Chapter Text
Meeting Ami at Crystal Seminar should’ve been simple, but no, a white tiger wandered the streets. After fleeing and getting the initial panic under control, Usagi stuck to the usual paths and hoped to goodness it had been a trick of the eye. Quite a contrast to how the mid-June day began, what with the hours passing in the most normal fashion possible. Now she stood by Crystal Seminar’s door, ready to meet Ami as planned, when the tiger strolled up as if it were a regular person in the city.
Except, of course, it was a tiger. Real. Full grown. Massive. And she had nowhere to hide.
Usagi went still as a statue. At the same time, she kept gaping at the beautiful but dangerous animal. It stared at her and stopped moving an arm’s length away.
She drew back one step and stammered a few words. “N-nice tiger.” Her mind screamed something else: Please don’t eat me I’m too young to die I’m not dinner I swear—
A laugh bubbled from a newcomer. Usagi flicked her eyes up and spotted a boy approaching. A messy mop of black hair framed his tanned face. He wore a plain red t-shirt, blue jeans, and white-and-black sneakers. Strangest of all, he cast a small, casual smile at the tiger and then her.
“It’s okay,” he said. “White Blaze won’t hurt you.”
Usagi’s eyes darted from the boy to the tiger. “Oh. I mean, really?” A new thought popped in, and she straightened. “I-is the tiger yours?”
The boy shrugged, growing a tad sheepish. “White Blaze is my friend, not a pet. So I guess that’s a yes and a no?”
“Your friend?” Usagi fixed her gaze on the tiger, who hadn’t stopped looking at her thus far. Between the lack of aggression from the animal and the boy’s relaxed demeanor, Usagi breathed deep. In a slow, careful motion, she reached out and pet the tiger’s head. A gentle nuzzle answered, and the last of her fear fell away.
The boy laughed. “See? Told you he wouldn’t hurt you.”
Usagi looked to him again, and a couple facts finally clicked. “You called the tiger White Blaze, right? And he’s a boy?”
“Yup.”
“Wow.” Usagi ran her hand along the soft, striped fur. “Sorry, White Blaze. I thought you were really scary, but you’re a big sweetheart, aren’t you?”
A low-pitched purr rumbled in the tiger’s throat.
Usagi turned to the boy. “Nobody’s mad about you running around with a tiger, are they?” Indeed, no one had tried reporting or catching White Blaze so far.
The boy shook his head, and a curious expression fell over him. “No one actually knows he’s here.” He released a quiet, semi-long sigh and lowered his voice close to a whisper. “Most people can’t see him.”
Hearing this caused Usagi to freeze mid-pet. Her gaze flitted between the tiger and the boy. “What do you mean? Who are you?”
“Name’s Ryo.” He knelt and placed a hand on the tiger. “He doesn’t let just anyone see him. He has to trust them first, so I wasn’t worried when he spotted you. But I’m surprised you saw White Blaze without him doing anything.” He gestured to her. “So, who are you?”
She knelt with him. “Usagi.”
He nodded and drummed his fingers on his knee, staring at the sidewalk. Seconds passed in silence, and he raised his head while keeping his voice at a whisper. “Say, Usagi. Have you heard the news reports about magical sailor girls and crazy armor heroes?”
Usagi stopped moving. News mentioning maybe-supernatural activity and superheroes had appeared for about a year and eight months running now. Dare she admit to a total stranger to being one of those magical sailor girls? Her mind scrambled for something to say, but how much would count as too much? As unusual as it was for her to see a tiger most folks couldn’t, did she really want to reveal her greatest secret to someone she just met?
Then she recalled something Ami had suggested for this situation: Answer the core question and nothing else. Taking the advice to heart, Usagi offered a nod. “Yeah, I have. It’s hard not to sometimes.” She hoped her laughter didn’t sound too forced. “I wonder if White Blaze knows them.”
Ryo laughed, too, nervous and embarrassed in equal measure. “He might.”
Usagi tried to think of how to redirect the conversation, to avoid giving away anything too obvious. Her mind blanked on the attempt, even as their laughter calmed.
But the Crystal Seminar building shook. Usagi and Ryo jumped to their feet. White Blaze tensed and growled at what unfolded.
Large clouds darkened into a sickly hue of green, standing out amid an afternoon sky. Lightning flashed in an unnatural fashion, and several bolts converged somewhere on the roof. Another flash, and an icy substance crept down the sides and corners of the building.
Usagi’s breath hitched in her throat. “Oh no. Ami.” She faced Ryo and almost didn’t register him turning to her as well.
They said together, “Run. It’s too dangerous.”
A moment passed before she realized what happened—but afterwards, she stood her ground. “I can’t. A friend of mine is here. She wanted to attend the extra class today.”
He curled both hands into fists, but his gaze stayed on her. “I have a friend here, too. Same reason. If you’re not leaving, then I’m coming with you.”
“Are you sure? This’ll get dangerous real fast. The police won’t stand a chance.”
“All the more reason to go together.”
She had no time to argue, so Usagi sighed and calmed herself. “Okay. Then stay close.”
They soon found the ice barricading the entrance. White Blaze dove ahead and lunged at the doors. Against his full weight, they folded like cardboard. Usagi and Ryo rushed inside.
The entire building had gone dark, and a thick fog filtered into the lobby. The folks at reception all lay either across the counter or slumped in chairs. A couple students and staff members had fallen to the floor outright. No one moved, but nothing threatened them, either. It felt wrong to leave them, but the source to solving the situation likely rested on the roof. Usagi had seen enough of these scenarios to learn.
She ran to the elevators and pressed the down button. It offered no response, however, as the backup power hadn’t activated. Undeterred, she bolted for the stairs next. Ryo and White Blaze followed.
Upon reaching the first landing, Ryo asked, “Which floor are you heading for?”
“Third floor.”
“Funny. My friend’s on the third floor, too.”
Usagi almost laughed. “You don’t think they’re in the same class, do you?”
“We’ll find out, but first.”
Ryo pulled something from his pocket: a round ruby crystal a touch larger than a marble. It gave off a beautiful, shimmering glow which spread and surrounded him. His simple, casual clothes changed into an ensemble of red metal pieces on a white body suit, and the glow vanished.
He trained a serious look on Usagi. “If you have any powers, you should probably suit up now.”
Surprised snapped her straight. “Wait. How did you know?”
“Because you can see White Blaze without help, and he trusts you. That’s good enough for me. I also know a few things about crazy armor—things the news hasn’t mentioned.” He heaved a sigh as if conceding a loss. “You wouldn’t happen to be one of the sailor girls, would you?”
More clues clicked. “Oh. I-is that why you asked?”
Embarrassed, he scratched the back of his neck. “It was kind of my real question.”
Usagi slapped her forehead in a vain hope to ignore her burning cheeks. “Okay, you got me. And since you’re trusting me…”
She rested a hand on a necklace, specifically its gold pendant bearing a crescent moon engraving. Upon raising her free hand, the pendant glowed, and a surge of strength and power flowed into her body. Her clothes changed to a stylized sailor suit similar to her uniform except with a shorter skirt, pink boots and bows, elbow-length gloves, the smallest sleeves, and a tiara. The sailor collar sported two white stripes, and the pendant rested on her front pink bow as a brooch.
“Here I am! Sailor Moon, in the flesh.” Sheepishness flooded in, and Usagi laughed. “I actually thought I messed up. I did not think I’d meet any armor heroes today.”
He smiled and waved it off. “It’s cool. I didn’t think I’d meet a magical sailor gal, but here we are. Nice to meet you, Sailor Moon.”
“Nice to meet you, too. Say, do you have a superhero name?”
“Not really, but my armor’s called Wildfire.”
Usagi helped herself to a giggle. “So cool.”
White Blaze urged them on, and they ascended to the third floor. No sooner did they arrive, a wailing screech pierced the air. Ryo dove ahead and delivered a backhand punch, and a dark shape tumbled to the floor—a wiry monster similar to one Usagi had seen last month. The monster dissolved into dark smoke, and they ran to its spot.
She breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s not human. Thank goodness.”
He calmed somewhat. “Yeah, no kidding. But is it possible it could’ve been?”
“Uh-huh.” She gestured around the hallway, the icy substance in particular. “This is a trap designed to steal people’s life energy. Sometimes, it turns them into monsters that feed on negative emotions. But I can heal them.”
“Also good to know. Can we save everyone in here by destroying the trap?”
“Yeah. That’s what my friends and I always do.”
The two hurried through the hall. Despite the icy surface coating the walls, ceiling, and floor, they maintained a steady balance and pace. However, Usagi struggled to read the room labels under the ice. She peered closely at each little sign, searching for one in particular.
Once again, Ryo spoke up first. “Which room?”
“Three H.”
“You’re kidding. They are in the same class!”
Both stifled a laugh.
They soon arrived at Room 3-H, and Ryo kicked the door open. Usagi inched forward and peered inside, spotting only empty desks inside. Tall, icy pillars dotted the room, more so in the back than near the entrance. A thick fog concealed everything else, which might’ve included any students who hadn’t gone home yet.
She had to make sure. “Hello?” No response. “Ami, are you here?”
A new voice shouted, “Get down!”
Usagi dropped, as did Ryo and White Blaze, and a golden arrow flew over them. It embedded in the chest of a second wiry monster, dissolving it on the spot. She whipped around to where the arrow had come from. Lucky for her, the fog cleared up.
Near the back by an ice pillar, a boy in indigo armor held a golden bow in his left hand. Under the additional plates and the tall, horned helmet, he appeared to wear an outfit identical to Ryo’s but colored indigo instead of red. Beside him stood Ami, dressed in a stylized sailor suit matching Usagi’s but with the collar, skirt, bows, and boots in shades of blue, and the collar bearing one stripe. The fog traced the motions of Ami’s arms until it dissipated; meanwhile, the boy lowered his bow. Not far from them, students lay slumped in a bunch along the door-side wall, unconscious but unharmed.
Ryo approached the archer boy. “Great shot, Toma.”
Toma tossed him a nod and pointed to the students. “They’re fine. Should be out of sight of any monsters.”
“Good call.”
Nearby, Usagi ran up to her friend. “You’re okay! I’m so glad.”
“I had a little unexpected help.” Ami scratched the back of her short hair and trained a shy glance at Toma, then Ryo. “I see you found some, too.”
“Yup. Ryo and a tiger.”
Ami smiled at White Blaze and then the boys. “I guess it goes without saying that we’re working together.”
“Yeah, but we can’t explain everything now. Oh, I should introduce myself.” Usagi faced Toma. “I’m Usagi, and also Sailor Moon.”
Toma’s expression changed little as he gave his name, then muttered, “Moon.” He eyed Ami. “Mercury. Is there a pattern?”
“Short answer, yes.”
“Okay.” Toma faced Ryo but nodded towards Ami. “She told me the gist of the situation. Have you and the guys ever fought these monsters?”
“No. Not once,” said Ryo.
Ami pointed to herself and Usagi. “We fought them twice last month. In fact, we’ve encountered several over the past year.”
“So whoever set this up must be one of your enemies,” Ryo concluded. “We saw a lightshow from—”
A tremor rattled the building. It started from above, and a light pulsed beneath the icy surfaces coating everything. However, it missed the ice pillars, which vanished after a gesture from Ami. The air chilled and stagnated.
Ryo spoke up first. “What’s happening?”
“The trap’s active,” said a nervous Ami. “It’ll start draining everyone in the building soon.”
“The roof,” Usagi blurted out.
The four hurried from Room 3-H. White Blaze kept to the rear, and Ryo and Toma took the lead.
Ryo sounded excited and flabbergasted. “You were in a class with one of the sailor girls, and you never told us?”
“I didn’t know she was a sailor girl,” Toma answered flatly.
“How long have you been coming here?”
“Since April. When I joined you.”
Usagi and Ami exchanged curious looks, and the former asked in a whisper, “Is it true? You met Toma in April?”
“Yes, but we never spoke until today,” Ami clarified.
“Well, we met him now—along with Ryo and White Blaze. And I’m sure glad to have the backup.”
A small smile broke through Ami’s worry. “Me, too.”
The four arrived on the roof in a matter of minutes. As soon as White Blaze tore the door open, Ryo donned a second layer of red armor, complete with a helmet and a pair of katanas mounted on the back. They split up, Usagi and Ami to the right, Ryo and Toma to the left. Whips of water encircled Ami’s arms.
At the center point of the roof, a dark crystal jutted upwards. An ominous light pulsed within, resembling an eye in the darkness. Ice spread from the crystal’s base in a web of overgrown, rotten roots. The light in the crystal rippled from the ice and over the edges of the roof.
Beside the crystal stood a person bearing light red hair tied in a low ponytail. He whipped around and flashed a narrowed pair of green eyes. His gray uniform showed green lining instead of red, to Usagi’s surprise. Then again, the hair alone indicated this wasn’t a familiar face.
She knew who else wore such a uniform, though. Usagi steeled herself and mustered a level of confidence she didn’t feel. “Who are you? One of Nephrite’s friends?”
The man eyed each person on the roof, and his expression changed from one of mild annoyance to heated frustration. However, his tone remained oddly calm. “Sailor Moon. You can call me Zoisite. By order of Queen Beryl, I’ll kill you.”
“Doesn’t sound like a fair trade,” Ryo pointed out. He drew the katanas and crossed them in front of him. “Not that it changes anything.”
“No. Today changes everything.” Zoisite moved away from the crystal, and ice spikes formed in his hands. A swing of his arms sent the spikes flying.
Ryo jumped forth and sliced at the air. A flaming arc followed the motion of the katana blades and dissolved the spikes on contact. Water whips caught the rest, and they followed Ami’s hand motions in flinging the shards aside. The water whips returned to her.
Toma drew an arrow and nocked it. “We destroy the crystal, right?”
“Yes,” said Ami. “It should free the building and everyone inside.”
The same plan of action had held true for stopping most of Nephrite’s schemes, but accomplishing the goal always proved easier to say than do. This latest dark crystal stood taller and larger than past ones, but the pulsing light in the middle matched. Having destroyed a few in the last six months, Usagi feared facing this one less—if only by a small margin.
She held a hand to the side, and power gathered in her palm. Light sparked and gave way to a pink stick topped by a golden crescent moon: the Moon Wand. She concentrated power into it and launched a crescent-shaped light. Out of the corner of her eye, another arrow bearing a faint glow of its own soared ahead. Her spell and Toma’s arrow sped for the crystal.
Black icicles intercepted both attacks, creating a minor explosion where they met. Zoisite rushed at Usagi with bigger icicles flanking him on either side. One of them zipped by her back as she ran off. Spells crashed in her old spot, and she turned on her heel so fast, she flailed to stay on her feet.
Zoisite used new icicles to deflect water from Ami and arrows from Toma. Afterwards, Zoisite conjured another set and launched them in a ring, separating Ami and Toma. A bunch of icicles heading for the latter bounced off an indigo bubble instead, and the bubble vanished as quickly as it had appeared. A couple stray shots would’ve hit Usagi if she hadn’t stumbled and ducked behind the roof vents.
She took a moment to heave deep breaths. I’ll never get used to this.
The number of battles she’d fought since gaining her powers meant little. Each one sent her nerves into overdrive as death loomed close. Having a degree of peaceful space came as a relief in the small moment she had. Seeing everyone else fighting, she gripped her wand tighter and dove back to the fray.
Up ahead, Ryo and White Blaze moved in. Zoisite weaved between their lunges and brandished one icicle like a blade. He intercepted Ryo’s katana swings, and the combatants traded several swipes and parries. Zoisite kicked out but missed, at which point he drew something black and sharp. One swipe with it, and Zoisite shoved Ryo at Toma; however, a body slam from White Blaze sent Zoisite skidding towards the edge of the roof. Usagi and Ami fired light and ice, respectively, at their opponent, forcing the sharp object from his grip.
Undeterred, Zoisite unleashed a gout of flame that devoured Usagi and Ami’s spells. He brought his hands close and funneled the flames at the group. Startled, Usagi scrambled away and nearly tripped over herself as the heat seared close. An ember almost singed her skirt, and that did not need to be any shorter.
But in the next instant, the flames arced around without harming her. Confused, Usagi spun and discovered Ryo had jumped in front of her, both arms raised before the raging flames but standing firm otherwise. A red bubble materialized around them, further diverting the attack.
She had to make sure. “Are you okay?”
Ryo answered in a quick laugh. “Yeah. Armor of Wildfire perks. Now get ready. We’ll give you an opening.”
He pushed against the flames, starting slow and then breaking into a sprint. Zoisite must not have noticed because he yelped loud in the instant Ryo swung the katanas. Zoisite leaped high into the air.
Then an arrow burst in front of him. The blast spanned a small area, but it sent Zoisite spiraling towards the rooftop next door. Three arrows pursued, and three more a few seconds later.
With Zoisite out of sight, Usagi met Ami and prepared a new light spell. She had it charged and ready to go by the time Ami transformed her water whips into shards of ice. A short distance away, Ryo attached his two katanas at the hilt and twirled the combined weapon.
Usagi steadied herself. “Aim for the light in the crystal!”
Her spell and a barrage of ice bolted for the target. Twin arcs of flame flew from the katana blades, and a gust rode behind an arrow. The three spells and the arrow struck the dark crystal at once. An explosion ballooned from the impact point and scattered dark crystal shards into the air, where they dissipated.
Usagi shielded her eyes from the brightness until it dimmed. Things grew quiet, and the unnatural green clouds vanished. The icy surface coating the building evanesced as well. Relief draped over her.
But Zoisite sprang back, flanked again by a horde of black icicles. He said nothing, but the fury in his heated scowl could’ve set the roof ablaze. The icicles flew in a barrage as Zoisite landed on Crystal Seminar’s roof.
The four scattered. White Blaze followed Ryo until they reached a safe spot. Though Zoisite sent ice in several directions, Usagi and Ami weaved between them and reached Ryo, Toma, and White Blaze. Each of them did their part to avoid Zoisite’s continuous assault, going so far as to reflect a couple back at him. By the end of it, the four stood at the ready with weapons drawn and spells prepped. Zoisite stood mere steps from the edge.
He righted himself and wiped the side of his face, frowning with a simmering intensity. “Well, this is embarrassing.”
He raised one hand. Usagi, Ami, Ryo, and Toma braced themselves. Zoisite lowered his hand, and a dome of green fog surrounded him. The green dome shrank until it vanished, leaving no trace of Zoisite behind.
The four approached, looking in every direction for their opponent. However, they spotted neither him nor any lingering damage. Ami summoned a visor and scanned the vicinity, confirming they were safe. The icy coating had vanished in full by then, and not even smears marred the roof. It appeared as though the battle hadn’t occurred at all.
Usagi wiped an arm across her forehead, and a laugh bubbled out of her. “We did it!”
“Showed him a thing or two.” Ryo sheathed the katanas, going from triumphant to somber. “How long have you fought him?”
“We’ve never fought him specifically,” said Ami, “although we encountered some of his associates in the past. We’ve had a busy year.”
Ryo raised an eyebrow. “Huh. My group’s had a busy year, too.”
A faint blare of sirens sounded in the distance, and they grew louder by the second. Emergency lights flashed from police cars and medical vehicles. Everyone whipped towards the direction of the sirens, then to each other.
“We should go before they find us,” said Toma. “They can probably handle the rest.”
Ami approached him. “Hold on. Should the two of us return to the classroom?”
His brow scrunched, and he shook his head. “We already packed our stuff and were on the way out when this all started. They’ll assume we went home already.”
“Okay. Let’s go, then.” Usagi eyed the boys. “Stay safe.”
She and Ami jumped to one rooftop, and Ryo and Toma leaped to another. Usagi hoped the boys would find a quiet, hidden spot to revert to normal, just as she and Ami planned to do. It had become routine for them over several months, and she imagined this must’ve held true for them, too. The news hadn’t been able to identify any of them so far, at least.
Nonetheless, Usagi hoped for their safety.