Erica Tenoh puffed out a breath, walking along the street with
her friend Catrine. "The pressure isn't letting up?" the black haired
young woman asked sympathetically.
"My parents want me in prep school then university," Catrine
agreed, the blue haired girl keeping up with the longer legged girl's
stride. The school-girl's uniform she wore was ruffled by the gentle
breeze as they walked to the maglev line together.
Erica sighed softly, "It's your choice, though, and they know
that." She swung her school bag behind her head, stretching out in her
boy's school uniform.
Catrine nodded glumly, "But they'll be pretty unhappy by my
decision to enter the academy to become a pilot."
"Pilot?" Erica raised an eyebrow, obviously not having heard
this before.
"I've got the hand eye coordination and reflexes," Catrine said
a bit defensively, "I think I'd be good in the mecha corps."
"I wasn't questioning it," Erica grinned, "I was just
surprised."
"Sorry," Catrine blushed. She looked over at the handsome young
woman walking beside her, "Have you any thoughts about what you want to
do?"
Erica smiled wryly, "I assume I'm going to inherit." At
Catrine's confused glance Erica traced an imaginary tiara, "From my
moms."
"Oh," Catrine murmured. She thought about that a moment as they
walked, "Do you know which you're going to inherit?"
"No idea," Erica shook her head. She smiled, "I've been pocked
and prodded a few times by Lady Mercury and asked Pluto about it, but
they're unsure." Erica chuckled, "Though Setsuna just likes to look
mysterious."
"Which ever it is," Catrine flashed a smile, "I'm sure you'll be
good at it."
"Thanks," Erica looked down nervously.
It was in that moment of inattention that it happened. The
shipping vehicle swerved, losing control as it swerved towards the
walkway. Catrine screamed, Erica saw the vehicle barreling towards
them.... and it happened.
Erica grabbed Catrine, feeling her form shifting as power
swirled around her. She leapt up, something blocking her eyes as she
went up and over the truck, perching with incredible balance on a
lamppost, Catrine safely cradled in her arms.
"Erica, you...." Catrine was looking at her with the oddest look
on her face. "You... you've become Tuxedo Kamen?!" she finally managed
to get out.
Erica nearly lost her balance, peering down in surprise at the
snugly fitting black tuxedo that she now wore, a top hat and mask
concealing her face while a red lined matching cape swirled around her
body. "Well isn't this interesting," Erica muttered as she leapt onward,
leaving the accident behind them.
"Where are we going?' Catrine squeaked, holding on tightly.
"I'm going up to the Palace to see if Ami can tell me what's
going on," Erica said. She gave Catrine a worried look, "Do you want me
to drop you off?"
"Oh no," Catrine said firmly, "I want to know, too."
"Fair enough," Erica said.
It felt oddly good having this girl in her arms as she leapt
across the city towards the palace. It took surprisingly little time to
reach the palace, though the reactions when she arrived were just
priceless. The guards gaped at her in shock, refusing admittance as they
called upstairs for guidance.
A few moments later a girl came running down the hall, skidding
to a stop when she took in the figure standing there. "What in the..."
Usagi blinked, her pink hair falling down her back in two streams. She
peered closely a moment, "Erica?!"
"The mask doesn't work too well," Erica noted to Catrine.
"She does know you pretty well," Catrine answered, hiding her
smile.
"I can't wait until Dad sees you," Usagi noted as she circled
Erica, looking her over admiringly, "he'll love this."
"I'd rather have Ami see me," Erica said dryly, "thank you very
much. I have no idea why I transformed like this."
"Sounds like a plan," Usagi led them past the confused guards.
She tossed Catrine a smile, "Hello again."
"Princess," Catrine managed a respectable bow while still
keeping up with them.
"Just call me Usagi," she said cheerfully as they entered the
lift, the taller girl entering the level for Ami's laboratory.
"Yes, Usagi," Catrine stammered, face red.
"So what happened?" Usagi asked Erica pointedly.
Erica took the top hat off, discovering it could be folded away
invisibly within the suit jacket. "A truck swerved towards us," Erica
took the mask off, putting it in her breast pocket, "and I transformed
to get us clear."
"Oh," Catrine looked at Erica, blushing once again. "I never
even said thank you," she said, looking up at Erica.
"No problem," Erica blushed slightly, "I was saving myself too."
"Right," Usagi looked up with a false sort of casualness. The
lift chimed, the doors opening as they reached the right level. "Here we
go," she lead the way out into the hall.
"Here's hoping that Ami's home," Erica sighed, cutting a fine
figure in her black suit. More than one palace staffer gave her admiring
gazes, but she seemed not to notice them.
'Catrine certainly does,' Usagi noted the irritable looks the
girl was tossing the admirers. She stopped them by an unmarked door and
hit the bell.
A few moments later a irritable looking Rei opened the door, the
black haired Senshi giving them a glare, "You're timing stinks."
"Oh dear," Catrine ducked behind Erica.
Rei clearly looked like she had just gotten out of bed, hair
messy and wearing a hastily thrown on robe. In behind they saw a
fiercely blushing Ami Mizuno come out of a bedroom in her own robe and
the three girls realized what they may have just interrupted.
"Sorry," Usagi gestured to where the tuxedo clad young woman
stood, "but Erica's got a little problem she needs Ami's help with."
"I'll be damned," Rei blinked at Erica in surprise.
"Well," Ami had put her glasses on, peering at Erica
thoughtfully as she held her robe shut with her hand, "this is
unexpected."
"Tell me about it," Erica sighed. She turned a bit to where
Catrine still lurked behind her, "It's safe, they won't hurt you."
"Sorry," Rei looked a bit sheepish as she smiled at Catrine. She
looked at the others, "Excuse me while we get dressed." With that she
firmly closed the door in their faces.
Catrine looked up at Erica, "Do you think they were...?"
"Oh yeah," Erica sighed.
It wasn't long afterwards that Ami had Erica in her lab,
performing a battery of tests on the young woman. Erica managed to
revert to normal, causing even more intense testing while the other
Senshi arrived to see what was going on.
"Don't be so intimidated," Minako said to Catrine softly, noting
that the girl looked ready to faint with excitement, "we all put our
skirts on one leg at a time."
"Pants," Motoko corrected her, the cyborg watching the goings on
with amusement, "pants one leg at a time."
"You know what I mean," Minako shrugged.
"So what happened, exactly?" Erica finally asked, drinking a cup
of tea.
"And will it happen again?" Michiru asked worriedly.
"Reminds me of the time I wore Tuxie's old suit," Haruka
murmured to Michiru softly.
Michiru's cheeks colored slightly, "Not in front of the
children."
"Ahem," Ami cleared her throat loudly, "I do have a theory."
Once she was sure she had everyone's full attention she continued, "I
believe that Erica's latent Senshi powers were awakened by the danger
she was in. However, because both the Senshi positions she is heir to
were occupied," she nodded to Haruka and Michiru," her power seized upon
the first open form it could take."
King Endymion nodded thoughtfully at that, "I suppose that as
King of Crystal Tokyo I am no longer Tuxedo Kamen."
"So until I inherit my Mothers' position, I'm going to continue
to change into Tuxedo Kamen whenever I'm in danger?" Erica asked.
"I'm afraid so," Ami admitted.
To be continued....
Author's Note: Haruka really did wear the Tuxedo Kamen costume... at
least in the manga series. I should also apologize for featuring Ami
with Makoto in my first draft, but I've corrected that. ^_^;
Back to Eternal City, Crystal Tokyo Index - Back to Crossovers Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction