[ ] Act 25 - Infinity 2: Ripples Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, April 1994. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.0, 8.96. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Moon Cosmic Power!" "Moon Prism Power!" "Make Up!!" "For love and justice, I am the sailor-suited pretty soldier, Sailor Moon!" "And I am Sailor Chibi-Moon!" Chibi-Usa rushes to the young girl. "Watch out!" She screams as the monster reaches out for her. "Chibi-Usa!" Usagi calls. The rod appears in her hand. "Neo-Queen Selenity! Our rod! Give your power to the heart moon rod! Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" The monster explodes. A white cat lands on the ground. "A cat!? The monster took hold of the cat!?" The girl moans. "You...!? Who are you?" "Damn!" Usagi thinks. "We are the soldiers of justice, Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi-Moon!" says Chibi-Usa. "Chibi-Usa?" "You okay? Weren't you hurt?" The girl's eyes shine white. "You are the one who is hurt," she says. "What?" Chibi-Usa says. She looks at her arm and sees blood. "Oh, you're right." The girl holds Chibi-Usa's arm. Usagi whirls around. "Who's there!? Is the enemy still..." The two shadowed figures run off into the moonlight. A green-haired woman in a sailor suit, and a blond man with a cape and mask. Mamoru and the four soldiers run up. "That's...!" "Those figures!" Usagi says. "Usagi!" Chibi-Usa calls. "Look, my injury..." "It's gone!?" Usagi thinks. "That kid..." "When you get home, you should disinfect it," the girl says. She ties a handkerchief around Chibi-Usa's arm. "It's eerie. Since I was small... I've had this strange power." "Sailor Moon!" Mamoru calls. "Chibi-Moon!" "You should leave this place at once," the girl says. "If the guards find you, you'll be in trouble." "Thanks," Chibi-Usa says. "Umm... If you don't mind, could you tell me something? Your name." "Tomoe Hotaru." The girl walks into the research building. "Hotaru-chan..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotaru drops to her knees at the door, coughing. "Hotaru-chan!?" Kaolinite says. "What's wrong!? Is it another fit!? You should rest inside." "Let go of me! I can go by myself!" "What is it, Hotaru?" asks a man in a lab coat. "Treating Kaoli-kun like that." "Professor!" Kaolinite says. "It's nothing. I was too forward." "Hotaru, since your mother died, Kaoli-kun has been helping us a lot. Your selfishness isn't proper." "So she's ingratiated herself with you," Hotaru says. "She's your private secretary. Your assistant. I didn't know... She should know her place and not come into our home!" She runs off. "I've spoiled her since her mother died." "Don't worry, Professor," Kaolinite says. - Hotaru lies in her bed. "It hurts..." The door opens. "Hotaru?" the professor asks. "Hasn't the fit stopped?" "Dad...!" "Did you take your medicine?" "I took it, but... It didn't work." "When the time comes, it will work. You'll be all right." He takes out a necklace, with a jewel. "I'll give you this. It's an amulet that has been passed down in this family. Your dead mother also carried it. If you carry it, you can sleep soundly. I'll come to check on you again in a while. Good night." He leaves. "Dad..." Hotaru thinks. "His hands were so cold..." She holds the amulet. "Amazing... The fit has stopped... It's so scary. My body feels odd... I never had fits this strong before. I never felt so uneasy... I wonder how long this will last..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I don't believe it," Luna says. She watches the monitor in the command center. "So it's true!" says Minako. "We weren't mistaken. Those figures... A sailor soldier and Tuxedo Kamen!? They easily jumped into the sky... It can't be... New soldiers!?" "Wait," Ami says. "We saw them from far away, so we can't be certain." "Right!" says Usagi. "If they're sailor soldiers, why did they disappear right in front of us!? Why didn't they come meet us!?" "Exactly," says Mamoru. "They disappeared like they were running away from us." "They might be enemies," says Makoto. "I wonder if they'll appear again," says Rei. "Atavistic monsters... It feels like there's some relation to the Infinity School. The eyes watching me... Could they be... The sailor soldier and Tuxedo Kamen!? If they're enemies, or allies, they will appear again. I'm sure of it!" "We should proceed with caution," says Artemis. "I know," Minako says. "Those two from Infinity..." "It's dangerous," Michiru said. "Someday your body will die." "If you interrupt," said Haruka. "I will not pardon you." "Why were those two acting like that..." "Yes," says Ami. "Those two... Since we don't know what the Infinity School really is, we should stay away." "Maybe they could be enemies too," says Makoto. "Enemies?" Usagi thinks. "Could they be enemies... Those two..." Usagi notices the similar appearance of them and the mysterious figures. "No way..." They all leave the game center. "See you!" "Bye-bye!" "Be careful," Usagi says. She walks off with Mamoru and Chibi-Usa. "Hey, Chibi-Usa. You shouldn't give away our real identities so readily. We don't know what form the enemy could be taking!" "Sorry... But I thought I could be friends with that kid. I liked Hotaru-chan. That pure-white skin... She was pretty." "White like plaster of Paris," says Mamoru. "Plaster of Paris?" Chibi-Usa asks. "Beautiful stone, like fallen snow." "That kid..." Usagi thinks. "She had the power to heal Chibi-Usa's injury..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mamoru watches as Luna types into the computer. "This is the owner of the Infinity zone, and Infinity School," she says. "He's called Tomoe Souichi." Mamoru reads the screen. "Head of Tomoe Research Labs. Tomoe Souichi..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kaolinite approaches a pool of water before the castle. "Odd..." she says. "The failed daimon ran away from the research labs. The sailor soldier defeated it in front of that young girl Hotaru... The power of that light was close to the Taioron Crystal. No, stronger than that... If I obtained that power, Master Pharaoh 90 would be pleased... Reflection of the water. Appear. The whirl of light. One. Two. Three. Come! The three talismans! Guiding light! The beginning of the ruin!" - Mamoru's eyes pop open. - Kaolinite sees her faint reflection. "Three lights...? Now, I should be able to read it. Has someone interrupted it!?" - Mamoru sits up in bed. Usagi and Chibi-Usa lie asleep next to him. "Again. That dream... Someone is calling... for someone else to awaken... The three talismans? Ruin? Three talismans? Saying for us to come? Or else... Recalling the ruin. Trying to get us?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "What is it?" Michiru stares at her mirror. "I was thinking of fortunetelling, and it was interrupted. The mirror got cloudy. But then it cleared up." Haruka puts his arms around her. "Michiru... What we're doing. It might be useless. Whatever we do, it could already be too late." "We knew that when we started, Haruka. The wheels of fate have spun. The new awakening will come soon. We will have all the three talismans." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mamoru walks down the street, reading a book on the Infinity School. "Professor Tomoe..." Michiru watches him. "Are you investigating the Infinity School?" she asks. "The owner, Professor Tomoe, is very famous. Of course, he was expelled from the academic society..." "Expelled?" "There's part of the Infinity School, called the magician training school. Do you know of it? I wonder if it's because very versatile people attend it. Or else..." A girl approaches them. "Excuse me..." she says. "Are you the violinist, Kaiou Michiru-san?" "Yeah." "Wow! I'm a fan! Please sign this for me!" Michiru takes the girl's signature board. "The violinist, Kaiou Michiru..." Mamoru says. "Then, are you one of the versatile magicians too?" "That's right," says Michiru. "I'm having a concert soon. I'll give you some tickets." Usagi sees the two from a distance. "That's... Mamo-chan?" she thinks. "Why are they... together? She's one of the people we're watching. What are they talking about? Mamo-chan?" She envisions the face of the shadowed sailor soldier. "That person..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi enters the Crown Game Center. She screams as someone yanks on one of her ponytails. "Hey there, odango!" Haruka says. "We meet again. Do you come here often?" Usagi envisions the face of the man wearing a mask. "Ten'ou Haruka-san... He looks like... that masked soldier from before." "Hey," she says. "Are you... a sailor soldier?" Haruka's eyes widen. "What?" he says. "What's that? A sailor soldier?" "Ohhhh!!" Usagi thinks. "Stupid! Stupid! Usagi you idiot! That's a man!" "I like the sound of that," Haruka says. "A soldier. Fighting. Do you and your friends all fight together?" "Fight together!?" Usagi says. "Don't go near Usagi!" voices call. Haruka turns and sees the four girls. "Hmph..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chibi-Usa sits down to a sundae at the Crown Fruit Parlor. "What!? You're the president of your new class?" "Yep," Chibi-Usa says. "I represented the class at the entrance ceremony! All the new kids were cute!" "Chibi-Usa is class president..." Usagi says. "The world's coming to an end." "So Chibi-Usa's in 5th grade," says Minako. "And we're finally in 9th grade." [April is the start of the Japanese school year.] "How depressing..." Usagi says. "Entrance exams are coming..." "If enemies show up now," says Minako, "I'll be held back for sure." "Don't be so gloomy," says Makoto. "Look! It's April 17th! Rei-chan's birthday! Let's throw her a party! Huh!? Rei-chan!? Where is she!?" "Rei-chan's been training on Mt. M since yesterday," Minako says. "Training!?" "She wanted to cleanse herself on the mountain for her fifteenth birthday." "Look, Luna," says Artemis. "What is it?" He shows her a newspaper. "The Infinity School has a traditional new student camp on Mt. M." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A woman approaches a pool of water. A black star is on her forehead. "Kaolinite," she says. "I am the first of the Witches 5, Eudial. As Arimura Yuuko, I teach the Infinity School's philosophy class on etiquette. I will teach the students the school regulations. Then for our Master, I swear I will devote the vessels and the souls." "Do it, Eudial." Kaolinite stares into the pool. "A ripple... in the reflection!? From the same location as Eudial. Some thought is... creeping in... Awaken! The time is coming! The beginning of ruin! Gather the three talismans!" - "The three talismans!?" Rei thinks. - "Is that is the true form of the light that will lead us to ruin!?" thinks Kaolinite. "Where are they!? The three talismans! I will search them out and destroy them!" - "What is this ruin!?" Rei thinks. "What is beginning!? The three talismans? Are those the key words that will lead the new enemies to ruin?" "Rei-chaaaaaan!" "Ma- Mako-chan!?" "We finally found you!" Makoto says. "Hey! Rei-chan!" calls Usagi. "Everyone!?" Usagi, Ami, and Minako walk up, breathing heavily. "I think I'm going to die..." Minako says. "This is the summit of the mountain," says Ami. "Rei-chan," Usagi says. "Do you always train here!?" "What's wrong!?" Rei says. "Happy 15th birthday, Rei-chan!" they all say. "I baked you a cake," says Makoto. "We wanted to throw you a party." "I brought you some of your favorite flowers," says Minako. "Casablancas." "I got you pair cups!" says Usagi. "I got you a complete advice book," says Ami. "Since we're finally in 9th grade, we can work through it together!" "Hey, Rei-chan," Makoto says. "Did you know? The new students at the Infinity School have a camp here. They're staying at the lodge." "Yeah, I thought that was a little interesting, and I came here," Rei says. "So why didn't you tell us!" Makoto says. "You came by yourself!" "Wait a second. I'm getting a feeling of foreboding. We must guard Usagi tightly. If we protect her in advance, then she won't be drawn in..." "Okay," says Makoto. They hear noises from the building. "What's that!?" "They're practicing judo on the other side of the lodge," says Rei. They all go over there, and peek around the wall to watch. "What?" Haruka says. "It's you. We meet often, don't we." "Oh no..." Usagi thinks. "How... did we meet again!?" "What are you up to?" he asks. "Here at the heart of the mountain. Are you staying at this lodge too? What a coincidence." "No!" says Makoto. "We're training on this mountain too!" "Training, eh?" Haruka says. "So, would anyone care to practice with me? It'll help you learn. But I don't suppose you can do judo..." "I certainly can!" Makoto says. "Mako-chan!?" She puts on a uniform, and she faces Haruka on the mat. "This overconfident yahoo..." she thinks. Before she knows it, Makoto finds herself slammed onto the mat. "Huh!?" "Mako-chan!?" Ami calls. "That's wrong!" Minako says. "Throwing weak girls down so hard!" "I don't discriminate," Haruka says. "If a girl can't beat a boy, don't you think she deserves it? If she loses, can she protect those important to her?" "No..." Makoto thinks. "I couldn't have been beaten because I'm a girl..." "What are you doing there?" the instructor Eudial calls. "Nothing at all," Haruka says. "I was just talking with some kids from another school staying here." "I see." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Makoto wakes up as she hears a noise. "Huh...? Rei-chan!?" "Shh..." Rei says. She takes Makoto outside, where students gather around a fire. "It looks like they're starting a meeting, in the middle of the night. Look, they're purifying their bodies in the waterfall." Eudial stands in the center of the gathering. "We will now begin the new student orientation," she says. "To promote the life of the school, we will learn the doctrine of the Infinity School together. You love this school alone, so you will do all you can for it. You must not disobey the leader of the school. Devote your mind and body to the founder of the school, our master Pharaoh 90. To our master Pharaoh 90! Your mind and body!" "Inside the flame..." Rei thinks. "The shape of a black star!?" Black stars appear on the foreheads of the students. "For our master..." Eudial says. "For our survival... From now on, you will spend your days training to be vessels. Devote your souls and vitality!" A light flashes. "Who's there!?" she says. "This is the end of your little banquet! I am the soldier of war, and I carry the protection of the planet of fire, Mars. I am Sailor Mars!" "I am the soldier of protection, and I carry the protection of the planet of thunder, Jupiter. I am Sailor Jupiter!" "You've appeared, sailor soldiers!" Eudial says. "I am Eudial, of level 78 of the Witches 5 of the Death Busters! I will defeat you, and my level will be raised!" "Death Busters!?" "Mars Snake Fire!!" Rei calls. Eudial is enveloped in flame, and mutates. "She turned into a monster!?" - "Usagi-chan! Usagi-chan!" Ami says. "Huhh...?" "Rei-chan and Mako-chan are gone!" "What!?" "Usagi! Ami!" Minako says. "Flames!" - As the monster charges at Rei and Makoto, the other soldiers run up. "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" The monster vanishes in a flash of light. "It disappeared!?" - "She's gone." "She had no right to tell them of the Witches 5." "So that's the end of the warrior of the flame, Eudial." "Those sailor soldiers are strong!" - "She said the 'Death Busters.'" "The Death Busters!? Are they the new enemies!?" "That look...!" Minako thinks. "Is the enemy still here!?" They turn and see a woman with short blond hair in a sailor suit running away into the woods. "That's...!!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1994 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1996 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sailor Moon Translations | Sailor Moon Volume 8