Date: Thu, 6 Jun 1996 09:51:59 -0400 (EDT) X-Sender: farber@injersey.com (Unverified) Mime-Version: 1.0
To: moon@looney.physics.sunysb.edu
From: James Bond 
Subject: Short Story
Status: U

Jon was still half asleep when he heard the sizzling of sausage, and smelled the 
pankakes. He cracked open an eye to make sure that it wasn't his birthday. March 24. 
 He got up, pulled on some jeans and a t-shirt, 
and went to his parents room to see who was up. They were both still in bed.  Jon and his 
family had offered to house a Japanese exchange student. Actually, Jon had, and 
neglected to tell his family until the last minute, when she was already on her way to 
her room. Jon was thrilled to have someone in the house that would also understand 
anime, and it was even better that it was a girl, because then he could share Sailor 
Moon with her. He walked downstairs to greet the girl. "Hi Makoto. How are you this 
morning?" Jom asked in his abyssmily poor Japanese. Makoto just laughed. "Jon-san, 
you just asked if my ears are made of cheese." Makoto's English was much better than 
Jon's Japanese, so they decided to carry on in English. "How are you today, Mako?" "I'm 
feeling ok. but a little homesick. I miss all my friends back in Japan." Makoto replied, 
looking like a lost puppy. "Here, I think I've got something to cheer you up." Jon dragged 
her into the TV room, and sat her in front of the television. He turned on the VCR, and 
poped in a tape. A subbed version of Devil Hunter Yohko appeared. Mako's eyes lit up, 
and, when it was over, she turned to Jon and asked him "Jon-san, what else do you 
have? Do you have Sailor V?" "Sailor V!? You mean they actually made one? I thought 
that was just part of the Sailor Moon plot. I have Sailor Moon, but not Sailor V." Jon 
said, as he popped Naughty 'n' Nice into the VCR, and hit play. As the opening sequence 
played, Makoto looked a little shocked by what she saw and asked Jon, "Is this very 
popular here in America?" Jon looked at her and said "It has a following. I love it, 
especially Sailor Jupiter. I really don't know why, but she kinda reminds me of 
Herecles. She's really got this inner strength. I know that she's the youngest, but I've 
kinda developed a crush on her. I know this sounds really lame, but I sometimes dream 
at night what I would do if Sailor Jupiter was real, and I met her. Oh well, I've always 
been a romantic." Mako just blushed.

The months went by, with Jon and Mako waking up at 6:30 every weekday morning to 
watch Sailor Moon. Finally, the night before Mako had to leave to go back to Japan, she 
asked Jon to join her outside. The pair sat outside, gazing at the stars, when Mako 
finally spoke. "Jon-san, in Japanese, my name, Kino Makoto, means Strength of Truth. 
Months ago, you told me a secret that you haven't shared with anyone else. You said 
that you sometimes deampt of meeting Sailor Jupiter, and wished she was real. 
Tonight, I will give you a great gift, and even greater responsiblity." With that, Mako 
stood up, walked about 10 feet away from Jon, took out a small green stick, and said so 
only Jon could hear, "Jupiter Star Power, Make-up." With a flash of light, electricity 
surrounded Mako, transfoming her into Sailor Jupiter. Jon just looked at her in a 
mixture of awe and surprise.
"Mako?" Jon whispered.
"Yes, Jon-san?"
"Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"Well, then it wouldn't have been a great gift, would it?" "No, but it would have stopped 
me from making a fool of myself. I can't believe that I told you I had a crush on Sailor 
Jupiter, only you're Jupiter, and you know I have a crush on you." Jon was still trying to 
sort this out in his mind.
"You? How do you think I feel? Knowing that you have a crush on me, but only wanting 
to be friends with me? Plus, DiC hacked my name to Lita! I really don't understand why 
I couldn't have kept my real name. Besides, do I really sound like that?" Mako sat back 
down next to Jon. Jon was having a little trouble keeping his mind on the conversation. 
"Uh, Mako? Could you do me a favor and put your jeans back on. I can't really 
concentrate with your legs begging to be stared at." Jon softend his comment with a 
joking smile, and a soft twinkle in his eye. Mako looked at him, laughed, and 
transformed back.
"So, do I really sound like that?" Mako was really curious about herself. "No, you sound 
better in person. Did all that stuff actually happen? Is Serena really that klutzy?" Jon 
really wanted to get to know more about the other Scouts.
And so it went back and forth, until the pair fell asleep under the stars. 

Morning came way too fast, and the two awoke. Jon had a feeling of last night being a 
really wierd dream. He turned to Mako, and asked, "Mako? Last night, you didn't turn 
into Sailor Jupiter did you?" Mako didn't say anything, just pulled out a green stick 
with a gold star on top and gave jon a wink. Jon just sighed. "Oh great, I wonder which 
is worse? Not knowing if they're real, or knowing that they are real, and Jupiter knows 
you have a crush on her?" Mako broke out laughing.
"Come on, you can help me pack." Mako got up and went to her room. At the airport, the 
good byes were quick and tearful, except between Jon and Mako. Jon looked a little 
sheepish, but glanced into Mako's eyes and knew that everything was going to be ok. He 
handed her a small, giftwrapped package. "For you to share with your friends when you 
get back." Mako looked at the small rectangle, tore off the paper, and her eyes gleamed 
in thanks and mischief. "These are some of my favorite episodes of Sailor Moon. I didn't 
include Day of Destiny, but I do have the one where Sailor Jupiter, my favorite, comes 
in, along with all the other 'Entrance' episodes. Please show them to your friends. I 
hope they enjoy." Mako just gave Jon a look that said 'You little devil.', then gave Jon a 
quick kiss on the cheek and handed Jon a small wrapped cylinder. "I won't be need ing 
this anymore, so I'd like you to have it. Open it in private, please. Think of me when you 
see it, and watch Sailor Moon with it. By the way, did I mention you look like an old 
boyfriend?" Jon just groaned while Mako giggled. She waved good bye to Jon and his 
family as she got on her plane.

That night, in his room, Jon opened the package. It was Jupiter's original 
transformation pen. Wrapped around it was a small slip of paper with Mako's address 
and a note:

Jon-san,
Please remember that we are real. Let me know if you ever come to Japan, and I'll 
introduce you to the rest of the Scouts. I want to thank you for a wonderful time.
Mako

Jon just smiled and went to sleep.

A few months later, Mako went to check her mail. She noticed that one of the letters 
was from New Jersey. She quickly tore it open, and read it. "All right! Jon signed up to 
be an exchange student. In Japan!!" 

The End


Note about this story: This was actually a dream I've been having for the past month or 
so. I just thought that maybe if I shared it, I would be able to get a good night's sleep. 
This is dedicated to Sailor Jupiter, wherever she may be.

Jon Farber, aka James Bond

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