Tokyo-Juuban District, Midnight, December 7 The swift pulsing of blood in her veins helped her realize that she was still alive. She tried to move her legs, and whimpered as a searing pain overtook her. It felt as if she had run for miles, and the similar feeling racking through her lungs almost convinced her that she had. Her head felt light and her eyelids felt heavy, but with great effort, she managed to sit up and look around, ignoring the protests of her body. As she stared around the area, her eyes suddenly took on a panicked look. "Where...where am I?" she whispered into the still night. Coughing, she slowly stood up on shaking legs, swaying slightly before she managed to regain her equilibrium. "What is this place?" She coughed again and frowned, hugging herself. "It’s cold..." she murmured, sneezing as a single snowflake fell onto the tip of her nose. "Great...now it’s snowing..." She felt a tiny pinprick of pain shoot through her head and she winced, putting a hand to her forehead. "What the?" Follow the light. "Hearing voices in my head...not a good sign..." she walked around in circles for a moment before sneezing again. "What light?" As if by cue, a blinding flash of white light engulfed the area and dimmed, settling on some area in the distance. "Wow ...well, not like I have any other choice..." She ran toward it, not noticing that her outfit had changed from the flowing, priestly like robes, to jeans and a sweater. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ *Ding dong!* Usagi Tsukino usually did not awake in the middle of the night for anything, and she frowned and shuffled, drowsily murmuring, "G’way," when she heard the distant chime of the doorbell. Then it rang again. And again, and again, and again, until lights flicked on in other parts of the house, and the rest of the Tsukino family sleepily shuffled their way downstairs. Ikuko Tsukino made her way to the door first, and her son and husband stood at each of her sides protectively, in case something might be lurking behind the closed door. "Who is it?" she managed to ask, in between yawns. "Um...er...I um...I’m a little lost. I’m new here and um, I was wondering if you had a phone?" A hesitant female voice filtered through the door. A few seconds later, they heard a sneeze. Ikuko blinked once, then twice, and opened the door. "You poor dear..." she said, ushering the shivering girl into the house. "You must be...oh my!" The girl stared at the older woman, and in between sniffles, managed a "What?" "Mitsuki! We haven’t seen you in years! Usagi, come downstairs! Your cousin is here!" "Cousin...?" Mitsuki murmured to herself, baffled. She finally looked down at her outfit, and barely had time to register the change before Usagi tumbled down the stairs, looking rumpled and tired. "Huh...wha...? What cousin?" She stared around the room, and then her eyes settled on the confused looking girl in the center. "Oh...here we go again..." she grumbled. She missed her pillow already. ------------------------------------------------------------ "If you are lost in your way, deep in an awesome story, don’t be in doubt and stray, cling to your lonesome folly..."~.hack//SIGN, a stray child "I’m not your cousin. My eyes aren’t usually blue, and my hair isn’t...how did it get like this? And why am I wearing this? And where am I? Is your family insane?" Usagi stared at the girl in the same disinterested way she stared at Ami when she was explaining something scientific. They were both in Usagi’s bedroom, and the girl stared at the bunny pajamas Usagi had given her in mild disdain before moving her hands to her hair. "I know you aren’t my cousin. What color are your eyes usually?" "Green," the girl responded distractedly, trying to tug her white hair out of the odd odangos. "What in the hell? How do you—" "Undo the braid that holds them together. You’re thinking too hard. You should be able to do it without thinking. What’s your name?" The girl did as instructed, and sighed as her hair fell in waves down her back. "Your mom was right. My name is Mitsuki." "You’re not like, my daughter, or my long-lost moon cousin, or my sister or something, or a star seed of a megalomaniac, are you?" "What?! No! What’s a star seed?" After a moment, she paused and asked, "And what are you talking about?" Usagi sighed, and with effort, kept herself from reaching to her communicator. She was sleepy, and they would just have to wait until the morning. The girl didn’t really seem aggressive, so maybe she wouldn’t try to steal her energy in her sleep or do something just as bad. "Nevermind. You’re in Tokyo. Tokyo, Japan." "Huh? What’s Tokyo?" "Um...Tokyo is a city, and Japan is a country, and this is Earth." "Pardon? What’s a...what did you call it, Earth?" Now Usagi managed to break through her sleep-induced nonchalance, and started to panic. "Ummm...Earth is a planet? Where...are you...um...from?" In her head she prayed, Please don’t say from another planet...please say Wisconsin or something...please Kami-sama... "I’m on another planet?!" Usagi sighed. It’s never that easy. "I guess you are. Where do you come from?" "My planet...doesn’t have a name." "Huh? How can it not—" "Long story," Mitsuki answered quickly. "Is there anywhere I can sleep?" "Um...on the floor. I have extra sheets." "That’s good. Um, thanks." "You’re welcome." Usagi flashed her a bright smile. "Goodnight Mitsuki." "Night Usagi." ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ Mitsuki woke up before Usagi, but that was a given. The sunlight filtered through the windows and Mitsuki covered her head with her pillow, both to block the sunlight and Usagi’s snores. "Hmm..." she whispered to herself, "if winter is the same here as it is at home, if the sun is up, then it must be around six o’ clock." She climbed up from the floor and started to fold her sheets. "Might as well not make a slob of myself, if I’m a guest." Being careful not to wake Usagi, she made her way to the bathroom, before stopping halfway and wondering where the bathroom was in the first place. "Oh great." She heard movement in the kitchen and made her way downstairs quietly. Usagi’s mother seemed to be making breakfast already. "...Aunt Ikuko?" The woman turned and smiled at the girl hesitantly standing in the doorway. "Oh, Mitsuki, sit down, sit down. I’m making breakfast now. I’m surprised you’re up so early! Usagi usually doesn’t wake up until later." "Um, well...I’m a light sleeper." "Oh, I see." Ikuko chuckled. "Why in the world did you arrive so late?" Mitsuki thought of a story so fast, she doubted if it had come from her own mind. "My plane was late, and I didn’t get in until midnight. A kind stranger sort of guided me the rest of the way here." "Oh...and how long will you be staying?" She set down a plate of pancakes on the table, and Mitsuki smiled, digging into them quickly. "A couple of months, I think." ...And maybe longer, if I can get food like this. Wow. "That’s wonderful! Usagi can introduce you to her friends!" She smiled, and Mitsuki couldn’t help but smile back. "That would be nice." Ikuko patted her shoulder and went to wake Shingo. Over her shoulder, she said, "Usagi’s uniforms will probably fit you, until we can get you your own...you seem taller than her." Mitsuki nodded and played with the food left on her plate. I haven’t been in school in a while, she thought. I hope I can keep up... ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ For once, Usagi wasn’t late, but that was because Mitsuki had woken her up. "I’m sorry," she murmured apologetically to the blonde, "but I think you have to tell me how to get to school." Usagi gave her a bleary smile, and in between yawns, muttered, "’S alright..." After Usagi was dressed, and had eaten a plate of pancakes faster than Mitsuki had ever seen anyone eat anything, they both headed off to school together. In the brisk, bright winter day, Mitsuki could get a good look at her new surroundings, and her walking companion. "You seem to be behaving quite normally for someone who had an alien land on her doorstop in the middle of the night," she said to Usagi, blinking when the other girl started to giggle. "Well, I’ve got some experience with stuff like this." At Mitsuki’s confused look, she shook her head. "Nevermind. Sooo, you don’t know how you got here?" Mitsuki nodded. "I have no idea...one second I was at home...and then I was here..." she blinked again and stared at Usagi for a moment. The other girl noticed the scrutiny and tilted her head to one side. "What’s wrong?" "You...have a very interesting aura." "A what?" "An aura...it’s like a lifeforce...your very own personal energy." "Wow. Why is it interesting? What does it look like? Is it weird?" "Well...a little...your family didn’t seem to have odd auras at all...that cat is a little strange though." She gave Usagi a pointed look, and the blonde giggled nervously. "Eh heh, well, Luna is a very um, special kitty. What does mine look like?" "Err...it’s very, very bright. And warm...it seems as if light is drawn to it. It’s quite beautiful...a little too pink though." Usagi laughed. "Wow. So you can like, see everyone’s er, aura?" "Yes." "That’s really cool. Could you teach me how to do it?" "Umm...sure! It takes a lot of concentration to first get the hang of it though." "Oh...concentration isn’t my er, strong point." Mitsuki scratched her head. "I see." "Hey, Usagi!" A voice called out from behind them. Both girls turned to see Makoto and Ami running toward them. "Oh, hi you guys!" Usagi chirped. "Good morning!" Ami stared at Makoto, and Makoto stared back, before they both said in unison, "Why are you awake at this hour?" Usagi sweatdropped. "I had to um, help someone get to school." She motioned to Mitsuki. "She just got here, from um, another planet, from what she says. My parents think she’s my cousin, and she says she’s not related, er, at all, if you get me." Ami winced and Makoto shook her head. "Just when things had started to calm down again..." Makoto whispered, pulling her coat closer to her. Ami sighed and stared at Mitsuki. "So you come from another planet? What’s your name?" "Mitsuki is my name." "Interesting. And you don’t know how you got here?" "No, not at all..." "What do you do on your...other planet?" "I am...called the Child of Light there. My friends and I are on a journey to purge our world of darkness." "Darkness?" The girls started to walk again. "Yes." "And...what exactly is this darkness, if you don’t mind my asking?" Mitsuki put her hands behind her head and frowned, looking to the sky. "We call her, ‘Umbra,’ there. She is darkness incarnate. For centuries, she has tormented and defiled our planet, turning it into a desolate wasteland. Only our oldest and most advanced cities still stand as they did ages ago. It is my task to restore our world to what it once was." "Wow..." Makoto said, baffled. "That’s really messed up. What happens when you finally stop her?" "The world is at peace again." "I mean, do you get some sort of reward?" Mitsuki shrugged, but did not answer. After a moment, Usagi decided to speak up. "So, um, can you read Ami and Makoto’s auras too Mitsuki?" "Yes...they also have rather unique auras." "Auras?" Makoto asked. "A lifeforce!" Usagi exclaimed. "Tell them, Mitsuki." "Umm...ok...you.." she pointed to Ami, "Your aura is...a little like ice and a little like water, but it doesn’t feel cold, that’s strange. I can tell your mind is very quick, from the way your energy seems to move around you. Am I er, right?" All three girls blinked and nodded. "Wow...ok...now for you..." she stared at Makoto until the taller girl started to fidget. "Um...it’s very earthy...that is the only word I can really use to explain it. It’s gentle, but with a warrior’s balance to it. You have a very powerful aura." "Well, I try," Makoto said, grinning brightly. Mitsuki nodded and smiled. Snow started to fall slowly, and the girls picked up their pace, nearing the school. "Hmm, I wonder where Minako is...?" Usagi wondered aloud. Makoto and Ami shrugged, and Mitsuki was about to ask who Minako was, when they heard a voice call out, "Hey guys, wait up!" Minako made her way to the group, huffing and puffing, with a piece of cold toast in her mitten covered hand. "Man, I had to run just to catch up with you...wow, Usagi, you’re awake?" Usagi pouted and opened her mouth to say something, but Minako continued to talk. "I seriously can’t believe I’m on time," she took a bite out of her near-frozen slice of toast and grimaced, "and we still have time to spare, but I guess we won’t if we keep talking here like this...hey, who’s this?" She had finally noticed Mitsuki, and Usagi began her explanation again. When she had finished, Minako sighed and scratched her head. "Well, sounds like another adventure, I guess." She smiled at Mitsuki and patted her shoulder reassuringly. "I’m sure you’ll be able to get home." Mitsuki was about to speak, but then suddenly froze when she felt Minako’s hand touch her shoulder. She had noted before in her head that the girls had very...unusual auras, but Minako’s seemed to be the strangest thus far. It almost seemed to radiate...beauty. Oh no... Mitsuki had recalled encountering an aura similar to this before, but it hadn’t really affected her, so much as it had affected her male companions. This one however, seemed to be affecting her, and that wasn’t good. Not good at all. She felt her face redden almost immediately, and silently cursed her fair complexion. She had to get as far away from this girl as possible. Usagi noticed her flush, and stared at her in concern. "Are you alright?" Mitsuki made her excuse quickly, speaking in rapid fire sentences. "I can see the school up ahead so I’ll just go the rest of the way myself! See you all later!" She practically ran the rest of the way to the school, and the other girls shared confused looks. "Well that was strange...think we should have a meeting?" Ami asked Usagi. "Yeah. She seems really nice, but...I don’t know. I think we should tell the others, just in case. And besides, she needs help to go home. We can help, right?" The other girls nodded. "Of course!" "Definitely." "Sure, I mean, we saved the world a bunch of times, this should be easy!" None of them noticed the flash of black, and then red, against the startlingly white landscape. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ For those of you who read the previous Angel of Venus, this is a big change, huh? Crystal Tokyo is a nice place, but I figure setting this story a little after Galaxia’s demise would make this easier to work around. Also, Mitsuki was slowly falling into Mary Sueishness, and Yuna knows I don’t want that to happen. This one will be more serious than both the first and the second version. I’m better at fight scenes, thank goodness, so maybe that’ll be easier too. Also, just forget the first two versions. They aren’t really similar at all to this version, and they cause me pain to remember. For the new readers, I’m going to clear up some things before we have the slew of OMG, THIZ IZ A MARY SUE flames: 1) Mitsuki is not a Moon Princess, nor a relative of any of the Royal Family. 2) Mitsuki is also not related to any of the Senshi in any way. 3) Mitsuki herself is NOT a Senshi. She has gifts, but she doesn’t even know what a Senshi is. Also, I will try my hardest not to bog down this story with original characters. I have to take some liberties with the bad guys, but there won’t be all of these people coming to help the Senshi out. 4) This is not a "reincarnation" fic, meaning Mitsuki is not a reincarnation of a past person who lived during the Silver Millennium. This fic is barely going to mention the Silver Millennium. 5) I will try to stay as true to the Sailor Moon timeline(odd as it as) as possible. That means that Hotaru is in elementary school, Chibi-Usa is in Crystal Tokyo, the Starlights have gone back to their planet, the Inners are still in high school (though, since it’s about two years after the Stars ending, they are in their last year, and Haruka and Michiru are done), Setsuna still lives with Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru, and Mamoru is...at home, I guess. Did he ever get to Harvard? Poor guy. Maybe he should be in Harvard. I never know what to do with him. 6) Mitsuki is not super-powerful, she is not immortal, she isn’t even a great fighter. She’s just a magical girl. She is not meant to replace Sailormoon, nor join her ranks. She just wants to go home. 7) There is no love at first sight. Do not let that last scene fool you. There is absolutely no breaking up of established couples. At all. And that’s it. Hopefully, you’ll like it, and if you don’t...well, I tried. And all you can do is try, right? I’m sorry this chapter was so...boring, but it’ll get better, I swear. First chapters are almost always rocky for me. Anyway, yeah, those are some long ending notes. See you next chapter.
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