Guardian of Dimensions - Chapter 1: Old and new friends
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Usagi was running down the street for the school. 'What a 
way to impress my teachers', she thought. 'First day of school and
I'm already late.'
"Usagi! Usagi, stop! You forgot your lunch bag!"
Usagi looked down at Luna, her black cat. "Luna" she said 
between gasping for breath "please, would you be so kind to carry 
it for me?"
"What?!?" Luna exclaimed. "You're crazy! How can I possibly 
carry this _monster_ of a lunch bag for all the way to your school? 
If you don't take it _now_, I swear I'm going to drop it!"
Usagi looked absolutely horrified. "No, please! I can't 
survive without my lunch!"
"Then carry it yourself....Usagi! WATCH OUT!"
*BUMP!*
Luna sighed, sweatdropping. "Too late..."
'Oh no!' Usagi thought. 'I bumped into someone!'
"I'm sorry" she said "but I'm late for school and..." Then 
she looked up and noticed _who_ she had bumped into. 'Oh, no! Haruna-
sensei!'
"So you're late for school, ne, Usagi? I'm not surprised. You
have been late for school for years, and I don't see why you should 
change your habits in high school."
"Um, well, my alarm clock didn't work, so I didn't wake up in 
time...."
"Hmmmm...I think I'll buy your excuse for today. After all, 
you're not used to get up early, are you?"
                               * * *
"So, you ran right into her?" Minako asked, whispering.
"Yes" Usagi whispered back. "What's really strange is that she
bought my explanation for it."
"What?" Ami asked, surprised. "She really bought that stupid 
excuse about the alarm clock that didn't work and --"
"She probably has just found a new boyfriend" Makoto interjected,
dryly "and she was too happy to get angry with you..."
"Ahem!" the sensei interrupted. "Would you girls be so kind to 
stop gossiping and follow the lesson?"
The four girls put on their most innocent faces, Ami blushing 
a little for being caught gossiping instead of listening to the teacher.
"Yes, sensei!" they chorused.
The class dragged on until the bell finally rang, signaling 
lunch time. Usagi picked up her books and hurried out of the classroom.
She was about to follow her friends to have lunch together when she 
spotted two familiar figures coming out of another classroom. Usagi 
stared at them, mouth open in surprise. Couldn't them be...
"Usagi? Hey, Usagi!" Makoto was waving her hand in front of 
her. Usagi gave no sign of having seen or heard her. Makoto followed 
the line of her stare, and what she saw made her gurgle in surprise. 
"Ami-chan....Mina-chan....come here and look at those two girls. They 
_are_ Haruka-san and Michiru-san, aren't they?"
Just then the two girls looked in their direction and noticed 
them.
"Yes they are" Minako said, staring at the two girls that were
coming towards them.
"Hello there!" Haruka called. "How are things going?"
"Uh...." Makoto stuttered "W...well."
Usagi suddenly recovered from the shock and impulsively ran to 
hug Haruka. "Haruka-san! Michiru-san! What are you doing here?"
Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it evident?"
Usagi turned red. "I, um, well..."
Michiru laughed softly. "It's all right...you have all the 
reasons for being surprised. We've been away for more than a year, 
after all..."
Usagi smiled brightly, her previous embarassment instantly 
forgotten. "Well then!" she beamed. "Let's all have lunch together!" 
She dragged Haruka and Michiru towards the garden, much to their 
embarassment, and the other girls followed them. They had settled down 
on the grass and were opening their bento boxes when they noticed a 
tall girl who was just sitting not far from them. She clearly was no 
ordinary girl: the way she carried herself and the fierce shine in her 
blue eyes gave it away. 
As she sat down, brushing her sandy blonde bangs out of her 
eyes with a hand, she happened to cross stares with Haruka. She 
immediately broke eye contact, but Haruka kept staring at her, a 
confused expression on her face. "Strange..." she murmured. "I have 
the feeling I know her... that we've already met somewhere..." No one 
heard her but Michiru, who nonetheless kept silent.
Usagi suddenly stood. "Hey, let's invite her to join us! She 
seems so lonely..."
Makoto sweatdropped. "Wait a minute, Usagi-chan... you don't 
know her, you can't just..."
Usagi ignored her as she marched towards the girl. "Hi!" she 
said cheerfully. "I'm Tsukino Usagi. I was wondering if you'd like to 
join me and my friends for lunch, since you are alone..."
The girl smiled, gracefully standing up. "Well, actually I'm 
not alone, as my friends should arrive in a few moments... but we'd 
like very much to sit with you, Tsukino-san."
Usagi blushed. "Usagi-chan is enough, ....er, what was your 
name again?"
"I'm Sorano Himeko." She looked over Usagi's shoulder. "Oh, 
there are my friends... Hey, minna!" she called. "Over here!"
"Hi, Hime-chan!" A girl with dark aqua hair, the first to reach 
them, greeted. Then she looked curiously over to Usagi. "Who is she?"
Meanwhile, the other friends of Himeko had reached them too. 
"How many times... have I told you... to wait for us, Megumi-chan?" 
one with silvery-greyish hair panted. "You know we're not as fast as 
you!" She looked over to Usagi. "Who is she?"
"Okay... guess it's time for introductions then" Himeko said. 
"Usagi-chan and friends, these are Kuukino Megumi - the first that 
reached us -, Natsuno Ameko, then the one with dark blue hair is Kaze 
Samui, the short one with silver hair is Kumo Karui, and the one with 
black hair is Arashi Tuyoi. Minna-chan, these are Tsukino Usagi and 
her friends" she paused for a second, then went on "Mizuno Ami, Kino 
Makoto, Aino Minako, Tenoh Haruka and Kaioh Michiru."
The two groups exchanged cordialities, and, strangely enough, 
no one seemed to wonder on the fact that Himeko had guessed the names 
of Usagi's friends without knowing them. It passed as a normal fact, 
and was soon dismissed as they all sat down for lunch again.


NOTE ON NAME MEANINGS
Sorano Himeko  = Princess of the sky
Natsuno Ameko  = Summer rain
Kaze Samui     = Cold wind
Kumo Karui     = Light cloud
Kuukino Megumi = Blessing of air
Arashi Tuyoi   = Strong storm