"Helios, the glimpses of memories that you mentioned…" Chibiusa blushed as she looked at him with wide eyes.
"It was you… I came here to see you," he spoke softly. I see that now. As I look into her eyes I can still feel the longing in my own heart. That voice asking me if wished to see her. It was all I wanted. But now that I'm here, with her… I'm no longer the same as the person she fell in love with, am I? I have no memories of the past we shared. I'm just a shell of the person I was. And no matter how hard she tries to remind me, it seems like I will never be that person again. How could she continue to love me, as I am now? A tear fell down his cheek and he turned around to hide it from Chibiusa.
"Wait… does that mean you remember how you got here? Do you know what took your memories?" Chibiusa pushed, realizing a chance to find out what was hurting the planet, and her father. Why does he seem so upset? This could be good news for all of us!
"Yes. I was careless, and she took advantage," Helios started, pacing as he talked. "She told me that she could help me to see you again. I didn't even stop to think of the consequences."
"Who is "she"? Is she the person who took your memories?"
"Remember my vision, of a river of sand overwhelming myself, the King, and the planet? It has already overtaken me. She's the one that commands the river… and I think that it is what made me lose my memories," Helios faced Chibiusa again, starting to feel surer of himself.
Immediately, Chibiusa grabbed his hand and started pulling him down the hall without speaking. Mama will know what to do. This sounds like a story she told me, of something that happened before she reached the Galaxy Cauldron…
"Chibiusa? Where are you leading me now?" Helios asked as he hastened his pace to keep up with her.
"We're getting your memories back."
….
"The Princess truly is becoming a real lady and Senshi in her own right, isn't she?" Mars gazed wistfully out the window at the crystal city beyond it.
"Yes… she has come a long way," Neo Queen Serenity responded. Instinctively, she put her hand to her chest, where her brooch would have been long ago. "She is growing up. Just in time…"
"But will she be able to handle this on her own, I wonder?" Venus spoke up. Even after speaking so little, she was already out of breath.
"Pardon the intrusion, but Lady has requested to have Helios presented to you privately," Sailor Ceres entered the room tentatively, still not comfortable in the presence of the older Senshi and the Queen.
….
"A river of sand? Yes, that does bring back memories," Neo Queen Serenity smiled kindly at the boy who stood nervously in front of her. "There are two such rivers, both in the far reaches of the galaxy: the Desert River of Oblivion, and the Desert River of Memory. They are guarded by twin Senshi of two feuding planets: Sailor Lethe and Sailor Mnemosyne. Swallowing water from the River of Oblivion can cause one's memories to be eternally lost."
"Sailor Lethe…" Helios repeated the name that he had recognized. He could now see her face clearly in his mind. Yes, hers is the voice that spoke to me, that offered to help me.
"But your Silver Crystal can return his memories to him, can't it, Mama?" Chibiusa pleaded.
The Queen shook her head apologetically. "I am sorry, but I cannot."
I knew it. It's hopeless. I'm never going to be the person that Chibiusa sees in me.
"But your powers are what allowed you to regain your memory when it was lost! Why can't you help Helios, Mama?" Chibiusa cried desperately.
"It is true that I was able to regain my memories without drinking water from the River of Memory… but that was when I had more power available to me…" she looked down at her hands, trying to conceal their shaking.
What does she mean? Eternal Sailor Moon was powerful, but her power was second to that of the Queen, to my Mama. If she doesn't have the power to do something now, then… "Have you already been affected by the new danger threatening the planet? By Sailor Lethe?"
"Yes… Lady, my daughter, please listen carefully. The time has come for you and your guardians to stand up on your own and protect this planet. This is something only you can do. It is only a matter of time before the true battle begins, and this time I do not have the strength to protect you myself. I am sorry," she wiped a tear from her eye and placed a hand on Chibiusa's shoulder. "But know this: I have faith in you and what you can accomplish. I always have."
"No! I can't do this! I can't even bring Helios' memories back. I'm not you… I'm not Usagi!" Chibiusa ran out of the room in tears, not daring to look back.
Neo Queen Serenity looked at Helios and smiled. "You had better go after her. She needs you."
….
Helios found Chibiusa huddled on the ground in the courtyard. Slowly he walked up to her, gently running his fingers through her hair to calm her down. "Chibiusa…" I don't even know what to say. If only I could get my memories back… all I'm doing as I am now is hurting her.
"I'm sorry, Helios," Chibiusa pressed herself against Helios' chest and cried. "I can't get your memories back after all." I've fallen in love with him all over again. We worried together; we broke free of our loneliness together. But… he only kissed me to regain his memories. If I can't get them back… he'll never love me as I love him.
"It's all right," he spoke quietly, still stroking her hair and holding her in closely. "I have everything I need right here. I may not remember what we shared in the past, but here, in this time, I have fallen in love with you. I am only sorry that I can't be the person that you remember me as. But please, listen to me. You were right back there—you're not your mother. You are yourself. And you are beautiful and strong. You have already saved me."
Chibiusa looked up in surprise and scanned Helios' face. Memories aren't what are important. Didn't I learn anything from my own parents' story? If you are destined to be together, you will find each other, and fall in love, over and over again. She pulled Helios even closer to her and closed her eyes, preparing to kiss him. The truth is… I didn't believe in my own power. I never really did. When I first met Helios, I ran away in anger because I had thought that I wasn't special after all, that Usagi was the Maiden he sought. That was when he kissed me for the first time. Helios has always helped me to believe in myself.
As their lips touched, a bright light surrounded them, enveloping them in its warm glow.
Yes… thanks to Helios, I can finally believe in my strength.