rlm@0: rlm@0: All of our stories (including the Sakura & Tomoyo stories I’ve written) along rlm@0: with all the other ChibiUsa & Hotaru/Sakura & Tomoyo stories I’ve managed to rlm@0: find are up at http://fly.to/moonlit_nights as well as hopefully a few other things. rlm@0: ^-^ It’s a fanfiction shrine to two of the most wonderful yuri couples. Please rlm@0: check it out. ^-^ rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: Tears and Rain (I know it was gonna be Rainbow Connection, but I changed my rlm@0: mind. ^-^;; You should know that I change my mind a lot by now. ^-^;; *l* The rlm@0: old title just didn’t fit as well.) rlm@0: By the Amazoness Quartet rlm@0: amazonessduo@hotmail.com rlm@0: rlm@0: Watashi-tachi ni Naritakute: rlm@0: rlm@0: "Ever since I first met you rlm@0: I've been shining in my heart rlm@0: My love causes so much sorrow rlm@0: I broke off my glance so quietly rlm@0: rlm@0: Your insignificant gestures rlm@0: And your ordinary words rlm@0: Every time rlm@0: I think of them I feel like I'm going to cry rlm@0: rlm@0: Love brings a lonely lonely heart rlm@0: I'm just all alone now rlm@0: Lonely lonely heart rlm@0: All the joy and pain I feel, I'm always rlm@0: Dreaming it by myself rlm@0: Love brings a lonely lonely heart rlm@0: But I know that someday it will come rlm@0: While I'm being held in your strong arms rlm@0: Wanting to be together with you... rlm@0: rlm@0: Right at your side, I'm standing there rlm@0: I'm always waiting for you rlm@0: But you don't return my advances rlm@0: I've been disappointed so many times rlm@0: rlm@0: When I fall in love with someone rlm@0: Why does it cause me so much pain rlm@0: All alone, by myself rlm@0: It's like I've fallen sick rlm@0: rlm@0: And now it's baby baby love rlm@0: Please, I beg of you rlm@0: Baby baby love rlm@0: When I feel I am going to lose to this loneliness rlm@0: I have to look into my hand mirror rlm@0: And now it's baby baby love rlm@0: Seems like every day I'm crying through the night rlm@0: I long for the past, smiling to myself rlm@0: Wanting to be together with you... rlm@0: rlm@0: Nobody knows about these rlm@0: Secret tears rlm@0: The one to wipe them away is rlm@0: Only rlm@0: Not just myself rlm@0: Wanting to be together with you... rlm@0: rlm@0: Love brings a lonely lonely heart rlm@0: I'm just all alone now rlm@0: Lonely lonely heart rlm@0: All the joy and pain I feel, I'm always rlm@0: Dreaming it by myself rlm@0: Love brings a lonely lonely heart rlm@0: But I know that someday it will come rlm@0: While I'm being held in your strong arms rlm@0: Wanting to be together with you..." rlm@0: rlm@0: A dark haired girl with odangos sighed miserably as she and her pink rlm@0: haired companion stood outside the Outer Senshi’s mansion, waiting under a rlm@0: tree as the storm continued. "Why are we even here? We could be at home right rlm@0: now, warm and dry, in the Crystal Palace. We could just tell Hotaru-mama and rlm@0: ChibiUsa-mama about us and not have to worry about all this." The storm had rlm@0: shown signs of slowing for a moment, but only a moment. It was already rlm@0: starting to pick up again, pelting the two girls with cold rain. They were about rlm@0: the same age as ChibiUsa and Hotaru, coming from further in the future than rlm@0: their younger selves. rlm@0: Shisa shivered, Selene’s body leaning against her own the only warmth rlm@0: she felt. "Because we need to make them understand, Selene. They have to know rlm@0: we’re in love. We have to prove that to them, make them realize that that’s the rlm@0: most important thing to us." rlm@0: "And why can’t we do that in the warmth of our own home? Why did rlm@0: we travel back in the past for all this?" Selene asked. She was already starting to rlm@0: feel homesick. She missed the room they shared; waking up to breakfast with rlm@0: their whole family; their parents gentle prodding when it came to their being rlm@0: princesses. rlm@0: Shisa looked down at the damp grass. "We’d already talked about all rlm@0: that. They wouldn’t understand if we only told them. We have to prove it. We rlm@0: have to test them, show just how important their love is, so they’ll know how rlm@0: important ours is." rlm@0: "Maybe they already know," Selene said hopefully. "Maybe they know rlm@0: and they’re fine with it." rlm@0: Shisa shook her head skeptically. "Remember a year ago? You were rlm@0: wondering why I was acting so strange around you. You kept wanting to know rlm@0: what was bothering me. You just wouldn’t leave me alone about it. And finally I rlm@0: told you. I looked you in the eyes and told you I was in love with you. There rlm@0: was no mistaking it. I think you know me better than I know myself sometimes. rlm@0: You didn’t need to ask, or to pretend you didn’t understand. And do you rlm@0: remember what happened?" rlm@0: The rain kept pouring over the two girls as they pushed further against rlm@0: the tree, trying to stay out of the soaking rain. Selene let out a deep sigh before rlm@0: answering. She looked away from Shisa when she did, not being able to meet rlm@0: the pink haired girl’s gaze. "I freaked out. I didn’t talk to you for a while. I rlm@0: thought you were sick. I kept telling you to leave me alone when I’d say rlm@0: anything at all.." the maroon haired girl trailed off. rlm@0: Shisa nodded sadly, pushing back the depression that always tried to rlm@0: overwhelm her at those memories. "It took a long time before I could even get rlm@0: you to even look at me again. ChibiUsa-mama and Hotaru-mama would rlm@0: probably react even worse." rlm@0: Selene thought for a moment, holding onto the other girl for comfort. rlm@0: "But I did eventually wind up falling in love with you. I got over how I rlm@0: originally thought of it. Maybe our parents will grow to accept it, too." rlm@0: The dark night, lit only by occasional bolts of lightning, left the two rlm@0: princesses in shadows. Shisa pulled her glasses off, trying to wipe the water rlm@0: from the rain off on her blouse. Turning to Selene, she shook her head somberly. rlm@0: "It took you time, Selene. It took a lot of time to fix things. Before our parents rlm@0: could take the time to realize that, they probably would try to pull us apart. rlm@0: They’d forbid us being together. We might wind up not seeing each other if they rlm@0: decide to put us in different places to keep us apart. Who knows what else rlm@0: they’d do." Shisa closed her eyes, shivering again. This time it wasn’t rlm@0: just from the wind and rain. rlm@0: "Oh, Shisa.." Selene wrapped her arms tighter around her lover, kissing rlm@0: her cold cheek. "I don’t ever want to lose you. You’re right. We can’t take any rlm@0: chances. We’ll do whatever it takes." rlm@0: "Whatever it takes," Shisa repeated, determination lighting up her pale rlm@0: violet eyes. rlm@0: rlm@0: Biting cold and freezing droplets of ice water hit ChibiUsa as she rlm@0: opened the door for whoever had been knocking. Her pink hair was thrown rlm@0: around by the strong surging winds. She shivered as the cold wind got to her, rlm@0: standing there only in Hotaru’s nightgown. “Hello?” She called out into the rlm@0: storm. The harsh rain and wind nearly blinded her as she tried to make out the rlm@0: figure in the doorway. Why couldn’t she be back in bed with Hotaru right now? rlm@0: What had possessed her to come downstairs in the first place? “Hello?” she rlm@0: called again, barely hearing herself as a thunderclap shook the house. She rlm@0: shuddered at the sudden sound, hugging herself as she waited for it to pass. As rlm@0: she slowly managed to open her eyes and peer out past the doorway, a figure rlm@0: slowly took shape. “Oh!” gasped the princess as she took a step back. rlm@0: The figure smiled slightly and bowed. “It’s a pleasure, Princess rlm@0: Serenity. You look surprised. I hope I haven’t come at an inopportune time.” rlm@0: The pink haired girl shook her head slowly, at a loss for words. “I… rlm@0: No, its just that… Why are you here?” she finally blurted out in confusion. rlm@0: Taking another step forward, the figure’s smile broadened. “There is rlm@0: much I must tell you, Princess.” rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko cinched the towel around herself tighter and closed the door rlm@0: behind her as she entered her room. No one was home, but force of habit made rlm@0: her shut the door anyway. She had just taken a long relaxing shower after she rlm@0: had finally gotten home from shopping with Ruruna and Naruru. Momoko rolled rlm@0: her eyes. Those two were really hard to deal with. She could see why Hotaru rlm@0: didn’t like them very much. They were good friends of ChibiUsa’s, though, so rlm@0: she put up with them. The pink haired girl had been supposed to come along, but rlm@0: she had called at the last moment saying she couldn’t make it. rlm@0: Stretching luxuriously, the lavender haired girl reflected on the past few rlm@0: days. She had learned from ChibiUsa and Diana that not only had ChibiUsa’s rlm@0: younger sister shown up, but her future daughters as well. That news had been rlm@0: rather shocking. She’d had no idea the two girls could have a child, let alone rlm@0: twins. rlm@0: A by now familiar scratching sound at her window grabbed Momoko’s rlm@0: attention. She smiled broadly before turning to look, pushing her other thoughts rlm@0: aside at the arrival of her lover. “Diana!” Momoko quickly ran over and opened rlm@0: the window. A small grayish purple kitten hopped down into the room, landing rlm@0: gently on the floor. rlm@0: “Hi, Momo-chan!” Diana said happily. The kitten purred as Momoko rlm@0: bent down to pet her. rlm@0: “Where were you?” Momoko asked, scratching under the kittens chin. rlm@0: “I missed you, Diana.” She pouted for a second before smiling again, picking rlm@0: her up in her arms. rlm@0: “I was being played with by Small Lady and Hotaru-chan’s kids,” rlm@0: Diana replied, obviously frustrated. rlm@0: Momoko couldn’t help but giggle. “Children love kittens, Diana. rlm@0: Especially cute talking kittens like you.” rlm@0: After a shimmer of light, Diana stood before Momoko in her human rlm@0: form. The beautiful cat girl’s short dark hair was done up in four odangos. She rlm@0: wore a lavender dress with matching stockings that reached her thighs. Her rlm@0: catlike eyes gazed deeply into Momoko’s. She took a step forward, her arms rlm@0: wrapping around Momoko’s waist as she hugged her tightly. “Thanks, Momo- rlm@0: chan. You’re sweet.” Leaning forward, she gave the lavender haired girl a peck rlm@0: on the lips. She sighed as she leaned against her lover’s soft body, the scent of rlm@0: Momoko’s hair already starting to relax her. “Those kids are hard to keep up rlm@0: with, even when they’re dragging you around. They have a bundle of energy.” rlm@0: Momoko smiled, running a hand through Diana’s soft hair. “Sounds rlm@0: like it. Maybe you should stay with me for a while. I mean, my mother knows rlm@0: you stay around here a lot, as a kitten at least. And ChibiUsa doesn’t always rlm@0: need you there. Like you said, the Quartet can watch over them.” Her voice had rlm@0: a hopeful tone to it. rlm@0: Diana squealed giddily and hugged the other girl again. “Really? rlm@0: Thanks! No more little kids pulling my tail. And I’d get to stay with you. That rlm@0: would be great, Momo-chan!” rlm@0: “Yeah, I’d love if you could stay.” Momoko’s hands moved down rlm@0: Diana’s back before arriving at her tail. “As for the not pulling your tail…” rlm@0: Giving a playful tug on the other girls’ tail, Momoko laughed as Diana tensed up rlm@0: in her arms. “At least you won’t have to pack anything,” she said thoughtfully rlm@0: before sitting on the edge of her bed. rlm@0: Diana sat down next to her, placing a hand on the lavender haired rlm@0: girls’. “I’ve been thinking about you so much lately, Momo-chan. I love you,” rlm@0: Diana said happily, her tail moving back and forth behind her. rlm@0: “I love you, too,” Momoko smiled back. “My little kitten,” she added. rlm@0: She slowly leaned forward, Diana turned to her, as if to speak. Momoko caught rlm@0: Diana’s lips with her own, kissing her passionately. Diana was caught by rlm@0: surprise. Her mouth fell open, Momoko’s tongue pushing inside. Diana quickly rlm@0: regained herself, kissing the other girl back. rlm@0: Momoko sat forward, lost in their kiss. She felt Diana’s tail wrap rlm@0: around her hand, the soft fur against her skin. As their tongues danced, Momoko rlm@0: felt a warm feeling pouring through her. Her eyes widened as she felt Diana’s rlm@0: hand on her right breast. She moaned softly into Diana’s mouth. The lavender rlm@0: haired girl was paralyzed. She didn’t know what to do, but Diana continued. rlm@0: They had been dating for several months now, but they had only gone so far, not rlm@0: actually having made love. Momoko’s worries were quickly drowned out by the rlm@0: feelings flooding through her. She continued to kiss the other girl back, her rlm@0: tongue brushing against the other girl’s. She moaned again when Diana lightly rlm@0: squeezed her breast. She gasped, arching her back as Diana’s other hand went to rlm@0: her left breast. Her now hard nipples pressed against Diana’s soft palms. rlm@0: Both girls were breathing heavily when the kiss finally ended. “Diana- rlm@0: chan,” Momoko whispered huskily. She pushed the cat girl backwards on the rlm@0: bed, a quick yelp of surprise coming from Diana. Lying atop Diana, Momoko rlm@0: kissed down her jawline to her neck. Diana shuddered deliciously underneath rlm@0: her. Momoko started pulling the top of Diana’s dress down, baring her soft rlm@0: breasts. The lavender haired girl kissed down her shoulder hungrily. Lightening rlm@0: shot through Momoko’s body as Diana’s hands began to caress her own chest rlm@0: again. rlm@0: Almost as if coming out of a trance, Momoko could vaguely hear a rlm@0: ringing sound. “Not now…” she muttered, finally recognizing the doorbell. She rlm@0: tried desperately to ignore the now grating noise, reveling in the new rlm@0: experiences playing out before her. Her mind focussed solely on Diana and the rlm@0: sensations the cat girl was arousing within her. Sitting up, she ran a hand rlm@0: through her sweat dampened lavender hair. “Diana,” she tried to say. She rlm@0: shuddered lightly as Diana continued her ministrations. With great reluctance, rlm@0: she finally disentangled herself from her lover. rlm@0: Diana let out a small whimper as Momoko stood up. Her passion filled rlm@0: eyes traveled up and down Momoko’s nude body. “Momo-chan, don’t go,” the rlm@0: cat girl pleaded, reaching out for the lavender haired girl. rlm@0: Taking Diana’s hand in her own, Momoko brought it to her flushed rlm@0: cheek. “I’m sorry, Diana. I’ll be back in a minute. Wait right here,” she rlm@0: commanded, ignoring the cat girl’s crawling towards her. Heading to the closet, rlm@0: Momoko quickly pulled out a Chinese dress and pulled it on, eager to get rid of rlm@0: the visitor. She wasn’t in the mood to deal lightly with whomever it was. A rlm@0: glance back at her bed weakened her resolve to go check the door. The sight of rlm@0: Diana sitting on her bed with the top of her dress down with a slightly rlm@0: bewildered look in her eyes greeted Momoko. Blushing profusely, Momoko rlm@0: averted her eyes and headed through her door. This was the first time she’d ever rlm@0: done anything like this. It was an almost overwhelming sensation. She wanted to rlm@0: get rid of the intruder as quickly as possible and get back to it. rlm@0: The site that greeted her when she opened the door was a tired and rlm@0: traumatized looking pink haired girl flanked by three younger girls. A worried rlm@0: Hotaru was holding onto ChibiUsa’s hand, looking up with concern in her deep rlm@0: violet eyes at her one true love. On the other side of the future princess were the rlm@0: twins, Shisa and Selene. Shisa bowed first, her sister following suite seconds rlm@0: later. “Ohayo, Momohara-san,” Shisa said politely. “Hi, Momoko-san,” Selene rlm@0: said seconds afterward. She giggled and whispered something to her sister. rlm@0: Apparently the other girl thought it was funny as well. rlm@0: Momoko shook her head, looking back up at the miserable pink haired rlm@0: girl. She knew that ChibiUsa must be taking that accident that changed Hotaru rlm@0: into a child pretty badly, despite Diana having told her that she seemed to be rlm@0: doing well. “ChibiUsa-chan, looks like you brought the entire family. Well, rlm@0: except your little sister.” rlm@0: “Aunt Kousagi is still back at grandma Usagi’s house. ChibiUsa-mama rlm@0: spent the night with Hotaru-mama," Selene supplied helpfully. Shisa nodded a rlm@0: little shyly from her place slightly behind ChibiUsa,. rlm@0: A sigh escaped the future princesses lips before she looked up. She rlm@0: gave Hotaru’s small hand a squeeze before plastering on the fake smile she’d rlm@0: worn all the way there. It wasn’t enough to fool Hotaru, but she hadn’t known rlm@0: what to ask her girlfriend. What could have happened that morning to upset her rlm@0: so? “Momo-chan, I’m really, really sorry about this, but would you mind rlm@0: watching the kids for a bit? There’s someone I need to talk to and its kinda rlm@0: urgent. My mother sent her and there’s some things we need to talk about and rlm@0: I’d feel bad just leaving Hota-chan, Shisa-chan, and Selene-chan all alone,” rlm@0: ChibiUsa asked, a hint of desperation in her voice. rlm@0: That much was true, Hotaru could tell, but what wasn’t she saying? rlm@0: And why was she so afraid to ask? She knew that they could tell each other rlm@0: anything, so all she had to do was ask the pink haired girl. But every time she rlm@0: tried, the knots in her stomach would just get worse. ChibiUsa had seemed so rlm@0: hopeful the night before and now… rlm@0: Momoko looked back inside the house. Her parents were gone for the rlm@0: day and she had Diana back waiting for her in her room for a day they could rlm@0: spend in each other’s arms. They could pick up where they left off and see rlm@0: where it went from there. With a sigh, she turned back to her friend. So much rlm@0: for that idea. There was always some other time. Smiling a bit, she nodded. rlm@0: “Sure thing, ChibiUsa-chan. I’d be glad to help.” rlm@0: ChibiUsa let out her breath in relief. At least she wouldn’t have to rlm@0: worry about the children while dealing with things. And it was probably better if rlm@0: Hotaru stayed here for now. Maybe things wouldn’t have been so bad if Hotaru rlm@0: didn’t already have so much to worry about. Hotaru’s enhanced aging had been rlm@0: jump started, but it would still be a while before she was back to her normal self. rlm@0: Whether that meant days or weeks, ChibiUsa had no idea. “Thanks, Momo- rlm@0: chan. I owe you one.” She smiled a little weakly as she led the younger girls rlm@0: towards the door. rlm@0: Laughing, Momoko shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. You can rlm@0: just babysit for me and Diana if we ever have a kid,” the lavender haired girl rlm@0: joked. rlm@0: “You mean Isis-chan?” Shisa asked curiously. rlm@0: Momoko stared at the younger girl for a moment before she began to rlm@0: sweatdrop. They did have a child? Before she could think about it anymore, rlm@0: Selene slipped past her, dragging Shisa behind. rlm@0: “Will you be okay, ChibiUsa-chan?” Hotaru asked softly, not managing rlm@0: to hide the concern in her voice. rlm@0: Smiling down at the dark haired girl, ChibiUsa nodded. “Hai, I’ll be rlm@0: fine, Taru. You just try not to worry about things, okay? We’ll get it all worked rlm@0: out soon enough.” ‘I hope,’ she added to herself. rlm@0: Hotaru didn’t feel very reassured, but she slowly let go of ChibiUsa’s rlm@0: hand and took a step towards Momoko. She didn’t want to leave the pink haired rlm@0: girl, but she didn’t know what to say. Everything was so confusing. Looking up rlm@0: at the pink haired girl, she tried desperately to say something, anything, but rlm@0: nothing came to her. But she didn’t need words. ChibiUsa met her gaze with a rlm@0: warm smile, comforting her a little. rlm@0: “I’ll be back soon, Hota-chan,” ChibiUsa promised, kneeling down. rlm@0: She gave Hotaru a hug, something she needed as much as the other girl to quell rlm@0: the storm in her heart. rlm@0: “I’ll be waiting for you,” Hotaru said softly before they parted. rlm@0: Blinking back tears she didn’t know had been there, she watched as the pink rlm@0: haired girl turned around and left. She knew that she’d be back, so why did it rlm@0: feel like this would be the last time they’d see each other? rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: “It isn’t fair.” rlm@0: Hotaru sat quietly on the couch, hugging her legs tightly to her chest. rlm@0: The small, lonely girl was propped up on a cushion, her chin resting on her rlm@0: knees. She shivered, her pale skin forming thousands of goose-bumps. It wasn't rlm@0: the cold that bothered her so much. No, she was used to that. She had always rlm@0: been cold. It didn’t matter how warm it was outside. Inside, she always felt cold. rlm@0: Now was no different. The only warmth she’d felt in her cold body was when rlm@0: she was being held in ChibiUsa’s arms, losing herself in the sensation. It was as rlm@0: if she was somehow absorbing the heat from the pink haired girl’s body. But she rlm@0: knew that just had to be her mind playing tricks on her. She was always cold rlm@0: because she had always been a weak and sickly girl. Maybe it wasn’t as bad this rlm@0: time around as it had when she had been growing up the first time, but she still rlm@0: wasn’t as healthy as most of the other children. rlm@0: Her dark violet eyes reflected the flickering flames from the fire rlm@0: Haruka had started not that long ago. The large house she shared with her rlm@0: surrogate parents was slowly warming up. She wanted to get off the couch and rlm@0: sit right in front of the fire, but she stubbornly stayed where she was. She didn’t rlm@0: feel like trying to warm herself. Hugging her legs tighter to herself, she blinked rlm@0: stinging watery eyes as the bright flames finally won their staring match. rlm@0: ChibiUsa had come upstairs that morning with a trinket from Crystal rlm@0: Tokyo that had jumpstarted Hotaru’s advanced aging. She should be her normal rlm@0: self within a few weeks. In the meantime, she was still stuck in the body of a rlm@0: child and she would have to slowly re-age back to her normal self within the rlm@0: course of the next few weeks. But rather than being overjoyed by the prospect, rlm@0: ChibiUsa had been quiet and withdrawn, not at all the normally outgoing person rlm@0: she usually was. The pink haired princess had been preoccupied by something, rlm@0: but despite Hotaru’s concern, ChibiUsa had just tried to convince her that rlm@0: nothing was wrong. And afterwards, ChibiUsa had taken Hotaru and their future rlm@0: twin daughters to Momoko’s house so she and Diana could keep an eye on them rlm@0: while ChibiUsa thought. ‘About what? What’s she keeping from me? We’re rlm@0: supposed to tell each other everything. Why would she hide this from me? She’s rlm@0: treating me like a child,’ she thought despairingly to herself. ‘Could it be that rlm@0: just maybe you’ve been acting like one?’ a voice within herself countered. She rlm@0: silenced it quickly, curling up tighter. ‘I’m not acting like a child. I’m not… My rlm@0: body’s just younger, not my mind…’ she reassured herself. rlm@0: “It isn’t fair.” rlm@0: “What isn’t fair, Hime-chan?” Michiru asked gently, gracefully rlm@0: entering the living room with a tea tray. She kneeled next to the table in front of rlm@0: the couch Hotaru was on. rlm@0: “Nothing…” Hotaru trailed off, looking down miserably. Strands of her rlm@0: short, dark hair fell into her eyes. Even the momentary blindness made her feel rlm@0: worse. She brushed the hair from her eyes with her small hand, looking up rlm@0: slowly to see Michiru’s soothing smile. rlm@0: “Would you like some tea, Hime-chan? You need something to warm rlm@0: you up before you freeze.” Michiru began pouring the tea into several cups even rlm@0: before the younger girl’s response. “Sitting there all stern and thoughtful. One rlm@0: might think you’re a piece of gothic architecture. We have enough art around the rlm@0: house. We need more lively little girls.” rlm@0: Hotaru giggled softly, a small smile beginning to light up her young rlm@0: features. “Hai, Michiru-mama. I’d like that.” She missed the note of childish rlm@0: exuberance in her own voice as she slid off the couch and gratefully accepted rlm@0: the offered cup of tea. “Arigato, Michiru-mama.” The first sip of the warm rlm@0: liquid did make her feel a little better as it slowly warmed her inside. Michiru rlm@0: had to warn her about drinking it too quickly, lest she burn her throat. She rlm@0: sighed softly before taking another sip. If she asked, she knew ChibiUsa would rlm@0: tell her. They could tell each other anything. But what scared her was when rlm@0: ChibiUsa did tell her. If this was enough to affect the usually bright and rlm@0: optimistic pink haired girl… rlm@0: Sitting in front of the fire, the mug held in both hands, the young rlm@0: Senshi of Death and Rebirth counted off all of her blessings despite the rlm@0: condition she was in. And prayed that she wasn’t about to lose them all. rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa sighed miserably as she searched through the refrigerator for rlm@0: something else to eat. She was feeling empty in more ways than one. She steered rlm@0: clear of the carrots, scavenging for anything that looked edible cold. ‘There we rlm@0: go,’ the pink haired princess thought to herself as she found some chocolate near rlm@0: the back. Usually she would be a little more weary of who’s it was, but she rlm@0: wasn’t in the mood to worry about that at the moment. Putting the chocolate bar rlm@0: in her mouth to hold for a moment, she smoothed down her pajamas before rlm@0: returning to her seat at the table, a space she hadn’t vacated for the past two rlm@0: hours. Taking a bite of the chocolate, she winced. It was still hard. She set it rlm@0: down to wait for it to thaw a bit before trying to polish it off. Looking into her rlm@0: half empty glass of water, she gazed at the dim reflection she could make out rlm@0: from the single light that was on in the room. Her normally vibrant crimson eyes rlm@0: seemed faded, they’re usual sparkle missing. She ran a hand through her pink rlm@0: hair, let down from her odango hair style. “Not quite the pristine princess I’m rlm@0: supposed to be, right, mom?” she asked quietly into the empty room. She rlm@0: laughed bitterly. “But then, why should you care? Just how much of a rlm@0: disappointment am I to you?” rlm@0: Picking up the candy bar, ChibiUsa took a bite out of the still hard rlm@0: chocolate. It was supposed to be comfort food, but it didn’t feel very comforting. rlm@0: So technically, she should stop. But who would care whether or not she did? rlm@0: Hotaru. She wouldn’t mind if Hotaru was doing this, if the pale girl got a little rlm@0: chubby. Then she wouldn’t have to worry so much about the poor girl never rlm@0: eating. Besides, she’d look cute even then. rlm@0: ChibiUsa shook her head as she realized her thoughts were wandering. rlm@0: But was that a bad thing? At least it would get her mind off of things. She didn’t rlm@0: want to have to think right now, to have to relive thoughts over and over. It only rlm@0: made things worse, it seemed. Thoughts lived and died, other darker thoughts rlm@0: rising from their ashes as the night pushed inexorably onward towards the rlm@0: coming dawn. There was no silver lining for her to search for, no shelter in this rlm@0: storm. Sleep escaped her as if it were running from her frenziedly. Biting her rlm@0: lower lip, she wondered if she could ask Elios if there were something he could rlm@0: do about that. He was the priest of Elysian, the land of dreams, after all. But then rlm@0: she’d still probably have nightmares all night long. That wouldn’t be any better rlm@0: than this waking nightmare. And talking to him would just remind her of her rlm@0: mother’s plans. rlm@0: ‘How could she do this to me?’ ChibiUsa thought to herself. ‘She made rlm@0: it sound like she had faith in us. I always thought she was such a wonderful lady. rlm@0: I wanted to be just like her. Now… I don’t know what to think. Why us? rlm@0: Hotaru’s already had such a difficult life. Why can’t she have some happiness? I rlm@0: love her. How can my mother dictate that? Is love so weak that she can decide rlm@0: its fate? She thinks our love is nothing more than puppy love, that I was rlm@0: experimenting back here and got with my best friend because of that. It took me rlm@0: long enough to figure it out, but I do love Hotaru. I always knew it deep down. I rlm@0: always worried about what the future would bring when I had to return, but I rlm@0: knew things would work out. We’d think of something. Love would find a way. rlm@0: But now I find out that my mother had it set from the beginning that this rlm@0: couldn’t be. And what about the twins? Were they just told to say that Hotaru rlm@0: and I were their parents so that we wouldn’t realize what was going to happen? rlm@0: Are they Elios’ and my children?’ rlm@0: The pink haired princess buried her face in her hands, tears running down rlm@0: her cheeks when she thought she had none left. ‘I thought we’d be together rlm@0: forever. My birthright destroyed everything. How can I face Hotaru with this? I rlm@0: just wanted to make her happy, and now I can’t even do that. I hate you, mother. rlm@0: I’ll never forgive you for this. I want to curl up and die. Maybe I should. Prove rlm@0: to you that you can’t rule my life. That I won’t follow in your footsteps if it rlm@0: means leaving behind the girl I love. If it means leaving behind the other half of rlm@0: my soul, what type of life is that? Its not even life. And I won’t live it. I’d rather rlm@0: die than be her puppet. Than ever hurt Hotaru. I’ll be with Hotaru again in the rlm@0: afterlife. You’ll never keep us from each other. I’d move heaven and earth to be rlm@0: with her.’ The princess stood up, pulling back the drawn curtains to look up into rlm@0: the moonlit sky. A renewed determination burned in her eyes. ‘I won’t let you rlm@0: keep us apart. I’ll fight to be with her, give up my birthright, even die. Whatever rlm@0: it takes.’ She drew a tiny picture on the damp glass with her finger. ‘I love you rlm@0: too much, Hotaru. I’ll never give up on you. I won’t let it end this way. I rlm@0: promise.’ rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: “Are you alright, Kyusuke-kun? You’ve been out of it all afternoon. rlm@0: You’ll make me think I’m too boring for you,” Hikaru chided the green haired rlm@0: boy. rlm@0: “Huh? Oh.. Sorry, Hikaru-chan. I was just lost in thought. And boring rlm@0: is definitely not a word I’d use to describe you. You may be a lot of things, but rlm@0: boring’s not one of them,” Kyusuke replied. rlm@0: Hikaru paused for a moment, considering whether or not to take that as rlm@0: a compliment before smiling back at the boy. “Just try not to get lost again. I rlm@0: might not be able to find you.” rlm@0: “I’ll be careful,” Kyusuke promised. Glancing sidelong at his rlm@0: companion, he smiled to himself. Her short auburn hair fell past beautiful brown rlm@0: eyes almost to the point of obscuring her vision, but she never seemed to have a rlm@0: problem knowing exactly where she was going. With everything. A large rlm@0: oversized sweater and a pleated skirt adorned the girl that chilly evening, her rlm@0: arms still clutching the stuffed bear he’d bought her just a short time beforehand. rlm@0: Kyusuke had known Hikaru for years now and they’d always been good friends, rlm@0: but it hadn’t been until a few months ago that they’d finally started dating. The rlm@0: girl was a little odd, but he loved all those little things about her. rlm@0: “You’re grinning like an idiot again. Wanna tell me what about?” rlm@0: Hikaru asked with a wink, once again shaking Kyusuke from his thoughts. rlm@0: “Nothing.. I’m just thinking about things,” the green haired boy said rlm@0: lamely. He was about to try again before something caught his eye. Across the rlm@0: street he could make out ChibiUsa along with three younger girls heading into a rlm@0: store. “ChibiUsa-chan must be babysitting.” rlm@0: Hikaru followed his gaze to the pink haired girl and nodded. “Looks rlm@0: like it. That’s the girl who dates the gothic girl at your school, right?” rlm@0: Sweatdropping profusely, the green haired boy nodded. “Yeah, but rlm@0: Momoko said she’d beat the crap out of me if I told anyone. She only told me rlm@0: because I was joking about it.” rlm@0: “Looks like she’s gotta kill you then, because you told me.” Hikaru rlm@0: grinned and stuck her tongue out at the boy. “You really are scared of that girl, rlm@0: aren’t you?” rlm@0: “Hey, as long as Momoko doesn’t find out, I don’t wind up very very rlm@0: dead. And sense you go to a different school, I figure the rules don’t apply.” rlm@0: Proud of his explanation, Kyusuke watched ChibiUsa and the girls disappear rlm@0: into the building. Slowly, the pair begin walking again. rlm@0: “You always run up to your friends to talk to them except when I’m rlm@0: around.” Hikaru turned and pouted cutely at Kyusuke. “Why is that?” rlm@0: Sighing and rolling his eyes, the green haired boy kept walking. “Come rlm@0: on, Hikaru-chan. Don’t do that.” rlm@0: “I only do it because it always works,” the auburn haired girl said with rlm@0: a giggle. rlm@0: “Well, it’s just that… They’re all… And when you think about it…. rlm@0: You know…” rlm@0: Hugging the stuffed bear against her chest, Hikaru turned to Kyusuke. rlm@0: “But what’s the big deal? The pink girl and that other one are in a lesbian rlm@0: relationship and your friend Momoko obviously seems fine with it. So there rlm@0: shouldn’t be a problem if they met me. Its not like they’d find out.” rlm@0: “I know, I know… It’s just…” Kyusuke began nervously. rlm@0: “Now don’t start that. We both know why you don’t want me to meet rlm@0: them. You don’t need to cover it up. Fine.” She shrugged, walking forward rlm@0: again. Brushing some hair back, she placed a withering glance on the green rlm@0: haired boy as he tried to keep up. “It doesn’t matter if you pretend I don’t exist.” rlm@0: A sigh of defeat marked the end of Kyusuke’s resistance. Nodding, he rlm@0: looked up at her. “Alright, you win. But don’t expect it to be a big thing. rlm@0: They’re just my friends. Momoko’s kind of intimidating sometimes, but that’s rlm@0: usually just to me. ChibiUsa’s sort of… perky. And Hotaru pretty much just rlm@0: follows her around, not saying much.” rlm@0: Hugging her boyfriend warmly, Hikaru smiled. “Thanks, Kyusuke-kun! rlm@0: I knew you’d understand.” rlm@0: Returning the hug, Kyusuke sweatdropped. He hoped he wasn’t making rlm@0: a mistake. rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: “What about this?” ChibiUsa asked as she lifted the small frilled dress rlm@0: up for the younger girls to see. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa-chan…” rlm@0: “But it’s cute. You’d look adorable in it, Hota-chan,” the future rlm@0: princess argued. Looking from the small dark haired girl to the dress and back, rlm@0: she nodded, pleased. “Besides, Puu gave me some money and told me to buy rlm@0: you some clothes. You do need some, Taru. The rest of your wardrobe’s still for rlm@0: a sixteen year old girl.” rlm@0: “I know, ChibiUsa-chan. But don’t you think it’s a little too...” Hotaru rlm@0: trailed off as she stared skeptically at the dress. rlm@0: “Cute?” Shisa supplied helpfully, startling the shy raven haired girl. rlm@0: “Hai. Its more like something that you would wear, ChibiUsa-chan...” rlm@0: Hotaru looked up at ChibiUsa with her dark violet eyes for a long moment. It rlm@0: was strange, looking up at her like that. She remembered it the other way around rlm@0: when they’d first met, when she had to look down to see the little pink haired rlm@0: girl. The last time she herself had been this small and in a situation like this had rlm@0: been several years ago shopping with her surrogate parents. Looking up at their rlm@0: smiling faces, she’d been thrilled when they had let her pick out a particular rlm@0: sundress she liked. Michiru had said it would only get dirty anyway but Haruka rlm@0: had said that was the point. Now she was looking up at a different smiling face rlm@0: with a different kind of love in those eyes than in those of her parents’. It left her rlm@0: a little disoriented, the new mixing with the old, nostalgia mixing with anxiety, rlm@0: all performing a jumbled orchestra in her heart. rlm@0: Selene giggled and nodded. “I think you should get it, Hotaru-chan. It rlm@0: would look nice.” Dark purple odango bobbed up and down as she nodded rlm@0: enthusiastically. rlm@0: ChibiUsa smiled at her future daughter’s attempt at helping. She had rlm@0: noticed the twins had quickly dropped the use of ‘mama’ for Hotaru when rlm@0: they’d found out she was their age. She hoped it was only because of their rlm@0: similarity in age rather than Hotaru not really being their mother. If Elios really rlm@0: was the father... Hotaru’s insistent tug on her hand brought her back to reality. rlm@0: “I’ll get it if you want, ChibiUsa-chan,” Hotaru said with a shy smile. rlm@0: ChibiUsa smiled down at her and shook her head, something catching rlm@0: her eye. “No, you’re right, Taru. Its not exactly you. Besides, this is soooo much rlm@0: cuter.” Pulling up a little yellow sundress to Hotaru, she grinned happily. The rlm@0: younger girl looked simply adorable. “Now we just need to find you a good rlm@0: wide-brimmed hat for that and it will be perfect.” Standing up and still holding rlm@0: her girlfriend’s small hand, she looked around for the next object in her quest. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa-mama? When we’re done getting Hotaru-chan clothes, I rlm@0: want something to!” Selene stated so her future parent would be absolutely sure rlm@0: not to leave her out of the day’s events. rlm@0: “Me too!” Shisa added. “I’ll have the one you were gonna get for rlm@0: Hotaru-chan if she doesn’t want it.” rlm@0: Hotaru let her eyes wander as they walked through the enormous racks rlm@0: of clothes. Everything was so huge now. She’d never been a tall girl, but the rlm@0: sheer difference in size from a few days before and now was colossal. Brushing rlm@0: back her dark hair, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that they were being rlm@0: watched. But by who? She glanced around worriedly, unable to keep the rlm@0: sensation from getting worse. To keep the disorientation welling up inside her rlm@0: from becoming too much to bear, she squeezed ChibiUsa’s hand tightly. The rlm@0: future princess squeezed back gently, reassuring Hotaru. A sigh escaped rlm@0: Hotaru’s lips as she tried to convince herself that it was all in her mind. Smiling rlm@0: to herself, she slipped away from ChibiUsa while the older girl was checking the rlm@0: hats. rlm@0: “This one looks really cute, but this one’s really good, too. Hmm... rlm@0: What do you think, Hota-chan?” ChibiUsa looked up as she held the two hats rlm@0: for the raven haired girl’s inspection, but Hotaru was nowhere to be seen. Right rlm@0: as she began to fear the worst, a small voice piped up near her. rlm@0: “What about this one, ChibiUsa-chan? I really like it!” Hotaru said rlm@0: happily as she ran back up to the three other girls. She was clutching a beautiful rlm@0: white wide-brimmed hat offset with a midnight black ribbon encircling it before rlm@0: trailing off the back. Placing it on her head, the pale girl demonstrated for her rlm@0: future princess. Her short dark hair fell out from underneath the hat, framing her rlm@0: ivory skin. She giggled as she tilted her head to the side. rlm@0: “Its really pretty, Hota-chan. I think you should get it.” ChibiUsa rlm@0: smiled at her counterpart, her soulmate, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief that rlm@0: nothing had happened. Before she could further comment, the two hats she had rlm@0: been holding were snatched from her grasp. rlm@0: “What about me? I look pretty, too, right?” Selene asked quickly, rlm@0: wearing the hat that had been in ChibiUsa’s right hand. rlm@0: “Can I get this one? Please?” Shisa asked, blinking huge puppy dog rlm@0: eyes upwards at her currently overwhelmed future pink haired parent. rlm@0: Hotaru watched as the other two girls fought over their mother’s rlm@0: attention through blurry eyes. It had looked so perfect, sitting there all alone. rlm@0: She wanted so much to show it to ChibiUsa, to see what she thought. All alone... rlm@0: She’d known ChibiUsa would like it as much as she did, but now... A tear rlm@0: dropped down to the cold floor, quickly joined by another. It wasn’t fair... rlm@0: “Hotaru? Hotaru-chan, what’s wrong?” she heard pierce through the shroud of rlm@0: sadness around her. A hand went to her shoulder as another brushed the hair rlm@0: away from her eyes. Concerned crimson eyes met her own tearful violet ones. rlm@0: She lunged forward with a choked sob and clasped onto ChibiUsa. Comforting rlm@0: whispers brushed past her ears as the older girl held her tightly. She could see rlm@0: the twins watching worriedly from behind ChibiUsa but her torn heart kept the rlm@0: tears flowing. She buried her head against ChibiUsa’s shoulder, wanting rlm@0: everything to go back to the way it had been. ‘Why am I doing this?’ she asked rlm@0: herself. ‘It’s not a big deal. It’s alright. I know she loves me, so if she pays rlm@0: attention to them, why does it hurt so much? Why am I so sad? I’m a big girl, I rlm@0: shouldn’t be crying about this. This doesn’t matter. But.. I just wanted to show it rlm@0: to her.. I wanted to ask her what she thought.. I wanted to be the only one...’ rlm@0: “Shhh... It’s okay, Hota-chan. Cry all you want. It’s okay.” ChibiUsa rlm@0: stroked Hotaru’s back as the other girl sobbed against her. What had happened? rlm@0: She wanted to ask, to make sure that the dark haired girl was all right, but she rlm@0: just needed comfort right now. There would always be later to worry about such rlm@0: things. Hotaru had been trying so hard to pretend that she was fine, but this had rlm@0: taken a rather heavy emotional toll on her. She was just a little girl now. rlm@0: ChibiUsa had been so worried about what she’d heard from the future and what rlm@0: would become of them that she hadn’t been worrying enough about what Hotaru rlm@0: was going through now. Things would work out, they would find a way. But for rlm@0: now, Hotaru needed her. She never should have left her side since this had rlm@0: happened. Closing her eyes, she realized what a mistake she had made. She rlm@0: could only hope that she could make it up to the pale girl in her arms. rlm@0: rlm@0: “Poor Hotaru-mama,” an older Selene said as she watched the scene rlm@0: unfolding before her. Her long dark hair was swept back behind her as familiar rlm@0: fingers brushed through it. She smiled as she turned her attention to the rlm@0: spectacled girl next to her. “I was wondering where you’d disappeared off to.” rlm@0: “Just making sure we had one of grandfather Tomoe’s Daimon Eggs rlm@0: ready,” the teenage Shisa explained. She lifted up the small object in her hand rlm@0: for the dark haired girl to see. rlm@0: Selene frowned as she looked from it to the embracing forms of their rlm@0: parents. “Are you sure about this? Aren’t they already in enough pain? rlm@0: ChibiUsa-mama just heard that she’s marrying High Priest Elios and Hotaru- rlm@0: mama’s no more than a child.” She shakes her head sadly. “But we have to. We rlm@0: have to or they’ll never accept us. We must test them.” rlm@0: Shisa nodded in agreement. “We must make them hurt. To try to tear rlm@0: them from each other. To make them suffer. Only then will they understand...” rlm@0: She clutched the Daimon Egg tightly as her mind started to shift back to painful rlm@0: memories. rlm@0: “Shisa, no, don’t think about it. We’re both here. I’m here with you. rlm@0: Please don’t worry.” Selene placed her hand on the other girl’s cheek gingerly. rlm@0: She offered a small smile. “You can’t just give up on me now. What would I do? rlm@0: If we’re gonna pull this off, we need to be together on it. I need you.” rlm@0: Placing her hand atop Selene’s, Shisa nodded, smiling herself. “Hai, rlm@0: Selenity. Besides, it should be fun.” rlm@0: Selene grinned. “Most definitely. We’ll see just how well our beloved rlm@0: parents can handle what we throw at them.” rlm@0: rlm@0: “There you go,” ChibiUsa said softly as she wiped the last of Hotaru’s rlm@0: tears away. She smiled as she looked into the raven haired girl’s deep violet rlm@0: eyes. “Is that better?” She got a shy nod from Hotaru in return. Smiling a little rlm@0: more as relief spread through her body, she placed the wide brimmed hat on rlm@0: Hotaru. rlm@0: The pale girl looked at ChibiUsa for a long moment before smiling a little rlm@0: herself. She was being childish, she admonished herself. But she had to admit rlm@0: deep down that it was worth it if it meant ChibiUsa was there to take care of her. rlm@0: She gave the bigger girl a warm hug. “Thank you, ChibiUsa-chan.” After a rlm@0: second’s pause, she added almost inaudibly, “I love you.” rlm@0: Whether the older girl heard her or not would never be known, because at rlm@0: that moment an arm whipped out and grabbed at Hotaru. A yelp escaped the rlm@0: raven haired girl as she got pulled backwards suddenly, her hat falling to the rlm@0: floor. As the terrified Senshi of Death and Rebirth turned around, she saw what rlm@0: she had sworn was a mannequin just a few moments earlier with an evil grin on rlm@0: its face. rlm@0: “Hotaru-chan!” ChibiUsa yelled as she watched in confusion. A Daimon! rlm@0: Just like the one they’d fought a few days ago when Hotaru had been tied up. So rlm@0: it wasn’t an accident after all. Someone was after them. But why? There was no rlm@0: time to waste on the answers but she’d see that they didn’t get away with rlm@0: whatever it was. Lunging forward, she grabbed Hotaru’s forearm. rlm@0: Unfortunately, the Daimon was much stronger than it had appeared and rlm@0: ChibiUsa had never been very strong to begin with, so both the dark haired girl rlm@0: and the future princess got dragged through a few racks of clothes. Trying to rlm@0: catch her bearings, ChibiUsa noticed that the twins were left unprotected as they rlm@0: watched the whole thing. She could only hope that this thing was only after her rlm@0: and Hotaru. “Hotaru-chan, hang on!” she screamed as she felt her grip rlm@0: loosening. The Daimon laughed maniacally and lashed the smaller girl in her rlm@0: grasp. ChibiUsa lost her grip and lay sprawled against a cosmetics display. rlm@0: Disoriented, frightened, and now very angry at seeing the girl she loved rlm@0: being hurt like that, Hotaru struggled with the much stronger Daimon. rlm@0: "ChibiUsa-chan!” The Saturn symbol flashed on her forehead as the Daimon rlm@0: laughed evilly. An aura of light started glowing around the young girl, her short rlm@0: hair whipping around as if she were in a storm. “Don’t hurt her!” Hotaru cried, rlm@0: grabbing the Daimon’s attention. The energy around the girl grew in size and rlm@0: strength within seconds, ripping through the Daimon’s hand that had been rlm@0: holding onto her arm. Screaming in pain, the mannequin daimon stumbled rlm@0: backwards. Swaying back and forth after the serge of energy had drained her, rlm@0: Hotaru fell to her knees. She was quickly pulled back to her feet by two arms rlm@0: around her. Looking around in fright, the dark haired girl’s frantically beating rlm@0: heart started to slow when she looked up into crimson eyes framed by cotton rlm@0: candy pink hair. “ChibiUsa-chan!” rlm@0: ChibiUsa smiled reassuringly. “Hai, it’s me. I’m just fine. You did a great rlm@0: job, Hota-chan, but I want you to get out of here with the twins. I’ll henshin and rlm@0: deal with the Daimon while you three get out of here.” She grabbed her broach rlm@0: absentmindedly as she watched the injured Daimon. rlm@0: Hotaru shook her head adamantly, her violet eyes worried. “I don’t want to rlm@0: leave you…” she said softly. She couldn’t leave ChibiUsa to face this thing rlm@0: alone. “Wait for the Sailor Quartet at least,” she pleaded, holding tightly onto rlm@0: ChibiUsa’s white skirt. rlm@0: The pink haired girl bit her lower lip as she watched the Daimon start to rlm@0: regroup. She really hadn’t fought on her own before. Besides, when Hotaru had rlm@0: returned to her it was so they could fight together. But now, on her own… She rlm@0: would have to fight anyway. She was a Sailor Senshi and she couldn’t stand by rlm@0: and let this thing hurt anyone else, let alone Hotaru or her future daughters. rlm@0: Clutching her broach, she took a step away from the worried dark haired girl. rlm@0: “Gomen nasai, Taru-chan. I promise we’ll fight together again.” Another soft rlm@0: smile went the younger girl’s way before being replaced with a more serious rlm@0: look. Holding her broach in the air, feeling her own Pink Crystal inside of it, she rlm@0: braced herself for what could be the toughest fight of her life. rlm@0: But before she had the chance to utter another word, another voice rang out rlm@0: into the pandemonium that had become the mall. “From a distant horizon, a new rlm@0: day is dawning. I am the future. Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon.” Landing rlm@0: gracefully a few yards in front of the shocked would be Sailorchibimoon, rlm@0: another Sailor Senshi stood, her long dark hair done up with four odango, the rlm@0: thick pigtails draped across her back not quite reaching past her waist. She had a rlm@0: light pink skirt with a purple bow on the front and back. Her long boots reached rlm@0: just below the knee. Her broach, a highly decorated scarlet and pink heart, was rlm@0: offset by a small gold half moon. Her shoulders were clad in a pink sphere, rlm@0: similar to Eternal Sailormoon. Long gloves went past her elbows, an odd scepter rlm@0: in her gloved hands. rlm@0: Not knowing what was going on, but not wanting to keep the younger girls rlm@0: in harms way any longer than necessary, ChibiUsa backed off from the new rlm@0: senshi towards a clothes rack, hoping to find some sort of cover if anything rlm@0: happened. It took her a moment to realize that she’d taken Hotaru’s hand in her rlm@0: own in reflex. She looked curiously down at the other girl, but Hotaru’s simple rlm@0: shrug was enough to see that the dark haired girl had no more of an idea than rlm@0: she did about what was going on. She did know that the senshi sure looked rlm@0: awfully familiar... rlm@0: Hotaru squeezed ChibiUsa’s hand, looking for some reassurance in what rlm@0: had quickly become a shopping trip from hell. She knew that the monster that rlm@0: had attacked them was a Daimon, but she couldn’t figure out how or why it rlm@0: would be here. Her father’s laboratory was gone, the Daimon Eggs wouldn’t be rlm@0: easy to produce. But obviously someone had gotten a hold of them. And they rlm@0: were sending them after her. She brought her other hand to ChibiUsa’s as well. rlm@0: She’d never been this frightened before of an attack. But she had never been this rlm@0: helpless before either. rlm@0: Ribbons whipped out from the mannequin at the new Sailor Senshi, but rlm@0: before they reached her, they hit right into a glowing barrier. Another Senshi rlm@0: stood in front of the first, this one holding a very familiar looking weapon. The rlm@0: Silence Glaive. Short, wavy pink hair graced her head along with a large pair of rlm@0: glasses that accentuated the soft curves of her face. She had a dark purple skirt rlm@0: and a light pink bow on the front and back. Her long laced up boots reached a rlm@0: little lower than her counterpart’s. She had the sharp crystal shards that Saturn rlm@0: had had on her original fuku for a broach, this time in a heart shape. Her rlm@0: shoulders had the odd ripped look of Saturn's old costume as well. rlm@0: “Sailorsaturn,” Hotaru gasped. Shaking her head, the raven haired girl watched rlm@0: the two. But that couldn’t be right. She was Sailorsaturn. Or, Saturn resided rlm@0: within her at least. This was all becoming more and more unnerving. rlm@0: “Amazoness Jungle Arrow!!” With the Daimon distracted, the just arriving rlm@0: Sailor Quartet wasted no time in attacking. Unable to dodge, it dissipated after rlm@0: the combined blast of the four ripped through it. rlm@0: “Well, that sure was easy. We’re getting good at this protecting the princess rlm@0: thing,” JunJun said thoughtfully as she took a few steps towards who she rlm@0: suspected were the Saturn and Chibimoon that they knew. Whirling around, the rlm@0: short pink haired one stuck the Silence Glaive inches from the tanned member rlm@0: of the Quartet’s face. Suddenly not feeling quite as friendly with the sharp object rlm@0: pointed in her face, Sailorjuno backed off. rlm@0: “What the hell?” VesVes asked as she watched the two new Sailor Senshi rlm@0: suspiciously. “Hey, this is our job. Find yourself your own princess.” Out of the rlm@0: corner of her eye, she could see Sailorceres and Pallas standing protectively near rlm@0: ChibiUsa and Hotaru. She averted her eyes before she could alert the two rlm@0: intruders. rlm@0: The two girls laughed a little as they looked at each other. “Thanks, but no rlm@0: thanks. We’ve got our own reasons for being here. We just decided that rather rlm@0: than having them all get killed now, we’d let them know that we’re keeping an rlm@0: eye on them,” the dark haired one answered, brushing her fingers through one of rlm@0: her dark pigtails. rlm@0: “Though they shouldn’t expect us to save them next time,” the shorter rlm@0: haired one said, adjusting her glasses as she looked pointedly at the two girls in rlm@0: question, ChibiUsa still clutching onto the younger Hotaru protectively. rlm@0: “PallaPalla didn’t know there were anymore Sailor Senshi. Especially not rlm@0: any that looked like Small Lady or Hotaru,” the blue haired Sailor Quartet rlm@0: member whispered to CereCere. rlm@0: “Neither did I. It’s starting to get difficult keeping track of everybody. Just rlm@0: remember that nobody else matters besides the princess. It’s much easier to rlm@0: remember that way,” CereCere explained, irritated at the newcomers rlm@0: appearance. This would definitely mean more work for them. As if they didn’t rlm@0: have enough as it was! ChibiUsa was pretty good at getting herself in trouble rlm@0: with these sorts of things and they had to protect her as Hotaru had decided for rlm@0: them when she’d awakened them as Sailor Senshi. Maybe if she wasn’t so rlm@0: overprotective, they wouldn’t have to worry about this sort of thing. rlm@0: “Who are you?” ChibiUsa asked as she stood up, looking over at the two. rlm@0: “Why are you here?” She took a step forward toward the Sailor Senshi. “Are rlm@0: you here to fight with us? Is there a new threat on the way?” Her innocent rlm@0: questions were cut short as the Silence Glaive slashed through the bow on her rlm@0: blouse. Startled, the pink haired girl stumbled backwards before falling. rlm@0: “We’re here to test you,” the dark haired one answered with a sad smile. In rlm@0: the background, a strange whistling music could be heard at that. rlm@0: ChibiUsa swallowed nervously as the new Sailorsaturn looked down at her rlm@0: with glassy, cold eyes, still holding the Silence Glaive ready. She remembered rlm@0: not to let her fear show through as she shifted on the cold floor. “Test us? rlm@0: How?” rlm@0: “You’ll see,” the pink haired one said simply. With that, the two were off. rlm@0: ChibiUsa wanted to follow, wanted to know what was going on here and rlm@0: why they’d saved them, but Hotaru’s arms around her made her give up on the rlm@0: idea instantly. Kneeling down next to her, she looked into those infinitely deep rlm@0: violet eyes. “Are you okay, Hota-chan?” She hugged the younger girl to her, rlm@0: glad the whole thing was over. rlm@0: Hotaru knew that ChibiUsa was hiding how worried she was about all this rlm@0: but she let it drop. ChibiUsa always tried to hide her feelings, pretending to be rlm@0: happy when something was wrong so no one would worry about her. It wasn’t rlm@0: very difficult for Hotaru to see through it, though. She wasn’t very good at rlm@0: pretending to be happy herself, but she could still spot the differences in rlm@0: ChibiUsa’s behavior when the pink haired girl tried it. “ChibiUsa-chan, I think I rlm@0: know who they are,” Hotaru whispered to the older girl. rlm@0: “What? Who?” ChibiUsa asked, startled. She hadn’t begun to think about rlm@0: that yet, still confused by their very appearance to wonder who these mysterious rlm@0: senshi could be. rlm@0: Maybe she was wrong. How would she know? Maybe she was just looking rlm@0: too hard. She shook her head. No, it made too much sense. Casting a sidelong rlm@0: glance at the still worried twins, she quickly looked back at ChibiUsa. Leaning rlm@0: closer, she whispered again. “ChibiUsa-chan, I think it’s the twins. I don’t know rlm@0: how yet.” rlm@0: ChibiUsa could barely restrain her surprise at that. She cautiously took a rlm@0: look at the two younger girls, still embracing in fear as PallaPalla and CereCere rlm@0: tried to calm them down. One with long dark pigtails, the other with slightly rlm@0: shorter pink hair and glasses. Hotaru shook her head, silencing ChibiUsa’s rlm@0: questions for the two girls before she could ask them. ChibiUsa just nodded, rlm@0: biting her lower lip. This was most definitely getting bizarre. She wished for her rlm@0: magical city of the future where things at least made sense. “Oh boy...” rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: ~Fin~ rlm@0: rlm@0: Next time on Quant… err… the ChibiUsa & Hotaru series of stories: I rlm@0: really have no clue. ^-^ Maybe a few vague ones (which I’m currently keeping rlm@0: tabs of in an outline for the next story) but otherwise I’m as clueless as you are. rlm@0: ^-^;; Maybe if I didn’t keep switching from story to story (I’m working on nine rlm@0: at last count) I’d have some idea of where I was going with all this. O_o I’m rlm@0: really sorry I’m so slow, but when it rains it pours. ^-^;; Things have been really rlm@0: messed up lately, as everyone who knows me has surely heard about. But as far rlm@0: as everything goes, you never can have too much time traveling right? ^-^ Okay, rlm@0: maybe. ^^;; I’ll try to lay off the time traveling next time so I don’t cramp the rlm@0: story with so many characters. I should be concentrating on ChibiUsa & Hotaru rlm@0: more as it is. ^-^;; Anyway, I’m ranting now, so please ignore me. If any of you rlm@0: would like to contact me for any reason at all (liked the story, caught any in- rlm@0: jokes, noticed I screwed up somewhere from my bad habit of only writing when rlm@0: I should be asleep, have any ideas for the next story, etc.), my e-mail address is rlm@0: amazonessduo@hotmail.com and my ICQ name is ChibiUsa Tomoe. I have rlm@0: AIM, but I’m not on it half as much. ^^;; Anyway, thanks so much for reading. rlm@0: ^-^ *hugs and kisses* rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: