When Mamoru had suggested that Chibiusa and Usagi have a "mother-daughter day," it seemed like a good idea. Now Chibiusa questioned her father's judgement. The two had tried making breakfast together, which turned out to be a horrible disaster before Ikuko had stepped in. Then their walk through the park had been interrupted by a brief rain storm, and now they were walking through the marketplace. Chibiusa sighed as she waited for Usagi to finish ogling a stuffed animal.
"Come on! You've been staring at that hippo for five minutes!"
"But it's so cute!" Usagi squealed.
"Sometimes I think you're more childish than me." The little girl groaned.
"Am not!" The blonde crossed her arms and turned away from the store's window.
"Are too." Her future daughter argued. They continued this way for a little while until the shopkeeper shooed them away, saying their bickering was driving away business. The two continued to wander for a while before they found a suitable restaurant at which to stop for lunch. The waiter brought their food and they began eating before their arguing resumed.
"You're such a pig. You eat with your mouth open, and you take huge bites. It's unladylike." Chibiusa scoffed.
"I am not! I am perfectly well-behaved at the dinner table, unlike you." Usagi said, her mouth still full of food. "And besides, at least I respect my elders."
"I only give people the respect they deserve." The pink-haired child said, taking another bite of her meal. They finished eating in a furious silence.
They left the restaurant, neither saying a word until they got to their final destination of the day: the amusement park. They ooh'd and ahh'd at the rides and attractions before deciding on a ride. They continued to wander around the park, trying out different rides and other attractions. They decided to stop for a while and relax on a bench.
"Well, this has certainly turned the day around." Usagi giggled. Chibiusa nodded.
"Yeah, this kinda made up for the whole not listening to me thing." Usagi turned and raised an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"Well, when it started raining earlier. This morning I'd told you to listen to the weather, but you wouldn't listen." The little princess grumbled. Usagi stood and clenched her fists, she'd had enough.
"You know what? I've had it up to here with you and your attitude! All day you've been complaining and at my throat for every little thing! What is your problem?" Chibiusa stood as well, glaring up at the scout.
"My problem is that you are immature, careless, and have the attention span of a goldfish! Mamoru said we should have a mother-daughter outing, but you don't act like a mother at all! Instead, you act like a spoiled kid who can't take care of herself, much less a child!" Her bottom lip quivered slightly as the words sunk in. Usagi stood, shocked and hurt at her daughter's accusation. She reached out to hold her but Chibiusa turned and ran, disappearing in the crowd of people before the hand could reach her.
Chibiusa ran blindly, tears streaming from her eyes as her legs carried her away from that woman. When she finally felt herself stop, she fell to the ground, held her legs to her chest, and cried. She didn't care who heard or saw. She didn't even know why she ran. Probably because she knew Usagi would never be her true mother in this life. Her mother that sang her lullabies when she was very young, the mother that would hold her when she cried, the mother that smiled so sweetly. Usagi would never be that beautiful, elegant, sophisticated woman.
Chibiusa recalled a time when she was very sick. Her fever was high, every breath that she took made her cough, and she always felt like she was going to vomit. Her mother stayed by her side every day and every night while she was sick, even when Ami had told her she might catch it as well, she didn't care. The queen kept a cool rag on her head, fed her hot soup and forced medicine down her throat. She remembered how nice her mother's arms felt on her heated skin as she was gently rocked back and forth, surrounded by security and comfort. She'd recovered remarkably fast, and while most people said it was due to the Silver Imperium Crystal, she believed it was due to her mother's kindness and caring.
"Chibiusa," Neo Queen Serenity's voice drifted through her mind. "You must stay strong. You are the princess. One day, you will rule. You must believe in yourself. You must also believe in your people and, above anything else, you must believe in the power of love." She could still feel her mother's lips kissing her forehead. Oh how she missed her. How could that klutz ever have become the most powerful being in the universe? She tried to remember the stories her mothers told her of the brave sailor scouts and their escapades. She'd told her daughter of how she used to be such an oddball, but then she had to grow up, she had to protect her people.
Chibiusa wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. Usagi would grow into her responsibilities. She still had a lot of time. All she needed was some time to enjoy her life as it was in this moment. Chibiusa simply needed to be patient and understanding. She stood and looked around, wondering where she was. She'd left the park, it seemed, she was standing in a clump of trees, and she couldn't hear any laughter or conversation. She bit her lip as she realized her horrible mistake she'd made.
Usagi tried to push through the crowd of people, catching glimpses of Chibiusa's fleeing pigtails. She fought and struggled to no avail. The little girl was gone. Usagi's heart pounded in her chest as panic set in. She looked around frantically until she spotted a pedestal. She climbed up and called her daughter's name, looking in every direction. No sight of the pink-haired princess. She got back down before security was called and started working her way around the park. She looked all over, but her charge was no where to be found. Perhaps, Usagi thought, she's not in the park. Maybe she ran out? Immediately, she ran for the exit, intent on finding her distressed child.
Chibiusa pushed a branch out of her way as she worked her way back to where she thought the park was. She felt horrible for treating Usagi the way she did. Usagi really wasn't as bad as she made her out to be, she was still just a child, and Chibiusa knew that now. She sulked as she walked, her pace slowing more and more as the guilt sank into her. Her dark thoughts shrouded her vision as she walked, so much so she ran into a tree. She shook the stars away and smiled to herself. She really was her mother's child. A noise drew her attention, a crack from behind her. She stood quickly, preparing herself for any danger.
"Usagi?" She asked tentatively. Her voice sounded both helpful and panicked. Her heart dropped when a man stepped out of the brush, and he didn't look friendly.
"Not quite." He replied with a malicious grin. Chibiusa turned to run only to see she was surrounded. Five men stood all around her, she had nowhere to run. She reached for her broach, but she couldn't transform in front of them. They were, in all technicality, civilians. It wasn't allowed. She gulped and clenched her fists, ready to defend herself. Of course, she realized, she was defenseless and alone. She tried to yell, but nothing came out. She was done for.
Usagi wandered out of the park and looked around, Chibiusa wasn't anywhere to be seen. She must've run off the path, she thought. Usagi ran for the trees, looking everywhere for the small sailor scout. She stopped when she saw a piece of blue fabric caught in a branch. She must've come this way! Usagi ran faster, her pigtails streaming behind her. She skidded to a halt. She'd just heard Chibiusa's voice. She started toward the noise and heard a man's voice. Usagi's blood raged in her ears, but she quieted her breathing and walked as silently as she could til she came upon a terrifying scene. There was a ring of five men, thugs, and in the middle was a wide-eyed, scared-out-of-her-wits Chibiusa. Usagi hid behind a tree and analyzed the situation. There was one man with his back turned, but he was very large and looked too though to simply knock out. She reached for her broach to transform when her daughter's voice rang out.
"MAMA!" Usagi snapped, she grabbed a broken branch and cracked it over the head of the thug in front of her. The man closest to her stared for a moment before he charged at her. She dodged his attack and smacked him over the head with her branch. He landed with a loud thud on the ground. Two of the three remaining came after her. She ducked, socked one in the gut with her branch, then hit the side of his face, breaking her weapon. The fourth man turned back to her and roared. Usagi turned, lifted one petite leg and promptly roundhouse kicked him in the face. There was only one left. The creep grabbed Chibiusa and pointed to his attacker.
"St-stay back! I'll kill her!" He whipped out a knife and held it to Chibiusa's throat. Usagi flew at him, her nails sinking into the flesh of his face. He fell back with Usagi on top of him, her hands around his throat.
"Don't. Ever. Touch. My. Child. You. Bastard." She struck his head against the ground with each word. She stopped only when she felt tiny arms wrap around her. She turned to see Chibiusa crying into her shoulder. She let go of the now unconscious man and scooped her little girl into her arms. They walked back to the road and started home until Mamoru ran up, panting.
"Where have you two been? You were supposed to be back half an hour ago and- wait...Usagi. Carrying a crying Chibiusa." He looked between them, bemused. Usagi simply smiled sweetly and held the little one closer to her.
"Oh, we just had some bonding, that's all." Usagi said in her sugar-sweet tone. Chibiusa smiled and looked at her mother. She could almost see the crown on the head of the most powerful being in the universe.
