Author's Notes- This is the first of a series of stories to fictionalize the ever-growing world of Cosplay [Costume Play], titled Angels In Costume. The characters are drawn upon from real people that I know on the web and the story blends them with the Sailor Senshi- but you will have to read the story to find the plot of the series... enjoy the tale.

The Abuse Ends Here
By Dale Speer

Maureen Roberts was a young woman who was orphaned at 13 with her family's entire fortune behind her. Now at 18 yrs. old, she was a beautiful redhead who wore her hair in a single ponytail and had 2 strands running down the sides of her head. She was reading the newspaper on Monday morning when a particular photo caught her eye. In it, she saw a young woman with blonde hair being carried off by ambulance attendants after their neighbors called the police. She then read the story following it.

"We kept hearing screams after the sun set," the neighbors said, "and they came from their basement. Finally, the concern hit us hard and we had to call the police." What the police found, she read, shocked the living daylights out of them... torture devices and implements that they were using to make this woman endure great pain while keeping her within an inch from death- and a book turned to a page detailing the torture process.

"We finally felt that the young woman endured enough pain to last her lifetime," the police sargeant said, "and so we arrested the parents and sent the young woman to the hospital to recover. We now pray that Serenity sees what has happened and keep watch over her soul."

"I also pray, Serenity, that this young woman doesn't become a horrible nightmare," Maureen thought to herself... and then she took stock in her life compared to the young woman's. She lived in a mansion, alone, while the young woman lived in a house filled with sorrow. "I'm going to the police," she thought, "and see if there's anything I can do for her when she's released from the hospital."

A few miles down the road from Maureen's home was the home of Angela & Sandra Brown, sisters who were left the broad expanse of their family's fortune when multiple events made the rest of their family lose their lives. On this particular morning Sandra was reading the newspaper while Angela was preparing breakfast for them and watching the morning news on the kitchen television.

"Did you read the story in there about the young woman," Angela, who wore her hair like Ami Mizuno, said, "who was being tortured so that she would become a man in looks?" "Hai, onee-chan," Sandra replied, "Is there an update on it in the morning news?" "The young woman's name was released this morning," the older sister replied, "She's Dale Speer- one of your students, if I remember well."

Sandra- who had long golden hair that stretched to her knees- gasped at her name and said, "Her parents just abruptly pulled her out of school for no apparent reason. We have to help her, Anjera-chan... there's no arguement about that." Angela agreed with her on that... Dale needed some serious help. "But how we do that is the biggest challenge," Angela said, and Sandra nodded her head with her statement.

"You think we should call up our neighbor, Maureen?" Sandra asked, "Perhaps she has some ideas that could help Dale through it all." "It's a strong possibility, Sandra," Angela replied, "Let's pay her a visit, though."

In the recovery ward of the hospital, Dale was resting up from reconstructive surgery. Somehow, through the grace of Serenity, she was healed of the hate in her being... hate that would have turned her against people if it still resided in her heart. "But who would be willing to take care of me," she thought, "now that my tormentors are now in jail awaiting trial on abuse & torture charges?"

Her parents sheared her golden blonde hair off to make her look like a man- and all they bought her to keep her chest flat was a training bra. They made her wear boys underwear and clothes and tortured her to make her become a man- even going as far as using everyday injections of male hormones to change her. She was angered, alright- at her parents for doing this, and now that they were in jail, she could breathe a sigh of relief.

It was on Friday that the 3 girls who were thinking of her walked in and just introduced themselves, in response to her thoughts. "I'm glad that you're all concerned for me," Dale said, "but now I don't have anyone to live with. Who would be willing to take me into their home when all they know about me is the abuse and torture?"

"We talked with the prosecutor, Dale," Sandra said, "and he said that the 3 of us could take equal care of you. But we'll show you the love we can- and it starts with your discharge from here." "The doctors say that you need a loving atmosphere for your recovery," Maureen said, "and since you're only 12 and in 6th. grade, you need someone who cares for you more than your parents did." "You'll stay with me and Sandra for the remainder of the school term," Angela said, "and then you'll stay with Maureen for the summer- plus, we've heard you have some stuff that you would like to get from your home." "Oh, the stuff I bought with my allowance," Dale said, "I knew they wouldn't destroy that- mostly due to the fact that I hid it well."

Dale's secret stash was toys, DVDs and a whole lot of other stuff from Japanese Anime- shows like Sailor Moon, Magic Knight Rayearth and others that dealt with girls issues. "So you're into Shoujo anime, Dale?" Sandra asked her, and Dale nodded her head while adding, "It's something that they would never take away from me, even if they turned me against people. I knew Serenity wouldn't fail to keep my soul safe from their torture... and now that they're gone, I will be very happy to have friends surrounding me once again."

Once they packed Dale's treasured belongings- they couldn't pack her any clothes because all she had was boys' wear- they drove her to their home and set her in the upstairs bedroom next to Sandra's. "How would you like to go shopping for some nice clothes, Dale?" Sandra asked their house guest- and Dale was overjoyed at that notion. "I'm tired of dressing like a little boy when it comes to clothes," she said, "that I'm ready for a change of pace."

This time, Maureen was the one who gave Dale a shopping spree in one of the stores she now owns. She knew Dale would appreciate some nice things, so she let her have the run the store- choosing nice clothes, some jewelry that she would like as well as stuff to exercise her hobbies... Dale was interested in drawing, writing and dramatics according to Sandra.

"We know you're into Anime, Dale," Maureen said, "and so are we- but we've never even revealed it to anyone. Would you like it if we called you 'Dale-chan' while around the house?" "I would like that," Dale replied.

"And we would like it if you called one of us your mother while in our home," Angela said, "We want you to be a part of our family- and so one of us will be your mother while you live with us." "Would you be my mother, Angela?" Dale asked her... and as she scooped her into a hug, she replied, "I would be happy to be your mother, Dale."

With the next day being Saturday, Dale spent as much time with her benefactors as she could... and the sisters let Dale in on a secret they shared- that not only were they into Anime, they also made costumes of their favorite characters and wore them to Conventions where Anime ruled.

"That's called Cosplay, mom?" Dale asked Angela, and she nodded her head in reply while adding, "And 2 of our favorite characters are from Sailor Moon. I like dressing up as Sailor Mercury while Sandra likes being Sailor Moon." "Is there room for a character about my size in it?" Dale asked... and Sandra replied, "There's this young Senshi, ChibiMoon, that's the future daughter of Sailor Moon. Would you like to be her?" "Oh, I would love to be her!" Dale exclaimed.

"And I'm sure she would like to see Sailor Jupiter as well, ne?" Maureen said after walking upstairs, "Why don't we make 2 very wonderful outfits- one of Sailor Jupiter, one of SuperSailor ChibiMoon- and we get her a wig that's pink in color with the cone-shaped odangoes done already." "That's a wonderful idea, Maureen-chan," Angela replied, "and I know the perfect website to get it from."

So while Sandra got Dale's measurements- she already reached 5ft. and her body was starting to fill out when her parents started torturing her- Angela and Maureen logged onto Imperium Moon and filled out the form for a Sailor ChibiMoon wig for Dale to wear while cosplaying with them... and then they went shopping for materials for a costume.

One stop they made was to a wig store where they explained the case to the owner- and she picked out a teen's blonde wig that stretched to her shoulders, as well as the needed accessories to make it work for the young woman. After putting clips on the wig itself, the person put a cap with the other clips on her head and then put the wig on and styled it out. "There," she said, "Now you look just like a normal pre-teenage girl."

The 3 women who were taking care of her agreed and Maureen was ready to pay for it- but the woman shook her hand 'no' while saying, "The prosecutor notified me of this and gave me a photograph of her, as well as a check for the full amount of the needed items." "Thank you, ma'am," Sandra replied as they picked up some care materials- which the woman said was on her. They then left with Dale having a broad smile and decided to get a deli lunch, heading for the park to sit down and eat.

At a table just a short distance away from the group, another group of 4 girls was seated and having fried chicken and potato salad for lunch. But instead of buying it at a deli, they made it all at home and packed it in a big basket along with soda and other good treats.

The case involving this 'family' was similar to Dale's and it involved the young woman there. She looked 2 years older than Dale and nearly resembled Hotaru Tomoe in looks... in fact, the group of 4 girls resembled the Outer Senshi so much that it wasn't funny. And it was then that the Hotaru look-alike noticed Dale.

"I think Hotaru's found a kindred spirit, Setsuna-chan," the one that looked like Haruka told the oldest of the 3 adults. "You did notice, Haruka," came from the one that looked like Michiru, "And she looks to be the same age as ChibiUsa." "I think we should make friends with them," the one who looked like Setsuna told them, "and I think that Hotaru-chan will make a difference in the young woman's life." So the group packed up their lunch and walked over to the others.

After introducing themselves as Brandie, Susan, Michelle and Alexandra, they offered to share their lunch with them. Susan asked why Dale was wearing a wig- and Sandra notice that they had a paper from Monday. Turning it to page 5, they showed the 3 the photo of Dale- and they had a complete turn-around.

"You mean to say that Dale was the case in which the parents were torturing her to make a man out of her?" Michelle asked them, and Angela nodded her head. "Talk about being cold and vicious," Alex said, "I think they should be given the death penalty for that kind of abuse."

"But the problem is that the state can only sentence the parents to 25 years in the state penitentiary and remove their parenting rights," Maureen said, "unless they can prove that they were doing what's termed as cruel & unusual punishment- and that's what I think the state's shooting for." "With the evidence heavily in the state's favor," Susan said, "it shouldn't be too hard to prove that."

Finally, Alexandra asked what they were shopping for and Maureen replied, "We're making a couple of costumes- one each of Sailor Jupiter for me and Sailor ChibiMoon for Dale. Dale loves Sailor Moon so much that when Sandra and Angela said that they cosplayed Sailors Moon & Mercury, she wanted to become ChibiMoon for them- so I figured that they needed someone to become Sailor Jupiter, and I became it." "It's nice to see that you're doing your best to make Dale happy," Susan said, "and we hope that Serenity will watch over you as you do just that."

Finally, the sun was setting and it was time for the 2 'families' to depart. "It was kind of you to just come over and talk to us while letting Brandie and Dale play with each other," Angela said, "We should do this again sometime." "I know that our paths will meet again, Angela," Susan told her, "count on it." Waving good bye to their new friends, Angela and company loaded up in their car and headed home.

"The way I see it," Susan said, "they would make 4 of the best Sailor Senshi if they were like us." "We'll definitely find out in the long run," Michelle said... and, surprisingly, Brandie said, "If she was ChibiUsa-chan, I would like to be friends with Dale."

As she got ready for bed, Dale noticed some stuff happen to her... the scars from the various implements her parents used had disappeared and her hair had grown a halfinch. "It has to be a miracle," she said to herself.

From outside her window and invisible to Dale, Brandie- now in the guise of Sailor Saturn- smiled at what she said and added, "And more miracles will come soon, ChibiUsa-chan."

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT STORY...