Cordelia Chase Sailor Jupiter Yet Again Fragments Fanfiction

SM Novel #15 Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Plans and Paparazzi The next morning, Serena and Molly walked to school together under a heavy gray sky that promised cold, wet weather in the near future. The two girls, and all of their schoolmates around them, were bundled up in their uniform dark green coats and scarves of various colors � Serena's was pink, Molly's was bright green, and all the scarves had white pompoms on the ends. They still had to wear skirts, though, so their legs were still exposed to the frosty air. �. . .and then the monster got away, but nothing was stolen, so at least there's that.� Molly had started telling Serena about the strange attempted robbery of her family store almost as soon as they saw each other. Serena listened and tried to act like the information was new to her. �That's good, at least,� Serena agreed. �The really weird thing was the way the Sailor Scouts were fighting. I mean, friends disagree sometimes, but this was way over the top,� Molly observed, and her face became as grim as the sky overhead. �I'm worried, Serena. If they break up, who's going to protect us from the monsters?� �Break up? What? No, no! I'm sure that could never happen! They're the pretty guardians of love and justice, I'm sure they'll be fine!� Serena said a little too quickly. Since Molly's been caught up in so many Negaverse attacks it only makes sense she'd be more worried about the Sailors than most! Serena thought nervously. �You think so?� Molly asked quietly. �Of course! 100%!� said Serena, as she hoped Molly wouldn't see the drop of sweat rolling down her cheek. �Really? How do you know? Do you have some kind of inside connection to the Sailor Scouts?� the paparazzi from the previous night suddenly pushed between Serena and Molly, though where she came from neither could have said. She was once again holding her mini tape recorder at the ready. What the heck?! What's she doing here?! Serena thought as she took a step back. �Well? How can you be so sure?� the woman asked. Then her expression shifted as a thought clearly crossed her mind and she eased back half a step. �Oh, I should introduce myself to you, shouldn't I?� she said in a much more friendly fashion as she pulled business cards out of her pocket. She handed the little rectangles to Serena and Molly. �I'm Nana Asahina, freelance writer. Nice to meet you!� �Um, nice to meet you,� Serena said dubiously. �Huh,� Molly muttered as she read the card. �Now, then, what do you know about the Sailor Scouts and the fight they were having last night?� Ms. Asahina asked, an unsettling eagerness in her eyes. Serena felt her stomach flip-flop as she tried to think of something to say. �Uh, well, nothing directly. . .but um. . .Molly. . .?� Serena squeaked, trying to pull away from the mini tape recorder like it was a scorpion ready to sting. Nana Asahina turned to look at Molly, and her eyes flickered with recognition without losing their uncomfortable intensity. �Oh, hey, sorry, I didn't recognize you without your pjs. So, did you talk to Sailor Moon after the others left? She did she say something about the team breaking up? According to my sources, Sailor Moon has saved you several times, so you must be at least a little close, right?� Ms. Asahina turned her tape recorded on Molly, who looked no more comfortable than Serena had when it was in her face. Serena, meanwhile, began sneaking away the moment Ms. Asahina's attention veered away from her. �I wouldn't say that exactly. . .um, I'm sorry, but we're in a hurry!� Molly said quickly, and broke into a run after the swiftly retreating Serena. �Hey!� Ms. Asahina cried after them. �Well, please call me if you think of anything or hear anything!� Serena shot the older woman a nervous look over her shoulder. Boy, she doesn't quit, does she? Serena thought. Nana Asahina frowned, then turned on her heel to leave. For a second, she thought she saw a flash of white fur on a wall near the sidewalk, but when she looked, she saw nothing there, though she heard a faint meow. She shrugged it off and kept walking, never noticing Artemis Luna watching her from around a nearby corner. �Hmm. . .� the little black cat said.* * * That night in the forest near Cherry Hill Temple, the Sailor Scouts were battling again. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus took swings at Sailor Moon, who barely managed to dodge. Sailor Mercury actually tried to strike her with a math book, adding insult to injury. �What's the square root of two?!� Mercury demanded as she struck. �Huh?!� Sailor Moon squeaked as she narrowly avoided the book's thick, solid-looking spine. Just as she regained her footing from that evasion, a red high heel struck her butt againand once more sent her sprawling to the ground. �OW! Okay, that's it! No more using my butt for practice kicks!� Sailor Moon declared as she rubbed her bruised bottom. �Come on, Sailor Moon, it's got to look real, so stop whining!� Sailor Mars huffed as Sailor Moon got back on her feet. �Yeah, well, this is getting too real! I felt real hate in that kick!� Sailor Moon said, shooting a dark look at Mars, who looked offended. �Don't be ridiculous!� objected Sailor Mars angrily. �This whole crazy falling-out plan was your idea, Sailor Moon, and if whoever is watching us doesn't believe we're really fighting, it'll never work,� Sailor Jupiter observed as she glanced surreptitiously at the dark trees around them. �There's no way they'll invite their enemy to join them unless this looks 100% real!� Sailor Mars added. Mina had realized a few days ago that someone was shadowing her, always just out of sight. Given her �sister� Katarina's recent youma transformation by the Negaverse, it didn't take a genius like Amy to know that it was another Nega-creep trying to take advantage of the knowledge of Mina's identity. They started taking precautions, like limiting phone calls and not meeting unless they were all already transformed, and Serena, of all people, had had an idea to use the spy to their advantage. �I know, I know,� Sailor Moon grumbled. �But do you have to keep kicking me there?� �If you want to get Darien back, you're going to have to bear it a bit longer,� Sailor Venus said, not entirely unsympathetically. �I hope it isn't too much longer, or I'll be all black and blue!� Sailor Moon flinched at the stinging she still felt from the kick. �I'll do anything to save Darien, but do you guys have to be so rough?� �I still don't think the Negaverse will really believe we're breaking up,� Sailor Mercury said. �Well, they sure won't if they're watching us right now,� Sailor Mars heaved a disgruntled sigh, and the other girls grimaced as they realized she was right. If the spy was there, they had just blown their plan to pieces. �It's all right, there's no one around at the moment,� Luna said as she emerged from the darkness under the trees. Artemis appeared a few feet away from Luna, shaking a small, yellow leaf from his head. �We checked the whole area twice,� Artemis agreed. �We're all clear.� Sailor Mercury activated her goggles and did a quick scan with her mini super computer, not because she didn't trust the search the two cats had done, but she wanted to be absolutely sure. Her readings came back negative for dark energy. �They're right, we're safe for now,� she said with a sigh of relief, and all of the Sailors visibly relaxed. �Come on, let's go back to the temple and warm up, it's freezing out here,� Sailor Mars said with a shiver. �Good idea,� nodded Sailor Jupiter, wrapping her arms around herself. �No point staying out here any longer,� Venus sighed, and watched her breath plume. �Agreed,� Mercury said as she deactivated her goggles and tucked her computer away. �Got any hot cocoa?� Sailor Moon asked with chattering teeth as they all started to walk back to the temple. After spending a little time around the sacred fire drinking hot chocolate to chase the cold out of their bones, and then quietly cleaning up the mugs so Raye's grandfather wouldn't ask questions in the morning, Serena, Raye, Amy, Lita, Mina, Luna, and Artemis went out onto the front steps so they could talk without waking anyone. �So, Artemis, did you find out anything about that reporter that showed up at the jewelry store?� Mina asked, pulling out a magazine from her pocket.. �She's already published that story about us.� �What? Let me See!� Serena said before Artemis could answer, and she, Raye, Amy, and Lita all crowded around Mina to get a look. The magazine article filled an entire page and a half, and had a large picture of the five of them arguing under a headline that read �Heroes in Turmoil! Sailor Scouts Breaking Up?!� �Oh no, I look silly in that photo!� Serena whined. If she was going to have her picture in a magazine or newspaper, she wanted to look cool and pretty. Of course, the people in the picture didn't quite look like them; whatever magic kept people from recognizing them while transformed apparently worked on cameras, too, which was a relief. �That's how you always look,� Raye said with a teasing smirk. �Why, you!� Serena growled. �Yes, she's definitely fishy,� Artemis said, looking at Mina as if the others hadn't spoken at all. �She usually covers stories about big movie stars and politicians, not robberies.� �We checked out her office and overheard her coworkers saying she's been acting oddly the last few days,� said Luna. �Combine that with the fact that that she just appeared in Molly's store out of nowhere, and you get only one conclusion.� �She's been turned into a monster,� Mina said. �That's what we think,� Artemis said with a grave nod. �ALL RIGHT!� Serena cheered, startling all of them. Raye shushed her, but Serena just giggled. Suddenly, all of her bruises felt worth it. �We were right, a Negaverse monster has been following us! And she obviously believes we're really fighting! My plan is working! I must be a better actress than I thought!� �If she believed it, would she be asking so many questions?� Amy observed thoughtfully, and some of the wind went out of Serena's sails. �Um, well, of course she wants to make certain!� Serena answered nervously. �Well, then, maybe it's time for the next step of the plan,� Lita said encouragingly, and Serena nodded eagerly. �Yeah!� she said. �Serena, this plan of yours is really risky � are you sure you want to go through with it?� Luna asked suddenly, her brow furrowed in concern. �Yes, I'm sure � I've got this,� Serena said, her previous enthusiasm suddenly dropping and a small tremor entering her voice. �Hey, it'll be fine, no worries. You know we've always got your back!� said Lita with a shrug, and Mina and Amy agreed. �I don't know, maybe I should go instead,� Raye suddenly cut in. �What? Why? You really think I'm that unreliable? Or that bad an actress?� Serena bristled at Raye. �I get myself beaten up for this, and now you want to just take over?� Her butt still hurt from the kick, and she was still annoyed with the black-haired priestess, who, she had to admit, looked genuinely shocked at the accusation. �What?! No!� Raye gasped. �Uh, don't you think you may be overthinking this, Serena?� Mina asked carefully. �Maybe, but if Raye wasn't so hard on me all the time, this would be a lot easier,� Serena grumbled. �Well, then, don't screw up so much!� Raye snapped. �What was that?!� Serena retaliated, and they began a battle of dueling raspberries. The other three girls and two cats sighed and gave them some space. �Honestly, those two,� Lita said. �It's a self-fulfilling prophecy,� Amy said. �Hoo boy,� Mina muttered. The next day, Serena, with Luna on her shoulder, walked down an unfamiliar street, looking for the address on the business card Nana Asahina had given her. The card had both her work and home address on it, and it was decided that her home worked better for the plan than her office, so that was where Serena was now going for the next stage of the plan. �It should be just ahead. . .oh! There it is!� Serena said as she looked around. There was more than one apartment complex on this particular street, but Asahina's stood out. It was four stories tall with a freshly painted white facade, and looked like a cousin to a castle. The roof tiles were painted blue and the shutters and window trim were painted to match, the door was a fancy gilded oak affair (or a very good fake), the lawn was neatly trimmed and there were flower beds waiting for next spring. A wrought iron fence surrounded the structure, full of metal flowers, leaves, and curls. �Woooow, what a cool place!� Serena said approvingly. �I wish my house was this pretty!� �We're not here to admire the architecture, Serena. Stay focused!� Luna said by her ear, and Serena could feel the tension in the cat's body. �I've got this, relax,� Serena said, though she sounded a bit less than certain. She looked back the way they had come to see her friends hiding around the nearest corner, peeking out at her. They gave her victory signs and thumbs up to show their encouragement, and she waved nervously back. �No turning back now, I guess,� she said, and headed though the open gate and into the building. A few minutes later, she was ringing Nana Asahina's doorbell, and starting to sweat. She took a deep breath to try to calm herself and tried to push down her doubts about her plan. She kept telling herself that it was a good plan, and it was working; she just had to keep pushing forward. When the door opened and Ms. Asahina poked her head out, Serena jumped a little without meaning to. �Yes, can I help you? Oh, you're that girl who was talking about Sailor Moon the other day!� Ms. Asahina's eyes flashed happily with recognition, but there was something off in her smile � something shark-like. �U-um, yeah, that's me. I-In fact, Sailor Moon approached me and asked me to give you this letter,� Serena said, holding out a pink envelope with the name �Nana Asahina� printed on it next to a drawing of a crescent moon. Ms. Asahina took the envelope eagerly and plucked a pair of flower-shaped reading glasses out of her pocket and put them on her nose. �Why did she give this to you?� the reporter asked, eyeing Serena for a moment as she opened the envelope. �I dunno, I guess she found out I had your card and thought I was trustworthy!� Serena babbled and laughed, and Luna groaned softly. What kind of an excuse is that? the little cat thought. Ms. Asahina read the letter thoughtfully. �There's no kanji in this,� she muttered, and Serena flinched. She wasn't good with kanji, and she'd wanted to make sure that the letter was understood, so she had stuck to hiragana and katakana, but now that felt like a bad choice. �According to this, she is leaving the Sailor Scouts, and wants to tell me all about it tonight! What a scoop!� �W-wow, really?� Serena said. Ms. Asahina smiled at Serena again, but it felt no more comfortable than the first time. �Thanks for bringing me this, kid,� she said, as she eyed the time and place to meet stated in the letter. Her smile seemed to grow colder as Serena watched.

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Source: https://www.deviantart.com/sailor-moon-club/gallery/5862739/Fanfics-Comics

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