Arabian Knights, Part 1 (revised) by Chibi Chibi Chibi (that's a lot of Chibi's) Rating: PG Thanks to Katja for correcting my German spelling errors. You're great! This brings me to another point: if you see any spelling or grammatical errors, please feel free to tell me. Spelling errors were all that was changed in this revision, so don't reread this just because it was revised! Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, or any (well, most) of the characters used here. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, Toei Animation and DIC. (sigh) But I did write this story, so if you want to use an idea I have here, please e-mail me at . This is my first attempt at a fanfic, so please consider that when you read this. :-P Okay I don't have much else to say about this, except thanks again to Sailor M for the use of her prologue. Background: Everyone is dead. (read the Prologue) But they're alive again. Uranus and Neptune are NOT ... well... they're not. They're JUST friends. Also, when the Starlights transform, they're still guys. The following are the senshi and their friends' ages (Mamoru deaged a bit) and name translations: Usagi/Serena: 17 Ami/Amy: 17 Rei/Raye: 17 Makoto/Lita: 17 Minako/Mina: 17 Chibi-usa/Rini: Setsuna (Pluto): 21 Haruka (Uranus): 18 Michiru (Neptune): 18 Hotaru (Saturn): 9 Mamoru/Darien: 19 Motoki/Andrew: 19 Naru/Molly: 17 The Starlights: 17 *...* or <...> = thought (I need this to differentiate thoughts) '...' = emphasis (AN:...) = Author's note Arabian Knights ~*~*~ "As memory may be a paradise from which we cannot be driven, it may also be a hell from which we cannot escape." -John Lancaster Spalding ~*~*~ The silence in the quiet early morning streets of Tokyo was broken by a sudden shriek that woke Chiba Mamoru with a start. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand and smiled. *7:31. Right on schedule, as usual.* He stood up and hesitated. The next shriek would be coming soon, and since Usagi had not yet even reached his block, it would be even louder this time. "MY LUNCH!!!!!!!!!" Mamoru grimaced and began to get ready for work. *No need for an alarm clock with Usagi right down the street,* he though with a laugh. Mamoru arrived at work and greeted his best friend, Motoki, with a smile. "Ohayougozaimasu, Motoki." Ever since Mamoru had gotten a co-op computer programming job in the hospital where Motoki worked, the two of them saw a lot more of each other. Motoki was interning as a surgeon at Tokyo's newest hospital, Tensai Memorial Hospital. He still worked at the arcade occasionally, to take his mind off the work at the hospital, but his main focus was on the work he was doing in the surgery rooms. Mamoru made his way to the small, confined office where he now worked. He sat down at his computer and began that day's work. ~*~*~ Mizuno Ami stared solemnly out the window of the plane at the ocean below. She was somewhere between Japan and Russia, finally headed for Germany to study abroad. She'd received an offer to go to Munich, Germany, and study with four other Japanese students as well as those from other countries at a private girls' school there about a month ago. Despite her excitement, she felt as if she should be staying in Tokyo, as if there were some reason she hadn't accepted the offer to do this two years ago. *Don't be silly, Ami. This is the chance of a lifetime! You'll be able to further your education with some of the brightest students in the world. It's what you've always wanted,* she thought, as though trying to convince herself that she was doing the right thing. Why hadn't she accepted the offer four years ago? Her mother had told Ami that some very close friends had convinced her to stay at the last minute. *But that's silly,* she thought sadly, *I've never had any close friends. That's one reason I could leave so easily this time.* She smiled as her mind began a conversation with itself. *Er, he is? Imagine that...* *I'd never do something this drastic over a guy. Education is the one thing foremost in my mind and will stay there.* *School dance? I didn't know about any school dance...* Lost in her thoughts, Ami didn't even notice herself drifting off to sleep. When she awoke, the plane had just landed in Munich, Germany, and the passengers were being directed to unfasten their seatbelts and exit the plane. Ami did so, gathering her belongings and following the girl in front of her who was studying abroad at the same school as Ami. An instructor from the school was waiting outside the terminal for the group and introduced herself as Frau Williams. Ami concentrated as Frau Williams gave the girls a few last-minute instructions in German. Though she had studied German in school for a few years, she was not comfortable either speaking or hearing it yet, and was by no means fluent. She knew she would be expected to learn the language quickly, so that she could be successful in the all-German school, so she paid close attention to the instructor's every word. After a short drive, the group reached a large, formal looking school. A group of students were waiting for the new arrivals, and when they stepped out of the car, Frau Williams made introductions. "Ami Mizuno, this is Charlotte Parker." The two shook hands, and Frau Williams explained that Charlotte would be Ami's guide for the first few days. "Fr䵬ein Parker, would you show Fr䵬ein Mizuno to her room?" Charlotte nodded and led Ami to one of the many stone buildings of the school. ~*~*~ Aino Minako stared glumly out the window of the cab at the green, rolling hills outside of London, England. Sure, she was glad to be back in England after years of being away, but she was leaving a lot in Japan (including a new boyfriend). She'd tried to convince her parents to stay in Tokyo, but they had insisted that it was for her own good that they were returning. They had noticed a big drop in her grades since she had been in Japan, and had been convinced that her friends there were having a bad influence on her. *So what if I used to be a straight-A student? Can they expect me to always do that well? Besides, it's more fun to be an airhead.* The first person she'd met in Tokyo, Tsukino Usagi, had been a complete ditz, and had been the most interesting person Minako had ever met. *Especially,* she thought, *compared to all my friends in London!* True, Usagi wasn't exactly the best student at Juuban High School (okay, she bordered on the worst), but she was fun to be around, and she was a good friend as well. Though she never would have admitted it to Usagi or any of her other friends' faces, Minako respected Usagi and looked up to her a lot. Minako stroked Artemis, her cat, absently as she stared at the vast countryside. She'd been so happy here as a young girl... why didn't she want to come back? *It's as if there's something about my past that I don't remember...* Artemis lifted his head to look at her just then, and Minako could have sworn there was a look of sympathy on his face. "You understand, don't you, Artemis?" The cat merely purred in response. Minako leaned her head against the door of the car and fell into a deep, discontented sleep. ~*~*~ Hino Rei glared as she noticed the familiar figure enter the temple gates. The Tsukino girl had never been one of Rei's favorite people, and Rei was 'not' in the mood for her klutziness today. "Hey, what are 'you' doing here?" Her voice was like ice, and Rei waited impatiently as Usagi made her way up the steps to answer her. Usagi looked up at the cold stare coming from Rei. *Why is she looking at me like that? Does she genuinely hate me?* Okay, there was the fact that they both knew that Usagi had a crush on Rei's boyfriend, Chiba Mamoru, and was always flirting with him. *But I'm sure Rei doesn't mind,* thought Usagi. Taking a staggering breath, Usagi answered her, laughing. "Well, you know, it's funny. I was just stopping by..." "Can it, Odango Breath. We both know that this is about the time that Mamoru comes by every Friday to go get some ice cream with me. You were here last Friday at this time, and the Friday before. Give it up, Usagi. No one will ever fall for you." She turned her attention to Mamoru, who was just walking in the front gates. "Mamo-chan! I'm so glad to see you." She ran up to him and gave him a hug. "See ya, Usagi. Have a nice day!" Steam began to come out of Usagi's ears. *Nice day? Yeah, I'll show you a nice day...* How was she supposed to have a 'nice' 'day' with that 'Rei' flaunting Mamoru around like he was some prize she'd won by being superior to Usagi? Oooh, the things she'd love to do to that Hino brat. "You, too. See ya around, Mamoru!" she said sweetly. *Why do I still come over here?* she asked herself. Usagi began to wander around the temple gardens, watching the petals fall in sheets off of the cherry trees. *It's so peaceful here,* she thought. *How could Rei grow up here and still be so... so... awful?* She sat down on a bench and sighed. She needed to go home. But her mom would only make her study for that math test she had on Monday. *No, I'd better stay here. At least now that Rei's gone, I can relax and have some peac-* Usagi felt a wave of cold water spill over her head. She jumped up, screaming. "Nani!?!?" She whirled around to see a very familiar face. "YATEN!!!!!!" Usagi watched as the young man in front of her burst into laughter at the look on her face. He began to back away as Usagi's face grew redder and the steam began to come out faster from her ears. Hands balled into fists, Usagi broke out into a sprint as Yaten began to run himself. When she realized she couldn't catch him, she stopped, panting from the exercise. (*I must have eaten too many sweets this afternoon...*) She began to make her way back to the bench, shocked at the return of her friend, and stopped short when she saw two just as familiar faces. The three stood in an uncomfortable silence, and it was Seiya who finally spoke. "Miss me?" he asked with a grin. Usagi's heart fluttered at the smile he gave her. It had been so long since she had seen them! From what she remembered, Seiya, Taki, and Yaten, better known as the idol group, the Three Lights, had taken a "break" from fame when Usagi was about 15. They'd gone to Europe, and no one had heard anything from them for a couple of years. Usagi couldn't believe they were back after all that time. In her shock, all she could manage as a reply was a slow nod. Seiya laughed at the expression of pure surprise on Usagi's face. "We decided to forget whatever planet we came from and come back to help you on earth- it was getting boring without any youma-" Seiya stopped short. Was it possible? Did Usagi not remember? "You do remember, don't you?" The blank look Usagi gave him was reply enough. *Oh, great. Pluto's going to kill me. 'Disrupting the time stream,' that's what she'll say. And she 'won't' make it a very pleasant death...* He looked at Usagi. "You honestly don't remember any of this? None of this is sparking a memory?" Usagi shook her head. Seiya turned to Taki for support. Taki only shrugged. "Um... er... well... maybe you should go home and take a nap. You look very stressed." Seiya stammered, hoping she'd just go home and forget about all of this- either that or 'remember' everything else. "You guys are really freaking me out." Usagi looked at the two, very confused. "All right. I'm going home now. 'You' are the ones that are crazy. Bye. See ya later." Usagi walked off. Seiya and Taki looked at each other and burst out laughing. ~*~*~ Hey! Chibi Chibi Chibi here! So... what did you think? I know, it's a little short, but I promise it'll get better. It's just an intro now, so not much plot yet, but 'trust' me, it's got a plot (and, er, a very complicated one at that!) I'll get into it soon enough. This is probably going to be a very long story. Please e-mail me!!!!!!!!!!!!! \ | | | | | | | | / -> chibichibichibi2@yahoo.com <- / | | | | | | | | \