rlm@0: Hi. I have another ChibiUsa and Hotaru story here for you guys. ^^ While 
rlm@0: it is still not a hentai piece, it should be observed that the young 
rlm@0: adult ChibiUsa and Hotaru love each other deeply and it is best suitable 
rlm@0: for mature readers. Just so you would know.... otherwise, enjoy.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Disclaimer: I do not own ChibiUsa and Hotaru - they are copyrighted by 
rlm@0: the wonderful Sailor Moon artist, Naoko Takeuchi.  This is only a fan 
rlm@0: fiction, okay? ^^
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ***********************************************************************
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: I WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: By YaRassno (yup, it's still spelled this way! ^^)
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Readers take note: this story contains a few violent scenes and mature 
rlm@0: situations.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 	
rlm@0: ***********************************************************************
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Wake up, sleepyhead."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa grumbled, twisted away from the voice and burrowed deeper under 
rlm@0: the covers, not wanting to wake up.  "Go away, Diana-chan! I'll get up 
rlm@0: when I'm good and ready."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hey, come on!"  The voice said again, poking her in the side.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "All right, all right, don't tell me you're hungry already!  I just fed 
rlm@0: you some snacks a while ago.  Diana-chan, how if I scratch behind your 
rlm@0: ears, will you go away and leave me alone?" Even as she finished speaking, 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa put her hand out from beneath the blanket. Almost instantly it 
rlm@0: was clasped in someone else's hands and pressed against something soft.  
rlm@0: It was not her cat at all.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I'm not Diana," the voice laughed, "And I've already eaten!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Nani?"  ChibiUsa poked her head up from the depths of the bed. "Hotaru-
rlm@0: chan?  What are you doing in my bedroom?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "YOUR bedroom?"  Hotaru gazed at her with amusement. "Well, ChibiUsa-chan, 
rlm@0: you're not in Crystal Tokyo now!"  The tall thin girl, dressed as always 
rlm@0: in black, was holding ChibiUsa's hand tenderly against her breast. "I had 
rlm@0: half a mind to pull you right out of the bed if you are not up by noon, 
rlm@0: and it is already past ten minutes!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa frowned slightly, sat up and looked around. "Oh, that's right. I 
rlm@0: just got here yesterday. Okay," She fell back into the bed, then just as 
rlm@0: quickly she sat bolt upright again. "Wait a minute, what about your 
rlm@0: school?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Lucky for you, we are in the middle of a Christmas vacation right now.  
rlm@0: You have arrived just in time - No school for a week!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh, that's right. I forgot about that. What a relief," ChibiUsa plopped 
rlm@0: back in the bed, "Now I can go back to sleep!"  But Hotaru, still holding 
rlm@0: her hand, pulled her back to her sitting position again. 	
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Not a chance! You're getting out of bed, and that's it!" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Aw, Hotaru-chan!" ChibiUsa griped, but she complied anyways and stood on 
rlm@0: the floor, shivering from the morning chill because she was not wearing 
rlm@0: anything on her.  Hotaru let go of her hand.  "Say, where is my duffel 
rlm@0: bag I brought over with me?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru pointed. "Right over there!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Arigato!"  ChibiUsa brushed the loose hair from her face and went to the 
rlm@0: corner where she had tossed her duffel bag and started rummaging around 
rlm@0: inside it. When she straightened up and turned, she saw Hotaru sitting on 
rlm@0: the edge of the bed and gazing lovingly at her.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Welcome back, my princess. You look even more beautiful each time I see 
rlm@0: you!" Seeing a light blush on ChibiUsa's cheeks Hotaru chuckled. "Well, 
rlm@0: that's true.  And I'm really glad you came all the way from Crystal Tokyo 
rlm@0: to stay with me for a while," she said, "I'll tell you, every time you 
rlm@0: went away for a few months I missed you terribly. Whenever you are gone I 
rlm@0: thought about you all the time!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa smiled. "Me too, Hotaru-chan," She went over and kissed Hotaru 
rlm@0: softly on the lips. "I think about you every day, even in my dreams. So I 
rlm@0: just decided to sneak off and see you again!" She shrugged sheepishly. 
rlm@0: "Although I unknowingly arrived right in the middle of the Christmas 
rlm@0: season!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "But it's a perfect timing!" Hotaru exclaimed happily. "I was just 
rlm@0: wishing the other day you would be here to celebrate Christmas with me 
rlm@0: and my parents this year, and when you turned up suddenly at our door 
rlm@0: yesterday night I am truly delighted!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Yeah, and Haruka and Michiru were so surprised to see me so soon," 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa said with a small laugh.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Well, I'm happy to see you again anyway. It's going to be so much fun, 
rlm@0: now that you are here with me!" Hotaru put her arms around the pink-
rlm@0: haired princess and hugged her warmly. "Then again I'm always happy 
rlm@0: whenever you travel back here to visit me...again and again! I just wish 
rlm@0: you could stay with me - permanently!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I wish I could, Hotaru-chan, but Puu probably won't let me stay too long. 
rlm@0: Neither would my mother...Whoop!" ChibiUsa stepped back and clutched at 
rlm@0: her loudly rumbling stomach. "Guess I'm starving!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru chuckled.  "That's what you got for skipping breakfast. Okay, I'll 
rlm@0: see what I can cook up for you for lunch."  Suddenly her face brightened, 
rlm@0: "Hey, I have an even better idea! We can go downtown and get something to 
rlm@0: eat. My treat. How does it sound?" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Great!" ChibiUsa said happily.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Good. Go get dressed. Or you can help yourself to some of my clothes in 
rlm@0: the closet. I don't mind.  I'll be downstairs waiting for you!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hotaru-chan?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hai, ChibiUsa-chan?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I was thinking - could we stop by at the Tsukino house first? I'd like 
rlm@0: to see Usagi again." ChibiUsa asked tentatively. "I never got a chance to 
rlm@0: see Usagi and her family while I was here the last time, and I just 
rlm@0: wanted to see how she is doing."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru thought about it. "I'm not sure if she's still living with her 
rlm@0: family, and also it's a bit long way from here...but sure, we can go over 
rlm@0: there and say hello to Usagi!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa threw her arms around her dark-haired friend in a big hug.   
rlm@0: "Arigato!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 	
rlm@0:    		        ******************
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Some time later Hotaru and ChibiUsa (who managed to find some warm, 
rlm@0: light-colored clothes from the closet to wear) found themselves standing 
rlm@0: before the door at the Tsukino house, shivering because it *was* pretty 
rlm@0: long way getting there.  But neither complained, though.  Hotaru glanced 
rlm@0: at her young friend and noticed the nostalgic look in ChibiUsa's face. 
rlm@0: The pink-haired girl must really miss her future mother a lot, she 
rlm@0: observed.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa-chan, I wonder if Usagi's parents will recognize you?"  
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Not without Luna-P, I don't think so," ChibiUsa said, looking rather sad. 
rlm@0: "You know, I used my Luna-P on Usagi's family a long time ago and fooled 
rlm@0: them into thinking I was just a poor, long-lost and abandoned 'cousin' 
rlm@0: who needed to be taken care of.  I believe the effect have long since 
rlm@0: worn off now. There's no way Usagi's family would recognize me and 
rlm@0: welcome me with open arms."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru impulsively put her arm around ChibiUsa and hugged her closely, 
rlm@0: trying to console her. "At least Usagi will remember you and be happy to 
rlm@0: see you again anyway!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Yeah," ChibiUsa nodded, smiling a little. "Well, here we go."
rlm@0: 	
rlm@0: Hotaru stepped back to one side and watched silently as ChibiUsa reached 
rlm@0: up, hesitated only momentarily, then knocked the door.  A few moments 
rlm@0: passed, then the door swung outward and a middle-aged woman with long, 
rlm@0: bluish hair streaked with gray peered curiously at the the pink-haired 
rlm@0: teenager.   "Hai?"  The woman queried.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa blinked. "Uh, uh, I-I just came here to see if Usagi is home," 
rlm@0: she stuttered, shuffling her shoes and looking terribly shy. "I haven't 
rlm@0: seen her for quite a while and I've lost touch with her...so...." 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh, my goodness. You must be one of Usagi's friends. Do you know she got 
rlm@0: a job in the other part of the city and moved away a couple of months 
rlm@0: ago?" The woman asked.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa's face fell. "Oh...I don't know that."		
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The woman looked at her more closely and said with a quizzical expression 
rlm@0: on her face, "Hmmm...You seem familiar. Where have I met you before?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru's eyebrows raised and she looked sideways at ChibiUsa who became 
rlm@0: flustered and looked down at her shoes, tongue-tied. She decided to speak 
rlm@0: up for her.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Konnichi wa, Mrs. Tsukino-san. Since Usagi's not living here anymore, 
rlm@0: can we have her phone number so we can get in touch with her?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The woman's head turned, and gave the dark-haired girl a surprised look.  
rlm@0: "Why, hello, Hotaru! I haven't seen you in months - good to see you 
rlm@0: again!"  Then the woman turned her attention back to the pink-haired teen.  
rlm@0: "Well, I'll most certainly be happy to give you Usagi's phone number if 
rlm@0: you like."
rlm@0: 	
rlm@0: "Arigato! It's just that Usagi is my...really good friend," ChibiUsa 
rlm@0: replied, sounding even more shy than usual. "And I just want to talk to 
rlm@0: her again..."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Okay. I understand," The woman nodded. "Give me a second, and I'll give 
rlm@0: you a piece of paper with Usagi's phone number on it."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "All right, Ik...ma'am," ChibiUsa said, beaming.  She staggered against 
rlm@0: Hotaru as soon as the woman closed the door. "Kami-sama, I almost called 
rlm@0: her 'Ikuko-mommy'!"  She whispered as Hotaru gave her another one-arm 
rlm@0: reassuring hug.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The door opened, and the girls straightened up expectantly. Ikuko stepped 
rlm@0: forward with, "Here you are," and handed ChibUsa a piece of paper.  "I 
rlm@0: hope you will be able to get hold of Usagi long enough to have a nice 
rlm@0: talk - I myself have had hard time getting her on the telephone as she is 
rlm@0: so busy with her job and her social life!"
rlm@0: 	
rlm@0: "Arigato again," ChibiUsa said, accepting the proffered paper. "If Usagi 
rlm@0: ever come by here some time, please tell her that I was looking for her."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh, hai, we are planning to visit Usagi this weekend," Ikuko said 
rlm@0: brightly with a smile, "But what's your name, so I can tell her that you 
rlm@0: were looking for her?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh," ChibiUsa felt a sudden pang of sadness that the woman could no 
rlm@0: longer knew her name.  "Just tell her the little spore stopped by in 
rlm@0: Tokyo for a sort visit. She'll know who it is. Ja ne!" She grabbed 
rlm@0: Hotaru's arm and took off with the dark-haired friend in tow before the 
rlm@0: woman would see her tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: *********************************************************************
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Are you okay, ChibiUsa-chan?" Hotaru said, glancing worriedly at her 
rlm@0: friend across the table they had taken at the Crown Place.  "You seem 
rlm@0: awfully quiet."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh well. I was thinking about Usagi's mother," ChibiUsa said. "Now that 
rlm@0: I have seen her I miss her just as much as I do Usagi. Although," She 
rlm@0: rested her elbows on the table and cupped her chin in her hands with a 
rlm@0: look of mild disbelief, "To tell you the truth, I can't believe she 
rlm@0: looked so much older than I last saw her!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hmm-mmm," Hotaru said, nodding. "Things changed a lot since you were 
rlm@0: away, I guess," Hotaru smiled and reached across the table to squeeze 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa's arm affectionately. "I'm sorry we don't get to see Usagi, but 
rlm@0: now that you got her number we can call her tonight to say hi. Oh, by the 
rlm@0: way," she added quickly as though an thought had occurred to her, "Tell 
rlm@0: you what, with Christmas only a few days away I need to do some shopping 
rlm@0: this afternoon and get a few Christmas presents for Haruka-papa and 
rlm@0: Michiru-mama.  We'll go to the mall after we ate. Okay with you?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Okay, Hotaru-chan," But ChibiUsa was still preoccupied; "Ikuko-
rlm@0: mommy...she said I look familiar," she whispered half to herself, "I 
rlm@0: wonder if she still remembers me after all?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: A young, smiling waitress came up to their table and bowed slightly 
rlm@0: toward the two occupants.  "May I take your order?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa looked up, sat straight up and exclaimed happily;  "Hi, 
rlm@0: Unazuki!" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Unazuki looked at her in surprise.  "Nani?  Have we met before?...Oh, 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa! I almost didn't recognize you! My, but you've all grown up now 
rlm@0: and without your odangos in your hair!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The pink-haired princess grinned.  "I guess I hadn't gotten around to 
rlm@0: fixing my hair up  - and Hotaru said she don't know how to do odangos."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Indeed!"  The young waitress paused to study her critically. "Whoa! You 
rlm@0: know, I believe you look real kawaii with your hair down...I mean really 
rlm@0: kawaii!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "That's what I thought, too!"  Hotaru said.  She smiled fondly at 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa.  "Unazuki's right.  You do look very kawaii with your hair 
rlm@0: down! Would you consider letting your hair hang loose for the rest of 
rlm@0: your life?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Yeah, that's a good idea!" Unazuki agreed. "You'd make a complete 
rlm@0: knockout sight!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Well, I don't know," ChibiUsa said, looking slightly embarrassed by the 
rlm@0: sudden interest in her hairstyle. Bemused, she looked from Hotaru to 
rlm@0: Unazuki and laughed nervously, then decided to change the subject; 
rlm@0: "Uh...can I order fried chicken sandwich?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Certainly!" Unazuki scribbled in her small notepad. "What about you?" 
rlm@0: She asked Hotaru. The raven-haired girl gave her choice and the smiling 
rlm@0: waitress wrote it down, then paused and gave the teen girls a concerned 
rlm@0: look. "Please pardon me, but did you say you'll do the shopping at the 
rlm@0: mall?  Down the 8th Street, correct?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Uh, yeah, Unazuki, that's right," Hotaru answered. "Why?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh, my.  Just be very careful, girls. There is a gang living in an area 
rlm@0: not far from the 8th Street," Unazuki said seriously, "They're called the 
rlm@0: White Wolves, and I heard they're pretty vicious. I just thought I'd warn 
rlm@0: you if you're planning to shop there."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "The White Wolves?" ChibiUsa squeaked. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru looked thoughtful. "I've heard of them, my parents had told me 
rlm@0: once about them a while ago," she said with a nod, "Arigato for the 
rlm@0: warning, Unazuki. We will certainly be careful." 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Good, then," Unazuki was all smiles now. She looked at ChibiUsa and said, 
rlm@0: "I still think you look quite kawaii with your hair down. I really like 
rlm@0: it a lot!"  She bowed herself away.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa looked at Hotaru. "The White Wolves...I don't remember hearing 
rlm@0: about them. I know we have many gangs here in Tokyo, but this one?  This 
rlm@0: is news to me," She sounded a little worried, "And she says they're 
rlm@0: vicious, eh?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Don't worry about them, ChibiUsa-chan. As long as you are with me, 
rlm@0: you'll be safe," Hotaru turned to gaze at the pink-haired teen and 
rlm@0: grinned. "Well, I believe you're blushing, aren't you?" she teased, "You 
rlm@0: acted like Unazuki were trying to hit on you just because she commented 
rlm@0: so nicely on your hair, ne?" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa ducked her head, face turning even deeper color of red. "Of 
rlm@0: course not! I don't think so, Hotaru-chan!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru chuckled. "Heh. Sorry, ChibiUsa-chan. I better not tease you 
rlm@0: anymore, now that your face got such a lovely shade of red."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa squawked indignantly and tried to cuff her friend. With a 
rlm@0: lightning motion borne of long senshi practice, Hotaru grabbed the young 
rlm@0: girl's hand and covered it with both of her own hands. Deep purple eye 
rlm@0: twinkling, the raven-haired girl grinned at ChibiUsa. "Okay, okay. I'll 
rlm@0: behave, ChibiUsa-chan."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Chibiusa struck her tongue out at her. "You better be!"  She huffed. She 
rlm@0: felt warm inside, however, when she noticed Hotaru's eyes became soft and 
rlm@0: her mischievous smile turned gentle. The raven-haired girl's hands kept a 
rlm@0: firm yet tender hold on hers. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Uh-oh," ChibiUsa said, raising one eyebrow, "I think I know what you're 
rlm@0: thinking, Hotaru-chan."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The raven-haired girl gave a small chuckle.  "Perhaps you do, ChibiUsa-
rlm@0: chan," She winked at her, "But you'll have to wait until later to find 
rlm@0: out!"  She released her friend's hand, placed her elbows on the table and 
rlm@0: rested her chin on her hands, still smiling gently at ChibiUsa.  "Well, 
rlm@0: suppose I get you something for Christmas, what will it be?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "You don't have to get me anything!"  ChibiUsa protested, feeling a 
rlm@0: little guilty,  "I'm afraid I don't bring any money with me to buy you 
rlm@0: something because I have no idea it would be almost Christmas when I 
rlm@0: arrived at your house yesterday.  You know how unpredictable time-
rlm@0: traveling can be. And besides, I've already got too much stuff back at 
rlm@0: home anyways.  If I've known I would arrive during the holiday, I would 
rlm@0: bring something for you!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru smiled again. "Okay, then. And don't worry about that...ChibiUsa-
rlm@0: chan, just having you here with me is like a early Christmas present to 
rlm@0: me!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Really?"  ChibiUsa said, pleased.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru nodded vigorously, then became serious. "ChibiUsa-chan...Now that 
rlm@0: you are here, how long will you stay?  I hope this time you will be able 
rlm@0: to stay as long as you can," Hotaru looked pleadingly at her young friend. 
rlm@0: "Would you?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I don't know. That depends," ChibiUsa said slowly, her brow furrowed.  
rlm@0: "I would certainly stay as long as possible. But then Puu will come and 
rlm@0: discover me here, she'll say I should go back home," Her voice sounded 
rlm@0: resigned, "Then I'd have to leave."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: At this Hotaru frowned and shook her head vehemently.  "ChibiUsa-chan, 
rlm@0: she can't do that to you. You shouldn't let Pluto tell you what to do!" 
rlm@0: she said sharply. ChibiUsa blinked at the tone of her friend's voice. 
rlm@0: Hotaru continued, "If you want to stay here, you just tell her so!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hotaru-chan," ChibiUsa said. She reached out to touch her friend's 
rlm@0: shoulder, wanting to reassure her, "It's okay! I'm not going anywhere - 
rlm@0: especially not this soon anyhow!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0:  "As much as I love Pluto, I just don't want her to come and take you 
rlm@0: away again," Hotaru said earnestly, almost angrily. She took ChibiUsa's 
rlm@0: hand and squeezed it briefly.  "You are not only my best friend, you are 
rlm@0: my soul mate.  I won't let her tear us apart like she did last time.  I'd 
rlm@0: miss you terribly if she does."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I see," The pink-haired teen said softly, giving her friend a curious 
rlm@0: look.  She had never seen Hotaru this upset before. A memory came to her, 
rlm@0: of young Hotaru and ChibiUsa trying to catch up with each other after the 
rlm@0: downfall of Neherenia - to pick up where they had left off since they 
rlm@0: last saw each other [and Hotaru was then a baby at that time before the 
rlm@0: evil Neherenia and the Dead Moon Circus began causing trouble] - only to 
rlm@0: have Pluto come and said that ChibiUsa have to return home to Crystal 
rlm@0: Tokyo for good. Hotaru was so disappointed they had not been able to be 
rlm@0: together very long... "I'd miss you too, if I leave. Don't worry, Hotaru-
rlm@0: chan, for you I will stay as long as it is possible, no matter what Puu 
rlm@0: may say."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru's troubled face cleared, and she seemed to calm down. "Good!"  She 
rlm@0: said, starting to smile warmly, "If you stay around long enough it'll be 
rlm@0: also my birthday present next month too!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "At least until..." ChibiUsa hesitated and blushed a little, "Until Usagi 
rlm@0: gets pregnant. Then I really have to go."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru's smile faded, and she sighed, releasing her friend's hand.  "You 
rlm@0: have a point. Well, as long as you're here, we have to make the most of 
rlm@0: time, I guess."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hai, that's right," ChibiUsa agreed.  She scooted around the beach to 
rlm@0: the raven-haired teen's side and gave her a tight hug, "I don't want you 
rlm@0: to feel bad, Hotaru-chan. I love you, always and forever. Nothing can 
rlm@0: change that in any way!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: For a moment Hotaru looked at her with shining purple eyes, and she 
rlm@0: opened her mouth and was on verge of speaking something when Unazuki 
rlm@0: returned bearing a tray of steaming food and placed it on their table.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Chow time!"  The waitress announced with a huge smile.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "What is it you were about to say?"  ChibiUsa prompted her as soon as 
rlm@0: Unazuki left.  Hotaru shrugged and gave her another loving look.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Just that: I love you, too, ChibiUsa-chan. Always and forever." 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ****************************************
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The night sky was clear and cloudless with the bright, full moon hovering 
rlm@0: over the Tokyo that twinkled and glittered like jewels with Christmas 
rlm@0: lights everywhere. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The young senshi and the princess from the future, each clutching tightly 
rlm@0: to a bugling bag, pushed their way trough the jostling crowd of 
rlm@0: pedestrians and shoppers across the congested street from the mall they 
rlm@0: had just left. Reaching the other side safely, they turned in one 
rlm@0: direction and started off on way home down the sidewalk.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Whoa, it's night already. We must have shopped all day until now!" 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa exclaimed. She glanced down at the bags, then at Hotaru. "You 
rlm@0: said a few presents, huh? I can't believe you can afford to buy all those, 
rlm@0: let alone treat me at the Crown Place. Just how much allowance do you 
rlm@0: actually get from Haruka and Michiru each week?!"  
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "You're making it sound like Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama are spoiling 
rlm@0: me!"  Hotaru laughed. "No, really, the amount of the weekly allowance I 
rlm@0: receive is about as normal as yours when you lived with Usagi, I think.  
rlm@0: And every time I get it I just squirreled it away for later when I need 
rlm@0: it to buy something." 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "So you just accumulate your allowance over time?" ChibiUsa raised her 
rlm@0: eyebrows in mock surprise.  "Oh, no wonder. And I thought you were 
rlm@0: wealthy because of your parents!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru shrugged. "I'm not like those born-to-shop-until-I-drop-dead guys, 
rlm@0: you know.  Just a few things I need to buy now and then. With Christmas 
rlm@0: coming, I thought I'd better hurry and get something for my parents!"  
rlm@0: She turned her head and smiled at her young friend. "It was fun shopping 
rlm@0: with you, ChibiUsa-chan. And thanks for your help in picking out a really 
rlm@0: cool gift for Haruka-papa. Now I can tell her that she's a proud owner of 
rlm@0: 2001 Ferrari GTO. Then all she have to do is look inside the box and find 
rlm@0: a kawaii little toy car she can play with the remote controller!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa laughed. "You're very welcome, Hotaru-chan," she said.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: They walked for a while; admiring the decorated windows they passed by 
rlm@0: while their booted feet made crunching sound in the snow.  Suddenly 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa giggled furiously.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Gomen. There was one place that I was browsing back there - you were in 
rlm@0: the other store at that time - and they were selling gag gifts. It 
rlm@0: reminded me of one Mom got from Mars and Venus for her birthday back in 
rlm@0: Crystal Tokyo last summer," She said, still giggling.  "I can't say what 
rlm@0: it was, but I know it was kind of naughty.  You should have seen Mom's 
rlm@0: face - it was really funny!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru laughed gently, mainly because ChibiUsa's giggles were quite 
rlm@0: infectious.  "I wish I could have been there with you. It would be fun, 
rlm@0: eh?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa became somber and looked at her with a hint of sadness in her 
rlm@0: cinnamon-red eyes. She said quietly, "Yeah, It would indeed be fun, with 
rlm@0: all friends and about every Senshi there for our birthday except..." 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru cocked her head and looked at her quizzically. "Eh?  Except what?"   
rlm@0: When the pink-haired princess looked at you sadly and didn't respond, it 
rlm@0: dawned on her; "I wasn't there?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa shook her head, and walked more slowly with her eyes downcast. 
rlm@0: "You weren't there at the party. In fact, you are not around anywhere in 
rlm@0: the Crystal Tokyo at all!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "How come?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa was silent for a moment before continuing,  "I'll have you know, 
rlm@0: Hotaru-chan, that after we defeated Neherenia I returned home and saw all 
rlm@0: the old and new Senshi, including Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune - 
rlm@0: except Sailor Saturn.  I asked everyone what happened to you.  Nobody 
rlm@0: could give me a straight answer, not even my mother. Puu was the only one 
rlm@0: to tell me that you were no longer on the Earth."  She stopped and looked 
rlm@0: at the stunned Hotaru. She continued with tears brimming her eyes, "At 
rlm@0: first I thought it meant you had already died. But Puu said no, it was 
rlm@0: just that you were sent back to your own planet - on the far side of the 
rlm@0: galaxy. And nobody have contacted you ever since!"  She scrubbed away the 
rlm@0: tears that now tickled down her cheeks. "I can't reach you in any way, 
rlm@0: and it made me feel so bad not to be able to see you. Oh, Hotaru-chan, I 
rlm@0: miss you so much..."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh, ChibiUsa!"  Hotaru dropped her bag and stepped forward quickly to 
rlm@0: take her into her arms. "It's all right...don't cry, ChibiUsa-chan," For 
rlm@0: the pink-haired princess was beginning to cry in earnest. "So that's why 
rlm@0: you kept coming back here just to see me? It's okay, we're together now. 
rlm@0: Shh, shh...." 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa snuggled against her and did not say anything else for a while.  
rlm@0: Hotaru continued to murmur soft reassuring words and stroked her friend's 
rlm@0: long hair absently. It was perhaps two full minutes before ChibiUsa 
rlm@0: sighed and raised her head to look at the raven-haired teen right in the 
rlm@0: face.  "You're O.K. now?  Hotaru asked in a concerned tone.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa nodded, still not looking very happy. "Well, but I sure wish you 
rlm@0: could still remain in Crystal Tokyo and not go anywhere else. Why did 
rlm@0: they have to send you so far away?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I really don't know. I have no idea what is going on in the future," 
rlm@0: Hotaru said, feeling distressed herself, "Could it be they just decided 
rlm@0: they don't need me now that there are no more powerful enemies in the 
rlm@0: 30th Century to battle with?" She paused for a moment as though thinking 
rlm@0: and shrugged, "Or maybe it's just that your people can live much longer 
rlm@0: in that century than we do here - don't they, ChibiUsa-chan? If so, they 
rlm@0: probably don't want Death hanging because it would be too depressing for 
rlm@0: them, huh?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hotaru-chan, I don't think those are good reasons enough to send you 
rlm@0: away!" ChibiUsa said, shaking her head negatively, "We still do have 
rlm@0: enemies popping up from time to time, and besides, you are one of the 
rlm@0: elder Senshi and you are have an important duty in Crystal Tokyo, so why 
rlm@0: should they..."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "It just occurred to me," Hotaru said suddenly, looking pensive. 
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa-chan, could it be they send me away because they are afraid of 
rlm@0: my powers?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "What are you saying!"  ChibiUsa was startled. "What made you think they 
rlm@0: are afraid of you? But you are our dear friend. Why would they be scared 
rlm@0: of you...?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I think I know why," Hotaru said quietly. She paused and looked at 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa with a serious look on her face.  She took a long breath and 
rlm@0: asked rather diffidently, "First I'd like to ask you something I have 
rlm@0: been wondering about for a long time.  ChibiUsa-chan, when you first knew 
rlm@0: I am Sailor Saturn, were you afraid of me?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Me, afraid of you?" ChibiUsa cried in surprise. "Why should I?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Remember, I am a Sailor of Death and Rebirth," Hortaru said more quietly, 
rlm@0: "You know that if I must, I will not hesitate to kill the enemies which I 
rlm@0: have done many, many times. And watching them die is not something you 
rlm@0: should see - it's horrible.  And not only that, you are aware that with a 
rlm@0: single blow of my Glaive I am quite capable of destroying everything on 
rlm@0: this Earth, and the planet itself too. You know that, don't you?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa looked at her and gave a small, uncertain nod but otherwise did 
rlm@0: not say anything. After a while Hotaru continued. "I'll tell you what.  
rlm@0: When I go around as Sailor Saturn almost everyone is afraid of me. It may 
rlm@0: not seem like a big surprise, considering I carry the Glaive anyway. 
rlm@0: But...the problem is, even if I am not transformed - that is, I go around 
rlm@0: as Hotaru and not carrying my weapon - both the Inner and the Outer 
rlm@0: Senshi, including what few friends I have, once they knew who I am, are 
rlm@0: still uneasy around me.  I believe even your mother is a little afraid of 
rlm@0: me. I know they are, because I could see a hint of fear in their eyes 
rlm@0: even if they declared their love for me and would stand by me no matter 
rlm@0: what. They tried to hide it, but I was not fooled. They are just, simply, 
rlm@0: afraid of me and walk around me on tiptoes, so to speak."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Even my mother?" ChibiUsa asked. Her eyes were wide with astonishment. 
rlm@0: "But it can't be!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru closed her eyes and nodded slowly. "Even Usagi, believe it or not. 
rlm@0: I think it's because I have the power to bring the destruction and death 
rlm@0: down at any time and there's no one who can stop me. ChibiUsa-chan, I 
rlm@0: must tell you, it has been going like this for so long I just can't take 
rlm@0: it any more. I hate it, the way everyone was just...you know, kind of 
rlm@0: skittish around me. I just want to be treated like a normal person, a 
rlm@0: friend and not a sort of cold, ruthless Grim Reaper they seemed to think 
rlm@0: I am!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "But Hotaru-chan..."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Now Hotaru opened her eyes her eyes and but did not quite meet her 
rlm@0: friend's eyes.  "Chibiusa-chan, shouldn't you be afraid of me?  You have 
rlm@0: seen my Glaive and know my powers and what I am capable of,"  She said 
rlm@0: softly, "Are you?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "No, Hotaru-chan. I have never been afraid of you. No, not at all!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru gasped and looked at the pink-haired princess full in the face.  
rlm@0: ChibiUsa looked steadily back at her with her wide, cinnamon-red eyes 
rlm@0: filled with...love, compassion and total trust.  There was absolutely no 
rlm@0: fear in them at all.  "Hotaru-chan, like I said, I love you. I've known 
rlm@0: you for a long time and yet I love you more than anything. 
rlm@0: Nothing...especially what you just said...can change it. You have to 
rlm@0: believe that!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru was vastly relieved to hear that. "ChibiUsa-chan," she whispered, 
rlm@0: "Is it any wonder why I love you so much?  Of all people I've known, you 
rlm@0: are the only one who do not fear me!" She became aware of ChibiUsa's hand 
rlm@0: was stroking her face, wiping away tears that Hotaru didn't know were 
rlm@0: steaming down her own cheeks. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hotaru-chan, I don't care what they think or say about you, I see you 
rlm@0: only as a warm, kind-hearted person who is fun to be with," ChibiUsa 
rlm@0: continued, "And more than just a best friend, too. You are someone I feel 
rlm@0: comfortable enough to share with you my innermost feelings and secrets 
rlm@0: nobody else knows. And what's more, I know you will always be there for 
rlm@0: me as I will for you too." She smiled up at Hotaru. "To tell you the 
rlm@0: truth, I feel much more safe and secure whenever I'm with you, because 
rlm@0: you protect me and would not let anything happen to me. Won't you?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Impulsively Hotaru grabbed ChibiUsa's hand and kissed it.  "Of course, I 
rlm@0: will always be there for you, ChibiUsa-chan! And I will always protect 
rlm@0: you because as Sailor Saturn I'm sworn to protect you anyway. Not only 
rlm@0: because you are a princess, but you are very important to me.  Much more 
rlm@0: than you realize!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The pink-haired teen's face grew more serious. "I guess that is why they 
rlm@0: sent you away just because they are still afraid of you, even in the 30th 
rlm@0: Century? I can't believe it!" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Either that or the other way," Hotaru said with a slow shrug. "Right now 
rlm@0: it's way far into the future, so I guess we will never really know, eh?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa shook her head with disapproval.  "Well, I will not tolerate 
rlm@0: that!  When I have a chance I'll find out why and then I'll see to that 
rlm@0: it get changed so you will always remain in Crystal Tokyo with me, no 
rlm@0: matter what! I swear on it!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru smiled.  "Good. I want to be near you, too. I wouldn't want to be 
rlm@0: separated from you either," The raven-haired girl said. Absently, she 
rlm@0: reached up and brushed the pink strands of hair from ChibiUsa's face.  A 
rlm@0: snowflake floated down and melted against the princess' forehead. "Oh, 
rlm@0: it's starting to snow," Hotaru looked up, and realized not only it was 
rlm@0: snowing, the wind was becoming quite chilly and gusty. "Come on, we 
rlm@0: better hurry home," she said, grabbing a heavy shopping bag.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Without another word the girls both strode at a brisk pace, shoulder to 
rlm@0: shoulder, hand in hand, shivering with their heads bent against the 
rlm@0: heightening blizzard. They met fewer and few pedestrians, until they 
rlm@0: could see no other person traveling down the strangely silent side of the 
rlm@0: street with only an occasional car rumbling by. Curious as why she did 
rlm@0: not see any more store windows festooned brightly with Christmas 
rlm@0: decorations like they should be, ChibiUsa looked up and after a while she 
rlm@0: whispered, "I don't think I've been here before."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hmmm?" Hotaru raised her head and looked carefully around. Thanks to the 
rlm@0: heavily blowing snow, it seemed they had somehow lost their way and 
rlm@0: stumbled into an unfamiliar area of the city. Puzzled, She peered through 
rlm@0: the snow swirling crazily in the streetlight at the signpost and took 
rlm@0: note of the name of the street. She did not recognize it.  "I guess we 
rlm@0: must have took a wrong turn." Hotaru said. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "We seem to be in a bad neighborhood," ChibiUsa observed, eying with 
rlm@0: distaste the crude graffiti on the weathered brick wall.  
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Really," Hotaru said, sounding slightly perturbed at their predicament. 
rlm@0: "I guess we just need to turn around and find our way back there." She 
rlm@0: paused and she cast a concerned look at her friend and noticed that 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa's face was red from cold and exposure, and that the young 
rlm@0: princess covered on one side with snow. "You okay, ChibiUsa-chan?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Just cold, that's all," ChibiUsa griped, shivering. Even her teeth were 
rlm@0: chattering a little. "I don't suppose you know a shortcut to your house 
rlm@0: from around here, Hotaru-chan?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I don't think so," Hotaru sighed. "Don't worry, we'll be home before 
rlm@0: long. Just stay close to me, okay?"  The girls turned around and began to 
rlm@0: trudge back up from where they had come from.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hey, kawaii girls," A new voice hailed them.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Both girls stopped and twirled around, startled.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "What are you nice girls doing here? If you two are lost, maybe we could 
rlm@0: help you out," A slender, older girl - probably in late teens - stepped 
rlm@0: out of the shadows and into the glare of the lamppost and stood in the 
rlm@0: front of them, regarding them with some interest. She was a good head 
rlm@0: taller than them, and under the streetlight her long windblown hair was 
rlm@0: bleached white and she was wearing long, dark heavy leather coat. She 
rlm@0: grinned down at them, but the look she gave them wasn't exactly 
rlm@0: benevolent.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: We? Hotaru frowned, suddenly wary. She looked around quickly to see if 
rlm@0: there were anyone else with the strange girl, but there were no one she 
rlm@0: could see beyond the scope of the lamppost.  All the same, Hotaru moved 
rlm@0: closer to her friend in order to protect her and replied in an even voice, 
rlm@0: "No, thanks. I'm sure we can find our way home."  
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh?"  The girl cocked her head, the grin hardly leaving her face. "But 
rlm@0: it's freezing out here! We are heading over to our place and maybe you 
rlm@0: both should come in with us to get warmed up," She jerked her thumb back 
rlm@0: at a squat brick building that appeared to be somewhat dilapidated. Two 
rlm@0: upper curtained windows were lit with sickly yellow light, and Hotaru 
rlm@0: could see silhouetted figures moving forth and back ominously behind them. 
rlm@0: The stranger continued; "There you can have something to eat and drink, 
rlm@0: too if you have not yet eaten."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Thanks for the offer, that is very nice of you," Hotaru said quietly, 
rlm@0: "But I'm afraid we have to pass it up.  It's getting late anyway and we 
rlm@0: need to go home."  She whispered to her friend, "Let's go, ChibiUsa-
rlm@0: chan."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The pink-haired girl threw a longing glance at the building; apparently 
rlm@0: she was hungry too as well as cold, and would gladly go in there to thaw 
rlm@0: out if possible.  But after a moment's hesitation Chibiusa sighed and 
rlm@0: conceded, "All right, Hotaru-chan, we better go home then."  Both the 
rlm@0: girls turned to walk away.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "You are not going anywhere!" A new, stern voice called out.  Another 
rlm@0: girl, even taller than the first, stepped into sight out of nowhere 
rlm@0: blocking their path. She too has bleached hair and wore the similar dark 
rlm@0: attire and has a very unfriendly expression on her face. Narrowing her 
rlm@0: eyes, she said flatly; "Don't you know it's extremely rude to turn down a 
rlm@0: generous offer like that?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Both Hotaru and ChibiUsa abruptly halted, and the raven-haired girl threw 
rlm@0: her arm around the princess and pulled her close protectively. "What do 
rlm@0: you want?" Hotaru demanded.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "You," the second tall girl said simply.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "That's right, we're always looking for new friends!"  Yet another voices 
rlm@0: chorused and two more girls, twins to be exact, soon appeared on both 
rlm@0: sides of the disagreeable second girl. In contrast their faces were 
rlm@0: cheerful and smiling, but their expressions belied a dangerous glint in 
rlm@0: their eyes.  Like the other girls who had accosted Hotaru and ChibiUsa 
rlm@0: the somewhat young twins have pale hair and wore the same kind of leather 
rlm@0: coats.   
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The four strangers spread out, and in the next few moments the young 
rlm@0: Senshi and the princess found themselves surrounded with no other way out. 
rlm@0: Something was terribly wrong.  Hotaru felt ChibiUsa gripped her arm 
rlm@0: tightly. "Who are you?" The pink-haired girl challenged angrily, "What 
rlm@0: are you going to do with us?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Well, well. Such a gutsy girl," One of the girls smirked. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa," Hotaru whispered to her in a warning tone.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The tall girl, obviously a leader who had spoken to them in the first 
rlm@0: place now addressed them again, "Well, we might as well introduce 
rlm@0: ourselves.  I am Hoshi," She bowed slightly. "And this is Kumiko," She 
rlm@0: nodded toward the tall hard-faced girl.  "And those are Shina and Yoko," 
rlm@0: She finished, looking in direction at the young twins with deceptively 
rlm@0: pleasant faces. Then she turned her attention toward Hotaru and ChibiUsa. 
rlm@0: Her eyes hardened.  "Now that you have met us, I'll let you know one 
rlm@0: thing.  We are the White Wolves, and you happened to be trespassing our 
rlm@0: territory."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru tensed, and heard ChibiUsa gasped sharply.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Obviously anticipating this type of reaction, Hoshi smiled. "However, 
rlm@0: since this is Christmas season," She said in a more genial voice, "And 
rlm@0: for such kawaii girls like you should not be wandering around out in this 
rlm@0: bad weather, we'll be generous. Therefore, you could have taken up my 
rlm@0: offer to come in with us and get acquainted with us guys. There's so much 
rlm@0: we can learn from each other."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru and ChibiUsa looked at each other for a second. Then the raven-
rlm@0: haired girl shook head firmly. "No, thanks."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The leader sighed.  "If you decline our offer and would rather leave here 
rlm@0: anyway...well, there is a price for trespassing our turf. So you have two 
rlm@0: choices.  Hand over your money and bags you are carrying, and we'll let 
rlm@0: you leave without any hassle."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru's heart began to beat rapidly.  Before she could say anything 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa demanded, "And what's the second choice?" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The leader's smile thinned and eyes narrowed dangerously. "If you try to 
rlm@0: leave without paying the price, well, you'll have to find it out the hard 
rlm@0: way."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru did not like the sound of it at all. She whispered to her pink-
rlm@0: haired friend, "I think we better hand over our bags, ChibiUsa-chan, and 
rlm@0: then they'll let us go."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Nani?" ChibiUsa stared at her incredulously. "But you bought all those 
rlm@0: presents with your money for Haruka and Michiru...and it's not right for 
rlm@0: them to take the presents away from you!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Never mind, it's better than standing around to find what the second 
rlm@0: choice is all about," Hotaru whispered back. As ChibiUsa scowled angrily 
rlm@0: and muttered something acidic under breath, Hotaru turned to the leader. 
rlm@0: "We'll give up our bags and money.  You're sure if we do, we'll leave 
rlm@0: without any trouble, correct?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hoshi grinned suddenly. Her dark eyes glistened with greed as she nodded. 
rlm@0: "Excellent choice. We will certainly let you go after we have your 
rlm@0: stuff."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Okay, here you are," Hotaru said with quiet resignation, and held out 
rlm@0: the bag. Just as the tall leader reached forward to take it, ChibiUsa 
rlm@0: suddenly yanked Hotaru back. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "No!"  ChibiUsa said vehemently, shooting the gang leader an angry look,  
rlm@0: "They have no right to do that to us!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa!" Hotaru said sharply. "We don't want any trouble with them. 
rlm@0: Just let them take what they want, and then we'll be let go. It's not 
rlm@0: worth making a big fuss about it!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa shook her head stubbornly, still balking.  "It's just not 
rlm@0: right!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Ah, so you're resisting, eh?" The hard-faced second girl named Kumiko 
rlm@0: said. She rubbed her knuckles ominously. "What are we going to do about 
rlm@0: you two?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "You're not taking anything from us!"  ChibiUsa shouted. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The leader glanced over Hotaru and ChibiUsa's heads at Kumiko and nodded.  
rlm@0: As though on cue, the hard-faced girl standing behind Chibisusa stepped 
rlm@0: forward with slow, purposeful and menacing movements.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Without warning, ChibiUsa's elbow flew out and caught Kumiko in the 
rlm@0: stomach. As she doubled over, gasping, the petite pink-haired princess 
rlm@0: grabbed her around the head and flipped her right over her shoulder.  
rlm@0: Kumiko went down with a thud and lay there in the snow, groaning.  The 
rlm@0: other bleach-haired girls froze where they stood, staring in stunned 
rlm@0: disbelief.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa!" Hotaru gasped. "What do you think you are doing?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Come on! We're getting out of here!"  ChibiUsa said. She grabbed 
rlm@0: Hotaru's hand and dragged her across the space that was formerly occupied 
rlm@0: by Kumiko and into the alley, taking the bags with them.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "They're getting away!"  The leader of the gang screamed as Kumiko jumped 
rlm@0: to her feet.  She sounded absolutely livid; "They will pay for it! Go 
rlm@0: after them!" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh, Kami-sama," Hotaru said, looking at her friend in consternation.  
rlm@0: They could hear the angry words echoing off the walls and a set of 
rlm@0: footfalls slapping furiously upon the snow-covered ground behind them, 
rlm@0: growing closer and closer each moment. The raven-haired girl yelled; "Run 
rlm@0: as fast as you can!" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: And so the senshi and the princess sprinted hand in hand down the semi-
rlm@0: dark alley for dear lives, turning this way and that way at every corner 
rlm@0: in hopes to shake their pursuers off.  But when they made fourth such 
rlm@0: detour they immediately realized their mistake; they had ran into a dead 
rlm@0: end. And they could not backpedal out of their predicament, for almost 
rlm@0: immediately the angry girls with bleached hairs burst into view, blocking 
rlm@0: their only way of escape.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Before Hotaru would react, she was tackled from behind with such a force 
rlm@0: that she was slammed against the brick wall. As she groaned painfully she 
rlm@0: heard a falsely cheerful voice said with a tone of ironic playfulness in 
rlm@0: it, "Tsk, tsk. You think you can dodge us, aren't you?"  Hotaru was not 
rlm@0: sure if it was either Shina or Yoko.  But as she tried to struggle she 
rlm@0: saw Kimuko striding right by and caught a fleeting glimpse of what looked 
rlm@0: like a bowie knife flashing in dim light.  Icy fear seized her heart. It 
rlm@0: was not out of a concern for her own safety, however, but for ChibiUsa. 
rlm@0: [Dear Kami-sama, don't let them hurt my friend!]
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Know what I'm gonna do?"  The same voice laughed nastily, and Hotaru 
rlm@0: felt her arm twisted savagely behind her. She could not cry out loud, she 
rlm@0: was paralyzed with pain. "We're gonna break every bone of yours and kill 
rlm@0: you!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The next few moments seemed like an eternity, as Hotaru was struck 
rlm@0: brutally several times - with what, she wasn't able to tell.  Hotaru was 
rlm@0: dimly aware of a furious scuffle not too far off. [ChibiUsa...oh, no!] 
rlm@0: But there was nothing she could do at that time. Then, with a final 
rlm@0: savage blow to her head that sent her reeling, she was flung to the 
rlm@0: ground among the overturned trashcans. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Next time we see you it'll be much worse than that. You should be lucky 
rlm@0: we let you live for now."  It was Hoshi's voice now. "Have a Merry 
rlm@0: Christmas!"  With those mocking parting words, the gang stomped away.  
rlm@0: Then there was silence.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru lay panting there in semi-darkness, shivering, waiting for the 
rlm@0: pain to dwindle to a tolerable level before she could dare to raise her 
rlm@0: head. She was somewhat relieved she suffered no broken bones. "ChibiUsa? 
rlm@0: Are you there?"  She called tentatively. When she did not hear the 
rlm@0: immediate response she became panicky.  "ChibiUsa! Answer me!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: At last a weak reply came.  "Hotaru...!" In semi-darkness Hotaru could 
rlm@0: see a form of ChibiUsa floundering around in the snow not far from her.  
rlm@0: Hotaru, frightened and concerned for her friend, tried frantically to 
rlm@0: reach where the pink-haired girl was.  ChibiUsa must have seen her, for 
rlm@0: she shuffled over to her right away on knees and hands and an arm slipped 
rlm@0: gently around the raven-haired girl, supporting her.  "Hotaru! Are you 
rlm@0: all right?" ChibiUsa said in a much stronger voice now. She also sounded 
rlm@0: strangely restrained as thought she was trying to hide pain from her 
rlm@0: voice.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru staggered into her friend's arms with relief. [Thank Kami-sama!] 
rlm@0: She was so scared that they might beat ChibiUsa senseless...or worse. She 
rlm@0: looked up through blowing snow flurries into ChibiUsa's face, trying to 
rlm@0: gauge just how bad the princess looked.  It was hard to tell, as 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa's face was in shadow with tendrils of pink hair whipping around 
rlm@0: in the wind, partly concealing it. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I...I think so," Hotaru said in a halting voice as she allowed ChibiUsa 
rlm@0: to pull her to a sitting position.  Instinctively she massaged the aching 
rlm@0: arm. "Ouch. That's a wonder they didn't pull my arm out of the socket!  
rlm@0: ChibiUsa-chan, please tell me - how badly are you injured in any way?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa did not answer the question. Instead, she became upset; "Kami-
rlm@0: sama, you're hurt!" the pink-haired girl exclaimed, stricken. "They did 
rlm@0: this to you and got away with it!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Forget it," Hotaru said wearily. "Let them go."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "But, they took the gifts you bought for Haruka and Michiru and beat you 
rlm@0: up...!"  ChibiUsa was becoming angry again. "I won't forgive them. I'm 
rlm@0: not going to let them get away with it!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I said forget it. It's not worth going after them," Hotaru said.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "There's no way I can let them get away with it!"  ChibiUsa repeated.  
rlm@0: She hugged Hotaru fiercely for a second or two, then released and 
rlm@0: scrambled to her feet. "I'm going after them!" And then she took off down 
rlm@0: the alley after the retreating members of the White Wolves gang. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa! Come back!" Hotaru shouted. [Can't she see they're armed and 
rlm@0: extremely dangerous?]  Ignoring her pains, she got to her feet and took 
rlm@0: off after her friend at a frantic speed. "ChibiUsa!  ChibiUsa!" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The pink-haired princess, however, had already vanished around the corner.  
rlm@0: [I can't believe it, ChibiUsa is just as rash as her mother Usagi was!] 
rlm@0: The thought of ChibiUsa trying to take on the White Wolves gang by 
rlm@0: herself and getting sliced up and down horrified Hotaru, and her feet 
rlm@0: picked up an ever faster pace.  Already a violent melee could be heard 
rlm@0: breaking out not too far off. Her heart sank. [If anything happen to 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa, I might not even be able to put her together!]  She ran around 
rlm@0: the corner just in time to hear ChibiUsa cry out loud.    
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "SATURN PLANET!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: As she drew nearer to the open area she caught sight of the White Wolves 
rlm@0: gang standing around in a circle, viciously hitting and kicking at the 
rlm@0: huddled form in the snow.  Oh, gods.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "POWER!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: [ChibiUsa-chan, hold on! I'm coming! ]
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "MAKE UP!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: A purplish light flashed momentarily around her and her heavy civilian 
rlm@0: attire for the winter dissolved, to be replaced by a purple and white 
rlm@0: sailor uniform. "GLAIVE, COME FORWARD!"  She raised her arm, and the 
rlm@0: deadly Silent Glaive materialized from far above and came spinning into 
rlm@0: her outstretched gloved hand.  Thus armed, Sailor Saturn bounded over to 
rlm@0: the top of the big dumpster and pointed the Glaive toward the gang.  
rlm@0: "STOP IT AT ONCE!"   
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The White Wolves gang twirled around. 
rlm@0: 	 		
rlm@0: The light from a nearby lamppost was dim but the Saturn saw enough to 
rlm@0: make her heart stop. ChibiUsa was lying quite still.  There appeared to 
rlm@0: be some dark stains in the snow near her body.  Saturn felt sick inside.  
rlm@0: She lifted her eyes to glare at the older girls.  "Beating up and robbing 
rlm@0: a young lady during a Christmas season - this I cannot tolerate, nor can 
rlm@0: I forgive!" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hoshi appeared to recover quickly from her stupefaction at the sight of a 
rlm@0: formidable figure on the dumpster in front of her, and became belligerent.  
rlm@0: "Who are you?"   
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I am Sailor Saturn," The Senshi intoned flatly, her Glaive that 
rlm@0: reflecting cold light every time she moved it, "Agent of Death and 
rlm@0: Rebirth." 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hoshi! I've heard of her!"  One of the twins shrieked, her eyes bulging. 
rlm@0: "She's one of the senshi, and the most deadly of them all!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hoshi, unnerved, stepped back a pace and eyed Sailor Saturn warily. "What 
rlm@0: do you want with us?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "It would be better if you all leave right now!" With that Saturn leaped 
rlm@0: down from the dumpster and, despite the freezing, blowing snow, she 
rlm@0: struck a threatening posture with her Glaive thrust outward.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The gang gasped and scurried back a few paces.
rlm@0: 	
rlm@0: "I said, leave NOW!" Saturn shouted, and advanced on them.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The twins - no longer so cheerful looking now - lost their nerve 
rlm@0: completely and fled screaming into the dark without a backward glance.  
rlm@0: Hoshi and Kumiko took several nervous paces back but did not flee. "We 
rlm@0: don't do anything to you!" The leader yelled. "You're not gotta butcher 
rlm@0: us for no reason, are you?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Saturn stopped advancing, but said nothing. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Maybe she's bluffing," Kumiko said to Hoshi.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I'm warning you..."  Saturn growled softly. Keeping her eyes on the two 
rlm@0: remaining older girls, she moved sideways until she reached the still 
rlm@0: form in the snow and crouched down. Her gloved hand slipped down to touch 
rlm@0: the pink-haired girl's face.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The gesture was not lost on the tall girl.  "Ah, so it must be your lover, 
rlm@0: ne?"  Kumbio said. Somehow, in spite of the grim situation she actually 
rlm@0: smirked; "I think you came too late to save her. She's gone."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Saturn's face stiffened. Hardly taking her eyes off the older girls, she 
rlm@0: shook her friend's shoulder with her hand. "ChibiUsa," the Senshi 
rlm@0: whispered urgently, "Come on, wake up."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa did not answer.  Saturn grew desperate. "ChibiUsa!" She said, 
rlm@0: turning her attention away from the older girls to look down at her 
rlm@0: friend. "ChibiUsa...can you hear me?!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The princess opened her eyes. "I'm cold..."  She mumbled. She turned her 
rlm@0: head to look at Saturn and grimaced. She was not hiding pain from her 
rlm@0: voice this time; "And I hurt." 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh, ChibiUsa-chan!" Saturn said, deeply distressed. She wrapped her one 
rlm@0: arm around her friend and pulled her carefully to a sitting position. The 
rlm@0: young teen shuddered, and rested her head wearily against Saturn's chest, 
rlm@0: shivering violently.  
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "HAIIIIIII!"  Kumkio whipped her knife out and rushed toward her with 
rlm@0: wild, insane look in her eyes.  Saturn reacted quickly; with a lightning 
rlm@0: speed she jumped up and swung her Glaive around, slamming the blunt end 
rlm@0: against the side of Kumbio's head. Without a word the tall girl dropped 
rlm@0: down with a crash and lay there in a heap.  
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Oh, my god. You killed Kumkio, didn't you!"  Hoshi gasped.
rlm@0: 	
rlm@0: "I think not," Saturn said, giving the leader a cold stare, "She's lucky 
rlm@0: if all she'll get is a severe headache when she wakes up. It should teach 
rlm@0: her not to mess with the Senshi of Death!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Yeah, serve her right!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Saturn nearly lost her composure. She glanced sharply downward and saw 
rlm@0: that ChibiUsa had raised her head and was glaring defiantly at Hoshi. The 
rlm@0: pink-haired girl struggled unsteadily to her feet and hands and then said 
rlm@0: stoutly; "Sailor Saturn will see to that you and your friends will be 
rlm@0: punished in the name of Moon, for we will not tolerate your such actions, 
rlm@0: threatening and robbing citizens during Christmas season!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hoshi stared at the pink-haired teen, astonished and impressed at the 
rlm@0: same time. "You are really one gutsy girl. I saw Kumkio struck her knife 
rlm@0: deep in you, and you still come up fighting!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa-chan...?"  Saturn said in disbelief. The princess gasped, 
rlm@0: shuddered and collapsed with a strangled cry. Frightened, the senshi fell 
rlm@0: to her knees and put her arm around the wounded girl again.  
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa...!" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The princess coughed briefly, then moaned in pain. "It hurts. It 
rlm@0: hurts..."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hoshi snickered nastily. "Well, well. Then again I guess she's not so 
rlm@0: tough after all."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Saturn's head whipped around. "Get out of here! Take your friends and get 
rlm@0: out of the city and don't come back!" She said in a cold fury and aimed 
rlm@0: her lethal weapon toward the gang leader, "Or so help me, if I catch one 
rlm@0: of you White Wolves lurking around I will strike every one of you down 
rlm@0: with my Glaive  - without a moment's hesitation!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Taken back at the tone of the senshi's voice, Hoshi looked genuinely 
rlm@0: frightened at last.  Her eyes widened, and she turned as pale as her hair. 
rlm@0: Hastily she reached down and dragged the still unconscious Kumkio away.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: As soon as they were gone Saturn turned her attention back to the 
rlm@0: pink=haired teen. "Hold on, ChibiUsa-chan!" Saturn put down the Glaive, 
rlm@0: quickly stripped one glove off and, still holding her injured friend in 
rlm@0: one arm, she put a bare hand under ChibiUsa's sweater. Almost immediately 
rlm@0: her hand found the wound just under ChibiUsa's right breast, and what a 
rlm@0: terrible wound it was. Saturn could feel the blood bubbling from the 
rlm@0: nasty slash where the knife had penetrated the lung. She became extremely 
rlm@0: upset. Sobbing, the Senshi pressed the hand firmly against the wound and 
rlm@0: poured all her energy to Heal it. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa gasped from the pressure placed on the wound but otherwise made 
rlm@0: no other word. "You're not going anywhere, you hear me?" Saturn said 
rlm@0: through tears, "ChibiUsa-chan, you just have to hold on and don't you 
rlm@0: dare leave me - not now, please, not now!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Slowly the wound stopped bleeding and began to close up. Even so, Saturn 
rlm@0: refused to take her hand off after it has completely healed. The princess 
rlm@0: lay still in her arms, so quiet and so pale.  The senshi cradled her 
rlm@0: friend's head under her chin and rocked her forth and back. 
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa...ChibiUsa-chan, do you hear me? Please tell me!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: For one long, terrifying moment there was no reply. Then, slowly, the 
rlm@0: princess raised her head and opened her eyes to look at Saturn. "Hotaru-
rlm@0: chan..."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Saturn gasped. "ChibiUsa-chan, are you all right?" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa snuggled against the senshi. "Yeah. I think so...but I'm still 
rlm@0: cold."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Saturn withdrew her hand, now covered with blood, and threw her arms 
rlm@0: around her friend in a fierce hug and could not let go for a long while.  
rlm@0: "ChibiUsa...oh, ChibiUsa-chan, I was so afraid you were going to die. I 
rlm@0: don't want to lose you!" She whispered with her face buried in the soft, 
rlm@0: silky pink hair.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa gave a weak laugh and shook her head slowly. "Not this time. 
rlm@0: Don't worry, Hotaru-chan. No way I can leave you now...not ever!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Thank Kami-sama!" Saturn lifted ChibiUsa's chin and kissed her fervently. 
rlm@0: "Just don't you ever do that again! I don't know how I can go on, if you 
rlm@0: run off and get killed. Promise me you will not do anything rash like 
rlm@0: that again!" 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hai, Hotaru-chan," ChibiUsa said, sounding suddenly meek. "I promise."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Good," Saturn kissed her again and hugged her even more tightly. It has 
rlm@0: been such a huge relief to know that the princess would be all right. 
rlm@0: Indeed, thank Kami-sama for that.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: *************************************************************************
rlm@0: ****
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: With her arms full Hotaru stepped into her bedroom and managed to close 
rlm@0: the door behind her. The room was semi-dark, with only two or three lamps 
rlm@0: burning dimly on the dresser in the corner. "ChibiUsa-chan, I've got 
rlm@0: another blanket. Want it?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa, lying on her side in the bed with a couple of covers pulled up 
rlm@0: to her chin, looked up. "Hai! Hurry up and get in with me!" She said, and 
rlm@0: held out arms for her.  The raven-haired teen walked briskly toward her, 
rlm@0: threw the thick blanket over the bed before disrobing and slipped under 
rlm@0: the covers next to the princess. She gasped softly with pleasure when 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa's warm body moved forward, pressing against hers.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "I thought I would never thaw out! Hotaru-chan, what took you so long?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Well, ChibiUsa-chan," Hotaru said as she snuggled into her lover's 
rlm@0: inviting arms, "I have told Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama about our 
rlm@0: encounter with the White Wolves gang. You can imagine they were pretty 
rlm@0: upset about it, and they promised they would keep an eye out for them and 
rlm@0: to make sure the gang will not return to cause any more trouble in the 
rlm@0: city again." 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Great! Now the people can do Christmas shopping without fear of running 
rlm@0: into those thieves!" ChibiUsa said happily. Then she paused and added, 
rlm@0: "Speaking of the Christmas presents, I wonder what happened to the gifts 
rlm@0: you bought from the mall?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru shrugged. "Buried under the snow somewhere in the alley, for all I 
rlm@0: care," she said. "I'm not worried about them. My parents will understand. 
rlm@0: It was more important that you would live. I just can't bear the thought 
rlm@0: of losing you!" She brushed the loose strands of pink hair out of 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa's face and kissed her soft lips. "I'm just glad you are still 
rlm@0: here, alive and well. That is the best Christmas present I can ask for."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ChibiUsa smiled and ran hand through the other girl's dark hair. "Arigato 
rlm@0: domo for healing me and saving my life. I'll say that was the best 
rlm@0: present I got also!" she said, and then hesitated. "Um...Hotaru-chan, I'm 
rlm@0: really sorry I went off and got us into trouble with that gang. I guess I 
rlm@0: should not have acted so recklessly, eh? Gomen nasai."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "It's okay. Don't worry about it. Like I said, I'll always be there for 
rlm@0: you and protect you," Hotaru kissed her again, "Just don't make a habit 
rlm@0: of it, okay?"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: "Hai, Hotaru-chan," ChibiUsa said, and moved back a little to look at her 
rlm@0: lover with some distress, noting the bruises that were still visible on 
rlm@0: Hotaru's body.  "But you're still hurt, and you can't heal yourself..."
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru shook her head. "ChibiUsa-chan... Don't worry about me. Just give 
rlm@0: me time and then I'll be fine," She paused, and then laughed quietly. 
rlm@0: "But don't let that stop you from loving me any way you want, my 
rlm@0: princess!"
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The worried look on ChibiUsa's face cleared. She smiled, pulled Hotaru 
rlm@0: closer and gave her a kiss, this time longer and more passionate. Hotaru 
rlm@0: happily responded with as much vigor as possible. After a while they 
rlm@0: broke apart and Hotaru rested her head on ChibiUsa's chest. The pink-
rlm@0: haired teen continued to groom the dark hair with her fingers.  "Hotaru-
rlm@0: chan...I love you," she whispered after a moment.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Hotaru smiled contentedly. "I love you too, ChibiUsa-chan," she replied. 
rlm@0: She could hear ChibiUsa's heart beating, regularly and reassuring.  To 
rlm@0: her, it was most beautiful music, far more than anything and more 
rlm@0: precious than the Christmas and birthday presents combined.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: *******************************************************************
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Well, that's it. I'm not sure how you like this story. ^^;;  But I hope 
rlm@0: you enjoyed it anyways!
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Thanks for reading!
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: YaRassno 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Comments?  Email: yarassno@juno.com
rlm@0: 
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