[ ] Act 1 - Usagi / Sailor Moon Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, February 1992. Written by Takeuchi Naoko. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 2.0, 6.97. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi's mom is reading the newspaper: Sailor V's activities! Twenty million yen diamond returned safely! A gang of burglars defeated! "Well, Sailor V-chan has done it again!" she says. "Compared to her, my daughter..." She looks up. "Usagi! It's past eight!" Usagi jumps out of bed. "Oh no! I'm gonna be late!" She brushes her teeth quickly. "Wake me up earlier, Mom you dummy!" She rushes out of the house. "Goodbye!" I'm Tsukino Usagi. I'm fourteen and in eighth grade. "Oh, why do mornings have to come? I'm sleepy! I don't wanna go to school!" I'm a bit of a crybaby. Even I think so. She trips and falls to the ground. "Ouch! Must have tripped on something..." She looks up and sees a black cat with a bandage on its head. "No way! A cat!? Sorry, sorry! Did I hurt you?" She holds the cat up. "Black kitty, eh? You don't look so good... Oh, is it because I tripped over you?" She brings the cat to her face and kisses it. "Hehe! You're cute! Forgive me!" The cat bats wildly at her face. "Yeooouch! What are you doing! Scratching... Oh! What's that? You've got a bandage. Want me to take it off? Okay, okay." Usagi takes the bandage off, and the cat leaps away from her. It lands on a wall. They stare at each other in silence. A crescent moon shape is on the cat's forehead. The school bell rings. "Oh no!" She runs to school. "I can't be doing this! Now I'm in trouble!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Usagi enters her classroom, the teacher's voice calls out, "Tsukino Usagi-san! You're late again!?" Usagi leans against a wall. "Ohh... She made a poor girl stand out in the hallway." Her stomach growls. "I'm hungry." She unwraps her bento box. "Hehe. Since I went without breakfast..." She picks up a shrimp. "Tsukino-san!" the teacher calls out. "What are you doing!" This is my teacher, Sakurada Haruna-sensei. (Buy The Cherry Project!) Everyone calls her 'Haruda.' She's in charge of English. "Because of things like that," Haruna says, "you get scores like this! This is your paper!" She holds out Usagi's test: she got a score of 30. "But I don't like English..." says Usagi. The teacher leaves, and two classmates come out. "Usagi-san," says the boy. "How did you do on the test?" This is that nerd Umino. He's a loser. "Jeez, Usagi..." says the girl. "I don't believe you. You're a girl, and you're eating early!" This is my best friend, Naru-chan. "I slacked off this time," says Umino. He shows the girls his test: score of 95. "A test is a game. A game!" "A game?" says Naru. "You really are a loser." The three separate. Naru looks back, holding her test with a score of 85. "I didn't want to lose to just Umino." Naru-chan is pretty, and smart, and on top of that, she's a princess. Usagi looks at Naru's test. "Wow, an 85..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi, Naru, and two other girls are eating lunch outside. "Speaking of which, wasn't there another jewelry store broken into?" says one of the girls. "It's happened a lot lately." "Scary," says Naru. Umino comes over. "But," he says, "'Sailor V' captured the criminals!" "What's that?" asks Usagi. "She's famous!" says Umino. "It's all over the streets, the sailor-suited ally of justice! They say she's really a special detective of the Metro Police Board!" "Hmm," says the girl. "So someone like that has appeared? It is the end of the century." "That's right!" Umino says. "At this time, besides burglaries, all sorts of strange incidents are occurring. We need to check the news too!" "But I understand," says the girl. "The desire to break into a place like a jewelry store." "Jewels are so pretty, with their glittering," says the other girl. "I'd like to have a diamond ring." "Naru-chan's place is a huge jewelry store!" says Usagi. "I like rubies. Pearls are nice too." "Ehehe," says Naru, "Actually, a big sale started yesterday. Even we'll be able to buy something." All the girls are excited. "No way! I want to go look!" "Me too! Me too!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The girls are at the Osa-P jewelry store, peering in through the windows and looking at gems. "In the center is a billion yen pigeon's-blood ruby," says Naru. "Next to it is a yellow diamond. These kinds of things can't be put on sale." They see some people clamoring over some jewels. "But still, there are lots of people. All old ladies..." They go inside. "Mom!" calls Naru. "Naru-chan," says her mom, the sales woman. "Welcome home. Are these your friends? Come in, come in. It's crowded, but if you look around, there are cheap things too. If you're Naru-chan's friends, I'll give you a little bonus." She walks away. Naru frowns. "She's never had a sale before. I guess Mom finally woke up to the world of business." "Her mom's pretty, but very intense," thinks Usagi. "Come on, come on, help yourself!" Naru's mom calls. "It's cheap!" "This is lovely!" says one of the girls. "Since I did well on the test, I can get Dad to buy it for me." Naru's mom is in the shadows. "I need more, more young energy. Must gather more..." "That's nice..." Usagi says. She leaves the store. "With a score of 30, I can't get them to buy me anything. And I don't have this month's allowance anymore... This test is trashed!" She crumples the paper up. "I'm going home!" She tosses it over her shoulder. It hits a man standing behind her, who wears a tuxedo and sunglasses. "That hurt, you lumphead," the man says. "Are you trying to give me a lumphead too?" She turns around and yells, "Th- These are not lumps! They're called odango! Odango!" "Thirty points..." he says. He throws the test at her. "Study harder, odango head." "Mind your own business!" she yells. She turns and walks away. She looks back and thinks to herself, "What's with him, wearing a tuxedo in broad daylight? Flashy guy..." The man stands in front of the store, staring inside. "A large jewelry store, eh?" he thinks. "This might be where it is. The Mystical Silver Crystal." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi walks down the street. "Damnit... I don't want to go home with this test..." She comes to the Crown Game Center. A poster for the Sailor V video game is on the window. "That's nice... Sailor V-chan. She doesn't have to study, she gets to beat up the bad guys." She sighs. "So I'll just stop at the game center for a bit." She goes inside. She sits down and plays the Sailor V game. "Ohhh... I can't beat him! I wonder what the death move for this mini-boss is..." A young man comes up behind her. "Oh, Usagi-chan! Stopping off in your uniform again?" He stands beside her. "Oh, the Sailor V action game? Come on, now! If you're slow, you'll be killed." Hehe! This is my big brother who works at the game center. He's sweet. I have my eye on him. [He's not actually related to her. The idea doesn't really translate well. It's familiar, but still respectful because he's older than she is.] Usagi continues playing, and hears a sound behind her. "Meow.." She turns around and sees the cat. "What? The black kitty from this morning! How did you get in here?" "Oh, this cat's been hanging around here for the past two or three days," says the man. "Ahaha! Look, look!" says Usagi. "It's got a crescent moon bald spot on its forehead!" The cat stares at her. Usagi smiles nervously. "Er, well, I think I should be getting home..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- She enters her house. "I'm home!" "Usagi, you're late," calls her mom. "I met Umino-kun out there earlier. Said he got a 95 on the test. So! What did you get, Usagi?" "That Umino!" Usagi mumbles. "Rambling on without any thought!" She shows the test to her mom. "Thirty points!? Usagi...!" says her mom. "If you're going to bring this kind of score, you had better not come home anymore!" She throws Usagi outside. Her brother comes up behind her and kicks her. "What are you doing, stupid Usagi. Were you thrown out of the house again?" He sticks his tongue out at her as he goes inside. "I wish I had a sister that was a little smarter!" "Shingo!" yells Usagi. "You're my little brother but..." She jumps at him. "Sailor V Kick!" She hits the door with her leg. "Oww!" She starts pounding on the door. "Come on! Let me in, Mom! Open the door!" Inside, her mom grits her teeth. "She's the neighborhood nuisance," says Shingo. Her mom opens the door. "Okay, okay. Come on in." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night. A man in a tuxedo, top hat, and mask steps in front of the Osa-P jewelry store. He looks inside. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naru's mom holds a canister. "Heh heh heh. I have gathered great energy." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi's classmate falls on a sofa, wearing a nice ring. "Strange. Since I came home from that sale at the jewelry store, I feel like I'm losing my strength..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naru's mom smiles. "My selling the special energy-draining jewels has paid off." Naru walks into the room and hears her talking. "And I'll take the real jewels for myself... But it looks like the one I'm after isn't here either." "Mom?" Naru's mom turns around, with an evil grin on her face. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Ohh... Crying makes me tired..." Usagi says. She shuts the door to her room. "Mom didn't have to get that angry, jeez..." She picks up a math book. "Oh, I don't want to do homework!" She lies down on her bed. "I'll take a little nap... Just for a bit..." She falls asleep. "Huh?" She walks as the Sailor V game character. "I'm even playing games in my dreams? Oh, is this me? Am I Sailor V!?" She swings a sword through a monster. "I did it! I got him! Killed him!" The man who works at the Game Center is chained to a wall, holding the black cat. She frees him. "I saved big brother from the game center, and that kitty! That kitty with the crescent moon bald spot..." "Yeeeoch! What the-?" Usagi jumps up from the bed. The cat is standing before her. "It's not a bald spot," says the cat. "How rude." "The cat talked!?" "I am Luna," says the cat. "I have been searching for you, Usagi-chan." Usagi stares in disbelief. "You helped me by taking off that bandage. While it was on, I couldn't talk, and my detection ability didn't work well. The kids around here are real brats. I was troubled by their mischief. I'm glad I met you. If I didn't find you, I don't know what I would have done." Usagi turns over in bed. "Good night..." "Usagi-chan," says Luna. "This isn't a dream!" "This is a dream," Usagi says to herself, "A dream..." "I get it. I'll make you open your eyes. A present for you." Usagi opens her eyes. "Wow!" She sees a beautiful brooch. "It's lovely! It's pretty!" She puts it on and rushes to a mirror. "I can have this!? All right! It's a brooch!" "Usagi-chan," says Luna. "come on, listen! Right now all sorts of strange incidents are occurring in Tokyo. Incidents that can't be handled by the police. So, Usagi-chan, you are a chosen soldier! You have a mission! Find your allies and defeat the enemies! Find our princess, and then..." "Luna," says Usagi. "The brooch is shining!!" "Can't you believe what I'm saying yet? Shout! 'Moon!!'" "'Moon'?" The brooch shines. "...Prism power! Make up!" In a flash of light, Usagi transforms. She wears a short skirt with a sleeveless sailor top, boots and gloves. A mask covers her eyes, and two pins are in her hair. Two circles adorn her balls of hair. "Whaaat!? No way! What is this!? Huh?" One of the circles in her hair flashes. "Help me! Somebody help me!! My mom is...!" "Naru-chan's voice?!" says Usagi. She sees a picture through her mask. A girl is being pushed. "Is that... Naru-chan!?" She takes off the mask. "There's an image in my goggles... Oh no, what's going on??" She sees Naru attacked. "Now do you believe me?" asks Luna. "Luna! I don't really understand, but... Naru-chan's in trouble!" "Help me!" Naru cries. "My mom's killing me!" "I have to save her, Luna!!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I am not your mom!" the woman says as she strangles Naru. She turns into a monster. "Right now your mom is starving in the basement." "No! Mom!!" The man in the tuxedo, hat, and mask looks on from behind a wall. The door flies open, as Usagi runs in. "Get away from Naru-chan, you stuck-up hag!" The man and the monster both spin around. "Who are you?" asks the monster. "Huh!?" says Usagi. "Me? I'm, err..." From outside, Luna meows to the moon. "For love and justice, I am the sailor-suited pretty soldier! Sailor Moon!" "Sailor Moon!?" asks the monster. "Never heard of you!" She sticks her arm in the air. "Awaken! Slaves who have devoted their energy to our great ruler!" The ring on a girl shines as she rises from bed. People gather in the street and walk to the jewelry store. "Kill her!" One woman swings a bottle at Usagi, barely missing as she jumps out of the way. Usagi scrapes her knee on the ground. "What the-?" she says as she sees her blood. "This isn't a dream!? Ouch! I'm bleeding..." "What are you doing, Usagi-chan?" Luna jumps down on her. "Fight! Beat her!" "What!? But how!? Why do I have to do this!?" She starts crying. "I don't want to! I'm going home!" The pin on her ball of hair flashes, and all the people collapse. "Ohh..." the monster moans. "I'm numb... Supersonic waves!? Ohhh..." "Don't cry!" calls the man in the tuxedo. "If you're going to do it, do it now, Sailor Moon!" "Now, Usagi-chan," says Luna. "Take off your tiara! Shout 'frisbee' and throw it!" Usagi takes the tiara and holds it. It spins into a circle. "Wow..." She spins and throws it at the monster. "Moon Frisbee!" The tiara slices through the monster's neck. She turns into dust and fades away. "No way!" says Usagi. "It turned to sand... and disappeared!?" "I didn't find the Mystical Silver Crystal, but... I did see something interesting!" "That voice..." says Usagi, "from before...?" She turns around to see the man jump into the air, his cape swirling behind him. "My name is Tuxedo Kamen," he says. "I'll remember this, Sailor Moon." Usagi stares at the man leaving. "Just like Kaitou Lupan... He's amazing!" "You did great, Usagi-chan," says Luna. "This thing was posing as Naru-chan's mom. You knew that, right!? The enemy invasion is beginning, so... Usagi-chan!" Usagi is still standing, with hearts in her eyes. The people start to wake up. "Huh? How did I get here...?" "Come on, Usagi-chan," says Luna, "let's go home." "Ah, such a happy dream. I won! And I met a nice guy..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Sailor Moon, eh?" says a man with short blond hair as he looks into a crystal ball. "She may do. Whatever it takes, soon I will have the Mystical Silver Crystal." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So!" says Naru-chan to her friends at school. "When I was attacked by a burglar, that sailor-suited soldier saved me! I would have seen her face if I hadn't fainted." "Naru-chan, was that a dream you had too?" Usagi stands behind a wall, listening. The brooch on her school uniform sparkles. "What's wrong?" asks Luna. "Usagi-chan?" "Hmph," she says. "Guess this isn't a dream." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1992 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1997 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sailor Moon Translations | Sailor Moon Volume 1