[FFML] [fanfic][Sailormoon] Moonshadow, chapter five (draft)

[The Eternal Lost Lurker]

And now, the draft of chapter five.

MASSIVE exposition chapter here, folks. You have been warned.

Same general warnings as chapter four, though there's no real violence in
this one. Some mature content, though.

C&C welcome.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------



Ami lay awake in her bed for hours that night, thinking.

Her world was one of logic and information. Knowledge was paramount;
ignorance was inexcusable, and the only solution to finding a gap in her
knowledge of the world was to find enough information to not only fill it,
but build a five-story skyscraper and a parking garage on top of it for good
measure.

*And coming up with metaphors like THAT,* she mused wryly, *is a sign I'm
way too wound up for my own good.*

Still, she was faced with an undeniable problem.

This Senshi business. She was still apprehensive about it--more than
apprehensive; terrified, in all honesty. She still wanted as little to do
with it as possible.

Still, the fact remained it had intruded into her life, and it was obvious
she was going to have to deal with it.

However, she did not understand the causes, the reasons, or the logic behind
any of it. This, to Mizuno Ami, was intolerable.

Her eyes flicked to the large-display clock on her dresser. 3:49. With a
deep, weary sigh, she turned over on her bed, adjusting her pillows.

There was, loathe though she was to admit it, only one real source of
information about this whole thing, as far as she knew.

Luckily, it was Sunday.

=-------------=



Studio ELL Presents

MOONSHADOW

Adapted from "Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon" by Takeuchi Naoko.

5: Falling from grace

=-------------=

Breakfast had just ended at the Tsukino residence when Usagi's cell rang.
"Moshi-moshi, Usagi desu."

//Tsukino-san.//

Usagi blinked. Glancing around, she slid quietly out of the family room and
into the hall. In a whisper, she replied, "Ami-san? Are there more of those
things?"

//No. At present, I am in no danger.//

"Oh. That's good." Usagi paused. "So, um...what's up?"

//I would not ordinarily contact you without a pressing reason,// Ami's
voice replied in a hesitant tone, //but you are, admittedly, the only person
I can turn to for this.// She paused. //I need to know more about
this...business. I cannot tolerate having no knowledge or information about
something which has become, much as I dislike it, a part of my life. Could
we possibly meet today?//

Usagi blinked. "Um...okay. Where and what time?"

//My apartment will suffice, and at your earliest convenience. My mother is
on duty at the hospital until this evening.//

"Right. I'll be over in a bit." Usagi ended the call and pocketed her phone,
frowning thoughtfully. She walked into the kitchen, where her mother was
cleaning dishes. "Mama, I'm going out today to study with a friend."

Ikuko nodded absently. "Work hard, dear."

"Haaaai!"

=-------------=

Forty minutes later, Ami opened the door to find Usagi, bookbag slung over
one shoulder, a wicker bag in one hand, the strange black cat, Luna, perched
on her shoulder. She raised her eyebrows.

"Mama thinks I'm studying," Usagi explained. "I brought some snacks because,
well..." She smiled gamely. "And Luna's the one who's going to have to do
the actual talking. I barely know more than you do right now."

Ami nodded, and stepped aside for the tea-haired girl to enter.

Once they had seated themselves and Usagi had distributed the canned juice
and onigiri she had brought (and a small bowl of natto for Luna, who
unexpectedly had a taste for the foul stuff), Ami looked at the two of them
and said, "So...please explain, in as much detail as possible, everything
connected to this Senshi business."

Luna looked up from her natto, strings of the stuff hanging from her lips;
knowing Luna's true form, Usagi repressed a shudder at the image of the
massive panther devouring some poor creature's entrails. "Where should I
begin?"

"That depends. Wherever you feel is best."

Licking her lips, Luna sat back on her haunches. "Very well. This will take
some time.

"Fifteen thousand years ago, almost every planet and moon in this solar
system was inhabited by a vast civilisation, ruled from the Earth's Moon.
The only planet in the system which was not under the rule of this empire
was Earth itself. The existence of this civilisation was made possible by
powerful magic, and most especially by the creation of an artefact of vast,
almost limitless power: the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.

"Created by the High Lunar Mages at the dawn of the Moon Kingdom, the
Ginzuishou acted as a focusing lens for the incredible magical energy of the
Moon. Whoever controlled the Ginzuishou could perform tremendous feats of
magic, but the use of its full power was virtually impossible, as no living
human can withstand the sheer force of that much magical energy. Attempting
to use the Ginzuishou's full power would almost certainly kill the user.

"However, its power could be used in more subtle ways, and in this way, the
Moon was transformed into a paradise over a period of time by its queen,
Serenity I.

"Similar, if less powerful, focusing artefacts were created after that,
bound to the energies of the lifeless planets and large moons across the
system. Using these foci, the Mages were able to duplicate Serenity's feat,
and in less than five hundred years, vast cities sprawled across the
surfaces of each world.

"Though the Empire of the Moon was peaceful and highly culturally advanced,
its citizens wanting for nothing, it was not entirely perfect. The people of
Earth, arrogant in their insistence that their planet alone bore the right
to rule the universe, prideful at being the only truly living planet in the
system, and covetous of the power and vast riches of the Moon Kingdom,
frequently attempted to cause chaos, suffering, and strife for their
celestial neighbors.

"Additionally, the outer worlds of the Empire were continually plagued by
incursions from the void between the stars, where dark, terrible things
dwell, horrors beyond imagination.

"Additionally, ambition among the various nobles and High Mages of the
planets in the system routinely led to political insurrections and
assassination attempts which, while usually not diastrous, caused enough
concern that many people feared a civil war.

"In time, Queen Serenity III devised a solution to the various problems
plaguing her empire. With the assistance of her most trusted advisors and
High Mages, Serenity selected loyal, virtuous, trustworthy representatives
from each of the worlds in her domain, and wove complex spells to bind the
magical power of the planets themselves to living human souls, allowing them
to call upon that power at will and bring it to bear to defend the Empire
and its people.

"These were the first Sela Senshi.

"With the Sela Senshi to defend against the various threats, be they from
within or from without, true peace was finally achieved, and lasted for one
thousand years. This time came to be known as the Silver Millenium.

"During the final century of the Silver Millenium, a great upheaval occurred
on Earth. The mighty kingdom of Arcanus, ruled by a wise warrior-king,
Gaeus, successfully conquered almost every nation on Earth, uniting them
under a single rule. His was a benevolent rule, and the subjects which
initially opposed his rule came instead to revere him. Under his protection
and wise leadership, the Earth flourished anew, and his advisors and Court
guardians, the Shitennou, possessed power which was believed to rival that
of the Senshi.

"Gaeus sought peaceful relations with the Empire of the Moon, and though his
initial advances were met with scepticism, Queen Serenity V ultimately
believed his intentions to be pure and noble, and opened a treaty alliance
with Earth. A decade into this budding peace, Gaeus' son, Prince Endymion,
began to court the Queen's daughter.

"The beginning of the end of the Silver Millenium was a young queen named
Beryl.

"The queen of one of the few remaining sovereign states, Beryl had long
harbored a grudge against King Gaeus for conquering the world she so longed
to rule. At the same time, she felt a deep longing for Prince Endymion, and
when he began his courtship of Princess Serenity, she began to loathe the
Moon Princess.

"A powerful sorceress in her own right, Queen Beryl began dabbling with dark
powers beyond the realm of man. She succeeded in breaching the barriers
between the human world and a world of darkness, where dwelt terrifying,
powerful creatures--youma.

"A being of great, thoroughly evil power felt Beryl's hatred, lust, and
obsession, and relished these dark emotions. Queen Beryl was given power
anew--dark power, power to destroy, power to corrupt, power to taint and
defile.

"With this new power, and the command of vast armies of youma, Queen Beryl
began her assault against the Arcanian Empire, spreading a firestorm of
death and destruction across the Earth.

"In time, only the great capitol city of Arcanus remained untouched by Queen
Beryl's wrath. Soldiers and mages waged daily battle against the youma,
fighting to their last to keep the one remaining refuge safe. The power of
the Shitennou was crucial in maintaining the security of the palace.

"However, for reasons known only to themselves, the Shitennou had secretly
changed allegiance. Their betrayal came as a great shock to King Gaeus, as
the Shitennou were known far and wide for their honour, loyalty, and
integrity. The thought that they would turn to the side of darkness was
inconceivable. And yet, the Shitennou slew Gaeus with their own hands.

"Prince Endymion was on the Moon when Arcanus fell. He stood alongside the
Senshi at the final battle, as Queen Beryl's youma swept across the surface
of the Moon. He died protecting Princess Serenity, and she fell dead atop
his body moments later.

"Queen Serenity, filled with grief, horror, and fury, saw that the Moon, the
jewel of the greatest human civilisation ever to exist, had fallen, and the
end had come. Unwilling to allow Queen Beryl to truly win, unwilling to see
the great and mighty empire fall under the rule of her enemy, Queen Serenity
used the full power of the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.

"Queen Beryl, the Shitennou, and the youma armies were banished to the dark
void between worlds, sealed away, condemned to a living purgatory. Serenity
prayed for the souls of the then-current Senshi and her daughter to endure
the passage of time, to be reborn in a distant future, in a more peaceful
age.

"Queen Serenity died, then, and the Ginzuishou disappeared. Its
disappearance, along with the interruption of the natural reincarnation
cycle of the Senshi, destroyed the delicate magics which sheltered and
nurtured the vast cities on the other planets. Every remaining trace of the
great and powerful Empire of the Moon was destroyed, reclaimed by the
unrelenting nature of the universe. The Earth, now a dark, ruined wasteland,
descended into an age of ignorance and hardship, and by the time the
civlisations of Sumer and Mesopotamia rose to power, Arcanus, Beryl, and the
Empire of the Moon were long forgotten, purged from living memory.

"One sole survivor of the Moon Kingdom remained, however. My Master, a High
Mage of Serenity's Court, survived the Fall, and placed himself into a
magical sleep. Every one hundred years since the Fall, for the first month
of the first year, my Master and I have awoken, gone into the world, and
searched for any sign of the return of the Senshi and the Princess.

"At the beginning of this century, we awoke, and immediately felt both the
presence of the Princess and a weakening in the boundaries behind which
Queen Beryl's forces are sealed. We knew, at once, that the long-forgotten
war between two dead kingdoms was about to begin anew. And that is why we
have been searching for the Princess and her Senshi."

Luna fell silent. Usagi stared at her, eyes wide. Ami frowned thoughtfully.

"That is...difficult to believe, but given enough evidence to support what
you have said, not entirely impossible."

"I was THERE," Luna growled, eyes flashing darkly. "Trust me, it was real."

"Why have no ruins of this Moon Kingdom been discovered?" Ami asked.

"That is my Master's doing," Luna replied. "After the Fall, before placing
himself in eternal sleep, he destroyed the remains of the Palace and
everything else which still stood. The feature of the Moon's surface your
astronomers call the 'Sea of Tranquility' is the result of my Master's final
service to his queen."

"Alright. So there are Senshi corresponding to each planet--except, I would
assume, Earth. Correct?"

"Yes. Although," Luna paused, "Neither my Master nor myself are certain more
than four of the Senshi would have been preserved. The Senshi of Mercury,
Venus, Jupiter, and Mars were on the Moon at the time of the Fall. The
others were...too far away to have reached the Moon in time."

Ami frowned. "But Tsukino-san is a Senshi. Of the Moon."

Luna's brow furrowed. "Usagi is Princess Serenity reborn. Neither my Master
nor I understand why she has manifested Senshi powers. There was never a
Senshi of the Moon."

Ami studied her for a moment. "Luna," she said eventually, "I would like to
meet this master of yours. It seems to me he might have more complete
answers to many questions, if he was, as you say, a member of this Queen
Serenity's court."

Luna sighed, bowing her head. "It is not possible. Master has chosen to
refrain from meeting with you at this time. He feels it prudent to maintain
a discrete distance between our two groups until all of the Senshi we know
to be active are located and Awakened."

"But he IS in this city, yes?"

"I cannot say."

"Just who is this master of yours, anyway, Luna?" Usagi interrupted. "You
never say much about him."

"That is because I cannot," Luna replied. "The blood magic, which I have
told you about before, is not the only control Master has placed on me. I am
also under a geas of the True Name."

"A what?"

"A geas. Extremely powerful High Magic. When bound to the magic of the True
Name, its power is strengthened tenfold. My Master has bound me to his will
by blood and by my True Name. Likewise, I am under a geas which prevents me
from speaking his True Name--or my own. 'Luna' is not my actual Name. It is
simply a convenience."

Usagi frowned. "Why wouldn't you be able to say the names?"

"Sealing an individual's Name from their own lips is a powerful means of
controlling them, binding them to your will. Also, because Naming a living
being affords a measure of influence over them, by magically forbidding me
from speaking his Name, Master has assured I cannot break his control over
me."

Ami and Usagi stared at her for a long moment.

"So, you're...more or less a slave?" Usagi asked, growing horrified.

"That is correct," Luna replied, absently twitching her ears.

"That's horrible," Usagi moaned, face pale.

Luna shrugged. "It is not ideal. However, if I were not so bound to my
Master, I would have perished in the Fall. I do not find servitude so
distasteful that I would prefer death."

Ami fixed Luna with an unreadable stare. "Luna," she said after a moment,
"You weren't a servant of Queen Serenity, were you." It was not a question.

"No," Luna admitted. "I was not."

"You were part of the army that invaded the Moon."

"Yes. I am a youma. I served Queen Beryl. I killed many humans on her
orders, and was defeated by my Master during the final siege on Serenity's
palace."

Usagi's eyes widened. "You're...the enemy?" she squeaked.

The black cat sighed. "I was. I am no longer. By my Master's will, I am
bound to protect you, Princess Serenity, even against my Queen. I can harm
no living human being."

The room was silent for a long time.

Ami cleared her throat. "So the monsters we were attacked by were sent by
this Beryl person? They are also youma?"

Luna's eyes flashed angrily. "No. Those were most definitely NOT youma. They
were something truly obscene."

"Necrocites, you called them, wasn't it?" Usagi asked.

Luna nodded. "Corpses, given a semblance of life to serve the bidding of a
Necromancer."

"So...zombies."

Luna tilted her head. "Similar, but not identical. As I understand your
modern human mythology and legends, a zombie is created from a corpse that
has been dead for some time. Necrocites, on the other hand, must be created
from the recently deceased...at the moment of their death. The control magic
that empowers a Necrocite involves entrapping the soul within a crystal at
the instant of death." She shuddered. "It is a truly vile, perverse magic
that creates such a thing."

Usagi blinked uncomprehendingly. Ami, however, seemed to understand. "So
essentially, you need a living human to kill to make one of those Necrocite
things."

"Exactly."

Usagi's eyes widened. "But...that's...!"

Luna absently flicked her tail. "It does not make sense that the Dark
Kingdom would be using Necrocites," she said at length.

"Why not?" Ami asked.

"Youma feed on life energy," Luna explained. "Youma kill to feed on the
souls of their prey. Youma would not use a magic that, in essence, would
lead to their own starvation."

"But this Queen Beryl..."

"Queen Beryl would NEVER resort to Necromancy," Luna stated with absolute
conviction. "She loathed Necromancers. Her kingdom was nearly destroyed
early in the Arcanian War because it was a breeding ground for Necromancers.
She personally killed every Necromancer that was discovered within her
domain."

"Alright. But these Shitennou you mentioned. What about them?"

Luna shook her head. "The Shitennou, even though they betrayed their liege
for reasons that were never clear, are noble, virtuous men of highest
integrity. They scorn and despise Necromancy. To them, it is obscene and
filthy. I cannot imagine any of the four of them would ever resort to such
vulgar tactics."

"Then how do you explain the Necrocites which tried to kill us last night?"
Ami asked, her tone becoming sharp.

"I have no explanation. Master does not seem to know either. As I have said
to the Princess, it is a disturbing and unexpected departure from what we
know." She paused. "Especially given the population density of this nation.
This city alone, your Tokyo...a Necromancer who is determined to create an
army of Necrocites..."

Ami paled. Usagi pressed her hands to her mouth in horror.

A moment later, Ami spoke again. "So to summarise, a small number of people
born into this time carry with them the souls and magical abilities of
Senshi who died thousands of years ago, and are now to be thrust unwillingly
into a war against thousands, perhaps millions, of enemies."

"Essentially, yes."

"And there is no option for avoiding involvement in the battle?"

Luna shrugged her shoulders. "Lay down and die. That's the only way out
without fighting."

Ami nodded, then stood. "Very well. I appreciate the information you have
provided." She walked to the door and turned to her two guests, expression
unreadable.

Usagi and Luna glanced at one another, frowning. They understood they were
being asked to leave, and after gathering her belongings, Usagi walked to
the door, stepped into her shoes, bowed and bid Ami good day, and left, Luna
once again riding on her shoulder.

=-------------=

Chiba Mamoru met his parents for lunch at a small but classy restaurant in
the bustling business district. It was a weekly ritual; though they saw
little of each other during the week, they made time to meet for Sunday
lunch--last week, of course, being the exception.

"Mamoru-kun," his mother began, "are you terribly busy Saturday night?"

He frowned, sipping his coffee. "Not to my knowledge. Why?"

She passed a glossy sheet of paper across to him. "The Yamagoto Corporation
is sponsoring a gala on Saturday. We were extended an invitation, but have a
previous engagement. It would be beneficial for our family to be represented
in attendance--and you might meet important people who will help advance
your career once you graduate university."

Mamoru frowned as his father put in, "And you can take your fiancee as your
date. Having a beautiful, charming companion will boost your social
standing."

"I...do not know if I can commit..." Mamoru paused, blinking down at the
leaflet. An inset corner depicted a velvet-lined display case of glittering
gems and gold figurines. One of the statuettes was holding a brilliant,
lustrous jewel. "Are they presenting these?" he asked his mother, indicating
the inset.

She beamed. "Ah, yes. The chairman's wife wants to impress the partners by
showing off her collection of priceless jewels and gold." She sighed. "A
pity your father and I cannot attend..."

Mamoru eyed the photograph for a long moment. At length, he looked up at his
parents, eyes sharp and intense. "I would be honored to attend the gala in
your stead, Okaasama, Otousama."

=-------------=

"Luna," Usagi said as they walked along a fairly quiet street, "why didn't
you tell me? That you're...you know."

"Would you have been able to trust me, if I had been honest? Can you trust
me now, with the truth known?"

Usagi threw a hurt look at the cat. "You've saved my life at least twice,
Luna. I know I can trust you. I mean..." She paused. "I don't...it doesn't
matter. I just wish you'd told me. It's...I don't like being lied to."

"And it concerns you that I am a youma? That my kind are the sworn enemies
of your world?"

"It...does bother me a little," Usagi admitted.

Luna leapt from the fence and landed in front of Usagi. "Then kill me now,
Princess. You have more than sufficient power. Were we to do battle, I would
not stand a chance against you."

Usagi stared at the cat, whose crimson gaze remained steadily fixed upon
her. At length, she sighed. "You know better than that, Luna. I wouldn't do
anything to hurt you."

Luna continued to stare at her, an unreadable emotion in her eyes. "You may
have to one day, Princess. If my Master's control ever breaks, if I am ever
allowed to return to the service of my Queen, I must. It is the very nature
of what I am. If I am ever freed of the geas, if the blood magic is ever
broken, I will become your enemy, and you will have to kill me."

Usagi's eyes began to well with tears. "Luna...don't say things like that.
Please...I don't want to hear something like that."

"I am only telling you the truth," Luna said simply, turning away. "We
cannot change what we are, deep inside. We must follow the path upon which
we are set." She leapt lightly to the fence and began padding away.

Usagi stood, unmoving, for several minutes, fighting back tears. "You're
wrong," she whispered into the empty air. "You're so, so very wrong, Luna."

=-------------=

As soon as he arrived home, Mamoru picked up the phone and dialed the
Tsukino residence.

//Moshi-moshi, Tsukino desu,// spoke the voice of Tsukino Ikuko.

"Tsukino-san, this is Chiba Mamoru. Is Usagi available?"

//She is out studying with a friend. I can give you her mobile number...//

"No, that is not necessary. I am calling because I am to attend a corporate
gala in place of my parents this Saturday evening. I will require a
companion, and Usagi, being my fiancee, is the preferred choice of my
parents."

It was difficult to miss the unspoken implication that she was not *his*
personal preferred choice, but Ikuko chose to ignore it. //Usagi will be
happy to accompany you, Chiba-kun. We will see you Saturday evening.//

"Thank you. I will call tomorrow with the arrangements."

As he hung up, he considered once again the image of the glittering, perfect
jewel on the leaflet.

*It's a necessary evil, if I am ever to obtain the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.*

He chuckled softly. *And I won't even need to change clothes for this one.*

=-------------=

Usagi arrived home to find her mother waiting with an anticipatory,
predatory gleam in her eyes. She gulped nervously. *This looks bad.*

"Usagi-chan," Ikuko said sweetly. "I have good news."

"Hai?"

"You have a date with Chiba-kun on Saturday night."

"EEEH?!" Usagi stared, wide-eyed, at her mother. "What do you mean?"

"Chiba-kun will be taking you to a gala ball on Saturday. You'll meet some
very important people and we'll buy you a brand new formal gown...you'll
have a wonderful time!"

Usagi stood, speechless, for a long moment. Then, she bowed her head,
sighing wearily. "H-hai." She trudged upstairs to her room, her complete
lack of enthusiasm almost derailing her mother's manic glee.

=-------------=

Kino Makoto, dressed in a school uniform (not HER school's uniform, but a
generic navy cosplay uniform) and with her hair done up in a sickeningly
childish style, laughed forcedly at a feeble joke made by her "date" for the
evening as the two of them exited the love motel. She formulated a careful,
flattering reply--but it died on her lips as, horrified, she recognised a
man standing on the opposite side of the street.

*Oh...SHIT.*

"Something wrong, Mako-chan?" her client asked.

She forced a cheery smile back onto her face. "No, not at all. Listen, I
hate to cut the fun short, but something just came up."

He frowned. "I paid--"

"I know, I'm sorry, I'll refund you two hours, okay? But I've REALLY got
to--"

She trailed off as the man across the street turned, noticed her, and
dropped the cup he was holding.

"FUCK!" she spat. Without a second glance at her client, she broke into a
run.



=-------------=

to be continued

=-------------=



================================
This is a test of the Emergency Ass Dance System.
              ~~*~~
The Eternal Lost Lurker
www.lurkerdrome.com