Legal Disclaimer: The concept of the Sailor Senshi, along with the characters of Sailorpluto, the Boss, and the Sailor Senshi are characters belonging to Naoko Takeuchi and the various companies that own the rights to the manga and the anime. This is not a work to generate income, but is a work to generate fun. The concept of the Senshi Elite and the United Sailors belong to me.

 

Otaku Senshi Disclaimer: All characters are/were approved for permission for usage in this fanfic by their creators. Sailor Andromida is a © of Cataluna Wakefield; Sailor Earth/Kimiko Gaia is a © by Jase H.; Sailor X is a © by Amy H.; Sailor Cirene is a © by Mahtlactli Atl; Sailor Animalia is a © by Fauna; Princess Tonicia Knightstar/Sailor Sirius is a © by Sharon Williams; Sailor Sun/Aurora Van Cyrus is a © by Jessica C/Sailor JR-5; Sailor Christmas is a © by Sailor Hotshot; Sailor Darkmoon is a © of Kenya Stallworth;

 Sailor Utopia is a © of Cyberduck XP; Energeia is a © by Jeffrey Anderson. Orpheus, The Host, and other characters are © by Universal Guardian.

 

Note: The United Sailors universe takes place in a parallel universe of it’s on. Although it is best to read the individual fanfics from which each otaku senshi and characters originated, I will try to make this story easy to follow as I can. This is not a way for me to obtain fame in the fanfic community. This is a labor of love. I dedicate this fanfic to all the otaku senshi creators who still continue to keep their sites alive…thank you for all the brilliant stories you have published!

 

 

United Sailors

ACT I: Not Another War! The Elite Assembles!

By: The Universal Guardian (maxiam_us@yahoo.com)

 

**Once upon a time, there was the Silver Millennium, a period of wondrous magnificence and unequal beauty. In this Millennium, there were protectors; pretty sailor-suited maidens known as Sailor Senshi…the most famous of these warriors were those of the Sol System, defenders of the Moon Kingdom ruled by the gracious Queen Serenity. However, there were also other kingdoms that coexisted with the Moon Kingdom, such as the Kingdoms of Light, Sirius-Endoria, the Earth Kingdom, the Onyx Kingdom…even the Dark Kingdom, whose true name is lost forever in time. As a proposal of unity between the monarchs of the galactic civilizations, the Senshi Elite team was created. Each Kingdom was to send their best senshi to take their place among the greatest senshi team ever assembled…

  However, tragedy struck before the Senshi Elite could be formed. The Dark Kingdom began a crusade to destroy the Silver Millennium forever by wiping out those powerful galactic kingdoms. With her life, Queen Serenity destroyed the Dark Kingdom and the rest is history. But the concept of the Senshi Elite…did it die with the Silver Millennium?

              No. It just got better…**

 

*Prologue: One day earlier: The Sanctum of Energeia*

 

Hidden in the mists of space and time, the Sanctum very rarely received visitors. For the being that lived there, the risk itself was too great. She could be easily molded by foreign forces, manipulated into becoming one of the most dangerous instruments in all of creation. Even possessing the knowledge of her location was dangerous, and only a selected few was trusted enough to hold such a potent secret in their minds.

 

The Senshi of Revolution was one of these individuals.

 

The warping mists of time slowly vanished into ether as her tall majestic form materialized on the uncanny landscape. Her crimson eyes glanced cautiously around her, her muscles tensed in case of battle. Had she been followed? She quickly twirled around, hoping to surprise any uninvited hitchhikers on her interdimensional trip.

 

Luckily, silence was her only attacker. She exhaled a sigh of relief, relaxing her grip on her Time Staff.

 

Sailorpluto began to walk forward, the sounds of her black high heeled boots echoing in the stillness. No matter how many times she had set her foot on the marble floor of the Sanctum, the magnificent splendor of it always astounded her.  Beyond the classical Greek pillars of the Sanctum were the stars from a million galaxies, twinkling brightly in a silent symphony of light.

 

As she stopped before a large silver gate, Sailorpluto’s millennia-old mind raced. This was obviously not a social call. What in Serenity’s name would have caused the being to contact her, knowing the great peril of revealing her location? A worried look crossed her striking features. The reason had to be something so great and terrible that it threatened all of existence.

 

Suddenly, a squeaking sound interrupted her train of thought.  The gate slowly swung opened to reveal a massive rounded room with a large rounded pool of pure water in the center and a black pole hanging a single piece of clothing. The water began to stir, and a small girl emerged out of the water. A unique pair of silvery mechanical wings attached to her shoulder blades spread like opening Japanese paper fans. The wings vibrated, producing a sonic wave that shook the water off of her naked form, and her ankle-length pale blonde hair. Once she was completely dry, the wings closed themselves into a pair of thin blades.

 

She picked her toga off of the black pole, and wrapped it around her naked body, attaching the neck collar to her neck. Sailorpluto smiled, noticing a small pink heart with “Chibiusa” name inscribed on it on the lower part of her toga, a silent testament to her friendship with the princess of the Crystal Millennium. She found herself staring at the light electric blue eyes of the blonde girl, which seem to glow with an untamed innocence.

 

Her name was Energeia, the mediator of the very energy forces of the universe. Her task was to maintain the balance between these forces, a burden-ridden duty indeed. Because she was devoid of any desire, only this girl could shoulder the burden alone.

 

“Sailorpluto, I’m so glad you have come.” she said, smiling with quiet joy.

 

“I came as soon as I could.” The Revolution Senshi nodded. “What seems to be the problem?”

 

“I sensed something very uneasy.” Energeia replied in a concerned tone as she walked towards her. “Something is tapping into one of the energy fabrics of the universe…I fear for what would happen should this be allowed to continue.”

 

“Where is the source?” Sailorpluto asked, her tone mirroring Energeia’s.

 

“This is where the source is.” Energeia answered, before holding out an outstretched hand. A ball of glowing white light appeared, morphing into a familiar sapphire planetary sphere.

 

Sailorpluto’s crimson eyes widened in disbelief.

 

The holographic planet that hovered in her palm was Earth.

 

*End Prologue*

 

******United Sailors******

 

*The Ivory Tower, Tokyo, Japan…today*

 

It was known by many names, built by many hands, and bordered on many planes of existence. The tall concrete and glass spire known as the Ivory Tower accented the skyline of late afternoon Tokyo.  It was given this nom de guerre because when the rays of the sunlight hit it directly, the white concrete and the long glass windows gave it the appearance of a structure of pure ivory from a distance.

 

About a quarter of the city worked here, this being the center of the Sailor V and Sailormoon merchandising empire. Sailor V dolls, T-shirts, and new video games were created here. The Sailormoon manga, based on the urban legends and newspaper accounts on the short-skirted maidens, were also produced here, along with other manga such as Lovely Freesia, The Dark Fires of Cyphyrus, and The Saga of the Orb of Time. However, the various offices of these business ventures only occupied the lower floors of the skyscraper.

 

The upper floors was something else entirely, the main reason why the Ivory Tower was built in the first place. Completely inaccessible to normal humans below, was the secret Command Station for the Sailor Senshi of the Galaxy. It was at the Tower where visiting Sailor Senshi from other galaxies, and even time periods, would come…at least, could safely come, since Earth’s populace was not ready for contact with visitors form the stars. After the defeat of Sailorgalaxia, Earth had suddenly become the hot destination for many galactic royals and their sailor-suited guardians. There were as many varying reasons as visitors, and the predominant reason was to behold the world where the universal savior Sailormoon was from, much like a religious pilgrimage. The second main reason was often to track down various criminals from their empires, who often took refuge on Earth, hoping the isolation of the planet from other galactic cultures would give them a new lease on life.

 

With unmatched courtesy, the staff of the Ivory Tower, made up of citizens from such famous planets as Mau, Coronis, Chuu, and Mermaid, provided the visitors with as much assistance as possible. They presented them with living quarters, which were in abundance, since the Tower utilized Hypercube™ technology, the technology to create and manipulate pocket dimensions for personal use, such as for creating rooms of immense size. Most of the upper floors used this technology, which was why the inside corridors and rooms were impossibly bigger than one would suspect from looking from the outside. The staff also kept watch over those criminals that fled to Earth, helping those senshi to locate and capture the people they were after. And for those senshi who had to have an extended stay on Earth, the staff provided them with a secret identity (with or without family), and the necessary funds to support them.

 

The Ivory Tower was also a training facility and resort for Sailor Senshi. Saunas and swimming pools coexisted with obstacle courses and Sailor V videogame machines. It was one of the greatest museums in the galaxy, displaying ancient artifacts, weapons and treasures from the diverse adventures of the Sailor Senshi of Earth and throughout the universe. However, there was another role that the skyscraper served; it was the meeting place of the SENSHI ELITE!

 

Far away from the daily hustle and bustle of the Tower, flew a majestic grey owl through the spacious winding crystalline corridors. His name was FAUNUS, the guardian of the elegant jade-haired SAILOR ANIMALIA, and the assistant trainer of the animal guardians. After a few moments of riding the air currents, he alighted before the archway of his destination: The Hall of the Elite. As usual, this corridor of exhibits was deserted, as many visitors were more drawn to the weapons hall than this. Yet, this was just how the owl wanted it. The less interruptions, the better. With a deep exhale, he relaxed, and walked through the archway, beginning his daily stroll within. Although he had seen the beautiful treasures in their elegant crystal displays an untold number of times, there was something about them that soothed him. It was if the relics whispered stories from the marvelous ages of times past.

 

His brown eyes fell on a very familiar image. A beautiful oil painting displayed Queen Serenity standing before a human-sized silver mirror, assisting a striking jade-haired woman from it. If the ancient owl could, he would have smiled with pride. That picture told the origin of his mistress, who was created millennia ago by the first Moon Queen and charged with the task of training animal guardians for the Sailor Senshi of the universe. She was so unsure of herself back then…but now, her confidence in her duty was unfathomable.

 

A few more steps and a glance towards the right awarded him with another sight.  It was a life-sized portrait of a familiar redhead dressed in a beautiful royal gown, sitting on a golden throne and delicately cradling a small facsimile of the planet Earth in her dainty hands. At her feet was a white cat with a black patch of fur covering his left eye and ear, and a golden crescent moon twinkling on his forehead. Faunus chuckled to himself. That was SAILOR EARTH and her guardian cat Eclipse back in the Silver Millennium, when she was Princess of Earth, before that fateful invasion of the Moon Kingdom.  From what he was told, she was unfortunately not sent to the future by Queen Serenity, as the others. Instead, she had somehow used the power of the seven Nijizuishou to be reborn, along with her faithful guardian. 

 

The portrait across from the Princess of Earth was one that dwarfed her in legendary status. A gorgeous woman, having thick golden curls that draped across her shoulders, seemingly stared at Faunus with eyes that matched her locks. She was clothed in a shimmering golden robe, and holding two objects in her hands: a stone tablet in one and a glowing golden brooch in the other. The ancient owl recognized her instantly as the legendary senshi, SAILOR SUN. The glowing brooch was her Eye of Rah, an ancient relic given to Sun by Serenity that had the power to revive, create, and destroy memories, and was also her transformation item. On the other hand, the stone tablet could only represent a physical representation of Sailor Sun’s beliefs as a Sailor Senshi; it was said that she was as old as Sailorpluto and her values and devotion to her duty was unmatched by any senshi since.

 

Suddenly, something snapped him from his mental retrospect. He sensed another presence in the Hall. His keen sight detected a tall, slender female form a few feet from him, standing very still. The stance of the figure seemed very familiar.

 

“Setsuna?” he whispered, his voice echoing in the corridor.

 

The figure straightened abruptly at the sound of the name. Faunus straddled forward a few steps before the shadowy veil that covered the figure was dispersed by the light. Standing before him was an exact replica of the Senshi of Revolution, except for the senshi uniform, which was that of an Eternal form and the tresses. Long auburn red hair shimmered over her shoulders and her purple sailor cape. A winged crystal brooch glistened on her chest, matching the splendor of the golden symbol of Andromida hanging from her black choker. Slender muscular arms were accented by black arm cuffs and a pink sleeve cover, while a black Eternal skirt swirled around well-developed legs, and ended in white stiletto eternal boots with black trim. Violet eyes glanced from the picture to the owl before them. A staff identical to her sister was held on her gloved hand.

 

“Sometimes…it’s hard to believe that my sister and I were ever so close.” She said quietly.

 

Faunus said nothing, following what she was staring at. Before them was another picture, which showed a beautiful auburn-haired princess and an emerald-haired princess sitting in the forest, grinning at each other in the moonlight. They seemed to be enjoying themselves in each other company, although the picture was far from the truth. The true story was that the auburn-haired princess, jealous of the green-haired princess because of being passed over for the role of the Senshi of Pluto, battled her sister and unleashed a devastating attack that was rumored to not only had stopped the two from aging, but destroyed their family relationship as well. The auburn-haired princess was banished from Pluto, but found another planet to become a Senshi. That planet was Andromida. The senshi standing before him was the infamous Senshi of Negatime-

 

“SAILOR ANDROMIDA.” Faunus replied, trying unsuccessfully to hide the surprise in his voice. “What brings you back to the Tower? I thought you were still on your mission in the Black Star Galaxy-”

 

“What mission?” Andromida sighed. “I’ve looked everywhere, Faunus…the list of galaxies I’ve investigated stretches for miles! The Orion Sisters…they are too clever even for me…Princess Milkyway is lost somewhere out there and I’m not even there to protect her.”

 

Faunus frowned, remembering the tales he heard about the Orion Sisters, two of the Dark Kingdom’s top warriors that took advantage of Sailor Andromida’s vicious hatred towards her sister, tricking her into the servitude of Queen Beryl. After redemption at the hands of the Princess of the Milkyway Kingdom in the 30th Century, Sailor Andromida served her with much gratitude and devotion…until the Sisters kidnapped the Princess and traveled to the 21st Century, using both time and space as their hiding places. For months, the Senshi of Negatime had searched the cosmos for her beloved monarch, only to meet failure at every turn.

 

“Sounds like you have given up already…” the owl told her.

 

Sailor Andromida sighed again, bowing her head and closing her eyes. “I just feel like such a failure. I failed in my duty to protect my princess, and now I’m failing even more by not finding her.”

 

“Nonsense!” Faunus snapped. “Pure nonsense. Out of all the enemies you’ve faced over the millennia, you’re succumbing to the greatest of them all: doubt. I want you to look into my eyes when I tell you this, sailor soldier.”

 

Sailor Andromida slowly lifted her downcast face, brushing a stray strand of auburn from her violet eyes, which locked on to the stern brown ones of the owl standing before her. Faunus wrestled with his anger; nothing irritated him more than to hear such words from a sailor senshi.

 

“Listen, and listen closely, Sailor Andromida.” He began. “Sailor Senshi wrestle with doubt everyday, every time they must enter into battle. But, they never succumb to it. Once doubt is locked onto your thoughts, it is like a viper…it will sink its fangs in you, and never let go. Never think such thoughts, because it will strip you of your greatest asset. A senshi’s greatest weapon is not her talents…not her skill…not her powers…not even her mind; it is her will. If your will is strong, doubt will never gain a foothold, and you will be invincible. Now…I know you did not return here just to seek advice from me.”

 

The Negatime Senshi was mesmerized by Faunus’s words, and it took her a minute before she realized what else had been said. “Yes, this is true. I received an urgent message from my sister earlier today.”

 

“Setsuna? What became of her?”

 

“She is busy fixing a few stray timelines…but she told me to come here immediately and assemble the Elite. From what she has told me…if this is not halted soon…not only the world, but the very universe is in terrible danger!”

 

“Why am I not surprised? The Meiou Family and impending danger goes hand in hand.”

 

“Was that a crack, Faunus, my friend?” Andromida smiled slightly. “I’ll remember that on your next birthday. Boss!”

 

“You called, Andromida-san?” a cheery nasally-like voice echoed around the pair. The air rippled before them as a blue digital outline of a female body materialized before them. As if being painted on by invisible hands, the features of the outline were soon manifested. Surrounded by an aura of electrical discharges, was a slender, but small woman clad in a dark blue Sailor V-like fuku, consisting of visible mesh of glowing green circuitry. Two green floating spheres levitated over her blue hair, which was styled into two long braids that brushed her ankles. Her choker and elbow cuffs consisted of floating 1’s and 0’s, while her blue ballet slipper-clad feet floated above the floor.

 

This being was the Boss. Originally, she was the mysterious voice that assisted Sailor V and Artemis on their early conflict with the Dark Agency. Now, with the technology used by the Ivory Tower, she was the computer brain and global monitoring entity for the Elite.

 

“Boss, have you been successful in finding the source?” Andromida asked.

 

“No, I have not.” The Boss shook her head.  From the green bow on her chest, a digital image of Earth was projected.

 

“I’ve searched every known wavelength and energy source known, and some that are not known. Sorry…but no dice. It would be more efficient if I actually knew what to look for…”

 

“I apologize. My sister, harbinger of doom she may be, is not known for her details. Continue to search if you can. And contact the Elite. It’s time for a senshi meeting.”

 

“Roger that!” The Boss nodded, before vanishing into digital ether.

 

“So, mind not keeping me in the dark?” Faunus spoke up.

 

“Well…something, or more importantly, someone here on Earth is siphoning off the energy that powers the universe.” Andromida replied gravelly. “Sounds impossible, doesn’t it?”

 

“Which one of our adversaries could it be?” Faunus mused. “Duchess Black was destroyed. The ‘Cites are incarcerated on Nemesis. The Zodiac Senshi were returned to their dimension. Who else could it be? The Overlord? The Vamps?”

 

“No…” Sailor Andromida said quietly, clearly in thought. “None of our enemies have the power or the drive to attempt something on this scale. I fear we’re dealing with new enemies…enemies whose power is on a level that has never been conceived…”

 

Faunus chuckled. “That’s what I mean about you Meious and inpending danger…”

 

“Yes?” Andromida glanced at him, more curious than annoyed.

 

“It’s not the fact that your sister and you are the bearers of bad news when something threatens our universe…it’s the fact that you are always right about how serious it is.”

 

 

******United Sailors******

 

*Comely Residence, Los Angeles, California...nighttime *

 

The first thing she noticed was the darkness. It hung over her like a veil of shadows, never-ending, except for one single speck of light in the distance. This light zoomed forward, growing in size until she could recognize what it really was. It was the Earth.

 

Suddenly, there was light. She could not determine where the source was, but she could see where she was. She stood on a gray field, staring at the remains of a glorious royal palace before her. She was filled with a sense of familiarity, yet she could not remember this place. She took a step forward, feeling the coolness of air brush against her long legs. Her brown eyes glanced downward to find she was wearing a elegant white gown, trimmed at the top and the hem in black.  Her long brown hair had been elegantly combed, and fell over her shoulders like a waterfall.

 

All around her were sprawled bodies, cold and unmoving. Some wore armor, and had swords, staves and spears in their hands. Others wore masks and party clothes, now stained forever with blood. It took all of her will not to recoil in fear, as she continued her walk through the crude labyrinth of the dead. Soon, she had made it to the palace steps, where four particular women, a multicolored assemblage, lie motionless before the first stair.  As her mind processed the image, her memories filled in the blanks.

 

Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter. The Senshi of the Inner Solar System and the princesses of their respective planets…lie dead before her.

 

A sharp intake of breath. Tears trickling down her cheeks.  She had seen this scene before, hundreds of times before. But the emotion resonance never died. It always hit her with the impact of a sledgehammer. Suddenly she heard a cry a few feet above her. She glanced up to see two figures, a man and a woman, floating towards each other, each reaching towards the other with an outstretched hand.

 

“Serenity! Grab my hand!!” The man cried, his gloved fingers snatching the air in anticipation.

 

“I am trying, my love!!” the blonde young woman with twin odangos gasped as her uncontrolled flight carried her closer to his hand.

 

The girl below watched the scene, reciting the lines in her heart. She knew the despicable act that would happen next, but could not turn her eyes away. However, it did not come. In fact, everything froze in place, as if time itself had stopped. The girl glanced around in disbelief. This wasn’t how the story ended!

 

Then, she felt a chill that slid up her spine...and something cold sliding over her shoulders. It was an arm, a twisted lanky thing that was tipped with red talons. She felt a breath on her cheek, cold as the devil’s heart. Slowly, she turned, finding herself starring into the face of one of the most hideous beings in the history of the universe.

 

She had an unruly mane of blood red hair, and steely eyes that could have been exchanged for ice cubes. She had many names as the former ruler of the Dark Kingdom, her given name Queen Beryl. But right now, her name was-

 

“Mother!” The girl glared at the sorceress. “Get out of my dreams!”

 

The former Queen smiled malevolently. “What? No hug or kisses? Is this how a daughter treats her mother?”

 

“I stopped being your daughter a long time ago, Beryl. Weren’t you the one that literally stabbed me in the back with an energy blast?”

 

“I was foolish back then, you know…on a power trip. But I now realized the error of my ways, my progeny. Being blasted into oblivion does wonders with one’s mind.”

 

The girl shrugged Beryl’s arm away and turned to face her. “You’re dead, you witch! You finally got what you deserved! I don’t care how much you hang out in my dreams; I’ll never let you win!”

 

The taller woman turned away, clasping her hands behind her back. “Win? You cannot win against someone who breaks the rules, daughter. For weeks now, night after night, it is the same musical number. Do you actually think you have the power to banish me from your dreamscape? The very idea is nonsense!”

 

The girl reached into the folds of her gown, searching for the only object that would give her leverage in this situation. But, her transformation pen was nowhere to be found!

 

Queen Beryl giggled, causing a series of lightning bolts to strike where the girl stood. The force of the bolts caused her to be thrown to the ground. Before she could regain her orientation, the Queen was instantly standing above her. With her monstrous taloned fingers, she grabbed a fistful of the girl’s hair and tugged her head back, causing her to wince painfully.

 

“Do you see how easily I took control of YOUR dream? Your defenses are failing my dear. Soon, it will be my mind…and your power. And let’s entertain your fantasy for a minute, this bizarre notion that you will actually defeat me…you will still lose! You are a child of a dark union! Both your father and I worshipped the darkness and surrendered our lives to malice! Do you think you can escape your destiny?! You are the Princess of the Dark Kingdom!!”

 

“NO! NEVER!!” the girl screamed, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. “I’ll never be evil!! I am the Princess of Planet X! I am the Soldier of Distance! I am Sailor X!”

 

“Oh, do shut up your goody-goody nonsense!!” Queen Beryl sneered, releasing her grip and shoving the girl roughly. “When I’m done screwing with your dreams, you’ll be the Senshi of Insanity…”

 

The girl sobbed as she slowly climbed to her feet. Queen Beryl pushed her roughly aside as she held both of her hands in the air before her. Black bolts of energy arced between her fingertips as it gathered in a sphere between her hands. Before the girl could take a step, before she could stop the madness, the dark monarch released a blazing tongue of black that sliced through the air towards the floating couple. Suddenly, everything had unfrozen.  The couple could see the energy surge towards them, and were powerless against it.

 

Screams of pain were the last thing that came from their lips as their bodies were charred to ash. The flash was blinding, as the entire landscape was swallowed by a brilliant white light…

 

April Comely awoke with a small yelp, nearly jumping out of her bed. Realizing where she was, she sat up to catch her breath, kicking her long legs free from her covers. She drew her legs under her as she wiped the mixture of sweat and brown hair from her face. This was yet another victory for the malevolent creature that haunted her dreams. It seemed like such a long time ago when she had a good night’s rest. Now she was afraid to even close her eyes at night…because she would once again experience the pleasure of being graced with the presence her evil mother of the past.

 

She glanced over at her dressing mirror, illuminated only slightly by the streetlights. Her reflection showed a bitter, ragged girl with small bags under her eyes. She looked terrible. Suddenly, her image shifted to a sinister portrait of the wicked Queen. She gasped, doing a double take. No, it was just her imagination. Queen Beryl was right. Her defenses were weakening, crumbling in fact. Her loss of sleep was causing her grades to slip. Her parents even questioned her about doing drugs.

 

She nearly shrieked when she heard a twelve-note musical tone from her bedside table (Author’s note: the musical tone is the North American tone used when Sailormoon makes her appearance). With a trembling hand, she reached for her black wristwatch communicator, decorated with a golden X on the flip cover. Pressing a button caused the cover to flip up and the holographic form of The Boss appeared before her.

 

“Sorry to wake you up, April-chan.” She grimaced. “But sometimes we forget about the time change-”

 

Her face turned to worry as she leaned closer, her intangible hand feeling on April’s forehead. “Is something wrong? You look so weary and pale….”

 

“I…I’m fine, Boss.” April said, waving off her concern. “And don’t worry about waking me up. So, what’s up?”

 

“Setsusami-san, that’s what,” The Boss replied. “She’s called for a senshi meeting of the utmost importance.”

 

“Isn’t that the deal with all the senshi meetings?” April joked weakly. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.  Have something hot waiting for me when I get there, okay?”

 

“Look, I only got two hands.” The Boss quipped. “But okay. See you there!” With that, the hologram vanished into digital ether.

 

April closed her watch and sighed deeply. She wanted so much to tell her, to tell them all how she was suffering. But this was her fight. Queen Beryl was her mother, and she could not show her any weakness. Swinging her feet out of bed, she stood up, her fists bawled, resolve renewed.

 

“Alright mother.” She said quietly. “You might have won this battle…but there are still many more to come.”

 

 

******United Sailors******

 

*Juuban Senior High, Tokyo, Japan*

 

The final school bell heralded the freedom of the students from their academic chores. Joyous shouts ranged in the air as the onslaught of teenagers piled out of the classroom into the crisp afternoon, leaving their history teacher to stare in muted gratification at their empty desks. Today she had began going over the origins of the First World War, and was surprised to discover how much attention the students gave her on this subject. Was it because this war was closer to their time…or was it because of the concept of war itself? At least this historical period perked their interest, as opposed to the snores she heard when she was teaching about the Crusades.

 

She smiled to herself.

 

There was so much more history that she could teach them, the parts not described in the bold print of books. So many tales of wars that raged before Earth’s time between powerful galactic civilizations that threatened to pull down the very stars from the heavens. So many tales of evil dictators more horrible than Adolph Hitler could ever be that wielded the powers of darkness. She could tell them personal things about the great world conquerors Napoleon, Alexandra the Great, Julius Caesar…things that was never recorded in the scrolls of history. She could tell them about the triumphs and failures of the nations of Earth that had never reached the light of day.

 

She could tell them that she was the long-lived sailor-suited senshi from the Northern Star, the joyful SAILOR CHRISTMAS.

 

But that would be telling a little too much. She thought to herself. Sadly, some history… is better left untold.

 

After picking up her books from her desk, Merrie Khriste Massu cradled them in her arms as she closed and locked the classroom door. The hallways were silent and deserted, except a weary bawling that came from one of the classrooms. The redhead smiled and shook her head knowingly. No doubt that was Tsukino Usagi, once again serving a stint in detention.

 

She walked out of the school, to a secluded spot in the back, a small wooded area highlighted by a pair of cherry blossom trees. Silently, she stood by one of the cherry blossoms and waited. Suddenly, the sounds of hooves could be heard as a pair of Clydesdale horses, drawing a sleigh, pulled up to a stop before her.

 

“Hello, you two.” Khriste purred affectionately, caressing their snouts. “Have you been staying out of trouble?”

 

The two Clydesdale horses nodded, neighing quietly. Khriste climbed into the sleigh, and placed her books in the seat next to her. She picked up her hooded cloak from the seat and slipped it tightly on her as she gently pulled on the reins. At a steady trot, the Clydesdales began the journey home.

 

The sudden cellular melody of “Deck the Halls” caused Khriste to quickly reach for a red cell phone next to her books on the seat.

 

“Hello?” she answered.

 

“Wazzzzzupppp!!” a chuckle came from the other end. “What’s your favorite holiday movie?”

 

“Blitzen!!” Khriste laughed. “If you don’t stop playing on the phone-!”

 

“Relax, relax!” the famous reindeer replied. “Just checking up on you. Haven’t heard from you in a while, girl-hey!”

 

Khriste winced at the sounds of struggle, multiple painful yelps, and a crash. After a few seconds of silence, a new voice took over. “Hello, Khriste. Long time, no see! How is life treating you in the big city?”

 

“Dasher!” Khriste smiled. “Everything’s fine. I am a history teacher now… at Juuban High School. I also found the other Sailor Senshi…and those miscreants who were behind the suicides. Oh, and before I forget, I wanted to thank you for pointing the Clydesdales in the right direction, and Mama and Papa for the sleigh.”

 

“No problem. It was the least we could do for a friend. History teacher, huh?  Talk about a job YOU can truly excel in!  But still…you left in such a rush. Were you actually prepared to jump all the way from the North Pole to Tokyo?”

 

“I had no choice, Dasher. Destiny drew me here. But enough about me. How are the other reindeer?”

 

“Oh, we are all fine, resting after the big night. We have been watching the news, keeping up with your exploits. Rednose has that article on the wall of his stall…the one detailing how you stopped that fellow in that Fruit Parlor place-”

 

“Now Dasher, you know how Rudolph hates when you call him that.”

 

“Aw, it’s just an old joke…”

 

“How are Mama and Papa and the elves?”

 

“Fine. Ms. Claus had to get on Santa’s case, though…the big guy hurt his back a yesterday, but he won’t get off his feet long enough to relax it. Mama’s worried that he’ll suffer even more damage to his back if he doesn’t.”

 

“I know. Tell Mama that-“

 

A familiar twelve-note musical tone suddenly interrupted the conversation. Khriste glanced down at her wristwatch communicator, dark red and decorated with a green wreath on the flip cover. Tugging on the reins to bring the sleigh to a stop on the side of the road, she pressed the button on the side to flip open the cover. With a blue flash, the Boss materialized in the seat next to the redhead.

 

“Greetings, Khriste-san!” The Boss began. “We have a-”

 

“Oh dear.” Khriste sighed. “A senshi meeting and another war. Am I correct?”

 

 “Bingo!” the hologram nodded.

 

“I was getting a little suspicious. This peace was lasting for far too long.” Khriste chuckled. “One battle after another; One crisis after another; one peace after another; a senshi’s task is never done. Not that I’m complaining or anything. I’m on my way.”

 

“I’ll have some milk and cookies waiting for you.” The Boss smiled warmly before disappearing once again.

 

Khriste clicked the cover back into place and picked up the cellphone.

 

“I’m sorry, old friend, but we’ll have to continue some other time.” She said.

 

“I understand.” Dasher replied. “Back to work, huh?”

 

“Yes.” Khriste said quietly. “Back to work. Ja ne, Dasher.”

 

“Goodbye…Khriste.” The reindeer said before the line became a monotonous hum.

 

Khriste hung up her cellphone and returned it to the seat. The Clydesdales stirred nervously as they awaited their mistress’s commands. They had stopped on a road, where nary a person was seen.  There were no birds in the trees, or other animal activity whatsoever. It was quiet…too quiet.

 

“The quiet before the storm…” Khriste mused to herself.

 

With a tug of the reins, the redhead sent the sleigh into motion once again. Yet, the direction had changed. The hooves of the Clydesdales beat against the road with slight urgency. The Senshi of the Northern Star made her way through the streets of Tokyo to the downtown district…to the Ivory Tower.

 

 

******United Sailors******

 

*Happy Land Zoo, Tokyo, Japan*

 

There was nothing that made Umoya Womlambo feel closer to home in her native country of Africa than the Happy Land Zoo.  With its zebras, rhinos, and jungle cats, the African exhibit provided the dark-skinned girl with a near-perfect snapshot of her homeland. It had become her main study hall, and her second home. Sitting in her normal place besides the zebra exhibit on the cool grass, barefoot, with the wind gently tossing her long mahogany locks, Umoya studied her advanced computer programming book in her lap, one of the many schoolbooks that sat in a stack besides her. As usual, just like one of her best friends, Ami Mizuno, she enjoyed preparing ahead for the next week of school.  However, she could not shake the thought that kept returning in her mind, almost threatening to interrupt her studying.

 

She did not actually know what she had experienced. Was it a dream? A vision? An epiphany? All that she could remember was standing alone, in the midst of a dreary rainstorm, while the cool raindrops softly beat down on her. Her hair hung limp and dripping, and her blue sailor fuku practically clung to her like a second skin. Sailor fuku? Yes, it was her Sailor fuku. She was in the form of her sensational alter ego, SAILOR CIRENE, the Senshi of Rain.

 

A puddle of rain pooled around her boots, splashing against the tips.  She glanced down, seeing the reflection of a dark-skinned Champion of Justice staring back at her. But suddenly, the familiar image rippled and warped, replaced by a somewhat recognizable visage. The girl was also dark-skinned, although long dark locks flowed elegantly over her shoulders. A silver star glowed brightly on her forehead, matching the brightness of her brown eyes. A long flowing gown clothed her lean form, accented magnificently by the silver necklace around her slender neck.

 

The name came to Umoya before she even realized it.

 

“Princess Tonicia Knightstar.” She whispered with reverence. “Your majesty…”

 

The image of the Princess of Sirius Star System nodded solemnly and placed a silencing finger to her lips. Before the Rain Senshi could react, she felt a powerful surge of energy erupt from her forehead. With a cry, she took a few shakily steps back, feeling around her forehead with a gloved hand. The only thing she saw as she drew back her hand was her tiara, which instantly shattered into pieces.

 

Her eyes returned to the puddle. Gone was the Princess. Umoya was once again glancing at herself…but something was different. On her forehead, glittering in the dim light… was a silver star.

 

That was all that she could remember. But what did it all mean? Maybe she should pay a visit to Rei Hino. She was the expert on psychic occurrences like this.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a breath breeze her cheek and the tip of something cold nuzzles her ear. Above her shoulder was the zebra that lived in the enclosure, the animal that had become her unofficial study partner. It always took a position over her shoulder, almost as if it was as engrossed in her work as she was. Umoya leaned back, gently caressing the soft snout of the zebra with her hand. Something about the animal had an always comforting effect on her. She felt as if she could share her private desires and fears with the creature, and could talk to it about anything.

 

Don’t be silly, she thought to herself. Zebras can’t talk back…can they? After all, she lived in a world where cats with crescent moons on their heads could actually command girls into battle. She giggled a little at the idea of searching the zebra for a crescent moon.

 

It took her a while before she noticed someone standing over her. It was a small Japanese boy, about six-years old, holding a blue balloon and staring blankly at her. Umoya slowly withdrew her hand from the zebra’s head, feeling as if she was caught doing something wrong.

 

“Pula.” She greeted with a smile in her native Botswana dialect before switching to Japanese. “How are you, little boy?”

 

He said nothing, his only reaction being the biting of his bottom lip. Umoya gave him a slight smile, but gave up after a minute of silence, returning her attention to the book on her lap. This was nothing new for her. All of her life, she had experienced the swords and daggers of prejudice, the rocks and sticks of intolerance, and the stinging barbs of numerous insults. It was no secret that many people viewed her as a pariah, simply because of the color of her skin. Many Japanese citizens merely ignored her, not having anything polite to say towards her. Others, such as some of the delinquent gangs, were not so “generous”, and had many times often tried to attack what they seen as different.

 

At least he’s being nice about it, Umoya jokily thought to herself.

 

“Taki! Taki!” she heard a name being called in the distance. Brown eyes shifted from the book back to the young boy, who was being picked up by a tall stern-looking Japanese woman. The woman paid no attention to the girl in front of her, and was about to walk off when the kid pointed to Umoya.

 

“Look, mama!” He cooed. “A princess, mama! She’s pretty!”

 

“Yes, Taki, she’s pretty.” The mother patted his head, in a motherly way of humoring her child but still not looking towards Umoya’s direction. The Xhosa girl, on the other hand, listened with mild shock. Although she was far from vain, the words had a slight pleasant effect on her, much different from the usual harsh ones sent her way by ignorant bigots. As the mother walked away, the little boy waved to Umoya over her shoulder. Umoya waved back, a warm smile forming on her face.

 

A twelve-note musical tone was heard. Umoya glanced cautiously around to find a hidden place out of view of the other patrons. Stealthily ducking in a shadowy corner by one of the enclosures, she pressed one of the side buttons of her blue communicator wristwatch. The flip cover, decorated with golden wavy lines symbolizing waves, flipped up and digital form of The Boss appeared before her.

 

Pula, Umi-chan!” She greeted warmly. “Setsusami-san is calling for a senshi meeting, and it seems pretty important!”

 

“Alright.” Umoya replied, taking a stretch. “I think I’ve studied enough for today. I will be there as soon as I can.”

 

The Boss nodded. “Okay. See you there!”

 

Just as the hologram was about to disappear, Umoya yelled, “Wait!”

 

“Hmm? What’s the matter, Umi-chan?”

 

Umoya was quiet for a moment, before asking the question. “Umm…Boss? You have access to much of the data from the Silver Millennium, right?”

 

“I’m afraid so, little one.” The hologram smiled. “Anything in particular I should search for?”

 

“Just…a name. Princess Tonicia Knightstar.”

 

It seemed that the holographic girl was taken aback by mention of the name, but quickly regained her composure. “I’ll see what I can uncover, Umi-chan.”

 

“Thank you.” Umoya smiled. The Boss only nodded, her azure bangs bobbing, before vanishing into nothingness, leaving the dark-skinned girl alone. Casually, she returned to the spot where she was studying, gathering her books in her arms. With her free hand, she petted the zebra one last time.

 

“I have to be going, old friend.” She whispered to it. “I don’t suppose you know anything about Princess Tonicia Knightstar, would you?”

 

Of course, the animal said nothing, only nuzzling Umoya’s hand. Chuckling to herself, the Senshi of Rain left the Zoo, on her way to the Ivory Tower. The zebra watched her leave, bowing its head. However, if one had passed the animal at that moment, she or he would have been amazed at not only of the concept of an animal talking, but the words that it spoke.

 

“Princess Tonicia Knightstar?” it said quietly. “You have no idea.”

 

 

To Be Continued…

 

In the Next Part of Act I:

Our introduction to the girls continues, as we meet outspoken Shaquita Lynn and mild-mannered Kimiko Gaia, two more members of our Elite Senshi assemblage. But will the introduction of our heroines be severed short by the arrival of a new enemy? And will tragedy befall the assembled Elite Senshi? Discover the answers in the Second Part of Act I!