Title: Hatachi
Summary: It all begins to change on Usagi's 20th birthday, when Usagi officially becomes an adult, and unofficially a queen. Foisted with more responsibilities (an internship, a crown, and a new enemy) how will Usagi actually become a queen? A coming of age, Crystal Tokyo fic.
Pairings: Usagi/Mamoru, Haruka/Michiru
A/N: So I've been sitting on this doc for an incredibly long time. Somewhere in there I got terrified it was terrible and abandoned it and now I have taken a leap of faith. So, I hope that you enjoy this story! I am looking for a highly detailed beta who will be critical but still encouraging of this doc if you want too, give me a pm if you're interested. Thanks to TRP and RPQ for looking this over beforehand.
There were distinct differences between Crystal Tokyo and Tokyo of the 20th Century, not just the striking crystalline structures that looked like they were grown out of the ground like some geode that humans lived in. She could smell the differences. Old Tokyo was faint whiffs of silly perfume, the mix of flowers, trash, automobiles and the distinct smell of the sea. It wasn't bad but it was clearly distinct. She'd loved the sea winds fresh and sweet cherry blossoms the intermix of something so human and real -manufacturing, transportation, mechanical creation the potential all wrapped together in this busy package.
And, Crystal Tokyo smelled...sterile. The cleanest clean that there could be. IT did feel easier here, each breath lighter, .but it felt like it was missing something. Something wild and free and constructed.
"Usagi, welcome home!" She spun on the little open garden she had appeared in- taken out of her thoughts to Neo-Queen Serenity, and King Endymion on her arm.
She hadn't been called Usagi properly in far to long, and she grinned and ran right into her mother's arms.
"Oh my, you've grown!" She exclaimed, touching her face and pink pigtails. Small Lady swatted her away playfully, "Moooooom…"
"You've missed me, don't you lie." The royal teased, brushing her pink hair out of her eyes. "Oh, that school uniform is so cute, how was your trip?"
Chibi Usa looked down, the blue and whites of Juuban Elementary still around her compared to the silvery whites of expensive fabric that her mother was wearing, and her father's expensive suits.
She suddenly felt the whisk across time, and she looked behind her expecting to see the much younger version of her mother, dressed in those similar colors and simple shoes, and a dad that wore jeans even if he wasn't her dad yet but and saw nothing but the palace and it was disjointing.
Chibi Usagi frowned. "I…"
Her father placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Time shock is normal, Usagi...it's hard to come back. You've been gone a long time. We've missed you dearly."
"You both were there."
"That was a long, long time ago for us sweetheart, why don't you refresh our memories over some cookies and tea?"
"Tea?"
"Setsuna is invited, must be proper. Unless you have a few Ramune sodas stashed in that bag because…"
"Those are mine."
The Neo Queen laughed, "Please let your dear old mother get at least a single sip?"
She looked like she was thinking about it, and the stern voice of her father "Usagi..."
She harrumphed with a nod. "Okay, okay, fine. How were things while I was gone?"
They started walking through the gardens back to the palace, at a leisurely pace. "They were the same as they've been for a while, quiet, steady, normal complaints, nothing you aren't extraordinarily familiar with at this point."
"It is boring here. Why can't I stay back there longer? I could keep training, get stronger..."
"No." Both the King and Queen stated at the same time, with a glance at one another. Galaxia had been a hellish year.
"But...mom" The young girls face scrunched up trying to remember details of history class " isn't that when you touched the cauldron?"
The Neo Queen looked surprised at the wording as if she hadn't heard it referred that way in a long time, or thought about it quite like that. Of course, it was something she knew about. That weird praising she sometimes heard was something Endymion called. 'Epithets of the Neo-Queen,' in a teasing tone to her.
She paused as if debating her wording.
"That's not something you...it just happened that way."
"Mom, I met you- no offense but I don't think you did anything on purpose."
"You're probably right...and for the record, I'm sorry."
"What, why?" Bewildered Usagi looked up at Serenity, who looked so solemn from her welcome just a few minutes ago.
"Because...now that I'm older- I know that you still needed a mom, and I just wasn't that back then. And I feel like...I could have done things differently for you, been nicer...warmer somehow."
"I liked you. Teenager you. Anyway."
"And now?"
Usagi shrugged, sort of ambivalent teenager thoughts being expressed "I guess you're okay."
"Ouch, well there goes my heart, with that pink sugar attack" The neo queen quipped, and Usagi glared "You know that works now right?"
The Neo Queen pulled her tight to her side while they were still walking "Well, I'm still not done doting on you, I've missed you for far too long. Hotaru has been waiting for you to come back, to remember this."
They walked with chatter before entering a small room with a low table, tea and food already prepared. Usagi dropped her bag in the corner before taking a seat at the table, grabbing a cookie and shoving it into her mouth.
"Where's Puu?"
"Usagi, don't talk and eat at the same time, please," Endymion mentioned and she sighed, chewing through her cookie grumbling a little.
Serenity looked around for a moment thinking "Hm, I think she'll be by in a few...she can't be late and I know she knows you're back.
Usagi didn't seem concerned, "Well, mom, I have a question."
"Yeah?"
"I...don't get it. I saw you then, and I got to know you and I don't see how you became queen. It doesn't...make sense to me. It… you were almost 16, and what, you became queen at 21? That's 5 years, and I just...I don't see it."
"Well, to be fair none of us saw it in me then."
"Yeah, but how? What changed?"
Serenity glanced over at Endymion as if trying to figure out what to say, and he nodded some encouragement as if she should just start talking.
"I didn't want to, up until the moment it happened, even after it happened really. But…"
"Mom, as much as you want to talk about it...can...you tell me what changed? What made you want this? Because…" She trailed off, playing with a cookie sort of with a frown.
"Small Lady Serenity, your feelings, they're normal and very real. And, I think...while I wanted you to learn and have friends...these thoughts are part of it- where we came from is important too. And the path wasn't one I just decided I wanted one day. There was definitely external pressure for that."
"Really?"
"Yes Really. I…You were born into this role...and I wasn't- at least this time around, and the freedom that comes with that is invaluable. Getting you back to the 20th Century for a long as I could was a wish of mine."
Young Usagi nodded, "I learned a lot… Mom, can you tell me what happened to you?"
"That is a long, long story that began the day after my 20th birthday."
"I want to hear it - please?"
"The story starts with me, about to turn 20 year old me, I guess. I was very, very in denial about a little thing called destiny, or the future I already knew about thanks to a certain time-traveling princess from the future..."
TWENTIETH CENTURY - JUNE 20th
"Usagi-chan, you only turn 20 ONCE." Minako declared almost standing, hand out with one finger out for emphasis. "Seriously, your birthday: go BIG!"
Usagi tapped the side of her milkshake courtesy of Motoki, leaning back in the booth. "I knoooooow, but like how big is too big?"
Minako shrugged "I think getting the three lights back here for a "reunion tour" " She used air quotes for that part "might be a little much…"
"But, seeing them again would be nice, wouldn't it? Don't you miss them sometimes?"
"Usagi, I'm throwing out impossible…"
Usagi stuck out her tongue "I know, but like I wonder how they're doing, and it would be nice for a letter or something, you know every once in a while...I get their probably busy building a planet or whatever it is they do."
"Bikini dancing."
Usagi snorted. "Or that but anyway, back to the topic at hand- my birthday!"
"You girls need anything?" Motoki popped by, picking up Usagi's empty milkshake wordlessly and handing her another one. "Your break ends in 20 minutes."
"I know, I know, but we're discussing my birthday plans. Motoki what should I do?"
"At the end of June, in a couple of weeks right?"
"Yep. June 30th!"
"Sounds like you'll need plenty of ice cream, and you're turning 20."
"Yup."
"Booze is required."
"What else though?"
"Karaoke?"
"YES!" Minako cheered.
"I'm assuming Mamoru is going?"
"Of course, you're invited too."
"Oh am I?"
"Matoki-kun, without this place where would I spend my aimless days?" Usagi gave him a wink. "This place is like a second home."
Minako pointed at the floor mouthing 'command center' and Usagi rolled her eyes. Motoki looked at them quizzically but didn't question it before excusing himself and Usagi went back to her milkshake as he walked off again.
"So, evening right?" Minako prompted.
"Yeah, sure. My birthday is on a Thursday but Friday evening would be perfect. Where should we?"
"Well, Hikawa Shrine is usually the go to…"
"But after Rei's party that was a little more... "
"That was fun and you know it. "
"There was fire. The fire department came."
Minako shrugged as if this hadn't been a big deal even though Rei was still being mercilessly teased for it. "Its Rei, we couldn't have expected less. Besides, Makoto got a date. Everything was fine. Ami was there, she could have put it out in a second."
"There is still a singed spot on the front steps. You stand on it just to make her mad. And Makoto's date ended like most of them do, in disappointment and stress baking."
"Getting her mad is fun. This time around she gets less alcohol, you get more. Birthday rules. Besides Makoto stress baking is a benefit for the rest of us."
"I get drunk looking at alcohol. Minako you of all people know this."
"You only turn 20 once!" She proclaimed for a second time.
A kid in the background was kicking a game as it played the game end tone and Usagi turned towards it watching him for a second debating if what she was about to say was a good idea. "I don't know what I want, I haven't been 20 before."
"I could plan it! I could do all of it! Minako party planner to the rescue!"
Usagi grinned, "Would you? Would you Would you?"
"Of course I'll give it my all!" She said so loudly that the patrons of the arcade turned towards her. Minako gave a sailor V sign and a wink towards Usagi. She broke her pose, "I should let you get back to work. Thanks for the free milkshake."
"When will I see you again?"
"I'll stop by in a couple days for lunch, and updates okay?"
"Perfect."
"お誕生日おめでとう!" (Happy Birthday!)
Usagi gasped as her blindfold was removed, staring up at Rei's intricate calligraphy written across a banner and affixed to the front of the temple, the golden glitter borders and pink writing definitely not a Rei touch but surely done out of love.
It was the first detail of many: Minako had outdone herself.
There were lights everywhere. Fairy, soft lights, On the ground, hanging from strings, around posts, on the doors. If a light could be put there, the soft purples, pinks, and whites were around, like little ambient fireflies. Around drinks, maybe even inside drinks, there was so many it was sort of dizzying, like standing in space.
Music, hyper pulse-beat music blared far too loud for the temple and bouncing people where everywhere, on the lawn, on the steps, with drinks, chattering laughing silly voices.
She was clearly late to her own party. No wonder Mamoru had been tapping his feet and fidgeting at their apartment door prior to them leaving. He hated being late.
The thought vanished as quickly as it came, and she left Mamoru's side, hugging guests. There was Naru with Unimo right by her side, they were whispering to each other animatedly but she couldn't hear over the loud music. There was so many people around her now, people from school, neighbors, Mamoru's friends, just chatting well wishes, blurs of faces and friends.
Someone pushed a drink into her hand.
She drank it without hesitation, the burning sweet lightheadedness came just a few moments after and she squealed turning in her small dress and was lost in the music and the enjoyment of her life.
It whirled by so fast, and she found herself being settled into bed some long time later, Mamoru carefully placing her into the bed, or was that Tuxedo Kamen, she was too drunk to tell, before curling up next to her.
The dreaded alarm had gone off at 5 am. It could have been twenty minutes, or a few hours, Usagi really couldn't tell. With the late night before Mamoru Chiba groaned, slamming the alarm clock (a habit he picked up after moving in with Usagi). Usagi curled into his bare chest not even opening an eye to the world, but clearly aware their time together for the night was coming to an end- and still pretty hung over. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, playing with strands of her long blonde hair, eyes drifting closed, only for the alarm to take him out of slumber a few minutes later. Why did he agree to pick up this hospital shift? He separated himself from her, kissing her forehead then going about his morning routine to disappear to work.
She dozed until almost noon, resting off the delirium before carefully going to nurse a headache and now empty stomach.
Their apartment, usually kept clean, orderly and neat by Mamoru's almost phobia of clutter had been transformed with splashes of color, by presents pushed aside to the corner of the room, little flecks of multicolored paper still lying about on the floor. The group of them- just the Senshi, her closest friends returned here after the rest of the party had dispersed. With more drinking, of course.
Her mind flashed to the party the night before, standing over ridiculously intricate (and delicious) bunny birthday cake in pinks and gold leaf accents because apparently, you could eat that. Besides, Kino, Makoto was going to make something lavish for Usagi, the aspiring chef always was spoiling her. All of her friends did, really.
Usagi smiled, the cake box on the kitchen counter leftovers packed neatly away. She opened the box and cut herself a piece of a cake, a perfect hangover cure. Next to them, was the pans that Makoto had bought her for Mamoru and her kitchen, and Usagi remembered the compliments she'd received for working so hard to improve her cooking. Besides, Makoto had teased the night before, when she did come over to teach Usagi a new dish, they'd have nice cookware to do it with, and not Mamoru's 'bachelor pans.' She had just put the kettle for some morning tea and noticed the little note to nurse her headache with two Advil and a cup of water on the counter. She jumped, dropping her cake, "Hey-one minute!"
She cleaned up the cake quickly, grabbed herself another generous slice and raced to the door to peek through the peephole, to see the dark eyes of the time guardian staring back at her. She opened the door, cautiously.
Setsuna was impeccable. Dressed in a maroon business suit with a complimentary cream top, dark jade hair flowing behind her. Neat and prepared for the day as ever. In one hand, balanced carefully was a dark wooden box, beautifully polished. Usagi looked down at her crumpled party dress that she hadn't even changed out of, to straighten it out subconsciously while greeting her "Morning Setsuna, what can I do for you? Did you forget something? I...I haven't even cleaned yet."
Thin berry lips formed a soft smile, clearly noticing the cake in hand and that she hadn't changed clothes with no comment "No, I did not. Unfortunately, I'm here on business. Can I come in?."
"Sure, of course. You could have called you know. " She picked up some pink tissue paper that was still on the grey modern couch after before offering her a seat.
Setsuna shook her head. "I think it is better to speak in person when the time is right."
After placing down the box she'd brought with her, Setsuna took a glance at the realistic floating globe of the moon that was sitting on the coffee table between them then carefully picked it up, It had a soft light on the inside to look as if it was emitting moonlight. "Ami's taste in gifts is so interesting. The detail of topography of the moon kingdom she added to the globe was such a thoughtful thing to do."
Usagi smiled, "It's beautiful, yes, but you looked at that last night..." Usagi frowned. "Is there something going on? Is there a new enemy?" Usagi shifted on her feet nervously.
Setsuna shook her head. "No, Not...today. But, there has been an important development." Setsuna sat the globe back down to float on its little crystalline stand, to put her full attention towards Usagi.
"And what might that be?" Setsuna gestured for Usagi to sit, which she did at the other end of the couch facing Setsuna.
"You're an adult, now."
The blonde woman paused, her mind flashing to last night. Usagi remembered Luna blathering on about having more responsibilities now that she was older. Even Michiru commented that Luna was being a killjoy.
"What are you getting at?" Usagi asked cautiously, already not liking where this was going.
"You're a queen now." Setsuna's face was even, her voice calm, demeanor serious, controlled. Usagi laughed aloud anyway. Her laughter faded into awkward silence as Setsuna stared at her with that unshakable gaze.
"You can't be serious."
"I am. It is time you learn."
Usagi opened her mouth to respond, then stopped, and just shook her head.
Setsuna picked the box off the coffee table and handed it to Usagi, "This is for you."
The box was a deep mahogany color, so well polished Usagi could see her shocked expression reflected in the glaze. It was very heavy. Usagi carefully took of the lid, to reveal two crowns, one nestled in the other sitting on top of a black velvet material on the inside. Usagi froze, staring at the shining crystalline and silver crowns shining at her.
"Usagi?" Setsuna paused, looking at the woman in front of her, whose reaction seemed to be teetering between many different emotions. "These were your mother's."
Usagi's voice was so quiet, Setsuna had to strain to hear it: "You don't understand...just yesterday I wished that everything would stay the same, and you're here telling me that everything will be fundamentally different between all of us?"
Setsuna's face softened. "Usagi, you've always been the leader. It is just who you are."
"No, no it isn't. Setsuna, I can't." Usagi placed the box on the table, closing the lid and pushing it away from her. "Besides Japan has a fully functioning government. Even I know that. "
Setsuna shook her head. "Not for others, just yet. But for us, and for yourself…"
"Maybe I'm happy the way I am?" Usagi asked into the air.
Setsuna sighed, "Usagi, there is more."
"What might that be? Proclaiming me Queen isn't enough for one day?" Usagi said in a flustered rush.
Setsuna stayed completely still to allow Usagi to process, which with the silence, Usagi continued to do. "Sorry, I just...this is unexpected. I don't...it is complicated." It fell back into silence as Usagi averted her gaze. "I just...what else is there to tell me?"
"We got you an internship…" She paused for emphasis "With Senator Hino."
Usagi eyes went wide while being told she would be queen was something she'd been pushing away but knew was coming since the day she saw her future daughter's home. But being foisted a job was an entirely unexpected development. Usagi blurted, "Rei hates her father."
"It was a point of discussion, yes. Persuasion worked."
"What did you do? And who is we? You and Luna?"
"Haruka and Michiru donated a substantial amount to the temple, and there may have been a glimpse of the future involved."
"May?"
"It is a matter of ...national security?"
"Which nation?"
"To be determined."
"Setsuna!"
"Nonetheless, you start next week."
Usagi slumped forward, "Please, You can't be serious. I already have a job, I work at the arcade and I have my event photography -"
"Not anymore." Setsuna paused, "I'm...you know you must transition right? That this will come regardless of the path you choose. Please, it will be easier this way. You can ignore me, all of us really, but it won't stop the passage of time."
Usagi stared at the crowns and the cake sitting next to each other and didn't look Setsuna in the eyes. "I just...this...a job, seriously?"
"I'm serious enough to take you shopping. Can't have you going to your new job without some proper attire."
"Setsuna." Usagi crossed her arms with a glare, but a tiny bit of a smile nonetheless.
"Your Highness, consider it a scout's honor."
Usagi's face faltered again at the address. "I will get you back one day for this."
"I'll see it coming. Go get dressed, shopping awaits."
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