Hilary Strong woke up to sunlight streaming through the window of her
new bedroom. The sixteen year old girl stretched, jostling the sleeping
calico cat on the end of the bed.
"Wake up, Shazam. Time for breakfast," Hilary said, pushing a
dark brown stand of hair out of her face. The calico moved disgruntledly
and took her time getting up.
Hilary loved mornings. As usual, she was up before her parents. Dressing
in loose sweats and pulling her hair into a haphazard ponytail, she descended
to the basement where her dad kept his exercise equipment, Shazam following
sluggishly. Hilary had taken up aerobics and weight training two years
earlier hoping to follow in her dad's military footprints. She exercised
every morning before everybody else woke up.
Finishing her workout, she showered and dressed in her new school's uniform.
The blue of the skirt and blouse bow complimented her bright green eyes
well. Shazam settled on Hilary's bed, desperately wanting to go back to
sleep. Hilary finished getting ready and left for the first day at her
new school.
Shazam looked around the room and leapt out the window. She had a mission
to accomplish.
"Class, we have several new students joining us on our first day,"
Miss Haruna said, motioning to the five girls standing at the front of
the room. "They are Hilary Strong, from America, Adriane Talent, also
from America, Alexandria Fleat, from England, Dawn Lovelace, from Australia,
and Melissa Weise, from Canada. I hope you'll make them all feel welcome.
Girls, take your seats."
Hilary found herself sitting in front of one of the other new girls, Adriane.
Adriane pushed her long, glistening black hair out of her eyes and smiled
at Hilary, setting her sloe brown eyes glittering.
"New girls have to stick together," Adriane whispered. "Let's
round up the others at lunch."
Hilary smiled back. "Good idea. I saw a tree outside that looked like
a good place to have lunch."
"Okay, meet you there!"
Shazam wandered the streets of Juuban district, looking for someone.
She found herself outside a two-story house. A small black cat was sitting
on the roof. Sunlight struck the black cat, illuminating the crescent moon
on her forehead. The little calico smiled. She had found Luna. Bunching
up her muscles, Shazam leapt to the roof, landing next to Luna.
"Huh-mrow?" Luna said, catching herself.
"Luna, it's me, Shazam!" the calico spoke.
"Shazam? Do I know you?"
Shazam sighed. "You remember much, Luna, but you have still forgotten.
Let me remind you." The tan, lightning bolt shaped blaze on Shazam's
forehead glowed, Luna's moon-mark glowing in response. Quickly, Shazam
filled in her old friend's missing memories.
Luna looked at Shazam in shock.
"It's that time? Already? It's too soon!" Luna protested.
Shazam nodded. "I'm afraid so. At least I know where one of the girls
is. I won't waken her memories until it's absolutely necessary, though.
Hopefully, I can find a few more of the girls before the strike."
"Good luck, old friend," Luna said. "If these girls are
as difficult to find as mine were, you'll be needing it."
Hilary and Adriane had managed to find the rest of the new girls and
get them together for lunch. After sitting around the tree, Hilary began
the conversation. "So, where's everybody from?" she asked.
"We just moved here from Alaska," Adriane started. "My mom's
a vulcanologist with the USGS, and this is her latest assignment."
"My dad and I came here from London. He's a mechanical engineer and
was hired by a car company to help design a new line," Alexandria,
or Zandi, which she preferred, told them, pushing dark red bangs out of
her blue eyes.
Dawn twisted a lock of dark honey-blond hair while saying, "My mom
and dad both took teaching positions at Juuban University, so we moved
here from Sydney, Australia."
"My mother was offered a job as a programmer at a software company
here, so we came from Calgary, Canada," Melissa said in her soft voice.
Hilary looked at Melissa. "Melissa, is your hair...blue?"
Melissa smiled shyly. "Yes. I was rebelling against the move, so I
dyed it."
"I like it. Somehow, it suits you." Melissa thanked her, and
Hilary told her story. "My dad's in the US Army, and he was transferred
here a few years a ago. My mom and I stayed in the States. He retired a
few months ago, but was in love with the country, so mom and I moved out
here." The girls looked at each other, not knowing what to do or say
now.
Adriane broke the silence. "Does anyone here have class with Tsukino
Usagi from homeroom? I had phys ed with her this morning. She somehow managed
to take out all three volleyball nets. Three of her friends, Mizuno Ami,
Kino Makoto, and Osaka Naru were with her."
"I have night classes with Ami-chan," Melissa said. "She's
really nice."
"I had home ec with Kino Makoto. We were paired for the rest of the
year," Hilary said. The ice finally broken, the five girls chatted
about classes, the rigors of moving, and boys for the rest of the lunch
break.
Walking home from school, Hilary was whistling to herself when she saw
a familiar bolt of calico. "Shazam?" she wondered aloud, walking
in the direction the bolt had disappeared. She found her cat sitting innocently
on a bench, licking her paw. "How did you get out?"
"Mrow?" Shazam vocalized, giving Hilary the blankest stare a
cat could muster.
"Well, since you're not talking, let's go home, Shaz." Hilary
picked up her cat and headed for home. Little did Hilary know that she
was being watched.
"This will be too, too easy," murmured the violet-haired female
hovering above the city. "The Senshi couldn't defeat me before, only
trap me in a prison of their own spirits. But now, I am free of their cage,
ten thousand years stronger, ready to take back what is mine!" The
woman cackled in glee.
Usagi, Ami and Makoto headed for Rei's temple like they always did after
school, Minako joining them on the way. A worried Rei met them at the door.
"Luna's already here and she says something's up. Plus, I've been
getting weird feelings all day." They gathered together in Rei's room,
where Luna filled them in.
"Before Beryl threatened the Moon Kingdom, there was another, greater
threat. The Sorceress Trona challenged Queen Serenity for rulership of
the Moon. The queen sent six of her best warriors to fight six of Trona's
Stone Warriors."
"Six?" Makoto interrupted. "I thought there were eight Sailor
Senshi and the Moon Princess."
"There were," Luna explained, "But these warriors were not
the Sailor Senshi. These were the Marvelous Senshi, mysterious warriors
of unknown origin. Their powers derived from virtues, not planets. Of their
own will, the Marvelous Senshi became advisors to the five inner planets
and the Moon. The Marvelous Senshi of Strength was Jupiter's advisor. The
Marvelous Senshi of Skill was Mars' advisor. The Marvelous Senshi of Speed
was Earth's advisor. The Marvelous Senshi of Beauty was naturally Venus'
advisor. Finally, the Marvelous Senshi of Wisdom was Mercury's advisor."
"What about the sixth, Moon's advisor?" Usagi asked.
"She was the most mysterious of the six. Sailor Selene, the Marvelous
Senshi of Grace, was the Moon's advisor, as well as the most powerful of
the Marvelous Senshi. Many people believed that she was Queen Serenity
herself, protecting her kingdom."
"What happened in the battle against Trona?" Rei asked.
"The Marvelous Senshi fought against the Stone Warriors and won, but
barely. Trona was outraged and came to fight the Senshi herself. The only
way the Senshi could protect the Moon Kingdom was to combine their fighting
souls into a prison for Trona. She was trapped in the prison, supposedly
forever. The Senshi protected their Queen at the cost of their own lives."
"Couldn't Queen Serenity have revived them?" Minako asked, hugging
Artemis.
"No. Their life forces were contained in the cage holding Trona. If
Queen Serenity revived them, it would be without souls. If she reincarnated
their souls, Trona would be free to destroy the Kingdom. Today, I found
out that the Marvelous Senshi were reincarnated sixteen years ago. If their
souls were free to return, that means Trona is also free to return."
A loud groan came from the girls. "But Luna, we just defeated Galaxia-Chaos.
We're not ready for another battle!" Usagi protested.
"Usagi's right, for once," Rei stated. "This may sound bad,
but we can't fight now."
Luna looked at the girls with disappointment. "I know it seems soon.
I had hoped Trona would have stayed imprisoned longer. Perhaps it will
be a while yet before she attacks."
Weeks passed without an attack from Trona. Shazam began to relax, slightly.
Hilary, Adriane, Zandi, Dawn, and Melissa had become good friends. In fact,
Hilary was planning a sleepover for all of them. The girls were looking
forward to being able to watch American movies without the Japanese subtitles,
as well as being able to speak English without offending anyone.
Hilary had also become friends with Makoto. In home ec, they discovered
similar interests. Makoto and Hilary had started running together before
school.
One day in home ec, Hilary noticed Makoto's rose shaped earrings. "Those
are pretty earrings, Makochan," she told Makoto.
Makoto fingered her earrings self-consciously. "Thank-you, Hilary-chan.
They were a gift from my old sempai. Your earrings are pretty, too, and
quite unusual."
"My lightning bolts? My dad found them somewhere. They reminded him
of me since my cat has a blaze on her forehead that looks like a lightning
bolt." Hilary looked at Makoto. "Makochan, I'm having a sleepover
with some friends this Friday. Would you like to come?"
Makoto's face lit up. Not since Usagi had someone been so openly friendly
to her. "I'd love to, Hilary-chan."
"Wonderful! Um, do you like American movies?"
"I like some. My English has gotten much better in the past few years."
Hilary mentally smacked herself. "I forgot about that. Most of the
girls coming have English as a first language."
Makoto smiled a little. "I think I can hold my own."
"Okay, then I'll see you at my house Friday at seven?"
"Okay!"
Friday night rolled around. Hilary was racing around making sure everything
was ready. "Popcorn, pretzels, chips, pop...Mom! Where's the dip?"
she yelled up the stairs.
"You have to make it yourself, Hil. It's a mix," her mother replied.
Hilary looked in the fridge. "Mom, there's no sour cream. I'm gonna
run to the store to find some!" Hilary grabbed her jacket and headed
out the door, Shazam hot on her heels. Above the city, Trona watched.
"Now," she whispered. "Now is the time to attack!"
She pulled a smooth stone out of the air. "Pikite, demon of thunder,
awaken!" A loud thunderclap shattered the stone into a cloud of dust,
revealing the dark-skinned demon.
"You summoned, sorceress?" Pikite drawled, bowing lazily.
"Pikite, my confinement has ended. It is time to bring my revenge
on the Senshi who imprisoned me. I have sensed their souls in this city.
Find them and destroy them!"
"Yes, Trona." Pikite grinned evilly, disappearing.
Hilary and Shazam had been to three grocery stores and still hadn't
found any sour cream. They were on their way to the fourth when the dark
skinned demon dropped to the sidewalk in front of them.
Involuntarily, Hilary shrieked. Pikite advanced, and as he came closer,
a symbol began glowing on Hilary's forehead: two crossed hammers, the symbol
of Strength. Pikite knew that this was one of the Senshi he had been sent
to destroy.
"Hilary!" Shazam shouted. "Run!" Shazam ran forward
and bit Pikite's ankle, allowing her and Hilary the chance to run for some
cover.
In the alleyway, Shazam looked at Hilary. "I knew you were one of
them," she said, grinning a cat grin.
"Shazam? But...how...what? One of who?"
"I'll explain later. Right now, just say, 'Hippolyta Shazam!'"
"If you say so," Hilary shrugged. "Hippolyta Shazam!"
A dark green lightning bolt ripped through the air, bringing with it Hilary's
memories and powers from a thousand years ago. The lightning faded, and
Hilary was Sailor Hippolyta, the Marvelous Senshi of Strength. Her fuku
was white with a dark green skirt and a dark green lightning bolt on the
right half of the bodysuit. There were no bows on her fuku, but a waist
length dark green cape covered the right half of her fuku. Short dark green
boots and a dark green mask completed the costume. "Thank you, Shazam,"
she said, and went to fight Pikite.
Makoto was walking towards Hilary's house when she heard a commotion.
Running to see what was going on, she saw an unfamiliar Senshi confronting
a dark-skinned demon.
"Pikite, you were looking for me? Well, you've found me! I am Sailor
Hippolyta, the Marvelous Senshi of Strength, and I'm looking forward to
fighting you again," the Senshi stated. "Hippolyta Sword!"
"You won't win this time, Senshi. I'm ten thousand years stronger
than before!" Pikite snarled.
"Good! I need the practice!" With a loud clang of metal, the
fight began. Makoto ducked into an alley.
"That's Sailor Hippolyta? That must mean that Pikite guy's one of Trona's
Stone Warriors." Makoto peeked out and saw that Sailor Hippolyta was
having trouble. "Luna said she was Jupiter's advisor in the past.
I don't think she'll mind me helping." Makoto pulled out her transformation
wand. "Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!" she cried, feeling the
transformation take place. She rushed to help.
"Jupiter Oak Revolution!" A blast of energy hit Pikite, distracting
him from Sailor Hippolyta.
"Thanks!" Sailor Hippolyta called. "It's been a while. Guess
I was rustier than I thought." She smiled at Jupiter. "Long time
no see."
"Uh, right," Sailor Jupiter replied.
"Enough with the reunions," Pikite snarled. "Thunder Bolt
Strike!" Two shimmering bolts of dark energy headed for Sailors Jupiter
and Hippolyta, knocking them into a wall.
"That does it. No more playing around," Sailor Hippolyta said.
"Sailor Jupiter, let's get 'em!"
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" Sailor Jupiter exclaimed.
"Crushing Strength!" Sailor Hippolyta exclaimed.
A ball of concentrated energy and a wave of pressure slammed into Pikite
simultaneously, shunting him back into his pebble form. The pebble disappeared
in a puff of smoke. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Hippolyta shook hands.
"Thank you for your help, Sailor Jupiter. Pikite was much stronger
than when I fought him last," Sailor Hippolyta said. She gave a short
salute and disappeared.
Hilary and Shazam finally found the sour cream and returned to the house to find Makoto, Adriane, Zandi, Dawn, and Melissa already there. Makoto was a little nervous with the others, but soon fit right in.
On To Part Two, The Skill of Shazam!
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