[ ] Act 28 - Infinity 5: Sailor Pluto / Meiou Setsuna Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, July 1994. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.0, 8.96. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hmm... I'm getting abnormal readings all over this area. Isn't it a little too active, Meiou?" "The space is distorting." "I see, it is." "I wonder why that occurred to me," says Setsuna. "This worries me. I don't understand these readings on the space. It's really showing a wondrous peak. What's this shape..." Reika enters the room with Motoki. "Setsuna!" "Reika-san." "You're really working late," Reika says. "Do you have to stay? Want to go eat dinner with us?" "Sorry, I already ate with my professor." "Wow," Motoki says. "Amazing. This place is full of green plants! Mako-chan would like it here." "Who's this Mako-chan, Furuhata-kun?" asks Reika. "She's a girl that comes to the game center a lot. She's a kid at Juuban Junior High. She loves plants." "Hmph. Fine." She drags him out the door. "Well, Setsuna-chan!" Motoki says. "See you later." "Yeah." "So, isn't she pretty?" says Reika. "Meiou Setsuna-chan must be the prettiest at this school." "Yeah, really," says Motoki. "She carries herself with the grace of an adult. She's intellectual and beautiful. Er, um... So what kind of research is she helping with?" "I think that professor studies anti-gravity in America. She said that there's something strange about the space in the Delta area. They're investigating the surroundings very deeply." "Reika-san, let's go to the Delta to eat dinner. There are lots of fancy buildings and restaurants there. Reika-san?" "Umm... Say, why don't we go somewhere else." "Why?" "Well... Look, there's all those weird black clouds... It's a little scary." "Haha," says Motoki. "You're frightened." "Those are definitely rain clouds. This place has strange weather. The rainy season hasn't ended at all." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A dog in a glass chamber transforms into a large monster in a flash of light. "It mutated into a failed daimon again," Tomoe says. "Professor," says Kaolinite. "It is time for the contact." "Okay." They go to the fountain in the pool of water outside the old stone castle. They kneel before it. The statue glows. "Ohh..." the voice says. "I am waiting for the light of the source of life, the Taioron Crystal. Gather more and more souls of the humans. We still do not have enough." "I apologize, Master Pharaoh 90," says Kaolinite. "We will surely bring many souls here." "There is only one method to take action in this world now," Pharaoh 90 says. "I take it you are progressing with the utilization." "We are attempting the utilization by planting eggs in the human bodies that souls have been taken from," says Tomoe. "The outsiders are interrupting us. In the experiments, 90 percent become atavistic. The time to make them complete like us is not yet... Then the complete ones will bring the ruin of the outsiders, the sailor soldiers." "Take care of the outsider sailor soldiers that carry the protection of planets at once!" Pharaoh 90 says. "Eliminate them! I will recover all my power. We must be patient until the utilization is performed. This land will be our second mother planet. Nothing must stop us!" "Certainly!" says Kaolinite. "The carriers of the lights of the planets' protection, the sailor soldiers! I will eliminate them at once!" "Sailor Moon..." says Pharaoh 90. "She destroyed the daimons in an instant. What is that strong brightness called? Is that Sailor Moon's soul!? The souls of the humans are no match for it. That power... It's brilliance is like that of our source of life, the Taioron Crystal. But, the ominous light that will guide us to ruin could be near it. In the light of the planets' protection... The time of awakening is near." "The light that will guide us to ruin..." thinks Kaolinite. "Could that be the three talismans, in the light of the planets' protection!?" "Take Sailor Moon's brilliance, the infinite power, immediately!" says Pharaoh 90. "For our revival! Eliminate our impending ruin! By our hand, the sailor soldiers and the humans of this world will be led to ruin! Heh heh heh..." Tomoe and Kaolinite leave. "Since the outsiders, the sailor soldiers, have appeared," says Tomoe, "the master has seemed cheerful." Kaolinite goes to the pool of water. "So selfish, knowing nothing of the trouble I go to..." she thinks. "Now I'm supposed to find the secret of the sailor soldiers' power, and the true form of the guiding talismans. The sailor soldiers... Troublesome fools..." A woman appears behind her. "Kaolinite," she says. "The master says we must obtain lots of souls." "I am the instructor of the phys. ed. class at the school," the woman says. "I am also in charge of the botanical garden. I can't stand leaving things half done like Viluy did. I am Tellu, level 404, and I will obtain the highest quality souls. At the master's request, the souls of the sailor soldiers. Then I will bring the power that resembles the Taioron Crystal!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Everyone! Your clay works displayed in the hall have received many compliments from other classes and teachers. Now the display is over, so you can all take your works back." All the students get their clay sculptures. Chibi-Usa takes her jeweled chalice. "Now then," says the teacher. "This week's goal is to present them to someone important to you. Everyone give the sculpture you made to someone important to you, as a token of gratitude. For example, your dad, your mom, or your best friend." "Oh..." Chibi-Usa says. "I have to give someone this legendary holy chalice that was so hard to make. Momo-chan, what are you going to do?" "It's almost my mom's birthday," says Momoko. "I'll give it as a present." Kyusuke drops a cup on Chibi-Usa's desk. "Chibi-Usa! Here!" "A Sailor Moon design!" says Momoko. "Wow! Kyusuke, that's clever!" "Why are you giving it to me?" asks Chibi-Usa. Kyusuke turns red. "Huh!? Well-! You see-! I admit I've been a bad friend to you. It's a sign of friendship." "A sign of friendship..." Chibi-Usa says. "I'll... give it to Hotaru-chan." "Hotaru-chan?" says Momoko. "Is that the older girl you met recently at the Infinity School?" "Yep! She's really pretty and mysterious!" "Hmph." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two girls walk between classes at the Infinity School. They see Hotaru. "That's the 6th grader, Tomoe-san," says one girl. "She's carrying her bag. Is she leaving early again?" "Is she weak-bodied?" says the other. "She's been wearing those long tights all year." "She's such a dark person. She always has a vacant face. It's well-known that she's a bit strange." "Naturally. Her father's a mad scientist. Doesn't she have any friends?" Hotaru drops to the ground coughing. She reaches for a pen case. One of the girls steps on it. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Tomoe Hotaru-senpai. You worn out? Need some help?" Hotaru picks up the case. "Tomoe-senpai?" Hotaru's glares at them. She crushes the case in her hand. The girls gasp. "Wh- What!? She crushed the pen case!?" Hotaru walks away. "She looked at us so angrily... Like she was another person!?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi stares out the window. Rain pours outside. Makoto slaps her on the back. "What's the matter, Usagi? You look like you're lovesick." "That's not it.. I want to meet Haruka-san and Michiru-san. Let's look for where they live! I want to see them, and talk to them. They're the same sailor soldiers, but why do they keep fighting us? It can't continue! I want to go ask them!" The school bell rings. "Let's go," says Makoto. "We have work to do." "You two..." Usagi says. "You're so cold!" "What's wrong Usagi?" "We should do what we can right away," says Ami. "Usagi-chan, did you get detention?" Usagi groans. "Yeah..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Mako-chan, since you came here, there's been lots of new varieties in the flower garden and greenhouse. The flowers are really blooming too." "Is that so?" "What's your favorite flower, Mako-chan?" "Sasanquas," she says. "Sasanquas... Ohh... They remind me of the boy I loved..." "Do you have lots of plants in your house?" "Yeah," says Makoto. "But, lately they haven't been healthy. The decorative plants and the flowers. It's because of this strange weather. Suddenly it's hot, then it's cold." "Don't you know? Now there's a really good decorative plant. Tellurians." "Tellurians? What are those?" "They grow without any water. They soak in water from the atmosphere. They're really popular now. The Infinity School sells lots of them. There's a bunch of uncommon plants there. That's where you should go." "Hmph." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "It's like we thought," Ami says. "The enemies, the Death Busters, live at the Infinity School." "Maybe they've made it their hideout," says Minako. "Then is the school's manager an enemy too?" "Professor Tomoe?" "We don't know to what extent they've brainwashed people into enemies. The Infinity School is ostensibly an ordinary school. The students are normal too. We can't do anything about that." "If we do nothing, there's the danger that their power could expand further." "Like with the Black Moon," says Minako. "Without us knowing, the enemies spread out through the population. Very tricky. Luna, Artemis, what are you investigating?" "The Delta area," says Luna. "Abnormal energy is coming out of it. In particular, the Infinity zone's data is very strange. What are the enemies doing? It's unsettling." "Professor Tomoe..." says Artemis. "He looks rather suspicious." "Specialty is genetic engineering," Usagi reads from the computer. "Owner of the Infinity School. Resides at the Tomoe Research Labs. Hey, he has a daughter. Tomoe Hotaru. She... saved Chibi-Usa before. That kid is Hotaru-chan? Oh...!? Chibi-Usa said she was becoming good friends with Hotaru-chan. She's been going to her house to see her. Is she okay!?" They leave the command center. They pass a flower shop. "Hey, wait," says Makoto. "This is it. The plants that grow without water, tellurians. Are they being sold from the Infinity School?" "Oh, we're selling lots of those now," says the clerk. "They're easy. You don't have to give them any water at all. In a week, they'll turn into a beautiful pink, and smell great." Makoto buys one of them. "Mako-chan, you must really like plants," says Minako. "I'm a little worried," says Makoto. "I've never seen this kind of plant before." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I'm home!" Usagi sees Chibi-Usa putting on her shoes. "Hey, Chibi-Usa, where are you going?" "Hotaru-chan's." "I'm going with you!" "Huh!?" "Well, it's raining hard, and it's already pitch-dark. I'm going with you." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- They enter the Tomoe Research Labs. "Hey! Hey!" Usagi says. "You shouldn't just barge in." "Well, I couldn't find the intercom. Hi!" "What business do you have here?" asks Kaolinite. "Trespassers." "They're my guests, Kaoli-san!" Hotaru says. "Hotaru-chan!" says Usagi. Kaolinite walks away. "Odd," she thinks. "She has guests." "What is it?" Hotaru says. "What have you come to see me together for?" "Hey!" says Chibi-Usa. She sets the chalice on the table. "I made this in art class at school. I thought I'd give it to you." "What!?" Usagi says. "Chibi-Usa! That's-! That's the holy chalice Mamo-chan and I worked so hard to make!" "This week we're supposed to give what we made to someone important to us. My friend gave hers to her mom. I thought it would be a good idea to give this to you as a sign of friendship." "Hmph," says Usagi. "You mean you're not giving it to Mamo-chan?" "But you and Mamo-chan helped me together. It wouldn't be fair to just give it to him." "Chibi-Usa-chan," says Hotaru. "You made this for an important person? I shouldn't be the one to have it. You have to keep it for yourself... Thank you, Chibi-Usa-chan." "I feel like I'm being drawn in," thinks Usagi. "To her deep black eyes... Like they know everything..." Usagi gets up. "Um, excuse me. May I use the bathroom?" "It's at the end of the hallway." "Thanks." Hotaru drops to her knees, coughing. "Hotaru-chan!?" Chibi-Usa says. "I'm having more fits," Hotaru thinks. "Someone's voice is calling inside my head... Today I fainted like this at school. My memory after that..." "Hotaru-chan!?" Chibi-Usa says. Hotaru reaches out for the brooch on Chibi-Usa's chest. "Ahh... When I touch your amulet, Chibi-Usa-chan, I start to feel better. It fills me with power." "Really?" "My amulet has great power. What is this? What power does it have?" "The Mystical Silver Crystal." "M.y.s.t.i.c.a.l... S.i.l.v.e.r... C.r.y.s.t.a.l..." "Hotaru-chan?" Hotaru covers her mouth. "What!?" she thinks. "That-!? Now I wanted to take her amulet for myself... Why!? Now... It was like somebody inside me... was talking..." Kaolinite stands behind the door to the room. "The Mystical Silver Crystal?" - Usagi looks out the window. "The Infinity School is right behind the research lab," she thinks. "There must be an animal research lab like Ami-chan was talking about here, too. When Hotaru-chan saved us, the monsters appeared from the research lab. I wonder what this laboratory is researching." She gasps as she feels a hand on her shoulder. She turns around. "What are you looking for?" Tomoe asks. "Oh!! I-! Err-! Ho- Ho- Hotaru-chan's room. I got lost looking for it." "Ah, you're Hotaru-chan's friend." He takes Usagi to her room. "Hotaru." "Dad!" "It's time for your checkup." "Oh, well then we'll be leaving," says Usagi. "Bye-bye!" Chibi-Usa says. "See you later!" "That's Professor Tomoe," thinks Usagi. "His hands were hard, and cold as ice. Not like human hands..." As they walk home, Chibi-Usa sees a woman with dark skin and long, dark hair in the crowd. "That's...!" "Chibi-Usa?" Usagi says. "She's gone! It couldn't be... It couldn't be... She was walking right here..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minako enters Makoto's apartment. "Wow! Mako-chan, it's been such a long time. Everything's green again." "But they're not doing very well, since it's raining so much. It's on the card. 'Tellurian.' Plant breeding by Teruno Ruru, Infinity School." Makoto yawns. "I'm so sleepy..." "Yeah, I'm so tired..." They drift off to sleep. "That smells good..." Makoto thinks. "It's stuffy..." "Mako-chan." "Who's that?" "Mako-chan." "Nichogi-senpai...?" "The flowers have bloomed." "Mako-chan!" Minako calls. "Huh...?" Makoto sits up. "I feel weak..." "Mako-chan! Look at this!" "What!? The tellurian has already bloomed!? No way!" "Mako-chan! The plants over there!" "They've all withered!?" "Mako-chan!?" Makoto takes a butcher knife and cuts through the tellurian. Gases fill the air. "That's-!?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi looks at the map on the wall. "Hmph. The Delta. Three pieces of land are linked together. The Ten'ou zone... The Kaiou zone... The same as Haruka-san and Michiru-san's surnames..." "Usagi!?" Makoto calls. "Chibi-Usa!?" "Mako-chan! Everyone! What's wrong? Where are you going?" "The Infinity School botanical garden! The enemies!" "Enemies!?" Chibi-Usa says. Usagi sees Haruka and Michiru walking. "Haruka-san! Michiru-san!?" They look back, then run off. "Wait!" "Usagi!" Makoto says. "Why did they run away?" Usagi thinks. "Haruka-san! Don't you want to meet us!?" They walk to the Ten'nou zone condominium tower. [That's not a typo, the spelling is slightly different.] "The tallest building in the Ten'nou zone. They live so close, in Minato Ward." Usagi goes to room 1127, Haruka's room. "Haruka-san?" she says. "You're a sailor soldier like us, but why can't you fight together with us?" Haruka leans against the door inside, listening. "Why won't you tell us anything?" "Usagi..." says Makoto. "Now what we must do," Usagi says, "is hold off the spread of the enemies' influence. Right?" "The Infinity zone," says Minako. "The winds are always strong here. When I come here, my body burns." "Something is unusual," says Rei. "Ghastly. It's much stronger than before." They enter the Infinity botanical garden. "It's just like a jungle," says Makoto. "Look!" says Rei. "The people are collapsing! There's pink flowers all over. This sweet scent of poison... The tellurians!?" "I'm losing strength!" "Uhh..." "Heh heh heh... The highest quality life energy." "You!?" Makoto says. "Carriers of the planets' protection," Tellu says. "The sailor soldiers themselves. How lucky that you've come here. Heh heh. The tellurians are the alter self of me, Tellu. I soak up life energy with my beautifully crafted flowers. The mass of humans' life energy, their souls, absorbed. If I offer the flowers, the master will be pleased, and I will be granted the position of Magus, like Kaolinite!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Setsuna lies on the floor. A tellurian is nearby, soaking her energy. "Uhh..." - Haruka's head jerks up. Michiru looks around from her apartment in the Kaiou zone. "Somebody's in pain..." "Who?" they think. "Someone very close to us... Our ally!?" - "It hurts..." Setsuna thinks. "My strength is fading rapidly... Somebody... Save me... Am I going to die here!? No. I can't die yet. I was born here. The meaning... I was reborn. Meaning... Awaken!" The sign of the planet Pluto appears on her forehead. The signs of Uranus and Neptune appear on Haruka and Michiru's foreheads. Haruka and Michiru appear in the room with Setsuna. "The time has come!" - Leaves blow in the wind around Mamoru. "What!? This-!? Now, something, somewhere, has awakened!?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Everyone!" Usagi calls. "Transform! Moon Cosmic Power!" "Moon Prism Power!" "Make Up!!" "I am the soldier of mystery, and I carry the protection of the planet of love and justice, the moon. I am Sailor Moon!" "And I'm Sailor Chibi-Moon!" "You've shown your true selves!" Tellu says. "The sailor soldiers, carriers of the planets' protection. I am Tellu, level 404, and I will take your souls, and the power similar to the Taioron Crystal! I will tear your bodies into pieces and use them as fertilizer! Mandragora Buster!" "Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!" Tellu falls back. Usagi raises the heart moon rod. "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" "Heh heh!" Tellu says. "That's the highest quality power! Why such a pathetic attack?" "What!?" Usagi thinks. "I can't hesitate. Bring out all my power. I must defeat the enemy before me. But... Uranus, Neptune!" "Sailor Moon..." thinks Chibi-Usa. "I want power too. I want a weapon! So I can save Sailor Moon, and we can fight together! Mom!!" A black ball falls from the sky. "Luna-P!?" It turns into a small rod. "Is this my rod? The moon rod...!? Amazing. My self today. My power is coming out. Until now it hasn't been." She thrusts the rod forward. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!" Tellu is enveloped in light, and mutates into a monster. "Chibi-Moon!" Mamoru calls. "Dead Scream!!" Tellu is torn apart. The soldiers, Usagi, and Mamoru gasp. "That low voice..." Chibi-Usa thinks. "That attack..." They turn and see Sailor Pluto holding her garnet rod, standing with Uranus and Neptune. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1994 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1996 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sailor Moon Translations | Sailor Moon Volume 8