rlm@2: Hello, everyone! ^-^ We're so sorry it's been so long. We wound up 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: taking a little more than we thought we could handle, so we're working on a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: whole lot of stories right now. This just happens to be the only one we've 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: managed to finish. ^^; We're working on a lot of other stories and joint author 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: stories atthe moment, so we don't really know when we'll finish the rest of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: them. We'd still really love to hear from you at: amazonessduo@hotmail.com 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: We've got ICQ, too, so we'd love to talk to anyone on that. ^^ We're ChibiUsa
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Tomoe and our ICQ number is 50279282. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: A friend of ours put up a site for the ChibiUsa & Hotaru Anthology, so you
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: can find a lot of stories about the two of them by many great authors there. ^^
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: The Anthology site is at: http://members.xoom.com/chibinhotaru/enter.html
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Please check it out. ^-^ Thanks to everyone who's helped make that a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: possibility. ^^ So many beautiful stories came out of it and we appreciate all 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: your help. And most of all, we'd like to thank The  Ghost of 'lectricity, 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: because without him, there never would have been a site for the anthology. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Thanks, everybody. ^-^ We're still trying to collect stories for it, so if you 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: have any interest in writing a short story for the ChibiUsa & Hotaru Anthology, 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: please contact us. ^^
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: This story uses one of the characters from the Sailor V manga, Natsuna 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sakurada. She was a police chief in that and she chased after Sailor V 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: throughout the manga. ^^  She collected a lot of things about her and 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: kept them in her office. You never do find out what happens to her after
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the Sailor V manga, so this should hopefully wrap things up for her. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Well, that should be all for now. ^^ We really hope you enjoy the story. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation,
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: and others. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 			     'Sudden Glimpse'
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 			            by
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 		           The Amazoness Quartet
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Present Tokyo
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    Minako walked to the end of the hallway, although she wasn't known as 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako anymore. She was known as her alias, Venus. She was a Sailorsenshi. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: She wasn't thirteen years old anymore. She wasn't living in her own little 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: world. She wasn't able to play volleyball anymore and she wasn't able to 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: date anyone since the small cresent-moon-baldspotted kitty walked into her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: life and told her of her past. She was forever changed by that one act. She 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: remembered her past, she remembered her present, she remembered period. And 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: that one act had so much pain into her life that she was tired of living. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Even though it had been many years since she left the trail of Sailor V 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: behind her she was still a remembrance of her life. Even if no one else 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: cared to remember, like the many idols that she had honored and discarded.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    But, she also supposed that it wasn't exactly Artemis' fault that she had 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: been given her curse of eternal loneliness. It was, in fact, her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: protector's fault. . The man who had told her he was to protect her always 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: and then with his dying words left her with almost nothing. No hopes of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ever being loved and no hopes of ever feeling the happiness that she always 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: saw in her princess' face whenever she looked into Mamoru's eyes. It was 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the one thing that made her hate Serenity. But, in all her life, no matter 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: what the hate never lasted. Just as she never hated Adonis for what he did 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to her, because he was heartbroken and lost. Just as she was now, and 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: because she could understand what he felt in those last few years of the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: silver millennium when he had to watch her love grow for a man that 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ultimately lead to the end of the happiest times of human existence.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Past Silver Millennium
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Serenity what are you doing her in the Terra sector?" Venus yelled 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: grabbing onto one of the pigtails that cascaded down Serenity's back. The 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: girl looked to Venus with sobbing eyes, she sighed and cliched onto 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Endymoin.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Venus don't make me go now," she yelled in her honeyed voice, "I really 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: want to stay here with the Prince."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "No," Venus said grabbing the princess from the prince's hands. " Are you 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: crazy? Your mother would kill me if you stayed here! She'd have my rank 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: stripped and I'd never ever be able to show my face at my home planet!"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "It's all about you isn't it," Serenity said half meaning it, half-joking.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "No I'm just trying to get you to try and not act so childish!" Venus 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: yelled, "'You are almost eighteen years old, and able to take over for your 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: mother as soon as possible. You know that you are not a child and I know it 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: you have to act with some rational thought don't you?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "You aren't my mother!" she yelled tugging her hand away from her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: protector's grip.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "It must be hard," another male voice intruded into her ears and Venus 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: swirled around to find out who it was. "Having a bundle of curiosity for a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: princess."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Kunzite!" Endymoin yelled at his guard for having such a loose tongue. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Venus blushed slightly and ducked her head at the Lord Generals presence. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Venus is shy? He thought, This take-charge-ask-no-questions-girl is shy?
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "No need for formalities around Lord Generals now is there?" Kunzite 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: asked more to Venus then the others. Venus pushed back a strand of hair.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "No there isn't," she said, "we are equal and should be treated that 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: way." 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Then the girl seemed to remember her meaning for being there. "Isn't it 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Serenity?" She reached out and grabbed the princess's pigtail again and 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: shoved the girl into the moon transfer beam. Not exactly hurting her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: because she had also grabbed the girls arm in the process. She wasn't about 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to give the princess the benefit of hiding behind the prince again.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    When the girls left the Lord General turned to his Prince Endymion. He 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: smiled and shook his head laughing at something that he thought was funny. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Perplexed the Prince asked what was so funny to the guard.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Nothing Prince," he said, " She must really care for you if she is ready 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to make her protector so angry at her for endangering her life."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "What do you mean?" he asked, "She is safe here. I can protect her."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "You are young and naïve," Kunzite said, "You do not know how dangerous 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: it is here. How much protection you and Serenity get from the generals and I. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Venus is only doing her job by protecting and scolding her princess. She is 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: scared. You are a threat. No matter how much you love Serenity you can not 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: save her from everything. This planet is still under sedge. It is still not 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: safe from all of the dangers that exist. Don't you wonder why the King and 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Queen, your parents, allow you to visit the moon so often?
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "No," Endymion said, " They have never put up much of a fight." Kunzite 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: nodded his head and motioned for Endymion to follow him.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "It's because you are almost completely safe in the Moon Kingdom." 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Kunzite 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: answered, "Queen Serenity has vowed to care for and protect the planet 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Earth and all the people inside it. Because you are the highest order 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: prince in this land and caretaker for the people you are the most valuable 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: entity in this day. You will not live to see Serenity age. She is immortal 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: you know that, don't you? She will live only to see you die, and you to 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: become jealous of the fact that she will be forever young. It is a doomed 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: match from the start and I do not agree to it flourishing any longer. You 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: will get no help from me or from the other generals to see her, and if we 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: see her again I have to close all gateways to the Moon Kingdom.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "What!" the young prince yelled a look of total horror on his face, "You 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: do not have to power!" Kunzite sighed he turned staring in complete 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: seriousness.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Yes," Kunzite said, "I have the power to cut off all traveling and all 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: people from seeing you at all. I have the power to create a total hell on 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: earth for you if needed. I will do anything I need to protect you and the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: princess. If you do not understand that then you are in for a amazing treat 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to hear that reality is not all fun and games." Endymion stared at his 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 'friend'. The man he trusted with his life, and inside he knew that the man 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: was only doing this to protect them his maturity level wasn't at all at 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: it's highest. He yelled at Kunzite, and threatened to denounce the Lord 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: General from his rank. Then he stalked off, and Kunzite was left alone.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Ah to be young again," Kunzite said even though the age difference 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: between him and Endymion was about three years the phrase was meant as a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: joke.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "They do no seem to understand how much we care for them," Venus said, 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: voice making the Lord General to spin around and stare into the sad eyes of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: SailorVenus. They where cold and piercing, as if everything that Kunzite 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: had just thought about in relativity to maturity flew out the window at the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: mere sight of them. She wasn't looking at him, but in the direction that 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Endymion had exited from.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "True," he replied as soon as he had gotten the nerve, " They do no 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: understand what we must go through to give them the life that they so badly 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: want."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Even so," Venus said, "If apart of that happiness means we must 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: sacrifice 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: them to love one another are we hurting them by separating them? My whole 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: planet's meaning for existing is to give love to the planets surrounding 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: us. I'm going against all of my principals of I separate them like this. I 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: can't stand not giving them the love that they apparently have. Am I wrong 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: for doing so?" Kunzite looked at her and how she was so close to tears. It 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: made him upset to see her that way. In fact it almost killed him to see her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: that way.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "I don't know," he answered, "So much can be compromised by doing so. I'd 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: hate to put your princess in so much danger. I know that they love each 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: other, but it is too much to just let them be together without thought for 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: everyone else."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Perhaps," she said, " I can allow it in the confines of the Moon Kingdom 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: walls. I will have to talk to the other senshi, but I need to talk to you 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: first. He is, after all, your top priority."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "I don't know it's a lot to consider." Kunzite answered watching Venus 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: get 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: up and walk away. She tossed him a small pen with her planets' symbol. It 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: was orange and about the height and weight of a regular ballpoint pen.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Press the handle and you will be able to speak to me at anytime you need 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to. It is untraceable, and no one will be able to hack in to our systems 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: when you make the call. If needed you may have the generals talk to me as 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: well. I don't have it all figured out though, and I need more time. Okay? 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Goodbye." Then she turned and left.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Present Tokyo
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Venus-sama," Diana's voice interrupted Minako's thoughts into the Silver 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Millennium. She turned to the small gray kitten that sat next to her with a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: worried expression on her tiny kitty face. She smiled at the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: acknowledgement of the elder senshi to her person.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "Are you alright Venus-sama? You are so quiet right now." Minako sighed and 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: stared at the tiny violet-gray eyes of the kitten smiling and purring a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: happy tune into her head. Minako padded the kitten between her ears and 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: smiled happily.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "I am alright Diana," she said quietly taking into account that the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: kitten 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: had thought of her, "You are just like your father, Diana-chan. As sweet 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: and worried as ever, and taking time out to see if I'm okay. Your such a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: sweetie thank you Diana." Diana smiled and then shook her head as quickly 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: as possible, as if she was trying to remember the reason why she had come 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to Minako's room at all.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "There is a man here waiting for you," she said in a whisper, "He is 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: accompanied by Mamoru-san. He says that you should come down quickly so 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: that you may speak with him." Minako jumped up with a sudden bolt of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: electricity.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "He knows you talk?" she asked the kitten quickly grabbing her by the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: shoulders and bringing her close to her face.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Yes Venus-sama he does", Diana said, " Papa isn't home right now may I 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: come with you Venus-sama? Please?" Minako stood taking Diana into her arms 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: and placing her onto her shoulders to rest.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "I wouldn't feel safe without you." Minako walked down the flight of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: steps 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: on her way to the living room, she was almost shaking because of what Diana 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: had told her. She was scared to know that Mamoru-sama had brought someone 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to her house, and that this person knew that Diana could talk no less. Who 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: was he? She turned a ways to see Mamoru sitting down and reading the report 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: that she had written for her english college class the week before. It had 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: been on the American favorite, "The Scarlet Letter". It was like the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: American's reading the many favorite poets and writers of Minako's time for 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: their school assignment in their Japanese classes.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Mamoru-sama?" she said in her soft voice, "Can I help you?" He looked up 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: at her and smiled. He closed the report and pointed at the 'A' printed in 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the front.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Very good Minako," he said, "I'm proud of you." Minako smiled and 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: stepped 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to the bottom of the stairs.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "And, yet I know that you didn't come down to congratulate me on my 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: english report," she said. Mamoru smiled and stood up letting the report 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: lay on the table.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Your right," he said, "I am afraid I have a job for you. You are the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: only one I felt fit to have do this for me."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Like what Mamoru-sama," she said, "You only seem to beat around the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: bush, 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: and I can't help if you won't tell me what's wrong."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "It's ChibiUsa and Hotaru," Mamoru said, looking down quickly and sat 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: down. "I am worried about them."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Why?" she said looking around her room looking for the other man Diana 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: was talking about.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "They're in love you know," he said bluntly.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Of course I do," Minako answered, "I'm surprised you know. It's only 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: been 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: a few months maybe a year by now. I haven't been keeping track of any of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: it."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Why do you think they're so secretive about these things?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Maybe because ChibiUsa is the Neo-Princess of Crystal Tokyo, and Hotaru 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: is just a senshi. Only there to protect ChibiUsa not love her."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "That should make no diffrence," Mamoru began, but Minako placed her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: fingers on his mouth.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "It does," she said, "It makes a big time difference, and if ChibiUsa is 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: marry anyone it would be a crowned prince. Someone like Elios, and not a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: senshi. Do you don't understand much about things like this because you 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: fell in love with a crowned princess. You didn't have to worry about things 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: like this, ChibiUsa does. What would you do if she came up to you and told 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: you that she was in love with a girl, and a senshi no less. If it had been 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: you or Princess Serenity you would have been banned from seeing Serenity. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: It's kind of the same thing here, understand?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "No, I don't understand but then again my memories are clouded," he 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: looked 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: down thinking a second before answering, "You where one of the only ones 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: who have received almost all of your memories. I can't even remember my life 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: now, let alone my memories then."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "Perhaps I should talk to them," Minako said.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:    "No," Mamoru protested, "I do not want them to know that we know. I want 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: them to tell us when they're ready."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Minako looked confused. "I don't really know what I could do if you 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: don't want me to talk to them."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Mamoru shook his head. "I know that there's something you can do. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: They need to understand that they can tell us that they're in love. But they 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: have to be ready to tell us."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "Hmmm...." Minako thought about the situation for a bit. "It's 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: getting dark out. Maybe I can come up with something if I sleep on it."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "Thank you, Minako. I really appreciate this. ChibiUsa's afraid of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the consequences of being in love with Hotaru. Even though she's the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: princess I want her to know that everything will be fine," Mamoru sighed 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: wearily. "I just wish there was more I could do."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Minako smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure we'll think of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: something."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "Oh, before I go I wanted you to talk to someone." Mamoru called for 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: someone. A man walked around the corner. Minako gasped as she saw who it 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: was.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Meanwhile, Hotaru and ChibiUsa's thoughts were far from the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: discussion Minako and Mamoru were having. They were both at the house where 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ChibiUsa lived with Usagi's family. The two girl's were locked in a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: passionate embrace on the couch. The lights were off and the only 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: illumination was the moonlight that filtered in through the windows. THeir 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: tongues dueled as their hands roamed each other's bodies, the thin fabric of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: their clothes the only barrier between them.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         They froze when they heard footsteps leading towards them. They 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: pulled away quickly. Hotaru was smoothing out her skirt as the footsteps 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: approached them. ChibiUsa was looking down nervously.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         ChibiUsa looked up. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was Shingo, 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Usagi's little brother, and it didn't look like he'd seen anything. "What 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: are you two doing out here with all the lights off?" he asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "Nothing," ChibiUsa answered immediately. "We were about to go 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: upstairs. We were talking."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Shingo stared at her oddly for a moment before shrugging. He sat 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: down on the couch by them and turned the TV on. Hotaru and ChibiUsa both got 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: up.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "We're probably off to bed now," Hotaru said with an exaggerated 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: yawn.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Shingo looked at the clock. "It isn't that late."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "Yeah, well, we're going back to my room anyway. Goodnight, Shingo," 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ChibiUsa said.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Shingo waved to them as they walked upstairs.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "You know, one of these days we're going to get caught," Hotaru 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: stated matter-of-factly.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         ChibiUsa sighed. "We should be more careful. I forget where I am 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: when you're around so its hard to remember."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Hotaru smiled, glad to have that affect on the pink haired girl. "I 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: know what you mean. I wouldn't really mind if we got caught, though. At 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: least we wouldn't have to hide it so much. Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: don't hide it like we do."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         ChibiUsa sighed again. "I know, but that's a different situation. I 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: haven't even been born yet in this time. That and I've always been told what 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: responsibilities I have to the kingdom because I'm I have to one day be its 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: queen. I'm pretty sure that I've already messed with a few of those 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: responsibilities when we fell in love."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Hotaru stroked her cheek gently. "ChibiUsa, please don't worry. I'm 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: sure everything will be fine. No matter what happens, I'll be here with you. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Even if everyone wanted us apart."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         ChibiUsa put her hand atop Hotaru's. "I love you, Taru-chan." She 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: hugged the dark haired girl to her.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Hotaru returned the warm embrace. "I love you, too, Odango-chan."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         They held onto each other reassuringly, knowing the other was there 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: for them. They stayed that way for hours as they talked before finally 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: falling asleep together.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: *******Minako's Plcae
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         Minako sat watching the man befor her pace back and forth trying to 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: reclaim his thoughts on what brought him here. She could only stare though. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Because the shock that he was here probably made her speechless, and the past 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: was still fresh in her memories. It made her so uneasy to be around him, and 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: what made her even more uneasy was the fact that he was supposed to be dead. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: He walked around his long, shoulder length, silver hair tied back into a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ponytail. His crystal gray eyes flitering in the dark light.Kunzite...she 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: thought, why are you here?  Her eyes lined with tears and she was about to 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: cry if she hadn't held her breath and waitted for the feeling to go away. She 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: stopped though. Then he stopped and stared at her for afew seconds and went 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to her to comfort her. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: on her forehead.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "what's wrong?" he asked. Her eyes trying not to decive her from 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: giving away her thoughts.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "I thought you where dead," Minako said slipping herslef away from 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: him. "Why are you here?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Because I was reborn," Kunzite answered. "When you helpped kill 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Queen Beryal I was released from the bonds of being her slave. So where the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: other generals. But, they won't be reborn."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Why?" she asked,"Why are you here?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Because I heard you." Kunzite said, "I heard you calling for me in 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: your dreams. About the silver Millenium. I heard you calling for help. So I 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: came."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Then you know about ChibiUsa and Hotaru," Minako said recalling 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: her converstion with Mamoru. You about the and my mission."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Yes," Kunzite said, "I am also here to help you with that."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "How?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "We send them back to Crystal Tokyo. We let them see what it's like 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: in the future. Let them talk to thier future-selfs and realise that they can 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: tell Mamoru-sama about thier secret. I can help you know."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Send them back?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:  **********
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru woke up first. She blinked several times as she slowly woke up.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Something felt different. Her left arm was asleep, but that wasn't it. It as 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: pinned under the familiar weight of her pink haired lover. She flexed her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: fingers, feeling a tingle throughout her arm. She slowly tried to pull her arm
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: out from under ChibiUsa. She finally gave up after a couple minutes. She sighed
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: before kissing ChibiUsa's cheek. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"ChibiUsa-chan," Hotaru said as she gently shook the other girl. Hotaru
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: heard noises from another room. They were different from the sounds she usually 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: woke up to. A type of happy chaos she'd grown to find comforting. The sounds
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: of her Michiru-mama, Setsuna-mama, and Haruka-papa all going about their 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: business. The sounds she heard were still happy, but not the same. She couldn't
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: quite put her finger on what was different, though.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	When she started shaking ChibiUsa again, she realized the sheets 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: covering them weren't her sheets. She relaxed a bit when she remembered that 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: they'd fallen asleep in ChibiUsa's room. The relief was shortlived however, as 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: she looked around the room. The room was much bigger than ChibiUsa's and 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: lavishly decorated. There were a lot of lamps in the room and trinkets lying 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: around the room collected over the years by the people who lived there. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"ChibiUsa," Hotaru said louder, shaking the pink haired girl more 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: urgently. "Wake up."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Mmmm..." ChibiUsa rolled over with her back to Hotaru. Hotaru managed
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to get her hand out from under the other girl, freeing it. She moved he arm 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: around trying to work the feeling back into it. Hotaru sighed in frustration. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: She was worried about where they were. She'd feel a lot better if ChibiUsa 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: was awake. She needed the reassurance the other girl's presence always gave 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: her. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Odango-chan, please wake up," Hotaru said desperately. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"What?" ChibiUsa asked sleepily.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Get up," the dark haired girl said, relief evident in her voice.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave the comfort of
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: sleep.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"ChibiUsa," she heard the other girl say again. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Okay, I'm up." ChibiUsa sat up groggily, wiping the sleep from her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: eyes. She blushed and pulled the sheet up around her as she realized her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: state of undress. Hotaru would have found it cute if she wasn't so worried.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa looked closely at the dark haired girl for a moment. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "What's the matter?" she asked. Hotaru looked so nervous. ChibiUsa hoped 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: nothing was wrong. She felt an icy pit form in her stomach as she saw the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: frightened look on Hotaru's face. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Do you know where we are?" Hotaru asked her. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	The pink haired girl looked around the room for a minute. "We're 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: in Crystal Tokyo. We're in the palace, but I'm not sure what room." She 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: began to lie back down on the bed, glad to have answered Hotaru's question. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: She felt relieved that it wasn't anything big. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru grabbed her arm to keep ChibiUsa in a sitting position. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "Then why are we in Crystal Tokyo? We were in your room back in the present 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: last night, remember?" 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa looked around the room again nervously, now fully awake. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Why were they in ChibiUsa's time? Had her mother brought them there? If
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: that was it, then why was Hotaru there with her? Did her mother already 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: know about them? Had Setsuna brought them? ChibiUsa's head began to swim
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: with unanswered questions. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru got up and took a closer look as she walked around the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: room while she waited for ChibiUsa to get her bearings. It was the pink 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: haired girl's time period after all. For some reason, the room was oddly
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: familiar and calming. Something caught her eye about some of the lamps. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: She inspected it closely, shocked by what she'd found. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I think I know where we are," ChibiUsa said happily. "They must
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: have moved all my things to a new room and this is it. Kind of like a 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: suprise for when I got back." She lifted up a stuffed bunny doll from off
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the bed. "I had this on my bed here in the palace when I went back to the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: past. I felt bad because I'd forgotten to bring it along." She smiled and
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: hugged the bunny to her bare chest. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"That's can't be it," Hotaru replied.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa looked up, confused. "Why not?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Because this is one of the lamps I collected. It's one of my 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: favorites."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Then where are we?" ChibiUsa got up and walked over to the other
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: girl.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Well, wherever we are, someone must know we're here." The dark 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: haired girl said thoughtfully.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"This is too strange. Why would I be brought back here while I 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: was asleep?" ChibiUsa asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I have no idea, Odango-chan. I'm sure someone can tell us what's
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: going on, though." Hotaru thought about it for a moment.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"My mom should know. She might even be the one who had us brought
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: here." ChibiUsa tried to keep the nervousness out of her voice. If it was
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: her mother that had brought them both then she probably knew thet they 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: were together. ChibiUsa wasn't sure if she was ready to talk to her mom 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: about that.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Good. Hopefully she can help us," Hotaru said, feeling a little
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: better about there current situation. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa stepped forward and opened the door. The two girls stepped
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: out of the room. Before they could do anything, a little maroon haired 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: girl ran up to them. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Mama! Mama! Shisa won't leave me alone!" The little maroon
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: haired girl ran up to the two of them looking about ready to cry. She
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: looked like she was about five or six and her hair was done up in odangos
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: with pigtails coming out from them. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru and ChibiUsa stood there, not sure what they should do. The
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: little girl looked up at them with big, teary eyes, waiting for them to say
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: something.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Another little girl ran up to them before they could decide what to
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: do. She had darker hair than they other one and she wore glasses. Her hair
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: almost reached her shoulders. "Selene doesn't understand," Shisa said. "I
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: just wanted us to play, but she's been trying to ignore me." 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru and ChibiUsa stared at the two children for a moment. ChibiUsa
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: turned to look at Hotaru, waiting for the other girl to say something. Hotaru
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: looked back at her and shrugged helplessly. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Mama? Are you okay?" Selene asked, sounding frightened. "Why are 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: you smaller?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Shisa looked at the two of them as well. "Yeah. What happened?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Its okay," ChibiUsa said soothingly, trying not to worry the two 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: girls.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"And mama, your hair isn't as long as it used to be." Shisa added as 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: she looked at ChibiUsa. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	The two girls turned to Hotaru, but they couldn't notice anything 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: different about her other than her size. They turned in unison to look at
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ChibiUsa again. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Its a bit confusing," Hotaru said reassuringly. "We don't really 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: know what's going on either. But don't worry. I'm certain that everything's
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: fine." Hotaru put a hand on both of their shoulders and smiled. The two 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: girls seemed to relax slightly. "Could I ask you a question?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Shisa nodded. "Okay."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Who are your parents?" Hotaru asked anxiously.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	The two girls shared distraught looks before Selene answered. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "You two are."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako walked down the corridors from the palaces marbled floors."How 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: did that happen?" Minako asked aloud. Her thoughts were in a jumble. 'Maybe 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: I shouldn't have come to the future,' she thought to herself. 'No. I'm the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Senshi of love. I wanted to help Hotaru and ChibiUsa. But why did I
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: have to find out who I got with? Setsuna will kill me if she finds out that I 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: know. I just had to know, didn't I?' she asked herself. After meeting Kunzite
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: again in the past, she thought that he might very well be the man she'd marry.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: When Hotaru and ChibiUsa had been sent to the future, she decided to go too so 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: she could help them, and possibly find out who she ended up with while she was 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: there. Her love life never worked out for her and now she finally had renewed
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: hope for it. And with Kunzite's reappearance, she had a burning curiosity to
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: find out how things would turn out for her. This had all made her start thinking
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: about the past again, but she'd never thought that a certain part of her past
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: would be such a big part of her future. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	When she'd gone to find out who her one true love really was, she'd seen
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: her future self in the arms of Natsuna Sakurada. Natsuna had been a police chief
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: when Minako was Sailor V and she'd fallen in love with Sailor V. Minako had only
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: been thirteen at the time compared to Natsuna who had been about ten years older
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: than her. It hardly seemed to matter to Natsuna, though. She'd quickly had some
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: of her officers out trying to get Sailor V so she could talk with her. It had 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: frightened Minako to have the older woman chase after her like that. Eventually
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: she'd even found out that Sailor V was Minako. Things between the two of them
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: had left off unresolved because Minako's family had moved to England a short
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: time afterward. She was shocked to find out what had become of that whole
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: situation.  The idea scared her. Had she really been in love with Natsuna all
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: this time? She wished Artemis was there. She stopped before the ornate doors
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: of what she was fairly certain were the goup of rooms Hotaru and ChibiUsa 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: shared with their daughters. She'd asked a bit about the future and for the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: directions from her future self so she'd be prepared to help the two younger 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: girls. She'd planned on asking her future self about what had happened between
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: her and Natsuna, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything about it. She
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: took a deep breath and composed herself before entering the room.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	When she opened the doors to the bedroom she saw Shisa and Selene 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: jumping up and downtrying to get the two naked girls to comply with thier 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: needs. She smiled andcleared her throat trying to get the attention of the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: two tiny girls. They stopped and looked at her.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "V-sama!" Shisa yelled jumping to Venus' arms and kissing her on the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: cheek in adorance. Selene pulled on Minakos fuku.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "V-sama, Shisa is being mean to me agian," Selene whinned, sticking her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: tounge out at Shisa.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "You two know better then to just barge in on your parents like that,"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako said. Shisa stuck her tounge out at Selene and looked tirumphantly at
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako. "And, you know that Selene doesn't always like your games. You have
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to leave her alone sometimes. Try and practice your senshi skills with Jupiter and
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Mars."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "V-sama," Shisa yelled, "I want to practice with you!"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Later Shisa," Minako said. "Just leave us now." The girls left and
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako closed the doors to the bedroom and smiled at the two nervous,naked
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: girls. Hotaru had pulled the sheet over the girls and held her close to the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: cornor."Why are you two hiding from me? You've been married quite a while now."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "M-married?" ChibiUsa asked. "What do you mean married? We're only
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: sixteen!"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Not in this world your not ChibiUsa-chan." Minako said, handing over
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the clothes to a hamper, and turned and pulled out a gown that resembled
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Serenity's princess gown. She turned to ChibiUsa and grabbed her away from the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: sheet. She pushed the dress on her and released her hair from the tangled
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: odangos. She began to brush the hair very gently, and when the tangles where
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: gone she turned to Hotaru. Hotaru stared at her  from the sheet and watched her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: pull out another dress that resembled a senshi's attire but was decorated with
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: tiny sequins that where shapped like tiny moons and stars. In the middle of her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: bow was a small locket that had the Saturn and Moon symbol on it. In the middle
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: of the symbols was a tiny crystal that was colored black with silver lining on
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: it.  Hotaru put on the dress and boots that laced up her legs almost to her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: knees.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:            "How do you know we're not from this world," Hotaru asked, "How come
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: your being so calm about this?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:            "Because I am from your world 'Taru." Minako said, "I am only posing
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: like you and ChibiUsa. There is much that you need to know. Those two girls are
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the new princess' of Crystal Tokyo, they are your daughters."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:             "Look at us Mina-san," Hotaru said, "We're girls. How can we have
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: children?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:             "Ever heard of cloning? It's kinda like that but a bit harder to
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: understand. Let's just say they've done a lot between our time and this one."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:             "Then how did you get here Mina-san?" ChibiUsa asked "How did you
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: get to the Future Tokyo?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:             "I was helped just like you two where," Minako smiled, "By someone
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: you'd never guess." 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	    ChibiUsa & Hotaru both looked at her. Minako sighed. "Its pretty
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: confusing. Trust me." 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: *******
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:      "Natsuna" Venus' voice breathed in the ear of her lovers. She kissed her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: sweetly on the cheek,tracing the jawline of her face with her gloved hand.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Natsuna smiled sweetly her hair spilled over the fluffy pillows that litterd
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: thier bed. She reached up pulling Minako's face to her own, kissing her fully on
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the mouth.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:     "I missed you today lover where have you been?" she asked, "I thought you
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: would teaching the girls how to use thier powers by now."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:     "Not today," Venus said, "Today is our day to be together. You know that,
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: it's our anniversary." She traced Natsunas creamy white breast with her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: fingertips bringing shivers down her spine. She loved every minute of this.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Making her lover shiver underneath her touch and kisses. Strange how it just
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: seemed so right after having shared so much with Natsuna in her past, Minako was
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: able to share the future as well. It was perfect.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:       But there was the unresloved issue of Kunzite. What would he do if he
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: fould her younger self wondering around. It wasn't like it was easy for him to
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: let go of the fact that she and Natsuna where married. He'd always belived that
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: they would get together and stay together no matter. Much Usagi and Mamoru's
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: relationship, but in the end she couldn't wait for true love of the past to come
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to her. When there was the chance of being with such a sweet human being as
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: well. She just hoped that her younger self could understand that so
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: early.Chibi-Usa and Hotaru must be awakeing by now, she thought, I wonder what
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: thier reaction on thier faces are right now....
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ********
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Minako, what's going on?" ChibiUsa asked her worriedly.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Minako hesitated before replying. Maybe Setsuna should be doing all
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: this. She was the Senshi of Time after all. "Well, you two have been hiding 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: your relationship for a while now. You shouldn't do that. The rest of us 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: care about you and all we want is for the two of you to be happy. So I thought
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: if you saw the future, or at least some of it, you'll realize that you can 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: tell all of us about the two of you without worrying."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"We've already told my parents," Hotaru said. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Yeah, but you've been dating for a while now and you haven't told 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: any of the rest of us. We wish you didn't think you needed to hide from us,"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako explained.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Wait, how do you know, then?" ChibiUsa asked. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I am the Senshi of Love you know." Minako smiled. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru sat down on the plush couch near them, shocked from all that 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: she'd heard. ChibiUsa sat down by her and put an arm around Hotaru, drawing 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: her close. Both girls needed comfort from each other at the moment. Things 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: seemed so strange. "I can't believe we have daughters," Hotaru said, amazed.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "I never thought we'd be able to. I can't believe it." 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"So they're me and Taru's daughters?" ChibiUsa asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Yes. They are the children you wind up having," Minako said.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa sat in silence. She'd been so worried about what her mother 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: would think about her getting with Hotaru. Hotaru was a girl, so ChibiUsa had
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: thought she wouldn't be able to have an heir. Now it seemed that there wasn't
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: anything for her mother to worry about other than Hotaru being a Sailor 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Senshi.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"They were so sweet. Will we be able to see them again before we leave?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Hotaru asked Minako.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I'm really not sure. You might," was all Minako could answer.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"So they're like clones? Is one a clone of ChibiUsa and one a clone of
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: me? Or are they both a mix of the two of us?" Hotaru asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I don't know. I really don't know much other than what my future self
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: told me. Besides, its probably better that you two don't know about things like
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: that anyway." Minako started thinking about Natsuna again after she mentioned
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: her future self. She shook her head and tried to stay focussed on the two 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: younger girls in front of her.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Are you okay?" ChibiUsa looked at Minako oddly.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something," Minako said, 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: sounding distant.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"This is a lot farther than the future I'm from," ChibiUsa remarked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Minako laughed. "Its not as far into your future as you think."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa blushed a little at the idea of getting married and having
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: children so soon. Hotaru looked happy about the whole thing.  
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"What should we do while we're here in the future?" Hotaru asked 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: confused.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"You should probably talk to your future selves. That way you can 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: see that there really isn't anything for the two of you to worry about. You
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: should talk to some of us, too, and see how we handled finding out about 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the two of you. You might be surprised about how things have happened to the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: rest of us. I know I am." Minako stood up to leave. "I've got to go for now."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Where are you going?" ChibiUsa asked her.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I've got a lot on my mind. I've got to think. Good luck to you both. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Ja!" Minako quickly walked out the door, leaving ChibiUsa and Hotaru once again
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: alone in the room.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: *******
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          Minako wondered the sweet smelling halls until she reached the source.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Makoto was cooking agian and the smell drove Minako crazy. It was so nice having
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the familiarity of her friends habits then the cold harshness of this world. She
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: slipped inside hoping to grab a tiny cookie from the steaming batch next to the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: unsuspecting Makoto. But, just as she was able clasp one in her grasp Makoto's
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: spoon slammed her hand down with a rap.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Ow! Makoto what did you do that for!" Minako whinned, she looked at
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the upset Makoto her green eyes flaring slightly.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Venus, you know you can'thave those." Makoto told her, "And since when
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: did you start calling me by my given name. You know we only call each other by
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: our senshi names."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Sorry," Minako said tapping her heand with her finger, "Stupidity
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: leak." Makoto smiled slightly at her friends gesture.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "So why aren't you with Natsuna?" Maoto asked. "She was looking for you
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: a little while ago."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Oh I have some thinking to do," Minako said, "It is our anniversary,
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: and I can't think of anything to do with her right now." Makoto turned to her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: agian after having checked the cookies one last time. She reached over and
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: offered one to her friend.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Yeah I can't belive it's been so long since you and her got together."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Makoto answered, "You and her where one strange couple I tell you. She was
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: always after with her crush and you where always looking in all the wrong
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: places."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "You mean Kunzite?" Minako asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Yeah you and the rest of us where always looking for them to come
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: back and be with us. But, we soon found out that that was just a dumb pipe
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: dream."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "And where is your lover Jupiter-sama?" Minako asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Probably up in the training grounds agian testing the newest
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: similation atmospheres. They're a work of art don't you think?" Makoto asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako rubbed her neck slightly, as if to show physical pain.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:           "Yeah what can I say it's a work out," Minako answered, "Not like the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: training we did with Luna and Artemis." So, Minako thought, Jupiter and the rest
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: are in the same boat as I am. The generals are apparently not our husbands like
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: they where in the past. But, like me, it's people who had a large influence in
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: our lives. My don't I feel special...
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ******
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Hi, Venus-san!" a little girl said as she ran into the room. She had
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: short blue hair and light green eyes. She looked like she was around Shisa and
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Selene's age. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Hi..." Minako said, unsure. 'Another one?' she thought.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Hello, Meimi." Makoto smiled at the younger girl.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Makoto-mama, are the cookies almost done?" the little girl asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Yeah. You better eat some before Minako finishes them all," Makoto
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: said teasingly. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Makoto-mama? Mako-chan... I mean, Jupiter. You're her mom?" Minako
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: asked, shock spreading through her. Her future self hadn't said a thing about
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Makoto having a daughter. Makoto stared at her oddly. "Of course you are,"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako said nervously. "I was just kidding."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"You're acting strangely, Venus. Are you sure you're okay?" Makoto
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Yeah. Like I said, I'm still trying to think about what to do 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: about Natsuna for tonight." 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Well, if you want to be alone with her tonight, Ai can always spend
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: the night here with us," Makoto offered.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Could she? That would be great!" Meimi said happily. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"The kids love playing together, anyway," Makoto gestured at Meimi's
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: enthusiasm. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	'The kids?' Minako thought. 'I really should have spent more time 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: talking to my future self.' "Umm... Ai?" Minako said, not being able to think
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: of anything else to say. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"You know, cute little red-headed girl. You and Natsuna's daughter?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Makoto laughed. "I really hope you didn't forget about her."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Minako's eyes widened in shock. 'My daughter? Why didn't my future
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: self mention that? Isn't that something I should know? How could she just
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: forget to mention that?' "Sure, sounds good. Thanks Mako... Jupiter."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Okay. Meimi and I will go get Ai a little later. I'm sure you and
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Natsuna would want to be alone on your anniversery anyway." Makoto gave
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako a conspiratorial wink in front of the innocent little girl. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Huh? Oh yeah. Thanks..." Minako said, trying to sound grateful.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"When's Ami-mama getting home?" Meimi asked Makoto.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	'Ami-mama? Mako-chan's with Ami? I can't beleive it. I really 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: wasn't ready for this. There's so much I need to know,' Minako thought.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Pretty soon. Don't worry about it. After she gets home, we'll 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: go pick up Ai. How's that sound?" 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"That sounds good. I hope Ami-mama gets home soon." Meimi looked
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: thoughtful as she picked up another cookie. "Do you think Shisa and Selene
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: could come over, too?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Minako looked up. "Oh, could they? I'm trying to help Hotaru and
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ChibiUsa with something and it would probably help if they were alone."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Makoto thought for a moment. "I'll have to talk to Small Lady 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: and Saturn, but I'm sure that will be fine."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Really? Thanks, Makoto-mama," Meimi said happily. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Yeah, thanks, Jupiter. That would help a lot," Minako said.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Don't mention it. Its nice having all the girls around here 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: anyway. And it distracts Ami from working too hard," Makoto laughed again.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I should probably be going," Minako said, standing up.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I hope you and Natsuna have fun. Good luck with everything today."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Thanks. Bye, Jupiter. Bye, Meimi." Makoto and her daugher waved to
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako as she quickly headed out the door. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ******
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "ChibiUsa," Elder Venus whisphered, "Small Lady, Saturn are you in
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: here?" She looked to the two figeting girls near the doorway talking to each
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: other and looking quite frightened. She motioned for Mercury and Mars to come
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: with her. Surprized that Venus had brought the other senshi with her to the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: bedroom they deduced that this was Elder Venus and not the Minako that they
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: knew.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:         "Venus-sama, Marsand Mercury," Hotaru asked looking at each of the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: senshi. Each looked beautiful grown and matureed to the age of twenty six. The
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: age that each of them would eventually stop aging at when they reached the 30th
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: century. Mars looked at Venus andthen to the two girls.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Well," she said, "If you hadn't told me I wouldn't of ever guessed. She
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: does look like Small Lady and Saturn of our time. Are they really from the past
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Venus-sama?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Well don't look at us like we're sideshow freaks," ChibiUsa yelled,
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "We are human beings you know!"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Odango-chan!" Hoatru cursed, reciving looks from Rei.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Odango chan," she whispered, "That's what I call...never mind. So you
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: want to hear from us how we reacted to your coming out?" Hotaru looked at
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ChibiUsa and clasped her hand into her own, nodding.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2:          "Well," Mars answered, "It really was the best thing for us all. I
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: made us realize that you two where growen women, fully capatible of caring for
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: each other. You are 15 years old aren't you? Most of us knew that we cared for
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: others and didn't know what to do about it. You two had the courage to do what
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: we never could have at that age. It wasn't until you two started to come out
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: that I realized my love for your mother Small Lady. Ami started to realize her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: love for Makoto and Diana and that friend yours Mamokofelt love for each other
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: as well. In the end it was the best thing for us all.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"And Venus-sama what about you?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I fell in love with my dearest Natsuna, and fully understand what
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: you and Saturn are going through. Haruka and Michiru and Setsuna-san are all the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: parents of you too, remember? How did they react?
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"They where proud of us.."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Right," Venus answered, "And so where we. We are apart of you as
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: well Small Lady, we are your family you must always remember that."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Thank you minna-san," Hotaru said, "This was a great help to us,
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: and our lives. We'll tell Usagi and the others as soon as we get home." Mars got
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: up to leave and Venus followed behind her. Mercury walked up to them, handing
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ChibiUsa a small pen. ChibiUsa looked at it with wonderment and with an unspoken
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: question.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Keep this in memorance of this trip Small Lady," Ami said, "So
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: that you can always remember that we are here for you no matter what." With that
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: she kissed ChibiUsa and Hotaru on the forhead and walked away.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ******
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa wearily leaned against Hotaru for support. "They understand,"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: she said quietly. "They really do understand."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru smiled gently at the girl she loved. Not only had her parents 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: approved, but so had their friends. She nodded. "They do. And they're happy 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: for us."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa smiled back, her hand going up to Hotaru's cheek. All the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: worries she'd been having were washed away. She knew things would work out for
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: them. They're friends and family cared for them, they were married, and they 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: had two beautiful daughters in the future. No matter what happened to bring 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: them to that point, it was worth it. Tears lightly clouded her eyes, her 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: emotions overflowing. "I love you, Taru," she said. The two girls held
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: each other closely.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Oh, Odango-chan. I love you so much," Hotaru said softly. Her hand 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ran through ChibiUsa's soft, pink hair as her lips met the other girl's. They
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: kissed passionately, both locked in the feelings of the moment. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	They stood holding each other for several minutes, neither wanting the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: other to let go. ChibiUsa gently stroked Hotaru's cheek, smiling as the other
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: girl continued to run her hand through her pink hair. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Hotaru-chan?" ChibiUsa's voice finally broke the silence.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Yes?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"What do you think Rei meant when she mentioned my mom?" ChibiUsa 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: asked, curious.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I'm not sure. It doesn't matter, though. We'll find out soon enough.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: One day, we'll be here. And you heard Minako. It's not as far as we think."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Hotaru kissed ChibiUsa again lightly.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	A smile spread across ChibiUsa's lips. "Yeah. You're right. One day."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: The two girls finally let go of each other. ChibiUsa grabbed Hotaru's hand.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "We should probably find Setsuna so we can leave."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru nodded. "I'm really glad we were broght here," she said. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Me too," ChibiUsa agreed.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Before they could get very far, they heard footsteps heading towards
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: them. They turned around when they heard a woman shout for them to wait.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Three women quickly ran up to them. ChibiUsa quickly noticed her mother, Neo
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Queen Serenity, and the two other women seemed to be Hotaru and ChibiUsa's
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: future selves. ChibiUsa's pigtails were longer, but still not as long as her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: mother's. She'd grown into a beautiful woman, looking regal in her palace 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: gown. Hotaru was just a little taller than ChibiUsa, her dark eyes, now 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: behind a pair of thin reading glasses, no longer carried any of the pain from 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: her youth. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa's mother smiled at her. "My little girl," she said happily.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Mom," ChibiUsa gasped. She hadn't seen her mother in several years,
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ever since she'd gone back to the past again. She knew Usagi would one day 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: be her mother, but it just wasn't the same as seeing Neo Queen Serenity again.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ChibiUsa ran up to her mother and hugged her. "Mom, I missed you." 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	The queen laughed slightly. "I know. I missed you back when you were 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: gone too. I know you had your reasons, though." She smiled towards Hotaru. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "I'm really happy for you. I'm glad you found someone that means so much to 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: you. Its more than I could have hoped for when I sent you to the past
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to train to be a Senshi."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Serenity held ChibiUsa at arms length and looked her in the eyes.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "There's a lot you have to face before you reach this point in your lives,
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: but with Hotaru by your side, you'll get through it just fine."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa hugged her mother again. "Thanks, mom."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru's future self took a step forward. "ChibiUsa, you're just as
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: beautiful as the day we met." ChibiUsa blushed at the compliment.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa's future self stepped forward as well. "Good luck telling 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: everyone. Try not to worry about it too much. There are still a lot of 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: hardships the two of you have to go through, but I wouldn't mind going back 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to relive some of the things you have coming up." With an odd smile on her
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: face she added, "Like the honeymoon."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"ChibiUsa," the future Hotaru said, a smile forming on her lips as 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: well. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru looked confused. "Does everyone still call Odango-chan 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ChibiUsa?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	The pink haired girl of the future laughed. "No, only Taru still 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: calls me that, even if I'm not chibi anymore."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Hotaru nodded happily. "That sounds good. I like that name."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa thought for a moment before asking, "What about Shisa 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: and Selene?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"What about them?" replied her future self.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Well, so Hotaru and I... we wind up," ChibiUsa began.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Yes," the future Hotaru answered, smiling at the girls that had once
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: been her and her wife. "You wind up having twins."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"But how?" ChibiUsa asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Its confusing," the future raven haired girl said. "But it doesn't
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: matter. All you need to know is that some day the two of you will have the
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: twins. And they'll be a big part of your lives. They're a lot to handle, but
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: trust me, they're worth it." 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	ChibiUsa and Hotaru smiled at each other and held hands. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Thank you," ChibiUsa said. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Thanks for everything," Hotaru added. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Their future selves smiled back at them.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Don't mention it," Serenity said. "I'm glad you both got to be here,
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: if only for a brief time, to see that you shouldn't worry so much about the 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: rest of us. We all care for the two of you."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	When the two girls turned around, Setsuna was already standing there.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "Are you read to leave?" she asked them.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Hai, Setsuna-mama," Hotaru answered.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Good. Then as soon as we get Minako, we'll leave," the Senshi of time
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: said. The two younger girls followed after her while they're future selves waved.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Minako was standing alone on a balcony, looking out over the buildings
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: in Crystal Tokyo. She sighed to herself. She turned around when she noticed a
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: shadow near her. She looked over to see Natsuna standing in the doorway.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Oh, hi. I hadn't noticed you," Minako said, trying to pass herself off
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: as her future self.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Natsuna smiled to herself. "I know you aren't my Minako. At least not 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: yet." Minako just nodded, having been caught. "You really shouldn't worry too much
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: about all of this. You shouldn't fear what your future holds, Minako."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Minako turned around and looked out at the bustling city again. "I'm not
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: afraid."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"You could have fooled me," Natsuna said.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Its just that... I wasn't ready for this. I didn't see it coming," 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Minako said quietly.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Is that so bad?" Natsuna asked her.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Minako thought for a moment before answering. "I don't know. I don't know
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: what to think right now. This is all so strange."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"I know. If you hadn't come here, things would have happened in their own
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: time. Instead, you already know what happens between us. You don't understand 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: how things developed between us, though. I know I'm not what you're looking for
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: right now, but eventually..." Natsuna paused. "Eventually we fall in love."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Minako laughed a little in spite of herself. "I already knew how you felt.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: You made that perfectly clear ever since I was Sailor V. I guess I'm just 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: surprised at how I wind up feeling. I had no idea."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Minako was shocked when she saw a little girl peeking out from around
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Natsuna. Minako looked carefully at the little girl. She had shoulder length 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: slightly curly reddish brown hair. She looked up at Minako and smiled before 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: disappearing behind Natsuna again. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Ai," Natsuna said. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"That's Ai?" Minako asked.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Natsuna nodded. "Yep, that's her. We were on our way to Makoto's. I 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: knew you were going back soon, so when I saw you out here all alone, I wanted
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: to say something before you left."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Really? Thanks, Natsuna. And you too, Ai." Minako smiled to the little
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: girl as she peeked around Natsuna again. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Minako?" Minako turned when she heard Setsuna say her voice. "Are you 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ready?" Setsuna asked. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	"Yeah. I'm ready," Minako said. She looked back at Natsuna and Ai a last 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: time before rushing over to Setsuna and the two younger girls. Natsuna and Ai 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: waved to her as Setsuna prepared to send Minako, Hotaru, and ChibiUsa back to 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: their own time. Hotaru and ChibiUsa weren't too sure who the women and the girl 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: were, but they waved along with Minako as a bright light engulfed them.
rlm@2: