rlm@0: Hello again. ^-^ This story is kind of a third part to ‘Moonlit rlm@0: Nights’ and it centers mainly around Diana and Momoko. rlm@0: Hopefully it will tie up some of the loose ends left from rlm@0: ‘Moonlit Nights’ 1 and 2. You don’t have to have read those rlm@0: before you read this, but it would probably help. rlm@0: rlm@0: For those of you that don’t know some of these characters, rlm@0: here are some very brief descriptions (we’re using some parts rlm@0: from the manga in this, too, like Ruruna and Naruru)- rlm@0: Diana: She’s ChibiUsa’s guardian cat and comes from the rlm@0: future. She has a human form but she still has her tail as a rlm@0: human. rlm@0: Momoko: She’s a cute lavender haired Chinese girl who rlm@0: befriended ChibiUsa shortly after she’d first come to the past. rlm@0: Ruruna & Naruru: They’re two other friends of ChibiUsa’s, rlm@0: though Hotaru can’t seem to stand them. ^^ They only showed rlm@0: up once near the end of the manga, but they are fun to keep rlm@0: around. And yes they do say strange things like ‘Haaging’, so rlm@0: just remember we didn’t make that up. ^_- rlm@0: rlm@0: We’d like to thank Eric because without him, we never would rlm@0: have been able to get this out for a long time. Thanks for rlm@0: everything, Eric. ^-^ rlm@0: rlm@0: We’re working on a couple other stories right now, so rlm@0: hopefully we’ll be able to get them out soon. We did manage rlm@0: to finish a very short Card Captor Sakura fic, but its pretty rlm@0: depressing. ^^; We’re about halfway through a much happier rlm@0: Card Captor Sakura story about now. If you’d be at all rlm@0: interested in reading any of those, please e-mail us. Or if rlm@0: you’ve got any ideas for a Card Captor Sakura fic. ^^ rlm@0: rlm@0: We’d love to hear what you think of this story and we’d love rlm@0: to hear any ideas you all have for any other stories we could rlm@0: do. Please e-mail us at: rlm@0: amazonessduo@hotmail.com rlm@0: rlm@0: Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon is owned by the great Naoko rlm@0: Takeuchi and Toei Animation. rlm@0: rlm@0: Please enjoy the story. ^-^ rlm@0: rlm@0: Illusions rlm@0: by rlm@0: The Amazoness Quartet rlm@0: rlm@0: "Over here, Momo-chan!" a familiar voice yelled rlm@0: to Momoko. She smiled and looked up to see her rlm@0: friend ChibiUsa already waiting for her outside the rlm@0: gate with Ruruna and Naruru. Relief washed over her rlm@0: as she exited the school grounds and made her way rlm@0: over to her friends. ChibiUsa waved cheerfully to her rlm@0: as she approached. rlm@0: rlm@0: "I'm glad that's finally over with," Momoko said rlm@0: as she started walking along with the other girls. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Yeah. All those tests the week after the dance." rlm@0: ChibiUsa sighed. "I'm sure I didn't pass most of rlm@0: them." rlm@0: rlm@0: "We shouldn't worry about it," Naruru said. "Its rlm@0: Friday, so we've got all weekend to forget about rlm@0: the week." rlm@0: rlm@0: "Sounds good to me," Ruruna said. "That gives me rlm@0: time to talk to my boyfriend about not being able rlm@0: to go anyplace last weekend because of the dance. rlm@0: What are you two going to do?" rlm@0: rlm@0: "Not much," Momoko said. She was glad that it was rlm@0: the weekend, but she really didn't feel like doing rlm@0: anything. It had been a week, but her mind kept rlm@0: being drawn back to the mysterious girl she'd met rlm@0: at the dance. Every time she closed her eyes, she rlm@0: saw her. When she fell asleep, she would dream of rlm@0: what had happened. And she could swear it felt like the rlm@0: other girl was right at arms length at times. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Hotaru and I are going shopping and then we're rlm@0: going to see a movie." ChibiUsa smiled. rlm@0: rlm@0: Naruru and Ruruna stared at her for several moments. rlm@0: "You're the only one she acts that way around, you rlm@0: know," Naruru said. rlm@0: rlm@0: "What way?" ChibiUsa asked. rlm@0: rlm@0: "All happy and excited. Blushing a lot. Buying you rlm@0: things," Ruruna said. rlm@0: rlm@0: "That's because I'm always short on money," ChibiUsa rlm@0: countered the only excuse she could think of. rlm@0: rlm@0: "How she gets so jealous over you, how she rlm@0: walks with you to school," Naruru continued. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Those weird looks she gives you," Ruruna and Naruru rlm@0: said simultaneously. rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa blushed a deep crimson hue. Momoko said rlm@0: nothing, having seen ChibiUsa kiss the dark haired rlm@0: girl in question already. rlm@0: rlm@0: "She's my best friend," ChibiUsa said defensively. rlm@0: rlm@0: "I don't know. It seems kinda strange to me," Naruru rlm@0: said. "I heard a rumor that she's a lesbian. Could be rlm@0: why she stays around you so much, ChibiUsa. She rlm@0: probably likes you." rlm@0: rlm@0: "But that's a rumor," ChibiUsa protested. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Well, its not like you exactly discourage her, though. rlm@0: So of course she wouldn't have stopped," Ruruna added. rlm@0: rlm@0: "It's just a rumor. You should ignore things like rlm@0: that," ChibiUsa said. Two arms wrapped around her from rlm@0: behind pulling her into a hug, startling the already rlm@0: nervous pink haired girl. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Hi, ChibiUsa-chan. Sorry I'm late, but I forgot rlm@0: something back in class," Hotaru said happily as she rlm@0: let go of the other girl and held her hand. Ruruna and rlm@0: Naruru stared at ChibiUsa as if they'd proven their point. rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa laughed nervously. "Where to next, everyone?" rlm@0: she asked, trying to change the subject. rlm@0: rlm@0: "We're going back to Ruruna's house," Naruru answered. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Yeah, so we'll probably see you later. We'll probably rlm@0: do some haaging before we get there though," Ruruna said rlm@0: as she waved to the other girls before she took off with rlm@0: Naruru. rlm@0: rlm@0: "What does that mean again?" Hotaru asked her pink haired rlm@0: girlfriend. rlm@0: rlm@0: "It means they're going to get some Haagen Dazs before they rlm@0: go home," ChibiUsa supplied. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Ohhhh... I wish they'd just talk like normal people," rlm@0: Hotaru said exasperated. She'd never liked the two girls rlm@0: much, but they were ChibiUsa's friends, so she tried to at rlm@0: least get along with them. rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa laughed. "They aren't that bad, Taru-chan." She put rlm@0: her arms around the dark haired girl. Hotaru smiled as she felt rlm@0: ChibiUsa against her. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Maybe not, but I'm still glad they're gone." Hotaru started rlm@0: leaning towards ChibiUsa as the other girl began to do the rlm@0: same. ChibiUsa stopped suddenly and slowly turned to stare rlm@0: in a certain direction. Hotaru followed her gaze and saw rlm@0: Momoko still standing there. The two girls pulled away and rlm@0: looked around nervously as their friend pretended not to rlm@0: have noticed anything. rlm@0: rlm@0: "So, where should we go now?" ChibiUsa asked nervously. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko decided to ignore what had just happened for the rlm@0: time being. She had to much on her mind to worry about her rlm@0: friend's relationship. She still didn't know what to say to rlm@0: ChibiUsa about it in the first place. And it really didn't seem rlm@0: like much of a big deal anymore. Not after she'd started rlm@0: realizing how she felt about Diana. She sighed before forcing rlm@0: a smile. "How about the Crown Fruit Parlor? We can go there rlm@0: before we decide what to do next." rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa's eyes lit up while Hotaru sweat dropped, knowing rlm@0: she'd probably be paying for a large meal for the pink haired rlm@0: girl. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Sounds great!" ChibiUsa said happily. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Ok then. We'll find out what else we want to do once we get rlm@0: there," Momoko said. She was glad was glad that they were rlm@0: going to the Fruit Parlor. ChibiUsa would be distracted by the rlm@0: food while Hotaru was distracted by ChibiUsa, as she often rlm@0: was. It would give Momoko more time to think about things. rlm@0: rlm@0: As the three girls continued walking, a gray kitten ran up to rlm@0: them. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Diana!" rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko's head jerked up as she heard that familiar name. She rlm@0: quickly looked around for the beautiful girl. Her spirits sank rlm@0: as she realized it was ChibiUsa's kitten. rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa picked up the kitten and placed it on her head, as rlm@0: she often did. "Do you want to go with us?" she asked. rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana meowed in response. ChibiUsa giggled as the kitten rlm@0: tried to get more comfortable on her head. Momoko and rlm@0: Hotaru stared at ChibiUsa for a moment, the other girl rlm@0: seeming to find nothing strange about the kitten riding on her rlm@0: head. rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana kept shyly stealing glances at Momoko as they began to rlm@0: walk again. She'd been meeting ChibiUsa everyday after rlm@0: school that week so she could see her lavender haired friend. rlm@0: After learning that the other girl liked her, she tried to see rlm@0: her as often as possible. Diana had a crush on Momoko for rlm@0: a long time and it felt so good to know the other girl liked her. rlm@0: Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to tell Momoko how she rlm@0: felt. rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko sat quietly in thought while petting the gray kitten rlm@0: curled up in her lap. She barely noticed the other two girls rlm@0: talking to her. She was having trouble concentrating because rlm@0: her thoughts kept returning to the mysterious girl at the dance. rlm@0: She finally brought her attention back to Hotaru and ChibiUsa rlm@0: when she noticed them stand up. rlm@0: rlm@0: "We're sorry, Momo-chan," Hotaru apologized. "We promised rlm@0: Setsuna-mama and Michiru-mama that we'd go shopping with rlm@0: them today. We're going to be late if we don't get going soon. rlm@0: I can't believe I forgot." rlm@0: rlm@0: "Don't worry about it," Momoko said, feeling a bit relieved rlm@0: that she'd have time to think by herself. rlm@0: rlm@0: "You could come with us if you want," Hotaru offered rlm@0: hopefully. rlm@0: rlm@0: "No. Thanks anyway, but right now I don't really feel like rlm@0: going anywhere," Momoko declined. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Okay. Call me tonight then," ChibiUsa said. rlm@0: rlm@0: "ChibiUsa..." Hotaru began. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Oh yeah. Nevermind. Call Hotaru's house tonight. I'll be rlm@0: there." ChibiUsa smiled at her friend as she stood up. rlm@0: ChibiUsa and Hotaru waved to her as they walked off. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko sighed. She saw them hold hands as soon as they rlm@0: thought they were out of sight. 'I was so shocked when I found rlm@0: out that they were together. But now... I don't know. Am I rlm@0: jealous of them?' She sighed again and took a sip of her drink. rlm@0: 'At least they have each other. I just want to see Diana again.' rlm@0: She blushed deeply as she thought of the other girl. 'How rlm@0: could I be in love with her? I only met her the night of the rlm@0: dance. Then why do I feel like I've known her for years? rlm@0: She seemed so familiar.' rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko gently pet the sleeping kitten on her lap. Diana rlm@0: purred happily. "Oh! ChibiUsa forgot to take Diana with her." rlm@0: She picked Diana up and quickly went out the door, trying to rlm@0: catch up to her friends. She looked around as crowds of people rlm@0: passed by on the busy streets obscuring her view. "She said rlm@0: she'd be at Hotaru's house tonight. I guess you can stay with rlm@0: me until then." She lifted the kitten up to her face. rlm@0: "How does that sound?" rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana meowed happily and licked Momoko's cheek. The rlm@0: lavender haired girl giggled. "Okay then. I could use some rlm@0: company right now anyway." rlm@0: The kitten looked back at her happily, purring. Momoko rlm@0: walked away from the cafe with the kitten in her arms and no rlm@0: real destination in mind. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Where should we go Diana?" Momoko asked. rlm@0: rlm@0: 'She's asking me? I have to come up with a nice place for us to rlm@0: go then. Just don't say anything stupid,' Diana thought to rlm@0: herself. "We could..." rlm@0: rlm@0: Before Diana could finish, Momoko turned around swiftly. rlm@0: She looked around to see who the voice belonged to. "Hello?" rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana sweatdropped. "Oh no,' she thought. 'I'm a cat. I'm not rlm@0: supposed to talk. Good going.' Diana meowed nervously, rlm@0: hoping Momoko would forget about the voice. rlm@0: rlm@0: "That was strange." Momoko shrugged and continued rlm@0: walking. "Can't think of anything, can you? Let's go home rlm@0: then. I'll take you to ChibiUsa later tonight." Momoko smiled rlm@0: as she heard Diana meow in agreement. rlm@0: rlm@0: 'Why am I talking to a cat so much? Probably because I hear rlm@0: ChibiUsa talk to her so much. And its comforting in an odd rlm@0: way. I don't have to worry about what I say to her. And its rlm@0: nice to have someone to talk to about Diana.' Momoko rlm@0: scratched the kitten's chin and started off for home. rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko unlocked the door to her house and let herself in. rlm@0: She knew her parents were both gone for the night and that rlm@0: was fine with her. She'd rather be alone for the moment. Her rlm@0: mother had noticed her strange behavior lately and had asked rlm@0: her about it. She had tried to tell her mother it was nothing, but rlm@0: she didn't believe her. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko sighed wearily as she walked into her room, setting rlm@0: down her backpack before sitting on the bed. "Why is this rlm@0: getting to me so much? I've never felt like this before," she rlm@0: said aloud. She slumped backwards onto the bed staring at the rlm@0: ceiling. rlm@0: rlm@0: The little gray cat cat crawled onto the lavender haired girl's rlm@0: lap. Momoko giggled. "Thanks, kitty. I'm glad you're here." rlm@0: Diana purred as Momoko began petting her. "Why'd Diana rlm@0: have to leave?" she asked, not expecting an answer. rlm@0: rlm@0: 'Because you noticed my tail,' Diana thought sadly. rlm@0: rlm@0: "I still don't know what was going on. That whole night was rlm@0: pretty strange," Momoko closed her eyes, trying to remember rlm@0: every small detail of the night of the dance. How pretty Diana rlm@0: had been. How it felt when they were dancing. How she'd rlm@0: forgotten her whole reason for being there while dancing with rlm@0: the other girl. rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana silently watched the lavender haired girl as she lay deep rlm@0: in thought. Her eyes darted over Momoko's lovely features. rlm@0: Diana blushed as she continued looking at the other girl. She rlm@0: stood up on Momoko's lap and walked across the other girl so rlm@0: that her face was right above Momoko's. Her paw gently rlm@0: stroked Momoko's cheek. The lavender haired girl didn't seem rlm@0: to notice. Diana sighed longingly. Without thinking, she rlm@0: leaned forward and tried to kiss Momoko. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko's eyes opened suddenly. Diana jumped back. "I'm so rlm@0: sorry!" Diana blurted out. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko stared wide eyed at the kitten. Diana stared back at rlm@0: her. "I'm sorry," she repeated. Momoko abruptly fainted. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko blinked several times. What had happened? Dim rlm@0: light filtered through her open window, making her wince. rlm@0: She'd been unconscious for a while. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Are you okay?" she heard a voice ask worriedly. She could rlm@0: barely make out the figure sitting near her on her bed. She rlm@0: blinked again, trying to make out who it was. She bolted rlm@0: upright when she saw it was the girl she'd met a week ago, rlm@0: Diana. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Diana!? What are you doing here?" Momoko asked, shock rlm@0: and joy mixed in her voice. rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana thought for a moment before answering. "Well, its kind rlm@0: of hard to explain." Diana remembered how she'd left the rlm@0: dance after Momoko had noticed her tail. She tried desperately rlm@0: to keep it behind her to hide it from view. 'Why do I have to rlm@0: keep my tail in my human form? Mom and Dad don't have rlm@0: tails when they're humans. It's not fair. Especially with rlm@0: Momoko. How am I supposed to explain it to her?' she rlm@0: thought. rlm@0: rlm@0: "I'm.. I'm glad you're here," Momoko said shyly. 'Why am I so rlm@0: nervous right now? This isn't like me at all.' rlm@0: rlm@0: 'Is she blushing?' Diana asked herself. 'Could it be because of rlm@0: me?' she thought happily. 'Now's my chance to tell her how rlm@0: I've felt about her for so long. She said she... she said she rlm@0: loved me when she was talking to my kitten form. But what if rlm@0: she knows that the kitten and the girl are both me. Would she rlm@0: still have said that about my human form? I'm so nervous. I rlm@0: don't know what to say. How can I explain things to her? rlm@0: What would she think?' rlm@0: rlm@0: 'She's here. I don't know how, but she's here,' Momoko rlm@0: thought. 'That's what I've been wanting all week, to see her rlm@0: again. So why can't I think of anything to say to her?' rlm@0: rlm@0: Both girls sat nervously, unsure of what to do. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko suddenly turned to Diana. "Why did you leave the rlm@0: dance? I've felt bad about that for the past week." rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana looked away from the other girl. "I just had to leave..." rlm@0: rlm@0: "Diana, I've been so confused about things for the past week. I rlm@0: just found out something surprising about some friends of rlm@0: mine that I'm still trying to deal with, and all these things rlm@0: about you and the dance. I don't know if I can handle anymore rlm@0: secrets or lies. Please, can we tell each other the truth about rlm@0: everything?" Momoko pleaded. rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana wanted to agree with her, but there were so many things rlm@0: she didn't know how to explain. "Things are a lot more rlm@0: confusing than you think." rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko shook her head. "I don't care. I want to know." rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana sighed. There were so many things she wanted to tell rlm@0: Momoko. And Momoko did want to know. It seemed to fit rlm@0: perfectly. Diana took a deep breath before replying. "Okay, rlm@0: but this is all pretty strange. You have to promise that you'll rlm@0: believe me." rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko stared at her for a moment. 'What could be so rlm@0: strange?' she thought. "Okay, I promise." rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana smiled nervously. "Good. Well, I should probably start rlm@0: at the beginning. You should make yourself comfortable. Its a rlm@0: long story." rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko looked on, interested in what the other girl had to rlm@0: say. Diana started by trying to explain where she came from. rlm@0: Momoko looked on in disbelief as Diana told her about her rlm@0: home in the future. She went on to tell how she came back to rlm@0: the past as ChibiUsa's guardian and how she'd met Momoko rlm@0: because she was ChibiUsa's friend. Diana continued on, trying rlm@0: to explain most of what had happened up to that point. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko sat silently for a moment, completely unsure of what rlm@0: to say. "But how could you have known me for so long? I rlm@0: didn't meet you till last week," she finally said, not mentioning rlm@0: the stranger parts of Diana's story. She wanted to believe rlm@0: Diana, but what she said couldn't be real. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Well, that's not exactly true. You've met me, you just didn't rlm@0: recognize me," Diana explained. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Trust me. I'd recognize you anywhere," Momoko reassured rlm@0: her. rlm@0: rlm@0: "I didn't really look the same, though," Diana said nervously. rlm@0: Momoko stared at Diana oddly. Diana sighed. "I know this is rlm@0: all hard to believe. I shouldn't have said anything. Its just that I rlm@0: really wanted to tell you. I wanted you to know. I didn't want rlm@0: to hide anything from you, Momo-chan." She looked down rlm@0: sadly. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko didn't know what to do. Diana was disappointed that rlm@0: she didn't believe her. But it all sounded so unbelievable. She rlm@0: wanted to say something comforting to the other girl, but she rlm@0: couldn't think of anything. rlm@0: rlm@0: Suddenly Diana looked up at the lavender haired girl. "Wait! I rlm@0: can prove it. If this is possible, then the rest is. Then you'll rlm@0: believe me," she said happily. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko sweatdropped at Diana's enthusiasm. "That's good..." rlm@0: She had no idea what Diana could mean. She didn't think rlm@0: anything could prove Diana's bizzare story. Diana hesitated for rlm@0: a moment. It had ended her night with Momoko at the dance rlm@0: and now she was hoping it would prove she was telling the rlm@0: truth. She sat up on her knees and turned to the side slightly to rlm@0: show her tail. "See? I'm a Sailorchibimoon's guardian cat. I rlm@0: offer advice and help when I can." rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko looked at Diana's tail for a moment. She reached out rlm@0: and grabbed it to see if it was real. She instantly let go when rlm@0: the tail moved in her hand. "A tail?" Momoko continued to rlm@0: watch as Diana moved it behind her. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Yeah," Diana said quietly, a little embarrassed about rlm@0: Momoko's reaction to it. "I'm the only one that keeps my tail rlm@0: in human form. My mom and dad don't have their's when rlm@0: they're humans." rlm@0: rlm@0: "Human form?" Momoko asked, still shocked by the other rlm@0: girl's tail. It felt so real, like when she'd been petting the kitten rlm@0: earlier. This was all too confusing. None of this was making rlm@0: any sense. Momoko paced back and forth for a second in a rlm@0: vain attempt to say something, anything, in the midst of all rlm@0: this. "What's going on?" she asked as she turned around. The rlm@0: other girl was gone. In her place was ChibiUsa's kitten, sitting rlm@0: exactly where Diana had been a moment ago. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Hi!" The kitten said, smiling up at Momoko. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko took a step back. This was really starting to freak her rlm@0: out. "You talked," she barely managed to say. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Of course I did," the kitten said teasingly. "This is what I was rlm@0: talking about. This is my cat form." rlm@0: rlm@0: "Diana?" Momoko knew that the girl she'd met and ChibiUsa's rlm@0: kitten were both named Diana, but she hadn't realized the rlm@0: significance of that till now. "You're her?" rlm@0: rlm@0: The kitten nodded. "Yeah. That's my human form." She stuck rlm@0: out her tongue. "I told you. And I am from the future." rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko blinked a couple times. She felt faint. This just rlm@0: wasn't possible. Cats didn't talk. And girls didn't have tails or rlm@0: change into cats. Then again, she had been attacked by a rlm@0: lemure who was after her dream mirror a couple years back. rlm@0: She'd been saved by Sailormoon and Sailorchibimoon. So rlm@0: strange things had happened to her before. This wasn't too rlm@0: much stranger, was it? rlm@0: rlm@0: "Momo-chan?" Diana asked, still in her kitten form. "Are you rlm@0: okay?" rlm@0: rlm@0: "I'm... I'm fine," Momoko said. She sat down on the bed by rlm@0: Diana. Momoko and the kitten sat in uneasy silence for a rlm@0: moment. As Momoko thought about what this meant if Diana rlm@0: was ChibiUsa's kitten, a sudden realization donned on her. rlm@0: "Diana, if you're the kitten I've been talking to, then you were rlm@0: here in my room the night of the dance, right?" rlm@0: rlm@0: "Yeah," Diana said reluctantly. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Then you heard what I said about your human form?" rlm@0: Momoko said nervously. rlm@0: rlm@0: Diana didn't say anything for a moment. "Yes," she said rlm@0: quietly. Momoko blushed deeply and looked away. A hand on rlm@0: her arm turned her around to face Diana, now as a human. rlm@0: "You don't know how much it meant to me when I heard you rlm@0: say how you felt about me. I've been in love with you for so rlm@0: long, but I never said anything because you only thought I was rlm@0: a kitten. That night, dancing with you, talking, hearing you say rlm@0: you loved me, was the best night of my life." Diana smiled rlm@0: brightly, her eyes misting up with tears. Momoko looked on in rlm@0: alarm. "I'll always remember that night. But you didn't know rlm@0: who I really was. That wasn't fair of me. Arigato, Momo- rlm@0: chan." Diana stood up and wiped some tears from her eyes rlm@0: before turning to leave. rlm@0: rlm@0: Momoko got in front of Diana before she could reach the rlm@0: door. "Diana, wait." She put her hands on the other girls rlm@0: shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. "What I said that rlm@0: night, I meant all of it. You're right, I didn't know that the rlm@0: kitten I was telling it to and the girl I was talking about were rlm@0: the same person, but that doesn't matter. It doesn't change rlm@0: anything. I meant every word of it, Diana. I love you." Diana's rlm@0: mouth opened slightly, but nothing came out. She couldn't rlm@0: think of anything to say. She didn't have to. Momoko pulled rlm@0: Diana closer and kissed her. Diana gasped as she felt the rlm@0: lavender haired girl's lips pressed against her own. Momoko's rlm@0: eyes closed as she felt Diana kissing her back. Both girls rlm@0: were nervous about what lay ahead, but they felt safe in each rlm@0: others' arms and that was all that mattered. rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: Epilogue: rlm@0: rlm@0: ******* rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa and Hotaru plopped back down on the soft bed in rlm@0: Hotaru's room. ChibiUsa had bought a beautiful new dress and rlm@0: hair bows for herself. She'd even bought a new ribbon for her rlm@0: kitten. It was purple with two cute bells for Diana. Then the rlm@0: realization hit her like a tidal wave. She bolted up off the rlm@0: bed and stared at Hotaru with wide eyes. rlm@0: rlm@0: "What is it ChibiUsa?" she asked worried that something was rlm@0: wrong. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Diana! I forgot Diana at the Crown with Momoko!" she rlm@0: yelled with a hushed harsh tone. She jumped up to run to the rlm@0: door and was stopped by Hotaru's hand. rlm@0: rlm@0: "It's been three hours Odango-chan," Hotaru whispered, "Do rlm@0: you really think that Momoko and Diana are at the Crown at rlm@0: this time?" rlm@0: rlm@0: "No but I can go to Momoko's. I'm sure Momoko wouldn't let rlm@0: her stay at the Crown by herself!" rlm@0: rlm@0: "But..." They would have continued the little conversation if rlm@0: Michiru hadn't knocked on the door just then. rlm@0: rlm@0: "ChibiUsa there's a girl at the door wanting to speak to you. rlm@0: She's seems very distraught." ChibiUsa stared at the elder rlm@0: senshi and then she looked at Hotaru. They both bolted for the rlm@0: door and dashed down the stairs in record time. They where rlm@0: greeted by the vision of Momoko holding Diana in her hands rlm@0: they both turned to each other and then they to Momoko. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Small Lady who is this girl?" Haruka asked clasping her arm rlm@0: around Michiru's waist. She pulled Michiru closer and looked rlm@0: at Hotaru and ChibiUsa with a parental glare. rlm@0: rlm@0: "My name is Momoko, and I am ChibiUsa and Hotaru's rlm@0: school friend. I do know how late it is but you see they forgot rlm@0: Diana and I wanted to give her back. I also wanted to talk to rlm@0: them very briefly." Harkua nodded her approval but didn't rlm@0: let ChibiUsa and Hotaru know that they where off the hook. rlm@0: She ushered Michiru into the next room leaving the girls rlm@0: alone. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Thank you for caring for Diana for me Momo-chan," rlm@0: ChibiUsa said reaching for Diana. She was surprised when the rlm@0: kitten didn't jump into her arms. Instead the kitten remained rlm@0: with the lavender haired girl purring contently. She looked rlm@0: to ChibiUsa and said with a very serious glaze. rlm@0: rlm@0: "She already knows about me Small Lady." rlm@0: rlm@0: "Diana!" Hotaru exclaimed clasping a hand around her mouth. rlm@0: Momoko only smiled and nodded. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Yes I know all about you Sailorchibimoon, Sailorsaturn." rlm@0: Momoko said, "It was a very long story but it was worth it. I rlm@0: can understand why you've kept it a secret. I’m just rlm@0: disappointed that you couldn't tell me a little sooner." rlm@0: rlm@0: "But...but why Diana?" ChibiUsa stammered, "Do you know rlm@0: how much trouble you've just gotten us into? What danger rlm@0: you've put us in?" rlm@0: rlm@0: "What danger?" Momoko asked, "I should of known, besides rlm@0: it shouldn't of been Diana that told me this. It should have rlm@0: been you and Hotaru. Why didn't you tell me you two were in rlm@0: love?" Hotaru took a step back and sat down in the couch. rlm@0: rlm@0: "That's what bugs you the most?" she asked, "That Odango- rlm@0: chan and I didn't tell you we where in love? Not that we rlm@0: were...." rlm@0: rlm@0: "Were what?" Momoko asked, "Sailor Senshi? No, that secret rlm@0: I understand. The being in love one I don't. I have been your rlm@0: friend for years now, ChibiUsa. You should have trusted me. rlm@0: Besides Diana and I have our own little secret we'd like to tell rlm@0: you." rlm@0: rlm@0: "Secret?" ChibiUsa asked looking to Momoko and Diana. rlm@0: Searching their faces for the answer and coming up with rlm@0: nothing. She sat next to Hotaru and took her hand rlm@0: into her own. rlm@0: rlm@0: "You tell them, Diana." Momoko said watching Diana leap off rlm@0: of her head and patter down to the floor. Then she saw Diana rlm@0: change into her human form, take her hand into her own and rlm@0: smile to ChibiUsa and Hotaru. rlm@0: rlm@0: "We're an item!" she said with childish glee. Her face lighting rlm@0: up into a thousand little bulbs. The two girls sat in amazement, rlm@0: the whole ordeal not really registering. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Momo-chan," Haruka's voice interrupted. "Would you like to rlm@0: stay with us tonight?" Hotaru looked to her parents in the rlm@0: doorway. The green-haired women and her blonde haired rlm@0: lover looking at the two couples, smiling happily. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Here, Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama?" Hotaru asked. "But..." rlm@0: rlm@0: "You have a true friend here Hotaru." Michiru said in her sing- rlm@0: song voice. "It isn't everyday you find someone in the same rlm@0: situation that you are both in. Or that understands the two of rlm@0: you so well. You have both found someone who is accepting rlm@0: you for who you are. For who you've become, it's a special rlm@0: gift. You should embrace it." Hotaru looked to ChibiUsa rlm@0: and felt a great weight lifted off of her. The dream of her not rlm@0: having to hide the fact that she was in love with ChibiUsa was rlm@0: coming true. She didn't have to hide in her own home, and rlm@0: now she didn't have to hide it from Diana and Momoko. She rlm@0: smiled with a beam and took ChibiUsa's hand into her own. rlm@0: rlm@0: "Your right Michiru-mama," Hotaru said, kissing ChibiUsa in rlm@0: the forehead. "I am lucky." rlm@0: rlm@0: ********** rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa and Hotaru sat along side each other while looking rlm@0: at Diana and Momoko holding hands and talking feverishly rlm@0: about the events that had brought them together. The story rlm@0: unfolding in a strange and happy conversation. They were rlm@0: still adjusting to the fact that they where free to be themselves rlm@0: amongst the two girls that had been their dear friends for so rlm@0: long. The feeling was soaring, but the change was also filled rlm@0: with surprises. ChibiUsa was met with more kisses then she rlm@0: could handle, and she was able to lay into Hotaru's embrace rlm@0: for longer periods of time then she was used to. The smiles on rlm@0: Diana and Momoko's faces, both pleased and happy, gave her rlm@0: an easy feeling. rlm@0: rlm@0: 'If I had known how different our relationship would after rlm@0: telling just a few people,' ChibiUsa thought, 'I would have rlm@0: done it a long time ago.' Hotaru smiled and kissed her again. rlm@0: rlm@0: "ChibiUsa-chan," Momoko asked. "When are you going to tell rlm@0: Naruru and Ruruna?" rlm@0: rlm@0: The End. rlm@0: rlm@0: