Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Sailormoon Dark ❯ Episode 1: University Orientation I. The Broken Mirror! ( Chapter 1 )

A note from the author: Sailormoon Dark was inspired by the original Japanese version of "Sailormoon," meaning that it will use the names and relationships that were present in that version, including some Japanese words and customs. This fanfic will at times have a bit more violence than you might be used to from Sailormoon. Because of that, and because of certain romantic relationships that some may consider adult territory, I am putting a warning on this fanfic that it may not be appropriate for those under the age of 13.

To enjoy this fanfic, you should probably fit the following "requirements":
--Love the original SM in Japanese (subtitled), not the dub
--Like the anime over the manga, although some manga elements are explored
--Believe Haruka and Michiru are lovers
--Don't mind Tuxedo Mask being kidded for being lame, or just outright hate him (notice I said Tuxedo Mask; I like Mamoru sans tuxedo and stupid top hat)
--Like yuri (girl/girl) relationships (most of the senshi are female, so I don't see how yuri can be completely avoided)
--Enjoy Outer Senshi-centric fics
--Enjoy relationships being the central focus and conflict over constant battles (though they are there, primarily to cause angst)
--Love fan-created senshi
--Love long fanfic series
--Have a sense of humor
--Have a tolerance of "fringe" religions
--Don't mind that I may not agree with all of your favorite things/couples/characters from Sailor Moon; therefore, I may pair up two people you would not, or kill off a character you love. Nothing personal.

One last thing and then I can shut up and get on with the story. This fanfic is full of spoilers for the entire Sailor Moon series. Just wanted to warn you!

Sailormoon Dark: Episode One
"University Orientation I. The broken mirror!"

Written by Laurel Wilson ( Sailorhathor@aol.com )
Inspired by the Japanese animated show Pretty Soldier Sailormoon.
The ideas for this fanfic were conceived in 1995, but this actual episode was written in December 1999-January 2000.


"Ahhhhhhhhhh! Can you believe it??!! Me, Tsukino Usagi, a university student?! Really, it's true! But our very special orientation is spoiled by a new enemy. How dare they interrupt the most special day of my life! Well... the second most special day... or is that third? Pretty Soldier Sailormoon Dark: University Orientation Part I. The broken mirror! The moonlight carries the message of love."

        In the dark of Usagi's room, she lay in her bed, unable to sleep because of her excitement over what was to happen the next day. "Luna, do you think the university orientation will be interesting?"
        The moon cat stretched before folding her legs under her and laying down to rest. "Yes, I think it will be very interesting for you, Usagi-chan. The beginning of a wonderful period in your life."
        "Do you think there will be snacks there?"
        "Yes Usagi. A whole table full."
        "Do you think there will be gifts for all the new students?"
        "Yes Usagi. It is most polite to give gifts at such major events."
        "Do you think there will be lots of cute boys there, Luna?" Usagi asked with a giggle.
        Luna sighed, a sweat drop appearing on the side of her head. "Yes Usagi, but you will not be able to keep your eyes open to see them if you do not go to sleep!"
        "Alright, I get the picture, cheeky cat." Usagi spent a minute being silent and lying completely still. Then she suddenly sat up, throwing off the covers so quickly that Luna flew from the bed. "I am too excited to sleep, Luna! There will be snacks and presents and cute boys there! Tomorrow I will be beginning my adulthood at a prestigious university! Me, Tsukino Usagi, the girl who used to cry over everything and get nothing but poor grades. This is the most exciting moment I have ever experienced! Lucky!" She flashed her first two fingers at a cat that was no longer there. "Luna?! How could you leave when I am discussing the most important moment of my young life?!"
        A furry black head slowly poked up over the side of the bed. "You knocked me out."
        "Oh." Usagi looked most embarrassed. "Eh heh heh. Sorry Luna."
        Crawling back up into the bed, the cat suggested, "Why don't you take that sleeping aide your mother prepared for you? There's no harm in getting a little help to rest before an important day."
        "But what if it makes me oversleep? I don't want to be late for orientation," Usagi protested.
        Luna licked at her paw. "Then I will make sure you get up on time. I have not taken a sleeping aide, right?"
        "Right!" Quickly downing the sleeping aide (which was a sleeping pill crushed and dissolved in water), Usagi diligently settled into bed. "Goodnight Luna!"
        "-Yawn!- Goodnight Usagi-chan.

        "Usele ss fools, all of them. What did they ever do for me?"
        Her head feeling muddled, Usagi was partially awakened by a familiar voice speaking in her room. "Issssh someone thhhere?" she slurred. The sleeping potion was strong, and she had not been asleep for long.
        Someone's long black hair flowed in the breeze coming in through the open balcony doors. The moonlight reflected on its shiny strands. The figure moved toward the bed until the terribly sleepy Usagi could see her. Usagi found herself looking into her own face.
        "I have evolved beyond you," the figure said. "I do not need you anymore."
        Usagi yawned so wide her mouth was like a miniature Grand Canyon. "That'sh nice, Usagi." She laid her head down and went back to sleep.
        There were low, critical snickers in all corners of the room. Several figures leapt from the balcony, leaving the sleeping girl to her dreams of university life.

        With a mighty stretch, Luna awakened in Usagi's bed alone. "Usagi? Usagi-chan?"
        She answered the cat's call, emerging from the closet dressed in her university uniform. "Here I am Luna."
        "Usagi! Don't you look nice. You're all ready to go?" She looked at the clock. "You're not anywhere near being late! Haven't you grown into a responsible young woman..." Luna beamed with pride.
        Preening her plaid pleated skirt, Usagi beamed back with her own pride. "I have been up for an hour already. I even beat you to getting out of bed." She laughed giddily.
        Luna narrowed her eyes. "It's not that funny. Come, Usagi-chan, go to the full-length mirror and have a good look at yourself in your lovely university uniform."
        As Usagi approached the mirror, Luna walked the length of the bed, continuing to beam with contentment over how well things were going for her Usagi. The girl realized that the mirror had been rotated in its stand so that the backside was showing. She instantly turned it so the mirror side would be in front instead.
        Large pieces of glass clattered at her feet. The entire mirror had been shattered. Both Usagi and Luna gasped.
        "What happened to my lovely full-length mirror, Luna? Someone broke it," the girl asked with dismay.
        All Luna could do was shake her head, looking at the shards of glass on the carpet. "I don't know. It is strange, Usagi-chan. Very strange."

        "Ami-cha n!" Usagi called, waving as she ran to catch up with her friend.
        "Usagi-chan, good morning. Are you ready for orientation?"
        "Yes!" she answered. As they walked along, Usagi munched on a piece of toast. She was paying more attention to that than where she was going. Ami watched helplessly as Usagi stepped on a very big rock, and braced for the big crash and Usagi's cry of pain. Instead, Usagi back stepped, looked down at the rock in her path, and kicked it out of the way. "I could have tripped over that!"
        "Yes, you could have." Ami listened to their footfalls on the sidewalk for several seconds. "You have matured quite a bit over the last year, Usagi-chan," she finally said. "I still remember how regal you were when you received your diploma."
        Nodding happily, Usagi gave an energetic skip. "I was sure I was going to trip while walking across the stage. But I made it! And you, Ami, accepting your honors without a hint of your usual shyness. Only pride in yourself! That is as it should be."
        It was Ami's turn to smile. "You don't think I should have been more humble?"
        "No, no, Ami-chan! You earned your special academic honors! You should show your pride."
        The two girls reached the corner near the young, highly acclaimed university they would be attending. Mirai Mugen.* They marveled over the modern skyscraper, which had been recently expanded and completed, although the university had already been open for two years.
        "Built on the site of the old Mugen High School," a voice said from nearby.
        "Rei-chan!" Usagi cried with delight. "Have you seen the others?"
        "I think they are on the front steps of the university. I can see Minako's blonde hair from here." Scratching her chin, Rei considered the building. "Do you think it is dangerous that they built this university on the site of the old high school? The location of one of our previous wars?"
        Usagi considered it too. "It is possible that there could be danger, but if there is, we will be right here to meet it, right? Since we are enrolled here?"
        This surprised Rei, but she nodded. "Usagi-chan, you really have changed, haven't you? In the past, you would have told me I was being overly suspicious." She grinned mischievously.
        "And usually, you would have told me I was a dummy for not being suspicious enough, Rei-chan. I think you have changed too." She discreetly leaned over to Ami. "For the better!"
        Ami giggled behind her hand.
        To that, Rei simply tossed her hair over her shoulder and waited to cross the street. "If I have changed for the better, then I will do fine at our university. That can only be a good thing. Shall we join the other students for orientation?"
        As they crossed the street, Ami commented, "You let a perfectly good chance for an insult slip through your fingers, Rei. It looks like we have all matured."
        "Ami-chan! You have grown bolder!"
        Ami giggled behind her hand again.
        Minako and Makoto were lounging on the front steps of the university. "Usagi-chan, Rei-chan, Ami-chan! Over here!" Makoto called. The girls joined together for an excited chat about what they were about to experience.
        "...and Luna said there will be snacks! And welcoming gifts for all the new studen..." She watched as a very attractive boy walked by. "Mako-chan, he looked just like your sempai. Didn't you notice him?"
        Makoto looked up. "No, I was thinking about cooking class. I wonder if it will be awfully difficult..."
        "Everyone , look! It is Haruka-san and Michiru-san!" Minako cried. Indeed, the stylishly dressed couple was approaching, arm in arm. "What are you two doing here? Checking the university out?"
        Smiling, Haruka gave a curt nod of greeting. "Yes we are. Hello Dumpling. Hello girls."
        "Hi Haruka-san and Michiru-san!" they answered in unison.
        "Dumpling?! Don't you think I have outgrown that nickname by now? I am a university student!" Usagi reminded her.
        Haruka pretended to consider it. "But Dumpling, you still have that hairstyle. It is the most appropriate name to call you."
        All of the girls laughed, except for Usagi. She stomped her foot. "Why don't you call me Usagi?"
        "But everyone calls you that."
        "Humph!"
&nb sp;       Rei interjected, "Haruka-san, are you worried about this place because it is the site of one of our past wars?"
        Before Haruka could answer, Michiru offered, "Maybe a bit, but the main reason we are here is because I will be teaching a music class. Haruka has decided to take some classes to update her computer skills."
        "I was going to tell them that..." Haruka scolded. "I am not accustomed to you taking the first word."
        "Then you should be quicker," Michiru teased.
        "I thought you liked me to take my time?"
        "Everyone!" Setsuna called as she approached. "May I introduce possibly the youngest student at Mirai Mugen University?" Her hands rested on an adolescent Hotaru's shoulders.
        "Setsuna-cha n! Hotaru-chan! You will be going here too?" Usagi asked.
        "I will act as her guardian while she is on campus," Setsuna explained. "Hotaru is still young yet. Although you wouldn't know it from the fact that she accelerated so far ahead of her peers academically; the school system thought it would be best if Hotaru came here to study so her mind would continue to be challenged. We should all be very proud of her for her accomplishment."
        "Of course! Hotaru, good job!" Minako told her.
        "Congratulations!" Makoto added.
        "Welcome Hotaru-chan," Usagi said with a gentle smile.
        In a proud, loving voice, Michiru said, "Yes Hotaru. Welcome."
        "It is always good to challenge your mind," Haruka assured.
        Hotaru gave everyone a loving smile. "Thank you everyone. It is good to have friends here, and Poppa Haruka and Mama Michiru. It makes the adjustment easier."
        "You will do fine, Hotaru," Setsuna tried to reassure.
        "Of course, with so many dear friends here, how can I not do well. I only wish... that my best friend could be here to cheer me on."
        Setsuna sympathetically stroked the young girl's hair. "I know you miss Chibiusa. Perhaps we can arrange a visit again soon, and the two of you can discuss your new lives together."
        This made Hotaru smile again. "I would like that."
        A tall girl with yellow and red-highlighted hair stepped out of the front doors of the university. She clapped her hands sharply to get everyone's attention. "Everyone, please file into the building in an orderly fashion and follow me to the library. There will be enough seats for everyone. We will begin the orientation as soon as everyone is seated. I am your Head Librarian, Chochin Himinori." She bowed respectfully. The girl wore an argyle sweater over a nice dress shirt, and a black skirt, which was the required uniform of library managers.
        A boy joined her at her side, holding the hand of a girl who appeared to be his girlfriend. The boy's red and blue-highlighted hair looked a bit wild, but combed; it was an interesting contrast to his orderly university uniform. The girl who accompanied him had long copper hair, as long as Minako's, held back in two red barrettes on the sides. Her uniform was crisp and had obviously been ironed with care.
        "These are two of your Library Aides. My brother, Chochin Mombanno, and his companion, Tama Kitaeru . They will be your guides through orientation today."
        "Welcome. Please follow us," the Library Aides said in unison, bowing with respect. They led the large group of new students to the library and got them all seated.
        As the speakers prepared the podium with fresh notes for the speaker, Michiru leaned over to speak to Minako. "Minako, would you like to accompany me with your lovely singing voice some time in my music class? I think my students would enjoy the performance."
        Minako actually blushed. "Oh no, no. I am not that good. I would just embarrass myself."
        This took Michiru aback. "You, Minako? What happened to that confidence that fueled your dream to be an idol singer?" she asked.
        After thinking about this a few seconds, Minako's face became troubled. "I don't know..."
        "Greetings students," the speaker began, "to the orientation of Mirai Mugen University!"
        The crowd cheered and clapped, all of them full of hope and excitement for the new, fascinating year ahead.

        Halfway through the orientation, the speaker introduced two American students. "Please welcome our two new exchange students from America and make them feel at home here in Japan. This is Miss Ursula Majors , and Miss Tara Mason . We here at Mirai Mugen University hope you will welcome them with open arms. They are here to appreciate our culture as much as their chosen courses of study. We know you will give them as much help as they require so their stay in our country will be an enriching one."
        Ursula bowed, looking confident and well put together. Her uniform was in impeccable condition, and her well-kept hair framed her lovely dark-skinned face. Her friend Tara was a bit of a different story. The tails of her uniform top had been tied at her waist to reveal a provocative midriff. She wore a baseball cap backwards over her short orange-red hair. Not very appropriate for an acclaimed new university with a dress code. But, because she was a guest in the country, no one said anything that first day. The way Ursula stood proud next to Tara, as if Tara was definitely someone to be reckoned with, also swayed everyone's opinion of the bawdy girl.
        Soon after the introductions, everyone was allowed to break for lunch. Many curious students crowded around Ursula and Tara to ask them all about America. Tara perched herself atop a table and rested her chin on her hands to make herself comfortable while she flirtatiously chatted with the boys.
        The library workers ate their lunches at the main desk so they would be there if anyone had any first-day questions.
        "Should we eat in the courtyard? It is very pretty out there," Ami suggested. The others agreed this was a good idea, and they followed her.
        As they passed a set of windows, Rei looked at her reflection absently, but she had to look back. What she saw was her own face surrounded by flames with the most bitter, evil expression she could imagine. Was this a vision?
        "Rei-chan?"
        This snapped Rei out of it; the vision was gone. "Usagi-chan?"
        "Are you okay? The others have already gone into the courtyard."
        Putting on a fake smile, Rei hid her troubled feelings. "I'm fine, Usagi. You go on. I am going to wash my hands, then I will join you."
        Usagi hesitated; Rei was obviously worried about something. But usually, the best thing for her when she was troubled was to be left alone to collect her thoughts. "Alright. I will see you in the courtyard, then?"
        Rei gave a nod.

        In the library, Kitaeru stopped eating for a moment, lifting her head. It was as if she heard a far away voice no one else could hear. "Ban," she said, turning to him, "...a talisman is close by. It is calling to me. There is a senshi in this building."
        "But we are all right here," Mombanno, commonly called Ban, pointed out. He gestured toward himself and his sister.
        "There are more. They are here. Several talismans, all here."
        Himinori, usually referred to as 'Nori, put her chopsticks down and grabbed the staff she kept behind her desk. It was a simple wooden staff which 'Nori told everyone had historic origins so they would let her keep it in the university. She always traveled with her staff wherever she was allowed to take it. "If there is a large concentration of talismans here, that means something is up. We should transform and find the trouble."
        Kitaeru took a deep breath. "The trouble will not be hard to find. We just follow the vibes given off by the talismans. You're right, there would not be this concentration of senshi here if everything was alright." Suddenly she gasped, grabbing the edge of the counter she was leaning on until her knuckles turned white. "The Silence Glaive! The talisman of destruction and rebirth is in this building! This could be serious."
        "We must transform, now," Ban commanded. He pulled both girls into the periodicals room where they had their privacy.
        "Vulcan Planet Power, Make-Up!" A trail of fire moved up Kitaeru's leg, burning her clothes away. In place of her clothes the flames left behind a senshi uniform. Her skirt alternated the colors red and copper, to go with her hair. The flames moved down her arms and through her hair to form her gloves and her choker. A quick wind blew up her hair as the fire burned out from her hand in both directions, forming a long staff. On the tip of the staff, the flames formed Vulcan's symbol in metal, which held within it a large diamond and a huge round purple jewel. The diamond that sat in the middle of Vulcan's bow glowed brightly as she held her Forging Staff behind her back. She had finished her transformation into Sailorvulcan .
        'Nori held up her sun-shaped locket, which she kept pinned on the front of her sweater. "Sun Star Power, Make-Up!" Beams of sunlight sprang out of the locket, covering her and dissolving her clothing. A whip of flame, a sun prominence, snapped over her body, leaving behind her yellow senshi skirt. Another prominence snapped over her, leaving behind her gloves and her top with her front bow. Sailorsun stretched out her arms and a blue corona of energy surrounded her, changing her shoes into high-heel slingbacks, and creating a black choker and red back bow on her body. The corona moved over Sun's staff in her hand to change it into a tall, menacing scythe with a white metal blade. She slammed the end of the scythe on the ground, which made a loud rattling sound as the blade shook in the handle, then she crossed one leg over the other to stand proud as Sailorsun .
        "Hyperion Satellite Power, Make-Up!" Ban yelled. He was covered all over with floating sunflowers which quickly blew away, leaving behind his pants, lace-up shirt, and boots. Catching a sunflower as it flew away, Hyperion sniffed at it thoughtfully before letting it go. It caught in the wind, then stretched and metamorphosised into his blue cape. He snatched another floating sunflower from the air and held it casually on top of his head, striking a pose as Soldierhyperion .
        "Let's go!" Hyperion said. The three disappeared into a nearby hallway.

        Just as she was about to leave the bathroom and rejoin her friends, Rei heard the strangest noise above her head. As if someone had moved in the ventilation ducts in the ceiling. No, that was silly. She was just worried about her vision, and was creating figments of her own imagination.
        Suddenly a vent flew off the wall. Rei gasped in surprise. What she saw next absolutely took her breath away. There in the duct where the vent had been was the face, the evil Rei face, she had seen reflected in the window. It was her own face!
        "You are not creating figments, Rei. I am real, and I am going to be your replacement." The other Mars chuckled darkly. "Can you catch me before I decide just how to get rid of you? Well?! Move faster, idiot! You could have caught me already!" The face disappeared with a flurry of noise inside the ventilation.
        "Wait! Who are you?!" Rei leaned into the gaping hole that the vent had left. It seemed to be empty now. She momentarily wrestled with what she should do--go after the Mars imposter immediately, or get the others first? Then it occurred to her that if she didn't follow the imposter on the double, she would lose her, so Rei climbed into the vent.

"Ahhh, such a lovely atmosphere we are experiencing for our special first day at university. But who is that twin Rei encountered in the vents of our school? Could this mean trouble for the pretty soldiers of love... AGAIN???!!! Gaaaaaaaaaah! When will it end?! Pretty Soldier Sailormoon Dark: University Orientation Part 2. Unknown senshi save the day. The moonlight carries the message of love."
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* Mirai Mugen = means Future Infinity in Japanese

On to Episode 2: University Orientation Part 2. Unknown senshi save the day.
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