For the One I Love
Chapter Eight
"Beginning to Move"
"Do you want some more water?"
To everyone's great relief, Usagi had woken a couple days prior. Whatever fever she had seemed to break in the middle of the night. While she wasn't feeling perfect, simply being conscious was definitely an improvement. No one could explain to her exactly what happened, but everyone hoped that this meant whatever was happening in the past had settled down some.
"No, I'm fine." Usagi said. She was still weak enough to where moving around a lot wouldn't be a great idea, and so she found herself ordered to bedrest. In the meantime, her friends had volunteered to take turns to come check in on her.
"Here, I'll get that." Taiki took the cup from Chibi-Usa and headed down to the kitchen. Surprisingly, he and Yaten had been sticking around Usagi as much as anyone else, if not a tiny bit more. Haruka had called it, "accomplice's guilt" behind their backs. When Taiki came back up, he wasn't alone.
"Hey, how you feeling?" Haruka lightly poked Usagi's head.
"Alright." Usagi smiled at her. "Wah, what is everyone doing here?" She asked stunned as her room began to resemble a stuffed box. Haruka wasn't the only one who'd come up with Taiki. Michiru, Hotaru, Ami, Rei, Minako, Makoto, Mamoru, and Artemis also waltzed in.
"We got a message from Setsuna in Crystal Tokyo."
"Crystal Tokyo?" Usagi questioned.
"She left for Crystal Tokyo almost a week ago." Luna spoke from Usagi's lap. "She sent a message saying she's on her way back right now and to meet her here."
"About time." Yaten said, sitting at Usagi's desk.
"Why did she go to the 30th Century?" Usagi straightened up some.
"To find out where Seiya is." Setsuna spoke from the doorway.
"Setsuna!"
"And did you?" Haruka asked.
"Yes. I pinpointed his location on the King's computers. Now we can send someone back to him."
"Er," Minako hesitated. "Can…can we know? Where he is?"
"… I guess it won't hurt to know." She replied. "I managed to track the energetic aura of the key he has to a specific year in our timeline. 1993."
"1993…" Everyone thought out loud.
"But weren't you two together in 1993?" Makoto gestured to Usagi and Mamoru.
Rei gasped. "Any…specific time in 1993?" She asked.
"Seiya has managed to land near the beginning of your battle with the Black Moon Clan."
"That would explain it. That's when Mamoru-san had broken up with Usagi, correct?" Usagi and Mamoru glanced at each other before Mamoru nodded to Ami in reply.
"Why-" Yaten began.
"He had his reasons." Usagi cut him off.
"This seems even more complicated now, though." Everyone's focus fell on Makoto. "I mean, wasn't that the time we learned about time travel and the future ourselves? And our enemy was actually from the future- there's just- a lot of time travel going on."
"It really does hurt my head." Minako added.
"It's not going to get any easier either." Setsuna paused. "I was debating mentioning it, because telling all of you won't really do any good at the moment, but since Makoto kind of mentioned it already…"
"What?" Michiru said. "What is it?"
"Seiya is at a very crucial moment in Usagi's- in all your timeline's really. The outcome of the battle with the Black Moon Clan is something that could easily alter the reality of this world. If you were for some reason to never learn of the future, or if the battle swayed in a different direction, everything would change, and not for the better. Not only that, but Seiya may be in danger himself."
"What do you mean?" Taiki demanded.
"It's dangerous for two of the same thing to exist in the same time period so close to each other, especially if those same things are very powerful. And-"
"My time key." Chibi-Usa interrupted as it dawned on her. "I was there too, with the same exact time key Seiya has on him now."
"Yes."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Haruka barked. "Send Michiru and I back so we can stop any more issues before they happen."
"No. I don't think it would be a wise idea to send you two back for various reasons. I suggest we send you two back." Yaten and Taiki looked a little taken aback.
"Us?" Taiki asked.
"You two can control him-" Yaten snorted before Setsuna could finish.
"Control him? No one can control Seiya…"
"What I mean is you know him better, and he's more likely to respond to you more than any of us.'
"Heh, if you think so." Yaten said.
"So will you take the job?" Setsuna asked them.
"I don't think we really have a choice, do we?" Taiki asked. "We'll do it."
"When the Queen sends word to me is when you will go. It took so long to get back here because we started setting up a temporary time portal, which will allow you to travel back without having to keep a key on you. Don't worry, she doesn't know the details behind it." Setsuna added to ease Haruka's troubled face. "It would be too dangerous to have three time keys in the same period otherwise, even if they're different."
"Woah, wait a minute!" Yaten interjected. "Taiki, aren't you forgetting something? I don't know about him, but I'm not doing anything until you explain to me what exactly you're talking about. Where's this place you went to, and what King and Queen do you keep talking about? I was under the impression Earth wasn't under the rule of a single monarch anymore," He glanced at Mamoru. "Let alone one with powers like ours."
"It's not." Ami said.
"Not yet… anyway." Rei added.
"Setsuna?" Michiru shrugged, looking over at her friend and fellow warrior. She looked back meaningfully, also taking in Haruka's demeanor. Haruka rolled her eyes begrudgingly, but agreed with a silent nod.
"Alright." The tall dark-haired beauty took that as a consensus. "Considering where in the past you'll be going, it's probably better you know anyway. I required advanced technology, so I traveled to the future. The capital of 30th century Earth, Crystal Tokyo, under the reign of Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion."
30th century Earth, in our capital Crystal Tokyo under the reign of Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion."
"Neo?…"
"…Queen Serenity?" Taiki glanced over at Usagi.
As they stood there staring at her, Setsuna began to tell them all about Earth's future. As she did, no one paid attention to Usagi as she laid her head against Mamoru's chest. The two looked at each other, taking each other's hands in unified comfort.
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"Excuse me, sir?"
"Y-yes?" Seiya had been in a semi-conscious state, unaware of any customers around him.
"I would like to buy these." A man said from behind the counter. Seiya sighed shook himself awake.
"Alright, let me ring those up for you."
Seiya had been doing a lot of nodding off lately. He wasn't tired, okay maybe he was slightly tired, but between: his new job at the clothing store; school, which he forgot came with homework and exams; assuming the role of a Senshi on Earth once again; and the constant painful headaches, you could say he was easily losing sleep. Sometimes he wondered if the headaches were from thinking too long and hard, trying to piece together the puzzle of what was going on. He knew for sure the small child here named Chibi-Usa and the one who confronted him back in the present were one in the same, but everything else about her confused him. And judging from the conversation he overheard between the girl and the Sailor Senshi the night he first transformed into Fighter, they currently didn't know much about her either.
His original plan to not get involved with Sailor Moon and the other Senshi had been instantly shattered in that one instant to save Sailor Moon's life. While saving her life was more than worth that sacrifice, he now found himself not only entangled with them, but a main subject to them. Seiya would catch Usagi and her friends talking about the mysterious new Senshi around the corners at school, before they caught sight of him walking towards them and quickly changed the subject. Couldn't be helped he guessed. From what he'd seen and heard so far, they were still trying to figure out this enemy of theirs. Now all of a sudden a new Senshi, which they didn't know possible, appears that well… really shouldn't have.
That aside, Seiya would occasionally forget he was actually back in the past. Things felt so natural with Usagi now, like they had the first time they became close. She would still get annoyed with him once in a while. Like a couple of days ago when Seiya went shopping with Usagi, Minako, and Makoto and they ran into Mamoru again. He slipped his arm around her and pulled his, "girlfriend" away again. After a short silent treatment, a smack on the arm, and three bowls of ice cream later, she finally forgave him. On the plus, calling her 'Dumpling' seemed to be accepted now.
"Seiyyaaa" As the bell rang signaling his customer's leave, a playful female voice called from the door leading to the shop's storage room.
"What is it Hitomi?" She was his co-worker on weekends, about a year older than he was but shorter. She had brown eyes and short brown hair that curled out at the tips right above her shoulders. She walked to the woman's clothing section and dropped a box full of tank tops down with a loud thump.
"You're getting out early aren't you?" She asked.
"Hmm… oh yeah." He replied. Hitomi furled her forehead.
"Why didn't you just take the day off and sleep in?"
"I need as many hours as I can get. Anyway, why do you ask?"
"Oh well, isn't it about time you clocked out for today?"
Seiya lazily tilted his head backwards over his shoulder to check the time on the clock above the check out desk. He sprang to life upon seeing it.
"I'm going to be late!" He ran in back to clock out and then back up to the desk. He opened the cash register and chucked his nametag inside it.
"Why are you in such a rush? Got a cute girl waiting for you out there?" She teased.
"Exactly that." He grinned.
"Ohh…" Hitomi took a sudden interest in hanging up the tank tops. "Well, have fun then."
"I will! See you tomorrow okay?" He said running to the door.
"Alright. Bye."
"Bye…"
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When Seiya arrived at Usagi's house she was sitting on a chain link in front of her house. Her hair was up like it usually was, and she wore a pink button up t-shirt tucked into a blue mini skirt with white sandals. As he got closer, he heard her conversing and spotted the cat Luna sitting with her.
"If we leave her alone, who knows when she'll release her energy again." The cat spoke.
"Okay I got it." Usagi spoke this time. Luna started walking away towards Seiya so he ducked to the side.
"Then, let's split up and go look for her. Usagi, you go the other way, okay?" The cat started to stalk off. Seiya was about to move out into the open as Usagi let go of a deep sigh, but the cat abruptly dashed back and scolded her for not moving fast enough.
When Usagi finally got up and started walking, Luna left her. "Oy, Dumpling!"
"Oh, Seiya hi." She smiled meekly continuing to walk.
"What are you doing? I thought we were going to go shopping with your friends?" He asked.
"Yeah, well … my cousin is missing again…"
"Again?"
"That brat has a habit of running off. And I'm the one who always has to go chasing after her."
"Mm, why don't I help again?" He offered.
"Really?" Usagi looked at him in awe.
"Haha, you really find it surprising or something?" Seiya chuckled slightly.
"I don't know…" Her face turned slightly pink. "I just thought you would be sick of playing hide and seek tag."
"Ah, I'm never sick of playing with you Dumpling." He poked her in the side, which caught Usagi off guard.
"Wh-what does that mean?" She sputtered. Seiya laughed. "Hey, don't get any funny ideas you!"
"Haha, you're such a kid!" He couldn't help it, she was too cute.
"Whatever! Aren't you the same age…" She asked suspiciously.
"Oh! That's right." Seiya shrugged it off and continued walking along side her.
"You said that like you forgot!"
"So?"
"So? So, no normal sane person forgets how old they are!"
"They can under certain factors." He said relaxed.
"What factors?"
Usagi bickered with Seiya for about half an hour walking around the neighborhood, up and down the main roads and side streets. As far as he was concerned, this was better than shopping with her friends any day. They were alone, not even other pedestrians were around to bother them as they walked around talking on a nice sunny warm day. The conversation turned to music as they neared an empty construction zone. Seiya had been hoping for a moment like this for a while. Just a normal day, talking happily with Usagi, alone. Now, if only he could reach out his hand… and take hers…
"Oh, Chibi-Usa." Usagi stopped and watched the small child climb through a hole in the wall, leading into the construction site. "What's she doing there? Come on Seiya!" She chased after the child.
"Uh…" Seiya blinked with his hand still outstretched. "W-wait Usagi!" He went after her, shaking off the momentary stall in his actions.
Usagi climbed through the small hole, slipping through to the other side of the wall. She started to inch alongside it and some metal beams.
"Shh, she's right there! Come here!" She grabbed onto his shirt, dragging him down to hide by her side. She silently placed her finger to her lips, warning him not to speak.
"Puu…" They heard Chibi-Usa say.
"What is the matter?" It was a completely new voice, and it sounded muffled somehow. "You're crying aren't you?" Seiya could barely make it out, and for some reason it sounded familiar. He looked over at Usagi, but she didn't seem to be able to even hear it.
"Puu…"
"You should not cry. You're a strong girl, aren't you?"
"Pluto?!"
"Shh!" Usagi clamped her hand over Seiya's mouth.
"No, I'm scared, Puu." Chibi-Usa whined again.
"Be strong. You have powerful allies." Pluto's fuzzy voice continued to come from where Chibi-Usa was.
"I don't have anyone like that." Usagi leaned in like she could hear the voice now, only she didn't seem to recognize it. This meant she didn't know who Sailor Pluto was either which Seiya kind of wondered already, since she didn't know who Haruka was.
"Haven't the Sailor Senshi always helped you in the past?"
"But they're much stronger. Because they even made Mom…my mom…Look at what they did to her!" She cried out to Sailor Pluto's voice. "Even Dad couldn't beat them!" She sobbed as the voice tried to still sooth her.
"Do you remember when you were very young? Don't you remember those Senshi who always looked after you in the future city? Those Senshi are still fighting to protect Crystal Tokyo. And also, the world you are in now. Believe in Sailor Moon and those Senshi. I'm sure they will help you…"
Usagi bit her lip and glanced at Seiya and to her fear, was listening as hard as she was. The conversation was going into dangerous territory. She couldn't make him leave without leaving herself. She had no choice but to stay put, and pray nothing the voice didn't reveal anymore about the Sailor Senshi. The voice deceased and Chibi-Usa shot up.
"Puu!" She cried. "Puu…"
Seiya looked over to Usagi, was who staring at him herself. He could see himself reflected back in her eyes, his own eyes wide; mouth slightly slack.
"Who is this child, and what on Earth is going on…"