Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from CardCaptor Sakura. They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. - I also do not own anyone from Sailor Moon. They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. - (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them.

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Moonlit Sakura

Chapter 4 – Mothers and Daughters

Neo-Queen Serenity stared out of the window into the dark Egyptian night. Her eyes were sad as she chewed on her lower lip. She started as an arm went around her bare shoulders, and she turned quickly to look up at her husband.

"Still worried about your fight with Small Lady?" King Endymion asked with quiet understanding.

She nodded jerkily. "I never should have said that. We've always tried to treat her like an adult because we knew she would have to go through so much on her own. And she's always handled it so well until recently." She sighed and leaned into his warm chest. "I know it's just hormones and general teenager melodrama, but she just makes me so mad when she's like that. Even worse than she did when we were children," she said with a shaky laugh. "I just… I just said what came to mind."

She pulled back and looked up at him with irritated eyes. "She heard the reports. She was right there! She knows that we can't endanger the whole royal family at once, and that you and I have to take this three week long tour. Why was she making such a big deal out of it!" Her cerulean blue eyes saddened again as she sighed. "But I still shouldn't have said that. I wish… I wish she would let me apologize."

King Endymion pulled her into a quick hug. "It's all right. Neither of you can hold a grudge, and you can't stand being mad at each other. She's probably thinking the same thing right now. You'll see. When we get home, you'll apologize, and she'll acknowledge that you were right to make her stay," he said reassuringly. "And then you'll find something else to argue about," he added with a teasing sigh, trying to make her smile.

She looked up at him, eyes flashing in indignation, and then began to chuckle softly. "You're probably right. Oh, I can't wait until this is over and my sweet, slightly irritating ChibiUsa comes back and defeats this highly irritating pink-haired demon that's pretending to be her."

She gave him a puzzled look as he stiffened and suddenly looked concerned. Then, she laughed gently. "No, that's not what I meant. She really is our daughter, and she isn't being taken over by demons or evil. Her hormones are just making her act like it. That's what I meant." She laughed again as she felt him relax.

"Well, you never know," he said a little irritably as she continued to laugh at him.

"But I would," she said, still laughing. "And so would you. We are both sensitive enough to evil now to know whether or not it was taking over our friends or daughter." She sighed and looked out into the night again. "Especially now that we're on our guard and looking for it."

He began to hug her again, but jerked back a little as the door to the main reception chamber opened. A small man dressed in the flowing traditional robes of his country bowed before them and announced that Prince Aziz was ready to receive them. With a nod of acknowledgment, he turned back to his wife. She gave him a reassuring smile, and then began to walk to the door.

"Announcing His Royal Majesty, Mamoru Endymion Tsukino. King of the Earth, Crystal Tokyo, and the Neo-Golden Kingdom of Elysian, Knight Defender of the Earth. Consort to her Imperial Majesty, Neo-Queen Serenity," the herald called out as the royal couple stepped into the reception chamber.

"And, her Imperial Majesty, Usagi Serenity Tsukino. High Queen of the Neo-Silver Millennium, Queen of the Moon and Crystal Tokyo. Queen Consort of Earth, and Savior of the World after the Great Cataclysm." King Endymion felt his wife wince at the last title. Despite all of her protests over the past several hundred years, it was added whenever she was formally announced into a gathering.

"Welcome to Egypt," Prince Aziz said with a low bow. He stood in front of his throne dressed in white flowing robes that showed off his dark hair and bronzed skin. He was still lean despite his advancing age and "sedentary" job. His brown eyes studied them intently a moment, and then twinkled mischievously.

"Ah, my queen, still as beautiful as ever. Please, my sweet jasmine, tell me you have come to leave this ignorant savage and become my wife."

Neo-Queen Serenity smiled at her husband's long-time friend, and pretended to consider his proposal. "I'm sorry," she sighed sweetly. "But, I cannot leave him alone with our daughter. It would just not be fair."

"Oh, but that's no problem, my delicate flower. Why, your daughter may come as well. We will marry her to my son, Prince Mushaf." He turned and gestured grandly for his twenty-one year old heir to come forward. "See? Isn't he handsome? He has his mother's eyes. He is also very well-trained in politics, defense, and other princely arts," he added with a sly wink.

The queen laughed, and shook her head as the king studied the embarrassed youth. "Oh, that would not be fair either. She will wish to stay with her beloved father, and would be quite sad if she had to come live here. Even with such a handsome prince waiting for her. Ah no, Prince Aziz, it just cannot be."

Prince Aziz pretended to be disappointed, andthen smiled at his guests. "And how is your lovely little daughter doing? Has she grown at all since I last saw her?"

Lady shivered in the cool night air, and leaned her head tiredly against the arm of a statue. She looked up at the crescent moon, and sighed sadly. Even after three days, her mother's words still hurt. She knew that her mother hadn't meant them, but deep inside, a little voice questioned if they really had been true.

'Look how I acted,' she thought guiltily. 'I still don't believe there is any danger, but I didn't try to make my argument rationally. I just started blathering about how I never get to go anywhere and how she never trusts me. Hah! Yeah, right. And just where did you spend most of your childhood, ChibiUsa? And did she ever protest about your being a senshi and all of your training? Or question your judgment as Sailor Moon? And what about all those trips into town, back to the 20th Century, out to the mountains… Heck, she even let you go visit June's family in America! And you whine because you can't go on a little political jaunt with them?'

"ChibiUsa-chan?" Lady started as a soft voice called out her name. "ChibiUsa-chan, is everything all right?" Hotaru asked as she stepped out of the shadows.

Lady gave her best friend a big smile as she stood up straight. "Of course. I just decided to take a walk before going to bed."

Hotaru studied her friend a moment. "It's almost three in the morning. Try again."

Lady blinked at Hotaru in surprise. "It is? I didn't know it was that late. Oh… I'm gonna feel it in a few hours. I have to get up early for a training exercise today. I'd better get to bed."

Hotaru put a hand on Lady's arm as she tried to pass. "ChibiUsa-chan… Are you still upset over that fight with your mother? You know she didn't mean what she said…"

"Yes, I know," Lady replied softly. "It's just…" Hotaru waited quietly for her to finish. "It's just… They are going to look for the new Tuxedo Mask, Papa's heir. I should be with them! He's my destined prince, after all. But because of those stupid rumors Mars and Venus found about someone wanting to destroy the Crystal Tokyo and its rulers, they made me stay here. They wouldn't listen to me when I said I should go and they should stay, or that the rumors were just too unsupported to be real." She sighed sadly. "They never seem to listen to me anymore. And I just get so mad, I don't say what I mean to say, and that makes it worse."

"They don't listen? Or they believe differently, and you can't convince them otherwise?" Hotaru asked quietly. "They have a duty, too, you know. A duty to protect this world, and to train you and the Prince of the Earth, whoever he is, to take over after them."

She ignored Lady's irritated gaze and continued. "I know you know that. But are you thinking about it? They have a lot more experience in telling false rumors from true. And they are more sensitive to evil than you are. Call it age, or experience, or whatever, it is true. They are much better suited for this trip, together, than you are alone or with one of them. That is why they wanted you to stay home. But there was another reason. Can you think of it?"

Lady glared at her a moment, then shut her eyes and tried to think past the betrayal she felt. She never would have thought that Hotaru would have taken her mother's side in this.

After few moments, she opened her eyes again. "Because they think they can sense Tuxedo Mask better than I can, especially if he's still not awake," she said a little bitterly. "They're wrong, but that must be it."

Hotaru looked at her in surprise. "Actually, I didn't think of that one. I doubt they did either, although Mamoru-san might be more sensitive to him than you. No, the other reason I can think of is… Sailor Moon." Lady blinked in surprise. "Sailor Moon has to be free to act, to save the world if necessary. And if Crystal Tokyo is the target, then that is where you need to be. You can't defend it if you are half a world away, especially if you are still hiding your identity."

"Think about it, okay?" she asked as she released the princess. "Tomorrow, that is. For now, you'd better get to sleep."

Lady nodded absently then started to walk back towards the palace. After a few steps, she stopped and turned around. "Hotaru-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you out here? If it's three in the morning, shouldn't you be asleep, too?"

Hotaru smiled. "Well, I had a feeling you couldn't sleep."

"And?" Lady asked, sensing there was something more.

"And?" Hotaru's smile faded. "And, I trust your parents' judgment. If they believe the rumors enough to fight with you over such an important trip and leave Sailor Moon here… Then it's time to step up security a little. Haruka-papa is up in the spire. Michiru-mama is watching the front, while I watch the back. We are leaving day security to the rest of you." She smiled again at the surprised look on Lady's face, and then bowed. "Sleep well, Princess…"