Sailor Moon is copyright 1992 by Naoko Takeuchi. North American Rights for Sailor Moon are owned by D.I.C. Rating: PG-13 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Life ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Part II - Discoveries Chapter IV - The Dream Jiro, Kiyoshi, Riko, and Zared were once again lounging in an apartment; today, it was the one Riko and Zared shared. It seemed that none of them had gotten a good night's sleep lately. "Don't tell me we're out of aspirin again!" Riko groaned. "Sorry, Riko," Zared said. "My headache got really bad last night." "I know. I heard you tossing and turning." "There is something seriously wrong with us," Kiyoshi said. "Gee, ya think?" Jiro said sarcastically. "At least you guys aren't having some stupid- ass-fucked up nightmares," Riko muttered in pain. Kiyoshi, Jiro, and Zared all exclaimed, "WHAT?" Startled at their response, Riko said, "Umm. I said at least you guys aren't having nightmares." "I did," Jiro responded immediately. "Last night." "Mine started night before last," Zared said. "Mine was last night, too," Kiyoshi said. After a pause, he asked, "What did you guys dream about?" "Why?" Riko asked. "Our dreams might have something to do with whatever's wrong with us. I never had trouble sleeping before, and I never had these damned headaches before. Don't you guys think it's more than a coincidence that we all can't sleep, we all have headaches, and we've all just recently had some kind of nightmare at the same time?" "So, what do you dream about?" Zared asked. "It might actually help if we try and analyze the dream." "Who wants to go first?" Kiyoshi asked. No one replied. "Okay. Guess it's me. Well," he hesitated. The other three waited expectantly. He ran his hand through his hair. "It's kind of weird." "Just wait until you hear mine," Jiro muttered under his breath impatiently. Kiyoshi took a breath. "Okay. It's one of those dreams where I'm looking down at everything; I'm not seeing it through anybody's eyes. It's like I'm floating over the whole scene. I remember everything so exact, as if it were a memory . . ." ^ ^ ^ Kiyoshi's Dream ^ ^ ^ It starts out with a picture of a castle. Dirty white. To the left of the castle, a forest spreads out. In the back, a stable. To the right, fields for growing food. If one goes further, past the fields and over a hill, there is an open grass field that extends into the horizon, rising and falling with hills. The flat land is good for sparring. If one keeps looking into the horizon, they can see a ball floating in the air, in space. A blue sphere with wisps of white. Silhouetted by the sun. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ "Earth," Kiyoshi confirmed. The other three felt déjà vu. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Inside the castle, there is a bustling. Servants are running this way and that, carrying cloths and trays, moving furniture, and hanging various decorations. The females wear one-colored dresses. Long- sleeved and short-sleeved, all the skirts barely brush the stone cold floor. The few petticoats swish this way and that. Their hair is braided and wrapped around their heads. They wear no make-up. Almost all are rather slender and pale-skinned. The males on the other hand, are all very tanned and toned. Some of the men wear dark gray armor. Others wear uniform black pants and a white blouse. If their hair is long, it is pulled back into a ponytail by a strip of cloth. The men who wear armor have either a cape or a sword. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ "But I couldn't see any of the faces. They were all blurred, like the news blurs the faces of people who don't want to be seen." ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ The sky darkens into night. An ominous blanket lies in the air. Waiting to be thrown over something. To smother. To suffocate. To destroy. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ "It changes, then. Now, it's like I'm looking through somebody's eyes." ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Inside the castle, a light-filled room. An orchestra plays. A queen sits at the throne. White- silver hair. The dance floor is covered with couples. In lines. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ "Kind of like a line dance. Like they used to dance back in the days. Like the Renaissance and stuff. All strict and uniform." ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ A buffet table over there. A balcony that way. And guards. Guards everywhere. Tension clouds the room's attempted happy atmosphere. Scanning the room, a glint of gold catches the eye. A soft orange dress not many could pull off. A red bow. A smooth neck. Slender fingers. A good figure. The head of gold swivels to stare back. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ "I swear, if her face wasn't blurred, she would have been looking straight at me." ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Suddenly, the scene changes. Still night. Pitch black everywhere. Screams. Shouts. Agony. Pain. Blood. Bodies. Death . . . ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ "Brrrrrrnnngg!" The four men were startled out of their reverie. Riko's head snapped up. Jiro jumped. Zared shivered. Kiyoshi turned his head. "Brrrrrrnnngg!" Jiro gritted his teeth in exasperation and groaned. "Dammit!" "Brrrrrnnngg!" The phone was insistent. Zared's arm reached out on its own accord. "Moshi, moshi?" he said, trying to control his slightly shaking voice. "Konnichi, Zared!" Usagi's youthful voice replied. "Konnichi, imouto. What's up?" "I was just wondering where everybody is. I can't find anyone!" she complained. "We're all over here." "Why?" "We were just . . . getting some rest. We're still having trouble sleeping." "Oh! Gomen. I didn't mean to disturb you." "No. It's fine. You need anything?" "Just wanted to hang out, but if you guys are resting . . ." "Well, you could-" A scream pierced the air on Usagi's side. "Usagi? Usagi??!!?" Zared called frantically. Usagi turned around, still holding the phone, to gaze at the one-eyed Cyclops that had appeared. "Usagi!! Usagi, what's going on?" "I gotta go, Zared! There's a youma!" "Usagi, be caref-" Dial tone . . . Zared hung up the phone. "There's a youma over where she is," he said quietly. The four made eye contact . . . and all slumped over. Unconscious. ^ ^ ^ Where Usagi is ^ ^ ^ Usagi quickly scrambled out of the phone booth and began racing towards the Cyclops. When she arrived about 20 feet away from it, she leaned against a tree. "Moon Crisis Make-Up," she gasped out. After a quick, yet colorful light show, Sailor Moon stepped away from the shelter of the trees. Already, Sailor Mars was using all the fire she could in an effort to defeat it. One of Mars' attacks missed and the youma's retaliation hit her hard. She struggled to stand again. "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" The attack flew towards the youma and missed when it turned around to find the tiny source of good energy. It let out a sound. A laugh of sorts. 'At me,' Sailor Moon reflected. She narrowed her eyes. "Laugh at this, asshole!" she shouted back enraged. "Moon Tiara Action!" A disc flew towards it and barely grazed it. It laughed again. 'Oh, hell no!' Muttering the attack under her breath, Sailor Moon threw more discs while running circles around the Cyclops. Disc after disc after disc flew at the youma. The first few it was able to dodge. But the numerous energy-blazing Frisbees became too much. Finally utterly frustrated, the youma raised its arms and let out a loud cry. Dark energy radiated around it and spread outwards. It knocked Sailor Moon on her rear and she shielded her eyes. Her head throbbed. She looked over to see Mars even more singed then she had been before. She didn't even attempt to get up this time. Sailor Moon struggled to get to her feet. The youma sent another attack her way. She crossed her arms in front of her face to avoid the worst of the attack. She succeeded little. Then, the youma fell forward onto its knees, crying out in pain. Blood oozed from the gash on its back, ranging from one shoulder, across its back to its hip. She dropped her arms to stare. And she stared . . . in amazement . . . In confusion . . . 'Nani?' "Tsukikage no Knight?" ~ ~ ~ End ~ ~ ~ Author's Notes: Good place to stop, right? Heehee . . . All and any comments, criticism, and ideas welcome. Tell me what you guys thought. Good, bad, okay? Is it as good as I hoped it would be? Thanx to all of you who have emailed me! I appreciate it! Take care! HoNeY hnymustd@hotmail.com 5/26/00