Mizuno-san. No- Sailor Mercury, Ryo thought.
He slightly came out of his reverie when he remembered the letter that appeared out of the blue, addressed to him. From his father. The letter told him where Ryo’s father was, and how he apologized for his terrible behavior. He wanted his son to see him, and stay with him for a couple of weeks.
Ryo wasn’t sure if he trusted his father, but he was still curious... He was very young when his father left after all.
He finally snapped out of it when the train station’s intercom crackled to life. “Passengers boarding on Platform 7 out of Tokyo, please begin to board the train.”
Ryo stood and left the Golden Arches. He walked through the busy station to Platform 7. There was someone there, but the person wasn’t boarding the large, silver train.
Ryo walked closer and realized it was... Mizuno-san. He flushed a little.
“Urawa-kun! I heard that you were leaving,” she said. There was an odd look in her eyes.
“Y-yeah, but I’ll visit, along with Mom,” he replied reassuringly. Ryo’s mother was preparing to move out of the Juban area, though not to be with Ryo’s father.
“Okay.”
They stood in silence for a moment. During that time, Ryo wondered if the look in her eyes was... longing, but he quickly quashed the idea. Why would someone as wonderful as Mizuno-san long for the person who almost killed her?
He had to board the train. He placed a foot onto the first step and then turned.
“M-Mizuno-san, I’m so sor-”
“It’s all right... Ryo-kun.” Mizuno-san smiled her heart-melting smile again, and there was a twinkle in her eye.
“Mizuno-san...”
“Please, call me Ami.”
“A-Ami-san...,” Ryo flustered, and then he smiled. He could call Mizuno-san by her given name...
“Oh, and one more thing.” Ami-san pulled something out of the pocket of her school uniform’s skirt, and handed it to him.
Ryo stared at the photo of Ami-san, much nicer than the candid snapshot that Tsukino-san gave him.
“It’s much better than the picture Usagi-chan gave you, right?”
Ryo blushed. How did she know that?
“Please stay clear of the doors- the train is about to depart.” The conductor came from behind Ryo to tell him.
“Goodbye, Ryo-kun,” Ami-san said, sadness in her voice.
“No,” Ryo replied, “See you later, Ami-san.” He smiled warmly, feeling light and free.
The train doors closed, and he was off.
--x--
Ryo’s heart fluttered at the memory. He still possessed the photograph of Mizuno-san, along with the candid snapshot as well. It made him love Mizuno-san even more.
Love...
“I wish I could see her again,” he said aloud. After he left the Juban area with his mother to go to a different school, he lost touch with Mizuno-san, even though he visited once. He didn’t even know if she still lived in Tokyo.
He finally arrived at the outskirts of Tokyo, and he headed toward the restaurant. He parked and stepped inside.
“Ryo!” his mother called. The youthful-looking Erika Urawa wore a white blouse and
knee-length red skirt. She embraced her only child. Ryo had inherited her piercing dark eyes.
Ryo greeted his mother and they found a place to sit. After they ordered their food and received their drinks, Erika tossed her thick shoulder-length brown hair behind her shoulder and looked pensive.
“Mother?”
Ryo’s mother looked up and smiled. “Ryo, dear, I’ve been noticing that when you talk to me on the phone that you sound... lonely. What’s wrong?”
Ryo was startled. “Everything’s fine, Mother!”
Erika didn’t look convinced.
The waitress brought their food and they dug in.
Erika stared at her son and said, “Sunshine, have you been thinking of Mizuno-san?”
Ryo was halfway through raising his white rice with his chopsticks to his mouth when he dropped them.
“M-Mizuno-san?” Ryo stuttered, and his face reddened.
Erika smiled knowingly. “Mothers’ instinct.” She pulled out a newspaper clipping and handed it to her son.
Mizuno-san’s kind face smiled up at him from it, being one of many. It was a photo of the Tokyo Police Department. Her face was easy to point out because she was one of the few female officers.
“Mother, when did you get this!” he exclaimed.
“Oh, in the paper a few months ago.”
“Months? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Ryo’s mother grinned. “You should try to get in touch with her. How about looking in the phonebook?”
Ryo looked down at the photo. He wanted to see her again...
“Yes. I’ll try to contact her.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cosmos dropped to her knees, panting. She had tried to break the orb, but without her scepter her powers were slightly limited.
Galaxia, or rather a faint manifestation of the Senshi of Destruction to Cosmos, laughed harshly. She wore her sailor-fuku but it was a rusty bronze instead of gold, at least to Cosmos’s eyes.
Cosmos glared, sweat poring down her face, which wet her beautiful hair. “Galaxia. I thought you were defeated by my past self, Sailor Moon.”
One of Galaxia’s faint eyes twitched. “Sailor Moon...”
She was interrupted by Cosmos’s shout. “How did you survive? Why are you in the form of a spirit!”
Galaxia smiled- a sickly, honeyed smile. “It was a wish I made before I disintegrated. After all, the Galaxy Cauldron grants the wishes of a Sailor Senshi.” She turned away. “Now if you excuse me, I’m off to give Sailor Moon a living hell.”
“Wait! Galaxia!”
Cosmos beat on her confinement orb, but to no avail. I have to let Sailor Moon and her Senshi know! she thought desperately.
Sailor Cosmos closed her eyes and used the last of her strength. She put the tips of her slender fingers to the sides of her head.
Sailor Moon..., Cosmos pleaded telepathically, Please. Please rid the universe of Galaxia! We... need... y-
The guardian of the universe collapsed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Galaxia reached Earth, having traveled with tremendous speed.
Excellent, I’m here, she thought, touching down onto a skyscraper in Tokyo.
The spirit of Galaxia raised her arms, and a whirlwind of power surrounded her. Minutes later, a twenty-two-year-old young woman with medium-length deep violet hair and jet-black eyes stood on the building. Unlike the transparent spirit, Galaxia was flesh and blood.
Earth, what a horrid place, Galaxia thought with disgust. No matter. It is time to make Sailor Moon, her Senshi, and Earth wish they never existed.
But how to do it? She pondered.
Ah.
Galaxia smiled, venom in her eyes.
“So it begins...”
