Date: Thu, 6 Jun 1996 09:51:59 -0400 (EDT) X-Sender: farber@injersey.com (Unverified) Mime-Version: 1.0 To: moon@looney.physics.sunysb.edu From: James Bond Subject: Short Story Status: U Jon was still half asleep when he heard the sizzling of sausage, and smelled the pankakes. He cracked open an eye to make sure that it wasn't his birthday. March 24. He got up, pulled on some jeans and a t-shirt, and went to his parents room to see who was up. They were both still in bed. Jon and his family had offered to house a Japanese exchange student. Actually, Jon had, and neglected to tell his family until the last minute, when she was already on her way to her room. Jon was thrilled to have someone in the house that would also understand anime, and it was even better that it was a girl, because then he could share Sailor Moon with her. He walked downstairs to greet the girl. "Hi Makoto. How are you this morning?" Jom asked in his abyssmily poor Japanese. Makoto just laughed. "Jon-san, you just asked if my ears are made of cheese." Makoto's English was much better than Jon's Japanese, so they decided to carry on in English. "How are you today, Mako?" "I'm feeling ok. but a little homesick. I miss all my friends back in Japan." Makoto replied, looking like a lost puppy. "Here, I think I've got something to cheer you up." Jon dragged her into the TV room, and sat her in front of the television. He turned on the VCR, and poped in a tape. A subbed version of Devil Hunter Yohko appeared. Mako's eyes lit up, and, when it was over, she turned to Jon and asked him "Jon-san, what else do you have? Do you have Sailor V?" "Sailor V!? You mean they actually made one? I thought that was just part of the Sailor Moon plot. I have Sailor Moon, but not Sailor V." Jon said, as he popped Naughty 'n' Nice into the VCR, and hit play. As the opening sequence played, Makoto looked a little shocked by what she saw and asked Jon, "Is this very popular here in America?" Jon looked at her and said "It has a following. I love it, especially Sailor Jupiter. I really don't know why, but she kinda reminds me of Herecles. She's really got this inner strength. I know that she's the youngest, but I've kinda developed a crush on her. I know this sounds really lame, but I sometimes dream at night what I would do if Sailor Jupiter was real, and I met her. Oh well, I've always been a romantic." Mako just blushed. The months went by, with Jon and Mako waking up at 6:30 every weekday morning to watch Sailor Moon. Finally, the night before Mako had to leave to go back to Japan, she asked Jon to join her outside. The pair sat outside, gazing at the stars, when Mako finally spoke. "Jon-san, in Japanese, my name, Kino Makoto, means Strength of Truth. Months ago, you told me a secret that you haven't shared with anyone else. You said that you sometimes deampt of meeting Sailor Jupiter, and wished she was real. Tonight, I will give you a great gift, and even greater responsiblity." With that, Mako stood up, walked about 10 feet away from Jon, took out a small green stick, and said so only Jon could hear, "Jupiter Star Power, Make-up." With a flash of light, electricity surrounded Mako, transfoming her into Sailor Jupiter. Jon just looked at her in a mixture of awe and surprise. "Mako?" Jon whispered. "Yes, Jon-san?" "Why didn't you tell me this before?" "Well, then it wouldn't have been a great gift, would it?" "No, but it would have stopped me from making a fool of myself. I can't believe that I told you I had a crush on Sailor Jupiter, only you're Jupiter, and you know I have a crush on you." Jon was still trying to sort this out in his mind. "You? How do you think I feel? Knowing that you have a crush on me, but only wanting to be friends with me? Plus, DiC hacked my name to Lita! I really don't understand why I couldn't have kept my real name. Besides, do I really sound like that?" Mako sat back down next to Jon. Jon was having a little trouble keeping his mind on the conversation. "Uh, Mako? Could you do me a favor and put your jeans back on. I can't really concentrate with your legs begging to be stared at." Jon softend his comment with a joking smile, and a soft twinkle in his eye. Mako looked at him, laughed, and transformed back. "So, do I really sound like that?" Mako was really curious about herself. "No, you sound better in person. Did all that stuff actually happen? Is Serena really that klutzy?" Jon really wanted to get to know more about the other Scouts. And so it went back and forth, until the pair fell asleep under the stars. Morning came way too fast, and the two awoke. Jon had a feeling of last night being a really wierd dream. He turned to Mako, and asked, "Mako? Last night, you didn't turn into Sailor Jupiter did you?" Mako didn't say anything, just pulled out a green stick with a gold star on top and gave jon a wink. Jon just sighed. "Oh great, I wonder which is worse? Not knowing if they're real, or knowing that they are real, and Jupiter knows you have a crush on her?" Mako broke out laughing. "Come on, you can help me pack." Mako got up and went to her room. At the airport, the good byes were quick and tearful, except between Jon and Mako. Jon looked a little sheepish, but glanced into Mako's eyes and knew that everything was going to be ok. He handed her a small, giftwrapped package. "For you to share with your friends when you get back." Mako looked at the small rectangle, tore off the paper, and her eyes gleamed in thanks and mischief. "These are some of my favorite episodes of Sailor Moon. I didn't include Day of Destiny, but I do have the one where Sailor Jupiter, my favorite, comes in, along with all the other 'Entrance' episodes. Please show them to your friends. I hope they enjoy." Mako just gave Jon a look that said 'You little devil.', then gave Jon a quick kiss on the cheek and handed Jon a small wrapped cylinder. "I won't be need ing this anymore, so I'd like you to have it. Open it in private, please. Think of me when you see it, and watch Sailor Moon with it. By the way, did I mention you look like an old boyfriend?" Jon just groaned while Mako giggled. She waved good bye to Jon and his family as she got on her plane. That night, in his room, Jon opened the package. It was Jupiter's original transformation pen. Wrapped around it was a small slip of paper with Mako's address and a note: Jon-san, Please remember that we are real. Let me know if you ever come to Japan, and I'll introduce you to the rest of the Scouts. I want to thank you for a wonderful time. Mako Jon just smiled and went to sleep. A few months later, Mako went to check her mail. She noticed that one of the letters was from New Jersey. She quickly tore it open, and read it. "All right! Jon signed up to be an exchange student. In Japan!!" The End Note about this story: This was actually a dream I've been having for the past month or so. I just thought that maybe if I shared it, I would be able to get a good night's sleep. This is dedicated to Sailor Jupiter, wherever she may be. Jon Farber, aka James Bond