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