Illusion of the Morning Star written by: Gina Biggs & A.N.Ferguson site: http://secondlight.animehunters.com/ contact: secondlight@animehutners.com date completed: 1997 (revised 02/2003) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode 03 - Roller Rink Fiasco! Usagi Announces a Break-up Two coinciding Kingdoms, ruling side by side. The Moon and Sun forever there to shine on the earth with their eternal lights. What happens when the sun's light dies? Eclipsed with darkness, evil envelops the hearts of all who dwell there and chaos reigns... *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* It was a lazy Sunday afternoon. Almost a week had passed without incident. Usagi used the peaceful chance to take a little nap. Through the haze of her dream she heard Chibi Usa calling to her. The voice was shrill and high. It almost sounded like the ringing of a telephone. "Ring? Telephone!" she thought, trying to shake herself awake. She reached for the annoying object, blindly. "Hello?" Usagi murmmer into the ear piece. Realizing she had the phone upside down she quickly righted it. "Usagi-chan? Hello, is anyone there?" Makoto's voice inquired. "Mako-chan? Oh, I'm sorry." "Were you sleeping?" Usagi blushed bright red. "Yeah. Just taking a little cat nap." Makoto laughed at her cute friend, then became serious after calming down. "Usagi-chan, have you heard from Rei-chan?" "No I haven't. Is something wrong?" Alarm entered Usagi's voice. "I'm not quite sure. None of us have heard from her since last Sunday night. I called, but her grandfather answered. He said she wasn't feeling well. Everyone's going over there to see how she's doing. You coming along?" "Yeah! I'll meet you there." "Alright. I'm leaving right now. I'll see you." "Bye." Usagi hung the phone up. She spied the sleeping Luna, and called for her to wake. She quickly dressed in her street clothes. Usagi was ready to leave when she noticed her cat still lay sound asleep. "Luna! Wake up!" Usagi shrieked. Startled, Luna jumped to her feet. Landing too close to the edge of the bed, she lost her balance and fell, face first, on the floor. "This is no time to be laying about!" Usagi grabbed Luna by the scruff of her neck. "I can't believe she's scolding me for sleeping," Luna thought, as she was swung over her mistress' shoulder. ****************** They made it to the shrine, and found everyone had already arrived. Usagi was shocked to find Mamoru was included among the group. "Mamo-chan. I didn't know you were coming." Usagi stated. Mamoru was about to answer when Minako broke in, "I called him and told him to come... figured we all should be here." A sly look passed over her face. Usagi took Mamoru's offered hand. "I'm glad you're here." "Ah, it's Rei's pretty friends." An old voice greeted them. The group looked down at the tiny man. "Come to cheer her up?" Grandpa continued. "I hope you can do something for her. When she is not in bed she's moping about. It's just not like her. Go on in. Maybe seeing her friends will help her." His shoulders slumped slightly. Worry etched his face. Minako patted him on the head. "Don't worry," she assured as she gave him a thumbs up sign and winked. ****************** They knocked on Rei's bedroom door and when there was no answer, they entered. The group discovered her curled up on her bed. A slight groan came from Rei as she opened one eye, then the other. "Everyone?" She asked, still groggy. Ami moved to the side of the bed. She began checking Rei's pulse. "How are you feeling, Rei-chan?" "Like I was hit with two gigantic energy balls," Rei snapped. "Other than that, I'm fine." "Well, at least she's still grouchy." Usagi joked. Rei glared at her while the others hung their heads. Artemis shouted from his spot on Minako's shoulder, "Be serious! We still have not figured out what the enemy has done. I think you should cooperate with Ami-chan." Rei looked sheepish as she apologized, "Artemis is right. I should have not been so harsh. Forgive me?" "Of course I forgive you. I understand," she said, her voice lowered to a hush. She, then, spoke so everyone could hear her, "Your pulse seems to be normal. I can't find any physical signs that you were ever hit. It was the same with me. It's really just an inner battle. An emotion that causes us to feel so bad." Rei nodded her agreement. "The question is 'why?'" "It is odd," Makoto added. "Hey, did you notice who we were fighting. I mean where did they come from, and what happened to Solaris?" Luna scratched her head in contemplation. "I wish I knew." "Enough! We have talked about this enough!" Minako ran to Rei, whipping her out of bed. "Get dressed! We're getting out of here." "What?" everyone exclaimed, in unison. Minako grabbed an outfit for Rei to wear and pushed her towards the bathroom. While Rei dressed, Minako explained, "Well, I figure our minds could use a break. We obviously don't know why all this is happening, so I vote we give the brains a rest. Maybe everything will be clearer if we aren't thinking about it. As they say: 'All work and no play makes lousy Jack!'"

Everyone lowered their heads for a moment as they grimaced at Minako's mis-quote but no one was in the mood for correcting her at the time. "In an odd way, I believe she is right." Mamoru admitted. "Then it's settled. We're going to the Roller Rink." Rei came back into the room in time to hear her friend's words. "I don't really want to go anywhere." "You don't have a choice. It will do you good." Minako grabbed Rei and dragged her out of the shrine. The others followed. "How exciting!" Usagi exclaimed. "I haven't been to the Roller Rink, yet." ****************** Hogosha was walking around Juuban aimlessly when she saw a group of familiar faces across the street from her. She noticed they were both heading in the same general direction. Knowing they would inevitably spot her if she continued on her path, Hogosha tried to hide. It was too late. The cheerful voice of her classmate beckoned to her to join them. Hogosha tried to pretend that she couldn't hear her, but realized it didn't work. Usagi and Mamoru approached, inviting her to the rink. She couldn't escape them, so she acquiesced. The rest of the girls halted when they noticed Makoto had stoppped walking with them. She stood, frowning at Hogosha. Rei and Minako looked at her questioningly. "Mako-chan, what's wrong?" Minako asked. "I'd like to give her a piece of my mind, Minako-chan. She has no manners, and is so callous towards everyone." "I sense something strange about her," Rei cautioned. Ami studied Hogosha for a minute. "She seems like a very lonely girl." "Is it any wonder why?" Makoto declared. "I know Usagi-chan is a friendly person, but what use does she see in becoming this girl's friend?" "That's the 'odango atama' for you. I think her brain is made of the same thing balloons are filled with." Rei commented in good humor. Usagi came back with Hogosha and Mamoru tagging along behind her. She smiled at everyone, pleased with her accomplishment. "Hogosha-san is going to be coming with us today, everyone." "Usagi, are you sure that was wise?" Rei whispered in her ear. "Rei-chan, you worry too much!" she reassured her friend. ****************** The group finally reached the rink to find a long line outside the building. Hogosha's gaze strayed to the roof where a youma lie in wait. She spoke through her mind, telling the youma to attack when she gave the signal. The creature disappeared a split second before Usagi looked up to see what Hogosha was zoning out on. "Hogosha-san, what are you staring at?" she asked. "Nothing, nothing at all, Tsukino-san." Usagi's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She shrugged her worry away. "Come on then, the line's moved so we can go in now." Usagi dragged Hogosha inside by the hand. Hogosha believed she was more used to it every time she met up with Usagi. She felt the awesome sensation of bright energy as they passed through the doors to the building. A tingling sensation ran up her spine. The girls, with their skates on, headed for the rink. Usagi stood up after lacing her skate. She took no more than one step before she tripped. She immediately began to wail loudly, having hit her head. Mamoru came up behind her, effortlessly lifting her. She clung to his arm as they skated off. Hogosha rolled her eyes, the sight of the two love birds sickened her. Then she wondered what she was to do. She had never skated before. Hogosha took one shaky step after another, until she reached the rink floor. "This isn't so hard, after all," she thought to herself. She watched the people whiz past her, their energy building with their speed. She felt the inhuman hunger in the pit of her stomache once again. The temptation was too great and Hogosha moved into the crowd forgetting she was wearing wheels. Her feet slipped out from underneath her and she landed on her rear end with a loud plop. "Damn!" she exclaimed to herself. She slowly rose to her feet. Hogosha desperately reached for the wall beside her, trying to keep her balance. She managed nicely until a skater passed by her. Hogosha instinctively reached to drain the girl of her energy. Missing, she fell on her face. Ami and Makoto barely dodged her as they went by. The same for Minako and Rei. Usagi and Mamoru moved across the ring in a dream-like state. Their form was perfect and graceful, but their happiness was disrupted when Hogosha came rolling toward them at an alarming rate. On instinct, Mamoru let go of Usagi to block her from the oncoming girl. Unable to support herself, Usagi dropped like a rock onto the wooden floor. She slid a few feet on her face and her friends watched in awe at the scene played out before them. Usagi groaned as she looked up to see what had happened. Anger burned through her body when she found Hogosha in Mamoru's arms. She became even more enraged when she saw the two blushing at each other. The girls skated to Usagi and helped her off the rink. Hogosha held tightly to Mamoru while they tried to make it to the exit of the ring. Both crashed to the ground when Hogosha tripped, though. After a few more attempts they gave up the struggle and crawled the rest of the way. Mamoru hurried to Usagi, who was already unlacing her skates. "Usako, let me explain. I was bloc..." he stammered but Usagi signaled for him to stop. "I don't want to hear it," she steamed. ****************** Meanwhile, Hogosha had torn her skates off, disgusted. She disappeared from the crowded floor of the building and reappeared as Solaris on the rink's disco ball. She called for the youma to make its move. It vaporized in the middle of the crowd and drained them as it sped by each person. The wheel-foorted creature entered the center of the ring. It spun blurring fast around and around, sending up a flow of collected energy to Solaris. The power entered her, the charge causing her to become stronger. Her long hair split into three separate trails. The creature stopped spinning when it was struck by a little golden tiara. Like a boomerang it returned to its owner's hand. Sailor Moon placed it back on her forehead and shouted out to the creature, "Hey, you! I am the pretty suited sailor soldier who fights for love and justice, Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon I will punish you!" The creature attacked the soldiers. Sailor Mars sent forth her Burning Mandala; Jupiter her Sparkling Wide Pressure. The creature was hit dead-center by the attack. It collapsed to its knees and Sailor Moon took the oportunity to use her Moon Spiral Heart Attack to finish it off. Victorious, Sailor Moon turned toward the girls, forgetting Solaris. Her cheer was short lived when she heard her friends gasp. Sailor Moon looked over her shoulder. Her eyes widened as she saw their enemy flying straight for her. Tuxedo Kamen whisked Sailor Moon out of harm's way just in time. Disappointed by missing her target, Solaris was starting to charge again. She frowned, her sister's words entering her mind. "If you're not careful, we might have to get rid of some dead weight. Wouldn't want to prevent our kingdom from rising this time." She stopped her attack. With one final glare she departed. Sailor Moon pushed Tuxedo Kamen's arms away. She walked off with the girls following behind her confused. Mamoru realized he had inadvertantly made Usagi extremely jealous. ****************** That night, Minako called up Usagi on the phone and told her there was going to be meeting at the shrine tomorrow afternoon. "Don't be late," Minako cautioned before she hung up. "I won't," Usagi assured the dial tone. She replaced the receiver and sighed. She looked at the moon through her window. "Mamo-chan, is Hogosha-san really what you want?" ****************** In the throne room Solaris delivered the energy to Erebus. She asked forgiveness for not bringing as much as she should have. She left the room, the same question on her mind. "Why is my body absorbing more energy every time I collect it? I feel myself getting more out of control each time. What's happening to me?" ****************** At the meeting the next day the girls tried to figure what the new enemy was planning. Usagi listened half-heartedly. Her mind was not on the topic at hand. It wandered back to what had occurred at the Roller Rink. "Do you think he likes her?" Perplexed, Rei asked, "What are you talking about, Usagi?" "Do you think that Mamo-chan likes Hogosha-san? I mean, the way they were looking at each other at the rink yesterday. It's too terrible to think about," Usagi cried. "Usagi-chan! We are discussing business, not your love life," Luna scolded. "You know, It was just an accident. Probably her first time on skates. Mamoru-san was, in his own way, trying to help her. Being her friend, like you are," Minako stated. Usagi jumped up from her spot. "You're right! I don't know why I was so jealous. I'll go apologize to him right now!" She took off as Luna called after her, "Usagi-chan, wait! We're not done with the meeting!" ****************** Hogosha walked down the street, thinking how she could gather more energy. Preoccupied she began to follow the sidewalk's curve. She didn't notice Mamoru rounding the opposite side of the corner and crashed into him. Her anger surged as she rubbed her sore head. She was about to pound the culprit, but when she gazed into Mamoru's eyes the urge dissipated. He offered his hand to help her off the ground. "Are you alright, Hogosha-chan?" "Fine, Mamoru-san." "Sometimes you really remind me of Usako," he chuckled. Hogosha frowned at the statement. She growled her response, "I'm nothing like Tsukino-san." "Yes you are," he urged, then poked her hair. "You even have an odango on your head." Fed up with his teasing, Hogosha pushed him with great force. Startled, Mamoru had to go back several steps just to steady himself. He stared in disbelief, shocked by how strong she was. Usagi stood several feet away from the two. Her heart dropped. Everything seemed to be in slow play as she watched what had happened. "Hogosha-san and Mamo-chan were flirting," the pain could be heard in her voice. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she yelled at them, "I thought so! Fine, Mamo- chan, if that's what you want, then fine!" "Usako, wait!" Mamoru called when he saw Usagi running away. Mamoru ran after her leaving Hogosha, wondering. Mamoru caught sight of Usagi at the park. She sat in the same place where Chibi Usa had disappeared that awful day. She stood as he walked up to her. "Usako, how could you think that? I..." Usagi cut into his explanation, "I saw you two. You're in love with her aren't you? That's why Chibi Usa disappeared!" "There's nothing going on between..." "You don't have to pretend anymore, Mamo-chan. I understand. I can't take this any more." "Usako..." he whispered. Mamoru extended his hand to her, which she ignored. She walked away, leaving him there speechless. "Usako...Chibi Usa... are you both going to disappear from my life?" End Episode 03.