A/N: This story can also be read on my Fanfiction account here.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or Sailor Moon but I do own the OCs used in this fiction.
In the Light of the Fading Moon
Chapter 3: Convincing the Bull
Shannon knew that Nazu was a stubborn cookie. On the outside, the strawberry blonde was a bit naïve and a little too talkative (Shannon could admit that, though she had enough pride not to say it.) Talking was just what she did best and so, she put it to good use and began trying to crumble the outer parts of the said cookie the next school day in their orchestra class.
"Hey, Naz, did you mean what you said yesterday?" she asked, sitting next to Nazu.
"What do you mean?" the brunette replied in annoyance as she began to unpack her cello.
"You know," Shannon stressed, trying to make sure she didn't say it out loud. "The…Soldier club." That was the best way she could think of to make sure that no one found out about the events that had happened the day before. After all, who wouldn't try digging for more information on the topic?
"Oh, that," the brunette said abruptly, contempt for the subject was easily audible in her voice. "I'm still not interested, Lakes-san."
Shannon frowned. "We made a great team! Hey, I'm sure we'll even make a great trio in our music!"
"We have Kimura-san with us," Nazu reminded the strawberry blonde sharply. "Music is different from this saving the world."
"Not so loud, Naz," Shannon pleaded, dropping her voice and looking around to see if anyone noticed what the brunette had said. Fortunately, all were playing their busy fooling around on their instruments or tuning, so the strawberry blonde returned to the conversation. "Just…why not?"
"You ask a lot of questions, don't you?" muttered Nazu. "Just leave me alone. I don't want to have anything to do with it." The subject was dropped from there. Any attempt Shannon to continue the discussion was ignored as the brunette finished rosining her bow and started tuning to the best of her ability.
Shannon sat back dejectedly and gave up just when Zoe and Kouichi rushed into the classroom. Seconds later, Suzuki-sensei strode in the room and spotted the two almost-late students and Shannon, raising her eyebrow questioningly. The three didn't answer, quickly rushed to their spots, and began unpacking their instruments.
Shannon looked at her music then she turned to Zoe. "Since you're first violin, how about you decide if we start playing the song today?"
The blonde looked rather startled. "How about tomorrow? I never got a chance to practice last night as I hoped I would."
"Busy?" asked Kouichi, staring at his friend.
"Very."
"Oh, yeah," said Shannon, remembering the night before but mentally, she added, but we weren't out that late. In truth, it had been about five thirty when she got home. Did Zoe live farther than she did from the spot where they had fought the gigantic tree?
"That's your own fault," Nazu stated, looking over at the Italian girl.
Zoe made a face in return. "No, it wasn't.”
Kouichi frowned and looked between the two. "It's almost like a milder relationship than the one between Takuya and Kouji."
Shannon frowned and looked around the class. She couldn't see Takuya in the class and made a slightly pouting face before putting the instrument into playing-position and began to practice a point that was so far her favorite part. The beginning was full of some rests so she had barely any idea had what it sounded like except for what she examined the day before. The second violin part jumped between accompaniment and melody and in the parts where the melody was, she could feel that it helped set up a romantic feeling. Shannon sighed, I bet it's a romantic piece like Moonlight Tango.
The song seemed to ring with its own breath, even when it was incomplete and the music cut in and out; Shannon knew it was still far from perfect as she made mistakes and sour notes. Many times, Shannon paused too long or she held the note for a little too long or her fingers flubbed their bits but it had taken a few hours to get to where she was. Perfection took time but eventually, she would get there.
- - -
Lunch came around and Shannon joined Zoe with a small bento box in hand. "Hi," she greeted the blonde with a smile.
"Ciao. What's up?" Zoe looked up and returned the smile.
"Naz is still resistant," sighed the strawberry blonde with a slight pout as she sat down and opened the box. She didn't notice the look of nervous disbelief on the green-eyed girl across from her. "I mean, normally in magical girl anime, they tend to join up right away…"
"Apparently you've only seen a few," Zoe answered. "I can name many that were outright reluctant to join up. Besides, if Anazuru doesn't want to join us, then that's her choice."
"That wouldn't do. She's a part of the team though!" Shannon persisted. Why do these two go together like water and oil?
"Shannon, if she wants to, she will."
"You don't want her to join?"
"No, not really. She's always going around as if she has a stick up her butt." Zoe admitted before she took a bite of rice and swallowed before continuing, "Even Luna doesn't like her that much."
Shannon couldn't help but agree with the blonde; Luna hadn't seemed too pleased with Nazu being a Sailor Soldier "But still, I'm curious about what she meant yesterday."
"Come?" asked Zoe.
"She said that she 'had enough on her plate,'" Shannon explained.
The blonde munched on a cracker and blinked. "I don't know."
The strawberry blonde leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. "I think that might be something really big, you know?" she asked. "Maybe it's something we could help with?" A large grin suddenly crossed her face before she sat upright.
Zoe studied her for a minute quizzically before her eyes widened. "No. Shannon, that's going too far."
"Oh, come on," pleaded Shannon, the grin still evident on her face. "We might as well try."
"No," she answered. "No, non, nein. How many languages do I have to say it in? If I could, I'd spell it to you in Pig Latin. I'm all for helping people when they need it or ask for it. Anazuru hasn't asked for it nor does she seem in the need for it."
"Psh." Shannon laughed, waving a hand. "How do you know that? If anything, I'd stick Nazu as a girl who's just pretending to be cold but it's really a call for help."
"And I thought Kouichi read too many books," the blonde said in mild surprise.
"Speaking of Kouichi, where is he? Doesn't he normally sit with you while you eat lunch?" In response to this question, Zoe looked around the room as if she just realized her friend's absence. The two then found their eyes turned to the front and glued to the back of two heads: one a brunette girl and the other a dark haired boy.
"Well, that's a surprise," Zoe mumbled, leaning back in her seat in disbelief.
"Agreed," said Shannon. Her mind then began twirling and working its gears. Kouichi was normally a meeker classmate and for him to be talking with Nazu was rather an oddity in itself. Then an evil grin spread across her face and if anyone knew what it would mean, they would have ran for the hills.
She turned back to the blonde and returned to the original subject. "I'm sure Luna knows where her house is. You can come with me after school to my house and we can head to Nazu's house a little later."
Zoe tried to talk her out of it but the green-eyed girl had no choice but to concede as Shannon refused to take no—in whatever language she gave it in—as an answer.
- - -
After school was over, Shannon waited by the front doors, leaning against the wall. Many of the students had walked out of what she could only describe as a "cubby bay" with their bags and were starting on their way home. Zoe was busy, most likely calling her parents to check if going to her house was okay. After the blonde finished, she walked over the blue eyed-girl.
"So?" asked Shannon.
"It's okay," the other answered, pocketing her phone. "I'm just going to have to make sure that I actually practice the piece tonight. My mom is going to call my dad so Luna should overhear that I'll be at your house. From there, I hope Luna knows where you live."
The strawberry blonde smiled. "Sounds good. Let's get going."
"Um…are you sure your mom and dad will like this?" Zoe asked, rather worriedly.
"No, they won't care," Shannon answered, turning and swinging her violin case behind her as she walked. "Mom and Dad are rather busy tonight, so they don't mind. They like it when company is over, anyway."
"Okay," the green eyed-girl replied, shifting her own violin case to her shoulder.
The strawberry blonde chuckled and turned back around and they continued for a while in silence except for an occasional conversation. "Can you play the piece?" inquired Shannon rather suddenly. "I would love to hear the first violin part."
"Sure," answered Zoe, hesitantly. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to play it well though."
"Practice makes perfect!" the American said enthusiastically.
The two continued to the bus stop and took the bus for fifteen minutes. At the city’s edge, the two got off. From there, Shannon led her friend to her apartment building, which wasn’t too shabby compare to other places. The two took the elevator and Shannon let the two into the apartment. As soon as the two girls entered the apartment, the strawberry blonde flipped on the switch and light flooded the living room, which was nicely furnished with a red coach and blue loveseat. "Feel free to sit your stuff there," the hostess said, pointing towards the coach. "Are you hungry or do you need a drink?"
"Water would be nice," Zoe answered, turning back to Shannon as she placed her school bag and violin case next to the coach.
Shannon turned on her heels and walked into the kitchen and grabbed two cups and began getting cold water from the faucet. "I'm thinking we should go to Nazu's house as soon as Luna gets here. How's at six?"
"But that's at dinner time," the blonde said, rather suspiciously.
Shannon nodded in response. "I know," she answered with a smile, making the blonde even more suspicious.
- - -
Five o'clock rolled around and the girls, with Luna with them, left the empty apartment and went to Nazu's house, indicated by the feline. She, like Zoe, seemed a little uncertain about it all. After they left the bus they had taken, Luna stated, "I don't think that burdening her family will help in talking Anazuru into joining us. In fact, I think it will only hamper our goal."
"Luna," Shannon answered, picking up the cat and scratching her behind the ears. "The best way to learn about a problem is to go and learn about its source. My mom's a psychiatrist and that's how she goes about helping people."
"Yes but I do believe there is a difference between talking about it and forcing your nose into it," Luna pointed out.
"I have to agree with Luna, Shannon," Zoe said with a frown. "Last minute plans are really a bad idea and Anazuru is hard enough to get along with. This will only make it worse."
"Or, maybe it doesn't?" the strawberry blonde countered. "How do we know until we get there?"
"You're really hopeless, aren't you?" asked Luna.
"No, maybe a bit too optimistic at times, but never hopeless."
- - -
To say Nazu was annoyed with the arrival of her two classmates was an understatement; even Shannon second-guessed her choice for a minute. However, she took the angry look in stride. "Can we come in?" she asked politely.
Before the brunette could answer, her mother's voice called out from the interior of the small house, "Honey, who is it?"
"No one, Mom," Nazu called back, glaring at Shannon, Zoe, and Luna.
"Don't lie to me, Nazu," sighed the woman, rather exasperated. Footsteps came down the hall and a woman just in her mid-thirties walked up behind her daughter. Like her daughter, she had dark brown hair that was pulled back into a bun and blue eyes that looked down at the two. Her expression shifted from exasperation to surprise. "Nazu, why didn't you tell me you were having friends over?"
"I wasn't," the addressed girl answered in a low voice.
"Then why are they here, hm?" Mrs. Kasei looked suspiciously at her daughter with her hands on her hips.
"Yes, what are you doing here?"
Shannon held up her instrument case. "I was hoping we could all practice together," she said, "and before you ask, I have my ways of finding out where people live." Behind her, Zoe looked off into the distance where Luna had disappeared to, holding in a chuckle.
"Well, it is rather late but since you came out all this way, please come in," Mrs. Kasei invited, pulling her daughter out of the way so that their guests could walk into the narrow hall. The door shut and part one of the plan was completed; the strawberry blonde smiled to herself contently but was automatically stopped when Zoe tapped her shoulder.
"We barged in on them and you don't have a gift to give them?" she asked, making the other blink. "It's a custom here. The guest brings a house warming gift of some sorts."
"Ah." This was something she had never known before. At least now all those dinner parties at my house make a bit more sense. The strawberry blonde racked her brain for something that they could give to the family but all she was stuck on was the one thing in her hands… "Oh, Zoe, I have it all figured out now! Don't worry."
That only made the blonde give her a worried look.
The narrow hallway eventually opened up into a kitchen area and a carpeted living room to the right. At the back of the kitchen, a staircase went up into the second floor. At the table, Nazu's father, a man that had auburn hair and wore a suit was busy reading some documents.
"Renaud, can you put your work away? We have guests," Mrs. Kasei asked but he didn't respond. The mother repeated herself, her tone raising just a little bit, causing Mr. Kasei to look up in surprise at the two girls.
"Guests?" he asked, blinking dark green eyes.
"Yes," answered Mrs. Kasei rather crossly. "Nazu brought some friends for dinner."
"I see," Mr. Kasei stated. "I'll leave the room and—."
"No," his wife suddenly shrilled, as if the act of him removing himself from the room was the last straw. "Renaud, we have guests. Reports can wait until after dinner. These are Nazu's friends. She hasn't brought any home for dinner in years."
Said girl made a face of annoyance but remained silent. Shannon and Zoe stared at her for a second as the brunette stared at her feet while the two adults began to argue. The strawberry blonde gave her a sympathetic look, unsure of what to do now.
The blonde maneuvered behind Shannon and pulled the other two teenagers down the hall and upstairs. From there, Nazu lead them up to her room, which was as simple as typical as a teenager's room could get except for the yellow cello case in a corner. The guests put their instruments in the same corner and the brunette sat on the bed.
"Happy now?" she growled.
Shannon and Zoe exchanged looks. "Fights are normal between parents," the bright green-eyed girl said, sitting on the bed. "I guess how often it happens on the other hand isn't so normal."
"Bingo, genius." Nazu glared at the wall as the voices rose.
The blue-eyed girl smiled slightly. "My mother can help with that! She's a marriage counselor and she can easily—."
"They've tried that," the brunette snapped, looking over at them. Her voice then rose. "Nothing works! It won't ever work out!" The room became quiet but the voices below grew louder so words had became audible.
Shannon had a hard time keeping up with the rapid Japanese that those below were talking about but she could hear a single word that caught her attention. She repeated it to Nazu questioningly.
"Divorce," muttered the said brunette in agitation and she dropped her head. "Separation." Shannon's lips formed an "o" and wasn't really sure what to say but "I'm sorry."
Zoe patted Nazu's back, rather awkwardly. "Well," she began, looking at the other wall. "Kouji and Kouichi's parents are divorced, so you aren't the only one who is in this boat."
The brunette rolled her shoulder and grunted. "You suck at comforting, Orimoto-san."
"Divorce is actually quite common in America," Shannon added. "The best way to deal with things like this is to talk about it." Again Nazu snorted.
"Fine," Zoe said, abruptly standing up angrily. "Be inconsolable and be ungrateful. It wasn't my choice to come here." With that, she went and grabbed her violin and began storming out the door but stopped dead when a strangled noise came from behind her. Both turned towards the said brunette as she tried to speak with a strained look on her face and watery dark green eyes.
The anger on the blonde's face dispersed and became soft. Shannon, too, couldn't help but bite her lip. Such vulnerability from the stony girl was almost strange. The strawberry blonde threw her arms around crying teen, quietly saying, "It's okay to be sad and to cry. You're not alone." Zoe turned on the brunette's stereo and turned up the music to a volume that would drown out the arguing voices.
They sat for what seemed like a long time before the shouting below calmed down. Only then did Nazu calm down a little. She rose and turned her stereo off, her face regaining its normal composure but the tear stains and her puffy eyes threw it off. "You came to ask me why I didn't want to join. This is why." She folded her arms and rested against the wall.
"True, it's a problem but it really isn't a reason." Zoe crossed her arms as well.
"You don't think farther beyond what you see, do you?" grumbled Nazu, pushing herself from the wall. "If I disappear every night, it'll just cause more problems and I'd drive them farther apart, even more than I have."
"Naz, it's not your fault," Shannon said with a smile. "My mom says it's quite common for kids who have divorcing parents to think they are to blame but it is often out of their hands." At that, the blonde elbowed her but Nazu didn't answer.
"Then, what are you to do if those monsters attack?" the blonde suggested.
"I would fight."
Shannon looked at the blonde, unsure what she was getting at. The look in the light green eyes was flickering with something that seemed a little bit of a mixture of annoyance and a tad of persistence.
"I really don't care if you join us or not, but wouldn't it be best if we all banned together and find our enemy?" The other two girls suddenly got what Zoe was getting at. "I may be blonde, but I know what I'm talking about when I say all our families are in danger as long as whoever is sending out those monsters are out there. When I transformed into Sailor Moon for the first time, one of those monsters attacked me and a friend, so I'm not letting that happen again." Zoe looked over at Nazu with a question spread over her face.
The brunette flinched a little bit as she understood the question and she nodded. "I get it," Nazu said. "I'll join you but only until all this is all over."
Shannon grinned. "All right! The Sailor Scouts are a complete team!" she exclaimed but then, she paused. "But what if there are other Soldiers for Mercury, Jupiter, and the Earth? And the other planets?"
"More people would make this job a lot easier," Zoe said, laughing a little as if the earlier tension had never existed.
"We'll get there when we get there," sighed Nazu. "I'd rather not deal with anymore people then we have to."
The blonde rolled her eyes. "Of course."
The light mood was broken when a loud and very unnerving noise of claws against glass came from just beyond the window. Nazu was quick to throw open her sliding door. She glared down at Luna but the cat ignored her as she ran into the room and hopped onto the bed.
"Everyone, we have trouble! A new monster is on the loose," she said, breathing heavily.
Shannon looked between her two comrades, grinning. The blonde in return shrugged; the brunette sighed. Without much more to say, the three ran down the stairs. They disappeared out the door with Nazu leaving behind a flimsy excuse for her mother who was brooding in the kitchen.
They met Luna outside on the street. "I see your mission was complete," Luna noted as she lead them to where the disturbance was.
"Yeah," Nazu said, still rather annoyed. "I'm not going to enjoy this."
"Well, this is only like a magical girl show in only costume and fighting monsters," Zoe pointed out.
"Thank God!" the brunette said, pulling out her brooch to transform into Sailor Mars. Zoe and Shannon followed suit. In a burst of light, the girls were dressed in their respective suits and continued racing towards the location being as much of a team as they could be at the moment.
Chapter 3: End.[/Center]
Sorry it took so long to get this out. I’ve been busy with NaNoWrMo and then hit a horrid bout of writer’s block but I finally got this out. It’s more of a breather chapter and the action will start in the next one.
