Knight of Neon

Discord: NinjaBunnie #2325

















Once upon a time, during the reign of Queen Serenity 1st, there was a young Venetian by the name of Neon. He was absolutely dazzled by the radience of their planets princess. Her bravery, her kindness, the beauty she radiated inside and out...he made his decision as a child to do anything he could to keep that smile on her face. Unlike many of the other planets, Venus had no moons, no lunar star seeds to awaken, and thus another method for choosing Guardian Knights came to be. The Age of Supplication was instituted, wherein any young man between the ages of 9 and 12 could go before Aphrodite to have their star seeds wieghed and tested for their brightness and purity. The day of Neons 9th birthday, his parents brought him to the Palace of Aphrodite to make his plea. He knelt in the prayer room amongst other young boys for a full 24 hours, hoping against hope for the Goddess to hear his plea and mark him worthy. He watched as one by one, a handful of boys began to glow with a golden light to signal their choosing. Upon the final hour, Neon still hadnt been chosen. He didn't allow this rejection to dull his spirits. It was only the beginning of his supplication period after all. It wasn't uncommon for boys his age to be turned away until their seeds matured a bit more. Year after year Neon returned to the Palace, praying and hoping that this year would be it for him. Finally, his 12th birthday arrived and with it his final chance. He entered the prayer room as he'd done the previous 3 years...but this time...this time there was a difference. A beautiful golden warmth washed over him the moment the doors closed and in his heart, the most beautiful voice he'd never heard spoke. "Neon of Akna Montes, you have been chosen...your star seed is bright and pure...come...guard your princess and your people." Overwelmed with gratitued and awe, Neon dropped to his knees and cried. He was going to be a Knight.

The training for a Knight of Venus was demanding. The training for a Gaurdian Knight to directly serve the princess was even more so. Neon had hoped but never truly believed he would be chosen for the second honor, yet here he was, at Magellen Castle, learning to awaken the powers within his star seed! Once they discovered the form his abilities took, he would be put into training with a senior Knight to further develop them and begin martial training. He was eager...maybe a little too much so. It took him longer than his fellow trainees because his impatience would consistently backfire on him. Finally, after months of attempted meditation and aggrivated trainers, he managed it. A bubble of clear, odorless neon gas formed. He was passed then to the man who would turn him into something worth defending Venus, Pyrite, the Knight of Iron Sands, a semi retired Captain, and the unfortunate who had been tasked with Neons training. Pyrite was a grizzled, no nonsense sort of man. He drilled Neon into the ground day after day, year after year...Neon adored him. The Captain was one of the few who took Neons convictions seriously. He would complete his training if it killed them both...so Pyrite did what any good teacher would do. He gave Neon the tools to do so. If ever Neon encountered a problem it would be his responsibility to reason out a solution form himself, no matter how long it took. The Captain enforced personal study, as a dunce would serve the princess poorly. Her Gaurdians needed to be self sufficiant and prepared to solve any problem they encountered after all. Neon did his best always. Success was never imediate, but it was always worth it; the nod of approval from Pyrite, becoming another step closer to his princesses side...it was all he'd ever wanted. For two years Neon trained day in and day out...and then the call came. The Moon was under attack and all hands were needed. He wasn't happy about it, but Pyrite summoned Neon to his side. They were going to go together. As much as he wanted to leave the boy behind, he knew Neon would find a way to follow. The Knights Call was strong in him...he hoped sincerely for his young protoge to survive the coming battle. If he lived long enough to complete his training, the boy had the potential to become formidible.

Their arrival on the Moon was less than smooth. The battle was in full swing, the forces of the Earth were brutal in their extermination of any that fell beneath their blades. Neon was stunned, eyes impossibly wide. Never in his 14 years had he ever seen such carnage. He followed Pyrite through the alleys of the kingdom, dodging bodies and stepping in things he very much didn't want to think about. They were met a few turns in by one of the commanders of Earths armies. Pyrite drew his blade, stepping between his charge and the far more skilled warrior in front of him. The battle was brief but intense, the sound of the blades ringing through the air. Neon watched, wanting so badly to help, but he knew his training wasn't enough. Finally, with a gurgle of blood, Pyrites sword found the enemy's throat. Neon followed his Captain, stepping over the swiftly cooling corpse. Through the streets they wound until finally the Senshi were in sight. Venus stood tall and proud, weilding her crystal sword with the skills hard won by intense training. That was where they needed to be...but where were the other Gaurdians? They didn't have to wonder for long. As they came closer and closer their question was answered by the bodies. They were the last two standing. With a resigned grunt, Pyrite gripped Neons shoulder. Neon looked into his Captains eyes and Pyrite sighed. "I'm sorry lad...you would have made an excellent Knight." The man was a realist and had been a Guardian long enough to know they weren't going to survive this battle. All they could hope for was that the Senshi could escape with the Moons royalty. Normally Neon would argue such a fatalstic outlook but...even for him...things were grim. He swallowed down his fear and let a small smile cross his lips. "At least we can get Venus-hime to her objective right?" Pyrite tightened his grip briefly before releasing the boy. "Our most important mission as her Guardians boy. Come." Neon drew his own sword and faced the battle, the cold fingers of fear tickling his spine. It wasn't his best weapon, but it was still a weapon. Together, master and student rushed the battle, swords blazing. It was Neons first time ever taking life, if he lived through this, he would have to face his actions...for now, they had a place to be. From beside him their was a grunt. He turned, facing with horror the sight of Pyrite speared on the end of a sword. The old battle axe wouldn't go down so easy though. He pushed forward, driving the sword deeper to take his assailants head. "MOVE BOY!" Neon ripped his eyes away, hearing rather than seeing his Captain fall. Neon hacked and powered his way through the last two lines of enemy forces, almost single minded with his need to be with his princess. She was doing battle with a skilled opponent from Beryls personal Gaurd. Slowly, with inhuman strength, he was forcing her down. Serenity was in eye sight, being defended by the Prince of Earth. With a roar, the enemy parried, ripping the sword from Venuses hands, sending the beautiful blade flying to clatter by the Moon Princess. Neon surged forward with a yell, catching the enemy's sword on the downswing. The force of it drove him to his knees. "Princess please..." he looked to her, "survive." With that his sword broke. The last thing Neon heard in his life was his precious Venus screaming for Serenity.

The Second Silver Millenium, peace reigned on Earth. A baby boy with brilliant copper hair was born to the loving McAllistar family in a small suburb of New Jersey, USA. They decided to name him Neon (ney-on), Latin for strong, because they wanted their baby boy to grow up with the strength to succeed in life. The little boy was silly and sweet, always smiling and laughing. He loved shopping with his mother and she didn't mind indulging him when his grades were good. It was during one of these little trips that he first saw her. It was a book in a store window, featuring the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen. His mother bought him the book, a little bemused by her 6 year old wanting a copy of Sailor Venus's biography. The moment he got that book, he was lost. Chapters of that book became his nightly bedtime stories. To Neon, she was the most amazing being in the world. One day, more than anything, he wanted to be a super hero so he could fight evil the way she did. His friends got a bit of a laugh every time they saw the Venus lunch box he'd insisted on, but it was Neon. He had always been a little silly to everyone.

Everyone had thought it was a little childhood crush, but as the years went on, everyone who knew him began to realize that she would probably always be his hero. Neon made a point of having every book, every special, every bit of Venus anything he could get his hands on. By the time he started college, his room was painted the same shade as her fuku, though you'd be hard pressed to see it past his posters. His collection of figures, Venus and those of his favourite anime dominated every available surface. His parents allowed it because he kept up his studies and his odd little quirks didn't seem to imact his social relationships. After so many years his friends were used to his eccintricites, though they still ribbed him gently from time to time about his super hero dreams. His lack of powers had never stopped him from doing as much good as he could in his neighborhood. Groceries to be carried? Lost pet? Babysitter needed? They needed to look no further than Neon. He was aware that his loved ones thought his dream silly. It didn't stop him from wondering if one day he would suddenly awaken powers the way the senshi had. His older brother, Thomas, liked to joke that he had the super power to attract fireflies. The little creatures did seem to have an odd liking to him. Sometimes he would lay in bed, watching their soft glow until he fell into dreams of blood and determination.









The sun glinted off of Neons firey hair as he ran along the beach, laughing. His brother and friends were chasing him, trying catch him with cold ocean water from the pails in their hands. At the age of 22 Neon was reasonably tall and fairly attractive. The group of boys recieved an appreiciative glance or two, though none noticed as they were far too caught up in their little game. They always tried to soak him before he had a chance to get into the water. He indulged them for a few more feet before darting to the right and running knee deep into the breakers.

"Catch me if you can now guys!"

Neon dove into the waves, greatful for the conditioner he'd rubbed into his hair before getting in the car that morning. It would protect his glorious locks from the ravages of salt water. He popped up and laughed. The other boys were cursing good naturedly at having been foiled. Neon watched them empty their buckets into the sand. The joke was on them as someone would have to bring them back to the towels or risk losing them. It wasn't his problem however, and he swam into the waves, using them as a propellant to body surf to shore. Neon swam out to find another good wave. He was engrossed enough in his play that he didn't notice the surfer losing his balance on the coming wave. The board came down on Neon with enough force to daze him. The wave pushed him under and bagan to pull him down and out. Disoriented from the blow and tumble, Neon flailed around, trying to find his way up. His breath wouldn't hold anymore. He hadn't been prepared for a dunking. As darkness began to eat at his vision he heard a whisper inside of him. A whisper...his name...and then a golden glow. His eyes snapped open and he took a deep breath. His bubble had a healthy mix of desperately needed oxygen. As Neons head began to clear he took a deep breath and let the bubble fade, pushing off from the ground and forcing his way to the surface. That first slap of cold air was glorious. He was alive! He struck out towards the shoreline, further than he was comfortable with, but not so far that he couldn't get back on his own. He wasn't going to mention the almost drowning part, but he couldn't wait to tell his friends and family about what the whisper said! He was a Knight! One of the Guardians of Venus! It was better than any dream he ever could have had!

Naturally his friends and Thomas had laughed. They didn't believe him, but that was ok. He knew it to be true. Upon returning home late that night, he busted into his parents room.

"MOM DAD IM A GUARDIAN OF VENUS!"

His parents startled from their slumber and stared at their slightly manic son groggily.

"Thats nice dear."

Neon shook his head and bolted to his room, leaving behind his very confused parents. They didn't get it, but that was ok. He sat at his laptop and drained a large chunk of his savings account to buy a flight to Crystal Tokyo. He would be leaving in the morning. It didn't leave much time so he spent his night packing for his trip. He trusted his family to take care of his collection until he could have it shipped to him. In the wee hours of dawn he stuck his head into his parents room again.

"I'm moving to Crystal Tokyo to be a Knight. Love you!"

His dad waved a groggy hand and his mother mumbled a sleepy 'have fun' into her pillow. Neon shrugged. They were probably too tired to be excited for him. He'd text them when he got there so they had more time to assimilate. He called a cab and texted his friends and Thomas on his way to the airport. It was early enough for none of them to be awake yet...but that was ok. He'd talk to them later.

His arrival at Crystal Tokyo International was routine and quiet. He stepped out into the street, his eyes lighting up with wonder. Photos didn't do the magnifient structures justice in the slightest. The city was incredible...and oddly familiar. He shook off the weird feeling of nostalgia and began to explore the city, suitcase towing along behind him. Eventally he turned a corner and ended up in an otakus paradise; Akihabara. Oh. Oh yes. This was heaven. Completely forgetting everything else for a few hours, Neon bounced from store to store, buying all of the Venus merchandise he came across. He was a completely unashamed fanboy. Come nightfall it began to rain and he slowly realized something very important.

"...I...forgot I need to live somewhere..." What little money hadn't been spent was nowhere near enough for a hotel. His options were looking pretty grim as he stood there, watching a shorter boy with blackish blue hair approach.