"Usagi, please hold on!" Dr. Mizuno cried.
"So... weak... Mamoru..." Usagi whispered softly.
"I'm right here," Mamoru Chiba said. "Please hold on, my love."
The sound of a baby crying arose. Usagi smiled. "Chibi Usa..." Usagi whispered. Then, there was nothing.
"Usako!" Mamoru cried out.
"Usagi, no!" Dr. Mizuno screamed. The baby quieted and fell asleep.
Nine Years Later
Kaiou, Meiou, and Tenou Household
"Come out, come out, wherever you are..." Kaiou Michiru whispered as she searched the upper floor of her house for nine missing children. Soon she came to the room that had been converted into a makeshift playroom. The door was open but was blocked by an upside down cardboard box and by a eight year old, black-haired girl with a broom. "Hello, Naien," Michiru said. The little girl looked up at Michiru and smiled. "Are the rest of you in there?" Michiru asked, pointing at the playroom. Naien nodded. "Good, it's dinner time so put the broom away." Michiru tried to enter, but the broom fell across her path.
"Do you have an invitation?" Naien asked.
"An invitation?" Michiru asked. "To what?"
"Kuuchuu and Tenka are getting married," Naien said. "Queen Small Lady said that no one is allowed to enter without an invitation."
"Oh really?" Michiru said, her voice heavy with amusement. She picked up the little guard and pushed the box aside, walking into the room.
"Hey!" said a pink-haired eight year old. "Did you get an invitation?"
"Yes, your highness," Michiru said. She held up Naien and said, "Here's my invitation."
"As queen of the moon, I order to you get out and stop interrupting this wedding!" Usagi said in a fake, older voice.
Michiru looked down at the little girl in terror. Queen of the moon! "What's wrong?" said a little red-haired girl in an oversized white sun dress. "Haven't you heard of the rabbit of the moon?"
"The rabbit of the moon?" Michiru repeated.
"Yeah, our teacher was talking about it today!" an six year old boy said. "She told us about the story of the rabbit on the moon and since Usagi is a rabbit, we made her queen today!"
"Oh, of course I have!" Michiru said with a nervous chuckle. "I haven't heard it in a long time, so it took me a minute to remember.
The little queen looked up at Michiru again. "Well then," she said, "As the Queen Rabbit Small Lady, I say..."
"It's time for dinner," Michiru said, putting Naien down. The little kids looked up excitedly. All but the little queen.
"I thought my daddy was going to come before dinner," she said. She started to pout. Michiru knelt in front of her little lawn chair throne and smoothed her lengthy pink hair.
"He's stuck at the office today," Michiru said apologetically. "He's really very sorry, Small Lady. He promises to be here for dinner tomorrow, though. Do you know what tomorrow it?" The little girl's eyes lit up.
"My birthday!" she said. "I'm going to be nine!"
"You sure are," Michiru said happily. "Now, your dinner is waiting for all of you downstairs. Get going!" The children practically galloped out of the room. The little girl in the white sun dress, however, took off the dress first and smoothed out her purple jumper. Then she took the hand of a little girl with brown hair and led her out of the room. Michiru followed them.
"So, Tenka, you and Kuuchuu were going to get married?" Michiru said, amused.
"Not officially," said Tenka. "We are too young. We'll get married when we're eighteen. It will be official then." When they got to the stairs, Michiru shook her head at the little girls as they walked down the stairs. Tenka was such a big sister. Everyone was amazed at how much she cared for her three year old sister, Ryusuui. What shocked everyone else, even more than that, was how smart Tenka was. Already she was reading books at the sixth grade level and she was only in the second grade.
Tenka and Ryusuui finally made it down to the bottom. As always, neither fell. The two then hightailed it to the table. Tenka helped Ryusuui into her high chair. Then Tenka climbed into her own chair to the left of her. Michiru paused at the end of the stairs to get a better look at the children she, Tenou Haruka, and Meiou Setsuna were babysitting that night. She looked at each child around the table, going clockwise as always.
She looked first as Mokuseino Tenka, eldest daughter of Mokuseino Makoto and Kokoro. Then she looked at Mokuseino Ryusuui, the youngest in that family. Next to her was Haruka. To her left was Kaseino Naien, daughter and eldest child of Kaseino Rei and Enkou. Next to Naien was the black-haired Kaen, the 7 year old brother of Naien. Next to Kaen was Setsuna, then Chiba Usagi, whom everyone called Small Lady. Michiru always felt a stab of sadness when she looked at Small Lady, but it was to be expected. Against her destiny, Small Lady's mother had died in childbirth.
From Small Lady she looked at four year old Doseino Jinsei, the youngest child, and only daughter, to Doseino Hotaru and Kankyou. Then there was an empty seat, and then there was Doseino Kuuchuu next to his 'girlfriend,' Tenka. Michiru smiled and sat down at her place between Jinsei and Kuuchuu. Michiru sighed a small, happy sigh before taking a bite of the broccoli and rice.
Suiseino Household
"Suiseino Kogarashi!" Suiseino Kanchuu yelled out. A little eight year old boy poked his head lazily out from under the pillows on the sofa, looking up at his father tiredly.
"What is it, Papa?" Kogarashi asked. His one year old sister, Aisu, suddenly pounced on Kogarashi, her white braid flopping around. "Found!" Aisu cried happily. "Win!"
"Papa!" Kogarashi cried as he wrestled Aisu off of him. "You're not suppose to help her! The game is called 'Hide and Seek!' She's suppose to find me on her own!"
"She's only one," said Kanchuu. "She needs help."
"I need help in the kitchen!" said Suiseino Ami from the kitchen as she put down the phone. "I'm needed at the hospital, so you'll have to fend for yourselves now!"
"But mama!" Kogarashi said as he rolled off of the couch with Aisu. "You promised to eat with us tonight!"
"I'm really sorry," Ami said as she knelt next to her son and daughter. "We'll have dinner together for sure, tomorrow. Remember, it's Small Lady's birthday."
"Not same!" Aisu said as she started to cry.
"That's right, it's not the same!" Kogarashi said.
"Now, now, you two," Kanchuu said, patting their heads. "Mama can't help it. It isn't her fault."
"But they are right," Ami said as she gave them each hugs and stood up. "It won't be the same. We'll have plenty of dinners as a family, though, coming up soon because mama will be on vacation." The children cheered as they jumped up and down. Then Kogarashi raced into the kitchen with Aisu following behind slowly.
"Looks like I'd better get in the kitchen," Kanchuu said with a laugh. He patted Ami's head and ran his hand through her shoulder-length blue hair. "Don't worry dear. They're young. We have plenty of time to be together as a family." Ami nodded. Kanchuu bent his head down and kissed her lightly.
"Yucky!" came Aisu's voice from the kitchen.
"Yeah, yucky!" Kogarashi chimed in. Ami and Kanchuu broke away, laughing and shaking their heads.
"Would you two like kisses, too?" Ami asked as she approached the door.
"Kisses are yucky!" Kogarashi called out.
"Yeah!" Aisu added. Ami laughed again and walked out the door. Kanchuu smiled and then darted into the kitchen at the sound of a pan boiling over and the two children running out of the kitchen, yelling frantically.
Kinseino Household
"Yeah! Lots! Glitter!" said a small girl's voice from the other side of a playroom door.
"She likes glitter!" said a little boy's voice.
"What are you two doing in here?" asked Kinseino Minako as she opened the door. She gasped when she saw the mess. All over the white linoleum and all over the blond eight year old boy and three year old girl was glitter, glue, and poorly cut pieces of construction paper. In the hands of the four year old girl was a large bottle of glitter. In one hand of the eight year old was a pair of plastic safety scissors and in the other was a piece of pink construction paper.
"Oh my goodness..." Minako whispered as she surveyed the mess. "Tori, honey, come up here a moment, please!" Minako called out to her husband. He entered the room but a moment later, the eyes of the two children still frozen on their mother. Kinseino Tori nearly choked on his mint when he saw the mess. Then, he chuckled.
"Aren't you glad I got linoleum flooring now?" he said happily. Minako slapped his head gently. The little boy flinched.
"Are we in trouble mommy?" he asked.
Minako smiled. "No, Tsuriau, you and Tenchi are not in trouble," she said.
"Let's see," Tori said, looking over the mess. "Pink paper, glitter, rabbit stickers, and crescent moons." He looked at Minako. "Looks to me that their making a present for Small Lady."
"Indeed," Minako said, her eyes fixed on the crescent moon stickers. "I understand everything else, but crescent moons?"
"I got them from my teacher!" Tsuriau said. "She told us the story of the rabbit on the moon today, so I'm putting crescent moons on the card with all of the rabbits."
"I... I see," Minako said, regaining her somewhat-lost composure. "How about you two get baths and then we all can work on a card?"
"Yeah!" Tenchi said, lifting the glitter bottle up. She tipped it, spilling glitter all over her head.
"Mama, give Tenchi a bath first," Tsuriau said. "I'm not messy like her." Minako and Tori looked at each other and chuckled, nodding. Minako picked up her four year old and carried her out in front of her, taking her to the bathroom while Tori set to cleaning up the room. "I'll get the mop!" Tsuriau said as he stood. All of the glitter on him fell off as he sprinted to the door.
Tori chuckled as he closed the glitter bottle. "I can see I'm going to be vacuuming the hallway tonight," he said with a sigh.
Hikawa Shrine
Atop the Hikawa Shrine stood a fiery red lion. On top of it's head was a crab that looked to be made of pure silver. The crab scuttled off of the lion's head and fell to the ground. As it did, a great white light surrounded it. The crab didn't hit the ground. In its place landed a Sailor senshi with long silver hair that stood out in the dark night. "Dear brother," the senshi said, looking up at the lion. "So many things have changed. Why does it rest on us to fix things?"
"We won't fix things," said the lion as it went up in orange flames. As the fire died down, a teenage boy stood in its place. He was dressed in an armor unlike any made by modern man. "We must only ensure that either Crystal Tokyo is still established or the moon kingdom is reestablished." The senshi nodded as it looked up at the moon.
"How much longer?" the senshi asked the boy.
The boy sighed as he replied. "Ten years..." he sighed.
Chiba Residence
"Tenchi, cake is not suppose to go in your hair!" Tenka said loudly. Tenchi was in her booster chair at the little table set up for the kids. Tenka, Tenchi, Ryusuui, and Kuuchuu still sat at the table. The other children had gone to the living room to watch cartoons.
"Momma!" Kuuchuu yelled out. "Get Tenchi's momma cause Tenchi is messy!"
"She's taking care of Tsuriau right now," Doseino Hotaru said as she entered the dining room. "I'll clean her up." Hotaru, the youngest of the mothers, knelt beside Tenchi with a wet wash towel. Tenchi backed away.
"No, no!" Tenchi cried. "I not messy!"
"Yes you are!" Kuuchuu said as he stuck another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.
"Kuuchuu, be quiet now," Hotaru said as she tried to clean the struggling little girl.
"Doseino-san," Tenka said as she helped Ryusuui cut into her cake, "Maybe you should clean her up after she finishes eating. If you clean her up now, she'll just get messy again."
Hotaru chuckled and nodded. "Yes, I suppose so," she said, standing up. "Thank you, Tenka. By then, her own mother should be able to clean her up."
"Momma," Kuuchuu said, looking up at his mom. "Why isn't dad here?"
"My father isn't here, either," Tenka said. "Why isn't he?"
"I... don't know," Hotaru said, looking around. "Where are all of them?"
"Pappa!" Tenchi yelled, looking around.
"Don't worry," Hotaru said reassuringly. "I'm sure they'll all be here before Small Lady opens her presents." I hope...
Hikawa Shrine
Behind the shrine sat the silver haired senshi. Her silver hair cascaded over her shoulders as she tied them into buns. "Trying to look like mother?" said a voice.
The senshi looked up and stared at the fiery lion with her silver eyes. "Yes, if you must know," she said, tying them off. "For some reason, though, the buns keep coming out pointed."
"Well, it makes you look more individual," the lion said, lying down on the roof. "All of them are in the same place. It's the birthday of Chiba Usagi today, so all of them are at Prince Endymion's home."
"And the senshi?"
"They are there, too, except for you-know-who."
"What about the fathers?"
"I knew you'd ask, so I've already stalled them. I created a few traffic jams."
"Good, then let's go." The senshi stood up, her hair now looking like that of the late Tsukino Usagi, only with pointed buns. "Are you going to remain a lion?"
"Yes, it's easier this way," the lion replied, standing up. It leapt down from the roof and landed next to the senshi. "To our destiny?"
"No, to our new destiny."
Chiba Residence
"They're all trapped in traffic?" Mamoru asked, looking disbelievingly as Ami and Minako.
"We know, it's strange," Ami said.
"It might just be coincidence, though," Minako said hopefully.
"No, it's not coincidence," Rei said. "I can feel something strange. I've felt something since last night, but it wasn't as strong as it is now."
"Does it feel evil?" Hotaru asked.
"No, it feels like a positive presence," Rei said.
Suddenly, screams erupted from the next room. All of the adults rushed out into the room. All of the children were hiding behind Haruka and Michiru, who held their arms out protectively. Everyone who had just entered the room gasped at what they saw. Standing on the balcony to the living room was a fiery lion and a silver-haired senshi. The senshi had a dark red skirt that had two layers of pink at the bottom. Her bow was golden and she had a heart shaped brooch that was dark pink with what appeared to be a pink flower beneath it. She had white elbow-length gloves that ended with a single light pink band with an identical band around each wrist. Her belt was pink as she had a deep red collar. Covering her shoulders were puffy white sleeves that ended with a red ring. What caught everyone off guard, however, was the fact that this senshi had long silver hair that was pulled into pointed buns.
"She looks like Usako..." Mamoru whispered.
"But she also looks like Small Lady," Setsuna whispered to him.
Haruka took a step toward the sliding door and reached out to close it, saying, "Who are you?"
"We are here for the children," the lion spoke. At that, Mamoru began to herd the children to another room. Their mothers stepped in front of them.
"What do you want with them?" Ami asked calmly.
"Only to help the future," the senshi said as she stepped into the room. Haruka tried to slam the door, but as she did the senshi touched Haruka's hand. She stopped and looked at the strange senshi.
"Queen... Serenity?" Haruka said quietly. Everyone in the room gasped. The senshi laughed lightly.
"You speak of my mother, Princess Uranus, not of me," the senshi said. Again, everyone gasped. The room fell silent before the sounds of the children's screams lifted.
"That lion!" Rei yelled, running to the room.
"Do not harm him!" the senshi yelled as everyone ran to the room. When they got to the room, they had to shield their eyes. Inside, the lion stood at the closed window, shining through. The children all had their eyes turned to the window, staring at the lion in a trance. "We won't harm the children," said the senshi as she stepped behind them. She squeezed her way past Ami and Minako but Haruka and Makoto stopped her. Haruka grabbed one arm as Makoto grabbed the other. However, both let go as a tall silver staff manifested itself out of thin air. At the top of the staff was a crescent moon with a pair of wings attached to it. The staff began to glow a silvery light. A golden staff manifested itself in front of the lion. The lion caught it in its mouth. At the top of the lion's staff was a sun with wings. It began to glow a golden light. The children still stared at the lion. Suddenly, the lion leapt away from the window. To everyone's surprise, the children followed; the ones at the front trying to climb out of the window.
"Stop them!" the senshi yelled. Mamoru, Setsuna, and Rei ran to them and tried to stop them.
"What are you doing to them!" Makoto yelled, grabbing the senshi by the neck. The senshi dropped her staff out of surprise. It fell to the floor with a loud clack.
"No!" the senshi screamed as the silvery light disappeared. "Leo! Stop them!" The lion reappeared at the window as the children fell limply to the ground and began to grow transparent, as if disappearing. Rei, Setsuna, and Mamoru tried to grab the children, but it was too late for some of them. Those on the floor disappeared. Only those in the arms of Mamoru, Rei, Setsuna, and Hotaru remained. The light of the lion's staff dimmed. "No!" the senshi cried. She broke from Makoto's hold and grabbed the staff. The staff disappeared from her shaking hands. "This wasn't supposed to happen, no..."
"Then what was suppose to happen!" Haruka shouted, pinning the senshi to the wall. The senshi tried to reply, but she was sobbing by now.
"We only meant to awaken them to their powers," said a voice. Everyone turned to the window where the lion now entered. With his staff was gone, his mouth was free to speak. "We meant to awaken them to their rightful inheritances as the children of the senshi," the lion said. "We didn't think..."
"You didn't think what?" Minako said, her voice choked with tears.
"We didn't think that they would be the generation to inherit the powers of the Zodiac," the lion said. "They haven't inherited your powers, they have inherited the powers of the Zodiac like Cancer and I have." Everyone looked at the sobbing senshi that was still pinned to the wall. "With Princess Serenity being deceased, it fell on us to awaken their inheritances. The reason they followed me to the window is because as Zodiac senshi and knights, they are meant to be taken away and trained by us..."
"That's why they disappeared when the light of my staff disappeared," Sailor Cancer said softly. "They've gone to our kingdom and until they learn to use their powers properly, they can't leave."
"Then find a way for them to come back!" Hotaru shouted as she turned to face everyone. In her arms was Ryusuui, fast asleep. Mamoru turned around, revealing Tsuriau and Small Lady hanging from his arms. Setsuna held Naien while Rei held Tenka.
"I'm sorry," Sailor Cancer whimpered weakly. "I can't, I can't..."
Haruka freed the girl, who fell to the ground. Haruka and Makoto stepped aside as the lion stepped next to the broken senshi. "We'll take care of them," the lion declared. "We'll get them home as soon as possible. We'll train as much as possible with them to get them home sooner. With these five, I suggest you modify their memories, and anyone else's, to temporarily forget those who are gone." In a furry of fire, the two disappeared.
As was suggested, Setsuna and Michiru modified the memories of everyone they knew. Only they, the senshi, remembered what had happened. It took only seven weeks for Kogarashi to be able to get in and out of the Zodiac palace, as it was called. However, he often went back to keep training and to keep in touch with his little sister. For two years he provided access to the kingdom. Letters and presents went there through him. On his ninth birthday, Kaen returned home. Two years later, Kuuchuu and Jinsei returned. Apparently, Jinsei had the ability to return several months beforehand, but she refused to return without her brother. Only Tenchi and Aisu remained. As each child returned, memories associated with them were restored by either Michiru or Setsuna. It took 3 more years for Tenchi and Aisu to return. When they did, they returned with a note from Sailor Cancer. In it, she suggested removing the memories of the children's time at the Zodiac Palace. Everyone was more than happy to do so. It took everyone's strength, but they managed to modify seven years out of the children's minds and of everyone they knew. In place of everything, they gave memories of birthdays, plays, bumps, bruises, and fights.