Conflict of Interest (working title)
A Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon - The Highlander TV Series Crossover
FanFiction
Concept and story opener by D.F. Roeder
Parties interested in continuing this story should read the comments
at the end.
***************************************
The golden rays of the late afternoon sun shone through the
meticulously cleaned windows of an ice cream shop. The light bounced
from shiny counter, to gleaming spoon, and refracted through rows of
glassware, designed with the consumption of the delectable sweet in
mind.
It was no accident that Tsukino Usagi and her four closest friends
could be regularly found in this establishment, eagerly consuming an
army's quota of the cold dessert. The other four watched with
varying degrees of disgust as their leader inhaled her serving,
finished it, and cheerily called out for another. Her long, blonde
ponytails, descending from two odango, were almost comical as they
whipped around, following the motion of her head.
"Usagi-chan, you are going to get SOOO fat from eating like that."
Hino Rei sniffed. She moved some strands of her long, reddish-black
hair behind an ear and took a dainty daub of her own confection,
placing it in her mouth and savoring the flavor. "Do you even notice
what it tastes like?"
"Reeeiii!!" Usagi whined. "I just can't get enough! And I'm NOT
fat!!"
"Yet," Rei snorted.
Usagi stuck her tongue out at the high school student-cum-Shinto
priestess.
"Oh, now that's a witty comeback," Rei giggled. Usagi just stuck her
tongue out further and squinched her eyes shut.
A gasp interrupted the impending argument, and everyone turned to
look at Kino Makoto. Taller than the rest, she wore her lustrous
brown hair in a ponytail, high on her head. She was looking over the
others' heads towards the entrance.
"I think I'm in looove," Makoto moaned. "He... He..."
"He looks just like your old sempai," the other four chorused
tiredly.
"No, my sempai never looked THAT good."
Surprised at the response, the others turned or craned their necks
to see the new arrival. A man of barely under six feet stood inside
the doorway, looking through his worn leather wallet. His long dark
brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail that almost reached his
waist and swung freely along the back of the faded, gray duster he
word. Angular features belied his Western heritage, but his skin was
bronzed to a hue within the spectrum of the natives around him.
Sensing eyes upon him, he looked and scanned the shop, finally
resting on the drooling quintet. He grinned rakishly, sending five
hearts aflutter, and turned back to step up to the counter. He
stopped after two steps, and his eyes grew wide. Whipping his head
around, he speared Makoto with his burning gaze. He slowly walked to
the table, and stopped when he was only one pace away.
His mouth opened and closed once. The girls were getting
uncomfortable under the scrutiny, however, but before anyone could
accost him, he finally spoke.
"Ma-- Makoto?"
Makoto jumped. "Uh... How do you know my name? And who ARE you?!"
Instincts honed from months of battling youma, Makoto and the others
were starting to get the sense that this person was exceedingly
dangerous, although it wasn't clear how or if he meant them any
harm.
At Makoto's response, his eyes fell. "I... I see. Forgive me for
bothering you ladies, I--" He caught a good look of Usagi and
staggered. He had to fight the impulse to kneel.
"Serenity-sama..."
All five women got frightened looks on their faces, but the man
noticed and instantly regained his composure. "We should talk, but
not here. There's a playground a block up the road. I will see you
there in ten minutes." Without waiting for a response, he quickly
exited and disappeared down the lane.
Mizuno Ami was the first to speak. "Wha-- What should we do?"
"Meet with him," Makoto said flatly.
"Are you sure about that?" Rei countered.
"Yes, Rei. I... He's familiar somehow."
"Familiar?" Usagi asked.
"Yeah. I can't really explain it."
"I think we should bring the Moon Cats, Usagi-chan," Ami suggested.
"Well, we'll have to transform. We don't have time to run it."
The others nodded, and the group left the parlor.
~~~~~
Standing under trees and trying to blend in with the shadows, three
sailor-suited women waited.
"Darn that Usagi and Minako! What's keeping them?" Rei grumbled. She
felt a hand on her arm.
"Patience," Ami said and smiled.
Rei relaxed and smiled in return; Ami always had that effect on her.
Minako landed in front of them, Artemis slung over her shoulder. She
let him down and they walked up to the others. "No Usagi yet?"
Rei grumbled an unintelligible response, but Sailor Moon suddenly
appeared, running across the playground with a scraggly Luna in her
arms.
"Sorry I'm late guys, but Luna decided that she needed a bath, so I
had grab her out of the tub, of all things." She rolled her eyes in
exasperation while the rest snickered.
"My, Luna," Artemis crooned. "You've never looked better."
Luna growled at him and shook her fur, sending droplets flying. "Of
all the undignified... So where's this mystery person?"
Rei shrugged. "Not here yet."
The group settled in to wait. Fifteen minutes later, everyone was
starting to fume.
"Oooo, the nerve," Rei ground out.
"Oh!" Ami jumped and pulled out the Mercury computer. She studied
the screen for a moment. "I'm reading very weak discharges of Silver
Imperial energy about five blocks from here."
"We should investigate," Luna said.
"But what about--"
"If he knew Serenity," Makoto suggested, "then he may be the
source."
"I can't believe such a preposterous tale!" Luna said stiffly.
"Well, let's go seeeee," Usagi said. "This is BOOORing, waiting
around here."
Senshi and Moon Cats rolled their eyes.
~~~~~
What they found was unexpected. In the courtyard of an empty
factory, two people were battling with swords. The Senshi's mystery
guest wielded a katana with an ornately carved ivory handle. The
other, a woman of African descent, wielded a broadsword. The fight
was fierce, and the Senshi began to understand that they weren't
sparring; this was a fight to the death. They looked on, morbidly
fascinated.
The battle raged for about a minute more, but the man disarmed the
woman and took her head in a revolving follow-through.
All the Senshi felt ill, and Ami staggered over to the wall and
threw up her ice cream.
"Sweet Serenity," Luna whispered. Artemis grimly looked on.
All heard the soft words the man next spoke. "There can be... only
one."
Energy began to crackle around the slain woman's body, and a white
glow lifted it off the ground to about eye level. A wind rose and
lightning began to arc around the interior of the old factory, some
of it hitting and passing into the man.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" The man's yell coincided with an explosion
of glass, as all the windows blew inwards, raining shards. The last
of the lightning passed into the man, the wind died, and the woman's
headless body fell to the ground.
The man slumped to his knees and leaned against the katana. The
Senshi were motionless, clearly awed and confused about what had
just transpired. After a moment and his breathing had calmed, the
man rose, stowed his weapon in his duster, and purposefully walked
toward the gaping defenders of love and justice.
He stopped several paces away and regarded the Senshi. Artemis
growled at him, and he smirked. "I see you and the other grouchy
advisor made it, too. How... nice."
"WHO ARE YOU?!?!" Artemis yelled, clearly ready to defend his
charges with his life.
The man's smirk dropped and he locked onto Usagi's startled gaze.
"I am Duncan McLeod, of the Clan McLeod. I was reborn 400 years ago
in the Highlands of Scotland. I am immortal."
There was a brief pause as everyone digested this, but Duncan
continued.
"I said reborn, because I also died at the feet of Queen Serenity at
the end of the Silver Millenium, defending her with my heart and
soul."
The girls felt faint at the revelation, but Artemis was livid.
"IMPOSSIBLE!!! ONLY THE PLANETARY SENSHI WERE SENT FORWARD!"
"So you would think," Duncan said, "but that wasn't the case...
exactly."
Ami wiped her mouth with a cloth Rei had given her and said, "What
do you mean 'exactly'?"
Duncan sat down on a nearby crate and looked weary enough to account
for his 400 years. "I don't remember the 'event', and this is all
Setsuna's theory--"
"PLUTO?!" Luna screeched. "HOW do you know about PLUTO?!"
Duncan shrugged. "She likes to keep track of us. Apparently, we
constitute a blind spot for her. She can't see us in the timestream,
so she has to actually come down and visit with us to catch up."
"WHAT?!" Luna was beside herself. Everything she believed about who
could do what was being sorely tested this day. "Why didn't she tell
us about you?!"
Duncan laughed. "When does she EVER tell you anything you don't
absolutely need to know?"
"I don't believe it!" Luna huffed.
"Actually, that makes sense," Ami said. "I mean, if they're carrying
around a sort of altered Imperial energy, who knows what effect it
might have on Senshi powers. A lot of study would need to be done."
Luna seemed mollified by that, but another burr got caught in her
fur. "And what was THAT all about?!" She raised a paw and pointed
back into the factory. "You KILLED her!!"
A siren could be heard approaching.
"I think this would be best continued elsewhere," Duncan suggested.
"What happened here is outside of your concern, but I will explain
it as best I can. So, where do we go?"
The girls looked at each other. "There's really only one place," Rei
finally said. The others nodded, and Rei turned to Duncan. "The
Hikawa Jinja in Juuban. Know it?"
"No, but I can find it. I'll be there at 8:00 PM." Duncan paused and
looked at Makoto, his expression softened for a moment and then he
snapped back. "I suggest you be discreet in leaving. You don't want
this tied to you."
Duncan hopped up and quickly exited the building. Stunned and
bewildered, the Senshi and Moon Cats made a low-profile exit through
a busted window, ran down a long alley, and took to the rooftops.
____________________
It was an uneasy group that gathered in the Hikawa shrine. Even
Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru had come at Usagi's behest. That a
person heretofore unknown was familiar with them all, even to
recognizing them out of uniform, was cause for everyone's concern.
Once the Inner Senshi had relayed the earlier sword battle and its
conclusion, concern became apprehension.
"I don't suppose anyone knows where Setsuna is?" Makoto asked. "I'd
like some answers out of her."
Haruka shrugged, and Michiru said, "I'm sure she has her reasons."
Rei snorted. "'Need to know, and you don't.' Yeah, yeah."
"I wouldn't question her," a new voice said from the shadows of the
entryway. Everyone jumped. "I've found her reasonings to be quite
sound, when she shares them." Duncan stepped into the light and
examined the pensive faces. "I'm not your enemy. I served
Serenity-sama just like the rest of you."
"And who do you serve NOW?!" Luna asked hotly.
Duncan narrowed his eyes. "I remember you too, little cat."
"'LITTLE CAT'?! You've got a lot of nerve!" Luna scowled at Duncan
fiercely.
"I remember the advisor that came down on a palace guard on his
first day for being two inches to the right of where he should've
been. A guard who was promptly sent to the Outlands for two weeks
doing scut work as punishment. Yes, I remember you, little cat."
Luna huffed and puffed, building a good head of steam, but a braying
laugh shattered the impending confrontation. Usagi was in tears from
laughing so hard. "I... BWAAAHAHA! I *remember* that! HAHAHAAA!! You
were in a real snit over that, Luna! HAHAHAAAA!"
Duncan finally grinned, and everyone except Luna relaxed. The black
cat sniffed and turned her head, clearly put out.
Usagi calmed down and walked over to Duncan, bowing before him.
"Thank you, good sir knight, for defending my mother--"
"No. Don't bow to me, Serenity-sama. I did my duty."
"No, yourself." Usagi straightened and stood regally before the man.
"You have my eternal gratitude."
Everyone in the room shivered, some tearing. *This* was their future
queen in one of her finer moments. Mamoru, who'd remained quiet
throughout, smiled fondly and stood.
"Yes. I echo her sentiment. I am glad for having met you."
Duncan bowed to both Usagi and Mamoru. "Serenity-sama.
Endymion-sama."
"But!" Usagi declared, raising a finger into the air. "Call us Usagi
and Mamoru! Crystal Tokyo is a thousand years away, so I won't be
queen for a while."
Duncan laughed gently. "As you wish... Usagi-san."
"Right! Now--" Usagi turned, stumbled, and fell flat on her face.
"Owie..."
Groans echoed in the room, and Mamoru helped Usagi to her feet.
"She's, ah, still growing," he grunted as he lifted the love of his
life to her feet.
"I... see," Duncan said with a raised eyebrow.
For some reason, that brought the house down. Even Luna chuckled.
After a moment and after seeing Usagi safely to her seat, Mamoru
indicated a chair. "So, Duncan, please tell us your story."
Duncan graciously accepted the chair, giving Luna back the hairy
eyeball she was giving him. "I suppose the story starts after we
died." Everyone shivered again, but not pleasantly this time.
"The area around the palace was thick with bodies, of course, both
ours and Metallia's. I don't remember much after I was killed, but I
do remember a sense of being caught up in something. This is where
Setsuna fills in the gaps, as best she can.
"When Serenity-sama cast her spell, sending all of you forward to be
reborn, many of the souls still lingering got caught in the
backwash, for lack of a better term, and were scattered all along
the timestream. We, both Serenity's forces and some of Metallia's,
have been reincarnating ever since, although I think once finally
killed, we don't come back again."
"And what about the fight today?" Makoto asked. Duncan looked at
her, and something unreadable passed in his eyes, but it disappeared
as quickly as it came.
"All of us are born and age normally until killed. We resurrect and
become immortal. As far as I know, I am the only one who remembers
the Silver Millennium, and as to why *I* remember it, that's another
story.
"If we are lucky, another immortal comes along and trains us in the
sword. It turns out that a cousin of mine is also an immortal, and
he trained me. All immortals fight to the death, gathering the
Quickening from each one slain until those remaining are called, or
drawn, to a far-off land at the time of the Gathering. There, the
last remnants will fight to see who will claim the prize."
"The prize? What is it?" Hotaru asked.
Duncan shrugged. "Frankly, I have no idea."
The crowd looked at each other.
"All I know is that should an evil person win, the Earth will be
cast into a thousand years of darkness."
Everyone jumped at that. "A thousand years?" Haruka said.
"An interesting coincidence," Ami observed.
Usagi looked back at Duncan. "And if a good person wins?"
"That's the big mystery. None of us knows what--" Duncan tensed for
a second, then relaxed. "Come out, Setsuna. You know I always know
when you're looking at me."
A shadow in the corner of the room seemed to thicken and stretch
upwards. Meiou Setsuna stepped out in her seifuku, holding the Time
Key.
"One of these days, Duncan, I'm going to figure out how you do that
and then scare the hell out of you," Setsuna remarked with a flat
tone.
Duncan chuckled. "I look forward to it."
Setsuna walked over to the immortal, bent over, and kissed him
passionately. They broke, and Setsuna said, "I've missed you,
Highlander."
"And I you. Did you have to wait 70 years to come see me?"
"I've been very busy, lately, and since I can't 'see' you and you
move around so much, you can be hard to find."
Duncan winced and then scanned the others, noting their stunned
expressions. "Yes, I suppose you're right about that. I should start
carrying a pager or something."
Setsuna straightened and regarded the other members of the Sailor
Senshi. "If any of you harbor doubts about this man, put them aside.
He is what he claims. I vouch for him completely." She looked at the
Moon Cats. "That includes you two."
Luna sniffed. "Very well." Artemis merely nodded. Setsuna pulled up
a chair next to Duncan and sat down. Some thought she was acting
uncharacteristically possessive, although Duncan didn't seem to
mind.
"Four-hundred years." Minako whistled. "How... how many men...
people have you, errr..."
"Killed?" Duncan queried wryly. "I try not to think about it. I
don't if some kind of understanding can be reached or if I can make
a friend, but most have their eyes on the prize and can be persuaded
to little else."
"Setsuna," Ami asked, "how can he handle Silver Imperial energy?"
"He doesn't, really," Setsuna said. "They act more like
repositories, gathering the energy from those they..." She looked at
Duncan, and he nodded. "From those of their kind that they kill. I
don't fully understand why they have it in the first place, and the
energy *has* been altered somehow, but Serenity's spell was
extremely powerful and cost her life. I would've been surprised had
there been no side effects."
****************************************************
To Whom It May Concern:
I actually wrote this opener some time ago, and showed it to a few
people, but none of them expressed more than a passing interest in
it (that I know of). This is as far as I've seen this story in my
head, and I'm fairly certain that I'm not the one to write it. From
here on out, it is up to whoever decides to take it on. However, I
don't see it as a one-shot. :)
I've obviously left a bit of a problem with Makoto versus Setsuna as
Duncan's love interest here. My first thought was that Silver
Millennium Duncan was having an affair with the Senshi of Jupiter,
but that idea soured on me as I progressed. The thing with Setsuna
evolved more organically from the combined story elements, and it
makes more sense in terms of the two continuities. If you decide to
go with Setsuna, which is probably advisable, you will need to go
back and tweak Makoto's lines and some of the prose in order to edit
out the hinting I've done.
All the mechanics of the crossover that I thought of have been
included in this opener with the following exception:
The formation of the Crystal Millennium may somehow be dependent
upon a 'good' immortal winning the Prize at the Gathering. Perhaps
the gathered alternative Silver Imperial Energy becomes necessary in
some fashion for the Crystal Millennium to manifest. Or perhaps the
Quickening is, in fact, *Crystal* Imperial energy. At any rate, the
threat of a thousand years of darkness fits very neatly into the SM
continuity as the lead-in to the Crystal Millennium.
Whoever decides to do this, contact me at dfroeder@flash.net and let
me know that you're taking it so I will know what to say to others
who may come calling on this.
Enjoy!
******************************************************
D.F. Roeder
FanFiction - http://home.flash.net/~dfroeder/index.html