The Masquerade Ball Chapter 1 Calamity Choir "Hey Neena, you know what?" Jenn-ai asked her friend as she appeared at the lockers before school. "I don't know. What?" she sighed tiredly. Neena struggled to open her locker and get her books from her backpack at the same time. "It's her and Adrian's one-month anniversary," Lesia called over her shoulder. "She's been telling everyone. The whole school will know by the end of first period." "Great," Neena muttered. "I still can't see why you go out with him. He's such. . . slime." "Neena, how can you be so mean. You don't even give him a chance to be nice. Maybe if you weren't so defensive. . ." "And pushy," Lesia added. "Not to mention violent," Herbert commented, joining the group. "Herbert," Neena warned, "do you want to live long enough to get your driver's license?" "See what I mean?" he whispered to the others. "As I was saying," Jenn-ai continued. "Perhaps you'd have a boyfriend. I think most guys find you a little too. . . intimidating." "I am not intimidating!" Neena exclaimed loudly. The first-period bell could barely be heard over her voice. She slammed the locker shut and headed toward the choir room for first period. As she entered the room, her mood brightened. Today they got to sing solos, and Neena was ready. Just to be different, she and her friend Luke had prepared a duet from "Aladdin." Neena looked around for Luke but didn't see him. The second bell rang and he still hadn't appeared. She started to panic when the teacher began to take roll. Then Neena noticed movement behind the teacher-the window was slowly opening. A head of sandy hair was visible; then Luke crawled through and hurried to sit with Neena. "Sorry I'm late," he whispered. "Where were you?" "Running-and fast." With that, he let the subject drop. The choir director looked skeptically at them. "All right, Luke, you're up first." Luke went to the front of the room and put his tape in the stereo. He made a few adjustments and then the intro to "A Whole New World" filled the room. "That song's a duet," the girl next to Neena whispered. "He's crazy to sing that by himself." "He is Luke," Neena replied. Luke looked at Neena as he sang. The rest of the class waited in anticipation. They wondered what he would do for the female's lines. At the end of the first chorus, Neena stood up and in her vibrant soprano continued the next line. She slowly walked toward Luke, singing her role in a perfect imitation of the movie. Their song and actions were so well rehearsed that if people hadn't known better, they would think Neena and Luke were more than just friends. It took little imagination to picture Neena as a lonely princess finally getting to see the world. The entire class was enthralled as they neared the end of the song. Suddenly the lights dimmed and the stereo garbled and stopped. A familiar unwelcome figure appeared, hovering over the class. "Well, well, well," Hematite chuckled. "Isn't this sweet-two little songbirds." "Why don't you mind your own business, creep! Go back to the one holding your leash," Neena shouted. "Not very ladylike are you, miss primadonna? Perhaps this will teach you a lesson." Hematite held out a hand sending a stream of blue-white sparks toward her. "Neena, look out!" Luke cried, shoving her out of harm's way. Unfortunately, Luke wasn't fast enough to avoid the onslought of energy. "Luke, no!" Neena screamed, kneeling by her unconscious friend. But the time the haze had cleared from her mind, the energy of the entire class had been sapped. "This is the last time you ruin my song, Nega-slime!" Neena seethed. She held up her right hand. "Andromeda star power!" "So the little Sailor Scout thinks she can beat me, and all by herself. A courageous endeavor, I admit, but incredibly foolish." "You're the one who's foolish, Hematite. Andromeda crystal splash!" The multicolored cystal sped towards Hematite, but he merely caught it in his hands. "What?!" she screamed. "That's impossible!" "Nothing is impossible, Sailor girl. Do they teach you anything in this school?" He looked at her for a moment. "Say adieu, Sailor Andromeda." As he neared, Sailor Andromeda let out a high, piercing scream. Hematite grimaced at the sound but continued to advance. Andromeda shut her eyes in preparation for her end. She heard a shriek of pain and her eyes popped open. She was still alive . . . but how? The she found the answer: a crystal rose protruding from Hematite's back. Hematite glared cruelly at her, then disappeared. "Are you all right?" a familiar voice asked beside Andromeda. She turned to see the mysterious white and silver clad figure who had aided the scouts before. She gazed into his blue-violet eyes that so closely mirrored her own. "Yes, thanks to you. But what about these people?" She looked at Luke with concern. He held up a black crystal. "I think this should solve their problems. Your tiara." He tossed the crystal in the air. "Star tiara magic!" Andromeda cried, sending it on a collision course with the crystal. Snother rose headed toward the tiara, flying though the center so both impacted with the crystal. It shattered, sending fragments all over the room. Andromeda watched, entranced, as the energy seeped back into her classmates. "Oh, thank you!" Andromeda exclaimed. "But please tell me who you are." "I believe that is a story for another time. Farewell." He lept out the open window and was gone. * * * "Oh, Adrian, I can't believe this," Jenn-ai exclaimed joyfully. She smiled at him across the table in the same café where they'd had their first date. "How did you manage to get tickets to the Masquerade Ball?" "I have connections. So, do you have any ideas as to what you'll be wearing?" "Well, why don't I surprise you," Jenn-ai replied mischeviously. He raised his eyebrows at her. "Surprise?" She ignored his skepticism and started gushing about how she'd always wanted to attend a masquerade ball. "It's so mysterious, not really knowing who anyone is. Then there's the unmasking and surprise at whom you've met. And don't forget all the wonderful costumes . . . . I don't think I can wait till next week." * * * After Adrian took Jenn-ai home, she raced for the phone to call Neena. When she finally got Connie to put Neena on the line, Jenn-ai spilled the news about the Masquerade Ball. "Jenn-ai, that is so not fair," Neena complained. "I would love to be able to go to that. Well, what are you going to be?" "I don't know yet, but I'm sure I'll think of something." "You could always go as a Sailor Scout. That would be the easiest." "I don't think so, Neena." "It was just a thought." Chapter 2 Jenn-ai spent the next two afternoons scouring every shop in town for a suitable costume. She wanted to look devastatingly gorgeous withough being gaudy. Everything would have to be absolutely perfect. She struck gold at one of the better thrift shops. A sparkling white dress, with just a little creative talent, would make her look just like Juliet (as in "Romeo and . . ."). A trip to the craft store provided material for hair ornaments and the final touch, faux gemstones. Even Selene was impressed with the final product. "I must admit, Jenn-ai, when you set your mind to something, there's no stopping you. Now if only you'd show as much determination in Sailor Scout business." "Please, Selene, it's not like I'm as bad as Serena. I'm dedicated- usually." "I suppose," Selene conceeded. She studied the outfit again. "Are you planning to attend this ball barefooted?" "Oh, no, I have that all worked out." Jenn-ai picked up the phone and dialed rapidly. "Hi Connie. Is your sister home?" "No, Neena's out somewhere. She might have gone to Luke's house, but I'm not sure." "Is it all right if I drop by to pick up something today?" "Sure," Connie replied. "It doesn't bother me. When Jenn-ai arrived at Neena's house, Connie let her in and then disappeared into her own room. Jenn-ai let herself into Neena's room and started looking for her pair of silver slippers. She went to the wallpapered closet door and slid it open. Jenn-ai gasped when she saw a shimmering pale blue gown hanging in the closet. She'd never seen it before and wondered what it was for. A sudden noise startled her, so she grabbed the silver shoes from the closet floor and made a hasty exit. She shouted a good-bye to Connie and let herself out the fron door. Have I got some questions for you, Neena, Jenn-ai thought. Now if only I can find you. She started to open her communicator when Selene's image appeared in her mind. "That's for Scout business only, Jenn-ai," the imaginary cat warned. Great, she thought, closing the communicator. My conscience is a cat! * * * Adrian looked up at the nearly full moon suspended in the glittering night sky. A disturbing dream had roused him from his sleep. It was a vision, a premonition that before the full moon he would find whom he was looking for. "How am I supposed to find the princess when I don't even remember her name or what she looks like?" he cried to the distant stars. "Is Jenn-ai the Empress' daughter? She looks somewhat like Empress Ariana, but she doesn't act like a princess. Jenn-ai doesn't sing, either, and the one thing I can remember is that voice. No one else sounds like the princess, but that's so little to go on. "Empress, help me. It was your command that I guard your daughter. Help me find her." Adrian turned and went back into his apartment. He glanced at the clock and saw there were at least three hours until sunrise. He decided that he'd best get some sleep. Tonight's ball would keep him out late. * * * Neena awoke with a start. She tried to focus her eyes on the digital clock flowing in the darkness of her room. It read 2:57 a.m. She suddenly remembered what had caused her to wake up. She had been in a dream where she lived in an enourmous glittering palace that appeared to be made of different colored crystals. There was a woman in her dream who had the longest, straightest, blackest hair she'd ever seen. Woven into the woman's hair were tiny crystals that glittered when she moved. She wore a gown of silver and maroon velvet and had a silver tiara on her brow. She also wore a brooch that reminded Neena of her Daystar wand. Even more curious in her dream was a man that looked like Adrian. He had the same hair and eyes, but he was dressed in a uniform of royal blue and gold. He wor a medal that also resembled the Daystar. When Neena looked down at herself, she had seen the same dress that she made for the Masquerade Ball. She remembered seeing the same vision before, but she couldn't remember when. No matter what, the dream had given her an idea. She wrote a note on her calendar wo she wouldn't forget and went back to sleep. By 11:00 a.m., Neena was ready for the day. Since it was Saturday, she obvously didn't have to go to school. She set out on the mile and a half walk to the drugstore. Neena perused the aisles looking for temporary haircolor. She found the color she wanted and returned home. She carefully applied the dye in her soppin wet hair, rinsed, and combed her hair through. Neena kept combing off and on for the next few hours until her hair dried straight. She looked in the mirror and gasped. Staring back was a blue-violet eyed woman with incredibly long, straight black hair. With some help from Connie, she braided tiny sections of hair and beaded small crystals on the strands. Neena looked so much like the woman in her dream it scared her. Even Connie was surprised. "I sure hope that stuff washes out, or else mom's gonna get you," Connie admonished. "Don't worry, it's temporary. Come on, now get out so I can change." * * * Over the years, Jenn-ai had perfected the art of being fashionably late. She had just completed the finishing touches on her long blue-black hair. She gazed in the mirror at her reflection; she looked as if she'd stepped off the movie screen as a dark-haired Juliet. As she headed downstairs, the doorbell rang. She flew to the door and opened it. A tall, dark-haired young man in a strange, almost futuristic blue suit stood on the doorstep. "Adrian, hi!" Jenn-ai exclaimed. "Wow, that's a great outfit . . . but what is it?" Adrian suddenly looked crestfallen. "You mean, you don't recognize it?" Her expression told him no. "It's well, I just found it somewhere. That's all." He looked at her again. "Come on, let's go." * * * "Man, this party sucks!" Neena voiced her complaint to no one in particular. She had left the main party and stood on a low balcony over the lake. In her secluded spot, Neena could no longer hear the blaring music of the dance. She gazed out at the reflection of the full moon on the water and sand softly to herself. She couldn't remember where the song was from, just that is was old . . . very old. Suddenly Neena sensed someone was behind her, but she didn't turn around; she just stopped singing. However, the person behind her picked up the song in a rich bass voice. Neena whirled around, fanning out her straightened black hair. She gazed up into two unmistakable blue-violet eyes. "Adrian, how did you find me?" "I've been searching for you for a very long time, Princess," he replied seriously. Princess?! Neena thought. She masked her expression and played along. "Why were you searching for me?" "It was your mother, the Empress Ariana's order for me to protect you. It was the last thing she said before we left . . . before Beryl." "What?!" Neena could only stand so much weirdness. Adrian's make- believe was taking on a piece of reality he shouldn't have known about. What if, Neena thought. What if he really is from somewhere else? Some other time and place. Suddenly Neena's mind was bombarded by images and strange memories. She screamed and started to collapse when Adrian caught her. "Princess," Adrian whispered, lifting her up in his arms. Neena opened her eyes. "That woman in my dream . . . she was . . . my mother. The Empress, but that means I'm . . . ." "The crown princess of Andromeda," Adrian finished for her. "Are you all right, your highness?" Neena was stunned. She didn't know what to say. It's not every day one learns she's a princess. "Wow, I don't know what to think . . . this is trippy." "'Trippy,' Princess?" "Never mind, Adrian. Anyway, you don't have to call me Princess, it's too weird." She looked up at him. "Um, what about Jenn-ai?" "What about her?" he asked naively. "She's . . . your girlfriend." "Well, I thought she was you. I thought she was Sailor Andromeda." "You thought . . . oh nevermind." How will Adrian's revelation affect Neena and Jenn-ai's friendship? What did Beryl do to Andromeda? And where is Jenn-ai while all of this is going on, anyways? Find out . . . later.