Title: Sister Moon, Brother Earth [1/?] Author: Corbeau Noir Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Drama Rating: PG-13 Email: noir_corbeau@hotmail.com Site: www.geocities.com/corbeaun ---------------------------------------------------------------- Summary: Usagi and Mamoru have been reborn in 21st century Tokyo as twins. Orphaned early on in a car accident, the two siblings struggled to make a life for themselves in the years past. Unfortunately, little do they know that their normal lives are soon to be over. Disclaimer: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. I’m only borrowing them, and intend to return them as soon as possible. Really, I promise. ::wink:: ================================================================ Naming Conventions: I'm using the names Takeuchi-sama gave, but I’ve listed their DiC counterparts in case anyone is confused. :) Chiba Mamoru = Darien Shields Chiba Usagi = Serena Furuhata Motoki = Andrew Kino Makoto = Lita Osaka Naru = Molly Baker Umino Gurio = Melvin ================================================================ Many thanks to Typodemon, Victorymoon, Mizu and Eternal Angel, Usako, and Miriam. I love all your feedback! I hope you are still reading and that this meets up with your expectations! *^-^* ================================================================ Sister Moon, Brother Earth By Corbeau Noir Part 1 ~~~~~~ The concrete-reinforced three-story apartment building rose from the asphalt road before them. From a few of the balconies, rows of faded shirts and socks fluttered limply on the morning breeze like tired vestiges from a forgotten war. The only hint of greenery lay in the peach tree that had grown up against one of the windows on the second floor, unintentionally it almost seemed. "Well? What do you think?" Chiba Mamoru took a deep breath, and turned to smile politely at the old man waiting eagerly besides him. "Tanaka-san, it's wonderful." The older man beamed proudly, and gleefully patted Mamoru's arm. "No problem, no problem at all. You're just lucky I was there when the school phoned me." He paused then, beady eyes suddenly lost in the folds of his face as they narrowed in puzzlement. "But the school already offered you a dorm. Why didn't you take it?" Mamoru frowned slightly, the conversation with the head of the academy running through his mind. He shook off the unpleasant memory impatiently. "I have a sister, and the dorms cannot provide for us both." Mr. Tanaka nodded with approval. "It's good to see young people so dedicated to their family. Excellent." He made a note in the little black book he carried on him, capping the pen with a flourish as he finished. "I'll tell the academy that you'll take it, first thing tomorrow." Mamoru glanced over the slightly run-down building one more time. The room with the window against the tree, that was the place he'd been offered. Seemed no one wanted it, claimed that the tree blocked the sunlight and that in the summer the sweet fruit attracted insects, but the landlord was not willing to cut down the decades-old tree. Usa would enjoy the peaches. "Thank you, Tanaka-san." * * * * * * Osaka Naru, resident class busybody and all around do- gooder, sighed for the forth time that morning as she absently flipped through the pages of her notebook. Yumiko and Kuri were absent again, there was no one to talk to, and nothing out of the ordinary had happened within the last twenty-four hours. Naru was bored. She sighed again. "Hey, Naru! Did you hear?" She perked up immediately, and eagerly swung around to face the newcomer. It was Umino Gurio, otherwise known as the human gossip machine. Naru almost cried in relief; instead, she latched onto him like a leech. "What, Umino? What is it?" The boy's bright eyes peered at her through his coke- bottle glasses, a wide excited grin on his face. He plopped himself down at the empty seat opposite her and hurriedly began talking. "Well, it's like this. I was walking down the corridors this morning on my way to the newsroom, and you know how the editor’s always ranting about how no one turns in their articles on time, as if we could help it," Umino snorted disdainfully. Naru nodded impatiently and motioned for him to go on. "Anyway, going down the hall. And then I saw the principal walking past with this girl." He paused, eyes unfocusing behind his glasses as a silly grin spread across his face. "I don't know how to describe her, but she was. Wow." Naru rolled her eyes, and inwardly sighed to herself. Looked like her relief was premature. But she smiled good- humoredly at Umino. "So she's what? Pretty?" The boy nodded enthusiastically, "Very pretty." And then glancing quickly around them before leaning in closer, "And I heard that---" At that exact moment, the teacher entered the room. "Everyone in their seats please," the middle-aged man announced loudly. The students immediately disbanded from the various groupings and rushed back to their respective seats. Umino also hurried to his desk in the front, all the while trying to tell her something. Unfortunately, Naru couldn't lip-read. In the next few seconds though, that proved to be unnecessary. "Class... I'd like to introduce a new student to you." And saying that, the instructor stepped aside to reveal the tiny, golden-haired girl who had up till then been hidden behind him. Even as Naru stared, she could hear the jaws of boys dropping all across the room. *Kami-sama,* Naru thought, half with shock, half with envy. The girl was absolutely, undeniably, drop-dead *gorgeous*. The new girl, apparently oblivious to the effect she had, smiled broadly and waved enthusiastically to everyone in the class. "Hi! I'm Chiba Usagi, pleased to meet you!" The teacher smiled benignly behind her, and clapped his hands together in approval. "Thank you, Miss Chiba. Now please take a seat next to Miss Osaka in the back there. Okay class, turn to page four hundred and two..." There was only the sound of rustling pages in the classroom as Chiba Usagi made her way down the aisles. Heads turned as she passed them by. *Well,* Naru thought to herself happily as she flipped open her Japanese Literature book, all the while sneaking furtive glances at the new student now settling in beside her, *things are finally getting interesting.* She resolved to make friends with the new girl the first chance she got. * * * * * * It was not until Home Ec that Naru was actually able to make good with that promise. "You know, only *you* could make cooking rice this difficult, Naru." Naru didn't even look up from the sink. "Not everyone can cook, Makoto." She tilted the pan, trying to decide if the water in the rice was clear enough. No, she finally decided, and slowly drained the clouded water from the pan. Then, carefully she began refilling the pan with water. Abruptly, the girl beside her, Makoto, groaned. "Oh, give me that." And snatched the pan of rice from her hands. Blinking, Naru watched in bemusement as the tall, brunette girl swished the rice around furiously and then slammed the pan back in front of her. "There, finished." Then Makoto turned back to her own pan of frying tempura. "Umm. Thanks." Naru winced on seeing a tiny crack appear on the pan. "I think." Makoto just humphed, intent on her frying pan. Carefully, Naru set the pan of rice boiling on the gas stove. Mopping her hands on a dry cloth, she turned to see how the rest of her classmates were doing. Many, she noted glumly, already had their rice cooking and their tempura frying. Even the new girl, Chiba Usagi, had a plate of finished golden-crisp tempura in front of her. But for some reason, Usagi was staring at the plate like it was about to bite her. A basket of decorative chrysanthemums lay untouched on a nearby table. Naru walked up behind her and tapped Usagi on the shoulder, "Your tempura looks delicious, Chiba-san." The girl swung around, her strangely-styled hair whipping through the air as she turned to face Naru. For a moment there was an uncomfortable silence as the new girl simply stared at her. Up close, Naru belated became aware of the pair of eyes the vibrant blue of a summer sky, of the spidery lines of several old scars crisscrossing one cheek. Fleetingly Naru wondered if she had made a big mistake --- she had misinterpreted the situation, this girl didn't *look* like she needed anyone's help... Then Usagi broke into a brilliant smile. "You're Osaka-san, right?" Just as abruptly, Naru became aware that she was staring. Flustered and more than a little embarrassed, she quickly nodded, "Yeah, that's right. Osaka Naru." Then she grinned back, regaining her bearings. "Osaka Naru, resident champion of babble." She bowed slightly, "Pleased ta meetcha." "Chiba Usagi." Usagi bowed back happily. "Glad to meet you too." At the front of the room, the teacher coughed loudly. "Less chitchatting and more cooking, girls," old Mrs. Yano said reprovingly, looking pointedly in Naru and Usagi's direction. "So..." Lips quirking into an impish grin, Usagi gestured toward the dish of finished but unadorned tempura. "Can you help me put the flowers on the food? I can never get it right." Naru beamed. "Sure, no problem," she said, and reached for a handful of yellow chrysanthemums from the nearby basket. * * * * * * "So where are you from, Usagi?" Naru asked curiously. School was finally over and the two girls had decided to go for a walk around downtown Tokyo. Naru watched the fronts of the shops as they passed, glancing discreetly every now and then at her strange-looking new friend. Usagi shrugged, smiling as she paused momentarily in front of a candy shop. "Oh here and there. All over Honshu." Suddenly without warning, she darted into the shop, dragging Naru along with her. She pointed eagerly at a big chocolate bunny behind the display counter. "That looks delicious! Want to buy it, Naru?" Naru giggled at the desperately pleading look on Usagi’s face. "That’s a really big chocolate bunny. How’re you gonna to finish it?" Her new friend Usagi just grinned at her. "Oh, don’t worry, appetite is *definitely* not a problem," she laughed, patting her stomach. Then she chanced to look up at the store clock and her grin abruptly died, a horrified expression appearing on her face. "Oh no, I'm late!" And then before Naru had a chance to object, the golden- haired girl was pulling her out of the store and running down the street. "Usagi," Naru gasped, hard put to keep up with the other girl, weaving and dodging her way through the downtown Tokyo crowd. "Usagi, wait!" Then Usagi stopped so abruptly that Naru nearly collided into her before realizing what was going on. "Usagi," Naru called out breathlessly, bracing a hand against the wall, "What are you late for?" The other girl stared forlornly at glass windows of the building in front of them. "I was supposed to come here right after school." Naru glanced up at the glowing neon sign flickering on the building's outside wall, and then turned in surprise to Usagi, "The Crown Arcade? You know about this place?" The Crown Arcade was a well-frequented establishment, even better known ever since that nice-looking young man took over as manager. Most of the local kids came to the place for a well- deserved game of pachinko after a grueling school day, some of the girls just to ogle the new manager. But Usagi was new to the area and Naru didn't really expect her to be familiar enough with the neighborhood in order to know about it. One hand already on the glass doors, Usagi turned around and smiled sheepishly, "I don't, not really. But I do know the owner." She pushed into the building. "Come on, I'll introduce you to him if you want." Naru followed Usagi through the glass doors of the Crown Arcade, lingering uncertainly behind by one of the coffee tables as Usagi called out enthusiastically to the young man behind the counter, simultaneously ordering a drink for herself and Naru. The apronned young man looked up from the counter with a bright smile on his face. "Hey Usagi-chan, long time no see!" He paused, eyes briefly scanning the arcade premise. "Where's Mamoru-kun?" "He said he's coming straight from school. He should be here soon." Usagi quickly took hold of the two strawberry sherbets she'd ordered, and slid one across the counter where Naru was now seated. Motoki nodded, satisfied with the answer, and moved away to help some other customers. Naru grasped the icy cold beverage gratefully, drawing on the big pipe straw with big gulps, before turning to look questioningly at her companion. "Mamoru-kun...?" "My twin brother. First-year high, same as us." She perked up. "Twin?" In her mind, she was already visualizing a male version of Usagi. But one small detail nagged her. "But why isn't he in the same school as us?" Usagi grinned proudly at her. "That's because Oniichan got accepted into Moto Azabu High!" Naru's eyes widened in surprise. "Isn’t that the elite school for geniuses?" She whistled admiringly, "Only the best get to pass the entrance exams. Your brother must be brilliant." "I know." For a brief moment, a small odd smile tugged down at the edges of Usagi's mouth. But before Naru could have a chance to ferret out a reason for that strange reaction, Usagi leapt out of her seat, waving enthusiastically at someone from across the room. "Oh, there he is! Over here, Oniichan!" Naru turned, fully expecting to see a slim blonde haired, blue-eyed boy, when instead she got Chiba Mamoru. She stared. The greeting on her lips died a quick death, and for all of thirty seconds Osaka Naru, self-proclaimed champion of babble, lost all capabilities of speech. Tall, dark-haired, and good- looking, Chiba Mamoru stood resplendent in his school uniform, schoolbag slung casually over one shoulder. "I'm sorry. Was I late?" The distinctive warm baritone oozed through her insides, leaving her all warm and gooey. Naru's eyes grew even wider and she blushed. She heard her heart thump hard once in ecstatic glee. Mamoru leaned over to greet his sister. Usagi's face softened into a warm smile as she returned the hug. "That's all right, Oniichan. We just got here too." "I see. That's good." *He's Mamoru?* Naru wondered, as her hormones took a breather long enough for some of her mental capabilities to return. *Funny, Usagi-chan and this brother of hers don't look at all alike. Admittedly, they're both gorgeous, but still...* "Oniichan, this is my friend Osaka Naru." "Pleased to meet you," he said, bowing slightly in greeting. "I'm glad Usa's made a friend already." He smiled at her. And all rational thought fled Naru's head. * * * * * The boisterous redhead looked one last time over her shoulder, grinned at Mamoru and gave a small wave before turning to disappear into the crowds. A half-perplexed expression on his face, Mamoru tentatively returned the gesture. Usagi's eyebrow twitched slightly. She felt...she wasn't quite sure *what* she felt. It was strange though to watch her new friend, the one who had seemed so confident and sensible, be reduced to a blushing, stammering mess by only one smile from her brother. Halfway home, when the downtown Tokyo crowd had been left behind and there was no one else but the two of them on the streets, Usagi finally broke the silence they had fallen into. She glanced over at Mamoru who was walking quietly beside her. "You know... I think she likes you." "Who?" Mamoru blinked at her, visibly startled by this sudden remark. She kept her face resolutely forward, walking steadily ahead. "Naru, of course." There was a pause. Then, "Your red-headed friend?" Usagi tried to look nonchalant, determined not to meet Mamoru's curious gaze. "Um-hmm." The cement sidewalk and the tops of her shoes suddenly captured her complete attention. For a while, a period of silence stretched awkwardly between them as they walked. "Usa?" Mamoru finally asked, voice faintly amused. Usagi could not bring herself to meet his eyes. "What." "Are you...jealous?" Usagi stumbled and whipped her head up to stare at him, incredulous. "Huh?! No way!" She pointed an indignant finger at her brother. "That is the most egotistical, ridiculous idea..." Usagi flushed and swallowed uncomfortably, the rest of the sentence trailing off. Mamoru just looked at her thoughtfully. The silence grew heavier. Usagi ducked her head down, furiously willing her blush to fade. Finally in a small voice, "Okay, well, maybe just a little," she admitted, not able to meet his eyes. She waited nervously for his reaction. Mamoru chuckled. She raised her head to glare at him. "What’s so funny?" she demanded heatedly, feeling the blood rushing back to her face with a vengeance. He raised his hands placatingly. "Nothing, nothing." But a smile still dimpled one cheek. "Argh, fine!" She rolled her eyes irritably. "Should’ve known you would be like this," and turned to go in a huff. His hand caught hers. Usagi twisted around to yell at him, but his face was solemn now, without even a trace of his previous mirth. His brilliant blue eyes were focused intently on her. "There’s no reason to be, you know that," he finally murmured, voice quiet and utterly serious. Usagi’s eyes flickered briefly to their clasped hands, and she smiled softly. "I know." They continued walking home hand in hand, the silence comfortable between them. * * * * * A scrawny black street cat watched from underneath a bush, blinking its cinnamon brown eyes as it stared past the leaves and concrete, to the two humans walking slowly down the street toward it. When the humans turned a corner and disappeared, the cat turned tail and quickly began running back to where it’d come. Overhead, the crescent moon began a slow rise into the dimming sky. [End "Sister Moon, Brother Earth" - Part 1] ================================================================ Author's Notes: Whew, finally finished. I think I’ll keep this version of Part 1; I’m almost dreading the work on Part 2. This multi-part business is hard. ^^;; Feedback needed, please, to keep this fanfic author sane. *^-^* -------------------------- noir_corbeau@hotmail.com www.geocities.com/corbeaun -------------------------- ================================================================ Completed: 8/12/02