[ ] Act 4 - Masquerade / The Masked Ball Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, May 1992. Written by Takeuchi Naoko. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 2.0, 4.98. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luna types into a computer at the Crown Game Center. It displays pictures, and information: Sailor Moon Tsukino Usagi Birthday: June 30 - Cancer Blood Type: O Age: 14 Enrolled at Minato-ku Juuban Junior High School Sailor Mercury Mizuno Ami Birthday: September 10 - Virgo Blood Type: A Age: 14 Minato-ku Juuban Junior High School Sailor Mars Hino Rei Birthday: April 17 - Aries Blood Type: AB Age: 14 T-A Private Girls School Chiba Mamoru Birthday: Unknown Blood Type: Unknown Age: Approx. 17 to 18 Enrolled at Moto Azabu Private High School - Friend or enemy??? A suspicious character...!!! Luna thinks for a moment, then starts typing again. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi's mom reads the newspaper in the morning. A picture of Sailor Moon is on the front. Behind the incident is Sailor Moon! The mystery of the disappearances on Sendai Hill is solved safely! "Wow, that Sailor Moon-chan! Another deed! I wonder who's doing this soldier of justice thing..." She turns the page. Princess D of the jewel kingdom In Japan with her mystical treasure "Oh no! It's 8:25!!! I'm late!" Usagi storms past her mom. "Mom, my lunch!" She flies out the door. Usagi runs down the street. "Luna! Run as fast as you can!" She sees a policeman talking to someone. "The police sure are doing a lot of inspections today." I'm Tsukino Usagi. I'm actually the soldier of justice, Sailor Moon! But I'm not just a soldier of justice. I have lots of missions, it's tough. There's defeating the mysterious enemies who are threatening people (they're not human!). And searching for my allies, right? And I also have to search for the Mystical Silver Crystal, but we don't know where it is. And then, Luna says we have to find our princess, and protect her. Usagi nervously walks inside her classroom. "Good morning..." "Usagi," calls Naru. "You're safe! Haruda's not here yet. Hey, they're doing lots of investigations on the road, right? Usagi sits down. "Yeah, is something going on?" "It's the first order royal princess, from the D Kingdom, the world's biggest jewel producer!" says Naru. "Princess D is coming to Japan! Tonight, they're having a dinner party at the embassy! The D Kingdom embassy is below Sendai Hill, it's really close!" "Wow!" says Usagi. "A princess!" "You know," says Naru. "Princess D is going to inherit the mystical treasure passed down through the royal family. She's presenting it to the world for the first time at the dinner party tonight! The treasure of the diamond kingdom, it must be amazing! I can't even imagine!" Luna reads the newspaper on a desk. Unveiled tonight will be the final mystery of the century! First in line to the throne, Princess D is arriving in Japan, bringing the D Kingdom's greatest mystical tresaure in the world. "Hey," says Naru. "That cat of Usagi's is engrossed in the newspaper, how cute!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Usagi-chan!" says Ami. "You're here!" "You're late!" says Rei. Usagi walks into the Crown Game Center. "Hehe..." "She bombed on another test and got detention," says Luna. "Ami-chan, help her study next time." I'll introduce you! This is the genius from class 5 who I really depend on, Ami-chan. She's Sailor Mercury. And this young lady, who's scary when she's angry, is the shrine maiden, Rei-chan. She's Sailor Mars. I've already found two of my allies! "Hmph," says Rei. "Why must I be a soldier of justice. I'm very busy. Anyway, Luna! There's this matter of finding the princess. Just what kingdom is she from? How will we know her? And first of all, Luna, where did you come from? If you don't make your true identity clear, I cannot be a part of this." "Well..." says Luna, "I can't tell you that yet. Even if I did, you wouldn't believe me." "But Luna," says Ami. "We need a little more data. About the enemies, and the Mystical Silver Crystal." "Even I don't know the true identities of the enemies clearly," says Luna. "Such enemies have invaded Tokyo..." "But we've become soldiers to defeat the enemies, right?" "No!" says Luna. "To protect the princess. You are soldiers to protect the princess. That we can't find her yet... I think it's because she's been sealed in some way, so that we don't recognize her." "Sealed? Why would that be necessary...?" "There is a high likelihood that the princess is carrying the Mystical Silver Crystal," says Luna. "Naturally, everyone has their eyes on the holy stone, the Mystical Silver Crystal, which carries infinite power. But if it were abused, that would be horrible!" She watches Usagi play the Sailor V game. "Your awakening as soldiers is not yet complete," says Luna. "Once all of you are gathered, and the awakening is complete, the seal on the princess will break, and we will know everything. This is all I can say now. Okay?" "A- Awakening..." says Rei. "What should we do..." "Your memory," says Luna. "All you can do is remember." "Remember?" "Usagi-chan, especially," thinks Luna. "You who became a soldier first. You'll have to be everyone's leader, but... She's the least dependable..." She jumps on Usagi's head. "Come on, Usagi-chan! I'm talking about important things, and you're just playing games!" "Wait, wait, a little longer!" says Usagi. "Pay more attention!" says Luna. The man who works there walks into the game center. "There are a lot of police out today..." he says. "Hey, Usagi-chan, you brought your pretty friends today too." "I know what's going on, o-nii-san!" says Usagi. "A princess is coming to the D Kingdom embassy." "Princess D, and that treasure..." thinks Luna. "Might be something to check out." "Oh, the princess..." says the man. "A blond glamour girl..." "Hehe!" says Umino, popping up. "I got a hard-to-get picture of Princess D!" He holds up a poster. The lady has short hair, and big glasses. "What... This is Princess D?" "Wow..." "Hmm..." "She looks a little like Umino..." says Usagi. "Wow... I bet she'll wear a dreamy dress at the dinner tonight! I want to go too, I want to go too! I want to see her magnificent treasure, too!" "You should stop..." says Rei. "I'm getting a bad feeling. You won't meet with anything good there..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nephrite reads the newspaper through a crystal ball. "The magnificent treasure of the D Kingdom..." he says. "I must investigate this." He stares at Jadeite's corpse, encased in a glass coffin. "Jadeite of the four generals... To bring you back to life, as well... I, Nephrite, will be sure to obtain the Mystical Silver Crystal!" "Yes, Nephrite," says Queen Beryl. "With the power of the Mystical Silver Crystal, Jadeite, and even our great ruler will be restored. Our Dark Kingdom will take control on the surface! The Mystical Silver Crystal... Just what kind of thing is it? Is there truly a stone with such great power? Where can it be!?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I'm home!" calls Usagi. "Hey, dad, what's going on? You're sure dressed fancy." "There's a dinner party at the D Kingdom embassy," says her dad, wearing a suit and tie. "I'm covering it for my magazine." "What!? N- No fair! I want to go too!!" "It'll be on the news later," he says. "See you." Usagi gets a devilish grin. "Luna..." she says. "Let's go investigate too." She pulls out her magic pen. "Moon Power! Transform me into a princess!" She appears in a beautiful white dress. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ami and Rei stand outside the embassy. "Hmph," says Rei. "Why must I be here..." Usagi enters the ballroom. "Wow!" she says. "A masked ball!" All the people inside wear masks over their eyes. "You can't tell who's who like this," says Luna. Ami and Rei enter. "Let's split up and look for Princess D," says Ami. "Usagi-chan?" "Wow, amazing!" says Usagi. "It's like a foreign movie!" "It would be faster if we leave that girl alone and search," says Rei. "Oh, this is wonderful..." thinks Usagi. "Hey, after going so far as to get all dressed up, I wish I could dance for at least one song..." Usagi's dad turns around. "Hey, she looks like Usagi! Maybe my Usagi will be that beautiful when she grows up." A lady bumps into Usagi, and spills her drink on her. "Oh, I'm sorry." "Oh no!" says Usagi. "Bathroom, bathroom..." She walks out into the hallway. A cloth drops from her dress. Tuxedo Kamen stands by the window, a mask covering his face. He picks up the cloth handkerchief. It reads "Grade 8, Class 1. Tsukino Usagi." Usagi wanders around. "Oh, I can't find the bathroom... Luna, Ami-chan, Rei-chan... Where did they go?" She looks around the ballroom. "Even turning into a princess... Being alone... It's boring..." "Beautiful princess. Be my partner for a song." The man leads Usagi to the dance floor. "Tuxedo Kamen!?" thinks Usagi. "No way! Why... This is like a dream..." They start to dance. "I was just thinking I wanted to see you," says Usagi. "So was I," says Tuxedo Kamen. "Usagi-chan!" calls Luna. Usagi turns around. "Luna!" She turns back, and the man is gone. "Tuxedo Kamen? My body... It feels so warm inside..." "Princess D is inside," says Luna. "So?" says Usagi. "Anything striking you?" "No, I don't sense anything..." says Luna. "Must not be her after all..." "What about her treasure? Where is it?" The crowd talks in anticipation. "I'm looking forward to tonight's main event! The mystical treasure of the D Kingdom!" "We won't have a chance like this again! I want to see it soon!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A man bows. "Princess," he says. "You should be preparing..." "All right," she says. "Here, my interpreter." "May I assist you, Princess?" says the beautiful woman. "I do not yet know the inside of the embassy well," says Princess D. "Would you guide me to the room... Everyone's just talking about the treasure, the treasure. If I were prettier... I'm an extra to the treasure, at best." The interpreter's eyes glow. "That's right," she thinks. "In this mystery I have no business with you. My only business is with the mystical treasure!" Her spirit enters the body of the princess. The door opens. "Princess D?" a man calls. "Are you ready..." The princess looks at them with an evil glance, holding a chest. "I've got the mystical treasure!!" She runs out into the ballroom with the chest. "Get out of my way!" "Princess D!?" "Princess D is acting strangely!" "Princess D has gone mad!" "Usagi-chan!" says Luna. "Something's wrong! Princess D is taking the treasure to the balcony!" Usagi jumps on the princess as she reaches the edge of the balcony. "Princess D! Get a hold of yourself! That's dangerous!" "Get off me!" the princess cries, and throws Usagi off. Usagi flies over the balcony. "Usagi-chan!?" yells Luna. Usagi reaches out her arm as she plummets to the ground. A gloved hand grabs her arm, holding her up. Usagi looks up. "Tuxedo Kamen!!" She hears a voice come from the communicator on her wrist. "Usagi-chan!?" "Ami-chan!?" Ami and Rei stand in the ballroom. "The princess' expression!" says Rei. "She's possessed, by an evil spirit... No, by an enemy!" "Now, become our slaves!" thinks the princess. "All who oppose us will be sacrifices to our great ruler!" Tuxedo Kamen begins to lose his grip on Usagi. She looks up, alarmed. "Oh no!" says Luna. "Usagi-chan! The pen!" "The pen!?" says Usagi. As Usagi begins to fall, the pen gets longer. It shoots up, and an umbrella opens out of it. Usagi falls, carrying Tuxedo Kamen over the balcony. They slowly drift to the ground. "Today I was saved by you," says Tuxedo Kamen. "I thank you." He runs off into the moonlight. "Tuxedo Kamen!!" thinks Usagi. "No... Always, the one who's always being saved is me..." She holds up her brooch. "Moon Prism Power... Make Up!!" As she transforms, she pauses. "Oh no! My tiara isn't equipped!" She remembers that she used the tiara to trap Jadeite. "Oh no! It burned up with that guy in the battle the other day!" She feels her body. "Oh, what's this...? My body's growing warm. Just like when I took Tuxedo Kamen's hand..." Another tiara appears on her forehead, adorned with crescent moon rings. "A new tiara!?" She jumps up onto the balcony. Ami and Rei stand there in their sailor suits. "Usagi, you're late!" The face of Nephrite appears over the princess. Blackness engulfs the ballroom, causing the people to fall unconscious. "Everyone's being swallowed in darkness...!" Usagi sees her dad among the people collapsing. "Dad!?" "Heh heh heh... I, Nephrite, will take this mystical treasure and sacrifices for our great ruler!" Rei steps forward, and thrusts her arm out. "Evil spirit begone!" The image of Nephrite laughs. "What!? It didn't work!?" Tuxedo Kamen appears on the balcony ledge behind Usagi. "Sailor Moon!" he says. "To extinguish the darkness, you must have a powerful light!" She whirls around. "Tuxedo Kamen!?" "Usagi-chan!" calls Luna. "Reflect the light of the moon with your new tiara! Hit Princess D with it!" Usagi touches her fingers to the jewel on her tiara. "Possessing the princess, how shameless! I am Sailor Moon, and in the name of the moon, I'll punish you! Moon Twilight Flash!!" The moonlight shines down on her and reflects at the image of Nephrite, destroying it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "She vanquished it!" says Nephrite, moving back from his crystal ball. "That damn Sailor Moon, she vanquished my shadow...!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Uhhh..." moans Princess D. As she gets up off the ground, her glasses fall off. The three girls and Luna all jump back. "Princess D!?" They look at her beautiful face. "What... What happened...?" She looks around. "My glasses... My glasses... I can't see anything without them." The girls picture Umino and his similar glasses. "Hey..." says Ami. "Wh- What if, Umino too..." "Haha," laughs Usagi nervously. "N- No way," says Rei. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Wonderful, the dinner party has returned to normal." "Princess D must be worn out..." A man stands at the front of the room. "Everyone," he says. "From Princess D, it's the world's final mystical treasure! She will present the ruling family's treasure!" The princess opens the chest. She takes out a small statue resembling her. "A 2000 karat diamond! It's in the image of the first princess of the D Kingdom!!" "That's... Kind of..." says Rei. "That's not it... Is it..." says Luna. "Hey," says Ami. "Where's Usagi-chan?" Usagi walks by a table. "Oh, I've exhausted my strength..." she says. "Where's some juice..." She picks up a glass and drinks it. "Oh, this is pretty good..." She hiccups. She stumbles back, and bumps into a man in a tuxedo. "Oh... I'm sorry..." She falls asleep against Tuxedo Kamen's chest. He picks her up and carries her. "Mmm..." she mumbles. "I was just thinking I wanted to see you," said Usagi. He places a pillow beside a pillar on the balcony outside, and rests her against it. He leans forward, and gently touches his lips to hers. He kisses her deeply. "Oh... This feeling... So familiar... Before... Somewhere... So soft and warm... How many times... have those sweet lips..." "Get away from Usagi-chan!" calls Luna. He steps back. "Tuxedo Kamen, who are you? Why do you always appear before us?" "Because I, too, am searching for the Mystical Silver Crystal." Luna steps forward. "Are you our enemy? Are you our ally?" "Well... If we seek the same thing... Perhaps I'm your enemy." He looks at Luna. "Perhaps I'm your enemy..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rain pours down on the city of Tokyo. Lightning strikes in the distance. A tall girl runs through the streets, covering her head with her arm. "The coming of a storm..." she says. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1992 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1998 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sailor Moon Translations | Sailor Moon Volume 1