Sailor Moon Millenium - The Rise of the Stellar Scouts Chapter # 4 - Fencing Put To The Test : Feathered Foes - Created April 10th, 2000 By K.W. Isenor (sailor_sun_@hotmail.com) Note: Hi everyone, well today is the pages one year anniversery! So I'd like to thank all of you who have helped me get this far with all of those words of confidence! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jessica sat up abruptly in her bed, her blankets were thrown on the floor at some point during her restless night. 'That dream again.' Jessica thought to herself as she wiped the sleep out of her eyes. Eclipse lifted his head from his paws and looked up at the now stretching red head. "Your were tossing and turning all night, at some points you even said a few words in your sleep." Eclipse stood up and stretched as well. "Did you have the same dream?" Jessica nodded as a deep yawn escaped her mouth. "Everything was the exact same, I don't know what to make of it." Jessica stood up stretching her legs and yawning some more. "It must have a point, and I believe I know what part of it is. This isn't a normal dream, it a premonition, much like Kevin had before telling him to find you." Eclipse came and sat at the foot of Jessica's bed. "So I'm having a premonition, and I have to awaken four other girls, who are warriors and princesses much like myself." Jessica shook her head in doubt. "What does all of this mean?" Jessica's mother's voice called from downstairs. "Jessica dear, breakfast is ready, come on time to get up!" "I'm still trying to figure out the small details myself, but the main point is easy to see." "And that would be?" Jessica questioned. "That you have to find these other warriors, they must be found in order for all of your questions to be answered. We will talk more about this later, right now you need to grab yourself some breakfast." Eclipse headed towards the door. Jessica followed. At the dinner table, Jon and Hannah were eating pancakes covered in syrup. Jon took another forkful and shoved it into his already full mouth. Jessica just shook her head and sighed as she sat down. "Oh Jessica, could you stop in the pet store after your fencing lessons? I need you to pick up a couple of things for that dog of yours, and Hannah's fish need food." Jessica mother dumped a pile of pancakes on the large plate, which sat in front of the still half asleep red head. "Yeah sure, what do you need?" Jessica plopped a knife full of butter onto her pancakes. "I'll make you up a list, there aren't that many things. You know where it is right?" Mrs. Walker dropped a couple of dishes into the soapy water of the sink. "It's just down he road from your school, you will have to take the bus." She added, not even letting Jessica answer the original question. "Yes mom, don't worry, how hard can it be to pick up a couple of items at a pet store." Jessica said as she finished chewing a piece of her pancake. She stood up from the table and dropped her plate into the sink. "Well mom, I've got to go and get ready, leave the list for me on the banister." Jessica kissed her mother on the cheek and as she walked by her two younger siblings she ruffled their hair. * * * * * "Another failure Kasumi, that makes three." Emperor Valico spoke from the shadows, Kasumi hadn't even had the chance to appear before him. "Yes Emperor, I am very sorry. Again that Sailor Scout showed up, I almost had her." Kasumi did the customary bow, she straightened out and waited to see what would be said to her next. "The key word being ALMOST!" The Emperor's deep distorted voice echoed through the unseen walls around them, running water could be heard close by, that helped drag the echo on. "I . . . I know, I'm going to need some help with it this time, like maybe a distraction of some kind." Kasumi stood nervously as she bit her lower lip. "If I may have your permission of using one of your servants for the next mission, or creating my own." Kasumi paused, "I already have it planned out, the place I'm attacking, the person and everything." "You may create your own, now leave me with my thoughts, I don't want any more of your sniveling." The Emperor did not move. He stood there silently. Kasumi nodded her head and stepped away into the shadows. Once the Emperor was sure that Kasumi was no longer there he turned to face the fountain which hid in the gloom that surrounded him like a blanket. With a snap of his fingers two torches caught fire, still not giving off much light. Emperor Valico dipped his fingernail into the dark liquid. A dog like creature crawled out. It looked up at his "master" and spoke, "Kasumi had better find the needed six, with out them your plan will not come together." The dog like creature spoke, but it's lips did not move. Emperor Valico nodded in agreement. The creature turned and walked over to where the sound of running water could be heard. He looked down into the dark depths below. "Why did you decide to come and hide here? Wasn't there a more suitable place?" The creature turned away from the water and looked at Valico. "This was the best place I could find, you asked for a dark and concealed place where we could carry out our plan. This was the best place that my minions could find. And you get used to it after awhile." Emperor Valico stepped up to the beast's side. "Well I hope we don't have to stay here long, but it looks that way because Kasumi can't find the needed Heart Stones. I don't have a very good tolerance to failure. I can not wait very long without becoming restless, and you know that." Emperor Valico hung his head. "Yes I know." "Good, now let me rest, you can go over and sit down, and leave me to sleep, and plot." The beast looked up at Emperor Valico with his red eyes. The Emperor turned and disappeared into the darkness much like Kasumi had did, only minutes before. * * * * * "School just drains the energy out of you. I say there should be a class where you can sleep. That would be nice." Jessica walked extremely slowly down the crowed hall. "And why do we have to wear new uniforms?" She turned to Alissa. "First off I agree with the sleeping class, and as for the uniform's, that is because this school is a private school." Alissa leaned up beside a locker. "Here we are block F, now to find our locker numbers, I hope they didn't place us on the floor!" Alissa began to scan the row of lockers with her eyes. "I found mine, and it is a top one." Jessica's voice full of happiness. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. Now lets see if I can get this combination right on my first try." Alissa continued to scan the lockers while Jessica played with her lock. "Here mine is, two down from yours, and mine is also a top locker." Alissa rushed over. "Talk about luck." Jessica pulled on her lock, it finally opened. "About time, you stupid piece of junk!" Jessica pounded her fist on the locker. "You shouldn't go around beating up your lockers." Jessica turned to face Alissa, she smiled then giggled. Jessica slowly turned back to her locker. "Don't worry, I'll try not to hurt it too much." She swung open the locker door. And started to pile in her books. "This thing really needs to have some picture's in it." Jessica examined the locker. "Yeah, they are kind of boring aren't they? Just one simple color. I think I'll bring some pictures of my horses and put them in." Alissa said as she closed her locker. "But first we have to go and pick up our new uniforms." Alissa's smiled faded from her face. Jessica indicated agreement with a quick nod of her head. She then shut her locker, and made sure the lock had been re-locked. "That is going to be a pain for later." Alissa tried to muffle a giggle in her sleeve. Jessica noticed. "What? I can't help it that my stupid locker hates me!" The two girls walked down the hall to wait in the long line to get their new uniforms. * * * * * Eclipse lay on his back, his feet were up in the air. "Think, think." He said quietly to himself. "Come on you didn't take all of those history lessons on the Sun just to forget them all." The dog turned over onto his side. He let out a sigh, then his ears pricked up. "That's right, now I remember some of it. Time to go and check out the good old computer." Eclipse got up and walked over to Jessica's dresser. He turned on the computer, then typed in a password. The screen began to flash different colors. "Time to do some research on Princess Cassandra Solaris' court from long ago." The dog carefully typed on a couple of the keys. Writing then flashed up. "And Bingo was his nameo." * * * * * "So what do you think?" Alissa spun around showing off her new uniform. The uniform consisted of a forest green pleated skirt that came to a little bit above her knees. A white blouse with long sleeves. Over the blouse a gray vest was worn, it had no sleeves and had gold buttons going up the front. Then over the vest was a small forest green blazer. The blazer went down to about 3 inches above her hips. The uniform also consisted of white, just below the knee socks and small forest green shoes. Jessica leaned up against the bathroom wall, she also wore the same uniform. She clapped her hands together. "It suits you." Alissa smiled. "I like these uniform's they are so comfortable!" Alissa stood in front of the mirror and spun around trying to get a good look at the uniform on her. "And it comes with shorts for gym class, pants for when it gets really cold, and a short sleeved shirt for the warmer days!" "Getting awfully excited over a school uniform aren't you?" "Well yeah I guess, but I thought that they would be horrible. But they look really good. Well anyway we should get back to class, Mr. Kier might start to wonder what took us so long." Alissa said as she looked down at her watch. "Alright let's get back, but can we walk back slowly? I really don't feel like going to math class and doing more algebra." Jessica pushed the door open, she held it for Alissa, then closed it once her friend walked by. "But we are doing really easy stuff right now." "Yeah but it is still math." "Good point!" * * * * * "Alright, everyone ready for lesson two?" Lou looked around at his student's faces. "Today I'm going to teach you how to hold the saber and if we have enough time, the lunge." Jessica listened keenly to Lou instructions. "The most important part of your hand, in relation to holding the weapon is your thumb. It controls the blade." Lou walked around handing each student a saber, they were the safety ones, with the metal ball at the end. The last thing he wanted was for someone to poke a hole in the person standing in front of him or her. "First place your thumb in opposition to the cutting edge. Your saber handle should have a flat portion on the top of the hilt for your thumb to rest." Everyone did as he asked. "Now your index finger goes on the opposite side as your thumb. The two together 'pinch' the saber and are known as manipulators." He paused and waited for everyone to finish. "The rest of the handle fits along the joints of your fingers, not in the palm of your hand, ever!" He yelled out as he noticed a couple of his student's rest the handle in their palm. "These fingers are known as aids. Practice controlling the saber, moving it with the thumb and forefinger with the aids gently providing support. Concentrate on the feel of the blade, and the pressure you need to move the weapon. All the cuts come from the wrist and the thumb, not the arm." Lou demonstrated very skillfully. The students stared up at him in awe. "Now everyone, I want you to go to your own spot in this room, make sure you aren't to close to someone else. Then once you find a spot you can practice a few cuts. And remember, from the wrist and the thumb, not the arm." Jessica found a spot by the window and began to practice her cuts in the air. Lou walked over to her. "Keep up the good work Walker." Lou went off watching each and every one of his student's practice. * * * * * "Now what can help me create my own servant?" Kasumi sat hidden away in the shadows of the alleyway. She was looking into a store on the other side of the street. "I'm sure I can find something in there." Kasumi rubbed her hands together. She scanned the shelves with her cold eyes, they stopped on a furry creature that ran around on a wheel. "That might work, but it would help if there was something bigger." She scanned again, he eyes stopped on a bird singing contently to itself. "Oh that will definitely work, and it will be like killing two birds with one stone. Not only will I get that animal to work on my side, it will also cease to sing such a happy tune." Kasumi shuddered. "Well it is settled." Kasumi raised her hand and a light mist formed, it blew across the street into the store and wrapped around the bird. The bird stopped singing and its eyes shone red for a minute, then faded back to normal. "Sailor Sun sure will be in for a surprise when she comes here to save the poor humans!" Kasumi turned and disappeared in the shadows. * * * * * "Time for a quick history lesson before I start teaching you about the lunge." Groans arose from the students, which stood before Lou. "The lunge is the primary method of delivering an attack in fencing. It was 'invented' in the 16th century by Capo Ferro, and replaced the crossover as the action of choice for all fencing weapons. While the crossover and fleche are still used in eppe and foil, they have been banned in saber fencing. I'm still not sure why." Lou looked around at each of his student's faces. "See it wasn't that bad was it?" Now from the En Guarde position I taught you, extend your sword arm towards the target. Let me say that again: The first action in an attack is extending your SWORD ARM towards the target. In this case, we will begin with an attack to the head, so the hand goes straight out in front. Not all the way just about chest height. The guard of the saber should be pointed towards the target." Lou paused and looked around the room. "Jessica please come up here and help me demonstrate." Jessica a bit shocked walked up to the front of the room and stood across from Lou. "Lift your right, front toe and kick out the right leg while simultaneously . . . push forward with your back, left leg, until it is perfectly straight. Keep your left foot flat on the floor!" Jessica did every step just as Lou had said. "Finish the cut to the head by snapping your wrist and thumb towards the target. Not to hard! Stay in control, but definitely finish the attack with the thumb, not the arm! The attack should land on target before . . ." Lou paused a waited for Jessica to demonstrate. "The front, right foot lands, heel first, pointing forwards. The right knee should be directly over the right foot, perpendicular to the floor. Do not over extend the knee past 90 degrees, or walk with a limp you shall!" Lou looked around the class. "Alright everyone that is all for today. Next day as soon as you come in I want you all to find a partner and practice what I have just told you." All the students turned and set their sabers on a rack. They then put on their shoes to leave. Jessica grabbed her coat from the bench and slid it on her shoulders. "Jessica." She quickly turned around to see Lou. "You are even more talented then I thought. I'm going to enter you in a competition for next month. I'm sure you can make a good place." Lou said with an encouraging voice. "Really?" Jessica said rather slowly. "Do you think I can get a good place? But I don't even know everything yet." Jessica stood there a bit baffled. "I have much confidence in you, I'm sure you will do fine." Lou turned and walked off to the front of the class. Jessica stood there for a moment more then left. * * * * * Jessica walked along the street, making her way towards the pet store. She still had her head up in the clouds, thinking about what Lou had said. 'I wonder if I could really win?' Jessica thought to herself. She rounded the corner and came to the small pet store. She swung open the door, and when she stepped in she could feel coldness all around her. She snapped out of her daze and looked around the deserted store. All of the lights were out and a white mist was in the room. The startled Jessica made her way back to the door slowly. Once outside she heard the squawk of a bird. Taking no heed to the animals cry as she made her way into the alley. "SOLARIS STAR . . . . . POWER!" Jessica then closed her eyes. The Solaris Medallion disappeared into many little orange and gold sparkles, this caused her body to shimmer the colors of the sparkles as they fell onto her body. Then her silver tiara appeared with the red jewel in the center. The jewel then emitted a blinding flash of orange light that surrounded Jessica giving her the feeling of the bright morning sun on her body. Then a swirl of orange and gold sparkles warped around her body moving upward as it spun around her body. The body suit of her uniform then appeared. And the bows came out of the heart in the center of her chest. Sparkling golden rings then went around her feet forming boots. Then more sparkling rings went around her arms forming her gloves. Soon afterward the golden sparkles went around her waist forming her skirt. At that point there was a large burst of golden sparkles that flew up into the air, when the sparkles fell to the ground Sailor Sun was then revealed fully transformed. She did her transformation pose. She stood there with one hand across her forehead and the other across her stomach with her legs together. Her long red hair then blew to the side. Sailor Sun stood there pondering what to do now. She did not see Kasumi in the store, only a cold mist. Unexpectedly a tiny bird flew by her head and landed in front of her. She looked at the bird before her, seeing it not as a threat. "Come here little bridie, did you escape from the pet store?" She bent down and put her finger out to pet it. The small bird leaned forward and bit down hard on her finger. Pulling it back quickly to see a small stain of blood form on her glove. She looked from her wounded finger to the little bird. "Thank-you so much you stupid spore." Just as Jessica finished talking the small bird's eyes flashed red, the bird then began to grow in size. It was much taller then Jessica, it took on the figure of half bird half woman. It had a woman's upper torso and the birds lower body. It had wings that came from its back. The bird woman screeched. Sailor Sun raised her hands to her ears. The screech was deafening. The bird soared high into the air above the defended Sailor Sun. The bird flew in a couple of circles then swooped down at the Sailor Scout. She was knocked to the ground, she came to a stop once she hit the alleyway wall. 'I don't have enough room to dodge her attacks in this alley, time to take the fight out into the street.' With those words Sailor Sun stood up and ran out into the street, the bird woman followed. It swooped down at Sailor Sun again, barely being able to make it out of the birds way Sailor Sun hit the ground hard. When she stood up again she noticed a rip in her uniform at her side. "SUN SOLAR FLARES ..... BURN!" Sailor Sun stood with her legs shoulder width apart. Her hands were at her sides. Her head was looking upward. Then she put her hands out in front of her chest, her hands then began to glow with golden energy she then pushed her arms out as if she was pushing against something heavy. From each of her hands came two flames of fire. They spun around her body in a clockwise direction then went directly in front of her straight towards the target. The bird woman got off with only a few scorched feathers. She flew up into the sky again. She opened her wings and what seemed like millions of feathers came flying towards Sailor Sun. They struck the ground where she jumped out of the way. Some grazed by her uniform leaving more rips. Some would even catch the skin leaving small slashes in her skin. Once the storm of feathers had died down Sailor Sun raised her hands above her head. "I call upon the great power's of the star which is the center of the Sol system, bring forth the legendary Sun Fire Saber!" Her tiara then emitted a blinding light. She stood with her feet apart. Her right ahead of the left slightly. The Fire Saber appeared above her head. It hovered there for a few seconds then Sailor Sun reached her hands above her head and the Saber floated down into her hands. Sailor Sun then closes her eyes and brings the Fire Saber down in front of her chest. She then cried out the attack phrase. "SUN FIRE SABER . . . . . STAB!" Her body became surrounded by her golden aura as does the sword. Sailor Sun jumped into the air and did a flip and swung the Saber right in front of the bird woman. First she swung to the left then to the right causing the imprint of a "X" in front of her target. Sailor Sun the jumped back and the marks in the air began to glow and move closer to the target. Once the marks touched the bird woman she became engulfed in bright golden energy. And her scream's could barely be heard because the energy surrounding her was very strong. The golden energy died down and the bird woman fell from the sky and landed on the street causing a large pothole. Her body caught aflame and burned away until only a little figure of a bird could be seen. The small bird flew up and perched itself on the wires above. Sailor Sun sighed with relief. "I haven't had to do that in awhile." Then suddenly remembering she ran into the pet store, she scanned the area quickly. 'Come on Kasumi, where are you?' She thought to herself. "I don't suppose you would be looking for me would you?" Kasumi's figure appeared through the mist. She stood there with a smug look across her face. "I also suppose you are looking for this." She held up a heart stone." Sailor Sun leapt for it, but Kasumi just faded away and reappeared behind her. "Give that back, it is not yours for the taking!" Sailor Sun yelled angrily. "Oh and do you think that now I will hand over the heart stone without hesitation?" Kasumi said with a bit of a laugh. "My plan worked out perfectly, my little "pet" bought me enough time to steal this heart stone and to see your beaten face." With those words she disappeared, as did the mist, and the lights flickered back on. Sailor Sun ran around the store looking for the body of whoever Kasumi had taken the heart stone from. She found a young woman huddled up in a corner. She lay there lifeless. The Sailor Scout hung her head in defeat. A great sigh passed by her lips. She heard a rustling behind her. Spinning around swiftly she came face to face with a dog. "Eclipse!" She said relieved as she wrapped her arms around the dog's body. "I'm so sorry, but I failed, Kasumi got away with the heart stone." Tears came rolling down her cheeks as she looked from the dog to the lifeless woman. "Don't worry Sailor Sun, I'm pretty sure that Kasumi will be back with the stolen heart stone. But until then we should take this woman to the hospital, don't you think?" The dog's voice was full of reinsurance. Sailor Sun nodded, she transported all three of them to the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Center, then Eclipse and herself were transported back to a large maple tree in her backyard. There she de-transformed and walked through the back door. Mrs. Walker spun around and ran to her daughter. "I'm so glad you are alright. I was so worried." The woman wrapped her arms around her daughter, hugging her tightly. "Why were you worried about me?" Jessica asked a bit confused. "Well the pet store that I asked you to pick up a few things at was attacked yet again. But thank the lord that Sailor Sun was there to help." Mrs. Walker turned to the television. A news reporter was standing out front of the pet store. "Oh I'm fine don't worry, I got there after everything was over, so I couldn't really get the items you asked for." Jessica bit her lip nervously. 'I hate lying to you mom.' She thought to herself. "Oh that is okay, just as long as you are okay!" Mrs. Walker squeezed her daughter even more. Jessica being barely able to breathe stepped back and took a deep breath. After explaining to her mother a million times that she was fine Jessica made her way up to her bedroom, she plopped down on the bed, Eclipse jumped up to her side. "Don't worry, everything will work out in the end." Jessica turned to her guardian dog. "How come you are all mister confidant all of a sudden?" Jessica asked as she turned to her side. "While you were out at school, I was doing a bit of my own school work. And I think I might have been able to come up with a device that will tell us if a person's heart stone is one of the six that Kasumi is looking for." "Really? So that woman in the pet store, hers wasn't on of the six was it?" Jessica said as the happiness returned to her voice. Eclipse nodded his head in reply. "Good, now maybe I can get some sleep tonight!" Jessica said as she turned over and saw her schoolwork on the floor. "Well maybe after I finish my math assignment." She said with a groan.