Aisuru Rival

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I claim to own, the Sailor Moon franchise.

Mini-Glossary

Genki – Happy

Shin no Starseed – True Starseed

Aisuru Rival – My beloved Rival

Seiren…

It's been only a few days since Galaxia-sama took your bracelets away, yet, I'm already feeling the gap you've left.

No more genki little talks, no more snack breaks. Just me stuck with… Nyanko, of all people.

Nyanko isn't like you, she's obviously trying to get my place in the Animamates, she wants to be number one…

I won't let her get the better of me; I'm the one who's going to find the shin no Starseed, not her. I'm the one who's going to be in Galaxia-sama's favour, not her.

…If only I had some idea where it was…

I remember, you said that you'd found the shin no Starseed, that you were sure of it.

Did you ever write that down? Who possessed that Starseed?

You kept a diary, didn't you?

…I'm sorry for prying, but it's the only way I'm going to find out.

Quickly walking over to your desk, I start to root through your drawers.

You kept a lot of things… Even that picture from the amusement park, if I'd known it'd be the last time… I would have smiled, at least a bit.

A small smile creeps onto my face as I look at your typically genki pose, one arm thrown around my neck and the other outstretched in a V-sign.

Always so full of energy…

But this isn't what I'm looking for, so I put down the picture and go back into the drawer.

Saltwater taffy, should have seen that coming. You always did love things like that.

Ah, there it is… the diary.

I pick it up and flip to one of your last entries… This is just before you told Galaxia-sama about your discovery, ne?

'I found it! The true Starseed!

When Crow-san and I went to Juuban High School, she left me outside in the rain!

I don't like being out in the rain. So I went to go inside.

And I saw a girl transform into Sailor Moon, right in front of me! The light that she was giving out was so bright!

She has the true Starseed!

Her name is Tsukino Usagi, according to the school. They gave me her address, with a bit of persuasion, if you know what I mean.

She's apparently a big fan of the Three Lights, the big idol group we promote…

Oh! They're having that big event on the plane flight! Previewing their new movie!

I can get her with that, send her a special invitation!

Madame Galaxia will be so pleased when I present her with the true Starseed!'

Maybe if you'd told me, we would have been able to take the Starseed…

I flip forward to your very last entry, you must have written this as soon as you returned to Ginga Terebii.

'I didn't get the true Starseed!

But I learned something important! The identities of the Sailor Soldiers!

Sailor Mars is Hino Rei, who goes to TA Girls School. Sailor Venus is Aino Minako, Sailor Jupiter is Kino Makoto and Sailor Mercury is Mizuno Ami, those three all go to Juuban High School like Sailor Moon does.

I was shocked when I found out the identities of the Starlights though!

Sailor Star Fighter is Seiya Kou, Star Healer is Yaten Kou and Star Maker is Taiki Kou!

Who would have thought that we've been sponsoring our enemies for so long?

Even though I've found that out… I'm worried…

Madame Galaxia will probably kill me, because I've not got the true Starseed.

At least I've written it all down in this diary, in case Crow-san comes looking for it.

I wonder, what happens when someone has their bracelets taken? Do they just go out of existence? Or do they go into some form of limbo?

I'm sure that if Madame Galaxia is beaten, they're reborn. In a world of their own.

Maybe I'll meet Crow-san once again, after I've been reborn.

I can hear Madame Galaxia calling… She's going to seal my fate now.

Sayonara, Crow-san. Atashi no aisuru rival.

Seiren. '

'Atashi no aisuru rival'… I was your beloved rival?

As I feel that settle into my heart, a short feeling of warmth covers me.

I wasn't completely unloved in the world.

Still… That wasn't the point right now,

Even though you're gone, Seiren, you've provided me with what I need. The identities of the Sailor Soldiers and the location of the shin no Starseed.

Nyanko asks me what I'm talking about, when I claim I've found the shin no Starseed.

I reply, simply, with: "You wouldn't know, you don't have one… someone called a rival."

You were a very special rival as well… My 'aisuru rival'.

I can see it! That girl, Tsukino Usagi, gave it up so easily!

All I had to do was threaten them with this Black Hole…

Suddenly, a shot of pain goes through my hand and my grip on the Black Hole loosens, letting it fall to the ground.

Nyanko's there, giving out her bizarre cat-like laugh. She reaches for the shin no Starseed as the Black Hole starts to suck me in.

…Gomen. Seiren… I couldn't do it…