The Outlaw Chapter 1: Fun In The Sun, a sailor moon fanfic

THE OUTLAW

Chapter 1: "Fun In The Sun"
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

As always, for those only familiar with the English dub:

Usagi/Queen Serenity: Serena

Ami: Amy

Rei: Raye

Makoto: Lita

Minako: Mina

Haruka: Amara

Michiru: Michelle

Setsuna: Trista

Mamoru/King Endymion: Darien

Chibi-Usa/Princess Usagi/Usa: Rini

From "The Historical Database of Famous Quotes", latest update posted in May, 2994: "Why do the good girls always want the bad boys?" - Gwen Stefani, 21st century philosopher.

King Endymion forced himself to sit and listen to the report of the Chief of Security for Crystal Tokyo. It was one of the administrative duties that never seemed to end, despite the increase in technology over the centuries. The Chief, represented by a hologram narrow-cast from his office in Crystal Tokyo's Central Defense and Protection Center, was giving the King a rundown of the monthly crime statistics, for even paradise still had crime. Despite Queen Serenity's shining example and Endymion's best efforts to eliminate want, tempers still flared among humans and boredom occasionally led to uncivilized behavior.

The Central Defense and Protection Center was the centralized facility for Crystal Tokyo's security forces. Not only was crime still existent in the Thirtieth Century, but so were threats from other countries who had even less secure civilizations. The center existed on the opposite side of Crystal Tokyo from the Crystal Palace, at Serenity's insistence. She had given in - - reluctantly - - to the security force's very existence only at the urging of Endymion, Rei and Minako. She steadfastly refused, though, to have it anywhere near either the palace or any residential area, which was why it existed on the outskirts of the city. With the speed of modern air-cars, the distance was not a physical problem. But though it was hard for anyone to carry a grudge against Queen Serenity, particularly when they'd met her, there was a general feeling of distance between the forces and the palace that only Endymion could bridge.

That was one reason why Endymion listened to the report, even though it was a report that Endymion could very easily read at his leisure. Another reason was the chief himself. Chief Nakamura preferred to give the report verbally. It allowed him to discuss areas he felt needed more attention or more money. Rather that risk becoming insulated from reality, Endymion allowed his chief to occupy his time once a month minimum, even if it wasn't always necessary.

"Violent crime remains under one tenth of one percent for the month," Nakamura reported. "This is continuing a twenty-five year trend - - if you discount the months of the Dark Moon invasion."

"I've said before that we can safely do that," Endymion replied indulgently. "I suppose a zero percent is wishful thinking."

"Barring a miracle," Nakamura replied, his chest puffed out. The man was good at his job, but a little authoritarian and Endymion had to resist joking at the man's expense.

"I suppose Serenity will just have to work harder on that angle," Endymion replied, his resistance slipping slightly.

"Yes," Nakamura scowled briefly.

"Can we skip the statistics for this month?" Endymion asked. "Is there anything, in your judgment, that warrants my attention?"

"Well," the chief paused, reluctant to admit to something he couldn't handle, but just as reluctant to pass up allocation of more funds or personnel. "It's my considered opinion that more resources could be focused on traffic control."

"Indeed?" This surprised Endymion. Traffic always had its share of problems, often from the sheer volume of air-cars in the sky and magnetic hover cars still traveling on land. But it was such a minor problem that he was amazed Nakamura would admit to needing help with it.

"Yes. There has been a steady rise in air-car collisions over the past few months and an even sharper rise in near miss incidents. The rise is steady and calculable and I feel it's a growing threat to the public safety."

"Do your statistics point to some defect in the air-car guidance systems?" Endymion asked, intrigued. "Or is it more a case of traffic lanes that need adjusting?"

"It's kids, Your Majesty," Nakamura scowled. "Recent months have seen an increase in kids joyriding in air-cars. Sometimes they're not experienced enough as operators to handle the speeds they attempt in domestic lanes. Other times they just don't care."

Endymion nodded thoughtfully. "Recommendation?"

"Increased enforcement, Your Majesty. Don't give them the chance to try, and if they try anyway we grab them and get them out of the skies."

Endymion was studying the statistics provided by Chief Nakamura on a separate screen.

"Your statistics seem to bear that out," the king nodded. "If the public safety is at risk, there's no alternative. Carry out your plan."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Nakamura smiled, puffing out his chest.

"But don't just enforce the law. Come up with some sort of rehabilitation program that keeps the problem from recurring."

"Forgive my question, but is that really necessary, Your Majesty?" Nakamura asked.

Endymion smiled at him. "My wife would insist"

Over the centuries, one of the primary efforts of the government of Crystal Tokyo and its satellite government of Japan was the conservation and preservation of parks, beaches and wildlife areas. This policy's primary proponent was Queen Serenity herself, for the queen found nature and all its creatures valuable to humanity, both for the restful beauty of natural habitats and for the positive interaction humans and wildlife could have.

This policy, though, was wholeheartedly supported by her husband and the members of her inner circle. King Endymion, as champion of Earth, had a harmonic connection to life on Earth and plant and animal life was no different. Ami Mizuno could give you statistics and theorems outlining the benefits of maintaining a healthy ecosystem, and if that failed she would always trot out the paintings her father did to prove how wonderful nature was.

Rei Hino was vehement in her demand for care for the environment. To her, every atrocity committed against nature was a slap in the face to the kami who ruled over that tree, river or animal, and in her eyes kami didn't forget insults, they just plotted their terrible revenge. Makoto Kino was of the opinion that the world was humanity's home and you didn't soil your home without consequences. And Minako Aino was adamant about keeping beaches and parks lush and beautiful - - mostly because they were great places to pick up guys.

But whatever the reason for it, Japan in the Thirtieth Century boasted the most beautiful parks, lakes, mountains, forests and beaches in the world. And while the rest of the world looked on with just a little envy, the people of Japan enjoyed their bounty without guilt.

"Palla-Palla, don't run!" Jun-Jun called to her sister amazon sprinting ahead of the group onto the sandy seashore just outside of Crystal Tokyo. "You'll trip and fall!" Jun-Jun wore a green micromesh fiber-crystal weave two piece swimsuit of modest cut with white front panels offsetting the green. The micromesh clung to her curvy body, which was rapidly approaching seventeen, and seemed to show more than it actually did due to the weave.

"Hurry up! Palla-Palla has found us a spot!" Palla-Palla called back. Palla-Palla wore a blue fiber-crystal weave one piece with white synthetic cotton straps and a white frilly fringe around her hips. The suit had an imprint of a sun with a happy face on the front. She carried a duro-tarp beach blanket of beige and a computerized beach ball that was a simplified version of Luna P.

"Can't blame her for being excited, I guess," Ves-Ves said, carrying the provisions in an anti-gravity travel bin. "This is the first day this spring it's been warm enough to go to the beach." She inhaled, her chest expanding the violet fiber-crystal mesh suit she wore. Technically a one-piece, since the top and bottom was connected by a thin panel that ran vertically along her stomach, the sixteen year old's suit still was cut high on the hips to lengthen her legs and low in the bodice to reveal an ever expanding cleavage line. A dark visor covered her eyes. "I love the smell of spring! You feel so alive!"

"There's so many people here already," Hotaru moaned, looking around anxiously. "I hope nobody stares at us." Even though the sixteen year old was conservatively dressed compared to her companions, in a black one piece suit cut to Twentieth Century styles and even made of the retro material nylon, the young girl felt nervous about being seen by other people in the suit - - especially boys.

"Hotaru, the way we look, they're not going to have a choice," Usa told her. The Princess wore a light synthetic cotton jacket over a simple black one piece much like Hotaru's. Everybody had puzzled at the Princess wearing the same style suit as Hotaru, but Usa seemed unconcerned. She also wore a dark visor over her eyes. Usa smirked at her friend. "Besides, I thought that was one of the reasons you went to the beach.

"And here I thought it was to look at the boys," Jun-Jun added. She grinned to herself when she saw Hotaru flush.

Once they reached the duro-tarp Palla-Palla had spread out, everybody sat down except for Usa, who stopped to pull off her jacket first.

"It's too bad Cere-Cere couldn't come," Hotaru lamented as she reached into the travel bin and got some anti-carcinogenic lotion to rub on her body.

"Cere-Cere was too busy making googie eyes at her boyfriend," Palla-Palla said earnestly, eliciting a twitter of laughter from Hotaru.

"Yeah, ever since he woke up from hibernation, you can't pry those two apart with a tractor beam," grumbled Ves-Ves.

Just then Hotaru noticed Jun-Jun staring in shock. She followed the line of her friend's gaze and found she was staring at Usa.

"Usa!" Hotaru gasped in alarm. Not only had the Princess removed her jacket, she had removed her black swimsuit, displaying a more revealing suit underneath. She noticed the surprise in her companions.

"Hey, I only wore that old black thing for Pop's benefit," Usa shrugged. "You know what a prude he is. This is the suit I wanted to wear!"

"Oh my god," Hotaru whispered in total shock.

"Is t-that . . .?" Jun-Jun sputtered.

At sixteen the Princess Usagi already had a very feline maturity to her body. She possessed long graceful arms and legs and a torso with shapely hips and a generous for her age chest. But if that wasn't arresting enough, the girl three months short of seventeen was wearing a suit - - if it could be called that - - of maroon and gold diagonal lines of body paint. A gold line framed with two maroon ones swept over her right shoulder and across her right breast, then under her left one. It swept around the left ribs and across the small of her back, over her right hip, across her pelvis, between her legs and up between her cheeks to meet the downward swirl in the small of her back. This left her left breast and left hip completely exposed, as well as nearly her entire back. Proudly she twirled to model the suit, her pink trails of hair whipping out lightly around her.

"Crushed crystal liquid body paint, yeah!" Usa nodded enthusiastically. "Completely waterproof and covers like a second skin! Isn't it just it!"

"I'm amazed you had the guts to wear it," Ves-Ves goggled.

"Cere-Cere wore it last summer," Usa shrugged.

"Well Cere-Cere is an exhibitionist," Ves-Ves scowled.

"Usa!" Hotaru gasped again.

"Hotaru, don't have a stroke! Lots of people do this in the Thirtieth Century!" Usa countered.

"Princess, did you run out of paint?" Palla-Palla asked.

"Why?"

"Well you only covered one of your . . ."

"THAT'S ON PURPOSE!"

"Oh," Palla-Palla replied, mystified. She turned to Jun-Jun. "Can Palla-Palla try it, too?"

"No," Jun-Jun said sharply.

"But the Princess . . ." Palla-Palla began.

"No, Stupid!" barked Ves-Ves. "I've got enough trouble watching out for you in a normal suit. Don't give 'em ideas!"

"OK," Palla-Palla replied and pouted for about ten seconds. Then she brightened. "Can Palla-Palla go into the water?"

"Sure," Jun-Jun nodded. "I'll go with you."

As the two sisters headed for the water, Ves-Ves warily eyed the boys on the beach. Meanwhile Usa noticed that Hotaru was still staring.

"Hotaru!" Usa said impatiently.

"I can't believe you'd wear something like that!" Hotaru replied, aghast.

"You sound just like Pop!"

"You're practically naked!"

"It's not that big a deal in this century - - not to anyone not stuck in the dark ages at least!"

Hotaru winced. Her features clouded up and she looked away.

"Oh, Hotaru, I'm sorry," Usa grimaced. "I didn't mean it like that! You really are adapting to this century!"

"Maybe I am being a little prudish," Hotaru whispered shyly. "This is a different time. And somebody as pretty as you, I can't blame you for wanting to show that off I guess."

"Don't start that again," sighed Usa. "You're as pretty as any of us."

"Still you're not doing us any favors, Princess," Ves-Ves commented. "You dressed like that can't help but make the rest of us look like frumps."

"Well in your case, I could wear an environment suit and it still wouldn't change things," Usa jabbed. Ves-Ves responded by pulling down her eyelid, then resumed searching the crowd.

"Are you looking for someone?" Hotaru asked.

"Just making sure nobody makes a pass at Palla-Palla," Ves-Ves replied. When Hotaru seemed confused, the girl elaborated. "Look, Palla-Palla may be five on the inside, but she's sixteen on the outside. Guys see that she's got a nice body, especially on days like today. And for a couple of years now every so often there'll be some guy who thinks he can con his way into her pants just because she's stupid."

"That's terrible!" Hotaru gasped.

"Yeah," Usa nodded. "Not everything about humanity has evolved in the last thousand years."

"Well when I see somebody try, then he answers to me," Ves-Ves assured them.

"Do they get violent?" wondered Hotaru.

"If I'm lucky," Ves-Ves replied with an uncharitable grin.

"But what if it's someone who's genuinely attracted to Palla-Palla?" Hotaru asked.

"Then he'll try again," Ves-Ves shrugged in that cocky manner of hers. "I figure I can scare away a wolf, but even I can't scare away true love. If he's in love with her, he'll find a way."

"I'd like to think that," Hotaru said softly.

"So how are you and Yutaka doing?" Ves-Ves asked, then glanced wickedly at Hotaru. "I bet he'd give anything to be here now and see you in that suit."

Hotaru blushed again. "He has to work. The environmental control upgrade in the palace is taking longer than anybody thought and he's stuck helping his father. And he's so tired at night. We've only been on one date in the last two weeks," Hotaru lamented. "And then he fell asleep in the middle of the holo-vid."

"They say separation makes the heart grow fonder," Usa offered.

"And how many months has it been since you've seen Helios?" Hotaru asked.

Usa scowled. "You're right, it is a dirty lie."

Two males passed by and whistled at the group. Usa perked right up while Hotaru cringed.

"Eh, too skinny," sneered Ves-Ves.

"I'm just afraid," Hotaru began, than stopped.

"What?" Ves-Ves prodded, but Hotaru seemed reluctant to continue.

"She's afraid the longer she and Yutaka are apart, the bigger the chance is he'll become interested in someone else," Usa told her.

"USA!" gasped Hotaru.

"I only told her so she could tell you what a dumb idea that is," Usa shot back. "You don't seem to believe me."

"Girl, I've seen the way he looks at you," Ves-Ves offered. "I'm surprised you two aren't married yet. Being apart is probably killing him as much as its killing you. Be grateful you've got a guy who loves you. The only thing the guys I go out with want is sex." Ves-Ves smiled suddenly. "Which isn't always bad. But sometimes you want more."

"You'll find him," Hotaru offered. Ves-Ves nodded and went back to scanning the crowd. A few minutes later Palla-Palla ran up, drenched and happy.

"You look like you had fun," smiled Hotaru.

"It was very wonderful, Miss Hotaru Ma'am!" squealed Palla-Palla. "The water is ever so cool! And it tickled the bottoms of Palla-Palla's feet!"

Another male whistled. Usa turned and shot him a smile.

"Are you sure you didn't step on a starfish or something?" Usa joked. Palla-Palla's features clouded up.

"Well, she isn't sure," Palla-Palla murmured, then grew extremely earnest. "But if she did, Palla-Palla is very, very sorry! And she'll tell that to Mr. Starfish, honest!"

Usa and Hotaru traded amused glances.

"Hey Stupid," Ves-Ves queried, glancing around the beach, "where's Jun?"

"Over there," Palla-Palla replied and pointed off to the right. Then she grew a naughty smirk. "Palla-Palla thinks Jun-Jun has a new boyfriend."

Instantly three head snapped to the right.

Continued in Chapter 2