Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Eternal City:Crystal Tokyo ❯ Chapter 19

Eternal City, Crystal Tokyo: Part Nineteen

Erica Tenoh puffed out a breath, walking along the street with her friend Catrine. "The pressure isn't letting up?" the black haired young woman asked sympathetically.

"My parents want me in prep school then university," Catrine agreed, the blue haired girl keeping up with the longer legged girl's stride. The school-girl's uniform she wore was ruffled by the gentle breeze as they walked to the maglev line together.

Erica sighed softly, "It's your choice, though, and they know that." She swung her school bag behind her head, stretching out in her boy's school uniform.

Catrine nodded glumly, "But they'll be pretty unhappy by my decision to enter the academy to become a pilot."

"Pilot?" Erica raised an eyebrow, obviously not having heard this before.

"I've got the hand eye coordination and reflexes," Catrine said a bit defensively, "I think I'd be good in the mecha corps."

"I wasn't questioning it," Erica grinned, "I was just surprised."

"Sorry," Catrine blushed. She looked over at the handsome young woman walking beside her, "Have you any thoughts about what you want to do?"

Erica smiled wryly, "I assume I'm going to inherit." At Catrine's confused glance Erica traced an imaginary tiara, "From my moms."

"Oh," Catrine murmured. She thought about that a moment as they walked, "Do you know which you're going to inherit?"

"No idea," Erica shook her head. She smiled, "I've been pocked and prodded a few times by Lady Mercury and asked Pluto about it, but they're unsure." Erica chuckled, "Though Setsuna just likes to look mysterious."

"Which ever it is," Catrine flashed a smile, "I'm sure you'll be good at it."

"Thanks," Erica looked down nervously.

It was in that moment of inattention that it happened. The shipping vehicle swerved, losing control as it swerved towards the walkway. Catrine screamed, Erica saw the vehicle barreling towards them.... and it happened.

Erica grabbed Catrine, feeling her form shifting as power swirled around her. She leapt up, something blocking her eyes as she went up and over the truck, perching with incredible balance on a lamppost, Catrine safely cradled in her arms.

"Erica, you...." Catrine was looking at her with the oddest look on her face. "You... you've become Tuxedo Kamen?!" she finally managed to get out.

Erica nearly lost her balance, peering down in surprise at the snugly fitting black tuxedo that she now wore, a top hat and mask concealing her face while a red lined matching cape swirled around her body. "Well isn't this interesting," Erica muttered as she leapt onward, leaving the accident behind them.

"Where are we going?' Catrine squeaked, holding on tightly.

"I'm going up to the Palace to see if Ami can tell me what's going on," Erica said. She gave Catrine a worried look, "Do you want me to drop you off?"

"Oh no," Catrine said firmly, "I want to know, too."

"Fair enough," Erica said.

It felt oddly good having this girl in her arms as she leapt across the city towards the palace. It took surprisingly little time to reach the palace, though the reactions when she arrived were just priceless. The guards gaped at her in shock, refusing admittance as they called upstairs for guidance.

A few moments later a girl came running down the hall, skidding to a stop when she took in the figure standing there. "What in the..." Usagi blinked, her pink hair falling down her back in two streams. She peered closely a moment, "Erica?!"

"The mask doesn't work too well," Erica noted to Catrine.

"She does know you pretty well," Catrine answered, hiding her smile.

"I can't wait until Dad sees you," Usagi noted as she circled Erica, looking her over admiringly, "he'll love this."

"I'd rather have Ami see me," Erica said dryly, "thank you very much. I have no idea why I transformed like this."

"Sounds like a plan," Usagi led them past the confused guards. She tossed Catrine a smile, "Hello again."

"Princess," Catrine managed a respectable bow while still keeping up with them.

"Just call me Usagi," she said cheerfully as they entered the lift, the taller girl entering the level for Ami's laboratory.

"Yes, Usagi," Catrine stammered, face red.

"So what happened?" Usagi asked Erica pointedly.

Erica took the top hat off, discovering it could be folded away invisibly within the suit jacket. "A truck swerved towards us," Erica took the mask off, putting it in her breast pocket, "and I transformed to get us clear."

"Oh," Catrine looked at Erica, blushing once again. "I never even said thank you," she said, looking up at Erica.

"No problem," Erica blushed slightly, "I was saving myself too."

"Right," Usagi looked up with a false sort of casualness. The lift chimed, the doors opening as they reached the right level. "Here we go," she lead the way out into the hall.

"Here's hoping that Ami's home," Erica sighed, cutting a fine figure in her black suit. More than one palace staffer gave her admiring gazes, but she seemed not to notice them.

'Catrine certainly does,' Usagi noted the irritable looks the girl was tossing the admirers. She stopped them by an unmarked door and hit the bell.

A few moments later a irritable looking Rei opened the door, the black haired Senshi giving them a glare, "You're timing stinks."

"Oh dear," Catrine ducked behind Erica.

Rei clearly looked like she had just gotten out of bed, hair messy and wearing a hastily thrown on robe. In behind they saw a fiercely blushing Ami Mizuno come out of a bedroom in her own robe and the three girls realized what they may have just interrupted.

"Sorry," Usagi gestured to where the tuxedo clad young woman stood, "but Erica's got a little problem she needs Ami's help with."

"I'll be damned," Rei blinked at Erica in surprise.

"Well," Ami had put her glasses on, peering at Erica thoughtfully as she held her robe shut with her hand, "this is unexpected."

"Tell me about it," Erica sighed. She turned a bit to where Catrine still lurked behind her, "It's safe, they won't hurt you."

"Sorry," Rei looked a bit sheepish as she smiled at Catrine. She looked at the others, "Excuse me while we get dressed." With that she firmly closed the door in their faces.

Catrine looked up at Erica, "Do you think they were...?"

"Oh yeah," Erica sighed.

It wasn't long afterwards that Ami had Erica in her lab, performing a battery of tests on the young woman. Erica managed to revert to normal, causing even more intense testing while the other Senshi arrived to see what was going on.

"Don't be so intimidated," Minako said to Catrine softly, noting that the girl looked ready to faint with excitement, "we all put our skirts on one leg at a time."

"Pants," Motoko corrected her, the cyborg watching the goings on with amusement, "pants one leg at a time."

"You know what I mean," Minako shrugged.

"So what happened, exactly?" Erica finally asked, drinking a cup of tea.

"And will it happen again?" Michiru asked worriedly.

"Reminds me of the time I wore Tuxie's old suit," Haruka murmured to Michiru softly.

Michiru's cheeks colored slightly, "Not in front of the children."

"Ahem," Ami cleared her throat loudly, "I do have a theory." Once she was sure she had everyone's full attention she continued, "I believe that Erica's latent Senshi powers were awakened by the danger she was in. However, because both the Senshi positions she is heir to were occupied," she nodded to Haruka and Michiru," her power seized upon the first open form it could take."

King Endymion nodded thoughtfully at that, "I suppose that as King of Crystal Tokyo I am no longer Tuxedo Kamen."

"So until I inherit my Mothers' position, I'm going to continue to change into Tuxedo Kamen whenever I'm in danger?" Erica asked.

"I'm afraid so," Ami admitted.

To be continued....

Author's Note: Haruka really did wear the Tuxedo Kamen costume... at least in the manga series. I should also apologize for featuring Ami with Makoto in my first draft, but I've corrected that. ^_^;