Earth-rise over Mare Serenetatis. by Clive May- clive@cj4386.demon.co.uk The copy right of all things pertaining to the concept and characters of Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi et al. This story is a work of fan fiction; it has been written simply for the pleasure it gave me in writing it; and no money has or will change hands with respect to the story. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm not mad, you know, not mad at all... The cat assures me so. Lovely little kitty - jet black, with a funny little crescent shaped mark on its head. She often comes to visit, to chat and while away an idle hour - and the stories she tells... Wonderful, fantastical tales of a Kingdom on the Moon, and a black hearted Sorceress who beat it down out of jealousy and hatred. They're all true. I know they're all true, because you see, I was there. Sometimes, when Lunar comes to visit, she brings a pure white cat with her. Artemis, she calls him; and between you and me, he's her beau; but she won't admit it. Oh dear, she does get so frightfully embarrassed about it. But you won't be wanting to listen to me ramble on about my two dear friends. You'll be wanting to know how it is that I am here in this hospital for damaged minds, when I am clearly sane? Well it is like this you see... I worked for many years in the main records warehouse of this great capital of ours. I loved my job, tending to the needs of all my files in their racks. There were hundreds of thousands of then; and I knew where every one of them lived. Someone would call down from the front office and ask: "Hiro-San, we have a query about such and such a file. Can you find it?" Can I find it! Can a cat catch a mouse! Of course I could find such and such a file. The front office always seemed so surprised when I presented them with the file. Between you and me, I think they livened up their day by playing little games with me. They would say: "Hiro-San, we need such and such a file very urgently. Can you fetch it?" But when I found it, they would be watching the clock, and didn't really seem to want the file at all. Sometimes money changed hands between the clerks. I suspected they were playing games with me; but I really didn't mind at all, because I was always happy for a chance to go back into the stacks and visit with my friends. They were like a reflection of our great capital there, all lined up in the dimness. The aisles were like streets. I named them all to signify which of my friends lived in which street; and each rack and cubby had a number, just like a house. Some of the houses, the ones where the important or interesting files lived, I gave names. Names like, Bay View for the Port Authority files, College Towers for the Education Department files... and, of course, Senshi Court for where all the files were stored about those funny little magical girls. I was so happy working there among my friends that I sometimes found it hard to leave each evening to return home to my little house and a dinner prepared by my lovely little wife. It was a good life... yes, it was a very good life... but then it all changed. It must have been, I think, January or February of 92 - or should that be 93? That's the trouble, you see, it's so hard to decide, when the world went wrong somehow; and nobody noticed. Can you credit that? A whole year was lost, or gained; and nobody noticed, except me. And even I might not have known if not for the Education Department file of a certain trouble maker called Kino Makoto... Oh, and of course, that strange dream... Well, actually, it was more of a nightmare really. One cold and snowy night I had this horrible nightmare. I can't remember much about it, except there was this terrible overwhelming sense of evil, and the heart breaking sound of a child weeping in an icy wilderness for her murdered friends. And there was this great black cloud with burning red eyes, which was going to eat the world. Then the spirits of the girl's friends came to her; they begged her to be strong; and she stopped being afraid. The Princess stopped crying; there was a beautiful, white light, and... And I woke up to a world transformed. How? You want to know how the world is different? Hmmm. It's hard to explain; but it is sort of like deja vu. When I awoke from that nightmare, I knew what I had done that day - even before I had done it. I can remember what I have done each day even before I do it. Now isn't that the strangest thing? The Kami knows, but it was almost as if I was being given the chance to re-live the whole previous year. It was most disconcerting, I can tell you. For a while, I thought I was going mad, in fact I think I must have gone a little mad at one point, when no one would believe me. I tried to explain to my colleagues at the warehouse how the world had lost an entire year somehow. I showed them Kino Makoto's file; and asked them to explain how she was at two different schools at the same time; but they would just give me these really odd looks, and tell me I was working too hard. "Hiro-San," they would say, "Hiro-San, you need to take a good long holiday. It's time for Hanami. Go to the park, enjoy the Sakura blossoms, and we'll take good care of all your precious files for you. Off you go now, Hiro- San, and enjoy the blossoms." Well, I couldn't, of course, not with the world gone mad. So that was how I ended up here; but I really don't mind. They have some of the sweetest Sakura Trees. They flower so beautifully in the Spring. You really must come by and se them in their glory... Anyway, After much thought on the matter, and considering Kino Makoto's file and all, I had finally decided that it was the world which had gone crazy somehow and not me, when this lovely little black kitty, with a crescent moon mark on its head, spoke to me. Oh Kami! But that was a bad moment, a bad moment indeed - one of the very worst of my life. It was... "Watch out!" Thud. "Waaaaa!" Ah! That sounds like my visitors now. If you don't mind, I'll just get on and set out the tea things. "Usageeeee! Why don't you look where you're going?" That's Rei. I know she sounds really cross; but she would die for her Princess... has done so... more than once. "Rei. It's not my fault. Why are you being so mean to me?" "Come on Usagi. I'll help you up." And that's Ami-Chan, sweet little thing... She's going to be a doctor, you know. "Thanks, Ami-Chan. Look, I've cut my hand... Urgh!" "Hey, be careful of the cake!" Hmmm. By the sounds, I do believe Mako-Chan has baked us another cake? "It hurts, Ami-Chan. Will you make it better?" "Yes, Usagi-Chan. Now hold still... Minako, hold her hand still, will you?" "Waaaaa!" "Please keep still, Usagi-Chan. I have to clean it before I put a plaster on it." "But it hurts." "Don't be such a cry baby, Usagi." "Stop riding her, Rei... Can't you see Usagi-Chan is really hurt." And that's Minako, taking charge as usual. Inside that fun loving party girl there beats the heart of a true warrior. And you shouldn't be fooled by Mina-chan's blond hair either; she can be a stern leader when it matters. I have just time to set out the tea service, before the five girls come into my little room... and as always, it is as if the sun has just risen. After tea, the Princess sweetly indulges the whims of this old man. She brings out her holy jewel again. Cupping her hands before her chest, she cradles the light of God in them... and, oh, that light, So soft, so soft and silvery... like moonlight falling on water. Once again I am transported to the gardens of the Moon Palace. All about me bloom the exotic flowers for which these gardens are justly famous. Their scents mix and mingle in the cool air, ravishing my senses with their intoxicating perfume. The beauty of these blooms is challenged only by the stars overhead; and both pale against the radiant beauty of my lovely wife. Hand in hand with my Serenity, I stroll once more along the winding paths. Before us, her long pony tails flying, our little Princess scampers in pursuit of a bright butterfly, while against the star strewn backdrop it is Earth-rise over the Mare Serenetatis. "Ahem?" "Yes, yes, Ami-Chan. I do know that the Earth does not rise on the Moon. I was just being poetic, that's all. Now, who's for another slice of Mako-Chan's delicious cake? Yes, yes, Princess, I know you'll have a slice... Anyone else?" -----------------------------------------------------------------------