Tag: sam writes

Blind Date

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

So Seiya and Naru, crack ship that it is, stuck in my head last night. This resulted.

Summary: 

Following Naru’s break up with Umino, Usagi decides to set her up with a certain friend from another planet. After a rocky start, can these two get along?

Note/warning: this story follows the anime canon, and also establishes Seiya as a trans boy.

Oneshot, 1730 words

You can read on AO3, or below the cut.

“It wasn’t… it wasn’t a bad break up; it wasn’t a fight or anything. It was just, you know, time.”

Usagi nodded solemnly, but of course she didn’t really know. She had something too time-defying to know. Naru was still waiting for the details, but she knew enough to see that Mamoru was a permanent fixture.

She picked the berries out of her ice cream and ate them one by one. “It’s strange more than anything. It’s been a long time since I was single.”

“Well, then we’ll find you someone new!” Usagi licked the last of her ice cream off her spoon. Naru pushed her dish towards her, and she wasted no time gulping it down. “I know! I’ve got a friend coming to visit, and they also went through heartbreak recently.”

“Usagi, I’m not heartbroken, I told you—“

“Yeah, yeah.” Usagi stood up from the booth and raised her spoon in the air like a beacon. “I will absolutely make you feel better! Operation Naru’s New Love begins now!”

Naru laughed in spite of herself. However much high school and being Sailor Moon had changed her, Usagi was still Usagi.

“Or maybe… it begins after I finish this ice cream.”

****

She wasn’t sure what to expect. The thing about Usagi was that she could be friends with anyone. Would this person be someone she met at school? An ally? Or… a reformed enemy? Naru’s heart skipped a beat and she hugged her arms around herself. Usagi would know not to do that, right? It wouldn’t matter how different this person was, it would still be too much, even years later.

She took a breath and smoothed out her blouse. She could trust Usagi. She absolutely trusted Usagi.

“Naru-chan!”

Usagi bounded up to her, arms swinging almost as wildly as her pigtails. “You look nice! Are you excited?”

“I guess I am.” Chances were nothing would happen, and she’d done her best to keep that in mind. She didn’t even want someone new yet, not really. But here she was. Her anticipation wasn’t something she could deny. “But where…”

Usagi looked around wildly. “They’re not… They were with me a minute ago!” She took a deep breath. “Seiya!” Another. “Seeeeeiyaaaaa!”

“Calm down, dumpling.”

They rounded the corner with an all-too-composed grace. Sunglasses obscured half their face, and they casually flipped their bangs off them as they approached. Naru couldn’t tell if they were a boy or a girl, but she definitely knew they were annoying.

“You disappeared. I thought—“

“No scary monster grabbed me, don’t worry.” They patted her head.

“No, you were just trying to make sure you looked cool,” Naru mumbled.

Seiya blinked down at her. Beneath their sunglasses, their eyelashes were noticeably long. “You’re Naru then?”

“Yes.”

“Ahhh! I didn’t introduce you! Seiya, this is Naru, my very best friend. Naru, this is Seiya, my… my other good friend.”

Seiya laughed. “Way to make me feel good, dumpling.”

“Oh! Seiya was in the Three Lights! You know the Three Lights, right Naru?”

“I guess. They weren’t very popular at my school,” she said, entirely to see Seiya’s face drop. They’d been extremely popular—she’d bought their albums and had managed to get into one of their concerts—and now that she thought about it Seiya did look familiar. Not exactly like the band member, though. Something about their face and build was different.

“You’re just saying that.”

Naru shrugged. “Maybe they were more popular than I realized. I always pay more attention to girl musicians than boy bands.”

A cocky grin spread across Seiya’s face. “We’re not a boy band anymore.”

“Yeah, you broke up.”

The grin disappeared. “We didn’t break up!”

“Well, you aren’t making music anymore.”

“Not here.”

“Stop, stop.” Usagi took Naru’s hands. “Seiya is very annoying when you first meet him—“

“Hey!”

“But please give him a chance! He’s really nice!” She turned to Seiya. “And Naru is one of the best people in the world, I promise!” She clapped her hands in front of her face. “Please go to dinner together!”

Seiya sighed. “I can’t say no to you, dumpling.”

“I’ll go, Usagi, but you’re going to hear about this later.”

“I hope so!”

“Not good things.”

Usagi pouted. “You don’t know that yet.”

“Fine, fine.” Naru looked to Seiya. “Let’s go to the Crown. No sense wasting much money.”

“I’m a pop star. I don’t worry about money.”

“Former pop star.”

Seiya glowered.

****

“So then. How do you know dumpling?” Seiya draped themself over their full side of the booth, one arm slung over the back, head tilted to the other side. It was the most measured casual slouch Naru had ever seen.

“We were in the same school until high school.” She sipped her tea. “And you?”

“Same high school. Among other things.”

“You mean you’re one of her allies.”

“So you do know. Dumpling didn’t say.”

“Of course I know. You can’t be best friends and not notice that the girl fighting monsters all the time is her.”

“That makes things easier then,” Seiya said, but their body tensed. “I’m from a different planet. That’s why the Three Lights aren’t making music here anymore.”

“God, shut up about the Three Lights.” Naru put her face in her hands. “Only Usagi would set me up with an alien.”

“Hey, you’re just as much an alien to me as I am to you,” they growled.

Naru peaked up. They looked genuinely upset this time, even though the sunglasses they’d refused to take off. “I suppose that’s true.” She looked at them for a long moment. “Is that why look you look different now?”

Seiya laughed. “You are a fan. I knew it.”

“If you weren’t so arrogant I would have admitted it,” she mumbled.

“I can see why you and dumpling are friends.” Seiya slid into a more natural position and rested their head on their hands. “But yeah. Things work differently on my planet. We were only ever a boy band here.”

“Then what are you?”

Seiya smiled. “Well, I think I’m still probably a boy by this planet’s roles, but Taiki and Yaten not so much.”

“What is your planet like?”

He shrugged. “It’s not so different from here. Just warmer, and magic stuff is less on the down low, and there’s more genders.”

“More?”

“You think in the whole universe there’s only two?”

“I hadn’t thought about it.”

Seiya laughed. “I hadn’t either, until we came here. It’s a strange difference.” He stared at her for a long moment. Alongside the intensity there was a vulnerability Naru didn’t expect. “Does it bother you?”

“Does what bother me?”

“Me being a boy without the same body as before?”

“Why would that bother me?”

Seiya smiled. “Because sometimes your planet is strange that way.” He paused, and then took his sunglasses and set them on the table. “You know, I haven’t even talked about this with dumpling.”

“She won’t care.”

“I didn’t think so. But that’s still not the same as talking about it.”

Naru stirred her tea. “I think I can understand that.” She let her eyes meet his for a moment. “You know, she’d never actually told me she’s Sailor Moon.”

Seiya held her gaze for a long beat. “I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. “There are worse things.”

“There are.”

There was an understanding she’d hadn’t expected. Maybe she should have, if he was a soldier, but Usagi had never shown it. She almost asked who he’d lost, but stopped herself. The specifics didn’t much matter right now. She put one hand down on the table between them. He did the same, close enough for her feel the warmth of his skin but not overlapping hers. She wondered if he wanted her to move her hand to touch his. She wondered if that was what she wanted.

“Which one of you had the hamburger?”

They both jumped. Seiya withdrew his hand and nodded up at the waiter. “That’s me.”

The waiter set their plates down. “Enjoy your meal.”

They ate in silence for a long while. It wasn’t quite uncomfortable, although there was an unmistakable tension when they met each other’s eyes. Naru started asking questions just to fill it. Did his planet have high school? Not exactly. He did his best to explain how things worked. Then he asked about earth since despite living there for months he still didn’t understand. Naru started explaining how different countries did it differently, then realized she had to back up and explain that there were multiple countries. That raised the question of how they spoke the same language when not even everyone on her planet did, and that led into speculation that turned towards the ridiculous. They laughed too much to continue eating.

“I think,” Naru said with a smile as she pushed her plate away, “that I like you more than originally planned.”

“Dumpling will be glad to hear that.”

“And you?”

He leaned back with a grin. “I expected it.”

She balled up her napkin and threw it at him. “I take it back.”

He laughed. “Nope, it’s out there, you can’t pretend to hate me now.” He put money on the table for the bill. “Ready to go?”

Outside, Naru set them on track towards her house.

“I will say,” Seiya said, “that this was a better idea than it seemed at first.”

“Usagi will be glad to hear that.”

He smiled down at her. “Yeah, I’ll tell her how into me you are.”

“That’s a stretch.”

“Well, maybe I’ll wait to say that until after our next date.”

“Don’t you live on a different planet?”

“I can teleport, so that doesn’t much matter.”

“Oh.” She glanced him over, her cheeks slightly warm. “Then I guess we can try this again. You are kind of cute.”

“Kind of cute?” He crossed his arms. “I’m offended.” He looked down at her. “But I guess I’ll come back anyway. You are kind of pretty.”

“Such charm.” Naru turned to him as they came to her house. “It was nice meeting you.”

“That’s a little formal, don’t you think?”

She smiled. “That’s appropriate for a first date.”

“Earth people are weird.”

“Goodnight, Seiya.” She paused at her door and turned back. “Next Saturday, six o’clock.”

“Got it.” He grinned. “Sleep tight, earthling.”

“Shut up,” she said, but she smiled back.

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

In regards to La Reconquista (and the new myu canon in general), I’ve seen the question a few times about how everyone met and became senshi without knowing about the Dark Kingdom, and that always seemed like the less important question. I figure there were still youma, either sent discreetly by the Dark Kingdom or birthed as a side effect of their resurrection. Usagi sees someone, Naru, maybe, if she exists, or a random stranger, even, being attacked, the silver crystal reacts and suddenly she’s Sailor Moon, and the others come along like they did in other canons, just without Luna’s help.

You know what’s more interesting to me?

How La Reconquista/New Myu Minako is different than other Minakos.

She’s the only Minako who didn’t have her memories back long before the others did. She only remembers at the same time as everyone else.

Was she still Sailor V? Or did she join the team just as Minako and Venus? She doesn’t have the distance Minako usually has in the Dark Kingdom Arc, so I’m inclined to think the latter. And that’s huge. This is a Minako without those burdens. The moment she remembers she takes up being a leader head on, she’s absolutely still the same Venus (and the same base Minako), but she doesn’t have the weight of facing the past alone.

She’s the only one I’m interested in how she awakened as a senshi. She’s the only one I think would be different.

Sorry I’m Late- A La Reconquista Mini-Fic

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

I went to my parents’ grave. I didn’t know if I’d get a second chance to do so.
Makoto has something she wants her parents to know.
Word Count: 559
 This scene has been at the back of my mind for ages, and I finally got it out. I hope you enjoy.

            “Hi mom. Hi Dad.” She puts the picture she keeps in her wallet in the grass between her gravestones. The creases are too deep to unfold completely anymore, but that’s okay. The two crinkly white lines converge on her nine-year-old face so that if she doesn’t look closely, it’s like it’s just the two of them. It’s more like she’s really talking to them if she can’t see herself. “I’m sorry I haven’t visited for awhile. I’ve been busy.” Her fingers pull her skirt along her thighs. “I… I’m actually a soldier of justice. A magical girl like in the stories you used to read me.” She takes a deep breath. She aches to know their reaction. None of the others have told their parents, but surely, surely hers would have been understanding enough to know. “You always told me to be strong, Daddy, and I am. I’m strong enough to fight monsters and pull lightning down from the skies. But I worry that’s not eno…”

            She shakes her head. “That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. I want to make sure you know about my friends.” Another picture comes out, a photo strip with an English phrase written across the top. Minako said it meant “hot babes,” but Ami said it meant “friends forever.” Their five faces crowd into each panel. “That one’s Rei. When you’d first meet her, Mama, you’d purse your lips and say, ‘Well, she’s an interesting girl.’ She comes off as a little brash at first, but once you get to know her, you see she’s really got a big heart. You might know her mom. She’s somewhere up there with you.

            “And Daddy, Minako would make you laugh. Everything she does is like a performance, even fighting.  She’ll be famous someday. She sort of already is. Before any of us found each other, she fought alone…” She shakes her head again. “You’d both love Ami. She’s a genius who gets top scores on all the exams, but she’s the most sweet and modest person you can imagine. She says she’s going to make sure we all get into high school. If you knew us all, you’d know how hard a goal that is.”

            She points to the final girl in the pictures, the one who only managed to get her full face into the frame in the last shot. “And that’s Usagi. She’s… she’s the one who found me first.  We’re a perfect pair, really, she eats anything I cook and says it’s the best I’ve ever made. A little like you guys used to. We’re supposed to take care of her, but I think maybe she actually takes care of us. But that’s why…” Her fists ball around her skirt. “That’s why we’re going without her. They have Ami, and…”

            She shakes her head again and smiles through her watery eyes. “I wish you could meet them so badly, but I don’t want any of them to meet you anytime soon. So I’m going to fight. And we’re going to win.” She carefully folds the pictures back into her wallet. “I just wanted you to know.” One drop of water hits the grass as she stands up. “And I love you.”

Silver Millenium Earth Headcanon

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

La Reconquista really got me thinking about Beryl and the Silver Millenium and how it can all make sense, especially taking both La Reconquista’s references to her as a member of the Royal Family and to the old Sera Myus’ declaring her Endymion’s fiance. My headcanon is somewhat lengthy, so I’ve put it under the cut.

So in my idea of things, Earth as a kingdom is relatively young (and small in terms of population). The ruling family goes back at most five generations (keeping in mind that Earth people do not have the same longevity of the Moon’s citizens). The entire royal family therefore lives in the palace, even though only the oldest child of the current ruler will inherent the throne.

Beryl is that child, hence she is referred to as Queen in Reconquista. For the first year of her life, she is the beloved Princess of her people.

Then her (somewhat distant) cousin Endymion is born. People immediately sense that he has some kind of divine power (the golden crystal, though no one knows that). It’s similar to the aura of the Moon’s soldiers, who rarely come to Earth but are surrounded by destruction every time they do (the Earth people neither know nor particularly care if the Moon soldiers cause destruction or stop what is causing it; they care only that they have the power to do either with little more than a flick of their wrist). As news spreads of the newborn’s perceived power, most of the Earth’s citizen’s split into two factions. One believes that Endymion’s power is a sign that he is the true prince of Earth and will put Earth on level with the Moon, and the other believes that he is potentially dangerous and the bloodline that has yet to fail them should keep a heavy watch on him.

The Royal Family sees only one solution- Beryl and Endymion will marry, and Endymion will be forever in the presence of guards not only to protect him as a future king, but to ensure that if he ever discovers his power, he does no use it against the citizens of Earth.He is also more often than not in Beryl’s company. The one year she has above him in age makes her seem fascinating and knowledgeable. He first declares his love at age five and gives her a single red rose stolen from the palace garden.

Beryl at first is resentful of being tethered to a toddling little boy for so much of her waking life, but having had the importance of their union drilled into her head from a young age, plays along until slowly she begins to feel genuine affection for him. By their midteens she’s fully in love, and he continues to bring her a red rose every time he puts his feelings for her into words.

But she’s noticed they’re no longer stolen from the palace garden, instead drawn from what seems to be thin air. Rumors are going around nearby towns about a man who comes in the night and heals the deathly ill in their beds. Beryl knows it is Endymion, and knows the longer it is kept a secret the worse it will be. She convinces him to be truthful to the citizens and to convince them that he is only using his power for good. Earth’s citizens are still uneasy and dissent forms again, this time with harsher emotion behind it. People ask what will stop Endymion from assuming the god-like status of the Moon soldiers, and other people ask angrily why he should let people die if he can stop it.

A civil war has all but broken out when Beryl assumes the throne at 18, but Beryl is nothing if not a deft politician. She declares her engagement to Endymion, telling the world that they will be partners, but she is the rightful queen and he shall only use his powers under her law. She arranges for people who wish to be healed by Endymion, now to be hailed as Prince until he comes of age and they can marry, to come to the palace if they wish to be healed or have a family member healed. Those that feel his powers are unnatural do not have it force upon them and feel comforted that it is under tight control, and those that want the prince’s powers put to use get to see that they are not wasted.

It is only a matter of weeks, however, before Princess Serenity comes to Earth and meets Endymion. All the affection and reverence he had for Beryl is overwhelmed by his new love for the Princess. They meet in secret for months until Endymion begins to feel bad for his deception. They confess first to Queen Serenity, who is intrigued by the power she senses in him. He calls himself the prince of Earth because he has gotten used to the title, and the Moon is so detached from the Earth’s politics that no one knows that he is only so by engagement.

He goes alone to speak to Beryl, planning on confessing but instead ending up suggesting a summit with the Moon Court, hoping that estabilishing them as allies instead of enimies might soften the eventual blow. Beryl is suspicious. Endymion has shown little interest in politics. She weighs the backlash people will have out of fear against the peace that will follow a successful negotiation- if the right deal is made, people will lose their fear of the Moon and her soon-to-be husband’s power, and she will be the queen of a happy people. She consents and arranges for a meeting. Beryl invites representatives from neighboring towns to sit in along with the politicians and noblemen so that word will spread about the (hopefully favorable) outcome quickly.

Queen Serenity explains about the youma that have been cropping up not only on Earth but in every populated area of the solar system. She claims that if they are not struck down quickly a greater evil will rise in their wake, and that is why she sends her soldiers to Earth on occasion. Beryl barely maintains her composure as she furiously asks why no one on earth was previously informed of this. She sees in Queen Serenity’s eyes that the people of Earth are not important, they do not have the miraculous powers that Moon people have and thus are of no consequence. A tenuous peace treaty is formed, in which the Moon Kingdom agrees to have any soldier sent to Earth report to Beryl. Beryl can tell Serenity is humoring her; they both know the Earth could do little in retaliation if the treaty were violated.

Worse still, the princess and Endymion spend the entire conference making eyes at each other. Beryl notices, as does everyone else. That is the news that spreads through the kingdom. The Earth has been duped. The Prince is in league with the Moon Kingdom. Fear runs stronger than ever. Beryl takes much of the backlash- she should have known, she should never have invited those creatures, she should have bashed in the prince’s head when they were children to save the Earth from this fate.

Beryl’s hatred, however, is reserved for Queen and Princess Serenity. They have the power that can lay ruin to everything, they ruined so much all ready. Her kingdom is in chaos and defenseless against their whim. And Serenity had so many soldiers with godly powers, why did she need the only person on earth who was comparable?

Days later Metalia, barely more than a wisp of air, comes to her. Would she like to have power enough to contend with the Moon Kingdom? She would. At what cost? Any cost. That is-any cost but the Prince. Beryl will reclaim him as Serenity watches from her kingdom’s ruins, and that hateful princess will know the feeling of powerlessness.