A Short Story on the Real World -Rei, Author's note: * is Ami talking. ** is Makoto talking. *** is Minako speaking Everything else is Rei talking, unless I say otherwise. I love trying to confuse people, hee hee hee!! Hi!! I would like to thank all my friends, and people whose fan fics I like to read. They are Lady Jupiter read some of her stories, they're good, some are kinda passionate, some are action filled. Masked Maiden she does really good stories, too. They're not short, like Star's, and the stories are very interesting to read. Read hers, too. And Starina, she does romance stories. Really mushy, so if you would rather read something about Usagi and Mamoru's relationship, go there. No offense, Baka-Star, hee hee, but I don't like romance stories. =) Any ways, Enjoy! As I sat in my seat, watching the minutes go by on the clock, I thought. Head in hands, bored to my skull, as the teacher droned on about different types of verbs. I went to a private school, my father paid for it, he's a really rich politician, and I hardly ever saw him. So I lived with my grandfather, who can be a bit of a pervert, and Yuuichiro, my sorta boyfriend. We lived at the Temple of Cherry Hill. It's a good temple. People love to come and buy good luck charms, and see the sights. And I would too, f I didn't work and live there, it's a beautiful place, full of life and color, and occasional action and violence. But why am I still rambling? Oh well, as I said, I was in Eternal Boredom, and I didn't really care whether a verb was linking or action, so I let my mind wander. I sighed, somehow my sensei managed to take all of the fun out of a subject when she taught it, and it seemed just horrible. I would do verbs for home work. That would be more fun and interesting. Before I go into detail, let me say that I'm a song writer, I love to write poems, and I wrote a whole bunch of songs for a school festival once, and everyone loved them! I was a smash hit, so I guess you can say I'm talented when it comes to writing. Any ways, the sensei told us all before we went to out lunch about a poetry/writing contest. You know, stuff you see about in the news paper. I suppose that's where she got the contest to begin with, but any ways, I doubt many people heard her announcement, most were probably listening to the rumbling clamor in their stomach, telling them it was time to eat. I bet if Usagi were here, she'd already be finished eating... May I interrupt once more to say that Usagi is gone? So is ChibiUsa. There was a horrible battle, and Sailor Moon died. And ChibiMoon ran away, poor little kid, she was so full of grief. I feel sorry for her. But Pluto visited us the next day and said that ChibiUsa was gone too. So now the senshi have stronger powers, we have to, since there is no Moon Sceptre to finish the fight. When they died, it was a hard time for all of us, especially Tuxedo Kamen. He took it the hardest, and he's so different now. Not the Mamo-chan that I used to have a crush on, that the Dark Force brainwashed. Not the Mamoru who broke up with Usagi, to protect her. Not the Mamo I knew. This new guy's a stranger. I wanted the old Mamoru back!! Everyone misses Usagi and ChibiUsa, but now, it doesn't bug most of us too much, because that happened a about two years ago, and we've kind of gotten over it. But we'll never forget them. You know? They'll live on in our hearts forever, and we told ourselves that we had to be strong. Usagi wouldn't want us to be sad because of her, she was such a cheerful person, she stayed cheerful, even when I yelled at her and made her cry, even when Mamoru made her life miserable when he broke up with her, and the times he tried to kill her as Queen Beryl's prince. Even when I acted like a bitch to her, and life gave her the worst hand out. She stayed cheerful, never letting life get her down. There's no one in the world like her. She was so special. And ChibiUsa probably wouldn't want us to be sad either. Gosh, I haven't realized how much I miss them. But before I really get off the subject, or start crying, I heard her announce the contest, so I thought about entering. And I wasn't entering just for the $4,000 dollar prize (or was I??!!), besides, I felt I had a good chance to win. I'd had a lot of experience writing poems and songs, this would be a sinch. So in the end, I signed up (second place had a good prize, too!). And I stared writing. And writing. And writing. And writing. And writing. Kinda getting the drift of things? And writing. And writing. And writing. And just for a chance to let my hand rest from writing cramps, I wrote some more. It's safe to assume that I was obsessed with this contest. And even more obsessed with winning. Sure, I missed a few senshi meetings.. **A few!! You didn't come to a meeting the whole month that contest went on!** And I forgot a little home work once in a while... *A little homework??!! Once in a while??!! Rei-chan, your sensei gave you a D for no homework that whole month.* And maybe I missed out on a few battles... ***Rei-chan, you're my friend, but don't you think you're stretching the truth just a little bit?? You missed out on _everything_ that month. Your grandfather said you didn't even come for meals.*** Oh, okay, so maybe I was a little distracted, okay, maybe I was a lot distracted, but I wanted to win so bad. Hey, I mean it's not like I couldn't use the money. And besides, who wouldn't be distracted if they had a chance to win 4000 bucks? I wrote poem after poem, after poem. I threw so many away, I think those environmental people are swearing me out for wasting so many trees. I tried writing about love: Love is blind, as far the eye can see, but my eye's, they're not failing me. I see you, crystal clear, and my heart, telling me to go near, Okay, cross out 'love', that was sucky. So I tried writing about depression, I want to thank the people, The world is spinning 'round, I wish that it would pause a moment, so I could touch the ground. Don't you know I hate you, For everything you've done, I'm full of marijuana, And you're telling me it's fun. I'm feeling so confused, would some one please explain, why do I hold a gun to my head.. Why do I hold a gun to my head??! That's not my style. Bye to 'depression'. I wrote endless numbers of poems, short ones, epic-length ones, but none were right. I tried to write about love some more, depression, hatred, happiness, everything, but they all sounded so ungood. So in the end, I chose a song I wrote long ago, inspired by the Tsukikage no Knight. It's a little song that I like to call "Oh Starry Night." I mean, it has love, passion, and it's way thoughtful, so I submitted it. And then I waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. Kinda getting the drift of things? Well, I waited a long time, and my sensei never brought the results to class. I waited two long weeks, doing nothing except wait for the results. Oh, and maybe I planned what I would buy with $4000... After a while, I was afraid the results would never come, so I tried to get back into the drift of things. I actually finished my home work for the first time that month, I attended a senshi meeting, and I even fought a little battle. And then the results came. The sensei came to my desk one morning, with a small envelope in her hand. She looked at me with that stern expression senseis use, and gave me the packet. I nearly jumped with joy. It was the results! I packed it in my back pack, to open at the senshi meeting later that day, even though I was dying to see how I did. At lunch, I kept reading the outside of the letter, running my finger lightly over the edges, thinking of what I'd do with all that money... And I gripped the letter and laughed a Usagi laugh with excitement, as the letter bent between my fingers. I wasn't paying attention, and I spilled soup all over my uniform, it was hot, too, and I jumped up and down, as I wasn't expecting the spill and burn. It felt worse than a bee sting, it was frying my skin. And my suit was just cleaned the day before. I hurriedly ran to the restroom, and tried to wash some of it off with paper towels, but it didn't work. Then I ran to the gym, all sweaty by the time I got there, and borrowed a few cotton towels, the track people didn't need towels _that_ bad. But that didn't work either. I could find no possible way to clean my uniform at school, and since I didn't have an extra uniform, I went around the whole day wearing the 'new perfume, "Eu Fragrance de soupe"' I'm sure all of the other students loved that, and the city dogs must have, too, because they chased me home, licking their lips. I ran fast, not noticing the pain in my lower leg, as I ran faster and faster, dodging obstacles and leaping over benches. I was not about to be dog food. I couldn't concentrate that whole day. I kept smelling vegetable soup, and my mind kept wandering to the letter. It was nearly burning a whole in my back pack, and I had to bite my lip, even as I tasted the bitter blood, to keep from tearing it open. But after long hours of patience, I was at the meeting, letter in my hand, "....And I'll give each of you $500, and I'll give Grandpa and Yuuichiro $500 each, too, so I'll have $1500 for myself. And then we can go to that new store in the mall, you know, the one with that wicked red dress that I saw.." The others waited quietly, as I finished my speech. I went on and on and I didn't even realize that the other's had stopped listening, an hour before. "...How's that sound to you guys," I asked, out of breath, and mighty proud of myself, with red cheeks. Ami looked up from her Calculus text book, "That would be great," she said, not even really paying attention to what I said. She turned back to her book and started studying some more. I felt my anger bubbling up inside me, how dare they call themselves my friends?? They weren't even listening to me, and here I was, stupid, gullible, nice, Rei, ready to give them $500, so they could spend it on everything they wanted almost??!! "Well, then how about I chop off your hair, Minako, and make you live in a dog house the rest of your life?" I asked, no, screamed, with rage. "That's nice, Rei-chan," she answered, without looking up from MY new Sailor V manga that I hadn't even read yet. Okay then, two can play at this game. "Makoto, how about if I make a voodoo doll of you, and then make you walk up to Motoki naked, or if I stick a pin in your voodoo heart??" "Okay, whatever," she replied, without looking up from MY Ranma ? manga. I sighed, disappointed. Nobody was even listening to me. I was angry, but I knew they probably had their minds on something else. I'm just so smart that way. ***Yeah right!*** So I swallowed my anger, and turned to the letter. My hands, shaking, I opened the letter, shivering with anticipatement and excitement, "You guys," I breathed, as I pulled out the letter, "I...." I stopped, stunned, as a rock sank into my stomache, and sputtered, spitting all over my friends, similar to the way Usagi used to shower people with food as she ate. "Rei-chan, you sound like a speed boat motor, is something the matter?" Good old Ami, always knows when something is wrong. Too bad she wasn't more sympathetic. "They must have made a typo," I said frantically, as I searched through the packet of information they had sent me, looking for some sign that might tell me that there was a mistake. "What's wrong," Makoto said, and snatched the letter from my shaking hands. She read through the front page, and turned it over, "Oh, Rei," she said quietly, after a moment, "I'm sorry, I don't think this is a typo." "What, what is it?" Minako jumped up and down like a puppy, hyperly. Honestly, that girl picks the worst moments. "Rei-chan made third place." Dead silence. I couldn't even hear anyone breathing. I sank down to my knees, tears in my eyes, as I tried to swallow back my disappointment. "No, it can't be. I...I..that was the song that Tsukikage no Knight inspired me to write. It was perfect, it should have won." I looked at the sheet, to see who won all the money. Some one named Miyoki, and their poem called, "Adventures through Grandmother's gardens." Adventures through Grandmother's gardens?? What kind of fuckin' name is that?? Sounds like something a sappy five year old would write. And what did I end up winning? A T-shirt with "Tokyo National Poetry Contest Winner," printed on it. "Any one need a shirt to wash their dog in," I muttered, and left the temple. "Hey, what'd she say about my hair," Minako asked, looking up. ----- I fought the urge to cry, life was life. I wasn't meant to win. My insides felt empty, and I was shaking with tears. Besides, what would I really do with all that money? I started hiccupping, and tears slid down my face. Disappointments can be so cruel. I found myself in the park, where couples played frisbee, sat in the grass, whispering lovingly to each other. I didn't belong there. I was different from all of them. I wasn't close to any one, and emotions weren't my things. And I was crying like a baby. What would I do if someone saw me? I had a tough exterior. That's why people respected me, because I was strong. I felt a hand on my shoulder. A large, rough hand. I was still crying, and I didn't want them to see my tears. I wiped my face, and stared into those gorgeous blue eyes, the part I regret most about Mamoru leaving me for his princess. "Konnichiwa, Mamoru-kun," I said, through hiccups. "Rei-chan, don't cry. Life is a disappointment. What ever is making you cry, though, must be really cruel because I know your personality. You don't cry." He squeezed my hand in reassurance. Even though his beloved is dead, he's still open when it really counts. "Oh, it's nothing, Mamoru," I said, wiping my eyes, "it's silly really." He sat down next to me, and my heart did a flip. I did still love him, even if he didn't feel the same for me. We sat in silence, as I dried my tears, and wrung out my hands nervously. Definitely not a typical Rei movement. He didn't push the matter. If I said it wasn't important, and he knew I didn't want to talk about it, he left it at that. Mamoru is so kind. Too kind, really. My chest was shaking, and my face was red and puffy from crying, and I looked like a pitiful tramp, yet Mamoru embraced me in a hug, and didn't let go until my wrist communicator beeped. ***** The beast lay unconscious on the ground, unmoving. It was not defeated yet, for we were all too tired to move. It had taken a lot of strength to take it down, and we were all very weak now. I stood up. I was the new unofficial leader of the senshi, of course no one could take Moon's place, but I tried. "Okay, senshi, we need to act fast, so the monster doesn't get up again. Let's attack as one, we can defeat it." I gasped, and fell to my knees. I was way weak, but we had to dust the beast. The other's remained unmoving, I assumed they were just as weak as I was. I coughed, and a bit of blood came up, but I'd be fine. I just needed a little rest. My eyelids drooped before I could stop them, and soon I slept, sound as a child. ----- "Mars, get up!" I jolted up at the sudden cries of my friends. My eyes were blurry, and I couldn't see straight, my muscles ached, my heart beat wildly with fright, and I wanted to go back to sleep. But I saw the beast, advancing towards me, each step he got closer. , I thought. But why? And then it hit me. . A thought ran through my brain, But I couldn't leave everything behind that I knew and loved. So what if I lost a contest? So what if life always wasn't fair? Burned and bruised, I stood up. I was going to survive, and nothing could hold me back. "Mars Flame Sniper," I shouted, and hurled my energy towards the beast. I waited for his cry, that would tell me I was victorious, but it never reached my ears. I was shaking violently as I opened my eyes, to see the monster grinning evily in my face, his fangs gleaming with drool. I shook with fear, and I felt my insides go cold. My attack had some how failed. I let out a cry of fear, as the monster jumped at me, it's battle cry of triumph ringing in my ears. I braced myself as best I could, and screamed, but I was never harmed. ***** I opened my eyes slowly, and stared at Setsuna, who stared at me with worry. I hurt all over, I felt pain, and I had the worst headache. "Setsuna, why are you here? What happened?" Her sad and solemn eyes told the stories of thousands of years, "It is time. Fate has chosen its path." "What?" I was shaking again. Too many surprises, pleasant and unpleasant, were reaching my face. "It is time for you to join Serenity and Small Lady. It is your destiny." Going to Usagi and ChibiUsa? Then that would mean... "Am I dead?" "No," she whispered, "good luck, be safe." She gave me a warm hug, and I saw my hands, as I wrapped them around her. I hadn't really hugged someone in a long time, it felt satisfying. My hands were translucent, for a fact, my whole body was deformed and transparent. I felt my spirit leave my body. I was no more. I felt myself fade away, and I shut my eyes as I flew threw dimentions, hair flying in my face. I felt surprising cool, even with the fact that I had been sweating and fighting hours earlier. And when I opened my eyes, Neo-Queen Serenity stood before me. "Welcome, Lady Mars. I have been waiting." Her voice sounded so majestic and true, and I finally felt right. It was a strange feeling, a good feeling, I was home, a home I never knew, but it would work out. I just had this feeling, everything would finally be alright. "Rei!" Small Lady ran towards me, a large grin on her face, "I've been waiting for some one to play with! Come on, let's go play on the swings." I smiled and followed the princess. Everything would work out. Everything. :::Hi!! That was the end of part two. hee hee. I know this is supposed to be a Short story, but people have asked me to add to it, so wall-ah. hee hee. Seeya, Chibi-Mercury::