Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Mystic Moon ❯ It Takes Two ( Chapter 5 )

3 hours later, Yukari was sitting cross-legged on Hitomi's bedroom floor, seated across from her best friend who was just finishing up her tale of what had happened to her on Gaia.
"...and then," Hitomi continued, her vision beginning to blur with new tears. "I promised I'd never forget him... and I was carried home by the same blue light that brought me there in the first place."
"Oh, Hitomi..." said Yukari sympathetically, wrapping her arms around her in a hug. "I'm sure the two of you will find each other again...soon. There must be some logical reason that your connection was broken." A smile found its way to Hitomi's lips.
"Thank you, Yukari."
Naria watched them with intent interest. It was her first time hearing the entire story. She knew the part about her and Hitomi's first encounter quite well, but it was interesting to hear the tale from a different perspective.
She did also notice Hitomi's mentioning of what happened on the bridge in Asturia on that fateful day. Hitomi never referred to the people who had caused that event to take place, and then it occurred to Naria that she didn't know. Naria decided that if she was going to tell her the truth behind that kiss, it would be at a much later time.
"So, is that why you named your new cat 'Naria'?" asked Yukari. Hitomi nodded.
"Yes, This cat is like Naria in so many ways..." she replied, giving the feline a wink. But she turned serious. "Yukari... do you believe me? About everything I just told you, about Gaia and Escaflowne and Van and everyone else?" Yukari thought about it a moment, deciding.
"Yes," she finally answered with uncertainty. "Yes." she repeated, this time she was absolutely sure. Hitomi wasn't a liar. But there was something else... something that was nagging at her to believe Hitomi...
That's when Naria saw it. She almost leapt off the bed in excitement.
She's the one, the cat concluded. Her eyes travelled to the strange symbol that had appeared on Yukari's forehead. She's Sailor Jupiter!
Discretely, Naria nudged Hitomi. She looked up and saw the mark on Yukari. Somehow, she calculated that this could mean only one thing: Yukari was the 2nd Sailor Senshi. Another thought invaded her brain. But why now? Does this mean that the NegaWorld really is behind these broken friendships?
"Yukari, you're the 2nd of the Sailor Senshi!" beamed Naria. Yukari almost jumped out of her skin.
"Gayaayaaaaaa!!!" she screamed. "That cat just talked!!!!!" a sweatdrop hovered over Hitomi's head.
"Er, Naria, maybe you should let me handle this one," Hitomi suggested.
"Hitomi, what's going on?!" Yukari sat backed far up against the wall, shaking in fright. Hitomi approached her with a sigh.
"Yukari, you believed me about Gaia, right?"
"Err... um, yes, I suppose so...."
"Then you'll have to trust me again and accept everything that I'm about to tell you." Yukari was still jittery from hearing an ordinary feline talk.
"Hitomi," she said in a low whisper, "Did... did... did your cat just t-t-talk?" Hitomi didn't answer the question.
"Yukari, you're going to have to trust me," she repeated solemnly. Yukari nodded her head, her eyes wide.
Naria watched the two girls as Hitomi explained about the Sailor Senshi to Yukari. Yukari seemed less tense as her best friend spoke, and after what seemed like an eternity, got up from her crouching spot by the wall. She advanced towards Naria with hesitation.
"Naria," she said weakly. The cat nodded slowly. "So you're our 'guide to our
destinies', huh."
"I am."
"So what role do I play in all this?"
"You are Sailor Jupiter, part of the Sailor Senshi. You help Sailor Mystic Moon in her battles with the NegaWorld."
"And what is this 'NegaWorld'?"
"The NegaWorld is an evil force that wants to bring the entire universe into total darkness. In order to do that, they must first collect human energy."Yukari's mouth opened. She turned to Hitomi.
"Yoko and Masashi... when I looked at them, their eyes were blank, as if there was nothing there... do you suppose...?"
"It was the NegaWorld, alright." nodded Hitomi. She opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by the sound of a raspy voice that cried,
"I'll get your energy, my pretty! Eee hee hee hee!" Hitomi looked to Naria who nodded.
"That's definitely one of Linaddua's evil tarot cards, there's no doubt about it." Hitomi grabbed her transformation brooch.
"Mystic Moon Power!" she shouted. Yukari shielded her eyes from the pink light. When the glow disappeared, Sailor Mystic Moon stood proudly ready to kick some monster-butt.
"H-Hitomi?" Yukari asked with uncertainty.
"It's me, Yukari." her friend assured with a smile. She looked at her expectantly.
"Well?" she asked the brunette. "Aren't you going to transform?"
The brunette looked puzzled. Hitomi rolled her eyes at Naria who quickly gained a sweatdrop. She walked away from the spot where she had been lying. There, on the bed, was a strange green pen with the symbol of Jupiter on the tip.
"That, Yukari, is your transformation pen. Hold it up and shout 'Jupiter Power'." Yukari carefully picked the object up and did as she was told. She was surrounded by a bright green light.
Her transformation began. She gained an outfit similar to Sailor Mystic Moon's, with the short skirt and the bow at the front. Like the 1st Senshi, Sailor Jupiter also had a tiara, except this one had a green gem in the centre. Her boots came up only to her ankles, and rosebud earings decorated her ears. The transformation finished with Yukari standing in a menacing pose.
"Awesome!" cheered Hitomi excitedly. Yukari looked at her uniform.
"Interesting," she commented. Her eyes fell to her skirt and she groaned.
"Too short?" asked Hitomi, hearing the exasperated noise.
"Too short." echoed Yukari grimly.
"You can discuss the latest fashion later, right now we have a NegaCreature to defeat!"
"Right!" the girls said in unison.
Within moments, they were scurrying after the monster. All the while, Yukari kept griping about her outfit.
"Greenshoes?" she would grumble. "Green just isn't my colour. Why can't I be a blue-outfitted Sailor Senshi?"

At last, they caught up to the monster.
It's about time, muttered Naria to herself. Yukari was giving me a headache.Steach was in the process of draining the energy out of a group of friends. As soon as their life force left them, they began to argue uncontrollably.
"Yesss, that'sss it, fight." hissed Steach, delighted by her handiwork. Hidden above her, watching, was Linaddua. She licked her lips in anticipation. Sailor Mystic Moon was bound to show up, and wouldn't she be surprised when she found that her simple tiara move would be no match for this powered-up creation. Her blood-red eyes scanned the area and spotted a familiar pair of meatball-like buns on top of a sandy-brown head of hair. There she is now.She waited.
"It won't be long now," grinned Steach. "Only a few more victims and Mistress Linaddua will be the ruler of the dark universe." She looked around for another energy force to drain and spotted one.
"Oh no you don't!" boomed a voice.
"Huh? Who said that?" lights shone on the figure who had spoken the words.
"I did." said Sailor Mystic Moon promptly. She got into a strange position and a large sweatdrop appeared on Naria's head as she realized where she recognized the pose from. She closed her ears.
"I am Sailor Mystic Moon, the champion of Justice! I will right wrongs and triumph over evil. It's wrong to make good friends turn against each other, so I'll punish you... on behalf of the Mystic Moon!" As her speech was carried out, Yukari stood far away, mortified. Where did Hitomi pick up these lines?She wondered.
"Well, Sailor Mystic Moon, it was a pretty little speech but I'm going to finish you off!" screeched Steach. She lunged for the girl, but our heroine dodged it easily.
Then she grabbed her tiara.
"Mooooooooon..... Tiaraaaaaa..... MAGIC!" she shouted, and released the disc. It flew towards the monster and hit it dead on.
But the creature didn't flinch. The tiara resumed its usual appearance.
"Oh no, my tiara!" gasped Hitomi.
"What's the matter, Sailor Mystic Moon?" the mocking voice of Linaddua echoed through the area. "Your tiara broke? How sad. Steach! Finish her!"
"With pleasure," sneered the creature, and its evil grin shone in the moonlight. It charged at Sailor Mystic Moon, pinning her to the ground. Slowly it began to drain her energy.
"No, get off..!" Hitomi protested, but her cry was very weak as she felt her life
force leaving her.
"NO! Sailor Mystic Moon!" a voice cried. The creature looked up to see who said it. There, in front of her, she saw Sailor Jupiter, who was fuming.
"You'll pay for hurting my best friend," she growled lowly. She crossed her arms in front of her and closed her eyes. A tiny rod appeared on the gem on her tiara.
"I call upon the power of Jupiter to help me save my friend! Jupiter... Thunder.... CRASH!" lightening circled the rod and Sailor Jupiter launched the furious bolt at the monster. It let out a piercing cry as the shock hit it. Sailor Jupiter helped her friend to her feet.
"You'd better try your tiara again," she suggested gently. Hitomi nodded and took her tiara in her hands.
"Moooooon..... Tiaraaaaa..... MAGIC!" she cried, as she launched the disc at the creature who was just recovering from the blast.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" screeched the mutant, as she disappeared in a pink glow. When the light faded, a tarot card landed in the ground, the picture of Steach fading in a cloud of smoke.
Damn it, thought Linaddua to herself. Now there are two of them. I must reportthis to Lord Wiseman. She sped back to the NegaWorld as the human energy returned to their owners, including Sailor Mystic Moon.
The Sailor Senshi resumed their everyday appearance. Yukari stood as if in a trance, staring at her hands.
"I... I did that?" she seemed to ask her fingers, referring to the blast of energy she had released at Steach. Naria approached the stunned girl quietly.
"Yes," she confirmed. "But you have many other powers than that, Yukari. It will just take a while to discover them, that's all. But please, you must help us in our quest to save the universe!" she begged.
Yukari looked to her best friend, Hitomi."Of course I'll help," she said, smiling. "I'll stick with the Sailor Senshi at any cost, to protect our world and others like it." she paused. "Even if I have to wear green," she winked at her comrades and together, they made their way home after a victorious battle.