Moonlit Visions by Morgan Jenkins
CHAPTER ONE
Jane and Daria were on their way back to their hotel room. They spotted Kevin and Brittany making-out in the hallway. Jane's boyfriend, Tom, couldn't come on the trip because he was home with the flu, so she wasn't in the mood to be reminded of couples. "Get a room. You're kind of making me sick."
Brittany pulled away and looked confused (and that's a change, how?). "But I already have one." she replied while twirling her hair around her index finger.
"Yeah. Me too." piped in Kevin.
"Well, then, all you need is to figure out which one." Daria almost smiled at their puzzled reactions.
"Good one." Jane whispered as they crossed the hall to their room. "They'll spend hours trying to figure that out."
They walked in and shut the door. Daria answered in her normal voice. "You're assuming that they're smart enough to figure out what 'get a room' means."
"Don't you feel sorry for Jodie and Mack? They both have to share a room with those idiots.
"I bet they're really happy with the author for that. Who'd be that sadistic, anyway? That's just cruel. And why didn't everyone get their own rooms, anyway?"
"Too much money. The only people who don't have to share are the chaperones." Jane smiled. "You know, you could share a room with Trent and let me have this one all to myself."
Daria gave her a dirty look. "You love to torture me, don't you?"
Jane laughed. "Yes, I do. Besides, right now it keeps my mind off Tom. I miss him." She looked up at the ceiling. "Damn artistic license!" she yelled at the author.
The author yelled back. "I'll put him in the sequels that take place in Lawndale, okay? I didn't know enough about him to put him on the trip. By the time I get that far, I would've, hopefully, seen new episodes and have gotten a better idea of his personality."
Daria looked up, too. "Why did you put Trent on the trip? If you kept Tom in the states, why didn't Trent stay there, too?"
She laughed. "You'll see. I think you'll like what's going to happen."
Daria groaned and grabbed her pajamas. "Stupid disembodied voice." she mumbled.
"You're just mad that you're sharing a room with the wrong Lane." the author teased.
Daria looked back up. "I swear you have the same twisted personality as Jane!" she yelled.
Jane and the author both laughed. "Thanks!" they replied in unison. They started to laugh harder. Daria stormed off to the bathroom to change. Jane and the author were still hysterical.
Serena decided to call Molly's house and see if she found her way home. She sighed to herself. "She's been attacked so many times. I had to leave. If she woke up and saw the scouts, she'd know there was trouble. She'd probably have a nervous breakdown or something. "I did what was best for her." She dialed the number and Molly answered on the first ring. "Molly, where were you? I looked all over and couldn't find you. I was worried sick."
"I know this is going to sound weird, Serena. but I can't remember. I went shopping, and I blacked out. I woke up in an alley."
"So you don't remember anything else?"
"No. Wait. There were four other girls, but I don't remember anything about them at all."
"That's really strange. Well, I have to go. Mom said if I don't make at least a C+ on our next math quiz, I'll be grounded until I graduate. Bye, Molly."
"Bye."
Serena hung up the phone."That was really weird."
Sandi had just found out what happened to their monster. She wasn't happy. "We leave for a minute, and seven unfashionable girls destroy a day's work. Uugh!! We probably would have been able to stay and keep that from happening if those girls Quinn knows hadn't shown up."
Quinn walked up to her and stared her in the eyes. "You know, we ARE supposed to be able to disguise ourselves, if you remember. That's part of our powers. At least it would be if you ever let us use them. It looks like we have to, now." She pulled a red compact out of her pocket. It had a little golden flame embossed on it. She looked over at Stacy and Tiffany. "Don't you agree? Shouldn't we use our powers?"
They thought for a second. Stacy pulled out a blue compact with a silver snowflake on it. Tiffany pulled out an orange compact with a golden broken heart on it.
"We don't have a choice, Sandi." Tiffany assured her. "We aren't trying to overthrow you."
Sandi sighed and pulled out a green compact with a silver lightning bolt on top. "Fine." she muttered. "Come on, Tiffany. Let's go to our room. I'm sure Quinn and Stacy NEED their beauty rest." She stormed out, and Tiffany tagged behind.
Jane and Daria were staring at the dark ceiling. They were both having a hard time trying to sleep because of everything that happened that day. Jane got up and sat on the foot of Daria's bed. "Are you awake?"
She groaned and sat up. "Yeah, Jane. You know they want us to see them tomorrow?"
Jane pulled one of her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around it. She squeezed it to try and hide how badly she was shaking. The whole scouts thing made her really nervous. "Are we going? Do we have a choice?"
"You saw what that thing was capable of. We may have gotten rid of it, but they said there's more. And the monster's aren't acting on their own. Someone's controlling them."
"So, Cherry Hill Temple at 4 pm, then?" Jane sighed. "Can I just wake up and find that this has been just a weird dream?"
"If you wake up and can't find the pens or watches, sure. If you do, tough luck."
"Daria? Do you mind if I turn the T.V. on?" Daria yawned. "Be my guest."
Jane picked up the remote and surfed until she found a channel with American T.V. shows and Japanese subtitles. She crawled over into her bed and lied down.
"Are hot dogs really made from dogs? Canine cuisine, next on Sick, Sad World."
Trent looked at the clock. It was 3:30 am, and he still couldn't sleep. Normally he could sleep anytime, anywhere. But now, every time he closed his eyes, he could hear the girl in yellow scream just as she was hit. It broke his heart, and he couldn't understand why. He didn't remember either meeting either of those girls, yet they seemed so familiar. The whole dream seemed ridiculous, but it was also like deja-vu. "Maybe I should tell it to Daria." he thought to himself. "She can always help me solve my problems. But, it might seem strange to be this concerned over a dream." He tried to go back to sleep.
The sunlight was pouring through the window, straight into Daria's eyes. She got up to close the curtains, and saw, to her surprise, that Jane was already awake. At least she thought it was Jane. Daria reached for her glasses. It was Jane. "What are you doing up?" She looked over at the clock, and then realized how stupid that was because they were in a totally different time zone.
"I didn't get any sleep at all. I kept wondering about that whole sailor business."
"That reminds me. Stick?"
Jane held up her transformation pen. "Stick. Watch, too." She held up her communication watch. "We have thee hours before we have to be there. Go ahead and get your shower and change. We might have time to go sight seeing."
"Okay. I swear, if we didn't have those pens, I'd think Quinn gave us some of those 'glitter berries.'"
Jane laughed. "At least then we'd be able to grow wings and flutter home."
After Daria got ready, they went into the lobby, this time to find Upchuck. "Good afternoon, ladies. You know, exotic settings can set the mood for rrrrromance."
"And in your fantasy world, a girl would let you get that close?" Daria deadpaned.
"Oh, you don't have to pretend with me. Wouldn't either of you lovlies like to get some sushi with me?"
"I'd rather be sushi. Or, better yet, turn YOU into it." threatened Jane.
"Rrrroowwllllllll! Fiesty!"
Trent came up behnd him. "Is he bugging you?"
Jane yelled. "Yes!! Off with his head!"
Daria nodded in agreement. "This peasant needs to be taught a lesson. What do you suggest?"
Trent turned Upchuck to face him. "I'm only going to say this once, so concider yourself warned. As a chaperone, I hold your future on this trip in my hands. Bother my sister or our friend again, and you won't be allowed out of your room until it's time to catch the plane back. And if that doesn't work, you won't be physically able to come out of your room. Understand?"
"Fine, I'll leave, but they say absense only makes the heart grow fonder! Rrrrrooowwwllllllllllll!!!!"
Daria looked at him blankly. "Don't count on it."
Jane ran and hugged her brother. (fore-shadowing alert!) "Our knight in shining armor!"
"Umm, Janey, are you still the Queen of hearts?" He looked a little nervous.
"Yes."
"Didn't she have her knights decapitated?"
Daria gave him her Mona-Lisa smile. "No. She only threatened to. She did have a few of the numbered cards taken out, though."
"Oh. Well, that's good."
"Not for them."
"Well, Sir Trent, the Lady Daria and I are hungry. We'll see you later."
"Not so fast, Queen Jane. I saved you from the Dark Knight, remember? You owe me breakfast."
"Very well. I'll just schedule you for a 3 o'clock beheading, then."
Daria joined in. "Unless, of course, the Jaborwocky eats us first."
"Who was that guy anyway, Daria?"
"That would the infamous Upchuck."
"The guy you and Jane compare every disgusting thing to?"
"That would be him."
"Your descriptions of him didn't do him justice... He's much worse."
"Well, there aren't enough words in the English language to describe him."
"I'm starving. Lead on, m'Lady." Trent jokingly bowed, and Daria blushed.
Sandi, Quinn, Tifany, ad Stacy were changing into their best clothes. They were going to pick up Molly after school and take her "shopping" again. This time, they were going to be prepared. Tiffany came out of the bathroom wearing a lavender haltertop and white capri pants. "Does this make me look fat?"
Qunn momentarily looked up from the copy of "Waif" she had been flipping through. She sounded annoyed. "NO, Tiffany. It makes you look just as slender as the past twenty seven outfits." She was wearing a light blue halter dress with yellow daisy print. Stacy sat beside her in the same outfit, only hers was yellow with white flowers.
Sandi, in a light blue zip up shirt and matching skirt, walked over to Quinn. "Criticizing another's concern for her appearance is a definate fashion don't. If you start acting like your 'cousin', you're out. Do you understand?"
Quinn panicked. "But, Sandi, you must have missunderstood me. What I ment was NOTHING could make her look fat. I'm so sorry you took that the wrong way. I'd never criticize another fashion club member."
Sandi raised an eyebrow. "That's very fortunate. Because you DO remember what happens if you get thrown out, don't you?"
Quinn let out a sigh of relief. "I understand."
Tiffany put on her make up. Sand looked around. "Is everyone done?" They all nodded. "Good, Now let's figure out our strategy in case those Sailor Brats show up."
CHAPTER TWO
Daria, Trent, and Jane had just finished eating. "I can't belive they have Mac Donald's here. Next thing you know, they'll be putting them on the moon. Hey, that might be a good idea for a song."
Jane and Daria exchanged a look. Though their part wasn't fully explained to them, the other scouts told them all about the Silver Millennium and the Moon Kingdom. Unfortunately, they couldn't explain Jane and Daria's individual pasts to them, though.
"You're going to be writing this new song all day now, aren't you? Trent? Yo, Trent?" Jane finally gave up when he walked out into the street and just missed getting hit by a bus. "It's safe to say he'll be ignoring the world for the rest of the day." Jane yawned. "I'm so tired. Something tells me I shouldn't have watched that Sick Sad World marathon last night."
"Isn't it strange that's the only show we ever see?"
"Next you'll tell me that even though it seems as if we've only known each other a year, it's actually been three."
"It has."
"Oh. So I guess your legal age, then. we can go tell Trent and start moving your stuff into is room."
�Daria looked around. When she was certain that Trent had long ago went his own separate way, she threatened her. "I WILL bury you in Quinn's clothes, if you don't shut up."
Stacy, Tiffany, Quinn, and Sandi were waiting outside Crossroads Jr. High for Molly. "It's 3:15, already. Where is she?" Quinn was getting very irritated.
Stacy just looked confused. "I thought she said she's in 9th grade. Why are we outside a Middle School?"
Sandi rolled her eyes at Stacy's stupidity and started yelling at her. "I told you this last night!! In Japan, Jr. High goes all the way up to 9th grade. Then you take a test to get into High School. Remember?" Stacy shied away from Sandi.
Molly ran out of the building. "I'm sorry! My boyfriend was off to computer school. We were saying good-bye. And then I walked my best friend down to detention. I lost track of time."
"So," Tiffany asked, "what's she in for?"
"Serena? What ISN'T she in for?! Let's see, she was late, she didn't do her homework, she talked in class, and then she fell asleep."
Quinn adjusted her skirt. "That's too bad! If she wasn't in detention, we would have invited her along. Ready to go?"(Author's note: I know this seems confusing since Molly told Serena that she didn't remember the girls, but chapter three might shed some light on the situation. Trust me.)
"Sure."
"You know, Molly," said Sandi, "we were worried about you last night. We ran when that mugger came, and thought you were behind us. When we saw you weren't, we looked everywhere. I'm so glad you got away." She picked up her purse and motioned for the other four. "Let's go."
Trent was in his hotel room trying to write a song about the Moon. He scrapped the idea about Mac Donald's, but he felt compelled to write about the Moon for reasons he couldn't explain. He started singing: "That silver palace haunts me still, The palace where we last danced and kissed. It begs me to tell you how I still feel. Forget shooting stars, it's on the Moon that I wish. The castle has crumbled and centuries have gone by, Yet I'll never forget my Princess of the Sun. Tell me, please, as you look into my eyes, That Time and War will never kill our Love." He sighed. He knew this had something to do with that dream of his. It would help so much if he could understand what the dream meant.
Jane and Daria arrived outside the Cherry Hill Temple. They saw five other girls sitting n the steps. Daria spoke first. "Umm...are you the Sail..the girls we met last night?"
A girl in a white and red kimono stood up. "I'm Sailor Mars, but you can call me Raye."
A girl with long blonde pigtails stood up. "I'm Sailor Moon, the Moon Princess: Princess Serena, and the Queen of Crystal Tokyo: Neo-Queen Serenity, but you can call me Serena."
The girl with short blue hair stood up. "I'm Sailor Mercury, but right now I'm Amy."
The other blonde girl waved. "Sailor V, Sailor Venus, and Mina."
The tall girl with the curly ponytail and green eyes walked over and shook their hands. "Sailor Jupiter and Lita."
The black cat stepped forwards. "I'm Luna, and this is my friend, Artemis." She gestured to the white cat.
Jane waved. "Sailor Earth and Jane." She pointed to Daria. "Sailor Sun and Daria."
Daria sat down next to the other girls. "Now that we're all introduced, can you tell us more about the Moon? What were we doing this whole time? And how did we die? I'm sort of curious."
"We can't tell you much, just that you were the Sun Princess and Jane was the Earth Princess, and you were both on the Moon when Queen Beryl attacked. Everyone but Queen Serenity, Luna, and myself was killed and then trapped inside the Silver Crystal."
Jane rolled her eyes. "You told us all of that last night." she replied to Artemis. "We want details."
"We can't tell you. When and if you're ready to know, you will. That will happen one of three ways.
1. You'll just remember.
2. Queen Serenity's ghost will appear and tell you. or
3. Sailor Pluto will take you back to see."
"Who's she?" asked Daria.
Luna answered. "She is the Sailor Scout of Time. She guards the Gate of Time and doesn't let anyone through who she thinks unworthy. She's 2000 years old, and the only scout with immortality, or close to it, at any rate. She'll probably show you your pasts if and when you need to see it."
"Who sent that monster?" Daria thought hard about the shadows she saw and kept trying to make out shapes. It was no use. Whoever they were, they were too far away, too close to each other, and too enwrapped in darkness.
"We don't know, yet." Raye didn't even think about explaining the vision. She didn't think it would make a difference. "I think they didn't know about us, though last night probably alerted them to our presence."
"So, what are we? I mean, if Sailor Pluto's the scout of Time, don't each of s have something like that we're over?" Jane questioned.
Mina answered. "Sailor Moon is the Royal Scout. Mercury is the Scout of Ice and Water. I'm the Scout of Love and Metal. Mars is the Scout of Fire. Jupiter is the Scout of Electricity and Wood. You, Jane, are the Scout of Change. Your attacks will have to do with the changing of the seasons. Your friend, Daria, is the Scout of Light. Her attacks will all have the properties of the Sun."
"Attacks? Plural? You mean we get more than one?" This really sparked Jane's interest. That thing she did last night was one of the coolest things she'd ever seen. "What are our others?"
"You'll just know them when you're ready. That's how we all learned them." Lita replied. "But we have more important things to do right now than talk. Whoever sent that monster is still out there. We have to look for them."
CHAPTER THREE
The Fashion Club had gotten new clothes for Molly and were now ready to attack. They pulled her onto the rooftop of the shopping center. "Let's talk for awhile." Sandi coaxed her to join them.
"Are you sure this is safe?"
"You won't fall, if that's what you mean. We do this all of the time back in Lawndale."
Molly stepped close to them. The door leading back down slammed shut and locked itself.
"NOW!" Sandi yelled. They each held up their compacts.
Stacy yelled "Dark Mercury, Transform Now!"
Tiffany yelled "Dark Venus, Transform Now!"
Quinn yelled "Dark Mars, Transform Now!"
Sandi yelled "Dark Jupiter, Transform Now!"
Molly screamed in fear when she saw her new "friends". Sandi, now Dark Jupiter, was in a hunter green tank top, hunter green capri pants, black high heels, and wore a necklace with a silver lightning bolt pendant. Quinn, now Dark Mars, wore a pair of red hip huggers, black platforms, and a white baby tee. A golden flame dangled from her neck. Tiffany, transformed into Dark Venus, wore an orange mini dress with thigh-high orange boots. She had on broken-heart earrings, one golden half on each ear. Stacy, made over into Dark Mercury, wore white platforms, siver knee-high stockings, a blue vinal mini skirt, and a fuzzy blue sweater. She had on a silver snowflake necklace.
"We are the Dark Scouts! Your energy belongs to the Negaverse. Give it up now!" Dark Jupiter commanded.
Dark Venus pointed at Molly and yelled "Hate Whip!" A chain of black hearts shot and tied itself around Molly. She started to loose her energy, and the Dark Scouts' jewelry began to glow as they absorbed it.
The seven Sailor Scouts then appeared on the roof across the alley. They leaped over and landed near the their four enemies. "We are the Sailor Scouts! We stand for love and justice! In the name of the Moon, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and the Earth, we will punish you!"
"How wonderfully annoying. We are the Dark Scouts. We killed you before, and we can do it again." Dark Mars smirked. "Fiery Laser!" she screamed. A beam of fire shot out from her outstretched hand at Sailor Mars. She dodged, and it only singed her skirt.
"Snow Machine!" screamed Dark Mercury. An ice beam shot out at Sailor Mercury. She moved just in time. A pole she had been standing in front of was completely frozen over.
"Venus Love Chain, Encircle!"
"Hate Whip!" Their attacks hit each other and dissolved.
"Hurricane Swirl!" An electric disk similar to Thunder Clap rushed towards Sailor Jupiter. She jumped out of the way.
"Jupiter Thunder Clap, Zap!" Dark Jupiter just missed being hit.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!"
"Mars Celestial Fire, Surround!" Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars attacked their evil counterparts, but they were too fast as well.
Sailor Earth called to her friend. "We have to slow them down, Sailor Sun! Blind them!"
"Sun Dazzle!" The diamonds flew at Dark Mars. She just opened her compact and used the mirror to reflect them back at her. Sailor Sun screamed.
Trent heard her yell. "The girl from the dream." he thought. He felt an urge to protect her.
"Can you see, Sailor Sun?" Sailor Moon asked. � "Yes. My eyes hurt a bit, though. But I don't think I can be badly injured from my own attacks."
"Where IS Tuxedo Mask? He should be here by now. I'm going to have to have a talk with him!"
"Sorry I'm late, Sailor Moon, but I ran into someone else who would like to help." Tuxedo Mask called from the rooftop across the alley. They turned to look. (Remember that "foreshadowing alert"? here's where it pays off.) He was standing with another man. This other guy had on a mask as well, a light green button down shirt, black jeans, and a guitar.
"I am the Rock-N-Roll Knight."� He played a really loud and high pitched note on his guitar. The Dark Scouts were screaming in pain, but the Sailors were unaffected.
Dark Jupiter scowled. "We'll be back, you pathetic little girls. Next time you won't be so lucky."
Dark Mars bent over Molly. She touched her necklace to the girl's forehead and whispered "Dark Mars Mind Control: You won't remember us or anything that happened after school today. We don't exist." The four Dark Scouts then disappeared, and the chain around Molly dissolved. She groaned and looked around.
"Where am I? Sailor Moon? Why are you here?"
"You were just attacked by the Negaverse. You mean you don't remember any of it?"
"The last thing I remember is talking to my best friend after school."
Sailor Moon looked concerned. "Sailor Mercury, do you think she needs to go to the hospital?"
"She was able to get up on her own, and she looks fine. I think she's just a little shaken."
Tuxedo Mask jumped onto the rooftop of the shopping center to help Sailor Moon with Molly. Sailor Sun stared across the alley as she watched the Rock-N-Roll Knight leave. Sailor Earth followed her gaze and smirked. "Does my brother have competition?" She didn't even bother to respond.
The Rock-N-Roll Knight had transformed back into Trent. He sat on the bed in his hotel room in shock. "I can't belive that whole thing just happened. They can't be real."
A feminine voice answered him. "Well, obviously, they ARE real. Now you need to ask yourself if the dream reflected the past, the future, or both." He turned around. There stood a woman with long silver hair done up in the same way as the sailor scout of the Moon's was. She had gauzy wings, large grey eyes, and wore a silver gown. A crescent moon shone on her forehead�.
"Who are you?"
"Someone who knows those girls and yourself pretty well. The auburn haired one that you dream of, for example, was my niece."
"How do you know...?"
"The question is, when are you going to let HER know?" She smiled gently. "Listen, you and the Sun Princess have a destiny. But if what happened on the Moon happens again, it won't be fulfilled. That is why I gave you the ability to turn into the Rock-N-Roll Knight, so you can protect her. But you must also find her and tell her how you feel."
"How do I find her when she's not a scout?"
"You must figure that out on your own, Prince Trent. That's the only way." She smiled and faded away.
"Wait!" he called to her. He had so many questions about what happened and about Sailor Sun. "What did she mean by 'destiny'?"
The Fashion Club was in Sandi and Tiffany's hotel room. Sandi was throwing things against the walls and cussing under her breath. The other three looked on in fright. Quinn spoke up.
"Calm down, Sandi, please! We just misjudged them, is all. We can get the next time."
Sandi marched up to her and grabbed her by the collar. "We're equally matched. Those Sailor brats are our opposites and equals. How the hell do you suppose we beat them?!" She dropped her and turned her back. "Their powers are just as strong as ours, and there's more of them. The ONLY way we can beat them is through strategy and speed. But I'm stuck with you three little airheads. How we nearly took over the Moon with you three around is a total mystery!" She looked back at them with fire in her eyes. "Do you realize what Dark Sun and Dark Earth will do to us if we fail on our mission? Our families won't even remember we were born, little on notice that we died. Now, Quinn, do you feel so calm?" The three girls just trembled.
ENDNOTES AND DISCLAIMER
� I couldn't think of a Sailor Moon-esque name for Trent, so my friend Katie came up with the name for me. (Hi, Katie!) If you hate it, blame her, not me.
� For those of you who don't watch Sailor Moon enough to know, this is the Ghost of Queen Serenity, Princess Serena's mother. Let me explain why she said Daria's her niece in case you're confused: I decided Serenity had a twin brother. She inherited the Lunar throne and he married the current Sun Princess, who later inherited the Solar throne. They became the Queen and King of the Sun and, after awhile, Princess Daria's parents. I hope that clears everything up!
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I don't own any of these characters. MTV owns Daria and everyone else from Lawndale. Sailor Moon and company was created by Naoko Takeuchi. Please don't sue me. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.