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1 Lovers and Dreamers
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2 By the Amazoness Quartet
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3
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4 The song in the story is ChibiUsa’s Stars singles song, ‘BaiBaitte Itta’.
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5 The translation for
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6 the song was done by William Braell and a friend found it at
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7 http://sailormusic.tripod.com/lyrics/BaiBaitte_Itta.html
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8
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9 This story takes place right after ‘Family Ties.’ We hope you all enjoy it.
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10 ^-^ Please e-
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11 mail us at amazonessduo@hotmail.com and tell us what you think. ^-^
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12
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13
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14 "C’mon, Taru," ChibiUsa said, waving to her from the curb. She wore a
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15 mischievous grin that fit her older appearance well. It made her look a bit
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16 like her evil
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17 self, Black Lady.
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18 Hotaru sighed and followed her lover towards the karaoke bar. She still
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19 wasn’t
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20 sure this was a good idea. ChibiUsa had borrowed the Luna Pen from Usagi to
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21 make
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22 them look older. Hotaru watched as ChibiUsa’s now much longer hair swayed
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23 back and
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24 forth as she walked, brushing up against the back of the short dark crimson
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25 dress the pink
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26 haired girl was wearing. Hotaru felt herself smiling as ChibiUsa walked
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27 along. The pink
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28 haired girl always managed to affect her deeply, whether or not she was
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29 pretending to be
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30 older. Hotaru found herself wondering which way she liked ChibiUsa’s hair
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31 better. It was
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32 pretty when it was long, like her mother’s. But it was cute when it was
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33 shorter and
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34 fluffier like ChibiUsa normally had it.
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35 "Taru?" ChibiUsa asked quizzically.
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36 Hotaru blushed. She must have been lost in thought. ChibiUsa took her hand
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37 and
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38 brought her closer. Hotaru felt ChibiUsa’s warm breath against her cheek.
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39 "Usa," Hotaru
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40 said softly as she looked into the other girl’s crimson eyes. Her heart beat
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41 faster, almost
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42 stopping when ChibiUsa’s long fingers stroked her warm cheek.
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43 "You ready?" ChibiUsa asked, motioning behind her. "You seemed to be out of
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44 it for a second."
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45 "I get like that when I think about you," Hotaru whispered to the pink
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46 haired
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47 girl. "You make it hard for me to think about anything else." She smiled,
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48 fingers
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49 intwining in one of ChibiUsa’s long pink pigtails.
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50 "Taru..." ChibiUsa’s soft red lips inched anxiously closer to Hotaru’s.
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51 Hearing a
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52 car screech by, she shook herself out of it. Her long hair flew about, some
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53 hitting into
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54 Hotaru’s head. "Gomen," ChibiUsa said, embarrassed.
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55 Hotaru couldn’t help but laugh. "I think I like your shorter hair better."
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56 Running her hands through her hair to straighten it out, ChibiUsa turned
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57 back to
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58 Hotaru. "How’s that?"
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59 Hotaru paused for a moment to take in the pink haired angel before her. She
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60 was
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61 absolutely stunning. She was the most beautiful thing Hotaru had ever seen.
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62 She heard
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63 ChibiUsa call her name again, but she just smiled. "Gorgeous," Hotaru said
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64 breathlessly.
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65 The faint blush and the pleased look on ChibiUsa’s face told Hotaru she’d
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66 said the right
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67 thing. Taking ChibiUsa’s arm, she headed inside.
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68 "I meant my hair," ChibiUsa finally got out, still smiling.
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69 Hotaru glanced at her and smiled back. "I know. But I meant what I said."
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70 Taking a table near the front, Hotaru and ChibiUsa took their seats. Hotaru
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71 helped ChibiUsa get her long hair out of the way while she sat. "I don’t
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72 think I’ll ever
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73 know how mom does it," ChibiUsa sighed.
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74 "I bet it’s probably with practice. When I was younger, I really wanted to
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75 play
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76 the violin like Michiru-mama, but I was horrible at it whenever I played.
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77 But she taught
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78 me how. It took a long time, but I really wanted to learn."
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79 "And you play beautifully," ChibiUsa complimented. Hotaru had played
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80 specifically for her on several occasions.
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81 Hotaru smiled. "Thank you. Haruka-papa offered to teach me how to drive,
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82 but
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83 if its anything like learning how to play the violin, I’m not sure I want to
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84 go through that
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85 again," Hotaru joked. "I’m sure if you keep it long enough, you’ll do just
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86 fine with long
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87 hair. In the meantime, though, I like it short. It’s..."
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88 "Cute," ChibiUsa finished for her, grinning. Despite her dream she’d
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89 harbored
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90 when she was younger about being ladylike, Hotaru was quite intent on making
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91 sure she
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92 knew the raven haired girl liked her the way she was.
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93 "Well it is. And I like it." Glancing over at the pink haired girl, Hotaru
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94 looked at
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95 her curiously. "Why did you borrow the Luna Pen?"
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96 ChibiUsa thought for a moment. "I thought it would be fun to go out a
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97 little
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98 differently tonight. I heard about this place from Mamo-chan. He and his
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99 friends come
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100 here every once in a while, so I thought we might want to look a little
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101 older if we came so
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102 everyone didn’t just think we were kids."
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103 "That’s what you wanted it for? Then why are we here?" Hotaru asked,
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104 raising
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105 an eyebrow.
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106 Smiling, ChibiUsa responded, "I just wanted to sing."
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107 "Sing?" Hotaru raised an eyebrow. She did love ChibiUsa’s sweet, lilting
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108 voice.
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109 The pink haired girl did sing quietly from time to time, but Hotaru loved
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110 hearing her sing
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111 when they were together in the shower or when it was only the two of them at
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112 one of
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113 their homes. A smile formed across her lips. It would be nice to hear
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114 ChibiUsa sing here.
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115 Looking up to confirm that the stage had finally been vacated, ChibiUsa
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116 quickly
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117 stood up and took Hotaru’s hand. "Let’s go, Taru."
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118 Hotaru glanced up at the stage. "I’m not sure, Usa. Not in front of
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119 everybody."
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120 "But you’ve been playing your violin in front of people for a while now,"
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121 ChibiUsa argued.
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122 "That’s different."
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123 ChibiUsa tugged at Hotaru’s hand again, trying to bring the dark haired
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124 girl with
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125 her. "How’s that?"
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126 "Because I don’t have to sing when I’m playing the violin. Usa-chan, if you
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127 want to sing together, can’t we do that at my house? We can wait until
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128 everybody else is
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129 gone, like when Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama, and Sestuna-mama and Seiya go
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130 out.
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131 We’d have the whole house to ourselves, so we could sing a duet, or I could
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132 accompany
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133 you on the violin. Whatever you want. I just don’t want to sing in front of
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134 all these
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135 people." Hotaru looked nervously up at ChibiUsa. She never did feel
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136 comfortable with
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137 large groups of people. It just reinforced how shy she already was.
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138 The pink haired girl finally gave a defeated sigh. "Alright." Winking to
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139 Hotaru,
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140 ChibiUsa continued up to the stage.
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141 Hotaru stared on as ChibiUsa took the microphone. ‘What’s she doing?’
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142 Hotaru
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143 asked herself. She admitted to herself that ChibiUsa had been acting a bit
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144 strange tonight.
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145 And she didn’t think the other girl was telling the whole truth about why
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146 she wanted them
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147 to look different. Maybe so no one would wind up recognizing them. But why?
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148 ChibiUsa’s voice over the speakers shook Hotaru from her thoughts. She kept
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149 her eyes on
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150 the pink haired girl, wondering what she was thinking.
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151 "Hello, everyone. Before I start, I’d like to dedicate this song to the
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152 beautiful
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153 girl up front." Smiling mischievously, ChibiUsa pointed to where Hotaru was
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154 sitting.
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155 "Taru, you make everyday a dream. A dream that I never want to end. I love
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156 you, Taru-
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157 chan."
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158 Hotaru sat in stunned silence, her normally pale cheeks blushed a deep red.
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159 What had gotten into ChibiUsa? The other girl was usually rather shy and
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160 reserved about
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161 their relationship in public. After Hotaru’s harsh life the first time
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162 around on earth and
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163 her more loving second time growing up, she tried not to care what other
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164 people thought
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165 about the two of them being in love. With how ChibiUsa had been acting
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166 lately, maybe
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167 she was coming to understand how Hotaru felt about their relationship. That
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168 there wasn’t
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169 a need to hide it.
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170 ChibiUsa continued to sing, directing it to Hotaru. Hotaru received some
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171 odd
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172 stares, but she didn’t notice. She was to intent on the future princess on
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173 the stage. She
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174 may not have been the best singer, but that hardly mattered to Hotaru. She
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175 felt like
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176 everything the pink haired girl sang was directly to her.
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177 The pink haired girl’s eyes met Hotaru’s, her sweet voice ringing forth.
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178
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179 "No good! No good! No good" you said,
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180 When your spirits were low, but
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181 I am now at your side, so
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182 It's surely, surely, positively all
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183 right!
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184
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185 Even if we're nothing but failures,
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186 We won't just be downhearted NO! NO!
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187 We just lost by a little bit...
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188 Forget all about those meanies!
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189 If we believe in pleasant things, then
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190 Even if night comes, we won't be afraid
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191 of it;
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192 We know morning, morning, is getting
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193 near, and so
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194 It's not at all a big deal, right?
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195
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196 Now, even if we're a pair of fraidycats,
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197 Don't be worried at all, NO! NO!
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198 I'm giving a kiss to those eyelids
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199 Brimming with tears (smack!)
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200 Tomorrow, our wishes certainly will come
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201 true!
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202 The things we'd like so much will happen,
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203 We'll say BYE-BYE to failures like these.
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204 I've said it! I've said it! It'll
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205 absolutely be all right!
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206
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207 As for being down-hearted and moping,
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208 Giving in to these feelings too easily
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209 Is obviously a big mistake;
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210 Don't give up on our important dreams!
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211 If we believe in cheerful things,
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212 Even if it gets cold, it will not be
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213 painful;
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214 We know spring, spring, is getting near,
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215 and so
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216 It's not at all a big deal, right?
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217
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218 Now, even if we're a pair of crybabies,
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219 Don't be worried at all, NO! NO!
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220 I'm giving a kiss to those cheeks
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221 Dripping with tears (smack!)
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222 Tomorrow will be much more wonderful!
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223 The wishes we most desire will be
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224 granted,
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225 We'll say BYE-BYE to anxieties like
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226 these.
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227 I've said it! I've said it! It'll
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228 absolutely be all right!
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229
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230 Finally, the music ended and ChibiUsa made her way off the stage. Hotaru
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231 threw her arms around the other girl as soon as she was down. "Odango-chan,
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232 I love you,
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233 too." They nearly stumbled, but ChibiUsa managed to lean against a table for
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234 support.
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235 She smiled and returned the embrace. "But why did..." Hotaru’s question lay
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236 unfinished
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237 as ChibiUsa’s soft lips delved upon Hotaru’s. "Let’s go, Usa," Hotaru said
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238 after they
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239 broke the kiss. She noticed some of the attention they were getting and
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240 didn’t want to
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241 stick around for too much longer.
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242 "Hai," ChibiUsa agreed. The two quickly headed around the side and to the
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243 entrance, careful not to attract any more attention. Finally exiting the
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244 building, ChibiUsa
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245 released a deep breath. "Next time we’ll just sing at your place."
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246 Hotaru smiled warmly at her lover. "Good idea." Her arm went around
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247 ChibiUsa’s waist as they began to walk along.
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248
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249 While strolling slowly through the park, the two women held each other
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250 lovingly. Neither seemed to notice the cold night air or the dark clouds
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251 forming overhead.
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252 They looked at each other, the silence around them only broken by the sound
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253 of
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254 breathing. ChibiUsa’s arms went to Hotaru’s sides, drawing her close,
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255 exactly where
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256 ChibiUsa wanted her. Hotaru gave an ‘oh’ of surprise before putting her own
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257 hands on
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258 ChibiUsa’s shoulders.
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259 "Are you mad?" ChibiUsa asked concernedly.
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260 "Why would I be?" Hotaru blinked in confusion.
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261 "Well, what I did back there. I shouldn’t have embarrassed you in front of
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262 everybody. I just wasn’t thinking," ChibiUsa said apologetically.
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263 Hotaru brought her hand up to ChibiUsa’s warm cheek. "Odango-chan, don’t
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264 worry about that. I was... shocked, but I was happy. I never thought you
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265 would do
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266 something like that in front of anyone."
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267 ChibiUsa could see Hotaru smile in the dim light. "They didn’t know us
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268 anyway. Why worry what they think, right?" she asked a little awkwardly as
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269 if still a bit
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270 unsure herself.
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271 Hotaru shook her head. "No reason to worry about them. I love you and you
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272 love me. That’s all that matters."
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273 ChibiUsa nodded. "Hai. I think I learned something tonight, too."
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274 Hotaru’s heart rose. Maybe ChibiUsa finally had learned that it was okay
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275 for
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276 them to be in love, that she didn’t need to hide it from everyone. "What’s
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277 that?"
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278 "I learned that its alright to embarrass you in public as long as we kiss
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279 afterwards," ChibiUsa gave the dark haired girl a wink.
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280 "Odango-chan..." Hotaru stared at the pink haired girl, a sweatdrop
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281 forming.
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282 "That’s not what I wanted you to learn."
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283 ChibiUsa giggled. "Oh well. At least I’m prepared for next time."
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284 "If.." Hotaru began.
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285 "When.." ChibiUsa interrupted.
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286 "there’s a next time," they finished.
|
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rlm@2
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287 Hotaru sighed and brushed some of ChibiUsa’s long pink hair back. "What did
|
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rlm@2
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288 you and your mom talk about after Rei and I left?"
|
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rlm@2
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289 "Oh, this and that. I’m feeling a lot better now that she knows. I may not
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rlm@2
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290 say it
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rlm@2
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291 often, but I really can see that she’s my mother. I kind of miss not having
|
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rlm@2
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292 been able to see
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rlm@2
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293 her in so long, so I’ve been thinking of Usagi as her more and more, even
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rlm@2
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294 though she
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rlm@2
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295 hasn’t had me yet." ChibiUsa looked thoughtful. "I really think my mom knew
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rlm@2
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296 I’d fall in
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rlm@2
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297 love with you when she sent me back to train as Sailorchibimoon."
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rlm@2
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298 "Maybe that’s why she sent you to train in the past in the first place,"
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rlm@2
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299 Hotaru
|
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rlm@2
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300 said, smiling.
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rlm@2
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301 "I’m not sure. But I do think she already knew." ChibiUsa’s eyes widened as
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302 she
|
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rlm@2
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303 remembered something suddenly. "Oh yeah! Usagi said she was pregnant."
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rlm@2
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304 Hotaru looked at the pink haired girl in shock. "She’s pregnant?" ChibiUsa
|
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rlm@2
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305 nodded. "Its you," Hotaru said joyously. "She’s pregnant with you, isn’t
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rlm@2
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306 she?"
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rlm@2
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307 ChibiUsa shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. Its strange. My mom’s pregnant with
|
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rlm@2
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308 me and I’m around to see it. It all happened so fast. I’d almost forgotten
|
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rlm@2
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309 about going back
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rlm@2
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310 to the future, but its almost time for me too."
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rlm@2
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311 Hotaru shook her head emphatically. "No, we can’t leave until after you’re
|
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rlm@2
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312 born.
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rlm@2
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313 I want to see you as a baby. I want to be here when your born."
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rlm@2
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314 ChibiUsa laughed nervously. "Hotaru-chan, I can show you pictures of me as
|
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rlm@2
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315 a
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rlm@2
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316 baby when we get to the future."
|
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rlm@2
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317 "That’s not the same thing. And its only fair. You got to see me as a baby
|
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rlm@2
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318 when
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rlm@2
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319 I was reborn. I want to be here to see you. I’m sure Usagi would be a lot
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rlm@2
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320 happier if you
|
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rlm@2
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321 were here while she was pregnant," Hotaru argued.
|
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rlm@2
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322 ChibiUsa was uneasy about the thought of staying around while her mother
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rlm@2
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323 was
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rlm@2
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324 pregnant with her, but Hotaru did have a point. Usagi had a lot going on
|
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rlm@2
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325 right now and it
|
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rlm@2
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326 might be easier for her if she stayed. Usagi was pregnant with her, having
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rlm@2
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327 trouble with
|
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rlm@2
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328 Mamoru, and in the midst of falling in love with Rei. With Kousagi back in
|
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rlm@2
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329 the past,
|
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rlm@2
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330 there were added problems. "Well, alright. Unless Puu says we need to go
|
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rlm@2
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331 back. Or
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rlm@2
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332 my mom sends for me. Or.."
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rlm@2
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333 Hotaru cut ChibiUsa off with a quick kiss. The small piece of heaven shared
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rlm@2
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334 between the two of them pushed back the other thoughts. "Thanks, ChibiUsa,"
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rlm@2
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335 Hotaru said quietly. The two girls ever so slowly started leaning towards
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rlm@2
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336 each other.
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rlm@2
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337 Hotaru couldn’t think of anything other than the other girl’s soft, red
|
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rlm@2
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338 lips. Barely inches
|
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rlm@2
|
339 away from each other, a voice broke through the cloudy haze they were both
|
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rlm@2
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340 in.
|
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rlm@2
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341 "SO that’s what you two were up to." PallaPalla stood a few feet away,
|
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rlm@2
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342 staring
|
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rlm@2
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343 at the two girls. She wrinkled her brow as she got a closer look of the two
|
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rlm@2
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344 of them "Why
|
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rlm@2
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345 are you two dressed like that? It makes you look too old."
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rlm@2
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346 ChibiUsa sighed. "You think anything over fifteen is too old, PallaPalla."
|
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rlm@2
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347 PallaPalla just smiled. "Yep. That’s why PallaPalla’s here. PallaPalla
|
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rlm@2
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348 wanted to
|
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rlm@2
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349 help both of you."
|
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rlm@2
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350 Hotaru tilted her head to the side slightly. "You do? How’s that?"
|
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rlm@2
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351 "Of course PallaPalla does. ChibiUsa is our princess. You’re starting to
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rlm@2
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352 get older
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rlm@2
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353 than us, ChibiUsa-chan. We thought you’d want to be young forever like us,"
|
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rlm@2
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354 PallaPalla
|
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rlm@2
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355 explained.
|
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rlm@2
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356 "’We’?" ChibiUsa asked. "The rest of the Quartet are in on this?"
|
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rlm@2
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357 "Well, we all talked about you getting too old, but PallaPalla’s the only
|
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rlm@2
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358 one
|
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rlm@2
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359 doing anything about it." The blue haired amazoness smiled proudly.
|
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rlm@2
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360 "PallaPalla, we’re going to stop aging around twenty two already. That’s
|
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rlm@2
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361 what
|
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rlm@2
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362 age my mom and all the other senshi stopped aging at," ChibiUsa said.
|
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rlm@2
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363 PallaPalla shook her head in disgust. "Too old." She stuck both arms out in
|
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rlm@2
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364 front
|
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rlm@2
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365 of her and a billiard ball formed between her hands. Energy swirled around
|
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rlm@2
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366 it as she
|
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rlm@2
|
367 started concentrating.
|
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rlm@2
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368 "PallaPalla?" ChibiUsa said, pulling away from Hotaru and starting to walk
|
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rlm@2
|
369 towards the amazoness.
|
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rlm@2
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370 Too late. The ball shot out, whipping through the air. ChibiUsa gasped as
|
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rlm@2
|
371 she
|
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rlm@2
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372 saw it heading her way. She closed her eyes and held up her arms. She felt
|
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rlm@2
|
373 the wind as it
|
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rlm@2
|
374 flew right past. Behind her there was a large flash of light before all was
|
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rlm@2
|
375 silent. ‘It
|
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rlm@2
|
376 missed?’ ChibiUsa thought to herself. She wasn’t quite sure of what it would
|
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rlm@2
|
377 have done,
|
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rlm@2
|
378 but she was glad she hadn’t had to find out. "PallaPalla, I don’t want you
|
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rlm@2
|
379 to stop our
|
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rlm@2
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380 aging. I’m fine with how things are going. Right, Hotaru?" ChibiUsa asked,
|
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rlm@2
|
381 turning back
|
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rlm@2
|
382 towards the raven haired girl. She nearly lost her balance. Where Hotaru had
|
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rlm@2
|
383 been
|
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rlm@2
|
384 moments before, stood a child roughly the same age as their twin daughters.
|
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rlm@2
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385 Hotaru’s
|
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rlm@2
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386 dark purple long sleeved dress was draped around her. The little girl’s eyes
|
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rlm@2
|
387 were shut
|
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rlm@2
|
388 tightly. "Hotaru?" ChibiUsa whispered breathlessly.
|
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rlm@2
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389 Hotaru slowly opened her eyes. What happened? She felt a little strange.
|
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rlm@2
|
390 She
|
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rlm@2
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391 was dizzy from the energy ball hitting its target. Her dress felt way too
|
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rlm@2
|
392 big for her now,
|
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rlm@2
|
393 though she remembered thinking it was a size too small when she and ChibiUsa
|
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rlm@2
|
394 had gone
|
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rlm@2
|
395 shopping the week before. She could feel the cold grass under her bare feet,
|
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rlm@2
|
396 having
|
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rlm@2
|
397 stumbled out of her shoes. She blinked several times, trying to clear her
|
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rlm@2
|
398 blurred vision.
|
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rlm@2
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399 ChibiUsa was staring at her wide eyed and PallaPalla was waving her arms
|
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rlm@2
|
400 frantically,
|
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rlm@2
|
401 trying to apologize. Apologize for what? "ChibiUsa-chan?" Hotaru gasped as
|
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rlm@2
|
402 she heard
|
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rlm@2
|
403 her own voice. Now that she thought about it, ChibiUsa and PallaPalla looked
|
|
rlm@2
|
404 bigger,
|
|
rlm@2
|
405 too. What was going on?
|
|
rlm@2
|
406 "Oh, Hotaru-chan.." ChibiUsa said disparately. She quickly turned back to
|
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rlm@2
|
407 PallaPalla. "What happened?" she demanded.
|
|
rlm@2
|
408 "PallaPalla doesn’t know!" PallaPalla said apologetically. "PallaPalla was
|
|
rlm@2
|
409 trying
|
|
rlm@2
|
410 to stop her from aging so you two could stay this age. PallaPalla didn’t
|
|
rlm@2
|
411 mean for that to
|
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rlm@2
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412 happen. PallaPalla’s so sorry, Small Lady."
|
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rlm@2
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413 ChibiUsa took several deep breaths before saying anything. "Change her
|
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rlm@2
|
414 back."
|
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rlm@2
|
415 PallaPalla held her arms out helplessly. "PallaPalla can’t," she said
|
|
rlm@2
|
416 quietly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
417 "You can’t," ChibiUsa repeated. "You can’t?" she said again, the reality of
|
|
rlm@2
|
418 the
|
|
rlm@2
|
419 situation dawning on her. "Why not?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
420 "PallaPalla just can’t. It was supposed to stop all outside forces from
|
|
rlm@2
|
421 aging you.
|
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rlm@2
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422 So PallaPalla can’t do anything to fix it," PallaPalla explained hesitantly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
423 ChibIUsa turned back to Hotaru hopelessly. "Hotaru-chan," she said softly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
424 "What’s going on?" Hotaru asked, getting angry that neither was telling
|
|
rlm@2
|
425 her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
426 "There is something PallaPalla can do," PallaPalla began.
|
|
rlm@2
|
427 "What?" ChibiUsa asked eagerly. "What can you do? Anything."
|
|
rlm@2
|
428 "I could complete the spell so she’s a baby."
|
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rlm@2
|
429 ChibiUsa stared at the blue haired girl. "What good would that do?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
430 "Since Usagi’s pregnant with you, you’ll be born about nine months from
|
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rlm@2
|
431 now.
|
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rlm@2
|
432 If Hotaru’s a baby starting now, she’ll only be about a year older than you.
|
|
rlm@2
|
433 So when you
|
|
rlm@2
|
434 go back to the future, she’ll be just a little older than you." PallaPalla
|
|
rlm@2
|
435 smiled, glad that
|
|
rlm@2
|
436 she’d come up with a solution. She’d been jumping along through the trees to
|
|
rlm@2
|
437 meet up
|
|
rlm@2
|
438 with them, so she’d heard ChibiUsa talking about Usagi’s pregnancy.
|
|
rlm@2
|
439 Hotaru trudged along towards ChibiUsa, the dress flailing around her.
|
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rlm@2
|
440 ChibiUsa
|
|
rlm@2
|
441 was starting to seem a whole lot taller than her. Bending down, ChibiUsa
|
|
rlm@2
|
442 lifted her up in
|
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rlm@2
|
443 her arms. Hotaru gasped as she felt the pink haired girl pick her up.
|
|
rlm@2
|
444 "No! You can’t do that. We’ve got to find a way to make Hota-chan her
|
|
rlm@2
|
445 normal
|
|
rlm@2
|
446 age again," ChibiUsa said worriedly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
447 ‘Normal age? Is that it? Oh no.. Am I a kid again?’ Hotaru asked herself. A
|
|
rlm@2
|
448 wave of sadness passed through her at the thought of having to grow up yet
|
|
rlm@2
|
449 again.
|
|
rlm@2
|
450 "ChibiUsa-chan, how old am I?" Hotaru asked, looking directly at the pink
|
|
rlm@2
|
451 haired girl.
|
|
rlm@2
|
452 ChibiUsa looked back at her sadly. "I’m so sorry, Taru. I’d guess five or
|
|
rlm@2
|
453 six."
|
|
rlm@2
|
454 "Well, PallaPalla thought it was a good idea," PallaPalla said to no one in
|
|
rlm@2
|
455 particular.
|
|
rlm@2
|
456 "I’m not going to let you make her a baby," ChibiUsa said angrily. "It was
|
|
rlm@2
|
457 bad
|
|
rlm@2
|
458 enough she was taken from me the last time that happened. I’m not gonna let
|
|
rlm@2
|
459 it happen
|
|
rlm@2
|
460 again."
|
|
rlm@2
|
461 PallaPalla stared at the ground. "PallaPalla’s sorry Hotaru-chan,
|
|
rlm@2
|
462 ChibiUsa-chan.
|
|
rlm@2
|
463 There’s nothing PallaPalla can do about it now."
|
|
rlm@2
|
464 ChibiUsa felt her temper flaring. A mixture of anger, sadness, and
|
|
rlm@2
|
465 hopelessness
|
|
rlm@2
|
466 coursed through her veins. "No, you have to do something," she continued
|
|
rlm@2
|
467 desperately.
|
|
rlm@2
|
468 Hotaru shook her head sadly. "No, ChibiUsa-chan. There’s nothing she can
|
|
rlm@2
|
469 do."
|
|
rlm@2
|
470 The blue haired amazoness paused for a brief moment before starting to walk
|
|
rlm@2
|
471 away. She felt bad about her mistake, but what could she do? She just hoped
|
|
rlm@2
|
472 the other
|
|
rlm@2
|
473 three amazoness wouldn’t be mad at her. She’d already disappointed her
|
|
rlm@2
|
474 princess and
|
|
rlm@2
|
475 Hotaru. She didn’t want everyone mad at her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
476 "What do we do now?" ChibiUsa asked, her voice low.
|
|
rlm@2
|
477 "Go home," Hotaru suggested. "We’d have to go eventually and we might as
|
|
rlm@2
|
478 well get it out of the way now."
|
|
rlm@2
|
479 ChibiUsa nodded. "I’m so sorry, Hotaru-chan."
|
|
rlm@2
|
480 Hotaru swallowed a lump forming in her throat. "Don’t be, ChibiUsa-chan.
|
|
rlm@2
|
481 Its
|
|
rlm@2
|
482 not your fault."
|
|
rlm@2
|
483 "Thanks, Taru." Setting Hotaru down, ChibiUsa pulled out the Luna Pen.
|
|
rlm@2
|
484 Using
|
|
rlm@2
|
485 the pen she changed Hotaru’s dress into a much smaller dress for the now
|
|
rlm@2
|
486 younger girl.
|
|
rlm@2
|
487 Picking her back up, ChibiUsa took off for the mansion where Hotaru lived.
|
|
rlm@2
|
488 "Umm.. ChibiUsa, I can walk," Hotaru said after a minute.
|
|
rlm@2
|
489 "Oh yeah." ChibiUsa blushed in embarrassment and set the younger girl down.
|
|
rlm@2
|
490 Hotaru sighed as she had to reach up to hold the other girl’s hand.
|
|
rlm@2
|
491 Something
|
|
rlm@2
|
492 she did so often was now so totally different. The two walked on in silence
|
|
rlm@2
|
493 for a while,
|
|
rlm@2
|
494 both tormented by their own thoughts as they made their way to Hotaru’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
495 house.
|
|
rlm@2
|
496
|
|
rlm@2
|
497 Hotaru shivered as the cold when began to blow across her exposed skin.
|
|
rlm@2
|
498 Tiny
|
|
rlm@2
|
499 goosebumps formed from the chill. Tiny droplets of water had begun to fall
|
|
rlm@2
|
500 from the dark
|
|
rlm@2
|
501 clouds overhead. Hotaru was cold, wet, and miserable. A dark pit sunk in her
|
|
rlm@2
|
502 stomach
|
|
rlm@2
|
503 when she looked up at ChibiUsa. She had almost managed to forget how old she
|
|
rlm@2
|
504 was
|
|
rlm@2
|
505 while they had been walking along. The realization that she could be stuck
|
|
rlm@2
|
506 as a child
|
|
rlm@2
|
507 frightened her. Her small hand clutched ChibiUsa’s soft hand tightly, her
|
|
rlm@2
|
508 fingers
|
|
rlm@2
|
509 trembling lightly. She knew she shouldn’t be scared. ChibiUsa would be there
|
|
rlm@2
|
510 for her,
|
|
rlm@2
|
511 and Setsuna could probably find someway to fix things. But she couldn’t help
|
|
rlm@2
|
512 it. She was
|
|
rlm@2
|
513 afraid. What would happen now? Would she have to grow up again, wait those
|
|
rlm@2
|
514 long years
|
|
rlm@2
|
515 over again? The thought that frightened her the most was from what she’d
|
|
rlm@2
|
516 heard
|
|
rlm@2
|
517 PallaPalla say. Would she have to wait and grow up all over until she could
|
|
rlm@2
|
518 see ChibiUsa
|
|
rlm@2
|
519 again? If she was stuck as a child, would ChibiUsa have to go to the future
|
|
rlm@2
|
520 without her?
|
|
rlm@2
|
521 She would have to wait years to be together with ChibiUsa again if that
|
|
rlm@2
|
522 happened.
|
|
rlm@2
|
523 "Oh, Hota-chan," ChibiUsa said quietly, shaking the dark haired girl from
|
|
rlm@2
|
524 her
|
|
rlm@2
|
525 thoughts. ChibiUsa was kneeling in front of her, rain droplets dripping
|
|
rlm@2
|
526 across her
|
|
rlm@2
|
527 beautiful features, dripping off her chin. "It’s okay, Hota-chan. Please
|
|
rlm@2
|
528 don’t cry." The
|
|
rlm@2
|
529 pink haired girl’s fingertips brushed away sad tears that had begun falling
|
|
rlm@2
|
530 from Hotaru’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
531 large violet eyes. Hotaru hadn’t even realized they were there before that
|
|
rlm@2
|
532 moment.
|
|
rlm@2
|
533 ChibiUsa’s soft touch sent a spark of warmth through the younger girl’s cold
|
|
rlm@2
|
534 body. "I
|
|
rlm@2
|
535 promise it will be alright. Even if I have to go make PallaPalla do the same
|
|
rlm@2
|
536 thing to me,
|
|
rlm@2
|
537 just so we can stay together, that’s what we’ll do." The pink haired
|
|
rlm@2
|
538 princess smiled
|
|
rlm@2
|
539 lopsidedly. "We can go back to the future as little girls and grow up
|
|
rlm@2
|
540 together." She
|
|
rlm@2
|
541 brushed some damp hair away from Hotaru’s eyes and kissed her forehead
|
|
rlm@2
|
542 gingerly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
543 "ChibiUsa-chan.." Hotaru said, her voice choked off by the emotions she
|
|
rlm@2
|
544 felt.
|
|
rlm@2
|
545 She threw her small arms around the now taller girl’s waist, her head
|
|
rlm@2
|
546 resting against the
|
|
rlm@2
|
547 other girl. Sobs wracked her small form as ChibiUsa held her close. The fear
|
|
rlm@2
|
548 and sadness
|
|
rlm@2
|
549 she had felt were replaced by the warm feeling of love she had for her pink
|
|
rlm@2
|
550 haired
|
|
rlm@2
|
551 princess. She was still saddened by the whole ordeal, but she knew that
|
|
rlm@2
|
552 she’d be okay in
|
|
rlm@2
|
553 the solace of ChibiUsa’s arms.
|
|
rlm@2
|
554 "I’d never leave you, Hotaru-chan. Even if it was to wait for you to grow
|
|
rlm@2
|
555 up. If
|
|
rlm@2
|
556 it came down to it, I’d rather grow up with you." ChibiUsa sighed in relief
|
|
rlm@2
|
557 as she finally
|
|
rlm@2
|
558 managed to coax a smile from the younger girl. "I love you, you know."
|
|
rlm@2
|
559 Hotaru nodded, the wind ruffling her dark hair. "I know. I love you, too."
|
|
rlm@2
|
560 "There’s nothing for you to worry about, Hotaru-chan. We’ll find some way to
|
|
rlm@2
|
561 fix this," ChibiUsa said, locking her crimson eyes with Hotaru’s violet
|
|
rlm@2
|
562 ones. She took a
|
|
rlm@2
|
563 deep breath before continuing. "And if we can’t, don’t let it get to you.
|
|
rlm@2
|
564 I’ll always love
|
|
rlm@2
|
565 you. We’ll always be together. Remember that."
|
|
rlm@2
|
566 Hotaru nodded again. "Hai, I will." She buried her face in the soft material
|
|
rlm@2
|
567 of
|
|
rlm@2
|
568 ChibiUsa’s dress, the soft feel of the pink haired girl’s skin underneath.
|
|
rlm@2
|
569 Warm tears
|
|
rlm@2
|
570 mixed with the cold rain on the dress, but the tears slowly trickled to a
|
|
rlm@2
|
571 stop. Taking a step
|
|
rlm@2
|
572 back, Hotaru mustered a weak smile. "Thank you, Odango-chan."
|
|
rlm@2
|
573 ChibiUsa returned the smile. "Anytime, Taru. Now let’s get you home. Its
|
|
rlm@2
|
574 freezing out here."
|
|
rlm@2
|
575
|
|
rlm@2
|
576 Unbeknownst to the two girls, two shadowed figures had been watching from a
|
|
rlm@2
|
577 distance. The two mysterious figures held each other tightly in the rain.
|
|
rlm@2
|
578 Both appeared to
|
|
rlm@2
|
579 be around sixteen years old.
|
|
rlm@2
|
580 "That was surprising," one of them said, her dark hair done up in odangos
|
|
rlm@2
|
581 getting rather soaked in the rain. She turned to her companion.
|
|
rlm@2
|
582 "I had know idea that was going to happen. They had mentioned it before,
|
|
rlm@2
|
583 but I
|
|
rlm@2
|
584 didn’t know it would happen while we were back here. Maybe we should have
|
|
rlm@2
|
585 spent
|
|
rlm@2
|
586 more time researching everything," the other said. She pulled off her
|
|
rlm@2
|
587 glasses with a free
|
|
rlm@2
|
588 hand, the raindrops blurring her vision.
|
|
rlm@2
|
589 "We might be able to use it to our advantage," the odangoed one suggested.
|
|
rlm@2
|
590 The other girl ran a hand through her own damp, shorter hair. She thought
|
|
rlm@2
|
591 for a
|
|
rlm@2
|
592 moment. "Yeah, maybe we can. For now we’ll just have to watch. We’ll have to
|
|
rlm@2
|
593 wait for
|
|
rlm@2
|
594 the right time before we begin."
|
|
rlm@2
|
595 The girl with the odangos nodded. "Right. I can wait. I’m in no hurry as it
|
|
rlm@2
|
596 is."
|
|
rlm@2
|
597 Smiling, her shorter haired companion leaned closer, her lips almost
|
|
rlm@2
|
598 touching
|
|
rlm@2
|
599 the other girl’s. "Neither am I, if it means waiting with you."
|
|
rlm@2
|
600 The two girls continued to hold each other in the shadows as the rain
|
|
rlm@2
|
601 poured
|
|
rlm@2
|
602 around them.
|
|
rlm@2
|
603
|
|
rlm@2
|
604 As a flash of lightening illuminated the area around them, Hotaru was sure
|
|
rlm@2
|
605 she
|
|
rlm@2
|
606 saw two figures looking over at them. Before she could say anything, a loud
|
|
rlm@2
|
607 thunder clap
|
|
rlm@2
|
608 hit, the sound ringing in her ears. Suddenly, she felt ChibiUsa’s arms
|
|
rlm@2
|
609 encircle her,
|
|
rlm@2
|
610 drawing her near. Hotaru struggled to catch her breath as the older girl’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
611 arms squeezed
|
|
rlm@2
|
612 her. She could feel the pink haired girl’s rapid heartbeat against her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
613 Looking up, she saw
|
|
rlm@2
|
614 that ChibiUsa’s eyes were clenched closed. ChibiUsa’s normal warm complexion
|
|
rlm@2
|
615 was
|
|
rlm@2
|
616 now pale. She knew ChibiUsa had a fear of thunder, but she’d forgotten all
|
|
rlm@2
|
617 about it for
|
|
rlm@2
|
618 the moment. Hotaru felt awkward as she now tried to comfort the older girl.
|
|
rlm@2
|
619 "Its okay,
|
|
rlm@2
|
620 ChibiUsa-chan. It’s only a noise."
|
|
rlm@2
|
621 ChibiUsa took a shuddering breath, slowly opening her eyes. "I know.. Let’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
622 just hurry back to your place, alright?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
623 "Sure. We’re almost there, ChibiUsa-chan," Hotaru said soothingly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
624 ChibiUsa giggled nervously. "It’s really no big deal. It’s silly to be
|
|
rlm@2
|
625 afraid of
|
|
rlm@2
|
626 that." Another clap of thunder had her dragging Hotaru close in a tight
|
|
rlm@2
|
627 embrace again.
|
|
rlm@2
|
628 The pink haired girl shut her eyes as she waited for it to pass.
|
|
rlm@2
|
629
|
|
rlm@2
|
630 Over in the shadows, the girl with odangos shook her head. "Too bad she
|
|
rlm@2
|
631 never
|
|
rlm@2
|
632 gets over her fear of thunder."
|
|
rlm@2
|
633 The other girl laughed softly and put her glasses back on. "By then it’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
634 just an
|
|
rlm@2
|
635 excuse to clutch onto Hotaru."
|
|
rlm@2
|
636 "When you think about it that way.." the dark haired girl with odangos said
|
|
rlm@2
|
637 thoughtfully. Both girls stepped further back into the shadows as they
|
|
rlm@2
|
638 followed Hotaru
|
|
rlm@2
|
639 and ChibiUsa.
|
|
rlm@2
|
640
|
|
rlm@2
|
641
|
|
rlm@2
|
642 ChibiUsa and Hotaru sat on the bed in an uneasy silence. ChibiUsa wanted
|
|
rlm@2
|
643 desperately to comfort the now younger dark haired girl, but she didn’t know
|
|
rlm@2
|
644 what she
|
|
rlm@2
|
645 could say or do to help.
|
|
rlm@2
|
646 Hotaru looked helplessly down past her small feet to the floor. Everything
|
|
rlm@2
|
647 was
|
|
rlm@2
|
648 so much bigger now. Glancing sidelong at her girlfriend, she felt a stab of
|
|
rlm@2
|
649 pain in her
|
|
rlm@2
|
650 heart. The pink haired girl was so much older than her now. She was only a
|
|
rlm@2
|
651 child.
|
|
rlm@2
|
652 "Odango-chan?" Hotaru’s small voice piped up.
|
|
rlm@2
|
653 Turning at the sound, ChibiUsa’s arm went around the smaller girl, pulling
|
|
rlm@2
|
654 her
|
|
rlm@2
|
655 closer. "Yes, Hotaru-chan?" She could see the hopeless look in Hotaru’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
656 eyes, the
|
|
rlm@2
|
657 defeated slump of her shoulders. It crushed ChibiUsa to see the dark haired
|
|
rlm@2
|
658 girl like that.
|
|
rlm@2
|
659 She took Hotaru’s small hand in her own, trying to comfort her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
660 "Would you really have PallaPalla do the same thing to you if we couldn’t
|
|
rlm@2
|
661 find a
|
|
rlm@2
|
662 way to fix this?" Hotaru looked up at the pink haired girl worriedly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
663 ChibiUsa smiled and squeezed Hotaru’s hand gently. "Of course, Taru. You
|
|
rlm@2
|
664 shouldn’t have to go through this by yourself. And I wouldn’t mind the
|
|
rlm@2
|
665 chance to grow
|
|
rlm@2
|
666 up with you. Besides, maybe it’ll help me be more ladylike when I get older
|
|
rlm@2
|
667 if I have to
|
|
rlm@2
|
668 go through being a kid again." She giggled softly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
669 "But isn’t it better this way? If I’m changed back into a baby, then I can
|
|
rlm@2
|
670 grow
|
|
rlm@2
|
671 up. When Usagi has you, I’ll only be a year older than you." Hotaru tried to
|
|
rlm@2
|
672 smile, but it
|
|
rlm@2
|
673 failed to reach her eyes.
|
|
rlm@2
|
674 ChibiUsa shook her head firmly. "No. Either you get to come back with me to
|
|
rlm@2
|
675 the future or I’m staying here with you."
|
|
rlm@2
|
676 "But you’re the princess of Crystal Tokyo," Hotaru argued.
|
|
rlm@2
|
677 ChibiUsa smiled. Leaning forward, she softly kissed Hotaru’s cheek. "That
|
|
rlm@2
|
678 doesn’t matter. I love you. I want to be with you. No matter where it is.
|
|
rlm@2
|
679 And if that means
|
|
rlm@2
|
680 as five year olds growing up again, then that’s fine."
|
|
rlm@2
|
681 "Oh, ChibiUsa-chan!" Hotaru stood up shakily on the bed, hugging the pink
|
|
rlm@2
|
682 haired girl as tightly as she could. ChibiUsa’s arms wrapped around the
|
|
rlm@2
|
683 smaller girl,
|
|
rlm@2
|
684 drawing her close. They stayed that way for a long time.
|
|
rlm@2
|
685 ChibiUsa finally spoke up, breaking the silence that had once again
|
|
rlm@2
|
686 enveloped
|
|
rlm@2
|
687 the room. "It doesn’t matter to me what age you are, Taru-chan. It hasn’t
|
|
rlm@2
|
688 changed the fact
|
|
rlm@2
|
689 that I still love you. With all my heart." She added with a slight smile,
|
|
rlm@2
|
690 "It was strange
|
|
rlm@2
|
691 enough to find out I was in love with my best friend, let alone a girl at
|
|
rlm@2
|
692 that. Do you think
|
|
rlm@2
|
693 this would change things?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
694 Hotaru’s head rested against ChibiUsa’s shoulder. She shook her head
|
|
rlm@2
|
695 slowly. "I
|
|
rlm@2
|
696 was just scared. My body’s so different now. I’m a little girl. I’ll have to
|
|
rlm@2
|
697 wait to grow up
|
|
rlm@2
|
698 all over again. I didn’t know what would happen with us. I know you’d still
|
|
rlm@2
|
699 love me, but
|
|
rlm@2
|
700 I didn’t know if you’d leave for the future, when I’ll be older. Its got to
|
|
rlm@2
|
701 be hard having a
|
|
rlm@2
|
702 girlfriend that’s ten years younger than you."
|
|
rlm@2
|
703 ChibiUsa winked at the dark haired girl. "I’ll manage. I’m not the one who
|
|
rlm@2
|
704 has
|
|
rlm@2
|
705 to grow up again. Yet, at least. Think about it this way, though. You’ll be
|
|
rlm@2
|
706 able to
|
|
rlm@2
|
707 understand the twins better."
|
|
rlm@2
|
708 Hotaru giggled softly. She sighed as she looked into ChibiUsa’s warm
|
|
rlm@2
|
709 crimson
|
|
rlm@2
|
710 eyes. A small hand rested on ChibiUsa’s cheek. "Thank you, Odango-chan."
|
|
rlm@2
|
711 "I want you to be happy, my Firefly. I’ll help you through this. I
|
|
rlm@2
|
712 promise."
|
|
rlm@2
|
713 ChibiUsa brushed her hand through Hotaru’s dark, raven hair. She hesitated
|
|
rlm@2
|
714 for just a
|
|
rlm@2
|
715 second before kissing Hotaru.
|
|
rlm@2
|
716 Hotaru closed her eyes, pretending everything was back to normal, that
|
|
rlm@2
|
717 everything was right with the world. Her heart sang out as she kissed the
|
|
rlm@2
|
718 pink haired girl
|
|
rlm@2
|
719 back. "I love you," she said quietly as she rested her head on ChibiUsa’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
720 shoulder again.
|
|
rlm@2
|
721 Shortly afterward, Hotaru fell asleep in the pink haired girl’s arms.
|
|
rlm@2
|
722
|
|
rlm@2
|
723
|
|
rlm@2
|
724 "I want to dream nice dreams..."
|
|
rlm@2
|
725 Beautiful eyelids fluttered open, casting butterfly shadows across pale
|
|
rlm@2
|
726 skin. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
727 figure seemed
|
|
rlm@2
|
728 to clutch around her, praying for something to come into contact with those
|
|
rlm@2
|
729 long fingers.
|
|
rlm@2
|
730 She
|
|
rlm@2
|
731 sat upright, fabric spilling away from her frame like silk, coming to rest
|
|
rlm@2
|
732 near her waist.
|
|
rlm@2
|
733 Nightclothes clung to her, and she reached one hand to peel them away. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
734 other
|
|
rlm@2
|
735 reached up to
|
|
rlm@2
|
736 brush a wispy strand of green and brown hair from her face.
|
|
rlm@2
|
737 "I want to dream nice dreams..."
|
|
rlm@2
|
738 She opened her eyes wider, as if astounded at the quiet whispering. Green
|
|
rlm@2
|
739 eyes
|
|
rlm@2
|
740 went wide, then
|
|
rlm@2
|
741 narrowed, as if suspicious of where the voice had originated from. Small
|
|
rlm@2
|
742 rosebud lips
|
|
rlm@2
|
743 parted,
|
|
rlm@2
|
744 then quietly said, "What?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
745 "I want to dream nice dreams..."
|
|
rlm@2
|
746 The whispering had become almost a pleading, and this small figure seemed
|
|
rlm@2
|
747 to almost
|
|
rlm@2
|
748 jump from
|
|
rlm@2
|
749 her bed. She searched with trained eyes over her surroundings, padding
|
|
rlm@2
|
750 across the floor
|
|
rlm@2
|
751 with
|
|
rlm@2
|
752 bare feet almost noiselessly. She turned at a small sobbing sound, long
|
|
rlm@2
|
753 braids with
|
|
rlm@2
|
754 woven hair
|
|
rlm@2
|
755 swinging, almost deadly. When she saw the almost pathetic figure swinging
|
|
rlm@2
|
756 on a lone
|
|
rlm@2
|
757 circus swing,
|
|
rlm@2
|
758 her heart just about melted.
|
|
rlm@2
|
759 "I want to dream nice dreams..."
|
|
rlm@2
|
760 With barely an effort, the lean arms hoisted the figure up on the ladder.
|
|
rlm@2
|
761 With a
|
|
rlm@2
|
762 cat-like grace
|
|
rlm@2
|
763 she climbed up to meet this sobbing figure that had caused her to rouse from
|
|
rlm@2
|
764 a tormented
|
|
rlm@2
|
765 sleep.
|
|
rlm@2
|
766 She reached her, easing her out of the swing and onto the platform. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
767 girl before her
|
|
rlm@2
|
768 was
|
|
rlm@2
|
769 clutching her knees, rocking back and forth, eyes glazed over and unseeing.
|
|
rlm@2
|
770 Her mouth
|
|
rlm@2
|
771 was
|
|
rlm@2
|
772 quivering, and so were the pale limbs of the body it was joined to.
|
|
rlm@2
|
773 Suddenly, her head
|
|
rlm@2
|
774 shot
|
|
rlm@2
|
775 upward, turning toward this tall figure who had taken her from her
|
|
rlm@2
|
776 sanctuary. Blue eyes
|
|
rlm@2
|
777 were
|
|
rlm@2
|
778 questioning, quivering...but all she could utter from that perfect mouth
|
|
rlm@2
|
779 was...
|
|
rlm@2
|
780 "I want to dream nice dreams..." and she wrapped her arms around this
|
|
rlm@2
|
781 figure
|
|
rlm@2
|
782 standing by her
|
|
rlm@2
|
783 side, pulling her down. "Oh, JunJun, I want to dream nice dreams..."
|
|
rlm@2
|
784 "I know," the savior said, wrapping thin arms around this petite
|
|
rlm@2
|
785 blue-haired
|
|
rlm@2
|
786 child. "I know,
|
|
rlm@2
|
787 PallaPalla." The embrace tightened. "I do too. We all do."
|
|
rlm@2
|
788 "Help me dream nice dreams, JunJun." Oh, how those peircing blue eyes
|
|
rlm@2
|
789 could
|
|
rlm@2
|
790 envelop all who
|
|
rlm@2
|
791 stared them. "Please..."
|
|
rlm@2
|
792 Baffled, she stared into the depths of blue, knowing she was trapped.
|
|
rlm@2
|
793 "I...I don't
|
|
rlm@2
|
794 know how..."
|
|
rlm@2
|
795 "I know I could dreams nice dreams, JunJun..." she continued on, as if she
|
|
rlm@2
|
796 hadn't
|
|
rlm@2
|
797 heard a word
|
|
rlm@2
|
798 the other woman had said. "If I had only one thing..."
|
|
rlm@2
|
799 "What's that?" The words themselves seemed heavy...
|
|
rlm@2
|
800 "If I could just..." an embarrassed giggle. "Have you."
|
|
rlm@2
|
801 A long moment of silence followed. The words seemed to hang in the air,
|
|
rlm@2
|
802 cling
|
|
rlm@2
|
803 to every shred of
|
|
rlm@2
|
804 dignity both girls possessed. And the next noise was only a slight brushing
|
|
rlm@2
|
805 of lips upon
|
|
rlm@2
|
806 lips,
|
|
rlm@2
|
807 and the next a breathless gasp.
|
|
rlm@2
|
808 *Oh, if only we could dream nice dreams...*
|
|
rlm@2
|
809 The joy of sweet kisses, one following the other - so precisely placed on
|
|
rlm@2
|
810 tender lips, as if
|
|
rlm@2
|
811 purely made for mounting pleasure upon pleasure.
|
|
rlm@2
|
812
|
|
rlm@2
|
813 It was still dark when ChibiUsa woke up the next morning. But that wasn’t
|
|
rlm@2
|
814 really a surprise. Even with all the lamps, Hotaru’s room seemed perpetually
|
|
rlm@2
|
815 dark. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
816 pink haired girl didn’t mind. She found the room romantic. A long yawn
|
|
rlm@2
|
817 escaped her lips
|
|
rlm@2
|
818 as she tried to sit up, but something seemed to be stopping her. She moved a
|
|
rlm@2
|
819 little at first,
|
|
rlm@2
|
820 testing. Her arm brushed what felt like a leg, and someone was holding on to
|
|
rlm@2
|
821 her other
|
|
rlm@2
|
822 arm. Looking down, she saw three young girls in the bed with her. For a
|
|
rlm@2
|
823 moment her
|
|
rlm@2
|
824 mind froze, wondering what could be going on. Panic started to edge in on
|
|
rlm@2
|
825 her sleep
|
|
rlm@2
|
826 blurred mind, but things slowly started coming back to her. These were her
|
|
rlm@2
|
827 daughters, her
|
|
rlm@2
|
828 and Hotaru’s. They had come back from the future to spend some time with
|
|
rlm@2
|
829 them. They
|
|
rlm@2
|
830 must have snuck into bed after she fell asleep. But one of them was Hotaru.
|
|
rlm@2
|
831 That
|
|
rlm@2
|
832 depressing thought woke her up fully. It took her a moment in the dim light
|
|
rlm@2
|
833 to pick out
|
|
rlm@2
|
834 which was Hotaru, the dark haired girl holding tightly onto her arm. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
835 smiled softly,
|
|
rlm@2
|
836 brushing back the girl’s raven hair before kissing her forehead.
|
|
rlm@2
|
837 After a long moment, ChibiUsa noticed her vision still wasn’t back to
|
|
rlm@2
|
838 normal,
|
|
rlm@2
|
839 even for the dim room. Reaching up, she giggled a little when she pulled
|
|
rlm@2
|
840 away a note
|
|
rlm@2
|
841 from her own forehead. In it, Setsuna told her she knew all about what
|
|
rlm@2
|
842 happened to
|
|
rlm@2
|
843 Hotaru and that she had explained it to Haruka and Michiru. The Senshi of
|
|
rlm@2
|
844 Time told her
|
|
rlm@2
|
845 not to worry, that she should have faith that it would work out. It also
|
|
rlm@2
|
846 mentioned that
|
|
rlm@2
|
847 Haruka and Michiru had left for the day and that she was going to have
|
|
rlm@2
|
848 breakfast at
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rlm@2
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849 Seiya’s, so ChibiUsa should have fun watching the kids. For some reason,
|
|
rlm@2
|
850 ChibiUsa was
|
|
rlm@2
|
851 sure the older Senshi had been laughing when she’d written that part.
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|
rlm@2
|
852 Realizing just how hungry she was, ChibiUsa took great difficulty in
|
|
rlm@2
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853 extricating
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rlm@2
|
854 herself from the bed. Finally free from the tangle of bodies, she looked
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rlm@2
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855 back at the bed,
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rlm@2
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856 trying to make sure that no one woke up. She sighed contentedly as she
|
|
rlm@2
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857 looked at what
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|
rlm@2
|
858 would one day be her family. Even the fact that Hotaru was a little girl
|
|
rlm@2
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859 didn’t seem so
|
|
rlm@2
|
860 bad after a good night sleep. And she did make a cute little girl.
|
|
rlm@2
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861 The future princess yawned as she walked downstairs, padding along barefoot
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rlm@2
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862 across the carpeted floor. She was wearing one of Hotaru’s nightgowns, she
|
|
rlm@2
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863 noticed. Her
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rlm@2
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864 mind raced with the possibilities of what may lay in the refrigerator, what
|
|
rlm@2
|
865 delicious
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|
rlm@2
|
866 breakfast could be in store for her. She smiled to herself, deciding to make
|
|
rlm@2
|
867 something for
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|
rlm@2
|
868 the twins and Hotaru while she was up. She paused at the foot of the stairs
|
|
rlm@2
|
869 when she
|
|
rlm@2
|
870 heard the doorbell ring. The sudden noise in the still, quiet morning
|
|
rlm@2
|
871 shocked her. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
872 stood still for a moment, waiting. Glad that it must have been nothing, she
|
|
rlm@2
|
873 turned to head
|
|
rlm@2
|
874 to the kitchen just as it rang again. She sighed, but headed for the door.
|
|
rlm@2
|
875 So much for
|
|
rlm@2
|
876 breakfast.
|
|
rlm@2
|
877 She stood in front of the door for a long moment, time seeming to freeze in
|
|
rlm@2
|
878 place. A pit formed in her stomach, as if opening that door might change
|
|
rlm@2
|
879 everything.
|
|
rlm@2
|
880 ‘That’s silly,’ she chided herself. Her hand nervously reached out for the
|
|
rlm@2
|
881 door knob,
|
|
rlm@2
|
882 stopping at the cold metal. She swallowed nervously. Why was this getting to
|
|
rlm@2
|
883 her? It was
|
|
rlm@2
|
884 probably just Setsuna or one of the others. The pink haired girl tried to
|
|
rlm@2
|
885 get a grip on the
|
|
rlm@2
|
886 door knob, but her sweaty palm made it hard to turn it. Glancing back
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|
rlm@2
|
887 towards the stairs,
|
|
rlm@2
|
888 she wished Hotaru to be there with her for some reason. Well, other than the
|
|
rlm@2
|
889 fact that she
|
|
rlm@2
|
890 -always- wanted Hotaru with her. She could hear the drizzling rain starting
|
|
rlm@2
|
891 to pick up as
|
|
rlm@2
|
892 the knocking increased.
|
|
rlm@2
|
893 Steeling herself for whatever lay beyond the door, hoping her nervousness
|
|
rlm@2
|
894 was
|
|
rlm@2
|
895 unfounded, ChibiUsa finally opened the door.
|
|
rlm@2
|
896
|
|
rlm@2
|
897
|
|
rlm@2
|
898 To be continued in the next story. Ja! ^-^
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