Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Crystal Tokyo

Episode Ten: Sisters No Matter What

Keika was holding onto Haruka's leg with glee, bound to the leg and giggling furiously as she looked forward to her visit with Mamoru. Hotaru had set up a play date as Keika had seemed a little lonely lately as nearly everyone in the house was gone.

So Haruka had been volunteered. Their girls were in school, Michiru had gone with Setsuna to help her do more research in the Time Door and the various gates in order to figure out how to open a door to the Dark Kingdom.

"I could've been on the track, practicing my turns but noo…" She grumbled softly. She spotted the family from the opening of the door, light spilling out in the hallway as the room was large, oversized, and made for a comfortable place to spend time with others.

"Knock, knock!" Haruka called out, wiggling her leg slightly. Keika, who got a sight of Mamoru, tore off her limb and shouted with happiness.

Mamoru looked up, startled and then ducked under his comfort blanket as Keika bounded onto him.

"Awww…" Neo Queen Serenity beamed at the two children. "They make such a cute couple."

"Keika comes on a little strong," Haruka muttered. "I think she takes my lead."

"That's for sure," Neo Queen Serenity grinned at her. "Come on, let's get some tea." She waved to the nanny. "Be sure to send them to us for lunch time. Then afterwards we'll read to them."

Haruka sighed, still reflecting on her desire to drive. "I suppose that'll be all right."

At the private school, Mitsu and Puroko were in the same class. They even sat next to each other, when they could. The teachers would occasionally separate the two, especially for tests as when they were together, they had a bad habit of sharing answers.

Himizu, Beruche's twelve year old daughter, was also in the same class as the two girls. As they shared similarities, they got along very well and often were called the Three Musketeers by their classmates. Unlike the other two, Himizu didn't like to cheat and often berated the two but often to deaf ears.

Lunch time came as everyone bounded together. The sisters and Himizu were joined by Zenshin who was trailed by Maku, the two boys in an heavy discussion about what moves they should make in the latest game that they both were playing. Last were the twins, still arguing, made even worse by their punishment and that it was really Raijin that had the two go out and not her.

The various conversations eventually interlaced and became one. Himizu was very excited to learn more about the new form of Sailor Romulus.

"It was short lived and I didn't get all the details in the change of the outfit," Raijin ate ferociously.

"It was like reaching the level of Mom, feeling myself become whole. It was awesome!"

"We were losing up to that point, don't forget that."

"Yes, thank you." His sister glared at him. As he took a sip of his drink, she hit the bottom upward, making him choke and sputter.

The others snickered at the two glared at each other. "Come on, grow up!" Maku said loudly. "Anyways, maybe this is a level that you girls can reach but it'll just take some time. I mean, it was hard on the two of them but with will power, it obviously will work out."

"Your confidence in your fellow warrior is so heartening," Raijin muttered. "I had no problems gaining more power. Sansai had to steal mine!"

"I borrowed! And it was only temporary. Stop having such a fit!" They started to argue again.

"Why do we sit with them?" Puroko whispered to Mitsu. "Can we sit somewhere else?"

"I see a nice spot down the grass," Himizu pointed. "Sunny and bright. Thank god that the sun returned. It was pretty cloudy for a while."

The sisters got up. "I heard that this is just for today, maybe tomorrow. There's a storm coming at the end of the week." Mitsu said cheerfully as the three walked off.

Zenshin watched wistfully as the twins were now getting louder.

Maku poked him. "Want to head out?"

"Yea. They're really going after each other. Why are they arguing so much lately?"

"I have no idea. They're two peas in a pod and apparently insane."

"I don't have to listen to you! You're not the boss of me!"

"You're always getting me into trouble! I can't trust you! You and your petty things, make up and clothes.."

"I'm not shallow like you're insisting!"

"Want to bet?!"

When the twins returned home, Makoto had greeted them. Or at least, tried to. Shinozaki was apologetic. "They've been at each other's throats."

Makoto fled her home in frustration. She and her husband separated the two and told them to keep apart and calm down. But Makoto couldn't stand that much arguing. They usually got along but this was a particularly bad spell.

She went to the kitchen in the palace, looking for something sweet. She tossed out everything she made a face at, grumbling.

"Hi, Aunt Makoto," Hinata said from behind, taking a bite of her finger sandwich. She was finishing off a platter as a snack as dinner would be late.

"Oh, Hinata, honey. Do you know where the sweets are?"

Hinata pointed to a far cabinet. "It's the highest shelf. Mamoru has been climbing the walls."

Makoto smiled and then paused. "Hinata, you're actually talking to me."

"I'm sorry." She lowered her face.

"No, I'm happy about it. Maybe I can talk to you about my kids, they're driving me insane. They've been at each other… whoa, candy bar! Anyways, they've been arguing and it's gotten worse after they faced off Lawsonite."

She tore open the candy bar, taking a vicious bite. "There goes my perfect diet." She took another bite.

Makoto sighed as she went out of the massive kitchen, trailed by Hinata. She sat outside, enjoying the waning warm sunlight. Hinata settled next to her, looking out in the gardens.

"I don't know what to do. I can't yell at them and when I ask them why they're fighting, they can't answer."

"Aunt Makoto…" Hinata trailed off, thinking. "Maybe… their powers are trying… to…make them even?"

"Even in power?"

"No, that's not what I mean…" Hinata wrung her hands. "When we gain more power, we won't be able to control it all at first, right?"

"Yes, that's how it's been."

"Maybe the twins are out of balance and are trying to right themselves. As they're two of them and they're bound by the same power, it must be hard for them to find a balance by themselves if they can't find a balance with each other."

"That makes sense. But it's so hard…" Makoto went limp in the chair. "I can't believe I had twins. Twins!"

Hinata giggled at the melodramatic woman.

"What's the problem?" Haruka had heard familiar voices and as the Queen was currently occupied with her husband, she had a free moment to herself. "Good day, Hinata. Makoto, what's got you blue?"

Hinata left them to talk about the children, having lost interest in the conversation. She had finished her schooling early though she saved the homework for later that night. She was found by Diamond who seemed to have been on the look out for her.

"Hinata," He smiled warmly from afar. "Your servants were giving me the round about."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's understandable. I'm a big, tough looking guy."

"No, you're not." She studied his clothing, casual wear with black jeans and a white shirt with gold trim on the hem of the shirt and short sleeves. "You look like a Prince."

He smiled, a slight blush on his face. "Um. Thanks."

"I'm sorry people gave you trouble."

"I'm not exactly the most trusted around here, either." He started to walk, followed by Hinata. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"I finished early. I wanted to have a walk around, since I can't leave the palace."

"Since when do you leave the palace?"

"To visit my friends and their family. I like the people I'm around, even if I don't talk much."

"You've gotten more wordy."

"Makoto pointed that out too. I guess…" She shrugged, not sure what to say.

"You're growing up." They walked in silence. Hinata had a feeling that she knew what Diamond wanted to talk about. She had taken off the bandages but she still bore the visible cuts and bruises.

"Will you tell me what happened?" Diamond finally asked, a slight strain in his voice.

"I was sort of kidnapped, then attacked by the enemy and found my way out." She purposely kept it short.

She was aware of his silence and turned to see him watching her with a intense gaze. "It wasn't so bad…"

"Really? Really?" He asked, harshly. He grasped at her arms, pulling them up as the sleeves fell away to show the cuts and bruises. "You could have been killed!"

"I wasn't."

"You.. You shouldn't be fighting." He demanded.

She found herself crossing her arms. "What?" She asked a little crossly.

"You are a Princess, and shouldn't be in the thicket of things. You should… stay here where it's safe and sound…"

"I can't."

"Why not!?" He was almost childish in his protectiveness.

"Because… I can help turn this fight to our side." She said finally. Her voice grew soft. "I… I never knew of what I could do. I feel.. As if I'm finally discovering what makes me who I am. As if I slept or hid from the world, afraid to expose myself. I can't stand by and let all of my friends, who are my family, stand without me. And.. I can help save them too."

"Save them?" He started to open his mouth to retaliate.

She put a finger to his lips, silencing him. "Everyone deserves to be helped, unless it's absolute that they cannot. My mother would do so, my sister would do so, and I will do so."

He gritted his teeth, looking fierce for a moment. He finally took a staggering breath to try to calm himself. "Fine."

She started to giggle at the expression upon his face. She covered her face as his eyebrow twitched.

"What's so funny?"

"You look so frustrated! Your eyes are like this," She made her own huge upon her face, making a face at him. "And you look so boyish!"

He ran his fingers through his hair, unsure of whether to take that line as a compliment or the laughter as an insult. She started to walk away and he hurried to settle at her side.

"Diamond, what do you really do around here?"

"My brother is the more liked of the two so Sapphire makes a trip twice a month to Nemesis with aid to help the people. They elected a kind man and his wife to rule the planet and help rebuild their society. I help him with the treaties, the papers, amendments, and the aid that the Queen graciously sends to help bolster the economy. She says they have so much to offer, there wouldn't be any problems to give aid to the people of Nemesis."

"So you do live here."

"I tried living with my brother but… I couldn't stomach the open affection between the family.."

"I don't like seeing it either," Hinata said shyly. "But it's… well… because.." She started to mumble then, finishing her sentence with a lowered gaze.

"Because what?" He asked, very curious.

"Because… well… I was a…little… jealous.." She was hurrying forward slightly, blushing. "I mean… Usagi goes on and on and I… didn't even think…but… then.."

She was at a loss for words.

He grasped a hand, pulling her to a stop. "I could agree to that. I was jealous of my brother too. He was able to be reunited with Petz, have a child. All the while I spent my time.." He stopped there, remembering those long years of yearning for something he thought was something he couldn't have.

His hand tightened. "But now, I have you."

Hinata dropped her head, blushing but she was pleased with his words. She leaned against him with a soft sigh of contentment.

"I have to confess, I still hate seeing Sapphire and Petz all lovey dovey. It gets pretty intense, like something you shouldn't be watching but you just can't take your eyes off," Diamond said finally. "Kind of glad I don't live with him anymore."

"So you're staying here permanently?"

"The Queen has given me my own wing."

"You keep saying Queen."

"She's been doing much of the work when dealing with me. I think it's a test to see if I'm…"

"Over her?" She finished for him.

"Yes." He said a little quietly.

"So you did love her?"

"She saved my life. She just… had so much life, I think I knew she was the salvation to our dilemma. If I hadn't been so stupid…"

"Everyone makes mistakes."

"Yes, I know that. It'll be forever before I feel as if I've atoned."

"You've gotten more farther than you realize."

The two walked off down the hallway, disappearing from sight. They spent the afternoon together, talking long and wide about things that they treaded softly on.

Haruka eventually found her way back to Neo Queen Serenity's side, who was surrounded by the still playing Keika and Mamoru. Makoto had left for home, feeling better now that she had vented her frustrations.

"How are they still going?" Haruka asked skeptically.

"After lunch, they had a nice nap. It probably refueled them."

They were now wrestling over a teddy bear.

"Mine!"

"No, mine!"

"Gimme! I'm a girl!"

"It's my teddy! My teddy!"

"Is it me or are lot of the children ending up in arguments?" Haruka shook her head. "Makoto was just telling me about her twins."

"They're just trying to find their balance. I know you had an easier time of dealing with your power but not all of us were that lucky."

"I didn't have it easy! It just looked like it because you weren't around when I was learning!"

Haruka poked at the Queen. "Don't assume I'm any different from you and yours, Kitten."

Neo Queen Serenity laughed at the nickname.

"And they're not exactly the same, despite being twins." The Queen continued. "But as they're twins, they need to find a balance they can share aside from their own."

"That's going to be tough."

"Your girls might have that problem."

"They're not really twins."

"No but they're very close. They are like twins."

Haruka's eyebrow was twitching. She was getting sore that she couldn't have just gone out to the race track but no, she had to follow her motherly instinct and treat the children to happiness. Which meant for an slightly insufferable talk with the Queen.

"I suppose that'll happen. But they're not quite close like Makoto's twins. They seem like they get along but in reality, they're quite different and they act as such."

Mitsu sneezed suddenly, sending the stacked cards flying against Puroko who openly glared at her sister. "You did that on purpose!"

"No, I sneezed because someone must be talking about us," She said crossly.

"I don't see why we couldn't have gone with Papa," Puroko made a face. "I wanted to go to the palace!"

Mitsu rolled her eyes as she started to stack the cards again, trying to build a house. She got to the fourth card and it crumbled. "This is hard!"

"It's called patience. Remember? Mama and Papa want us to try to find some."

"I don't need to be taught about that! I have enough patience." Mitsu glared at the cards. "They just don't want to stay up."

Puroko shook her head and carefully stacked the cards. In seconds, she had several cards up as she worked with patience.

Mitsu's eye twitched. She blinked and then did a fake sneeze.

"MITSU!"

"I had to sneeze!"

"That was obviously a fake, you bully!"

"I'm not a bully! Now stack them up again."

"For what? You to sneeze again? I don't think so." Puroko pushed herself away from the table. "I'm going outside and no, you can't follow me!"

Puroko ran out, the door thudding hard. The weather was getting darker, the sun nearly gone but there was enough light to make it just dusk. She went to the side where the swing set was and started to push herself on the seat. She looked upward as she was soon flying as she started to giggle. She loved to feel the wind on her face. She didn't care to run or to drive but just the strong wind made her feel as if she were being linked to her mother.

She jumped off and tore to the front, having heard sounds of a vehicle. A car drove past as she looked disappointed.

"I really did want to go to the palace.." She brightened. "I know! I'll go meet Papa!" She clapped her hands. "I'm old enough!"

She tore out of the yard and down the street. What was a ten minute drive to the palace ended up a very long walk. Especially when Puroko got lost, which confused her as she never got lost.

"Oh, I turned here, right?" She bit her lip. "I just wanted to see Mama."

"YOU!" Mitsu came stomping in, turning a corner. "It took me forever to find you! Now… lead us home."

"I'm lost, you moron!"

It took a moment. "You're joking, aren't you? Lead us home!"

"I'M LOST!"

"How can we be lost?"

"Well, if you hadn't followed me, you wouldn't be lost but now you are and so am I and… I just wanted to go to the palace!" Puroko burst into tears. "I wanted to go with Papa!"

"Shh! Don't cry! Don't cry!" Mitsu waved her hands worriedly. "It'll be fine! I promise! Look, we'll just backtrack, okay?"

Puroko rubbed at her eyes as the two began to walk down the street. They eventually arrived at one that was still moderately busy. The few people weren't in a hurry to leave the stores as the sisters walked down the street. They could see the palace, starting to light up like a bright beacon and started for it.

"It's a good thing it's so big." Puroko said finally.

"And shiny… I wonder how it's done?" Mitsu mused.

There was a long whiff of wind from behind them, with a biting cold as the two turned in as a pair. Aragonite, eyes blank, met theirs as he tossed a black gem into the street as it warped and blossomed into a youma. He smirked and then disappeared.

"Oh, no!" Puroko lunged to grab onto Mitsu as the girls stumbled back and they hit a hard body.

They turned, craning their heads up to look into Aragonite's eyes. There was nothing of Aragonite in that gaze as the girls paled at the realization that there was something else they were staring at.

He reared over them, grabbing Mitsu by the shoulders. He lifted her effortlessly as Puroko tried to free her.

The aura around Mitsu shone brilliantly for a moment before her eyes fluttered closed and her aura turned black. Puroko, desperate, lunged onto an arm and bit him hard.

Both girls were flown off his arm as Puroko struggled to get up. He was going toward Mitsu again as she took off at a run.

"Nethuns Power, Make UP!" She reappeared as Sailor Nethuns and took aim. "Nethuns Tidal Blaze!" Wind and water swarmed into one, shocking forward as Aragonite was hit. He was thrown backwards only a few feet, still standing as Nethuns looked at him in shock. His slow and calculating smile did not put her at ease.

But she moved and opened her arms in front of her fallen sister. "You won't hurt her! Or take her away like you did with Mars and Mercury! You'll have to kill me first!"

"Fine." He formed a black shard of darkness, the size of a sword.

"No… Puro..ko… run.." Mitsu's eyes tried to open. "Pl..ease…run…"

"NO! I won't! I can't leave you!" She fell to her sister, grasping a hand. "We're sisters!"

He reared over the back of Nethuns as Mitsu's eyes widened. Her grip tightened on her sister's hand as she gave everything she had left. The light filled Puroko and blaze out of her back forming an outline of bird's wings, long and slender. Mitsu had transformed wordlessly and both of their designs changed. Golden clasps of hearts formed on their choker and now two-layered ribbon waistband, with the colors of their secondary color in its center. Their brooches simplified into hearts with three white round gems on the bottom half of the heart and the inside colored with their secondary color but now bore the symbols of Neptune and Uranus respectively. The double layered skirt was of that of the main color and the secondary color on the bottom. The waistband was colored from the main color to the secondary color on the bottom. The tails of both bows had elongated.

"You hurt my sister, I'll hurt you," Sailor Nethuns was usually a kind and gentle spirit but felt the call of the wind fill her with resolution. She pointed to Aragonite. "You won't win! We will always win! One way or another!"

He growled and disappeared but the youma took his place as it leered at the girl. "Nethuns Spiraling Well!" The swirling portal of ice water, condensed tightly into high pressure, was summoned forth and sent outward to strike at the youma. It shattered but still managed to exist.

"Melia Surging Swell!" Fast waves of wind shot out from the girl as she added her attack to Nethuns and finished off the youma. She smiled weakly as she fell to her knees, her body reverting back to her civilian form. "You made me change…"

"No, you did," Puroko reversed her transformation, getting down to her sister's fallen side. "Are you all right?"

"I.. could feel him.. .trying to take something from me. But he couldn't.. why did he take it from Mars and Mercury so easily?"

"Puroko! Mitsu!" Uranus landed hard to her daughters' sides. "My babies! What happened?"

"Aragonite tried to kill me," Puroko tried to smile as she faltered and passed out. Mitsu followed suit as Uranus looked like she was about to have a heart attack.

Michiru arrived with Setsuna as Uranus struggled to lift both girls. "My babies.." She cried openly over her children as Michiru tried to both comfort her and take one of the girls.

Setsuna eventually took one as Haruka held Mitsu possessively. All three elders rushed to the hospital wing in the Palace, the King and Queen summoned.

Puroko was the first one to awaken. She struggled to get up automatically. "No! No! You can't hurt her! You'll have to get through me! She's my sister!"

Haruka shushed her, soothing her. "It's all right. You're both all right."

"He.. He was hurting her! That man! He just.. Was trying to take her away from me!" Puroko fell into sobs, grabbing onto her Papa with a pained gaze.

Haruka held her just as tightly. "It's all right, honey. Everything is all right."

In another room, Mitsu awoke in a panic. "No! I have to be strong! I have to be stronger.. Puroko! Puroko!"

Michiru pushed her down gently. "Shhh… Everything's all right. It's fine, you're in the palace…"

Mitsu shoved past her mother and stumbled out of the room. The shout from Haruka was similar to Michiru's as Puroko also stumbled out of the room. The two sisters met and fell into each other's arms, crying openly.

"You're here!"

"You're here!"

"I can't remember..it's all such a blur…"

"We won!" They laughed weakly, foreheads pressed together.

Both parents looked on as Neo Queen Serenity blinked and then stepped to Haruka's side. "You were right. They wouldn't have any problems."

"That's my girls," Haruka said with motherly proud. "They learn from their parents, seeing how Michiru and I work so well together, they know that they can."

Elsewhere, Aragonite landed in the Dark Kingdom, holding a tiny black orb. It turned to dust as he growled.

"Their parents' blood protects those brats… such a thing as love…" His voice filled with hate and disgust. "I will take away what gives them strength… my next target will be something more bigger and much more powerful.."

"Aragonite! Where did you go?" Jadeite was livid. "How is it that you have been leaving? I control all the openings and if you do so again, I will make sure that will be your last escape."

Aragonite lowered his head in concession but his eyes belied this. Jadeite didn't see that but the lowered head and thought he won. He smirked as he turned on his heel, waltzing off.

Behind Aragonite, Serpentine slowly approached the tall man. She was usually terrified of him but now recently more so. But she felt compelled to approach him.

"Ara…gonite?" She asked softly, in a tiny voice. She hesitantly touched a arm as her fingers were crushed by his grip.

But something showed in his eyes that didn't frighten her. He looked terrified of something as he looked back at her.

"Help… me.." His eyes turned blank again as he let go of her fingers. She watched him away in a robotic step.

She teared up suddenly, unsure of what she was feeling or how she should act. She was starting to feel as where she was, what she had been doing, was something terribly wrong.

She longed to talk to someone. She had almost reached out to Pluto but she stopped at the edge, suddenly worrying about Jadeite. Even in her changing state, there was something still familiar of him, that connected her to him but she didn't know what it was.

She wondered if she should have approached the elder soldier. There was something so serene about them.

She turned and walked away, heading to her room. She disappeared into the shadows and would stay there until she knew what she wanted to do.

The girls stayed overnight at the Palace, sharing a room and a bed. Both parents fell asleep in their armchairs, unwilling to leave the room. Puroko awoke first, rubbing the grit from her eyes as she yawned widely.

She shuffled off the bed, waddling to the bathroom. She was groggy and sore but otherwise felt the same. She used the facilities, humming as she started out the door.

Only to stare at her brooch. It had altered into that of her soldier form upgrade. She examined it, marveling at how shiny it was is. "Did Sansai's change too?" She couldn't remember as no one bothered to ask.

As it turned out, it hadn't. The power level between the two were still unstable and with their constant arguing, it wouldn't happen until the two learned to get along.

The only one to figure this out was Hinata as everyone seemed to think that because it happened once, it'd happen again. But while silent, she was observant and she wished to help the two but she didn't know of any solutions.

Everyone was getting a little bothered by the turn of events and the attack of the sisters didn't help matters. Haruka almost asked the Queen to let the girls stay in the palace but Michiru put a stop to that.

"They cannot hide! They're not weak! They know how to fight! I'm not having my babies that far from me for that long! HARUKA!"

Haruka had to give in at that point, seeing the enraged look her partner's face. She had smiled sheepishly as the other woman crossed her arms, toes tapping.

"I'm sorry?"