To Be A Lady

Amazon Jungle Arc

Volume I of Sailor Lady Moon: Crystal Tokyo Collection

The whole world was ringing, on fire, alight with Galaxia's wicked orange glow. Sailor Ceres was yelling something, but Rini could not hear above the wild throb of the cauldron. The humming of sailor crystals and the pounding of her heart filled her ears. Sailor Pallas and Sailor Vesta lay motionless amongst the rubble, uniforms in rags. Sailor Juno, kneeling, held an arm around her ribcage, and a patch of red grew steadily along the seam of her white sailor glove. Her face was pale, and bruised. Her lip bled, and Rini had to look away. She could feel the team's injuries as if they were her own.

Sailor Moon will fix this. Sailor Moon will fix this.

She looked to her mother, her idol, who stood between Rini and the edge of the cauldron. Her wings were ragged. The bile rose Rini's mouth as Sailor Moon—as Mama—dropped to her knees, crying "Darien!"

Pressure in her chest grew tighter and tighter, twists in her stomach multiplied, as Tuxedo Mask fell.

Rini's hand flew towards her future father, grabbing at the space between, and suddently she realized that the limb was transparent. The fuzzy outline of her palm encircled the slouched, shaking shoulders of her future mother.

Rini fell to her knees, clutching her tiny invisible fists.

Papa fell into the stars and died.

Which meant that, by default, she too was dead.

A numbness spread from her chest to her limbs. "Sailor Moon…Mama…" I will always be a little girl. In my last moments, I cried for mommy.

Then all was dark.

Princess...

Princess Lady Serenity...

A tickle on her cheek, and Rini's eyes opened to a hazy, creamy white. She tried to move, but her body did not respond. An ache in her back—and then Rini saw that she possessed wings. Feathers shifted, and Rini's vision cleared.

A silhouette walked towards her through the lavender light, through a soft orange haze like the colors of a setting sun. Somehow, Rini knew it was not an enemy. That comfort gave her strength to move.

Rini stood, and stretched her arms, and stretched the wings. "Are Mama and Papa here? Where are my scouts? What's happened to my friends?" Who am I even speaking to? Does it even matter? Her heart began to ache.

"Princess Lady Serenity." The voice was familiar. A scout, with dusky purple hair in heart-shaped buns. Though the body was grown, Rini instantly realized who—

"Chibi Chibi," she breathed. "Why aren't you with Sailor Moon?" Have you died as well? Rini absorbed the pleats in the sailor skirt, the lavender choker around Chibi Chibi's pale neck."Chibi Chibi, you look different," she remarked. "You've grown."

Chibi Chibi's hand went to her heart, softly fisted. She smiled gently, and Rini felt an overwhelming sense of peace.

So this is what happens when you die.

"I am Sailor Cosmos," the scout replied. "I am… a coward. As we speak, Sailor Moon fights Galaxia with every ounce of bravery I abandoned." She turned, and smiled at Rini. "But I wish to fix that here and now." There was a secret in the corner of her smile.

Rini, brought to shame in the presence of such power, tugged self-consciously at the edge of her soft white dress. "How?" The ache in her heart, dull and small, grew with each word. Throbbing despair. "How will it be fixed? How can you take back our death?" Rini choked on the words.

Sailor Cosmos approached Rini, regarding her gently. Rini, staring at the wings on the shoes of Sailor Cosmos, looked up into her navy eyes when she felt a gloved hand lift her chin. "Sailor Moon will accomplish this," Cosmos said. "You will be restored to the 30th Century. And your team, as well. All of you will live beyond this day."

"Yet I just watched my Papa die!" Rini barked. Cosmos softened her gaze. Rini backed down, suddenly embarrassed. "Sorry," she muttered. "I know…I know that Sailor Moon can win. I do."

The scout appeared not to hear. A single star twinkled above them. "My time is short," Cosmos murmured, eyes on the star. "I must return to the Cauldron and play my role." She stepped away from Rini and held up her staff. Rini felt a tickle on her skin, all over her arms, legs, at the tip of her nose. It was the static of Cosmos gathering power, though the source of this warmth was unfamiliar. Then a violent wind erupted—and suddenly the simple shift that Rini was wearing became her familiar royal gown.

"Princess Lady Serenity." Sailor Cosmos' voice rang strong and regal. "Yours is a beautiful inheritance. A princess, yet a soldier. Protected by moonlight and the lights of this universe. Guarded by dreamlight from the heart of this planet. The blood of the moon and the blood of the earth run together in your veins. The power of light and dark work together in your heart. Enemies became your protectors. You are the embodiment of innocence, yet possess the wisdom of a millennium." The starburst on Sailor Cosmos' forehead glowed and shot two beams of light, one into a crescent moon on Rini's forehead, the other into her heart. Rini winced, faltering for a moment, then stood straight once more, welcoming the gentle pressure of this power.

The Pink Moon Crystal materialized in front of her heart, and the beam of light was split by the angles of the jewel. Threads of light wove around Rini's body, all stemming from the Crystal, connected to Sailor Cosmos' power.

"Contrasts dwell peacefully within your heart. Sailor Mini Moon, I grant you new powers as the Scout of Symmetry. The power to join paths. The power to harmonize. No longer will you live and fight in a state of quiescence."

Sailor Mini Moon's hand began to feel hot. She looked down and saw a new scepter taking form in her grasp. An intricate circle, curving within itself to form a sort of yin and yang, with designs of the moon within the sun, of a rose and its thorns. Now her crystal rested in the center of this design. She looked up at Sailor Cosmos again, as the light faded. She was shocked to see a thin web of black traveling down the length of the ruby staff—was it darkness? Her eyes shot up to Sailor Cosmos.

"I don't quite understand yet. Harmonies? Qui—quintessence?" Her eyes grew tense, focused. "Why is there a darkness in this weapon?" she asked, voice hardened.

"Quiescence. A state of sleep." Cosmos placed a cool hand on Rini's bare shoulder. "You have grown, yet your body has not yet caught up. Balance will now be restored. You are to become now Sailor Lady Moon." She traced a finger along the dark veins that traveled down Rini's new weapon. "And darkness will not fear you, just as you have not been afraid. Not all that is dark is the enemy, Rini. The shadow is a measure of the sun."

There was a rumble in the distance. Cosmos' eyes narrowed. Her face tilted upwards to a distant pinprick of light among the dark sky overhead. Then, to the young Princess' shock, Cosmos knelt down, placing a hand over her heart. "Princess Lady Serenity. Sailor Lady Moon. You are not, and have never truly been, a little girl. My gift to you—it is an honor to give it." Then, Cosmos lifted from the ground, moving rapidly towards the star, and faded away, a traveling beam of light.

"W-wait! I still have questions—" Rini stretched her hand out to the star, but the light flickered, and disappeared. Her fingers fell and her face crumpled in confusion. She locked her grasp around the staff, running a finger along its side. It was at least a foot taller than she was. Would she seriously grow into it, now that Sailor Cosmos had spoken over her? She looked out at the bareness of her surroundings and tried to consider what would lie beyond. Rini longed for Setsuna in that moment, reminded of the solitary guardian.

"Shadows and light…" she murmured.

Suddenly, the staff faded, her gown faded back into the white shift from earlier, and all turned to a crisp, pure light.

Rini floated up, as though through water, but instead of moisture, she felt the dust of stars. It stuck to her like sand at the beach. She burst out from the sand and saw in an instant the familiar golden hair, the familiar bony shoulders of her mother. Darien stood with the rest of the sailor team, who surrounded the sobbing Bunny. All safe, all whole. Rini let out a soft sob of her own. She continued to float, but extended her hands and touched her mother's cheek before it went out of reach.

"Bunny." Mama. Find me in the 30th Century.

Rini continued to float, and her wings propelled her all the way through time into Crystal Tokyo, where she found herself soaring on the cool breeze of a summer night.

Crystal Tokyo appeared to be untouched by the mayhem that plagued its past. Rini was grateful to see the unperturbed stars, the gentle sway of the park trees. She wafted across the night and landed lightly on the steps to the palace.

Stepping forward, the carved wooden door made itself known to the youngest of the royal family in an instant. Rini gently pressed the door open, taking in the familiar lavender smell that permeated the palace—the Queen's perfume lingered everywhere. Moonlight lay across the floor in neat white squares.

The light, dull patter of paws, a flicker in the moonlight, and suddenly Diana was snuggled against her chest. Rini fell to her knees, and the wings faded from her back, dust in the moonlight.

"Diana," she whispered. "Diana, my heart broke…" She closed her eyes, concentrating on stopping the tremble in her lower lip. Visions of bright orange fire danced against the closed lids.

The gray kitten purred, rubbing her head against Rini's chin. "Your majesty," she meowed. "You are safe. Your family is safe. And your team is here, asleep already."

"I'm so…" Rini's voice shook. "…so glad. I'm so glad everyone is safe." Her laugh hitched and she stood, swiping at her moist eyes.

Diana cuddled into Rini's elbow, warm and fluffy and slightly bony as well. "You are home now," the cat squeaked, beaming up at the pink-haired child.

Rini tip-toed to her bedroom and released Diana from her grasp. She changed into striped pajamas that pooled around her feet. She crawled under her covers as Diana settled into the pillow beside her.

The kitten was quickly and deeply asleep. But Rini lay awake, following the trail of glow-in-the-dark stars across her ceiling. She could hear the swish swish of leaves against her window.

Then Rini, tearing up once more, was overwhelmed by the sense of home.

And even though she had just seen them all, wearing white on the beach, all alive and well—

Rini tossed the covers aside and swiftly ran, hardwood floors smooth against her foot. The door to her parents' bedroom creaked as she inched it open.

Papa was reading a newspaper by dim lamplight, glasses shielding his eyes from her. And Mama was curled up beneath the covers, fast asleep and most likely drooling.

Papa removed his glasses, and trained his eyes on Rini in the doorway. He smiled softly at her, and Rini choked back a sob.

"Welcome back, sweet pea." Papa folded the newspaper and set it gently on the nightstand, careful not to move the arm that was Mama's pillow.

"You really are alive," Rini whispered. "That was..." she swallowed hard. "That was the closest we've ever been."

Darien nodded, sighed. "I know it must have been difficult to see. We've had a whole nine-hundred years to make our peace with it, but it is still so fresh for you. We knew it would be best to wait up for your return…" he looked down at the snoring Bunny. "She's not used to all-nighters like I am." He chuckled, and Rini's heart warmed at the music of it.

We're alive and whole and we'll be happy together.

Rini crawled into the bed, throwing her arm across a bleary, mumbling Neo-Queen. She closed her eyes, pulled up the covers, and Papa turned off the lamplight. Moonlight from the window cast a blanket on the royal family as they grew still.

Sleep came quickly.

The moonlight peered through the wild tangled vines, the broad leaves, and dappled the ground below her feet. She flew across the forest floor, skating over fallen leaves, vaulting over the mossy bodies of dead trees, casting aside vines from her vision as she sprinted.

The jungle was teeming with creatures, yellow eyes that watched the journey of the shadowy figure, judging her ability, wondering whether or not to strike. She could hear the way creatures were slicing through the river nearby. She could smell the scat from jungle cats, the bark of the medicine trees.

Her feet were bare, but bracelets glistened in the dark, jingling around her ankles. Their tinkling was the only sound but for one zip and one sharp yelp. She did not push away the branch in time. The figure stopped short, bringing a hand to the gash on her face. Tree frogs cried out in the night, dissonant and persistent.

She gently pressed against the broad, moist leaves, and the jungle gave way to a small circular clearing. A stone pyramid stood in its center, covered in vines. Beams of moonlight shone down on the structure, casting its shadow upon the woman.

The woman approached, walking with urgency, clutching a slingshot against her side, hiking up the small leather satchel that lay across her back.

A symbol, resembling an unfinished star shape, glowed in brilliant orange on her forehead. The same symbol, where it was etched on the temple stone, glowed out through the vines. The wall receded, and the willowy figure slipped into the pyramid.

She wound through several stone hallways before the maze gave way to an open room, where all was dark but for the golden light of a deep spring, whose water reflections danced across the ceiling of the room.

By the light of this golden water, one could see that the woman's clothes, a simple vest and shorts, were of the same brown leather as her satchel, and her skin was a deep brown as well. Her eyes were ink black. Her hair was the same silky black, but at the end of some beaded strands were orange feathers. Parts of her hair were wrapped in thread, so that it spilled from her head in nine different ponytails.

She knelt at the edge of the spring. "I call on Hippolyta, guardian of the Amazon," she declared, in a voice that was husky and low.

The water began to bubble and foam. Hands rose out of the water, followed by slender arms, followed by the rest of a figure with dark, wavy hair, tied up in several buns. Somehow, the crimson gown that she wore was dry, like the rest of her body. Hippolyta stepped forward from the spring water, regarding the speaker with icy blue eyes.

"Astraea," she spat. "What brings you here to disturb my slumber?"

The woman called Astraea rose, and the slingshot in her hand trembled, betraying nerves that were disguised by the cool posture she had adopted. "My sisters are gone," she said. "Their stones have disappeared."

Hippolyta screeched. "What?" She sliced the air with her arm.

"The Amazon jungle cries out in their absence," Astraea continued. "The land is trying to bring them back."

Hippolyta crossed her arms over the plunging neckline of her red dress. "It is my ugly mother's fault," she murmured. "Zirconia awoke them too soon, in her haste to win. And now they've gone over to the dark side." She eyed her companion and reached out a slender hand, cupping Astraea's chin. "Thank goodness you're here, my dear," she murmured, with no hint of warmth.

"Th-there's more, Hippolyta," Astraea continued. "The jungle...without my sisters, the jungle is dying."

Hippolyta's tone softened, though her eyes did not. "Our precious home...My daughter, we must find the crystal that can save our home."

"Where?" Astraea breathed.

Hippolyta's eyes were black. The spring, behind the two figures, frothed and surged, angry. "We must do what my mother could not. We must capture the Golden Crystal."

8 Acres East

Hello! I recently wrote a fanfiction entitled Balance, in which I wanted to create a new set of stories for Rini and her scouts. While writing its first chapters, I realized that I wanted to approach the project differently. I've used writing from that story, now deleted, to begin the creation of this new story (the first in a series, hopefully). I have a better plan and a stronger plot than what I started in Balance.

To Be A Lady is the first of the Sailor Lady Moon: Crystal Tokyo Collection stories. Rini's many dreams (to be a beautiful lady, a proud scout, to have a prince of her own) are about to be realized when the protection of Crystal Tokyo becomes her sole responsibility. As Rini grows, she learns what it means to be the person she dreams about becoming.

My writing is based mainly around events in the manga. I borrow from the manga and the anime, depending on what I like and what suits my purpose. Neither the manga nor the anime belong to me, although I do create original characters within this piece of writing.