Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Moon E(ternals) ❯ Off to College. Good-bye to Old Friends, and The Start of a New Battle. ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: I tried to stay in character with Rei. I find her the most difficult because I always thought her to be the one that hid the most. The story line takes place approximately 4 years after Galaxia. The first story is about Rei and her transformation. I am working on the assumption that Rei stays and trains at the shrine for a few years before going off to college.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Sailor Moon characters. Naoko Takeuchi has that illustrious honor. I do however own the villains, the golden senshi, and the story line I am writing about.

 

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Chapter 1

Off to College. Good-bye to Old Friends, and The Start of a New Battle.

 

A young woman with dark violet hair stood in the door way of a sitting room balancing a tray on each arm and a tray on her head. In addition, she held a bag of pretzels in her mouth. Her loose red skirt swirled around her feet, causing her to stumble slightly. She automatically opened her mouth to curse, causing the pretzels to fall out of her mouth which then caused her skirt to become wrapped around her legs.

 

She fell forward, realizing, even as it was happening what was going to be the end result. As she pitched forward, she felt a hand wrap around her middle. She did a flip around the hand that grabbed her, and her hand flew forward as she automatically grabbed the tray that was falling. Amazingly enough, she caught the drink tray with only a small amount of the liquid splashing onto her bare wrist.

 

She turned, grabbing the tray to further balance it, and saw a man with shaggy brown hair and a scruffy, unshaved chin standing behind her balancing one of her dropped trays on his head and the other on his upraised leg.

 

“Uh…Rei-san, could you…uh.” He started to topple and Hino Rei grabbed the tray from his knee, which let him grab the one on his head. “Thank you.”

 

As always, Rei brought her frustration to the front of her mind to mask her deeper feelings for the young man. “Yuuichirou, why are you here?”

 

“I wanted to tell you good-bye,” Yuuichirou said, rubbing the back of his head.

 

Rei sighed, burying her thought that if he would only pull his hair back, he would be irresistible, and turned towards him. When she looked into his blushing face, she realized that she wanted him to be at her party. “Why don't you join us, Chirou-san?”

 

“Well…really?”

 

“Really. You know everyone that will be there. Ami-chan is going to Germany for her doctorate. She had the opportunity to several years ago, bud didn't take it. Mako-chan is going to study in Osaka. I guess there is a really good Culinary Arts school there. Minako-chan is leaving on her tour next week. And of course I'm leaving for University tomorrow…” Rei trailed off, thinking of the changing lives of her and her friends. Three short years ago, they were battling for their lives, but now they were living normally, at least until the final battle that would change everyone's lives. She shook her head to stop her depressing thoughts from taking her deeper into melancholy and looked up at Yuuichirou, who was staring at her in rapt attention. “Anyway,” she continued, clearing her throat slightly, “We're also throwing a surprise Bridal Shower for Usagi, since she's getting married in a little over a month from now.”

 

“And you want a guy there?”

 

“Why not? You're friends with all of us…” With those not so encouraging words, Rei turned into the room and started setting up for the party.

 

“That's me,” Yuuichirou mumbled quietly. “A great friend.”

 

“Did you say something, Chirou-san?”

 

“No,” he said, shaking his own head at his actions. “Can I help?”

 

“Sure,” Rei answered and proceeded to direct him on how she wanted stuff set up.

 

********************

 

“I refuse to let you go.”

 

“Ojii-cha, I've told you my reasons behind going.”

 

“Rei, you are my granddaughter. I will give you anything you want, but please don't make me do this.”

 

Rei took a deep breath and said, for what seemed like the thousandth time. “Ojii-cha, I want to go to University to learn business so the shrine could do better. Don't you want me improve Hikawa Jinja?”

 

“Of course, but not at the expense of me loosing my granddaughter to another shrine.”

 

“You won't, Ojii-cha. I know my duty as well as anyone else. Besides I spent the last three years studying to become High Priestess at this shrine, not some shrine down the street.”

 

Rei's grandpa looked at her and tried to give her a puppy-dog look, but couldn't when she was looking so much like her mother. “Rei, you'll come back often?”

 

“Of course, Ojii-cha. There are some things I would never miss. Now, come join the party.”

 

“Hai, hai.”

 

Rei and her grandpa walked into the room right as Minako-chan was saying, “…and then I told him that I didn't do that kind of stuff on the first date…”

 

“Minako!”

 

“What?”

 

Rei hung her head and groaned at the stupidity of her friends sometimes. “Baka! Not around Ojii-cha.”

 

“Oh. Sorry, Ojii-cha.”

 

The rest of the party was non-eventful, except for the occasional looks Rei caught from Yuuichirou. She could barely see his pretty hazel eyes behind his long hair, but she felt his eyes on her. She noticed him flush a few times and realized she couldn't keep her eyes away from him. She knew, as soon as Minako had her alone, she would be teased unmercifully about this, but she was not going to refuse to get an eyeful because of her wayward friend.

 

Soon, all too soon, the presents were all opened, the last food was eaten and her first guests had left. Then it was only her five best friends left and she knew it was time. “Minna! I…I know that we've been busy these past few years with our own stuff, but I wanted to tell you that I love all of you. Minako-chan, good luck on your tour. I will listen to your music everyday and think of you. Mako-chan, call me as soon as you open your own restaurant. I will eat there every day I can. Ami-chan, you are the only doctor I will come see, so you'd better hurry and get your doctorate, ne?” Rei turned to the only couple in the group. “Mamoru-san, take care of Baka-odango for me. And Usagi-chan…” Rei's tears started falling, despite how much she tried to hold them back. “Usagi-chan, you take care of everyone. I'm counting on you to be strong and hold the group together until we can all reunite again.” She gave everyone a final hug and stood watching as they walked down the steps of Hikawa Jinja and onto the street to head home.

 

“Rei-san? Are you okay?”

 

“I'm okay,” she said, trying to wipe her nose surreptitiously.

 

“Here,” a hand held out a tissue.

 

“Thank you, Chirou-san.” Rei wiped her nose and turned towards the shrine. “Good night…and if I don't see you tomorrow, good-bye.”

 

“…good-bye, my beautiful Rei,” was the whispered response.

 

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Rei settled herself at her dorm desk and picked up her room phone. She needed to know how Yuuichirou was. She couldn't stop dreaming about him being in trouble and she was very afraid that the dream was prophetic. The phone rang twice before it was picked up. To her surprise, a young girl's voice, one she didn't recognize at first, answered.

 

“Hikawa Jinja, can I help you?”

 

“Uh…”

 

“Can I help you?”

 

“Hotaru-chan?”

 

“Oh, Rei-san it's you. I'll get your grandpa, hold on a minute.”

 

In less than the promised minute, Rei's grandpa was on the phone. “Tired of University already?”

 

“No, Ojii-cha, I was worried.”

 

“About?”

 

“Yuuichirou. Is he there?”

 

A long pause met Rei's question. “Uh…he's running an errand for me.”

 

“Oh.” Rei stopped. She felt like her grandpa wasn't telling her something. Her stomach clenched. “Is he alright?” She forced her voice to remain calm, like there was nothing at all strange in her request.

 

“Oh, sure. You know Yuuichiro.”

 

Rei paused this time. “Okay, Ojii-cha. How are things there?” she asked suspiciously.

 

“Sorry, Rei. I can't talk right now. Really busy.”

 

“Alright, Ojii-cha. I'll talk to you later then…” And the line went dead. Now Rei was really suspicious. Her grandfather did not usually hang up on anyone.

 

Across town, Rei's grandpa, sighed before turning to face his new helper. “Why didn't you tell her, Ojii-cha?”

 

“Because, little one, it would break her heart…”

 

**************

 

Sailor Minerva picked her battleground of a small University in the heart of Tokyo. She decided to live as a human while she was there and she took on the persona of a university student. She soon became bored with just observing, though, so she decided to have a little fun.

 

“What to steal,” she asked herself, waving her hand and bringing up a listing. “We could steal Heart Crystals, but that's too boring. We could break Dream Mirrors, but there's no purpose in that. We could look for true Star Seeds, but there honestly shouldn't be any here. Energy is always an option. Hmmmm…” Ei appeared in a flurry of snow, twirling a long shaft of ice. “Ei,” Minerva said silkily, getting an idea.

 

“Hai?”

 

“Take this,” Minerva said, pulling a long rectangular object out of thin air, “and use it to suck the Mind Soul out of these pathetic people at this University.”

 

The object flew into Ei's hands and she spun out of the room.

 

“Now, it gets good,” Minerva said, smiling in delight.

 

***************

 

Rei was working on her homework when she heard a crash and a scream from the room next door. Her head flew up as she realized what had been nagging at the back of her mind for the past few minutes. “I sense evil,” she mumbled, jumping up from her seat. I can't believe I didn't recognize it before. Good thing I don't have a roommate, she thought as she pulled out an object she thought she wouldn't have to use again for a few more years at least. Is it starting already? Will I be fighting a loosing battle? Then her instincts took over and she yelled out, “MARS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE-UP!” Swirling fire engulfed her body and in an instant, her regular clothes were replaced with her red and purple fuku. She flipped her hair behind her and covered her head as her door came bursting inward followed by another girl from a room down the hall.

 

“I have you now,” Ei screeched as she threw the card at the girl's forehead. When the card struck her, yellow flashes were seen and the girl screamed in pain.

 

“For interrupting the studying of University students, I am Super Sailor Mars. In the name of Mars, I'll chastise you.”

 

“Ooo, I'm scared,” Ei shouted over the screams. “I'm Ei of Minerva and I'll take your Mind Soul next.”

 

Mind Soul? “Not if I have anything to do with it.” Mars focused her powers and felt her bow and arrow come to her hand. “Mars…” she said, feeling the fire explode from her hand and take the place of the bow and arrow; “…Flame…” she continued, preparing to shoot; “…Sniper!” and she released her fiery arrow. It struck the woman named Ei, who batted it towards the still screaming woman. It hit the yellow force surrounding her and dissipated.

 

“Impossible…” Mars said, seeing the girl start to weaken and a small light start to come out of her forehead above the card.

 

************

 

“Problem? What's the problem, Pluto?”

 

“The Timeline has been disrupted. In your timeline, there were no more battles until the Great Sleep. In the new timeline, there is a new enemy. One I should have seen coming…” Pluto stopped and flushed.

 

“What is it?”

 

“I have failed you, your Highness.”

 

“What do you mean?” Neo-Queen Serenity asked, suddenly fearful for her friends.

 

“I am the only one who remembers this. Luna and Artemis's memories were wiped clean, but mine wasn't. Someone needed to remember…”

 

“Pluto, you're scaring me…”

 

“There is another planet that was inhabited during the Silver Millennium. It wasn't destroyed, but taken over by Metallia before she came to the moon. I think the people of Minerva are disrupting the timeline.”

 

“Minerva?” a faint memory was stirring in the back of Neo-Queen Serenity's mind. A memory of a strange girl in a sailor fuku training along with Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter. Another memory of this same girl asking Queen Serenity, Serenity's mother, for some time away from the Moon Kingdom to spend time with her dying mother. “Is she evil, Pluto?”

 

“I'm not sure, your Highness. She could be just brainwashed, but I think she's going to cause problems”

 

Serenity had another flashback of this girl throwing a large amount of green energy at a practice dummy, which disintegrated. “Oh no…by all that is good, no!”