Storyline Name: Gates of Horn and Ivory
Creators: Sailor Mercury (and Sailor Elysion, initially)
Forum: Crystal Tokyo
Advanced or Relaxed: Advanced

Plot Summary: The reign of Queen Lady Serenity and her husband, Priest Helios, has been peaceful for thousands of years. With her Sailor Quartetto, the queen has successfully defended and protected Crystal Tokyo and the Solar System. In this era of prosperity and harmony, the royal family has raised not a single heir, but two daughters: Chiyoko* and Usa. The eldest, Princess Serenity, has been trained from birth to follow in her mother and grandmother's footsteps as Sailor Moon and the future queen.

The brilliant glow of the Silver Crystal of Illusion and the Golden Crystal continues to spread light and love across the universe... but when there is light, there must also be shadow. Slowly and secretively the influences of a dark force have spread into Crystal Tokyo and even the sacred realm of Elysion. When Queen Lady Serenity and her Sailor Quartetto realize that danger is upon them, they discover that they are unable to summon their powers to fight. As the beautiful forests of Elysion begin to rot and decay, infested by some strange evil, the King's health fails. The light in the queen's Silver Crystal begins to fade.

When an unfamiliar evil force passes the barriers of the Crystal Palace and attacks the weakened king, Princess Serenity rushes to protect her father, expecting to finally transform into Sailor Moon.

She doesn't. Instead her younger sister Usa, running onto the scene, suddenly transforms.

Chiyoko* is confused and hurt by these unexpected changes, but she still can't stand idly by. She decides that she will still fight even if she is not Sailor Moon...and with that resolution she transforms into a new sailor soldier, Sailor Elysion.

Awakened to fight against the new threat, Sailor Elysion must find her own sailor team, protect her world, ...and save her family.

*The Sailor Elysion character was once named Chiyoko and played by Sailor Elysion. As of revival she is now nicknamed Yume and played by Sailor Mercury.

Details on any necessary information:

• "Gates of Horn and Ivory" refers to the Greek mythological reference of two gates that dreams can pass through which would determine which dreams are false and which are true.
  
• During the roleplay, other girls of approximately Sailor Elysion's age will awaken as the three members of the team of sailor soldiers that she leads, the Elysian Trio.
  
• Each of Sailor Elysion's team members draws their powers from a specific category of dreams/goals that most people have--wealth, success, or romance.
  
• Sailor Elysion's team members represent the Amazon Trio's respect for Super Sailor Moon and the wishes of the Amazon Trio to support her. They are not literally the Amazon Trio, but they could be considered new sailor crystals related to the wishes of the Amazon Trio. (Although most of the storyline is based on the manga, this specific element is drawn from the anime.)
  
  
  
  • Sailor Aglaea
    Realm of Power Influence: Dreams of Wealth
    Amazon Trio Connection: spirit of Hawk's Eye
    
  • Sailor Euphrosyne
    Realm of Power Influence: Dreams of Success
    Amazon Trio Connection: spirit of Tiger's Eye
    
  • Sailor Thalia
    Realm of Power Influence: Dreams of Romance
    Amazon Trio Connection: spirit of Fish-eye
    
  
  
  
• The storyline begins with Sailor Elysion and Sailor Moon's first transformation.
  
• The evil forces used by the villains are known as Nachtmar. They represent crippling illusions of a person's worst fears and insecurities that allow the villains to steal a Moramoth--the soul of a dreamer.
  

Restrictions:

Playable Characters:

Villains (NPCs):

Crystal Tokyo Court (NPCs):

OOC Thread

Member to Character List:
Sailor Elysion (Sailor Mercury)
Sailor Moon (Sailor Mercury)
Sailor Aglaea (Sailor Saturn)
Sailor Euphrosyne (JupiterThunderCrash)
Sailor Thalia (Sailor Neptune)
Tempest Mask (JupiterThunderCrash)

Storyline Submission

The dazzling Crystal Palace sparkled in the sunlight of a warm spring day. The people of Crystal Tokyo milled about as they headed to work or school, the hum of activity pleasant and cheerful. For years, peace and prosperity had reigned alongside their beautiful pink-haired monarch: Queen Lady Serenity. With her Sailor Quartetto, the queen had maintained harmony for her subjects and established Crystal Tokyo as a beacon of light in the universe. The people loved and adored their kind and just queen and her gentle king, Helios, the Priest of Elysion.

When the queen gave birth to a daughter with hair in shades of soft lilac and sky blue intermingled with white, the kingdom rejoiced. They named the golden-eyed child Princess Serenity, following the tradition of the White Moon family. As she grew from a darling baby into an adorable toddler, the citizens of Crystal Tokyo excitedly awaited the day when she would someday awaken as Sailor Moon and eventually become their future queen.

When it was announced four years later that the queen was pregnant again, the surprise and amazement was universal. It was understood that the White Moon family only had a single heir for each generation, yet a second princess was born. She had messy dark hair and innocent ruby eyes. Her evident fondness for carrots—discovered as soon as she could eat soft foods—led to the nickname “Bunny.” The second child could not be explained by the queen’s advisors or the court’s greatest historians, but the family and all of Crystal Tokyo loved the little princesses regardless.

As Princess Serenity blossomed into a beautiful young woman, the people grew to love her for her charm and grace. She excelled at nearly everything she tried her hand at, shining brilliantly at diplomatic dinners, public events, and private functions. Everything indicated that one day she would be a wonderful queen. Alongside Queen Lady Serenity and Priest Helios, Princess Serenity displayed the best qualities of Crystal Tokyo and Earth to visitors and residents both near and far.

The younger princess became beloved for her sweet disposition, although she did not capture the people’s attention like their crown princess. The bond of love between the two princesses was noted by all, evident with the way the younger looked up at Princess Serenity with dazzled eyes, and the way the calm elder sister laughed and gently teased Bunny. It warmed the hearts of everyone who saw them together, and the public looked at the royal family as a perfect example of domestic love and duty.

When the king collapsed as his wife issued a speech to the citizens celebrating the extended era of peace, everything changed.

No one had noticed the increasing tiredness and worn look of the priest of the sacred realm. His kind and mellow disposition did not falter. His soft smile had altered so gradually, masking pain and discomfort.

The speech was cut short when the queen saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned, just in time to see her husband fall. Her panicked scream startled the crowds and set rumors buzzing among the people. The tall Sailor Juno easily carried the priest’s prone form into the palace, brushing past distracted guards. Helios remained unconscious as he was laid in the canopied bed of the royal couple, cold sweat beading on his pale forehead.

A few minutes later, Queen Lady Serenity rushed in. Her dignified composure had vanished. Her dearest friends and comrades felt unsettled to see the all-too-familiar terrified worry on the pink-haired woman’s face. It reminded them all of when she had been a young sailor soldier in training, fighting desperately to save her mother and father in the battle against Sailor Galaxia. The queen fell to her knees at the side of the bed, her pink gown trailing behind her on the floor, clutching at her husband’s cold hand.

After a moment, the queen raised her head, her eyes closed, and summoned the Silver Crystal. The brilliant light seemed to emerge from her heart, flooding the room, and settling into a beautiful blossom-shaped crystal that reflected endless prisms. A soft wind picked up, blowing the queen’s rose-coloured tresses back from her face as she concentrated on the purifying energy of the White Moon’s dearest and most powerful treasure. Both hands now cupped around the floating and glowing crystal, Queen Lady Serenity raised it high above her head as the light intensified. Her dress and the sailor uniforms of the nearby Sailor Quartetto fluttered in the wind. It lightly ruffled the pale hair of the outstretched figure on the white sheets.

The queen’s prayer for healing rang out as the light of the Silver Crystal flared, enveloping the king’s body in sparkling luminescence.

He stirred slightly, and his golden eyes fluttered open.

“...Maiden?” he asked softly, reaching a shaking hand towards the glowing figure alongside him.

The queen took his hand, trembling, and dropped down to her knees beside the bed. Quiet sobs shook her body.

Sailor Ceres approached the queen, the heels of her white boots clicking softly against the smooth crystal floor, and placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. Sailors Vesta, Juno, and Pallas joined her, crowding around their dearest friend and offering silent compassion and sympathy.

From the doorway, two sets of eyes observed the scene. Princess Serenity reached out for Bunny’s arm, noiselessly drawing the younger princess in front of her, protectively wrapping her arms around the smaller girl’s shoulders. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

In the days that followed, the king’s health continued to falter. Medical tests confirmed that there was no evident physical cause. The queen desperately tried to heal him with her crystal’s power, but the resulting relief became more and more short-lived with each attempt. The once bright and bustling palace became quieter and more somber, with staff softly trying to avoid disturbing the distressed royal court.

“Your Majesty,” echoed the soft voice of Diana, now a fully-grown cat but still the queen’s friend and adviser, “this complication extends beyond the walls of the Crystal Palace and the confines of the Royal Family. You must assure the people. Crystal Tokyo looks to you for guidance and advice.”

Diana remained as understated as ever. Crystal Tokyo suffered under the same stillness that pervaded the palace. The general sense of unease and unhappiness seemed to have spread outward along the star-shaped layout of the city, darkening the moods and leaving everyone wondering and waiting what would happen next.

Queen Lady Serenity sighed, rubbing her forehead and rustling her pink hair. She was wan and pale, her eyes red from lack of sleep and an overabundance of tears. Sailor Ceres knelt down beside the queen, holding her friend’s cold hand between the two white gloves of her own uniformed hands. Her dark pink eyes were steady and sure.

“Chibi Usa,” Sailor Ceres began. She was one of the few who still referred to the queen by her childhood nickname. “Diana is right. Your people need you. We are here for you. We will always be here to support you.”

The queen squeezed her friend’s hand, a slight smile appearing on her face. It had been days since that familiar smile had been seen.

“I know. Thank you,” the queen replied. “I need you all, here, beside me.”

Sailor Pallas rushed over, the round baubles in her hair bouncing against her face as she ran. The blue-clad sailor soldier dropped down next to the queen, wrapping her arms around Serenity’s waist. Sailor Juno strode over after Pallas, although she didn’t run, and Sailor Vesta joined them quickly. The group crowded around the queen, who giggled. Hearing her voice in that familiar laughter lightened the mood.

“I didn’t mean literally beside me,” Queen Lady Serenity chided, giving Pallas a playful shove with her hip.

Sailor Vesta crossed her arms over her chest and leaned forward, raising an eyebrow at her queen. “You still think you can do everything yourself,” she quipped. “You always did have trouble asking for help.”

Next to Vesta, Sailor Juno nodded. “We love you, Chibi Usa. It pains us to watch you struggle. We want to help.”

Diana hopped gracefully off the windowsill and padded over, bounding up onto the queen’s lap. Her large scarlet eyes shimmered with sorrow. “It’s true, Your Majesty!” the cat proclaimed, her voice quivering with emotion. “Please, you cannot bear this all yourself!”

Juno chuckled and wiped a droplet from Diana’s cheek. Queen Lady Serenity reached forward with the hand not grasped by Sailor Ceres and lightly rubbed Diana behind the ears. The crescent-marked gray cat purred contentedly at the sensation, still sniffling back her tears.

“Really, thank you,” the queen said, looking around at her friends. “I’m so worried about Helios. I’m sure it’s another threat. Don’t you feel the same way? It’s been so long since we’ve had to fight. I’m scared for the safety of my husband and my daughters. I have to protect them, and all the people of Earth.”

Sailor Vesta laughed and tossed her head, the red tail flipping behind her shoulder. Light reflected from the red jewels set in the golden bands. “We can handle it!” she boasted. "After all, with our beautiful leader and my awesome skills, it will be a snap!"

She snapped her fingers to illustrate her point, intending to show off her typical gimmick of conjuring a tiny flame at her fingertips. The assembled group groaned, tired of the same old trick. It was almost as bad as watching her show off her former beast-taming skills from the circus.

This time, nothing happened. Vesta’s eyebrows furrowed, and she snapped her fingers again. Still nothing. She snapped again.

The others chuckled lightly, vaguely amused to watch the old stunt confuse the performer.

“No, this isn’t funny!” Sailor Vesta shushed them, conjuring her whip.

“Really, Vesta, this isn’t the time for...”

“Scorching Lash!”

Sailor Ceres was cut off as Sailor Vesta announced the attack name. The pink-uniformed sailor soldier jumped up, tackling their queen down and shielding the woman with her own body. Juno and Pallas scuttled backwards, wide eyes fixated on Sailor Vesta as she arched the whip through the air, expecting the flash of sparks and heat to leap towards them.

Sailor Ceres glanced up, confused at not feeling the heat from the sizzling whip that should have sliced through the air. Sailor Vesta stood dumbly in the center of the room, staring at her whip. It was still tepid leather in her hand, not the blazing stone-like substance it seemed to shift into for her signature attack.

“I... I can’t do it,” Sailor Vesta sputtered, staring at the other sailor soldiers with alarm.

Sailor Ceres rolled over and hefted herself up, marching over with the stern look of the leader and eldest chastising the youngest of the group. Sailors Pallas and Juno helped the dazed Queen Lady Serenity to her feet.

“What are you talking about?!” Sailor Ceres shouted. For a moment, the three observers worried that she would slap Vesta across the face, and they winced in anticipation as the gap between the two women closed.

Sailor Vesta was too confused to be concerned about physical aggression from Ceres. She stepped forward and gripped the other sailor soldier's upper arms, staring into her eyes.

“My. Attack. Didn’t. Work,” Vesta uttered, slowly weighting each word. “I don’t understand it! Try yours, please!” The last sentence was a plea in a tone the others were not used to hearing from the soldier in red.

Sailor Ceres wasn’t sure whether Vesta was joking or serious, but after a moment she sighed and untangled herself from the other woman. “Oh, all right,” she huffed, backing up from the group. She raised her arms and summoned her powers, concentrating. After a moment, her pink eyes shot open, and she glanced wildly at Vesta. “Nothing!” Ceres gasped, “Oh no, oh no!”

Sailors Pallas and Juno were next, each experiencing the same lack of results.

“Pallas doesn’t understand!” Sailor Pallas quivered, hopping awkwardly from one foot to the other. “Pallas should be able to use her powers! We all should be able to!”

The initial shock had worn off for Sailor Ceres, and her experience as the leader of the group kicked in. “Please, everyone!” she called. “We can’t panic. This...” She swallowed heavily, fumbling for the right words. “This is a problem, but we have to stay strong for each other.”

Queen Lady Serenity stepped forward, all of the worries from before returning to her mind and heart. What were they going to do? If her sailor team could not fight, how would they defeat this darkness and save the king?

Diana leapt into the midst of the group. “Everyone! Please! We must be united! We must be calm! We must reassure the people!”

Her high voice was clear and resounding. Everyone’s focus turned to the cat. Although Diana still retained some of her habits from kittenhood, she had grown into a dedicated and loyal advisor. She was trusted and esteemed by the group. In situations like these, they turned to her for guidance.

“I’m sure that together, we will get through this. I think that Her Royal Highness is correct—this ailment of His Esteemed Majesty feels unnatural and potentially dangerous. This is most probably related to the difficulties with using attacks just experienced now.” The lithe figure paced back and forth as she spoke, her tail curling to punctuate her statements.

“For now, our best course of action is to show our citizens calm demeanors. It is appropriate to be concerned for the king, but there are dangers if the people feel unsafe or insecure. It is our duties as sailor soldiers to keep them safe, and we will make that happen somehow! Tomorrow, Your Majesty, I must request that you address your people to let them know of the king’s delicate health and your prayers for his swift recovery. Request that they stand beside you and your daughters in this time of need.”

The Sailor Quartetto nodded seriously as they listened to the cat’s lengthy instructions. Diana constantly thought of the people, not just those who lived in Crystal Tokyo or on Earth, but all those people who relied on the strength and brilliance of Queen Lady Serenity and her sailor soldiers. Diana recognized what was in their best interests.

Queen Lady Serenity reached out and took Sailor Ceres’s hand with her right and Sailor Vesta’s with her left. She glanced at Sailor Juno and Sailor Pallas, who stepped forward towards the group, reaching forward to clasp their hands on top of the hands already held. The pink-haired queen smiled up at the group, a smile of hope. It was the first glimmer of hope. She closed her eyes, sighed, took a deep breath, and looked up at her dearest friends with love shining in her eyes.

“We can do this,” she whispered.

In an uncharacteristically youthful action, Diana sprang up to the queen’s shoulder and nestled against the woman, reminiscent of how she had traveled atop Chibi Usa’s head as a small kitten. Queen Lady Serenity leaned her cheek towards the soft cat and smiled at her friends again. This time, they all wore smiles of hope.

The next few days were composed of both long and drawn out and blurs of snippets of time. Serenity often sat by her papa’s side speaking with him when he had the energy, reading to him, or holding his hand when he slept. When the queen came to visit Serenity would always offer to leave knowing that her parents deserved their own personal time together. Sometimes the queen would insist she stay and other times she would smile and thank her eldest with a small kiss and turn her attention to her husband.


It was not long after the collapse (six days or so) that Serenity was heading to another daily visit with her father. University was not an issue since summer break had come about a few weeks beforehand, and Serenity had mostly put aside any training for the time being. She walked down the hall with a book in hand to read for her papa when she spotted a flash of pale pink. Was that mama? Maybe I’ll visit with her and papa today. Curious, Serenity continued. Why was she running though? A tinge of worry settled in her heart but she brushed it off. King Helios’ heath had not improved, but it had not worsened either. Today was not a day to be negative. Today was a day of hope. Her papa would recover…. someday.


The door was oddly enough closed when Serenity approached. Typically the doors were left slightly open except for in the evening when the queen retired to her chambers to keep vigil over Helios for the remainder of the night. Confused and feeling a little awkward, Serenity knocked lightly before entering. It was the queen that she had seen dashing down the hallway, but something was off. Queen Lady Serenity was standing above Helios with her hands clenched painfully around his wrists. Helios was visibly grimacing and struggling, obviously desperate to get out his wife’s antagonistic grip.


“Mama, what are you d--” Serenity suddenly let out a ear piercing scream as the queen turned towards her, Helios still held tightly in her grip. Queen Lady Serenity’s  eyes were empty pits and her flesh was curling and rotting in chunks. It was obvious that her body had been in a state of ruin and decay for several days at the very least. But this couldn't be mama. Mama was alive and well! Serenity had just seen her an hour ago at breakfast!


Gathering herself Serenity knew that this was something horrible and evil. She collected her courage, strength, and willpower. She attempted to transform regardless of whether she had a compact or not, and shouted out “Moon Prism Power!”. Nothing happened, and Serenity somehow not surprised still felt her heart plummet into despair. But still, this thing was attacking papa-- almost kissing him now as it tried to withdraw something small and wispy from his mouth as he writhed and struggled.


Serenity boldly improvised and threw her book square in the thing’s face causing it to let go of the king and step back. The princess was quick to take action and rushed forward to push the thing further from her father and began to struggle with it. Now it was trying to extract whatever it wanted from her papa from her. Serenity let out a frightened yelp and by now the noise of the pandemonium could be heard throughout the hall through the doors that were wide open.

((Completed post.))

Bunny (Sailor Moon)  

Bunny idly rubbed the golden crescent moon token in her pocket. Sighing, she leaned back against the library's loft window. Her older sister's university break was in session, but her own lessons continued into the summer. Too bad she couldn't seem to focus on them. Bunny shifted on the cushioned bench seat, knocking over a short stack of textbooks as she re-crossed her legs. Grumbling, the dark-haired girl hopped down and picked up the scattered books, aligning the pages beneath the closed covers.0

As she lifted the volumes back to their original positions, she stared up through the window. The gray clouds drifted by, obscuring the sunlight. It didn't feel like summertime. The weather was mild, but not warm. Everything was overcast. It looked as gloomy outside as it felt in the palace.

Bunny rested her head on her arms, still staring outside.

The past few days felt overwhelming. Papa hadn't improved. Mama looked so sad. The palace remained silent. Her older sister tried to maintain a strong and calm outlook, but Bunny could sense that even the crown princess was scared.

Personally, she didn't even know how to feel. Mama and her sailor soldiers always protected Crystal Tokyo. Those were the stories that the youngest daughter had grown up on, listening with rapt attention. Someday, Serenity would be a sailor soldier, too. Bunny knew that her older sister would be just as devoted as their mother was. There were many days when she had watched Serenity training; the older girl's dedication and desire to fight was obvious to everyone. Bunny wanted Papa to be well again as soon as possible, but she also believed that everything would be alright. The queen already tried to use the Silver Crystal...but Bunny didn't think the fact that it hadn't worked to mean that it had failed. Mama always saved everyone.

Her fingers wandered back to the golden pin in her pocket. Touching it helped her remember that strange dream. Who was that pale-haired woman? Bunny could almost hear her voice if she concentrated hard enough, but she could not see her face...

"Ugh," she groaned, rolling over dramatically and flopping her hair on the cushion. "I'm never going to finish my studies today!"

Bunny stood up, straightened the books, combed her short pigtails with her fingers, wiped off her glasses, and smoothed the white double-layered collar of her uniform. She'd come back later. It was still early in the day. Maybe a walk would help clear her mind.

Not a sound could be heard in the hallways when the youngest princess stepped out of the library. She missed the bustle and activity. All the warmth was gone. She leaned back against the closed doors, tucking her head down to her chest with a sigh. It didn't feel like a walk was going to make much of a difference.

A shriek echoed down the corridor, and Bunny's head snapped up.

When she heard another scream, she knew she wasn't imagining it. That was Serenity's voice!

Scarlet eyes wide, Bunny took off down the hall, following the noise. Her heart pounded in her ears as she ran, arms and legs pumping. Although she hadn't heard more screams, there were still too many crashing and shuffling sounds for Bunny to feel at ease. She threw open the door to her parents' bedchamber and gasped at the sight.

Papa lay sprawled on the floor, cold and pale. The tangled mess of sheets spilled off the bed, and trinkets from the bedside tables littered the floor. Serenity grappled with something... something awful. It had long pink hair styled like Mama, but it looked ashy and decayed. The glowing brimstone eyes that widened as the head turned towards the opened door were not Mama's.

"No!" Bunny cried out, throwing herself at the monster. She was too small to knock it loose from the grip it held on her sister.

Annoyed, it lashed a claw-like appendage at her. Her first instinct was to scream and shield herself, but she caught a glimpse of her sister's determined face. Serenity must have felt terrified herself, but she fought with all her strength. How could Bunny do anything less? Instead of cringing, the smaller girl grabbed the creature's wrist and desperately tried to shove the flailing talons away. Her eyes darkened with concentration.

"Yes," whispered a voice. Shocked, Bunny recognized the voice from her dreams! "Do you want to protect them?"

Bunny thought of her sister and father, both in danger. She loved them. Of course she wanted to protect them! She could feel a strange warmth in her chest, as though she clasped a hot stone over her heart. It coursed through her body, filling her with warm light.

The light spilled out from her, flooding the room. The strange creature recoiled, attempting to shield itself, and released its grip on Bunny and Serenity. Bunny could feel hands on her shoulders, almost like Mama's, but somehow they were different. She stood up, and turned to face an unfamiliar woman who looked so much like Mama. The poised beautiful woman glowed, radiating love and caring. Bunny felt awed by her presence.

"Sweet child," the woman continued, reaching a dazzling hand to stroke the girl's cheek. "Let your heart guide you."

The energy seemed to bubble up from inside her, and Bunny could feel herself change. As the light that blazed in the room started to disperse, the strange woman shimmered and disappeared as well. Her bright blue eyes looked straight at Bunny, and the gentle smile never left her face. It was the lady from her dreams. Where had she come from? Who was she?

Confused, Bunny looked down and saw that she wore a sailor uniform.

"Uwaaah?" she exclaimed, almost falling over in surprise.

"Sailor... Moon..." the voice from before faintly echoed.

The awful creature from before was not destroyed or harmed by the light, only distracted. When the light faded, the monster raised itself up and reassessed the forms in the room. The burning eyes surveyed the distant prone king, its original target, and then the two girls that had interrupted its actions. The smaller of the two wore different attire, but she was closer...and distracted. Without a sound, it leapt forward, slicing at the new sailor soldier with razor-sharp claws.

Bunny--no, Sailor Moon--caught the motion out of the corner of her eye and turned, only to see the rotting and vaguely humanoid form rush at her. Her eyes glinted as she clenched her fists and turned to face it...only to realize that she did not know how to use whatever power she awakened to. The horrifying thing slammed itself on top of her, knocking her down, and wrapped its seemingly boneless limbs around her. The monster could also control its long pink hair, which it spooled around its prey, cocooning and constraining her body. Bunny could only stare up at the blazing eyes, paralyzed.

In all of the confusion, fear, and violence of the situation Chiyoko knew that she had seen what she had seen. She had seen Queen Serenity—the Queen Serenity... her great grandmother. She had appeared before them and spoke words that Serenity thought she would hear one day from her own mother or even her grandmother. But they were spoken to Usa instead who had transformed without even uttering a transformation henshin. Chiyoko was reeling from this realization as Usa was struggling in a massive cocoon of hair that their mother’s apparent doppelgänger had wrapped her in. 

Chiyoko took a step forward to try and instruct her sister in what to do as she also searched for something sharp. The hair was quickly enveloping her sister and soon she wouldn’t be able to breath from the looks of it. Think Chiyoko, THINK. Telling her the attack name won’t do anything if she can’t br—

“Princess Serenity! Please, take this! Come to us and we shall explain!” Serenity reeled around only to see one of the Maenads flickering in and out as a partially see through image. The woman reached out her hand and tossed a circular compact brooch towards Serenity. “Transform and save King Helios! Save Elysion! You’ll know what to say!”

Chiyoko caught it deftly as the Maenad disappeared. She glanced once at the compact clenched in her hand before remembering that her sister, only a second ago was being enveloped in a deadly mass of hair. Suddenly Serenity knew what she needed to do. She wasn’t mean to be sailor Moon… but her destiny as a senshi wasn’t stunted now. She wasn’t sailor Moon, she was Sailor Elysion. She reached up and shouted her henshin, hopeful that the transformation would finish in time to save Usa. “Elysion Crystal Power, Make Up!”

A flood of golden light filled the room and distracted the monster. Filled with knowledge of what to do—blessed all knowing knowledge—Serenity shouted out her attack as she lifted her hand in the air, “PHANTASM WAKE UP!” An ornate bow appeared in her hands and Serenity knew just what to do as she drew back the bow and took aim at the monster attempting to strangle her sister. She let go and a piercing arrow composed of the same golden light that had enveloped her as she transformed shot off and pierced the monster square in the chest. It screamed and reeled backwards, its hair recoiling from her sister, before vanishing in a burst of dust that finely coated the room. Coughing, Serenity rushed to the younger princess. “Usa! Are you okay?”

Bunny (Sailor Moon)
Sailor Moon gasped and rolled over, freed from the hair that had enveloped her body like a cocoon. Her lungs rejoiced at filling with air, and it took a minute for her to recover enough to reply. She felt Serenity's hands on her shoulders, and heard her voice, but when Sailor Moon looked up at her sister she saw instead Sailor Elysion.

"Woooooahhhh!" she exclaimed in surprise, glancing over the older girl's softly-coloured uniform.

She remembered that she was also transformed, still wearing the sailor suit she had never expected to see herself in.

Sailor Moon wanted to ask. She didn't understand. How was she Sailor Moon? How was her sister Sailor Elysion? Why wasn't her sister Sailor Moon? Who was Sailor Elysion? Were those the Maenads that had appeared? Was the woman their great-grandmother, Queen Serenity from the Silver Millennium? Was that why she looked familiar? What had that pink... thing that kind of resembled their mother but not really been? There were so many questions that she didn't know where to start, until suddenly she did.

Her eyes widened in concern and surprise.

"Papa!" she exclaimed to her sister, terrified. Was the king okay?

Revived, however please note what I wrote for the revival in the request thread.

It didn’t take long for the legitimate Queen Lady Serenity to rush into the room, the women of the family fluttering around the unfortunate figure of the king. The pale-haired man coughed and wheezed, his mysterious illness exacerbated by the recent terrible events. There wasn’t even time for the pink-haired ruler to inquire about her daughter’s strange costumes or what they were doing in here; her attention was focused on channeling healing energy through her crystal to sustain her beloved husband. Eventually, as the trio looked on with anxious anticipation, the symptoms of his malady seemed to calm.

The gentle eyes stared up at the assembled women hovering over him, projecting a hint of emotion that quickly succumbed to rest.

Queen Lady Serenity turned to her daughters, a hand on the shoulder of each, ushering the pair into the adjoining sitting room of the regents’ quarters. The desire not to disturb Helios was tempered with continuing concerns for his well-being; the connecting door left open and all three attuned to any movement or noise from that area.

The resulting conversation came out in a series of confused commentary and uncertain statements. Midway through the Quartetto arrived, seeking their Queen, and soon Diana joined the group as well. Although all participated in open communication on the current issues, the lack of insight and understanding of these issues brought little clarity. The experienced sailor soldiers expressed their pride and hopefulness for those so recently taking on the title, with the promise of additional training and lessons, but the peculiar assignments—“Sailor Moon” to young Bunny and the previously-unknown “Sailor Elysion” to Princess Serenity—left many questions unanswered. As the hours stretched into the night, the next steps remained worryingly unclear.

“The creatures you described are unfamiliar to me,” Diana said to Sailor Elysion, her ruby eyes serious and thoughtful. “But I shall do my best to find information in the archives and database.”

Sailor Vesta playfully nudged Bunny, now “Sailor Moon”.

“Looks like we’ve got a looooot of training for you, kiddo!” the red-head chuckled. “Got to catch up if you want to match your sister’s skills someday!”

Queen Lady Serenity smiled over at her eldest daughter, embracing the young woman’s hand between her own. The russet eyes shimmered with warmth and motherly love.

“I’m so proud of you, my Sweet Dream,” she whispered. “You have so much ahead of you as a sailor soldier. Believe in yourself and your heart—I will always believe in you.”

Sailor Elysion glanced up at her mother through her eyelashes, feeling both the glow of receiving motherly approval mixed with the fear of failing to meet expectations. She nodded, unsure of what to say, but relaxed when drawn closer into a loving hug. The young woman relaxed in the familiar security of her mother’s arms, although it could only be temporary. It felt unfair that this moment, which she had so longed for, could not be one of celebration.  Instead, her eyes fell upon the doorway beyond which she knew her father slumbered, sinking deeper into illness for which no cure was known.

---

Princess Serenity’s dreams tumbled and roiled with monsters and fighting. All of the terrible fears about her father’s health and life swirled together with her own insecurities about her new role as Sailor Elysion, manifesting in strange phantasms and tableaus. In the morning she found herself both glad to be awake and irritated to feel so sleep-deprived. Obviously her thoughts could not avoid the events of the previous day, but she had been thinking about and preparing for today for quite some time now. It was a very important day, after all…

This was not her first year of high school, nor was it her first time interacting with the citizens of Crystal Tokyo incognito, but it was still the first day she would be in this particular class of this particular school. Although her studies were never interrupted—she was the Crown Princess, after all—sometimes her attendance at public schools had to be put on hold. Most recently some diplmatic current events forced a semester-long hiatus for the young woman. This return, eagerly awaited by Serenity, was planned long before her father unfortunately fell ill. There had been talk of setting it aside until he recovered, which she would never have objected to, but she was very thankful that it had been deemed unnecessary.

Serenity adjusted her ponytail, the sunlight filtering through the window bringing out the more lilac tones of her bluish-violet hair.

“Oh, Sweet Dream!” a voice popped up. “You look exquisite, Princess!”

She knew it was Trivia, her dear feline companion and advisor, without having to look.

“’Yume’, Trivia,” she reminded the cat, who never seemed to remember the correct way to address her mistress. “When I go outside, like this, my name is ‘Yume’.”

Yume Chiba. A first name that was uniquely hers, at more mature variation on the childhood nickname. A surname steeped in tradition, the honorable name of the grandfather who had shaped so much of her world. She felt honored to use it, remembering the tales of his unwavering support and gentle strength. She only hoped that he would approve her use of it, if he could have known her as a young woman. Her own surname was simply too conspicuous to use in public.

Her destination was Crystal Tokyo High School. This time, another school—the one her grandmother had once attended, back when the city was still 20th century Tokyo. As this was not the beginning of the year she’d be assigned to a new class and introduced as a transfer student. It was hard for Serenity to keep her thoughts focused—they flip-flopped endlessly between her father’s condition, her recent awakening as Sailor Elysion, and her status as a transfer student at this new school. The unfamiliar transformation compact, bright gold with small wings, glimmered faintly in her book bag alongside notebooks and pens.

She took a deep breath, glanced in the mirror, and made one last adjustment of the large ribbon bow tied under her sailor collar.

“I’ll be back later, Trivia!” Serenity—no, Yume called to the napping navy blue feline.

---

“Everyone, this is our new transfer student—Yume Chiba. Please introduce yourself.”

She swallowed hard, somehow finding facing this classroom of teenage faces more intimidating than any formal state dinner with dignitaries. Keep calm, Serenity, she reminded herself. You can do it. She hoped that her hands weren’t shaking. When she raised her head, the golden eyes met those of other students, each time with a moderate smile on her face. Just like giving a speech in front of a crowd of reporters, she told herself.

“Pleased to meet you, everyone. My name is Yume Chiba. I like studying and archery. I am looking forward to making friends with everyone. Please be welcoming to me.”

The long ponytail bobbed slightly as she finished her formal speech with a careful bow. She knew that her words sounded a bit… robotic… compared to most teenagers, but they probably didn’t have years of practice with diplomacy and public speaking. It was the best she could manage at the moment.

“Thank you, Yume. It looks like there’s an open seat in that corner. Alright, let’s begin the lessons!” the teacher concluded.

She felt the relief of no longer standing at the front of the classroom, but she knew she was still carefully watched by her new classmates. Most would decide if they accepted or ostracized her before the day was out. Yume kept her body language neutral, leaning just slightly towards friendly, and hoped that the rest of the day wouldn’t turn out too bad. There was so much else to think about, but right now she’d try to focus on being the new girl in a new school. That was enough for anyone, even a Princess.

“Everyone, this is our new transfer student—Yume Chiba. Please introduce yourself.”

Kaito Hayate barely looked up from the video game he was playing under his desk, sitting all the way at the back of the classroom. Why should he care about some kid transferring in the middle of the school year like a big shot? She was probably from some rich family wanting to get her into one of Crystal Tokyo's best districts anyway. This girl, Yume Chiba, already sounded like some perfect role model student by the way she introduced herself. No doubt she'd be at the top of the rankings and be the object of jealousy for a while. He'd seen it all before.

He wasn't expecting for the teacher to assign her the empty seat next to him though, and his skeptical eyes fell on Yume as she walked down the isle to take her place. It wasn't a glare, but more like the look a cat would give an unsuspecting mouse as it watched from its hiding spot. She was pretty at least, with a rather unique shade of hair, but he could tell she was trying too hared to fit in already. Clearly she needed to loosen up a bit. Kaito turned off his video game and put it away, sitting up for once. 

It'd be the neighborly thing to do to try and strike up a conversation, right? With a hint of a smirk, he pulled out a piece of paper and started scribbling a message on it, making sure she wasn't paying any attention to his actions.

When he was done writing, he folded up the paper into a small square, smaller than his palm, and wrote her name on it. Kaito tossed it onto her desk as the teacher's back faced the board.

The note:

She tried not to scan the room as she walked to her seat, although it was a learned habit from so many meetings related to affairs of state. When present in such circumstances, one always wanted to make meaningful eye contact with as many dignitaries and representatives as possible. It helped make everyone feel included in the discussions. Avoiding strife related to suspicion of exclusion prevented expensive and effort-heavy mistakes to resolve later. None of that training was useful in high school. Here, the students could stare at her all they wanted, but she had to be careful about any return eye contact. It could easily be interpreted in a variety of ways Yume didn't intend—flirty, defiant, haughty, friendly, hostile, etc.—based on some "code of teenagers" that she definitely wasn't skilled in.

That didn't mean she didn't notice the glances shot her way. As she made her way to her desk, she noticed the peculiar way the boy next to her was looking at her: bemused and almost predatory. Yume didn't want to stereotype her classmates...but with that cheeky smirk on his face and his tousled hair, he really looked like a delinquent fresh off the pages of some boy's manga. In fact, with dyed hair and a customized motorcycle, she could imagine him fitting right in to a historic 1970s bousouzoku gang. The mental image almost made her start chuckling, but she carefully swallowed her reaction. No need to rile someone up by thinking she was laughing at them! (...Even if she kind of was.)

She was settling into her new seat, arranging her notebook and pens neatly, when a small piece of paper bounced onto her desk. Yume stared at it, transfixed.

Did someone really just pass her a note? Now she really did feel like she was following in her grandmother's footsteps—a real "normal girl"! It was just her first day of this attempt at infiltrating a public school, and already so many things were aligning to form exactly the kind of experience she thought would be impossible. It was kind of amazing!

The faint smile on her lips died out as soon as she unfolded the piece of paper. First, shock. "Is your name really Yume?" Oh no. Oh no. Did someone recognize her? That wasn't supposed to happen! Was the altered hairstyle not enough? Second, vague disgust. What a cheesy pick-up line attempt! She could feel goosebumps on her neck just thinking about how skeevy the message sounded.

Well, at least it wouldn't be a mystery as to what she could expect from her most immediate classmate. She carefully re-folded the note, picked up her pen, and wrote "decline" on the outside—a single kanji, squared off and marked with definitive strokes. Yume kept her attention focused on the board, watching the teacher continue the lesson, and waited for the woman to turn around. When it finally happened, the girl flicked the paper back at her unnamed neighbor. She wasn't exactly aiming for his head, but she kind of hoped it hit him there.

It was another day in class, and Reika was bored. She longed to be out in the sun, running, soaking up the sunlight into her own skin. She wasn’t a terrible student, but she did hate to waste a perfectly good day sitting all day in class.

She perked up when the teacher announced the arrival of a transfer student. Usually, in romance novels, this was how a new relationship began. She wondered what the new boy would be like and how dreamy he would seem, but then said dreams were quickly shattered when she realized the transfer student was a girl. She deflated a bit, though her interest remained.

The girl who came in had an unusual hair color, and there was something a bit familiar about her. Reika narrowed her eyes, wondering where she knew her from. There weren’t that many girls with that hair color, surely…

The name didn’t ring a bell, though. But she had to admit it was also pretty unusual. Yume, huh? Like a dream? How romantic. Yume certainly exuded a kind of… dreamy air about her, and Reika immediately decided she wanted to befriend her. She was always looking for new friends, after all. And this girl… she seemed more interesting than the image she was presenting right now.

Reika followed her with her eye as Yume went to take her seat, which happened to be in front of hers. She watched with amusement as her neighbor began to send a secret missive to her desk. Kaito Hayate was one of those troublemaker boys, the ones Reika had no interest in whatsoever. He wasn’t her type, and thank goodness for that. She didn’t want Yume to start off falling into the bad crowd, though. Hopefully she wasn’t entertaining whatever stupid idea he had come up with.

Break time couldn’t come fast enough.

Kaito was caught completely off guard when the note tapped him right in the head, and he quickly caught the paper before it fell onto the floor. He blinked at the simple message written on it as he scratched the place the paper had struck him. Wow, this was the most well written rejection he had ever received. Who wrote their kanji so...neatly? He had to smile at it. She was definitely one of those overachievers, but he hadn't expected her to answer at all. Interesting. 

Kaito quietly huffed, and instead of being warded off by Yume's efforts, took the paper and started refolding it into a far more complicated thing. His tongue stuck out of his mouth a bit as he concentrated, completely tuning out the teacher's droning, and then examined his handiwork. 

With a well timed and aimed flick of his finger, a little origami horse landed on Yume's desk, standing up on its four pointed legs. Kaito did his best to look as busy with taking notes as possible, though he kept an eye out for her reaction.

---------------


Closer to the windows, Hiro was struggling not to fall asleep in class, her head being propped up by one of her arms. She really wasn't that great in most subjects, but she didn't want to get in trouble for slacking off either. A break in the form of a new student was a welcome interruption, and Hiro was wide awake as Yume was introduced, though it was impossible to tell where she was looking with her eyes hidden behind her dark green bangs.

Was this another chance to make friends? Hiro was suddenly looking forward to break. Most of the time she ended up eating alone, but maybe this new girl would want someone to sit next to. She sat up for the rest of the class period, trying not to stare at the digital clock on the wall as she waited for the bell to ring.

She thought he was acceptably dissuaded, until a tiny origami horse interrupted her notes. Yume glanced at it, nudged it over to the edge of her notebook with the end of her pen, and continued writing. He just wants attention, she thought to herself. She wouldn't quite admit that she may have also been wishing that she knew any neat paper folding tricks herself, so she could have retorted with some other tiny creature, or re-folded the horse into something. Unfortunately, that kind of thing was not on her otherwise rather impressive list of skills.

The violet-haired teenager tried to keep her attention focused on the current lessons, not the silly little paper horse, but she couldn't quite stop herself from doodling a tiny fence around it on the corner of her notebook that it sat on. And then a little stable. And some flowers inside the tiny fence. She was careful not to look at the boy who had sent it, of course.

When the bell rang for lunch, Yume's golden eyes scanned the room for potential lunch mates. There were probably already a number of cliques that she wouldn't be welcome in, but she wanted to avoid being stuck with the note-sender. She just didn't know the right "normal high school student" protocol for pushing him away. Her hand closed around the knot of her cloth-wrapped bento, lovingly packed by the Queen herself, ready to accept the first invitation that came her way—as long as it wasn't from that guy.

He had no idea why, but Kaito was pleased that Yume hadn't rejected his origami "present", or tossed it on the ground like he had expected. Maybe there was hope for her yet to not be like those other boring kids. When the bell did ring, Kaito decided to leave her be for the moment, opting to go to the gym instead. During breaks, he either loitered on the rooftops or practiced his kendo, and he didn't want to push his luck this week after being caught with a can of spray paint. He stood up, and with his hands behind his head, walked out of the classroom.

_____________________________________________


"Hey!" Hiro said, working her way to the back of the classroom. It took some effort to squeeze between the people and desks, but she made it over to Yume's eventually, a lunch box in her hand. "Do you mind if I eat with you?" she asked, sounding excited. She tried not to appear too desperate, but she couldn't help herself. "I know it's kind of hard to make friends sometimes..."

Origami? Really?

Reika would have rolled her eyes if she thought that was a ladylike thing to do. At least the new girl still seemed impervious to his advances. Reika tried to pay attention to the lesson as best she could and not to the little drama unfolding silently before her. At last, the bell rang, and thankfully Kaito decided to leave instead of talking to Yume.

Maybe he could get the hint after all.

Reika pulled out her own bento box, courtesy of her mother, filled with food arranged into the cutest shapes—just the way she liked them—and looked up to see someone approaching Yume already. Hiro was okay, she suppose. A bit loud sometimes, but Reika didn’t mind that. She stood up and moved to Yume’s other side.

“Can I join in too? I’d be happy to tell you all the information you need about this school! Like how Hayate-san is bad news, for example, but you seem to already know that,” she added with a giggle.

Looking up at the faces of not one, but two classmates, neither of whom was the rough-and-tumble boy at the desk next to her, made Serenity really feel like a normal high school girl. She couldn't have been more eager and appreciative in her acceptance of their offers.

"Oh, that would be wonderful! Yes, please let's eat together."

She wasn't even concerned about sounding too excited. This was more than she could have dreamed of. She turned for a moment and caught a glimpse of herself reflected in the classroom window—Yume Chiba, regular girl. Even the navy sailor uniform, basically unchanged since her grandmother's day, looked right. Today seemed to be going so well!

"Do you prefer to eat in the classroom or are we allowed to go outside?" she asked, unsure of the school's rules. She couldn't wait to learn more about her new (potential) friends!

Reika's appearance had surprised her- Hiro wasn't quite friends with her either- but she wouldn't turn down the opportunity to get closer. "We can sit on the roof if you want to," Hiro said. "It's got a really good view of the palace!" Hiro had never gone into the Crystal Palace herself, though her father had when he was commissioned to work on some statues, and the sight of it never ceased to amaze her. 

Oh, and don't worry about that Kaito guy," she said. "He's a big jerk, but he's somehow the best guy on the Kendo team, so the school doesn't wanna kick him out. He won't do anything that'll put his spot on the team at risk though..." She'd seen him in tournaments, and he was actually kind of scary when he fought, like he took it way too seriously.

Reika beamed when Yume accepted her offer. When Hiro suggested the roof, Reika chimed in excitedly. “Oh, yes! The palace! My favorite view for sure. Good idea,” she agreed. As a hopeless romantic herself, Reika spent most of her time daydreaming about what it would feel like to live there in the Crystal Palace as a princess. How wonderful must it be, not to mention how she would certainly find a prince one day. Ahh, she did so love fairy tales.

“I’m Reika, by the way! Reika Nakashima,” she offered her hand to Yume. She could not wait to get to know the new girl better; she had a feeling they would get along swimmingly!

"Nice to meet you, Nakashima-san!" she beamed at the pink-haired girl, soon turning towards the other who had approached her first. "And you are?"

Her previous experiences at a public school had been nothing like this. Usually it would take a few days for one of the students to work up the courage to talk to her, but they would already have some other friends established or otherwise in mind (even the times when Serenity had been present at the start of a school year). Her frequent absences, often unexplained or at least unsatisfactorily explained as far as the other kids were concerned, tended to push people away. But that wasn't an issue yet. She wasn't willing to project it so far, but instead to enjoy what was happening right now.

---

The two were correct in describing the rooftop as a nice place for lunch. From the first step out onto it, Yume appreciated the grand view and the wind whipping in her hair. Although there was something truly bizarre about seeing one's home looming above the skyline, even if one lived in a massive crystal structure created of magical methods. Her golden eyes stared up at it, mouth slightly open in awe. It never looked so enormous when she was inside of it, but to see it from here it seemed positively gigantic.

"Wow," she breathed. "It's beautiful. You were right about this being a good view of the palace."

As the trio settled down, Serenity tried to think of the right things to say to her new acquaintances. She was very hopeful that soon the correct term would be "friends".

"So... tell me about yourselves!" she finally said, knowing it was awkward but unsure of a better replacement that wouldn't sound too formal and stuffy.

"Oh, right..." she said, rubbing the back of her head. How did she forget to say her own name? "My name's Hiro Kobayashi!" Hiro grinned at her, doing her best to make up for her awkward introduction. She was determined to not mess this one up!

_______________________________

Hiro sat on one of the railings to eat her lunch, packed by her father most of the time. He wasn't the greatest cook, but he always found some fun new way to shape the food to make up for it. Today, he had managed to make a tiger's out of seaweed, rice, and fish, and as childish as it was, it did make her smile. She had already taken a few bites of her food as Yume took in the scenery, and had to swallow and think about the question she was asked. 

"Um... I'm on the school's cheering squad!" she offered. "You said you liked archery this morning, right? You should think about joining our archery team, I'm sure they'd like a new member!"

Reika settled beside the other two, opening her own bento box. “I’m on the party planning committee. I love planning school dances in particular. I’m also on the gardening club. I do knitting, too, but sadly there isn’t a club for that. I’m actually thinking about joining the cheer squad this year… I do like sports, as well.”

It seemed like it could be up her alley, but she had to figure out if it would be eating too much of her time. She already had tons of activities as it were. Still, the more friends the better, right?

She thought about what Yume had mentioned. Archery sounded so cool and badass! She would love to learn that as well sometime.

Yume leaned over and caught a glimpse of the decorated lunch on Hiro's lap.

"Oh, it's so cute!" she squealed.

Mama used to tell her all about "chara-ben", decorated boxed lunches that looked like characters or scenes. Apparently Sailor Jupiter had a particular knack for them, but of course the strong and feminine woman was legendary when it came to her cooking. It wasn't exactly anyone's particular passion as far as Mama's guardians were concerned. And that's not to say that her own lunch wasn't tasty or cute—Mama was a decent cook, and she felt extremely lucky that someone with so many important duties took the time to do something so simple for her daughter. But it definitely wasn't an artistic tiger!

Cheering squad, party planning committee, gardening club... her new classmates certainly were involved in a lot of activities. Hiro's suggestion that she join the archery team had an appeal to it, although Yume wasn't exactly sure how to fit that in with her duties as Princess Serenity.

"Hmm, the archery team sounds interesting," she mused aloud. "I'll have to look into it."

"How do you manage everything, Nakashima-san?" Yume inquired, amazed at the list of activities the rouge-haired girl partook of.

"Thanks, my dad made it for me," Hiro said. "I'm not that great at cooking..." Whenever her father wasn't cooking, she ended up getting something from the store to avoid ruining a dish or pot with her lackluster skills. She never wanted to scrape clean a pan again after her attempt to bake a cake. 

Just hearing Reika's list of activities she was involved in made Hiro's head start to spin. She must be busy like...every day of the week! How did she get all her homework done with all that stuff? 

It'd be great to have another person on the Cheer Squad though, and she was pleased that Yume was interested in joining a team as well. Maybe she'd see her at a competition sometime.

She giggled at Yume’s question. “I guess I just can’t stand to be idle. If I’m left with my own thoughts, I’d inevitably daydream too much about things… that will never happen…” Her voice trailed off as her cheery tone grew a tad bit forlorn. Thoughts about her failed romantic escapades continued to haunt her, and the reason she had busied herself with so many activities was to take her mind off that eternal disappointment. She loved to daydream, but at the same time, the knowledge that none of it would come true also hurt.

“Anyway! Yes! You should join some of the clubs—we have lots of activities available,” she nodded quickly, her smile returning to her face. No use regretting things that might never change, after all.

She was going to open her mouth to say something else, but instead she heard the familiar chime of the bell. Serenity couldn't believe that the time had passed so quickly! Well, that must be part of the joy of making friends, she supposed. Even that little snippet of a thought made her feel so incredibly excited for this school year. She was so enthralled that she didn't even think about her father or all the terrible things that had happened; those memories were far from her mind.

"Well, Nakashima-san and Kobayashi-san, thank you for inviting me! I hope we can have lunch together again tomorrow," she commented, carefully packing up her own bento. "Shall we head back to the classroom?"

Hiro hadn't even realized that it was time for the afternoon classes when the bell rang. Lunch had disappeared so fast! She smiled in embarrassment when Yume thanked her, not sure what to do with it. She had never been thanked before just for being friendly, but if she appreciated it that much...

"If you want to, sure!" she said, standing up after packing away her lunch. This was an entirely new experience for her, but she wouldn't complain about it. Hiro ran over to the stairway down and waited for the other two to catch up.

The bell rang, cutting their conversation short.

“Certainly!” Reika replied cheerfully to Yume’s question, happy to have made a new friend. Or two, kind of. She nodded as Yume said they should get back to the classroom. There was definitely something interesting about this girl beyond her unusual name and hair color. She just kind of… emitted light. Not literally, but it was what had attracted Reika to her. She’d never been drawn to another girl in this way before, so it was a peculiar feeling.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of the various things they could do together as she walked back to class.

The rest of the day passed surprisingly well. Yume felt buoyed from her positive lunchtime experience: She volunteered to answer questions in English, her least favourite subject, and didn't do too badly at it. She managed to join a small group for an assignment in math without too much awkwardness. Interacting with Reika and Hiro seemed to have prepared her for additional social moments. She was so indebted to their generosity, and already she was looking forward to eating lunch with them tomorrow.

Briefly the princess's thoughts turned to Bunny, wondering how her sister was doing back at the palace. Alone. Probably studying in the library, tucked away from the sunlight. She frowned briefly at her history textbook, this lesson one she was particularly familiar with from one of her tutors. This type of life, this normal life, was something they both needed. Serenity had fought for it, but Bunny didn't seem to care. She was too secluded. She needed more socialization. Maybe it was something Serenity could talk to Mama about, later.

Her thoughts were focused back on the lesson at hand as the class began reading sections of the book aloud; there was no way Yume was going to be caught off-guard on her first day.

---

A small moth, this one a strange shade of blue for the typically brown-and-grey creatures, fluttered softly towards Crystal Tokyo High School. The sun dipped lower in the sky, signaling the afternoon, but the winged creature seemed not to mind the bright light that filtered down on it. How strange, considering that these creatures typically stuck to the duskier twilight hours...

---

Yume smiled to herself as the final bell rang and she filtered out of the school along with the rest of the students. The lavender-haired girl tossed her ponytail and gave her book bag a cheerful swing to accompany her step. She had a short path to walk before she'd duck into a covered place and use a secret entrance to the Crystal Palace. It was amazing to think that long ago Mercury had planned so many areas where such a thing was possible, as long as you had the right information and access. Of course, as the Crown Princess, Serenity was well-vetted by the security procedures.

Being able to be outside of the palace like this still felt surreal. Too perfect. Today had been, on the whole, a wonderful day. She hadn't expected as much, although she may have quietly dreamed of it in her heart. Everything seemed to be working out. She had made some friends, maybe-sort-of-hopefully, and she'd even have lunch with them tomorrow! Perhaps Mama could show her something simple to make that she could share with them. If she had time, of course.

A sudden scream, almost like something from a movie, interrupted her happy thoughts. She whipped around, golden eyes darting about to search for the source of the noise.

There, by the athletic field of the school!

Two students had collapsed, and there was something... not right about them. A spot of blue, very bright, danced on top of each fallen figure. Judging by the uniforms, it looked to her like one male student and one female. Her skin crawled as she watched the scene. That sense that something was not right only intensified.

Why did this feel... familiar?

That horrible moment with father flashed through her mind, her eyes widening in shock at the revelation. This... this was... this was like that, somehow!

She ducked to the side, trying to remove herself from the view of other students. The pale-haired girl nearly dropped her book bag in her haste to fish the communicator out of the bottom, knowing that she had to tell her mother's guardians as soon as possible. As she glanced down at it, she could see a series of signals and messages indicating evil energy. If only she had looked at the thing sooner! Her fingers felt clumsy and unnatural as she tried to punch the alert button on the device's screen.

"Everyone!" Her voice was hoarse and panicked, although she wanted to stay calm. "There's an evil creature at the school!"

Serenity barely heard a reply before there were more screams, definitely from more students. She took a deep breath, closing her fingers around the golden winged compact. She had to do something.

"Golden Mirror Power, Make Up!"