[FFML] [fanfic][Sailormoon] Moonshadow, chapter 11 (first impressions)

[H. Torrance Griffin]

--- On Thu, 11/27/08, The Eternal Lost Lurker <lurkerdrome at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> From: The Eternal Lost Lurker <lurkerdrome at sbcglobal.net>
> Subject: [FFML] [fanfic][Sailormoon] Moonshadow, chapter 11 (first draft)
> To: "FFML" <ffml at chez-vrolet.net>
> Date: Thursday, November 27, 2008, 11:05 AM
> Short chapter. C&C welcome!
> 
> 
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> //Sailor Senshi! They're at it again! Last night,
> Sailor Moon made an 
> appearance at the Yamagoto Corporation's gala ball,
> where she foiled a 
> daring robbery by a mysterious thief!//
> 
> //That guy was pretty interesting, too, even though he
> didn't stand a chance 
> against Sailor Moon.//
> 
> //I kind of like him--he's so mysterious! And the
> tuxedo is kind 
> of...romantic, I think? Oh, and I hear he threw a rose at
> Sailor Moon!//

<<HTG: Why am I (painfully) reminded of the Zutara faction of A:tLA fandom?>>

> //What I'm saying is, I've heard that he was after
> something in particular, 
> and whatever he was looking for wasn't in the stuff he
> stole.//
> 
> //Oh yeah, I did hear something like that. And he said the
> rest of the 
> jewels weren't worth the trouble, right?//
> 
> //Sou yo, sou yo...so if 87 million yen worth of gems
> wasn't "worth the 
> trouble"...doesn't it make you curious what he was
> *really* after?//
> 
> //Mmm...maybe a little.//

<<HTG: Should make at least six people (okay, four people, a youma, and a puppetmaster) even more curious.>>

> //I wouldn't be surprised. Things are getting really
> weird in this city 
> lately.//

<<HTG: YA THINK?>>

> =-------------=
> 
> "Man, it's like the whole world's just gone
> freakin' nuts," Makoto remarked 
> to her empty apartment, shaking her head as she muted the
> television. 
> "Senshi, monsters, jewel thieves in formalwear...what
> the hell have I gotten 
> myself mixed up in?"
> 
> Frowning thoughtfully, she picked up her phone and keyed in
> a number she had 
> not yet called. "Yo, Usagi!"
> 
> //Ah, Kino-san! Ohayou.//
> 
> "Saw you on the news," Makoto said with a grin.
> "Good job kickin' that guy's 
> butt!"

<<HTG: Nice to see that it is clear Makoto is the one who sees the Senshi thing as if anything an improvement over her everyday life.>>

> =-------------=
> 
> "Hey, that's the same guy from the museum!"
> Mina exclaimed.
> 
> Timothy looked up from the morning newspaper. "Yes, it
> does seem to be him."
> 
> "'Seem to be' nothing, it's the same damn
> nutter." Mina pulled a disgusted 
> face. "You'd think that idiot would've
> learned..."
> 
> Timothy shrugged. "Some people are possessed of a
> startling and often fatal 
> lack of common sense." He idly peeled off the front
> page and handed it to 
> Mina.

<<HTG: True....>>


> "Right, whatever." Mina settled in to read the
> article. "So...wonder what 
> Sailor Moon was doing there in the first place?"
> 
> The mage shrugged. "Couldn't say. I know who she
> is, where she lives, and 
> where she goes to school. Beyond that, I know absolutely
> nothing about her."
> 
> Mina levelled a flat stare at him. "That's still
> an awful lot of 
> information," she accused. "That, yet again,
> you're not sharing with me."
> 
> Timothy sighed. "Love, you *know*--"
> 
> "No, Timothy. I'm getting tired of that load of
> dung. I want a *real* 
> answer."

<<HTG: And not before time... of course the question is how much of a bull-to-reality ratio Mina is going to get.>>

> 
> Crystal blue eyes locked with steel grey eyes. Time passed.
> 
> "...pass me your phone," Timothy eventually said,
> a note of weary 
> resignation in his voice.
> 
> Mina frowned, but handed over her mobile. Timothy tapped
> furiously at the 
> keys for several seconds, then handed it back.
> 
> "Think about this *carefully*," the mage urged.
> "Consider: involving 
> yourself directly with the Princess at this stage could
> become...messy."

<<HTG: Too easy.  Way too easy>>

> Mina giggled. "Alright, alright." She paused,
> then her brow furrowed. "Hang 
> on..."
> 
> She fished a notepad and a pen out of her purse, and wrote
> for a second. She 
> frowned at what she had written, then looked up at Artemis,
> and shook her 
> head. "Arturo, Timothy S. Art, Tim, S. That's
> DREADFUL."

<<HTG: I admit, I missed that.>>

> =-------------=
> 
> "Mamoru."
> 
> The university student's blood froze at the tone in his
> father's voice.
> 
> It was a tone he had, luckily, only heard a few times in
> his life--and one 
> that NEVER boded well.
> 
> Chiba Takeshi was angry.

<<HTG: We can safely say this is not about the theivery.>>

> "Otousama," he replied, as calmly as he could. He
> locked his gaze on the 
> older man's eyes, forcing himself not to look away at
> the stern rebuke he 
> found there.
> 
> "Your mother has recently spoken to Tsukino
> Ikuko," the elder Chiba said, 
> voice hard as stone. Beside him, his own wife stood silent,
> a half-pace 
> behind her husband--and her eyes bothered Mamoru even more.
> She was angry, 
> yes...but she was also disappointed. Even...hurt.
> 
> "The mother of my iinazuke," Mamoru replied
> unnecessarily.
> 
> "Hai." Takeshi's thick grey brows lowered
> like a thundercloud. "Tsukino-sama 
> called to discuss the matter of your interactions with your
> iinazuke. There 
> was nothing complimentary in their conversation."

<<HTG: Nice to hear there are some priorities at least halfway straight in Ikuko's head.>>

> 
> Mamoru stood silent, waiting, saying nothing, refusing to
> look away despite 
> the growing coldness in the pit of his stomach.
> 
> "Mamoru," his father began in that stern,
> crushing tone, "your behaviour 
> toward young Usagi is, to say the *very* least,
> inexcusable."

<<HTG: So this is _not_ how he was raised to treat his betrothed/spouse.  Nice to hear.>>

> "It...is possible that I have..." He paused.
> "That perhaps I have spoken to 
> my fiancee with unnecessary harshness."
> 
> "It is *possible* you called her a useless,
> empty-headed girl," his mother 
> rebuked. "The very first time you met her. With no
> provocation."
> 
> Mamoru flinched.

<<HTG: If he wanted out, he should level with someone.  No need to take it out on the kid.>>

> "Dissolve...?" Mamoru blinked. "Otousama,
> such an act would dishonour both 
> families."
> 
> "But you do not favour the engagement, and neither
> does Usagi," his mother 
> pointed out. "You must not allow concerns of family
> honour to outweigh 
> concerns of your heart."
> 
> "I respectfully disagree," Mamoru replied.
> "I value the name I have been 
> given far too highly to tarnish it in such a manner."

<<HTG: And abusing the kid strongarmed into sharing it is not tarnishing same?>>

> =-------------=
> 
> A small black cat sat perched on the steps of Hikawa Jinja,
> peering up at a 
> surly raven which was rustling its feathers and cawing
> raucously.
> 
> "Thank you for allowing me to photograph your
> beautiful temple," a soft, 
> accented voice drifted down from above.
> 
> "Oh, it's no trouble," a merry, older voice
> replied. "I'm always pleased to 
> meet someone who's interested in our culture."
> 
> "Yes, I find Buddhist temples, and Shinto shrines in
> particular, 
> fascinating."
> 
> "You're welcome to come back anytime!"
> 
> A blonde, green-eyed gaijin dressed in a royal blue
> pullover and khaki 
> slacks descended the steps, a camera bag slung over one
> shoulder.
> 
> The cat watched him go, then slunk away in a different
> direction.
> 
> The cawing of the raven trailed off.

<<HTG: *insert scary background music here*>>

> =-------------=
> 
> For the second time in as many weeks, the three members of
> the Tsukino 
> family and the three members of the Chiba family sat across
> the table from 
> one another. The mood was far more tense this time.
> 
> "Tsukino-sama," Chiba Takeshi began,
> "Mamoru-kun has something he wishes to 
> say."
> 
> Mamoru moved slightly away from the table, and lowered
> himself into a full, 
> formal, submissive bow, his gaze held low. "Usagi-san,
> I have behaved toward 
> you in a manner which is inexcusable. For this, I
> apologise, and humbly ask 
> that you not look upon my family with scorn due to my
> inappropriate 
> conduct." He looked up, then bowed once again. "I
> also extend my apology to 
> you, Usagi-san's parents, for the treatment I have
> shown your daughter 
> during our betrothal."

<<HTG: Past time, I would say....>>

> "The arrangement of this marriage is still beneficial
> to our two families," 
> Kenji said at length. "At this time, however, the
> strain of this engagement 
> upon our children may be harmful to the course of their
> lives." He paused. 
> "Perhaps...at this time, it would be prudent if the
> arrangement were reduced 
> in formality. If, as time passes, your son and our daughter
> come to feel 
> they can indeed exist in harmony as husband and wife, then
> there is no 
> problem. However, if they feel they are simply not
> compatible with one 
> another, it would be cruel of us--all of us--to force them
> into a life of 
> mutual enmity."

<<HTG: *golf clap*>>

> =-------------=
> 
> Ami glanced up, adjusting her glasses. "I always work
> hard on a Sunday, 
> Okaasan," she replied.
> 
> "And every other day, I know," the doctor
> frowned. "You really need to take 
> it easy sometimes."
> 
> "I am, actually," Ami said, a slightly embarassed
> look on her face. "I'm not 
> doing schoolwork or exam preparation at the moment."
> 
> "Really?" Sayoko asked, curious. "So
> what--oooh, those are pretty gems! So 
> it's window-shopping online, is it?"

<<HTG: So I see someone is curious.>>

> The web browser on Ami's computer displayed photo after
> photo of dazzling 
> gemstones. The short-haired girl grimaced. "Not
> exactly." She paused, then 
> sighed. "You saw the morning news, about last
> night's incident at Yamagoto 
> Tower."
> 
> "Yes, the jewel thief, and Sailor Moon--"
> 
> "Yes, *that*," Ami replied, somewhat tersely. She
> pushed her glasses up, and 
> continued, "I have no interest in such nonsense as
> Sailor Senshi, of course, 

<<HTG: Watch it, protesting too much can be a bad sign>>

> but...there was one thing the reporters said which has been
> eating at me."

<<HTG: That was a nice chunk of change he dumped, yes?>>

> =-------------=
> 
> "*YOU* report to *ME*, not the other way around,"
> Artemis reminded her.
> 
> The cat growled. "Yes, I'm aware of that,
> *Master*, but it *does* help if 
> we're both on the same page..."
> 
> Artemis waved a hand dismissively. "Whatever. You were
> saying?"

<<HTG: *sigh* Please say that this attitude is going to bite Tim somewhere important.>>

> "The shrine where the girl lives had a very unusual
> visitor today."
> 
> "Not uncommon."
> 
> "It is when it's Lord Jadeite."
> 
> Artemis blinked, and turned his silver gaze to fix on the
> youma. "You are 
> certain of this?"
> 
> "Whether I live twenty thousand years or two *hundred*
> thousand, I will not 
> forget the faces of the Shitennou," Luna replied.
> "I'm telling you, Lord 
> Jadeite was at that temple this afternoon."

<<HTG: Time for a gathering of forces....>>

> "Damn," Artemis spat. He sighed. "I guess
> it's a good thing Venus finally 
> made me give her the Princess' phone number. She'll
> almost certainly be 
> properly Awakened by this time tomorrow..." He
> smirked. "Mina's going to be 
> VERY surprised when she finds out her friend Rei is
> Mars..."

<<HTG: So will Rei.>>

> 
> =-------------=
> 
> Usagi blinked confusedly at the display on her phone.
> *Who...?*
> 
> "Moshi-moshi, Usagi desu."
> 
> There was a pause. Then, a hesitant voice. //Um...I'm
> sorry for calling you 
> like this, out of the blue, but...am I speaking to Princess
> Serenity?//

<<HTG: Three down, one to go.>>

> =-------------=
> "Very well. Your other concerns?"
> 
> "Yes. The brigand that fell flight before the
> Senshi...he is human, truly, 
> and ill poses a threat. However..." A pause. "It
> did seem, to my reckoning, 
> that he seeks a thing which has not been found. A thing
> which no mortal man 
> of this human world should know exists." His eyes
> darkened. "My suspicion is 
> that this human seeks also the Maboroshi no
> Ginzuishou."
> 
> Beryl raised an eyebrow. "A human, in search of
> Serenity's crystal?"

<<HTG: The whys of this are still a matter of interest>>

> "As you command, Exalted One. By your leave, I shall
> resume my post."
> 
> "You are excused, Lord Nephrite."

<<HTG: And another up the pipe>>

> 
> =-------------=
> 
> to be continued
> 
> =-------------=

Great work

HTG