If the Future May Fade Ch.03

. . .

As much as it pains me, I promised myself I wouldn't fight in the past. I have too different of powers than the senshi have at this time, it would be far out of place and suspicious. I bite my lip. But there isn't any harm in watching, right? After all, I'm assuming there should be at least four of the five senshi working together and if I include Tuxedo Mask.

I stop myself.

Judging the Mamoru I met earlier I cannot easily say the boy will be flaunting himself in a tux and cape for the sake of saving damsels in distress. Which means it's quite possible Usagi doesn't have a crush on a certain masked man...meaning. Shit. Did I make matters worse between their civilian forms? Have I stopped them from falling in love? I look to my fingers and they seem to be solid, they flex easy enough. Maybe there's still hope. After all, I still do exist. And just to make sure...I pull my brooch from my bag and jump into a nearby alley.

"Pink Moon Crystal Power, Make-Up!" Warm pink light envelops my body and my clothes are quickly replaced with my two tone sailor fuku. It's the same design as Mama's Eternal form but she says I'll probably have several more powerups before I have to retire as a senshi.

For now, though, I don't have to worry about that possibility until a real danger arises for the future. Until then all I have to make sure is that I don't royally screw up the possibility of my existence. And the first step seems to be waiting for me in the...the park. As always.

By the time I reach the park, the battle is already under way. Taking my chances of being caught I jump none too stealthily into the nearby trees. And I lucked out seeing that none of the four senshi fighting turn in my direction.

I watch the fight unfold and a knot forms in my stomach as I realize why none of them noticed my entry. Each girl is being taken down one by one. Mercury, then Mars, and Jupiter is about to be shot to the ground. This is nothing like the stories I was told by Ami or even Papa for a bedtime story. In the stories I heard, the girls were invisible. But these girls are being stepped on with absolute ease.

Where is Tuxedo Mask?

A rose is thrown at the hideous monster wearing the face of a clown. Relief floods my body as the tuxedo clad man steps from the shadows. Except the monster doesn't even flinch at being struck by the flower. Tuxedo Mask swoops down but it's not in time-Sailor Moon has already been pinned to the ground.

Even as he tries to wrestle the youma away I know it's a losing battle that I'm watching.

About to break my promise of not interfering any more than I have a burst of orange light shoots through the trees. The creature holding Usagi down is instantly disintegrated and I let out a breath I never knew I was holding. A figure covered by the shadows fades from my sight as she disappears.

But wasn't that Venus? I watch as Usagi and the girls make it back to their feet in a daze. They're just as clueless as I am and that concerns me. I should have the upper hand here. So why don't I know the identity of that senshi?

I jump from my tree and turn away the scene just long enough to allow my transformation to fade. Yet when I turn back to see how they're handling the mystery senshi-the park is empty. As if a fight had not just gone down.

What the hell?

About to step into the clearing I hear a set of voices that distract me. Three unfamiliar voices talking in hushed tones.

"That was too close for comfort"

"We have to get here faster next time, then."

"I felt a disturbance in the Time Continuance-we had to investigate."

"The queen almost died."

My heart stops. The queen? The only way they would have known Sailor Moon is destined to be the queen is if they were from the future. But why are they here? Pluto says we're not supposed to mess with the past and that's exactly what it seems like these girls are doing.

And if they were talking about a disturbance with the Time Continuum, they know how to travel. Like me. Meaning they sensed my arrival.

What did I get myself into?

Whatever it is, I don't exactly want to stick around to find out. Especially if these girls find out that I'm the one they sensed coming into this time. I turn away and break into a sprint toward the Tsukino house, praying to Serenity that I can still manage to persuade the family to let me stay with them before Usagi gets home.

Because once she's home, Luna will be there too and I can't risk that cat realizing what I'm doing and mistaking me for an enemy like last time.

. . .

Taking a right turn onto Usagi's street, I realize I'm too late. The light in Usagi's room is on. I stop and look at the house as I try to figure out what I can do. I don't know if I can do this. But I have no place else to go. There's no hurt in trying, though.

I inhale deeply. This is it. All I have left is to hope that everything will work out the way I want it to.

Opening the gate slowly, I make my way to the front door and knock. A moment passes before Usagi herself opens the door with a wide smile. "Welcome, Nyanko! You're late!" She exclaims, pulling me into the house. Inside, the rest of the family sits on the couch waiting.

Ikuko is the next to rise. "We've been expecting you, Nyanko! Where have you been? You mother said you would be here an hour ago!"

My eyes widen. "S-she did?" Her being in the thirtieth century kind of makes that a little hard on the whole talking thing. Absolutely nothing is making sense right now. But there's no way for me to find out without blowing my cover.

The blonde beside me laughs brightly and throws her arms around me in a huge bear hug. "Of course! Now you, my favorite cousin, are going to share my room with me just like always!"

The blood runs from my face. Just like always?

. . .

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