levar@geocities.com (LeVar Bouyer)
Explanations, as always.
-This is the second in a series of stories which explores, in more depth, the
ramifications of the events in Sailor Moon E.1, which is no longer that story
(see http://www.smart.net/~levar/epreview.html if you're confused). If you're
wondering, this takes place between chapters 3 and 4 of that work. This is also
a bit of an experiment for me, for reasons which become apparent. As usual, all
characters are property of Naoko Takeuchi et al.: and that et al. doesn't
include me. Please don't sue; it isn't worth the legal fees. This may be
distributed freely, as long as it remains unchanged, and no money is made off it
(at least without a cut for me, which can be negotiated). And that's about all.
Except, of course, for the story.
=================================================
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Character Sketches
Written by LeVar Bouyer
#1: Sailor Mercury
Variation II: Breaking the News: Rei and Grandpa
=================================================
I guess that I was lucky. The others, except for Ami and Makoto, had to tell
their families within hours of the news. I got days before I had to tell
Grandpa.
Then again, I had ten minutes to tell Yuuichirou, but that's another story.
Anyway, when the news hit Japan like one of odango-atama's crying fits, Grandpa
was visiting some friends on Hokkaido. They're the old-fashioned types, so they
didn't have any radios, TV, nothing. Not even newspapers. I think Grandpa
tried to talk them out of that; he's a real news junkie, though he doesn't
usually let people know. When he walked off the plane, he probably hadn't even
heard the news.
I watched him walk through the jetway. He still didn't know, didn't see the
cameras hiding out of sight. I stepped forward, and my entourage followed.
After all this time, I've gotten used to them. I think that the same ones
follow me all the time, and so I've given them names. Not that I'd ever tell
them that; I've got an image to uphold.
Grandpa exited the jetway, and was promptly swamped by my entourage, all of whom
wanted an exclusive interview. He looked very surprised, and a bit angry. I
bet he thought that another story had gone out about the old hentai man at the
shrine.
God, I wish it were. Then, the press would eventually leave.
I stepped forward again. As I'd hoped, the media opened a lane for me to see
him face to face. Not out of courtesy, mind you. Those buzzards didn't give a
damn about my family. No, they just wanted some good pictures of me and Grandpa
hugging to lead off the evening news. Although I'd have rather that they
didn't, they got their pictures.
"Grandpa!" I hugged him, hugged him real tight. Yuuichirou had been just a
convenience; here, I had someone who, despite all his shortcomings, loved me.
"It's been so long!"
"Rei," he said, gesturing around at the cameras, "what's going on?"
"Later. Come on, I got us a cab." Nodding, he grabbed my hand and began to
walk off.
"No!" Ignoring the cameras and microphones, I pressed in close to his ear. "If
you time it right," I whispered, "you can fake them out and leave them behind."
I backed up, then raced out, barreling through some poor video cameraman. I
guess I dragged poor Grandpa behind me, though he didn't seem to mind too much;
the view down there must have been great for him. Never looking back, we raced
though the terminal, came out, and leapt into a waiting cab.
"Okay, let's go!"
"Sure," said the cabbie. She was a tall, green-haired woman who looked at me
like...well, it's hard to describe. It was like she already knew me: knew who I
had been, who I was, and who I would be. But that's crazy, isn't it? I dunno;
that's why I noticed it, I guess. Anyone else, and I probably wouldn't have
noticed.
Anyway, we were on our way to the shrine. I'd managed to avoid the topic in the
rush at the airport, but now I had to come clean. Best to start with something
simple.
"Er, Grandpa, I've been having Ami Mizuno over for awhile. Is it okay if she
stays?"
"Mizuno? The blue-haired one? Why, certainly!" He got a familiar look in his
eyes. "Have you asked her about becoming an acolyte?"
"Not really...but I will." Yeah, when Chibi-Usa becomes a senshi.
"Okay."
The driver came off the freeway onto the surface streets.
"Grandpa, I guess you're wondering what all that at the airport was about."
"Well, that and my luggage."
"Oh!" I'd thought that he'd be worried about *me*, not just some dumb luggage.
God, he can be annoying...but I've *got* to tell him. "I, um, already arranged
for it to be taken to Hikawa. Grandpa, I've got something to tell you.
Something I've never told you about in years."
He looked at me. He was worried, I could see. Better than fear.
"You know you can tell me anything."
"Okay." I took a deep breath; he was essentially all the family I had. My
mother died before I could know her, I have no siblings, my father...I won't
even start with him. How could I tell him about an entire part of my life that
I'd hidden from him?
Very badly.
"Grandpa, I'm Sailor Mars."
The driver made a left turn.
"What was that?"
I really didn't want to continue, but better he hear it from me than NHK.
"I'm a sailor senshi. Sailor Mars."
Of the many things that I expected, a laugh wasn't one of them.
"Oh, come on Rei! You can tell me, no need to make things up."
"Nani? Tell you a lie? Look around you, Grandpa! Why do you think you got
mobbed by the media? Why do you think I got a cab in advance? Was it just
because I like the cloak-and-dagger routine? For God's sake, I'm telling the
truth!"
The driver made a right turn. I think she smiled. I'm not sure.
"Now, Rei, just calm down, and we'll talk about it when we get inside, okay?"
"No, it's *not* okay!" Why couldn't I get through to him? He'd always trusted
me before. Maybe it was the problem of convincing this one person that I was
Sailor Mars, when everyone else in Japan already knew about it. Well, I decided
that Grandpa needed a demonstration. As the cab pulled into the little drive
which served as an impromptu parking lot, I jumped out of the car.
"Don't believe me, do you? Let's try this!" I reached into nowhere and pulled
out a bright gold-and-red rod. I'd never done this for an audience before, but
I had little choice.
"MARS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"
I won't even try to describe to you all of what it's like to become a Sailor
Senshi. It's like...like nothing you've ever felt. It's a high no drug can
induce, an orgasm no lover can produce, a feeling of power and self-assuredness
unlike anything in the world. And then, I was Sailor Mars.
As I stood there, I tried to think. What was Grandpa seeing right now?
Superficially, he saw a tall, raven (and slightly purple) haired girl in red
high heels, a short pleated red skirt, a white bodice with bows at the back and
on the chest, a red cape, while gloves, red choker, golden tiara. But did he
see the self-confidence, the cool, seasoned warrior, the conviction of a person
devoted to the protection of the princess I loved? And more importantly, did he
see the granddaughter that he had practically raised from birth?
He just stood. And stared. And stared. Eventually, I got tired of it.
"Well, don't you have anything to say?"
"Damn right! what do you think you're doing out here dressed like that? Just
what have you been doing while I've been gone, hm?"
"Nani? I'm Sailor Mars, for crying out loud! And all you have to say is that
I'm underdressed?"
Grandpa blinked a couple of times.
"And stop staring at my legs!"
He blinked a couple of times. It finally registered, apparently.
"Oh. You're Sailor Mars?"
"Hai!"
"And so...that blond girl with the ridiculous odango...she's Sailor Moon? The
blue one, that tall one, the blond one with the straight hair...they're all
senshi, aren't they?"
"Yes, Grandpa. That's what I've been trying to say."
"And you never told me?"
"Hai. Look...it was..." I looked at the cab, only to see that it was no longer
there. Why'd she leave without being paid? Then again, like I said, there were
a lot of weird things going on with her that I couldn't put my finger on.
"Was what?"
Oops, forgot about him. "Let's talk inside, okay Grandpa?"
"Fine."
***
"You see," I said as I poured some tea into his cup, "we...we senshi never told
our families. I mean--here you go--none of us asked to be senshi."
"Arigato. You didn't?"
"Well, no." Now, how do you explain that I'm actually the several thousand year
old reincarnation of a warrior who lived on the moon? "We were born that way."
Good enough.
"But why? why were you chosen? And why couldn't you tell me? Come on, you
know me! I wouldn't have told anyone."
Yeah, sure. And Ami is the queen of the slackers. "Grandpa, I'm sorry, but
knowing the identities of the senshi...we just couldn't trust it with anyone
else. God, we barely managed with the five of us, and even *that* wasn't good
enough in the end."
"But still-"
"Grandpa, we had our reasons, and the need for those reasons is past. And if
you keep on shouting, you'll wake up Ami-chan. Now, can I get you some more
tea?"
"Yes, please." I took the teapot and began pouring. "Does Yuuichirou know?"
"Nani? Grandpa, the entire world knows!"
"Oh. Sorry, forgot about that."
We sat there for awhile.
"Rei?"
"Yes?"
"Could you change out of that fuku, please? It's a bit...." He gestured with
his hands in a manner that indicated to me that he was extremely uncomfortable
about me sitting next to him with a scandalously short skirt like mine. Silly
old hentai.
"Oh, I know. Gomen." I concentrated. Detransforming carries none of the
glamour and excitement that transforming does. It's actually sort of a letdown,
sort o like crashing from a sugar high. But far better, let me tell you. I've
felt both, and I'll take detransformation any day.
With scarcely a flash of light, I was back in the jeans and sweater that I'd
worn previously. "Grandpa?"
"Yes?"
"Anything else you want to know?"
He drained the cup of tea, and sighed appreciatively. I always could make a
mean cup of tea.
"Have you taken care of yourself?"
What? Aside from literally dying a couple of times, coming close on countless
occasions, taking all manners of punishments, and having to put up with that
annoying yet lovable Usagi? Then again, I *am* alive, and sharing a home with
one of the nicest people I've ever known, who doesn't look like he's going to
change just because his granddaughter fights evil.
At night. In high heels. In an outfit that gets most women on streetcorners
arrested.
"Yeah, I take care of myself."
"Okay." He got up, probably to go to bed. "I know that you'll do a good job
defending the world." He gave me a peck on the cheek.
"Good night."
I didn't reply.
=================
Well, how was it? A little something to keep me going on the main Sailor
Mercury story, which is still on pace for 17 March (hopefully earlier). Anyway,
if you have any comments or flames, direct them to god@heaven.org. Comments or
flames about this story in particular should be sent to levar@geocities.com. Thank
you, good night, God bless, drive home safely.
LeVar Bouyer -who had a bit of free time
levar@geocities.com | http://www.smart.net/~levar/
Baltimore Orioles: 1997 World Series Champs!
Current tasks: Mizuno at Baltimore, SM fanfic reviews,
The Journal Entries of Tsukino Usagi, et al., Advice Taken
Have you hugged a referee today? | TINSTAAFL
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