As the sun rises in the east, somewhere there are children laughing, birds singing, and the grassy hills of a very green park are lightly dotted with people enjoying themselves. But this isn’t in downtown Tokyo. There, the people crowd the city streets in a stampede of human masses aiming for buildings too far away to get to. In one of those buildings, a young man unpacks his clothes as he prepares for his first day in the big city. As he removes one of his many white shirts from his suitcase, he thinks on the events that led him to his present state.

        One month ago he hadn’t dreamed of being where he is. He was in an office in the middle of New York City, sitting in his vice-executive manager’s desk, reviewing the overall family business’ profit diagrams. A knock at his office door is followed by the voice of an aged lady saying, “Ryan? A Miss Mina Aino from the studio is here to see you.”
        “Show her in, mother.” The door opened and young lady entered the room, “And please, call me Mr. June. For the clients’ sake.”
        The elder lady sighed and said, “Alright,” and closed the door. No one heard her say “He’s grown up too fast,” outside the hall. The young lady entitled herself to one of the two seats facing the desk.
        “Sir?” She asked, hoping to get his attention.
        “Yes.” Ryan didn’t lift his eyes from the diagrams once. “I am listening. Please, tell me what’s on your mind.”
        “You’re awfully young, aren’t you?”
        “My age, being 19, does not reflect my abilities to do my job.”
        “Yes, sir.” She said apologetically. He chuckled to himself as he heard her. “What is it?” she asked.
        “Your voice. I never noticed until now, why my father chose you out of the hundreds that tried for your job.” Looking up for the first time, he looked into her deep blue eyes. He fell in love instantly. Her long golden hair fell unburdened save the large red bow tied behind her head. “May I call you Mina?”
        “Yes.” She answered, a little stunned at the sudden change in the subject.
        “Good. Now, tell me why you’re here.” He tried to sound pleasant, while hiding his sudden feelings.
        “I need a vacation. Before you say no, I have already worked double overtime to finish the voice acting, and so you don’t really need me until my tour next week. Besides, my schoolwork is being hindered by my employment…”
        “Yes.” He said suddenly
        “What?”
        “Yes. I believe that you have done your best in your work, Mina, and you deserve a vacation.”
        “Really?” She asked, unbelieving I thought he would be a stingy little spoiled brat.
        “Yes, really. In fact, where would you like to go?”
        “Back home. I miss my friends in Tokyo.”
        “Do you have the money for a ticket?”
        “Yes, I do.”
        “Keep it. You have done such wonderful work here with your talent. I’ll pay for it with my own paycheck.”
        “I…I don’t know what to say.”
        “Say: thank you.”
        “Thank you. Thank you very, very much.”
        “You’re welcome.” She got up to leave, “But there is a catch.”
        Suspecting there would be one; she turned around slowly, “What would that be?”
        “When you come back, tell me how your trip was.”
        This comment was rewarded by a warm smile from Mina. “You can count on it.” With that, she left his office. He smiled as he watched her leave. He sat back in his chair and wondered how he might ask her out. Just then he had another knock on his door.
        “Come in.” He said, half in a daze.
        “Mr. June. Ryan, what did you say to her to make her so happy?” His mother asked him.
        “I merely told her that I would pay for her plane ticket back to Tokyo.”
        “That was nice of you, Ryan. Why did you do that?”
        In a very business like manner, he answered, “Because I am in love with her, mother.”

        Ryan continued moving things from his suitcases into his closet. He left out a plain gray Armoni suit with absolutely no other colors on it. Beside it lies his favorite tie. It is a plain golden silk tie, one he has worn for the last seven years. He has never let a hair fall on it. After receiving it on his 12 birthday, his hands were the only ones that have dared to touch it. Laying down a white shirt beside them, he laid out the clothes that he intended to wear after he finished unpacking.

        A few weeks ago, in a dark office, back in New York, a man sitting behind a desk, with his wife standing behind him, is consoling his eldest boy. “Son, I realize that you strongly disapprove of our making decisions that affect you without your consent, but we think that in interest of our company, and your education, that we send you to a prestigious business school in Japan.”
        “Please don’t take it too hard” She adds.
        Thinking over the entire situation, Ryan could see no downside to their plan. He soon figured out that they had planned this after he told his mother that he loved the girl from Japan. They told him several things to officiate his transfer. One fact he found interesting was the location of the apartment that he was supposed to be staying in. Only a mile away from the school he was to attend, it was across the street from the apartment that Mina was staying at. “Your little scheme to alter my life has met my approval. I will go.” Ryan teased as only he could.
        “Excellent” Both of his parent said simultaneously.
        His mother began speaking, “Get your thing’s packed your plane leaves in three days.”

        Dressing in the suit that he previously designated to wear, he stroll out of his apartment and onto the busy streets. People a full foot shorter than he is; weave their way around him. Ahead of him, his limousine was parked and an uniformed chauffeur standing beside the car door waiting for him. Normally, he would call a taxi and complain to his parents, but his normal vehicle was being retrofitted for Japanese standards.
On a whim, he glances up. He suddenly sees his goal. Mina, standing in her school uniform, is standing on the balcony of her apartment. A contented sigh escapes her lips as she watches the clouds hover overhead. Completely immersed in her beauty, Ryan emits a sigh just after her. He sees the calm wind tease her hair, ever so slightly.
        His gaze in interrupted by the chauffeur’s rather loud cough. Ryan’s eyes snap down to his chauffeur. Realizing the source of the distraction, he shrugs it off, and looks back up. To his disappointment, Mina has returned to her apartment. His gaze returned to the limousine and the chauffeur waiting for him. Resuming his walk, Ryan said to him, “I don’t know whether you have made me happy or very upset.”
        “I have done both on numerous occasions.” He responded. Ryan entered the limousine, and was driven to the Boshido Business School…

A few weeks later…
        "Miss Aino? There's a package for you."
        Mina was in her private dressing room, getting ready for her first show outside of Japan, when one of her stage hands said this to her. Dressed in what she thought was a sad imitation of the Sailor V costume, she opened her door. A boy, about 17, a little taller than she is, dressed in the standard black uniform of a tech crewmember, handed her a box. This box was white with a red ribbon tied around it, and a note, which read "TO MINA WITH LOVE."
        "Thank you." She said, taking the box from him. Wondering what it is, she had a seat by her mirror. She looked over the box like she usually does, she could see nothing odd about it. She slipped her finger under the ribbon, and pulled it off. She removed the lid, and pulled aside the packing paper. Her eyes opened wider then they ever had before. Before her lay a beautiful golden silk, evening gown. So great was its splendor that she hesitated to touch it. Cautiously stroking the fabric, she began to admire the fine quality and craftsmanship of the dress.
        Her awe-stricken state was destroyed as a stage man shouted through her door, “15 minutes till show time.”

        Meanwhile, in downtown Tokyo, the warehouse district, an odd creature, small and fast, sped through the empty streets. His hands held pure energy, glowing bright like a tiny star. He passes over an electronic tripwire, which opens the door of a nearby building. The speedy underling raced through the open door just before it slammed shut.
        In the darkness, the underling transfers the energy from his hands to a large crystal. The crystal, in return, glowed slightly brighter than before.  From the shadows stepped forward two more creatures. They looked at their small companion with a gleam in their eyes.
        “Did you have any trouble?” The middle sized one of the three asked.
        “No. None.” The smallest creature responded.
        “That is very odd. For the last month or so, there have been no sign of those abominations, the Sailor Scouts.” This time it was the largest of the creatures that spoke. His intelligent brow furrowed in deep thought.
        “I hope there will be enough energy to mount our attack,” the smallest of them exclaimed. He swung his hands in a slashing motion, and the claws on his hands made them very deadly.
        “Don’t worry. There will be enough.” The largest one said.
        “I hope so.”
        “Do you doubt our abilities?” the largest one asked. His body towered over the other two creatures. His grim look changed into a maniacal smile. The small one began to laugh darkly, and was soon followed by the others.

Part 2