Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or Sailor Moon; both properties are owned by Naoko Takeuchi/Toei TV & Satoshi Tajiri/Nintendo respectively.
Character Key:
"Talking"
Thinking
Dedication Notice: Dedicated to my fanfic partner & friend Julia, who I'm more than happy to have met. A better person I've never met, and a better friend I've never had. Thank you Julia, for everything. :)
Introductions:Hey there! This is Kenpachi Ramasama from MilesTogether2092! Julia & I here control this account together as a sort of collaborative work. So as such we have different projects going on at the same time; I'm looking to get down a few oneshots done before I start to cement myself with our first collaboration project.
This is my own first fanfic (as in that I wrote it, Julia & I will be doing separate works too), so please be gentle. Keep in mind I haven't seen Sailor Moon in at least six years now, since the last time I watched it was with the DIC & Cloverway Dubs on Toonami; so all the characterization I'm using here is what I remember from said character like Chibiusa & Hotaru.
And I know that can be a sore category for a lot of Sailor Moon fans (the English Dubs) I just ask to not be judged on that fact alone. I know there was a lot censored in both Dubs, certain genders were changed, there's the whole removal of Michiru & Haruka's lesbian relationship, etc; I won't deny that the Dubs did mess up quite a lot. But at the same time if I never grew up knowing them I wouldn't have known about Sailor Moon at all really; which goes for a lot of United States Sailor Moon fans.
Granted I know more about Pokemon than I do Sailor Moon, I'm just asking my fair audience of to please give me a chance and not judge me based on what Dub(s) I happened to grow up with. I will be using the Japanese names of Sailor Moon though regardless of growing up with the Dub(s) though, for multiple reasons.
First off Pokemon XY has a character named Serena in its anime now, and two Serena's (even though XY's Serena isn't included here) would get kind of confusing for me. And second, I like the Japanese names better and I feel they fit more with a world that obviously takes place in Japan.
So yeah, that's about it. If you'd all be so kind as to read & review my story, while offering gentle criticism at best, it would be very much appreciated. I hope you all enjoy it; I'll cross my fingers and hope for the best! :)
Story Notice:This story chronologically takes place after the Death Busters Arc for Sailor Moon (Season 3) and all the Kanto/Johto Seasons for Pokemon. However just for the purpose of Ash & Hotaru being able to be together without significant complexity for a one-shot, Hotaru is her normal age and didn't have to be reborn into a baby after the conclusion of the Death Busters Arc.
The reason this was done is because since I grew up with the DIC-Cloverway Dubs, I (like many other American Sailor Moon fans) never grew up with Sailor Stars, so I know virtually nothing about it other than the transgender-ing thing.
I would've tried to incorporate this as an epilogue-ish story taking place after Sailor Stars had I watched it, but I'm not sure if anything bad happens to Hotaru again in that Season. So for the sake of convenience, this 'world' for Sailor Moon is an Alternate Continuity where Hotaru retained her normal body after the destruction of Pharaoh 90; and following the defeat of Queen Nehellenia and the Dead Moon Circus, there were no future evils for the Sailor Scouts to fight. In other words, Hotaru didn't need to start her life over after Season 3, and Queen Nehellenia's banishment was the 'end' of the Sailor Scouts duties for Earth, though they still remain vigilant incase future threats remain.
Meanwhile all the events for Pokemon, all the Kanto to Johto Arcs, along with the first four movies-Mewtwo Strikes Back to Pokemon 4ever, are the canon timeline for Pokemon here; the OVA, Mewtwo Returns, is also canon for this continuity as well. In short, the Pokemon timeline here includes the first four movies (The First to 4ever), and it's 'story' (the anime) ran from I Choose You to Gotta Catch Ya Later. This is (again) for a distinct reason, I kind of fell out of Pokemon by the Third Generation growing up, which is strangely ironic considering how many people had Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald as their first Pokemon game.
I guess the last important fact I'd note is that I am NOT a GenWunner; people who believe only the first Generation is the best, is the only one to exist, and everything that came after it was 'dumb'. I'm more into Pokemon than I was in the past few years honestly, but the only games I played was from Red to Crystal, that's where I stopped playing because I couldn't afford to keep up with a steady release of consoles at the time.
Not only that, the Pokemon anime is one of the longest running anime there is, which I believe it's only topped by Gintama; so again, I kind of fell out of it after Gotta Catch Ya Later, at that point I had already watched 273 episodes, four movies, and an OVA. I CAN say that I'm getting back into the Pokemon anime (the first time in years) with XY, since the quality of the show is being praised endlessly, while Black & White is hated for flanderizing Ash's stupidity beyond belief. That's about it honestly, I have nothing really else to say on the matter other than the fact that I don't think Pokemon "is bad" after Generation 1; it's just that I fell out of it for years after Generation 2.
Was forever long enough? That's what Hotaru Tomoe asked herself on a daily basis. No matter how hard she seemed to try, painful memories always seemed to flood back to her. While in truth it had been a few years since the destruction of Queen Nehellenia, but that didn't mean even the peace Japan had now brought comfort to her.
Slowly but surely, her memories came back to her. Memories of what the Death Busters had done and tried to weighed on her heavily; their influence not completely gone. She had destroyed Pharaoh 90 to be sure, with the influence of Mistress 9 gone forever; along with the destruction of the Death Busters a whole.
For all intents and purposes, that trial of her life was over now; as was Queen Nehellenia's campaign as well. She should be fine, that's what she told herself anyway; life for her could finally continue as normal.
…But what was 'normal' for her in her life? Nearly being killed along with her father by Germatoid? Possessing powers that she not only couldn't control, but didn't have the answers to their origins whatsoever?
Gaining and nearly losing her only friend, Chibiusa, to the Death Busters? Being nearly taken over in both body and spirit by Mistress 9? Sacrificing her life to defeat Pharaoh 90, only to be reborn in the form of an infant; to which the memories of the incident were returned to her upon the incident with the new threat, Queen Nehellenia? Having to live with her father, who had no memory of the terrible things he had done while possessed himself?
No, as far as she was concerned, there was no such thing as normal for her; and there never would be. After all, she was Sailor Saturn now; a defender of the universe like Usagi and her friends. If the world was ever threatened by a future evil, she would need to be there to help defend it.
While she was far more confident in her powers now more than ever, that didn't mean the responsibility of it didn't weigh on her shoulders. Every day honestly felt like a waiting game, to see if any true future threat would rear it's, the feeling to be constantly vigilant no matter what; was this the burden Usagi and her friends had to bear? She couldn't imagine having to fight as long as they did.
Her only comfort at the moment lay within Chibiusa; the one friend she had managed to find who was not wary of her powers. And even when she had found comfort in someone, that friendship nearly ended abruptly thanks to the Death Busters. In a way Hotaru always felt that in some manner, she'd always be a bit of a burden to Chibiusa, who would fiercely decline such notions.
"-taru? Hotaru?" A voice rang out repeatedly, snapping the violet eyed girl out of her depressive daydreams.
"Hmm? Sorry about that Chibiusa, I must have dazed off." Hotaru answered in a surprised notion. Chibiusa merely shook her head nonchalantly, shrugging off Hotaru's detachment rather easily.
"It's alright Hotaru. Hey, what do you think of that new kid who moved in two blocks away from you?" Chibiusa prodded innocently.
Hotaru raised an eyebrow slightly. "What was his name again? Satoshi? He seems nice enough I guess; I haven't gotten around to talking him with yet. Why, have you, Chibiusa?"
Chibiusa perked up a little, her eyes glowing with enthusiasm. "I did, actually. He is actually really kind. We had lunch after school last week at his house, it was really nice. He says he comes from some place called Kanto, which sounds really cool; he didn't really get into it all that much, but it sounds rather exciting from what he described."
Hotaru sighed softly, placing an elbow on the table while her hand supported her chin, something that didn't go unnoticed by Chibiusa. "I wish I could make friends as easily as you do, Chibiusa."
"Well…you kinda did, you have me, don't you?" Chibiusa inquired sweetly, which Hotaru couldn't help laugh lightly at.
"I suppose I do." Hotaru said.
Chibiusa boosted herself a bit more up on her chair, and focused more on Hotaru; which got the attention of the dark haired girl rather quickly. "What is it, Chibiusa? Is something wrong?"
"I think I should you two to one another. I mean, it wouldn't hurt Hotaru. Satoshi's a really nice guy and I'm sure you'd get along just fine; having another friend never hurts, right?" Chibiusa inquired softly.
Hotaru cupped her chin once more in thought, looking over periodically at Chibiusa whose eyes just seemed to be growing bigger every time she looked over. "I don't know Chibiusa, what if he doesn't like me? I mean, there's no guarantee he's even available right now. Don't you think we should let him know that we're coming over anyway?"
Chibiusa shook her head lightly. "Well, it's better now than never. I mean we rarely have enough time to talk in school, and the weekend is one of those times where we're actually free. And he did tell me that he's mainly free on the weekend anyway, other than the chores he has to do around his house that is. At this time of the day he should be done though, it's already three pm so things should be all settled down over there."
"And even if he's not there or he's not available, we can always try to see when he's around later? What do you say Hotaru? Please? I think you two would get along just fine." Hotaru asked sweetly, to which Hotaru couldn't help but give into.
"Alright, we'll see if he's around. What should we do if he is available, other than just getting to know one another I mean?" Hotaru asked.
"We could always go out for ice cream?" Chibiusa smiled brightly, to which Hotaru shook her head softly.
"Chibiusa, we did that yesterday." Hotaru sighed.
"And? What's your point?" The pink haired girl giggled. '
I swear Creamy Delights is going to go out of business thanks to our constant trips there. And if it does, I can't imagine Usagi will take the news well. Well, it's not like we have a lot of plans today. Why not?
*Twenty minutes later, Satoshi's house.*
Looking at the house gingerly, Hotaru couldn't feel somewhat gladdened that she accompanied Chibiusa on this little venture. Granted while there was no guarantee Chibiusa new friend Satoshi would even be available if not present, it was nice to get out regardless. It was a sunny day as it was; staying cooped up in her house wouldn't do her any good.
"So this it?" Hotaru asked softly.
"Yep! Indigo Lane, House 27. Let's see if he's home." Chibiusa remarked happily.
A small finger pressed to the doorbell emitted the customary 'ding dong' sound effect within the house. Chibiusa and Hotaru looked at one another with smiles on their faces; even if Hotaru herself was a bit concerned, she knew just to accept whatever happened here. After a few more moments of waiting Hotaru's face began to sink a little bit, but that was quickly done away with by a female voice within the house.
"Coming! Coming!"
A figure was seen inside, and the door opened shortly afterwards, revealing a middle aged woman with soft brown hair that ended up tied in a ponytail. She wore blue jeans and a feminine pink shirt, with a soft smile adorning her face; showing at least some level of happiness at the unexpected company.
"Why hello Chibiusa! It's nice to see you again! I don't think there are any tests this week handed out from your school; if there were, Satoshi would've told me." The woman responded gingerly.
"Greeting Mrs. Ketchum! It's nice to see you again too. Is Satoshi available? I thought maybe we could hang out today if he wasn't busy." Chibiusa questioned.
Mrs. Ketchum ran her fingers through her in almost exasperated manner, sighing lightly though as to not show complete aggravation. "Satoshi's up in his room, from what I know he doesn't have any plans so he should be available. But please dear, call me Hanako; Mrs. Ketchum makes me sound old."
"I'm sorry about that Mrs. Ket-, I mean, Hanako. I guess it's just how I've been taught to address people." Chibiusa bowed while catching herself on her formal greeting, eliciting a chuckle from both Hanako & Hotaru.
"That's quite alright dear; at least you've been taught manners, your parents have my respect for that. If I may ask, who's your friend? I don't think we've met before." Hanako asked curiously, earning a small look of discomfort from Hotaru.
"Mrs.-, er, Hanako, this is my friend, Hotaru; she goes to school with Satoshi & I." Chibiusa exclaimed while bumbling over her words.
Hotaru bowed lightly, a small smile taking over her face. "Mrs. Hanako, it's a pleasure to meet you." Hanako herself rolled her eyes slightly but couldn't help but smile.
"Well I could do without the Mrs., but I guess it'll have to do. It's nice to meet you too, Hotaru. I'm sure you & Satoshi will be great friends." Hanako said brightly, which Hotaru couldn't help but smile at. Maybe if his mother believed so, there was actually a shot here at friendship after all?
Hanako turned around and walked inside, putting her hand on the adjacent railing. "Satoshi! Chibiusa's here to see you! She brought her friend too!"
A muffled 'coming' was heard from the upstairs room, as the three women waited for Satoshi's arrival. A bit of clanging and noise was heard, causing Hanako to facepalm lightly while Chibiusa stifled a giggle.
Sure enough though, footsteps were heard as a young boy began his descent down the stairs. A twelve year old boy wearing blue jeans, a vest adorned with something that looked like badges; and a red-white cap with a green stripe on the front of it now stood at the bottom of the stairs with a big smile on his face. As he walked towards the door and stood next to his mother, Hotaru's began to widen slightly as a very small, barely noticeable blush overtook her face. While she was not one to chase after crushes like Chibiusa or her friends, she would admit that this boy was cute in the least.
She hid her blush to the best of her ability, praying to Kami that Chibiusa wouldn't notice it and try to outright point it out. Granted while she didn't she would, Hotaru herself really never met anyone she considered cute before, so this was uncharted territory at best for her.
"Satoshi, didn't I tell you to clean your room an hour ago? You're lucky that I'm letting you go out with your friends regardless." Hanako sighed.
"It's not my fault! Pikachu was trying to chew on the wires to my game console again". Satoshi whined somewhat.
Hanako just shook her head in disbelief. "Really? Again? I thought that teething phase was over; I guess I'm going to have buy him another chew toy again."
"Pikachu?" Hotaru asked curiously.
"Oh, that's my Pokemon." Satoshi replied almost instantly.
"What's a 'Pokemon'?" Hotaru asked again.
Ash scratched the back of his head, already having given a long explanation to Chibiusa previously the day she was introduced to Pikachu. "It's kind of a long story, but I guess I can try to sum it up quick. Pokemon are creatures of all shapes and sizes that come from the Kanto & Johto regions, the first of which is where I'm originally from. I guess the best way to describe them is to being similar to animals like fish, dogs, cats, kangaroos, bats…that sort of thing. Even though they're similar they're quite a bit different…it's kind of hard to explain really. Would you mind if I got into it a bit later?"
Hotaru smiled gingerly. "That's perfectly alright."
Hanako nudged Satoshi slightly, causing him to look up in confusion. "Satoshi sweetie, don't you think it'd be polite to ask Chibiusa's friend here her name?"
Practically face palming, Satoshi turned to Hotaru rather quickly. "I'm sorry about that; we haven't even been introduced yet, have we? I'm Satoshi, but you can just call me Ash; most people do, it's just easier to remember. What's your name? If your friends with Chibiusa, you're a friend of mine."
Blushing a bit more and fighting immensely to push it back, Hotaru regained control of her confidence and smiled softly. "I'm Hotaru Tomoe; it's nice to meet you Ash. Chibiusa's talked about you quite a bit, and she was wondering if you were available today so we could get to know one another."
"Well I've finished up on my studies and I don't have anything planned, so we not? Have any place in my mind?" Ash inquired, while Hotaru briefly glanced at Chibiusa for an answer; needless to say, no one had to wait to long for a response.
"Satoshi, want to go Creamy Delights again?" Chibiusa asked with sparkles in her eyes, eliciting a small sigh from the twelve year old boy. Granted Ash knew that Usagi's sister loved sweets as much as she did, but he had frequently underestimated her love of frozen dairy products. "Again, Chibiusa? Didn't we just go there a few days back?"
"Well yeah, but what's wrong with ice cream? Is there ever a time where ice cream isn't an okay thing to do?" Chibiusa wiggled uncomfortably. Laughing lightly at her childish demeanor, Ash just shook his head in casual defeat.
"Alright, you win. We can go." Ash sighed lightly, only to be grabbed by the arm from Chibiusa and be pulled down the stairs in a rush. As the two took off a distant take care was heard in the distance from the ever shrinking figure of Hanako, while Hotaru began to plead to her friends to slow down and wait for her to catch up.
*Two hours later, Creamy Delights*
After the first three minutes of running after the two, Chibiusa tripping over her feet finally managed to give Hotaru the opening to not only catch up, but properly converse with Ash as well. Granted they needed to stop for a moment in order to make sure Chibiusa was okay, but everything was fine afterwards.
Everyone was now enjoying their ice cream, each cone of a different flavor. Chibiusa chose her personal favorite of strawberry, Ash had vanilla with sprinkles, and Hotaru settled with mint chocolate chip. While Hotaru was admittedly enjoying her ice cream, she couldn't help but enjoy the company of her friends, both old and newfound, more.
It was such a nice change that after so long, she was finally starting to connect with people. What she was truly reveling in however were the stories this new boy told of his journeys filled with these 'Pokemon' creatures. They sounded so amazing to her, creatures of every shape & size ready and willing to befriend humans as equals; to fight alongside them in pursuit of becoming the Pokemon Master of both the Kanto & Johto regions. She couldn't help but feel saddened though at the tales of the ones were dubbed to be Legendary by the people of those lands though.
Mewtwo, however misguided, sounded like a lost soul who truly didn't know where he belonged. The legendary birds of Kanto, and this Guardian of the Sea, Lugia, had their lives, which apparently dictated the balance of the natural order, put in danger by an obsessive collector who thought nothing of the consequences of his actions.
The little girl, Molly, was also someone she could relate to; that feeling of being lost and alone, while being under the influence of a darker power. Finally there came the Pokemon Celebi, the Guardian of the Forests, who like Lugia before it; had its life placed in danger from an elite Team Rocket official, the group who terrorized the Kanto & Johto regions.
If not for Ash's direct intervention, things could have gone over so much worse; that was plain to see. Even if he had help from time to time, Ash always strived in the face of challenge, against people who would endanger the world for selfish purposes. While it saddened Hotaru that there would always be people like the Death Busters in the world, there would always be people like Satoshi & Usagi to fight them. Perhaps in the end, that's all anyone could ask for.
"I'm sorry your journey didn't go exactly as planned." Hotaru said rather softly.
"Don't be, it's not your fault Hotaru. Granted the Indigo League; but I did manage to win the Orange League by beating Drake, so it is by far from a total loss. I still have all my badges from everywhere I've went to as well as the Orange League Champion Cup, not to mention Pikachu's still here with me, so it's not so bad." Ash responded kindly.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Ash looked at both Hotaru and Chibiusa with a big smile. "Plus, I got to meet Chibiusa, her sister, and all of her friends; and they're all great people. Not only that, but I met you today, so that's yet another friend I've made."
Hotaru blushed lightly, almost tempted to take another bite of her ice cream in order to delay her response and possibly cool her face, but she stood her ground regardless. "We're f-friends? Already?"
"Yeah, of course. I mean any friend of Chibiusa's is a friend of mine, and you're a really nice person too Hotaru. Who wouldn't want to be your friend?" Ash concluded, with Hotaru's blush deepening further. She prayed no one commented on it, especially not Ash. Almost as if on cue, Chibiusa, who had finished her cone, her face still damp with strawberry ice cream, was the first to note this. "Hey Hotaru, when did you get sunburn? We haven't been out for too long."
Fighting as hard as she could to fight back the crimson streaking along her face, Hotaru couldn't help but grimace on the inside.
Chibiusa, I know you mean well but sometimes your naivety can be anyone's undoing as much as it can be your own. Satoshi is a good guy…I'm not getting any negative feelings from him. It's hard trying to make friends as it is, but it wouldn't have hurt Chibiusa to mention he was THIS nice. I'
d almost say he's trying to hide something, but I can't feel anything ebbing from his character. Usually this sort of matter would mean he'd be an enemy in our midst, but he's sincere enough for anyone to tell he means what he says. I really hope we can be friends…maybe I should ask him if-
"Yooo! Satoshi!" An energetic but rather grating voiced called out. Looking at both Chibiusa & Ash for a reaction, Hotaru felt slightly unnerved at their grimaced faces. Chibiusa was already face-palming against the table, already dreading who was on his way. "Why does he manage to find us wherever we go? Satoshi, are you sure this guy isn't stalking you or something?" Chibiusa moaned in aggravation. Ash on the other hand, looked even less pleased than Chibiusa; clearly distressed at the growing presence of the looming figure.
Why of all days does he have to show up now? Ever since we left the Kanto Region he's done nothing but pester me since! Neither one of us may be a Pokemon Master, but I sure know who won the Annoying Jerk competition.
The figure was in full view now, only a few feet away from their table and growing ever closer. The man who stood before them bore spiky brown hair, his face plastered with a suave yet cocky grin. Wearing a dark blue shirt with black jeans, this was the person Ash looked to least seeing ever since his departure from Pallet Town during his Indigo League journey. Always a step ahead and always bragging about how much better he was than everybody, all because he was Professor Oak's son.
"What is it now, Shigeru? Isn't there somewhere else you can be at the moment?" Ash sighed heavily, while Shigeru himself couldn't but give out a cocky chuckle. "What? And miss out on reminding you your grades are starting to slip again? Gotta pick up the pace there Shigeru, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't hang it over your head?"
"Maybe one that came off as less of a pest…" Chibiusa muttered into the remnants of her ice cream. Normally no one would have heard that, but Shigeru's intuitive instinct to hassle kicked in and decided to make someone else's life miserable. "Oh, I didn't see you there Chibiusa. Maybe we should have someone here get you a booster seat?"
Chibiusa's rage continued to grow as Shigeru's laughter drowned out her rant on him being a "daddy's boy", all the while leaving Ash and even more-so Hotaru in uncomfortable silence. Ash couldn't help but shake his head as more quality time with Chibiusa was being snipped in the bud; and now it was even worse as her friend had to pay the price now too. "Shigeru look, I know you've dedicated your life to trying embarrass me, but can we pick a date to reschedule this performance? I'm kind of with friends at the moment, so if you would could you please-"
Shigeru's onyx eyes were drawn to Hotaru's purple; as a moment of calculation occurred between the two. Completely phoning out Ash's request for silence, Shigeru's cocky smile grew bigger and bigger much to Hotaru's discomfort. Outstretching his arms in dramatic fashion, one of which smacked the rest of Satoshi's ice cream into his face, causing him to fall over; Shigeru couldn't help but make his statement all the more bold. "Wait a moment…aren't you Hotaru Tomoe? Professor Tomoe's only daughter?"
Hotaru almost shrunk into her chair from Gary's question, it was one she heard often and was still not truly comfortable with. Fidgeting uncomfortably, Hotaru forced herself to respond, but still did so hesitantly. "Yes, I am. I presume you're Shigeru? The grandson of Professor Oak, the Pokemon Professor of the Kanto Region? Satoshi-san has told me much about your shared homeland, it sounds quite interesting."
Giving a mock bow, Shigeru couldn't help but revel in the moment. "I see my reputation precedes me, but in all honesty I should kind of be used to it by now. Even when Satoshi & I didn't exactly triumph over the Kanto & Johto tournaments, gramps still managed to give me enough money to buy my own place here so I could attend this school without any issues. Well it figures that the best should be treated like the best, would you agree Hotaru-chan?"
Hotaru recoiled slightly, nervous to answer. "Umm-well…uhhh, I…guess?" Chibiusa couldn't help but glare daggers as she helped Ash off and cleaned his face from the ice cream that already begun to stain his shirt.
Hotaru-'chan'!? Where does Shigeru get off with being some informal this fast!? I mean I know he's not the nicest person to deal with, but he at least tries to show some level of respect now and then. I bet it's just because Satoshi's here…otherwise he'd probably be more subdued. That still doesn't make any more right though, what a creep.
"Don't be so modest Hotaru-chan; geniuses have to stick together after all! Though…I can't help but wonder what someone of your caliber is doing here with a guy like Satoshi. Chibiusa I can kind of understand due to the fact she's your pal, but Satoshi I can't really justify." Gary cockily shrugged, earning a blazing gaze from both & Chibiusa respectively.
Raising an eyebrow in a questioning, almost irritated manner; Hotaru couldn't help but start to feel annoyed. "Pardon? What do you mean by that, Shigeru?"
"I mean while I knew Satoshi was desperate and all, I didn't think he'd try to befriend Professor Tomoe's daughter just so he could try to have you tell him everything he needs to know." Shigeru cockily accused, earning a shocked looked from Hotaru and angered ones from Satoshi & Chibiusa.
Dusting himself and brushing bits of ice cream off him, the young Pokemon trainer rose to his feet angrily. "You've got some nerve to try to pull that crap here, Shigeru. For the record I didn't Hotaru was Professor Tomoe's daughter until she told me so; I didn't go into this get together knowing that. And second, how low do you think I am!? Hotaru's a great person! I wouldn't do something like that just to help myself of all things!"
Hotaru's eyes couldn't but widen as a slight flush filled her cheeks at Satoshi's willing defense of her. The fact that he would so readily defend her as a friend when they just met was something she had only experienced with Chibiusa previously. And yet somehow the way Satoshi came to her side so easily made her feel…different, comfortable even. On the other hand, Shigeru wasn't making a very notable impression. He was vain, crude, cocky, arrogant, and all unjustifiably so. Hotaru was never quick to judge, but she was becoming more and surer that he would be nothing but trouble.
"It's not beyond you, huh? How about when you practically begged gramps for a Pokemon because you missed out on all the Starters back in Kanto?" Shigeru sneered, causing Ash to temporarily recoil, looking for an appropriate response.
"That was different and you know it, Shigeru! Besides, this is my friend we're talking about! I'm not going to use her just to help myself. If anything, that's something I'd expect from you; considering that I never see YOU hanging out with anybody either here or back in Kanto & Johto. In fact, you always seemed to be following my friends & me; maybe YOU were the one lonelier than you let on." Ash retorted rather angrily, earning an amused look from Chibiusa who couldn't but chuckle lightly at Shigeru's reddening face.
Chibiusa coughed lightly enough just to earn Shigeru's attention, who at the moment looked far less than pleased; something Chibiusa couldn't help but snicker at. "You know Shigeru, thanks to Satoshi I've been reading up on all the ointments Pokemon Trainers would use on their Pokemon after intense battles. I think you might need a Burn Heal after that." The little pink haired girl barely managed to mutter, bursting out into hysterics soon afterwards. Satoshi couldn't help but join her, desperately trying not to keel over in laughter. Even Hotaru began to stifle a giggle, even when not understanding the concept of the joke.
"Hardy har har, big talk from someone who's Charizard got him disqualified near the end of the Indigo League tournament." Shigeru attempted to retort angrily.
Satoshi on the other hand was less than phased, already feeling comfortable in a shared victory due to Chibiusa's quick tongue. "You mean the same League you also lost at? Which, I managed to get farther into than you? Or there was that time where I entered the Orange League, fought my way past the Elite Four, defeated Drake, and won the Championship; I don't recall seeing you there, Shigeru. There was that time where we fought in the Johto League Quarterfinals, and I recall that I managed to beat you there with my Charizard no less; who by all means should've lost due to the Type Advantage you had. "
Flustering further with anger, Shigeru was beginning to feel the pressure from Satoshi's advance the first time since Johto. "I swear the Orange League LET YOU win that tournament! And you won the Johto Quarterfinals against me by a fluke, not skill!" Grunting heavily in anger, Shigeru knew a losing argument when he saw one. This was getting him nowhere, and was making him look bad in public; it looked like it was time to resort to Plan B.
"As I was TRYING to say, before I was rudely interrupted, wouldn't you rather hang out with me instead of Satoshi, Hotaru-chan? After all, prodigies need to stick together; we'd be better utilizing our talents as a team rather than being divided." Shigeru sneered cockily, as Satoshi opened his mouth to say something in Hotaru's defense before a look from Chibiusa told him to quiet down.
Running her finger through her hair softly, Hotaru stared up at the arrogant boy before her. She had seen people like him before, and they were nothing to be afraid of. "I think I'll choose my own friends, Shigeru. Satoshi has been a great friend to me in what little time I've known him; I think I'll judge him own my accord. So if you would please, I would appreciate if you leave us be." Hotaru said in a respectful yet sharp manner. Chibiusa's eyes widened in glee, not only content with seeing Shigeru told off, but Hotaru actually speaking up in social commentary was refreshing as well.
Huffing in anger, Shigeru turned around and began to walk away plenty frustrated, but not before getting the last word. "Fine, do you what you want Hotaru-I just thought that geniuses should be paired with geniuses, that's all. Thought it would make sense you'd want to hang out with someone as strange as Satoshi here honestly; looks like all those rumors about Professor's Tomoe's weird antisocial daughter were true. The two friends you decide to have are Usagi's imp sister and a loser like Satoshi, good luck with that. Ciao!"
Practically burning with anger, Satoshi's face was blazing hot; with Chibiusa not fairing that much better. Hotaru had noticed his normally gentle looking hands were balled up into fierce fists, ready to strike their target. Beginning to angrily rise from his chair in a huff, Ash felt a calm hand on his shoulder-turning to Hotaru, his face softened upon looking at her dark violet eyes. They were sad to be sure, but they hold the need to desire conflict. There had been enough commotion today; a fist fight with Shigeru on the streets on the streets wouldn't be the best way to end a rather great get together.
Sighing heavily, Satoshi sat down in his chair and just shook his head at Chibiusa. While the little pink haired girl was more than ready to pounce at Shigeru, she understood the silent words exchanged between her and her friends. The rest of the time the trio spent there was spent in awkward silence, but it became less so as time passed on. Chibiusa & Satoshi lightly talked about how juvenile and out of line Shigeru, while a passing mention from Chibiusa suggested that they tell Makoto about Shigeru's behavior in order for him to 'learn a lesson' got a small laugh out of Hotaru.
Hotaru spent the remainder of the visit mainly off and on glancing at Satoshi. It was clear to her that had she not attempted to stop/calm him, a skirmish between the two was most likely inevitable. It didn't matter who 'won' in her eyes though; a public place was no place to be fighting whatsoever. Even more so that in Hotaru's mind people had fought on her behalf enough already-it didn't matter whether the conflict was big or small, she had enough people fight for wellbeing already.
The final confrontation with Pharaoh 90 had nearly been the end of both her life & Usagi's…it would never happen again though, not as long as she could help it. No one would ever have to fight for her again, no matter the size of the conflict.
*Three Hours Later, on the way back to Satoshi's house*
"I still can't believe Shigeru had the nerve to do all that, what a jerk." Chibiusa huffed, still somewhat miffed about the whole occasion. Ash on the other hand was trying to forget about it, even if his rival's constant interference continued to annoy him. "Yeah well, at least he didn't stay for long-we can count ourselves lucky there, Chibiusa. Back when I first started off from Pallet Town to the Indigo League, Shigeru was pretty relentless; I never could get away from the guy."
Hotaru looked at Ash quizzically, almost puzzled by his statement. "You mean he was even more…persistent, that he was now? That's…kind of troubling." The psychic girl practically murmured underneath her breath. Ash half laughed shaking his head at some rather unfortunate memories, before he turned to face Hotaru, onyx eyes meeting violet yet again.
"I'm kind of half glad that you guys never had to travel with me early on; Shigeru was even more brazen early on when we both started out than he ever was, even now. I'd say that by the time we were both in Johto he had managed to cool down just a bit, but that still didn't stop him from being a pain whenever he had the chance. I think he's starting to get worse again because we're both out of our element; when you spend so long traveling the country with all the Pokemon Leagues we entered, you get used to it…doesn't mean it justifies him acting like a jerk to you though, Hotaru". Ash ended up mumbling, causing Hotaru's eyes to slightly shimmer with happiness.
From what Hotaru could see, Ash had a good heart, a great one even. He was pure in his intentions, and always said what was on his mind without hurting anyone. It was refreshing to see, especially when people could easily cloud their words with deceit. Hotaru could personally relate his behavior to Tuxedo Kamen's persona; a kind, dignified protector who fought alongside the Sailor Scouts at every possible opportunity. He even seemed willing to try to at least understand the motives of people were possible enemies to him, similar to the tales Usagi had told her of Nephrite & Prince Diamond; both of whom who were rather good people lost trying to find their way than anyone truly awful like Queen Beryl or Mistress 9.
"To be fair, I could've done without Shigeru's presence." Hotaru stated softly.
"That's probably the nicest way I've heard anyone talk about him like that." Satoshi laughed warmly, getting a small smile out Hotaru in the process. Ash glanced halfway at Hotaru, and had to do a double take when he saw the young woman's face. Not noticing the attention for the first few moments until Chibiusa lightly bumped to her to look in Satoshi's direction, Hotaru turned to see that the young Pokemon Trainer was staring directly at her.
"Satoshi-san? Is something wrong?" Hotaru asked in an almost concerned manner.
"You're smiling." Ash responded warmly.
"Eh?" The dark haired girl responded.
"Just what I said, you're smiling. You look such much better when you're smiling, Hotaru; you should do it more often." Satoshi said with a wide smile, causing a rapid blush to make its way across Hotaru's face. Turning to face Chibiusa was an almost panicked expression on her face; the pink haired girl couldn't help but deliver an even bigger smile from ear to ear in response. Hotaru almost cursed this boy's irrefutable charm, which almost made it all the more frustrating when it didn't even appear he himself was aware of it.
"Hotaru? Are you okay? Your face is turning red again." Satoshi asked in an almost worried tone, earning a desperate look from Hotaru in response.
"No, no, I'm fine. It's just a bit warm today, that's all. I guess I'm not used to it." Hotaru half laughed in an obviously nervous tone, to which Satoshi remained oblivious to. Accepting it for what it was, the young Pokemon trainer continued to walk onward with his female companions, leaving Chibiusa to contemplate the situation in silence.
Well looks like those Satoshi & Hotaru-san are getting along fine so far; it's good to see that I could introduce Hotaru to the prospect of having friends other than just me. Granted she's a part of the Sailor Scouts now, but it wouldn't hurt to be a little bit more social.
I'm not sure if Satoshi is even aware of half of the stuff he says sometimes…he's a bit unknowingly charming, if a bit dimwitted in doing so sometimes. I'd better try to keep this under wraps for now though, the last time I told onee-san about Pegasus she ended up blabbing about it to everybody…and that ended up with me nearly getting eaten by a fish; probably better to keep it on the down low for now.
As the trio passed the street sign for Indigo Lane, the realization dawned on Hotaru that today was almost over. Granted it had been short than what she may have wanted and it could've gone better, but for it was worth, she was glad it happened. It wasn't everyday where she got to me someone new, even more-so make a potential friend. Satoshi seemed like a wonderful guy, even if he didn't seem to realize just what his words could be interpreted as.
Meanwhile Hanako could be seen at the entrance to her house waving in a friendly manner towards the trio, with a surprise guest at her side waving as well. Next to her stood what appeared to be a yellow mouse that reached about halfway up to her ankle point. It had bright red cheeks and a stripy brown formation on its rather zig-zag tail, with shining hazel eyes sparkling in the sunlight. Normally such a sight would at least call for a reaction of surprise, but considering what she had gone through with the Death Busters & the Dead Moon Circus, a significantly tall yellow mouse was nothing to be taken aback by.
"Hey there, did you enjoy your little get together?" Hanako asked sincerely, eliciting a half smile half grimace from Chibiusa. "Well…for the most part. We kind of had a run in with Shigeru, or rather had a run in with us."
"Let's just say he was his usual self today-I don't think anything needs to be said more than that." Satoshi sighed lightly.
Hanako just shook her head in annoyance, not at their complaints of Shigeru, but rather about the boy himself. "That Shigeru…I wish Yukinari-san would've given that boy a talking to before sending him over here; or at least in general as it is. For a while I just thought Shigeru was just a boy being a boy-but as of lately I'm starting to wonder."
Chibiusa couldn't help but express a rather evident smirk that Satoshi quickly caught onto. "Maybe he's just jealous that you're with pretty girls like Hotaru-san and I."
Satoshi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in response. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean, maybe he likes-" Chibiusa began to utter before having her gob closed shut by Satoshi's hand.
"Please Chibiusa, don't give me nightmares." Satoshi shuddered, getting a stifled laugh out of Hanako and the muffled pink haired girl. Deciding to finally chime in and ask about the large yellow rodent, Hotaru stepped forward to ask about the Pokemon; leaning down to eye low in order to face it. "Would it be correct to assume this is the 'Pikachu' you were talking about earlier?"
Ash practically stumbled over his feet, quickly taking part in leaning down side by side next to Hotaru. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce you! Yes, this is Pikachu-my best buddy! He's been my first Pokemon ever since I left for the Indigo League back in Kanto; sure things may have been a little rocky for us to begin with, but we're best pals now."
"Pika!" The electric mouse chipped in agreement, startling Hotaru just a little bit. "Pikachu can talk?"
"Well yes and no, mainly Pokemon communicate just by saying their names; you kind of grow to understand what they're saying. It's easier with the Psychic Pokemon who can just talk to you using telepathy, but those are a bit harder to come by." Ash said as he scratched the back of his head, remembering his encounters with the manmade legendary Pokemon Mewtwo, or the ever prominent Guardian of the Seas, Lugia.
The mention of psychokinetic Pokemon however managed to catch Hotaru's attention rather quickly. "Psychic Pokemon? You mean there are Pokemon who can utilize forms of psychosis?" Satoshi gave her a big smile which turned Hotaru's cheeks slightly red again, ready to feel like an expert in Pokemon in regards to someone who didn't know much about them; it was a rare opportunity for him to be sure. "Well yeah, there's a bunch of Pokemon Types in both Kanto & Johto. There's Normal, Bug, Poison, Flying, Rock, Ground, Water, Electric, Grass, Ghost, Fighting, Dragon, Dark, Steel, Ice and Psychic Type Pokemon in a majority of both Regions; Psychic Pokemon are a bit harder to come by than other Types of Pokemon, and Dark & Steel Pokemon seem to be much more exclusive to the Johto Region rather than Kanto."
"The Fuschia City Gym Leader Koga has a lot of Poison Type Pokemon that actually know quite a bit of Psychic moves; though the Saffron City Gym Leader Sabrina is far more prominent in that field than he is. Come to think of it though, I haven't come across many people who are adept with either psychic Pokemon are psychic themselves in nature; they're kind of hard to come by." Satoshi muttered offhand, causing a somewhat worried expression to spread across Hotaru's face.
Chibiusa nudged Hotaru slightly, giving her a reassuring smile. Even if it didn't completely get rid of her worries, even such a small action managed to Hotaru down a bit for the moment. She couldn't be completely sure of how Ash would react if he ever found out she was could utilize psychosis regularly, but as far as she was concerned, he didn't need to know…at least for now. Hotaru, still bent over and gazing at Pikachu, began to lightly pet the Pokemon's fur coat, to which Satoshi practically jumped at Hotaru's straight forwardness; with Hanako expressing the same kind of emotion equally.
Instead of the predicted outcome, Pikachu moaned softly in contentment, enjoying the attention from the rather reserved girl. It wasn't long before the electric mouse was rubbing his face against the psychic girl's hand, relishing the affection he was getting from her. Hotaru couldn't help but begin to smile; finding joy in the clear sign of approval Pikachu was giving her. A sudden but gentle pat on the back startled Hotaru momentarily, as Satoshi gazed down on her with a look of approval. "Wow, if Pikachu likes you this early on, you must be a pretty A-Okay person, Hotaru. Sometimes he isn't too fond of strangers who pet him without his approval early on-so if he's this easy with you so far, you must be something special!"
Hotaru couldn't help but find her face turn red again, easily swayed by Satoshi's sincere praise. Chibiusa just rolled her eyes playfully while Hanako shook her lightly; obviously feeling the after effect of what Satoshi's words could be interpreted as. Hotaru couldn't help but wonder, was Satoshi himself magical in nature? It would explain how he managed to come off as charming while looking like he was putting in no real effort into doing so. If so, it would explain quite a lot…
Scratching the back of his head, now it was Satoshi's turn to look awkward. Lightly kicking up dust in attempt to find look for conversation, Satoshi lightly cleared his throat. "Um…hey, Hotaru…would you like to-um, er…help me study tomorrow for my math test? I may be a good Pokemon Trainer, but I've yet to really master mathematics; it's kind of embarrassing actually. I mean if you can't that's fine, I just thought I'd ask."
As Hotaru raised herself up from Pikachu's eye level, things seemed to slow down for her for just a moment. Usually a boy inviting a girl over to study, or vice versa, could often be seen as intimate gesture in terms of their urban area. Whether or not Satoshi was unfamiliar with how such a thing could be seen in Japan, or if he was rather oblivious to how the content of could be interpreted, was up for grabs.
Hotaru was guessing on the probability of both being a possible result, considering Satoshi's seeming lack of knowledge of what could be seen as potential intimacy. However, not one to miss the chance to bond with him, Hotaru decided to give Satoshi a fair shot. "Sure, I'll help you study…it'd be no problem, Satoshi-san."
Pumping an arm up in the air energetically, Satoshi couldn't help but feel victorious. "Awesome! Thanks a lot Hotaru!"
A bit overdramatic, don't you think Satoshi? Hanako's thoughts rebounded in her head.
Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, Satoshi stuck out his hand towards Hotaru, who looked at it in question. Clearing his throat, Satoshi's eyes connected with violet ones once more. "Hey, Hotaru? I'm sorry today didn't go as well as we planned. It could've been a lot better, that's for sure-stupid Shigeru likes to try make a mess of things. I'm sure they'll be a lot more opportunities for us to hang out, even if it's by studying; at least Shigeru won't be able to bother us there. So what do you say? Would you like to start tomorrow?"
A temporary pause took over Hotaru's mind, holding her in place from answering. Hesitantly but assuredly, she took Satoshi's hand in her own and gave it a light shake. She was surprised by the warmth in his hands, how soft they were, and how compassionate his grip was, firm yet light to the touch. She could almost sense something coursing through it, but whether or not it was her own heartbeat she couldn't say it.
"Of course. I'd love to help you study…Ash." Hotaru lightly blushed, earning a wide smile from Satoshi in the process.
"I'll see you tomorrow then. It was nice meeting you, Hotaru." Satoshi said brightly, earning a resounding smile from the violet eyed girl in return for his kindness.
After a kind farewell, Satoshi, Hanako and Pikachu waved goodbye to Hotaru & Chibiusa as they started to disappear from sight. From what Ash could make out, it seemed the two girls were chatting back and forth about something; with Chibiusa being the one leading the conversation. A few high pitched notes ran in the distance, which were clearly Hotaru's, with Chibiusa's voice laughing in the distance. Whatever they were talking about, Ash was sure it wasn't bad. Hotaru seemed like an excellent friend to have, he was glad that today went as well as it did-even with Shigeru's interference.
"That Hotaru girl sure seems to like you." Hanako hummed, entering the house, closing the door behind Ash as he kicked off his shoes.
"Of course she likes me, we're friends." Ash responded brightly, causing his mother to lightly shake her head as she hung up her son's jacket. As Satoshi & Pikachu's footsteps resounded upstairs, Hanako couldn't help but sit down with a light sigh as Mimey tended to her housework.
Oh Satoshi, my little heartbreaker. You've got such a good head on your shoulders, but you never seem to notice the people notice you. Mainly all the letters you get come from Nanako, Moe, Fleura and especially Kasumi. Honestly you can be just like your Dad sometimes, ever unaware when someone actually likes you.
Oh well, looks you won't be able to dodge your problems forever; especially with Chibiusa's advice for Hotaru-san around every corner. It's probably for the best honestly, you're going to have to learn one where or another when to take a hint. Well, you may have won the Orange League, but affection is a different type of battlefield altogether; and this time your Pokemon won't be able to help you out.
Whatever happens in the next few weeks, it's sure to be interesting. They'd be cute together, even if Satoshi has yet to learn about that sort of thing. Hopefully Chibiusa can give him the right push he needs!
Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this beginning one-shot of mine! It's a little long for a one-shot to be sure (17 pages not counting the notes) but regardless of that I hope Sailor Moon fans and Pokemon fans alike enjoy it. It's my first ever fanfic as it is, so I hope someone finds something they like about it; I tried really hard honestly. See you all soon! -Kenpachi Ramasama.