Feelings of the Moon
(A/n: I do not own Sailor Moon or Dragonball Z)
Chapter One - The Truth Hurts/Never Say Good-bye
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'Trust only the maboroshi no ginzuishou in this world...'
Pi... pi... pi... pi... pi... pi... pi...
Usagi sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. She'd set the alarm for six AM.
"Oh yeah, I've got to be on time for the meeting today..." she murmured softly. Eyes half-open, she scanned the room. Her uniform and bag were set out across her desk chair already, uncharacteristically neat in the midst of a storm.
'I could get a bath in,' she thought. Grabbing her clothes, Usagi walked to the bathroom, patting a tired Shingo's head on the way.
"Usa?", he grumbled in confusion, not quite sure if the alien that walked by was his sister.
Ikuko was dutifully making up lunch for her children when she heard the water running. Raising her eyebrows at Shingo and her husband eating breakfast she marveled at her daughter getting up so early.
'For a boy?' she wondered, shrugging.
Usagi wrapped herself up in a fluffy towel. Her long hair dripped water along the tiles as she scrounged around for another towel to mop up the mess. Sure, she loved her long hair but the maintenance could be tiresome.
Boys used to yank on it, Mamo-chan used to make fun of it before they'd gotten together, and it turned out to be the royal hairstyle of her secret family. Usagi smiled, grateful for the style that had attributed to the way her life was. Smile disappeared, Mamo-chan, months since she'd seen him. She thought sadly, a picture of them together on her desk. It had been a hot summer.
'I wonder if he's enjoying himself?'
She emailed him, and sent texts every day. But...he must not have time to reply. He was probably busy, what with studying all the time, which she understood since it was difficult, becoming a doctor. They'd had a serious make out session and talk about how he couldn't be around her like before, so she had learned to be fine without him. They had to prioritize.
'Mom,' the one who started it all. Ikuko would pin it up for her when she was little. Back when she was still her mother's little rabbit.
Usagi grabbed her brush and pins, letting out a cloud of steam as she walked down the hall to the kitchen. She saw her mom at the stove, her father eating and reading the morning paper simultaneously. Shingo was hard at work on some video game. The bunny wove around them, and aimed for the blue-haired one.
Ikuko cried as she jumped around, catching her daughter in the act of poking her behind with a hair brush.
"So it was you? Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?" Tsukino-mama inquired, pointing her spatula at the accused.
Usagi stopped laughing and squealed at her mother, "It's me! Honest! I'm 25 percent bone, 67 percent food, and the rest...uh, hair!" eyes wide, hoping her mom recognized her. Usagi was just about to bend on her knees and beg for mercy when her father looked up from his plate.
"Did I hear someone scream?" Kenji stared at his daughter, "You are not going to school dressed like that!"
Ikuko rolled her eyes, waving him down the hall. "Worry about your own clothes." She pointed at his boxers and socks. "Go put on your clothes dear," she ordered gently.
Usagi and her mother stared at each other before the two of them burst out laughing.
After the two had stopped laughing and lunch had been packed, Ikuko looked questioningly at her daughter, who merely smiled sweetly and held the hair brush out. She'd sat on a stool behind the counter and watched her mother's art.
Smiling, she grabbed the brush and stood behind her daughter. She brushed all of her baby's hair and made an even split down the middle. Her bunny handed her two hair ties and she began to brush half of her long hair into a ponytail. Tsukino-mama then wrapped her hair around into the shape of a bun, leaving plenty loose to hang down. Usagi hummed the tune of her locket from Mamoru as her mother did the same to other side of her hair.
When she finished, Ikuko sat down beside her daughter, they smiled at each other.
"You know what, Bunny? This style was made for you." said mom as she brushed her baby's bangs back to see her whole face. Her baby had grown up so much. "I hope you never change it, or yourself for that matter."
"Even though I'm late for everything, and get the worst grades and you wish I were more like Umino?" Usagi asked. Ikuko smoothed a stray hair, her eyes tearing up.
"We both know you're smart, when you try, and you are much prettier than that Umino. You're sweet, caring, and always ready to help the people you love, which is more important than grades. Baby, you're growing up and sometimes I fear you're just going to go away; call it my intuition, but the past several years...it seems as if we're living with a ghost.."
Ikuko wiped at her eyes hastily, "But I know you have your own life and friends, you should be out having fun!"
Standing up abruptly, Ikuko grabbed her spatula again, "I'll make you a nice, big breakfast! It'll be nice sitting at the table again! Now go get dressed, sweetheart." and with that she got to work making waffles as Usagi took off for her uniform.
As she pulled on her winter shirt Usagi thought of what her mom had said. It was true. Most of the time she was either at school, playing games at the arcade, or doing schoolwork. Having a peaceful, home-cooked meal was a rarity for her. She hardly had time to fight with Shingo anymore. Sailor Pluto had said that she wouldn't have to fight again until she became queen.
She wondered what today's senshi meeting was for. Was it hunger she felt in the pit of her stomach, or was her body trying to tell her something? Setsuna had sounded a little off when she had called the day before, could the senshi of time get sick? Her friends had been acting so bizarre. The girls had been distancing themselves it seemed lately, though Usagi figured she was just imagining it- except when she was around them and they would sneak strange looks at her. Shrugging away the bad thoughts, she began to change.
Slipping into her long skirt, she thought of the future. What would happen when she became queen? More importantly, what would happen to her family? Would they come live with her and Mamoru? Or was there some rule against it, since they weren't supposed to know about her alter-ego? In all the time she'd been battling as a senshi had priority for her family disappeared? Was the Tsukino household a happy one?
It was then Usagi swore she would spend more time with her family and make things better for them! School would be out for the winter break soon, and she would have plenty of time with them then. She would try her best to make sure of it.
Checking the reflection in the mirror, Usagi gave herself a little nod of approval on the outside. On the inside she gave herself a look of disdain.
'Bad Bunny! Go on and make the people you love most happy, that is your duty!' she ordered.
Shingo, dressed in his own uniform, was walking down the hall when his big sister fell in step with him. She was ready for the day, and he had been longing for a good spat.
"Wow, Odango, you're up! What happened? Did monsters visit you last night and brainwash you? Did Luna give you a nice scratch? Or did you finally grow up?" his string of questions only made his sister ruffle up his hair.
"Actually, it was more like a New Year's resolution!" she replied cheerfully as she sat down at the table across from her father, who noted that she was now properly dressed for school. With the newspaper covering his face, no one saw him smile.
After eating about six plates of waffles, bacon, toast and orange juice Usagi noted the time.
"Hurry up Shingo! We have to get to school!" she stood up as her mom handed her her lunch. Giving her Papa a kiss and hug she grabbed her schoolbag and she headed out the door with Shingo in tow.
Ikuko and Kenji stared after their children, and Ikuko was the first to speak, "Our baby is growing up! Oh honey, I am going to miss her so much when she goes off to college. Our baby..."
"I know, now don't go crying Ikuko, it was bound to happen. I have to get to work,"
Shingo stared up at his sister, at one point he wondered if she was sick. The two had bundled up and were walking down the road from their house. Turned out she'd even gotten her homework done. He found that out when she asked about his.
"What is up with you, Odango?"
"Hm? Nothing, I'm just being a better me! See you, my school's this way!" wrapping her pea coat tighter around her, she took the road to the right, waving back with a smile.
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"Good morning, Ami-chan!" Usagi called to the blue haired genius. A cool look was returned, and Usagi's smile fell. Everyone had been acting kind of mean the past several days. Sharp sighs when she was near, painful snubs, sensing dirty looks between her shoulders. But she must be imagining things, midterms causing a sense of paranoia.
Usagi stepped into her classroom, ignoring the empty looks from all her friends and sat down at a desk in the front row.
Naru glanced over at her friend, surprised that her best friend was on time. It wasn't a bad thing, it was just a bit unusual. After all, the only times Usagi had been on time were...never, really.
"Hey Usagi? Are you feeling okay? It's not like you to be early," she asked her friend.
Usagi, who had been wondering what would happen if she did this every day hadn't really heard the question. Well, that proved that this was still Usagi, daydreaming all the time.
"Huh, Naru-chan? What did you say?" she never got an answer as their teacher Haruna-sensei walked in, causing Usagi to grin. She wondered if Haruna-sensei would faint or congratulate her in some grandiose way.
At the ring of the bell Haruna set her bag on her desk, "Well," she said looking around, her eyes passing over Usagi without surprise, "I see Tsukino-san has yet to grace us with her presence. Another tardy, another detention," she began to write a few sentences on the chalkboard.
Usagi's eyes widened, and the students looked at each other. Voices of confusion carried across the room, all asking the same thing, "Is someone sitting in that seat? Am I seeing things?"
"Haruna-sensei! I'm right here! I am on time!" she exclaimed, Haruna-sensei stopped writing and looked over at her desk. Confusion flashed in her eyes.
"I must be hallucinating. There's no one there?" she said aloud, "Right?"
"I'm here!" Usagi all but screeched, was this some sort of nightmare? With a sharp pinch on the arm she realized it wasn't.
Haruna-sensei shook her head, "You're not here! Tsukino-san is far too incompetent to actually be on time at any time! Right class?"
Naru's hand shot up, "Haruna-sensei! She is here! I saw her walk in! Usagi is on time for once!" although instead of comforting Usagi, this only made her more upset. "She's right...here...?" the ginger trailed off, as if lost in thought.
Usagi's eyes teared up, did her teacher have so little faith in her? Should she do something to get the psycho back to her senses?
"Haruna-sensei?" she called out. The teacher took in the class, the other students reading the chalkboard. Usagi turned to Naru. "Naru? What's wrong with her?"
But Naru didn't seem to hear her. The cute redhead had set down her arm, and began writing a note to Umino, her boyfriend. Usagi felt a chill in the air, albeit not from winter's cold. No eye showed any recognition towards her.
'What's going on?' she thought, waving a hand desperately in front of her friend's faces. She even stood before Haruna, who stared blankly ahead.
"Tsukino...?" Usagi heard Haruna whisper. "Now that I think about it, there is no Tsukino in this class, is there? Sorry class, seems I didn't get enough sleep last night."
The students chuckled, making their own jokes. Some asked if class could end early so she could nap.
'Well, since apparently Haruna-sensei can't see me, why even bother being here?'
Usagi grabbed her bag and lunch, and looked back at her classmates one last time. Tears fell from her azure blue eyes, and she wiped them away with a sleeve. Haruna-sensei didn't spare the sad girl a glance as she went back to writing on the board. The students opened their English books.
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Usagi stood outside, glancing up at the cloudy sky. It was freezing, but she refused to spend any more time wandering the halls like a lost child. No one she walked past reached out to stop her, or ask what she was doing outside of class. She bumped into someone, and they looked around her quizzically. She was scared, invisible, and felt so alone. But it was oddly invigorating, like she was free from something. As if she were a ghost, though she could still feel the harsh cold beating at her lungs.
'Get higher,' she thought. A weak smile crossed her face, the thought of going up to the roof warmed her up. It was strange to feel so, but she went up anyway.
Standing alone on the roof was nice, chilly but peaceful. Usagi gazed out across the city, the familiarity of Azabu-jūban a comfort to her on this strange day. Steam rose into the air as far as she could see. The fence pushed against her stiff fingers, as if worried she would somehow fall to her death or have the urge to climb to it. She pondered this, had anyone ever considered ending their lives from here? People warmed their homes, she smelled the cold air, not minding the way it burned her nose. She turned and settled herself on the gravel, causing the fence links to clink against one another in a rather relieved manner. The sound of traffic rushed to her ears as she closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her face. Skin tender and pink, possibly frosting over. Feeling uneasy, she ran her fingers through her hair, it would be easy to go off the side of the building. So quick, probably even painless.
When did she begin feeling this way? Never did Bunny have such dark desires, or notions. Usagi felt as if she were missing something. A thought that had been forgotten when she woke up. She sat and prodded her memory for any dreams she'd had the night before, maybe something was wrong. 'Definitely,' she thought. Worry gnawed at her sides, her parents were fine, right?
'What if I go home and they're like this too?' she hurriedly thought. 'Is it a new enemy?'
Apprehension filled her gut, could this be why Pluto had called a meeting this afternoon? She inhaled deeply, wincing at the sharp pain in her lungs. It felt like the temperature was dropping at a steadier pace now. Usagi resolved to head home and check on things before calling the others. She had to confirm this with them before something really bad happened. Maybe something already had, and images of her friends came to mind.
Was there reason to their sudden detachment? Faint memories clung to her like a dream, something about trust? Usagi frowned, puzzling over everything that had occurred between their group. Compared to now, how Ami refused to help her with midterms, Rei was off doing her own thing at the shrine, and Makoto and Minako were always keeping to themselves. So strange, and she realized what must have happened to them, cursing herself for not noticing sooner! A new enemy, evil had attacked them! Perhaps in a fight, they'd been caught under a spell. If everything was supposed to be so peaceful and great until Crystal Tokyo then why was Usagi getting such bad vibes these days? It was bad enough Mamoru wasn't around very often to make her feel better.
'I have to hurry!' jumping up, heading to the door at a quick pace, didn't notice the darkness before it fell across her eyes. Usagi paused, and white drifted across her vision.
"It's...snowing..." she laughed. Grasping the buttons on her coat, shrugging it off. A moment to contemplate what she had even been hurrying away for. The snow was beautiful! She should take the time to enjoy it fully, and she draped her coat over the handle. How silly, being all dark minded for nothing!
Usagi twirled around the roof, looking up at the gently falling flakes. They lay against her raw face, danced around her skirt.
Who was lonely? She loved this, the icicles, even the blue tinge her skin took. The sky was becoming dim as the clouds blackened overhead. She laughed up at the sky, giggled at how she used to fear the dark and dreary. Just what she needed, to forget all that nonsense, who needed stupid things like fear? Mindless and free, no stress! Time flying by as she spun. Spinning round and round until it stopped, she stopped, flakes stopped.
Something familiar and warm flashed across her empty mind. It hurt her head and she cried out.
"What was that?"
Kneeling, numb with cold, frost creeping along her body. Suddenly everything wrong, what was she doing? What was she supposed to be doing? Usagi struggled to move, body trembling against harsh winter. Standing shakily, coat hanging, make for the fence. Telling her to go, step by step until her fingers curled around the twisted metal. Bones yearning to do act and move, the warm thing inside her head beating at the icicles in her mind. Shake the fence, jump the fence, anything! Go somewhere, go anywhere! She needed to jump!
'Trust only the maboroshi no ginzuishou...'
'Get away from me' she shouted in her head, 'I'm trying to dance and have fun!'
It was like being thrown around in the snow until she hit the ground; cold and hard. Spots floated everywhere. Head hurting, she threw her arms out to feel which way was up. Tense muscles, breaking apart. Hand gripping hardened fabric. Her coat had fallen to the gravel, snow piling around the edges. Remaining untouched by the spell, it was so warm, and she realized fingers stuck to it. Telling her 'put it on', and so she did.
Skin flushed, the warm thing stretched inside, to her toes and ears. Brooch glowing, Usagi realized the silver crystal was the source. Speaking to her, somehow; the spell broken.
Sudden vibration came from her pocket. Her phone, all pink and studded with cheap plastic jewels, pale in comparison to the ginzuishou. Who was calling?
"Tsukino...?" Usagi relaxed at the sound of Ami's voice, comforting although faint.
"Ami-chan! You won't believe what's happening! Where are you?" she rushed out, hoping everyone was all right.
Ami responded hurriedly, ignoring her question, "Don't worry. Where are you? I couldn't find you in any of your classes!"
"On the roof, I've been out here a while. Listen, I-" she was cut off by Makoto coming onto the line.
"Hey Tsukino! We need you to just shut the fuck up and stay put, we're coming to get you!" when did they ever sound so malicious?
"You heard her, don't you dare move!"
"Guys! It's cold, I don't understand what's going on, stop shou-" they disconnected from her.
Usagi slipped her phone into her pocket, and buttoned her coat up. She whispered a quiet apology to her friends.
Fear gripped at her heart, and she ran, unsure of anything but what the ginzuishou conveyed to her.
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"Mama?"
Somewhere in her head she heard the mocking tick of the clock, ever reminding her of how she had promised the girls she would not miss the senshi meeting after school. Ignored their constant calls, disobeyed. Home was quiet, but not in a serene way, it was creeping Usagi out. Bag and lunch ditched at the open doorway, snow a constant swirl. Door wasn't locked, slippers still at the door. Nothing seemed real. Where was her mother? Shingo ignored her texts, and daddy her messages. Stepping into the kitchen, she noted dishes from breakfast piled in the sink. Ikuko always kept the house spotless, she was too obsessive-compulsive to leave even a spot of dust anywhere.
"Mama?" she called again, panic filling her insides.
She ran all over the house, finding the emptiness eerie. Trying to figure out what happened while she was gone she found photos were missing from the walls; pink ceramic pieces in the trash, the remains of her bunny mug. The last time she'd felt nervous about being home was when she'd had Mamoru over for dinner. Stopping to check her own room last, she wondered why the sign with her name was gone. Daddy had hung it up when she was about eight years old, had painted the letters herself. Opened door, locked in utter shock. Her bedroom had transformed in a matter of hours, an old desk in one corner. Junk strewn across the room, from Shingo's old clothes to a sofa they had put in the garage a couple years ago. Usagi attempted to calm herself, there must be a good reason her parents had moved all her things.
A good reason for erasing her from their home.
She couldn't stop the pang of anguish that came or the sudden rush of blurry vision.
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Pi... pi... pi... pi... pi... pi... pi...
Usagi sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. She'd set the alarm for six AM.
"Oh yeah, I've got to be on time for the meeting today..." she murmured softly. Smiling at the thought of the senshi, she scanned the room. Her uniform and bag were set out across her desk chair already, uncharacteristically neat in the midst of a storm.
It was snowing outside, and Usagi found herself staring at the frozen ice falling in the most melancholy of patterns. She was irritated, Setsuna had caused such panic calling everyone out of the blue. She'd been away for so long, it gave her and her friends an unsettling feeling.
Christmas was coming.
'Might as well mark that off, there is no way I can afford gifts for everyone this year,'
Bunny dressed quickly, pausing to grab toast from her father's hand before running out the door. Early or not, she just felt better running to school, the chill burning her lungs as it did every day since winter had come. As luck would have it, she was late anyway. Sliding into her seat just after bell, Naru nudging her with a rather bony elbow.
She sighed, mouthing to the redhead, 'Forgot my phone, left it on the desk,'
Naru gave her a stern look as Haruna-sensei stepped in.
"Another tardy, another detention," was all she stated as she began to write a few sentences on the chalkboard.
Usagi grumbled under her breath and pulled her books out. About to set them on her desk horror swept across her as she looked down at her desk. Words had been scratched deeply into the surface, she squinted to read it. Looking up quickly, she hoped nobody noticed it, she didn't want to get in trouble for that too. Defacing school property was much more serious than a tardy. But the class stared blankly ahead at the front.
'Deja vu–noun. Psychology. the illusion of having previously experienced something actually being encountered for the first time.' Haruna had written several times.
Usagi stared at the board, recognizing the feeling all of a sudden. But as she looked around, nothing seemed familiar. All over the walls of the class the definition had been written, panic filled her. What had happened to the classroom, she'd just walked in and everything had been fine! Her desk was covered in the same handwriting, the words etched all over.
"Please turn to page..." the students buzzed with gossip and complained about the weather. No one seemed to notice the writing. Usagi turned to Naru.
Naru smiled at Usagi, and Usagi's jaw dropped. Her face had been tattooed with the words: 'You can trust the maboroshi no ginzuishou'.
"You okay?" Naru whispered as Haruna-sensei rapped her knuckles on the desk for their attention.
She blinked and everything was gone; everything normal. Her classmates quieted down at Haruna's shushing, and pulled out their English books.
.
Detention! Now she had to endure Rei's demon spirit and the others disapproving looks.
"Awesome," she muttered, ignoring Haruna's suspicious glare.
Unable to have a free moment with the girls, she'd sent texts about what happened during class that morning. They all wrote it off as her daydreaming though, which she believed was wrong. It was so reassuring, she knew she could trust them. So by lunchtime she'd calmed down and scarfed down bread and milk tea with Naru.
Somewhere in her head she heard the mocking tick of the clock, ever reminding her of how she had promised the girls she would not miss the senshi meeting after school. Rei had rolled her eyes disbelievingly, Usagi sure hadn't let her down in that respect.
'I mean, I feel bad and all, but there isn't much I can do about it now.' she thought. 'Might as well get some homework in while I'm here,'
Sighing, Usagi flipped open her Mythology book. It was either that or The Basics Of Physics. As if there was such a thing. Stupid Haruna-sensei had punished her with a mountain of homework. An oral report was due next Tuesday, two book reports before the weekend. She had to read several chapters about multiple dimensions and stuff from the mythology teacher Fuku-sensei as well.
'Let's see, this sounds interesting. Dragon balls blah blah, fighting blah blah, perverted martial artists blah blah.' she stopped her finger at a fuzzy picture of several girls, 'Mini-skirted girls saving the world...wait, that's us! So cool!' she grinned.
"The seven Dragonballs can be used to wish for whatever a person desires. Even for a human life to be restored but only once in a lifetime..."
'How boring,'
"Many evils are said to haunt this dimension. Many martial artists-both male and female, battle the monsters to keep the world safe. And there is said to be an old fighter who steals girls underclothes for reasons unknown..."
'Gross...' she turned the page.
"Japan is protected by several mini-skirted girls with magical powers. There is said to be one for each planet and even one for the moon. Also, it is said that a princess from the moon has great powers and..."
'Now here's something I can do my report on! I'll definitely get full marks! Mama will be so proud, even if it's only an elective...'
And so, Usagi began to write. She wrote quite a lot too, since the next thing she knew, Haruna was shaking her shoulder gently. Putting things back into her bag, she watched her teacher pull out her own phone and text someone.
'Must have a hot date tonight,' she mused. Pull on coat, step out into the mind-numbing freeze. Get on bus.
"You moron," Usagi whispered harshly to herself, knowing what Rei would say when she finally arrived at the Hikawa Shrine. Her thoughts trailed to Mamo-chan. She pictured their photo kept on her desk, and a feeling of sadness flooded her.
'I wonder if he's enjoying himself?'
She emailed him, and sent texts every day. But...he must not have time to reply. He was probably busy, what with studying all the time, which she understood since it had to be difficult becoming a doctor. They'd had a serious make out session and talk about how he couldn't be around her like before, so she had learned to be fine without him. They had to prioritize, Keio University was very prestigious after all.
Usagi felt as if she were missing something. A memory that had been forgotten when she woke up this morning. The photo was gone, she remembered. Why would it be gone? Although she hadn't looked right at it when she was getting ready, like she normally did, she reassured herself that it had indeed been in it's usual spot.
Signs of Christmas were everywhere on the ride, she vaguely recalled Mama not yet putting up the tree. Maybe they could do it together, but she worried Shingo and Papa would feel left out. Of course they could decorate this weekend. Where did she get this sudden need to be with her family? She shook off the weird feelings as the bus stopped at the bottom of Sendai Hill.
Smiling despite the bitter cold, Usagi hopped up the steps, stopping only when she tripped. But instead of crying she just got back up and dusted herself off. At the top, snow began falling again. Black birds circled over her head, cawing wildly. Rei needed to keep a tighter leash on them, they had always freaked Bunny out.
The shrine was empty, and Usagi unbuttoned her coat, had they left somewhere without her? She sweat-dropped, it was probably her punishment for being late. They were probably laughing at her now, drinking hot chocolate somewhere warm and toasty. She pulled out her cell and flipped it open.
Never had she felt such dread. Across the screen haunting words flashed: 'Deja vu–the illusion of having previously experienced something actually being encountered for the first time.'
She heard herself screaming, feel the world was melting away. The warm thing inside trying to warn her all day. The wrongness in everything.
'Trust in the maboroshi no ginzuishou!'
.
Usagi felt dazed. What was going on?
'Today has been the weirdest day,' feeling still like she hadn't completely woken up, she saw everyone was staring right at her.
"What?"
Haruka was frowning, the cats stopped purring. Silence suddenly broken:
"You're late, or are you too stupid to realize it? God, what is wrong with you?" Rei shouted as Usagi slowly began to understand she was now at the shrine. The girls braced themselves for the wailing, hair pulling, and raspberry blowing.
"I'm not stupid!" Usagi yelled back, "And I'm already having a bad day, so leave me alone, you big jerk!"
Thus, the name calling and hair pulling began.
Haruka cleared her throat loudly, successfully stopping the bickering and turning the girls' attention to the outer senshi. Rei and Usagi blushed, mumbling apologies and moving away from each other.
"So, about why we're here..." she looked pointedly at Setsuna, who kneel with Hotaru in her arms.
"Yes, it's actually about Usagi," she started. Usagi felt nervous, "It has been decided that we hurry your coronation!"
Clapping came, Usagi was surprised to say the least.
"Huh?"
The girls were cheering, and she was in Mamoru's arms. When did he get here?
"Bunny! We're getting married!"
He was smiling. But it was wrong. Maybe it was all the commotion, but she didn't feel excited. Awful, it was awful. Cold, freezing. She shook in his arms, wondering why it was so cold when the room was full of people. Naru was here with Umino, Mama and Papa and Shingo. All the people she'd ever met were here. How did they all fit in here? Hikawa Shrine was not this big! Wrong! She felt the warm thing inside her. It beat at her heart with a vigor. She knew it had been there all along, trying to get her to open her eyes to the truth. Everything about here and now was wrong.
'Trust only the maboroshi no ginzuishou in this world...'
Their smiles, the laughter; she licked her lips and formed a single word.
"No!"
.
"She just woke up!" came a familiar voice. She wasn't sure if it was comforting or not. Slowly her eyes adjusted to her surroundings.
"What the-"
"How the hell?"
"Setsuna! You said this would be the easy way!"
Usagi was lying down, the senshi standing around the room. It was the main room of the shrine, and she didn't move, but wracked at her brain, trying to figure out what was real.
"Oh my god!" She screamed, "You guys! I'm having the craziest nightmare!"
Somebody reached out and slapped her. Michiru? She tried to rub her cheek, but her arms wouldn't move. Bodies scrambled around, the girls held her down, and she wanted to throw up. Protests were thrown around the room. None of them could decide on one thing. She didn't know what was happening, and sobs erupted from her. A hand covered her mouth. Makoto gazed down upon her, green eyes like lasers.
"Shut up!"
Usagi met Setsuna's eyes. Inside them were cold stones. No wonder it was so cold. She closed her own and tried to fall back asleep, or wake up from her nightmare.
"It's reality," Setsuna called out, "I'm sorry, but we've tried everything. This will be easier for you if you just calm down and let me explain!"
They waited for her to quiet down patiently, and as Usagi continued to cry her body shook under the girls' restraint. A towel came and wiped her face.
'Calm down, calm down! Listen to Setsuna! She's smart!' she repeated to herself, and it became a mantra in her head.
A long time passed before Usagi could open her eyes again, it was too scary to look anyone in the eye. They weren't them. They couldn't be. She watched Luna and Artemis exchanging sad looks, curled together in a corner of the room. No one spoke, Usagi felt something emanating from everyone. It was uncomfortable. She cleared her mind as best she could. Realization; nervousness. But not her. She wasn't nervous, because the warm thing inside. An image of Naru with the tattooed face appeared.
'You can trust the maboroshi no ginzuishou,'
Again, it was telling her something. The warm thing, Usagi looked directly at Pluto, her grave expression sending chills across the room.
"This isn't easy, Usagi. I...no, we...have some things to tell you."
Usagi didn't dare say anything. It wasn't as if she could anyway. Makoto's hand was still gripped tightly over her mouth.
"You are not Sailor Moon. You are from a different dimension. You are not a Tsukino, or completely human. You are from another dimension with an Earth, but it is different. There, you are from the planet Vegeta; it is where your kind are from. Your real family lives on the Earth of that dimension and they use martial arts to protect it. I don't know much more, other than that on the full moon they can change into the Oozaru. Enormous primates that go around destroying pretty much everything in their path.
Silence reigned as everything sunk into Usagi's head.
The rabbit gasped, "What? This is a joke!" but the warm thing nagged at her insides, her bad feelings...all of this confusion. This was real?
"Already we have tried several methods to prevent having to...kill you, but so far you've managed to break through every spell. This isn't easy-"
But Setsuna was cut off.
"You're kidding, right? 'Oh, she can't possibly live here knowing what she does!'" Rei spat bitterly. Usagi turned her head as far as possible. Rei was glaring from across the room. Her gray school uniform was still on. "Is that the best you can do? Haven't you messed with her mind enough? Just send her home, it's not like she's some fucking monster!"
Setsuna stood, as did Rei.
"None of this is her fault! If anyone is to be punished, its you!"
"Mars, you don't under-"
Again Rei was yelling. Usagi closed her eyes again.
'I don't want this to be real!'
She felt faint. Felt things going on around her as she floated in her own subconscious. A struggle of some kind, and lots of muffled shouts. Something called her name, she thought it was the warm thing again. But...
.
"Usagi-chan!" Rei called to her. It was the real Rei, right? "It's me! Wake up! Don't worry, we have a moment to figure this out!"
Usagi and Rei, all alone in her bedroom, still at the shrine. Usagi didn't remember being moved. She pushed herself up to a sitting position. Before her, Rei was henshined as Super Sailor Mars.
"We need to hurry, Phobos and Deimos have come to help. They and my ofuda won't be able to hold them off much longer!"
"What-"
"You have her very nervous-"
"She who? I don't understand!"
Rei put a finger to Bunny's lips. It was quiet, and Rei's eyes shifted constantly, refusing to make direct contact with Usagi's own.
"This so-called princess. She wants you dead, because she feels threatened by you. But the others thought it best to fake your death and turned to...alternative ideas. They attempted to put you into an eternal sleep and hide you away, in your dreams. But you still have the Silver Crystal, its your weapon against them! No one can take it from you, the crystal will not allow it! It's been breaking through their magic!" at this, Rei smirked.
"I know its scary, Bunny! But you have to face it, everything you thought you knew has been a lie! It's one we've all believed. That bitch Keioh refused to listen to me! I told her we could just send you back to your home, but those fucking rules of hers! As if she's never broken them before!"
Usagi's mind raced, her world was falling apart. Just like that; it was a lie, she had to die, there was no point trying to make sense of anything anymore! Words kept coming from her mouth. They were sharp; felt like cutting. Usagi thought she might be bleeding from it, from everything. She wanted Rei to stop - because her words had to be wrong, but she continued:
"Do you understand now? You have to leave!"
She had wanted things to make sense. But not like this, she wanted to stay! Did anyone care what she wanted? Leave? Rei shook her head wildly, hearing something Usagi couldn't. She got up from the bed and pulled Usagi to her feet. Usagi wanted to protest, tell her to stop with the bad jokes. But the warm thing was there. It told her to believe Rei. Usagi knew she had to trust the Silver Crystal. It told her to trust Rei.
"Just be brave for me, I'm here for you. I don't care what they say." Mars smiled tenderly, and she held Usagi's tiny hands in her own. "You are my princess, my best friend. Nothing will change that, ever!"
"Okay," she quivered, trying her best not to cry in front of Rei, "But I don't know what we can do,"
Rei reached a hand up to Usagi's face, "We'll get through this, don't worry,"
"I'm not the princess," Usagi licked her lips, "maybe we can go see the princess-"
"No!" Rei said sharply. "That's what she wants, and as soon as it's hers she'll kill you! Where's that famous hope of yours? We'll use the crystal to go to your world!"
"Space Sword Blaster!"
The door blasted open, Haruka appeared with sword in hand. Neptune and Pluto right behind her.
"You need to hand over the crystal, it doesn't belong to you. In fact, it never did." Setsuna loomed over her. Usagi glanced at Rei, who shook her head.
"I can't do that! It's my job to protect it!"
"No, it is not! We all know this is difficult for you, but this is the Princess' decision. Be grateful she isn't here!" the soldier of Pluto shouted, "Usagi, I am serious. If you do not hand over the crystal I will kill you. No Saiyan has the right to touch such a sacred or powerful object."
Tears fell from Bunny's eyes. Their words hurt, especially after everything they had all been through together. But, it didn't matter. Nothing was real, and she had to clean her hands of them. Really, was it necessary for her to be thrown into some other dimension? But the choice had been made clear, she had to go.
"So in the name of the moon, she's punished. Because of your stupid mistake, Rabi wants her killed." Mars spoke, breaking the tense silence. "I know she isn't Princess Serenity! But if I'm the only one who'll stand by her, then you all are not who I thought you were! Why don't you tell her why this ever even happened? She deserves to know how she got here!"
In truth, Usagi had not even considered the reasons for her ending up in a world other than her own. It was mind blowing enough to be from another dimension altogether.
"I've not had time to research what caused the rift that opened the Time-Space Door. If something happened on the other side, so be it. It does not concern the Princess, nor us." Pluto stated. "So, the crystal accepted her for it's own reasons. Possibly because Saiyans have a bit of power over the moon in their world. We are grateful the Impostor never had evil intent as others of her kind might. Now, will you give back the ginzuishou, or must we take it by force?"
"Over my dead body!" Rei spat.
"How cliche," Uranus said with a dark look.
Impostor she may be, but she knew what had to be done, s she spoke she attempted to keep her voice from cracking:
"I'm sorry, but I hope you like your new princess!"
"Dead Scream," Pluto whispered, her garnet rod flashing.
Once again everything was so overwhelming, and with Mars' hands in hers Usagi felt violet staring through her own blue eyes. It came to her, and she found herself whispering a quick prayer to the maboroshi no ginzuishou. White lights filled the room, and all became dark as quick as the senshi knew they were gone.
.
It had been an ambush. Black fog circled them.
"Flame Sniper!" Mars called out, shooting fire arrows from her gloved fingers.
The other inner senshi had predicted their actions. Rei was surrounded by them, and they were quick. It didn't matter if they didn't want to fight her, she would kick every ass she needed to.
'We are such BFFs for life,' Rei thought sarcastically. More attacks came.
"Oak Evolution!" just jump, dodge, distract!
"It doesn't have to be this way!" Ami pleaded. Rei responded with another bout of flames.
'All I need is enough time for her to get away, please give Bunny the courage to go alone!' she prayed, and continued to fight. It wasn't so bad, until she saw the outer senshi appear. Great, just what she needed as she felt the exhaustion overcome her.
"Go fuck yourselves!"
.
Drifting, that was the best way to describe it. Usagi opened her eyes, seeing her pigtails swing back and forth heavily in front of her face. The style didn't provide her it's familiar comfort as before; found herself unable to separate the truth from the dreams. She tried to recall what had happened. Thinking made her head hurt, she should stop. No point remembering things that would cause her pain. All she knew now was that she had to find a way to the door.
The door?
Yes, the Space-Time Door. It stood resolute before her, and Usagi saw the black fog rising for her. It was cool and moist as it wound around her body, pulling her to the ground below. All was silent, no one around to see her or tell her what she was supposed to do. Slowly she closed the distance between the grand doorway. Nearly there, she decided to stop and wait. For what, she knew not. But this warm thing kept tugging at her, like it wanted her to know. Know it. She could tell she already knew, and had merely forgotten. That's right, she was here for a reason. But what? Why did she hesitate? Like she was waiting for something. Or someone. She picked at her brain, thoughts of red and fire coming. No sense, just more confusion.
She held her hands up to her heart. The crystal was making the warm thing glow inside, she knew. The fire danced inside her head, and then came Mars.
Where was she?
"Sailor Mars is fighting them," came a weak voice. Usagi spun around and came face to face with none other than Chibiusa. A small bag slumped by her bare feet. Usagi stood, shock filling her up. She hadn't seen her future daughter since they had defeated Nehelenia. The pink haired clone had returned to her own time with Diana. When life had been simple. Chibiusa looked back sadly, and reached out a hand. It flickered in and out of sight, the rest of her body seemed tired and faded.
"I can't believe you're here! I'm so glad!" Usagi exclaimed. "Come with me!" but the young girl shook her head.
"Pluto of the future gave me this, and I'm going to use this to get you through those doors." she held up a small, pale key. "We felt it, the sudden shift. Past and present changing. After you return to your home there is no telling what will happen. To my home, or me..." Chibiusa dropped her head and sniffed.
"Mother said I had to help you, and to warn you about the crystal. The shift caused my pink moon crystal to shatter, she told me that yours might do the same when you...cross to the other world."
Usagi mulled this over in her head, to get home it might mean giving up the power of the crystal, her only protection.
"So, I know its not much, but please take him," Chibiusa pulled a small stuffed rabbit from her bag. 'To remind you of me, in case we never see each other again."
Usagi took it and wrapped her child in her arms. They stayed like that a long time, it seemed. Chibiusa whimpered softly, and Usagi found herself unable to cry. The need to be fearless for them both arose in her, she thought about the future. What about Mamoru? Could they have done something to him? What about the ginzuishou? Maybe it would shatter, but she resolved to do what she did best. Hope.
"Don't worry, kiddo. I know we will, in a different and amazing world! I promise I'll bring you into it, no matter what!"
With that, Usagi finally pulled away and made for home alone.
.
06/2011: Serious rewrite, after however many years of not touching anything or writing. Sure changed a lot, seems like my old writing really sucked. Hope my old readers find it, although a lot of you have probably outgrown things like fan fiction. Thought I had, ha. I've finished rewriting this one as well! Decided to merge the first two chapters. I can't believe all the crap I wrote when I was fifteen.
Enjoy!