~Wavering Destiny~
by Strawberry Moon Rose
Enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi.
Chapter 44: We Are One
"Chibi Chibi...?" Sailor Moon said slowly. Her eyebrows shot up as she started from Chibi-Usa to Chibi Chibi. She stopped mid-step, confusion paralyzing her.
Chibi Chibi toddled forward, right to Sailor Moon and Fighter. Her large blue eyes swept over them, bright and excited. She squealed delightfully with recognition.
Sailor Moon eased to her knees. Chibi Chibi reached out and touched her wrist. Her skin was so warm. A tingly sensation rippled where their skin met, washing away the tension in her system.
Chibi Chibi... Why are you here again? How is this possible? She didn't hesitate to hold the child close, like a long lost friend.
Sailor Moon felt like she was transported back in time. She remembered Chibi Chibi curled up in her bed at night, falling asleep under the blankets together like it was just yesterday. She remembered Seiya holding her in her lap after softball practice, staring up at the stars. She recalled searching for her that first day she'd appeared, only to find that Chibi Chibi had wandered straight to Seiya, who'd been working as a one-day police officer. Had it been an entire year since then?
It wasn't until now, as Sailor Moon held her in her arms, that she realized just how much she'd missed her.
Chibi Chibi looked just like she remembered. Her vibrant, strawberry hair was still tied in two, heart-shaped Bun Heads, with little ringlets springing out. Her cheeks were adorably chubby, and she seemed as smiley and energetic as ever. She wore a baby-blue dress that could pass as a nightie.
As Sailor Moon hugged her close, the fragrance of pomegranates and roses wafted off her small body. She was surprised that Chibi Chibi didn't smell like sweet olives and baby powder like she remembered.
Sailor Moon's eyes popped open. Why did she smell just like Seiya? She hadn't even touched her yet.
"Um... What's...going on?" Fighter swallowed nervously. She flitted her eyes from Tuxedo Mask and Pluto to Sailor Moon and Chibi Chibi. Her gaze couldn't help but linger a bit longer on the transparent, pink-haired preteen at Pluto's side. It was Chibi-Usa, it had to be. She looked just like a mini version of Usagi.
Chibi-Usa stared back at the Starlight with an equally peculiar expression. She tilted her head to the side. Her ruby eyes took Fighter in from head to toe. It was the first time they'd ever seen each other before.
"Small Lady," Pluto said quietly, "this is Sailor Star Fighter." She went to place her hand on Chibi-Usa's shoulder, but drew back, realizing it would have gone right through her. A flicker of pain crossed her face, then vanished.
Everyone's eyes reverted to Fighter, awaiting her reaction. Sailor Moon shifted Chibi Chibi to her hip and stood up apprehensively.
Fighter looked embarrassed that the attention was turned to her. Everyone was waiting for her reaction.
She retied her ponytail and tugged on her torn shorts. After the brawl with Uranus, she was a mess. So much for first impressions. Fighter took a deep breath and strode towards Pluto and Chibi-Usa, ignoring everyone's stares. When she reached them, she bent to Chibi-Usa's level.
"Er... Hey there. It's great to finally meet you, Chibi-Bun Head."
Chibi-Usa narrowed her eyes suspiciously. The Starlight's deep blue eyes seemed kind enough, and the smile on her lips looked genuine. Could this nice woman really be the monster who'd torn her family apart and threatened her very existence? The woman her mother loved more than Mamoru? As much as she wanted to hate her for ruining her life, she couldn't bring herself to do so.
Chibi-Usa looked to Sailor Moon. Her future mother watched their exchange with anticipation.
Chibi Chibi curiously peeked at them too from Sailor Moon's arms. Chibi Chibi looked so comfortable, like she and Usagi had known each other for years. A pang of jealousy rang through Chibi-Usa. She shook off the gut-wrenching feeling and turned back to Fighter, realizing the Starlight was waiting for her to say something. She cleared her throat and crossed her arms.
"My name's Usagi, you know," she said.
"You really are Bun Head's daughter, aren't you? You're just like I imagined, Usagi."
"Really?" Chibi-Usa's eyes brightened. She quickly bit her tongue and looked away, torn between emotions.
Diana, who was perched on her shoulder, meowed in her ear and licked her cheek. Her sienna-colored cat eyes curiously moved around the room, taking in the new scene. It'd been a while since she'd seen the 20th century versions of Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. They looked so young compared to their Crystal Tokyo-era selves. Her eyes lingered on Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn for a second, then stopped completely on the Starlights. She eyed the silver-haired one next to Venus with curiosity and purred appreciatively in Chibi-Usa's ear.
"I... I don't really get what's going on." Sailor Moon scratched the back of her head as she approached them. How did they get to Kinmoku? Was Chibi-Usa okay? Where had they been for the past few days?
"Sailor Pluto and I agreed that it was time to do act," Tuxedo Mask explained. "The two of us went to the 30th century. When we got there, we didn't exactly have any other choice but to take Chibi-Usa back with us."
"What...do you mean?" Sailor Moon shifted her weight, hiking Chibi Chibi up on her hip.
Pluto replied, "Crystal Tokyo was changing rapidly, in many ways. Inside the palace, everything around us had started shifting, right before our very eyes. It was too dangerous, we had to act quickly."
Tuxedo Mask nodded. "Neo Queen Serenity granted us permission to take Chibi-Usa and flee. We did, just in the nick of time too. If she'd stayed in the future any longer, she would have died. As we left, this pink aura appeared and she," Tuxedo Mask gestured to Chibi Chibi, "led us here."
Sailor Moon looked confused. "But bringing Chibi-Usa here to the present won't stop her from disappearing. Even I know that. Also, wasn't Chibi Chibi just Sailor Galaxia's starseed? I thought she disappeared when I defeated Chaos. Why would she appear again now?"
Pluto and Tuxedo Mask looked at each other, holding a brief, silent conversation with their eyes. Pluto looked away, somewhat embarrassed.
"Yes... We can discuss that later," said Pluto. "Right now we have more important matters at hand. Mamoru has connected his life force to Small Lady's, allowing her to live outside of the timeline. But unfortunately, he cannot sustain her much longer or he will die himself."
Sailor Moon's eyes went large, horrified. This was more serious than she'd imagined. Mamoru had supported Chibi-Usa's life when Mistress 9 had stolen her heart crystal. She never imagined they'd have to do it twice. She gulped.
"Then we've gotta find a way for Chibi-Usa to live here in the present on her own!"
Pluto nodded in agreement.
Before anyone could say another word, Chibi Chibi wriggled around in Sailor Moon's arms, begging to be put down. Absentmindedly, Sailor Moon bent and let her go. The toddler wobbled over to Fighter, giggling. She grabbed a hold of the Starlight's ponytail and yanked playfully, like it was a jump rope.
"Ow- Hey!" Fighter protested. She bent her knees and tried to untangle her hair from around Chibi Chibi's chubby fingers.
"Chibi Chibi!" Chibi Chibi giggled gleefully.
"Hey now..." Fighter patted the top of her scarlet hair. "You haven't changed a bit, now have you?"
"Have...you?" Chibi Chibi repeated. She tittered again and touched Fighter's thigh-high boots, fascinated. She gazed up with big puppy-dog eyes and tugged.
"What is it?" Fighter asked, bending slightly. "What's wrong?"
Tuxedo Mask smiled. "I think she wants you."
"What? Me? W-why?" Fighter blushed at once. Chibi Chibi nodded eagerly and pulled harder on her leg. Fighter shot Tuxedo Mask a surprised look. By the tone of his voice, it almost sounded like he was being nice to her. What the hell?
"She probably remembers you from before," Maker offered.
Fighter glanced down at the toddler. It was definitely true she and Sailor Moon had spent the most time with her on Earth. Just looking at Chibi Chibi washed a sense of nostalgia over her like a tidal wave.
Chibi Chibi raised her arms over her head and stretched up and down on her tip toes. Fighter's heart swooped at her cuteness. She couldn't take it, Chibi Chibi reminded her too much of Usagi. She caved.
"Alright, alright. C'mere..."
Chibi Chibi let out a delightful squeal and toddled into Fighter's arms excitedly.
Feeling somewhat self-conscious, Fighter rose on her feet, awkwardly coddling the child against her. Besides her nephew Kazuya, she didn't have a ton of experience under her belt with children. But as she eased Chibi Chibi up, all her worries blew away like dust in the wind. When she brought Chibi Chibi close, it was as if someone had snapped in the last piece of a puzzle.
Fighter gazed at the toddler in bewilderment. The strangest sensation pulsed throughout her body, leaving her feeling relaxed, despite the chaos that had gone down just minutes before. This feels so eerie, like I've held her like this before, but not just on Earth...
Chibi Chibi's hair smelled like strawberries, just like Usagi's. Fighter closed her eyes, forgetting where and when she was. Time seemed to come to a halt. She let the warm feeling consume her willingly.
"Um, hate to ruin the moment, but does someone wanna tell us what the heck is going on?" Mars asked. She was crossing the room, limping slightly. A part of her red skirt was torn from the fight, and scratches tattooed her exhausted body.
"You took the words right out of my mouth," Jupiter agreed. She passed Uranus and Neptune with caution. To her relief, the couple paid no attention to her, Mars, or the other inner guardians bringing up the rear. Their eyes were glued to Pluto and Chibi-Usa.
"Just when I didn't think it could get any weirder..." Venus mumbled under her breath.
"You think?" Healer brushed her side-swept bangs out of her eyes.
Saturn, who was standing silently on the sidelines, squeezed her eyes shut, overwhelmed by everything. A smile of relief whispered across her lips. When she opened her violet eyes, they glittered.
"Chibi-Usa..." she breathed, her frail voice cracking.
"Hotaru!" Chibi-Usa's face lit up when she spotted the beautiful, fair-skinned guardian of silence. She wanted to dash over and throw her arms around her best friend. But she had to stay near Mamoru for his energy to flow to her.
Everyone got closer, their eyes steady on Chibi-Usa and questions running through their heads. The last they'd seen of her was when she'd left for the 30th century after Nehelenia's return nearly two years ago.
Mars cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. Jupiter scratched her chin. There was something vaguely different about Chibi-Usa though, besides the fact that she was transparent, like a ghost.
The cotton candy-pink curls sprouting out of her cone-shaped buns were an inch or two longer than they used to be, just grazing past her blossoming chest. Her face had lost some baby fat, and her shoulders and hips were slightly broader. She wore a simple pink dress and demure flats. She was almost thirteen years old now, the same as Hotaru, and just over a year short of Usagi's age when Luna had first come and told her that she was Sailor Moon. Although she was far from the teenage Chibi-Usa of the Dark Moon's magic, she wasn't the bratty little child they'd remembered; Chibi-Usa had grown up before their eyes.
"Why are you all staring at me?" Chibi-Usa picked up her Luna-P to busy her hands. She fiddled with the antenna and chewed on the inside of her cheek.
Sailor Moon's heart felt choked up. A tingly sensation rippled in the back of her throat, and her nose twitched, and she knew she was about to cry. Standing mere feet away was her daughter; her very own flesh and blood. Even though it was selfish, she was partially relieved Chibi-Usa wasn't returning to the future any time soon. She wanted her to stay in the present, with her, forever. She would spend as much time with her as she could, and never would take what she had for granted ever again.
"Oh, Chibi-Usa..." Sailor Moon wiped away a sparkly tear. With Fighter taking care of Chibi Chibi now, she strode straight towards her future daughter and threw her arms around her, something she'd been waiting desperately to do since the second she'd appeared.
"Usagi..." Chibi-Usa's voice was muffled, but the emotion hanging thickly on each word was loud and clear. She sounded like she was about to burst into tears herself.
"God, I'm so stupid. I never meant for this to happen to you, Chibi-Usa. I really didn't, please forgive me." Sailor Moon's words gushed out uncontrollably. She squeezed her eyes shut, spilling tears onto her daughter's shoulder. Chibi-Usa was touchable, but in some places Sailor Moon's hands went right through her body. The poignant memory of cradling her as she disappeared to nothing but air in Nehelania's tower burned in her mind.
"I won't let you disappear again," she said firmly. Sailor Moon pulled away and touched Chibi-Usa's face lovingly. "I promise."
"But...how can you say that?" Chibi-Usa sniffled and pointed to herself. "I... I'm not supposed to exist anymore! You and Mamo won't be together in the future, so I won't be born. It's over, Usagi." Her lip quavered, and she hugged her Luna-P closer.
"Oh, Small Lady..." Diana's whiskers drooped.
"It's not over!" Sailor Moon cried. She put her hands on Chibi-Usa's shoulder's and looked her in the eyes. Chibi-Usa was slightly older, but the frightened look on her face made Sailor Moon feel like she was speaking to the five-year old girl who'd fallen from the sky. Sailor Moon's heart split in half.
"Listen to me, Chibi-Usa. You mean the world to me, and I love you with all of my heart. Everything's going to be fine, okay? I caused this mess and I'll fix it!"
"Usagi..." Just as a tear cascaded down her face, Chibi-Usa begun to glow. Her body flashed on and off like a lighthouse. She let out a small squeak.
"Chibi-Usa!" Prickles rose on Sailor Moon's skin, and her heart started chugging fast.
"Small Lady!"
"Chibi-Usa!" Tuxedo Mask and Pluto bustled around her.
"What's going on? No! This can't be! Not so soon-" Sailor Moon whispered, panic rising in her voice. "No!"
"Small Lady!" mewed Diana. As Chibi-Usa faded in and out, the wall behind her became more visible. Diana sank right through her owner's shoulder and hit the marble with a meow.
"Diana!" Chibi-Usa bent to pick her up. She gasped when her fingers ghosted straight through the purple kitten. Chibi-Usa stared horrified at her hands, as if they didn't belong to her. She was becoming nothing but air with each passing second.
"It's okay, I've got her." Healer appeared out of nowhere. She scooped up the kitten and shuffled out of the way, cradling Diana lovingly in her arms.
"This is bad," Uranus said tensely. She balled her fists open and closed.
"Something has to be done, before it's too late," Neptune murmured into her palm.
"Mamo! Usagi! Puu!" Chibi-Usa's cries wilted like dead flowers. Her eyes flickered to each of them. "Help me!"
Sailor Moon grabbed her daughter's hand tightly. It felt like holding onto air, but she refused to let go. Tuxedo Mask took Chibi-Usa's other hand with his right and offered his left to Sailor Moon. Without hesitation, she wrapped her fingers around his, creating a three-person circle.
"No matter what, don't let her go!" Sailor Moon shouted. "It's you that's keeping her alive!"
Tuxedo Mask nodded. "Try lending some of your power to her too, Sailor Moon!"
"Got it." Sailor Moon squeezed her eyes shut and tried to clear her mind. Everything suddenly sounded loud and disoriented, like a waterfall was gushing inside her ears. A crash of thunder rocked her concentration, and a brilliant flash of lightning burned the back of her eyelids. Sailor Moon shuddered. Why does it still have to be storming out there now of all times? She exhaled, pushing away the sludgy feelings the best she could.
This had to work. There were no second chances. If they lost Chibi-Usa now, there would be no way of ever getting her back. Failure was not an option.
Sailor Moon licked her lips nervously and forced herself to relax. A bubbly sensation tickled her body and her insides shimmered. She allowed a warm power to overflow from her chest and pump to every vein in her body. It spread down her arms, wrists, and to every finger. It flowed from her hips to her knees, to her ankles, and to every toe; completely engulfing her. It was the same magical feeling she felt when she transformed.
Although she couldn't see it, she felt a cool rush of air flowing to her right hand, and she knew it was Tuxedo Mask emanating his power too. She accepted it gratefully and directed their combined magic to Chibi-Usa.
Please, please, let this work, she thought to herself. Her jaw locked and her heart thudded faster. Thump. Thump. Thump.
After a few agonizing minutes, it grew tiring. Slowly, Sailor Moon opened a blue eye and gasped audibly. She wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or scared at what she saw.
Chibi-Usa wasn't flickering any longer, but she remained translucent. A pink and golden glow radiated off her body, pulsing like a heartbeat. Sailor Moon could feel Tuxedo Mask's power slowing too. Chibi-Usa still had a long way to go before she could sustain herself, and they'd both used up a good portion of their strength already. She had no idea it would be this difficult.
Sailor Moon grimaced. This isn't good. I don't know how much longer we can keep this up! I hoped it wouldn't come down to this, but I'll have to do it. I've got no other choice!
Sailor Moon lolled her head slightly and rolled her shoulders back, puffing her chest out. Piece by piece, with a hot, white glow burning under her collarbone, the silver crystal crystallized. The floweret of diamonds sparkled bright, like powdery snow glistening under sunlight.
Mercury gasped. "Sailor Moon!"
"What're you doing!? If you use that, you'll die!" Uranus yelled.
"Don't do it!" Venus begged, her baby-blue eyes enlarging. "Please!"
"Princess..." Pluto's tan skin paled.
With a smile born on her lips, Sailor Moon opened her eyes. The bright light glittering on her chest blinded her.
"It's okay," she said over her shoulder in a calm voice. With the light glistening on her eternal uniform and wings, she looked like an angel. "I can do this. It's the only way to save Chibi-Usa. Please everyone, don't worry. Everything will be okay, I promise."
Fighter gazed at Sailor Moon, frozen by many emotions. Fighter parted her lips, but her mouth went sandpaper-dry, making words impossible. She shut it and held Chibi Chibi tighter, feeling helpless.
"Chibi Chibi?" Chibi Chibi's voice skewed up with concern. She could sense Fighter's distress.
"Don't worry, Chibi Chibi," Fighter whispered. "Everything's going to be okay. Sailor Moon knows what she's doing."
"O...kay," she sounded out. "Okay... Chibi Chibi...?"
"Yes. That's right." Fighter bit fretfully on her lip and finger-combed Chibi Chibi's bangs absentmindedly. She couldn't take this. Just standing there doing nothing while Sailor Moon poured out the awesome power of the silver crystal was making her stomach do somersaults. Her heart thrummed like an out-of-control needle on a sewing machine. What if this didn't work? What if Chibi-Usa lived but Tuxedo Mask or Sailor Moon didn't? Fighter clenched her teeth. This was torture.
"It's...not...working...Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask grunted. His hand around Chibi-Usa's started to come undone. He was rapidly loosing the strength he had left after sustaining Chibi-Usa's life for so long. He wasn't a sailor guardian and didn't have the power the others did.
"Don't give up! We can't lose her now!" Sailor Moon gave his hand an encouraging squeeze.
"Mamo..." Chibi-Usa's voice was small. Her bangs fluttered to and fro above her eyes. As the raw power of the silver crystal increased, the floor under their feet started trembling. Wind gusted around their three-person triangle, snapping their clothes against their bodies and whipping their hair around their faces.
A deafening crack of thunder sounded, clanking the chandeliers together. The lights flickered on and off, creating a strobe light affect. Chibi-Usa whimpered.
"Everyone, I-" Sailor Moon's chest suddenly tightened, cutting of her breath. Sharp pains began to splinter out under her skin. She was straining the silver crystal. If she kept this up, it would shatter into a thousand pieces and she would die.
The lights above flickered back on, accompanied by a blazing streak of lightning illuminating the room. The shadows of trees outside the large windows whipped dangerously. It felt like the whole world was going to blow up.
"Stop it, Usagi!" Mars shrieked. "You're pushing yourself too hard! It's too dangerous!"
Nausea rippled through Fighter's gut. No... She couldn't allow this to happen... She couldn't watch this any longer!
Without thinking, she set Chibi Chibi down and hurried to Sailor Moon's side. Fighter rested her left palm over Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask's intertwined hands. She could feel the warmth and power flowing through their gloves like a current.
"Fighter?" Sailor Moon's eyes searched the Starlight's face. "What...are you doing?"
"I can't lose you again," Fighter whispered, her voice wavering. She didn't attempt to hide the tears welling in her eyes. They blurred her vision like rain on a windshield. She quickly blinked them away.
"But it's not safe! I-I don't even know if-"
Ignoring her protests, Fighter shut her eyes and concentrated her energy to their hands. She wasn't sure how much it would help, but it was the only thing she could do.
Just as she felt Sailor Moon start to accept her power, a prickly feeling tickled the back of her neck, and like a sixth sense, she knew someone was behind her. Fighter glanced over her shoulder.
"Chibi Chibi! You shouldn't be-" Fighter stopped. Chibi Chibi reached her tiny hand risen in the air. Her eyes were full of determination. She wanted to place her hand in over Sailor Moon's, Tuxedo Mask's, and Fighter's, but she wasn't tall enough.
Fighter hesitated. Chibi Chibi... Questions surfaced in the back of her mind. How had she known to guide them to Kinmoku? And why? Could they trust her? Who was she? Really?
But there was something in those innocent blue eyes that made Fighter believe. When she'd held the toddler close before, she'd felt a connection. It couldn't have been meaningless. There was definitely something more.
"Chibi Chibi!" Chibi Chibi demanded, waving her hand. Her blue eyes enlarged even more, willing the Starlight to trust her.
And in that moment, Fighter knew she could. She outstretched her hand towards Chibi Chibi at the same moment Tuxedo Mask did.
Chibi Chibi wrapped her fingers around Fighter's with her left and Tuxedo Mask's with her right.
A band of pink light instantly exploded across the room. It was a warm, sublime feeling; the kind of magic typically generated from Sailor Moon or Sailor Chibi Moon. It washed over everything.
Hit by the light, Chibi-Usa begun to sparkle. Her insides felt shiny and glowing. "W-what's happening?" she cried.
Fighter couldn't bring herself to speak, but the amazement in her eyes said everything.
"It's so strong..." Tuxedo Mask murmured, squinting behind his mask. All he could see was a scorching flush of rosy light. He held Chibi-Usa and Chibi Chibi's hands more tightly, not sure what was happening.
Uranus took a step back. "What the..."
"Incredible," Neptune said.
"Chibi-Usa!" Saturn clutched her glaive close.
"What's going on? Why'd this happen when Fighter and Chibi Chibi joined in?" Jupiter yelled.
Mars shielded her eyes with her hand, feeling numb. "I don't know, but it seems to be helping!"
"Everyone!" Venus commanded, taking charge. "Let's lend them our power too! C'mon!"
"She's right! Collect our minds as one!" Saturn added.
Mercury turned to Maker. "You too."
"Us?" Maker gave a tiny eyebrow-raise and pointed to herself and Healer.
Mercury nodded. "Yes. We're all sailor guardians, aren't we? We are one."
They stared at each other for a few beats. Maker pursed her lips. The Starlights were definitely different from the Earth guardians, from their uniforms to their fighting style. They'd only worked alongside them when they absolutely had to. But things were different now. Their destinies had been woven together. Differences aside, weren't they one in the same after all?
The tiniest smile flitted across Maker's lips. Her amethyst eyes sparkled.
"I guess you're right," she admitted finally, offering her hand.
Color rushed to Mercury's cheeks. She grinned and entwined her fingers with Maker's.
"Of course I am," she said slyly.
Jupiter took Mercury's other hand with her right and Uranus's with her left. Uranus stood beside Neptune, then Pluto, who was by Saturn. Venus was linked to Mars and Healer who was by Princess Kakyuu, who connected back around, forming a ten-person circle of guardians around the smaller circle of Sailor Moon, Fighter, Chibi Chibi, Tuxedo Mask, and Chibi-Usa. Everyone closed their eyes and offered their power. Their astronomical signs glowed on their foreheads. Individual colors radiated off each guardian, melting together in a kaleidoscopic rainbow.
The pink light continued to expand outwards like an inflating balloon. It swirled with everyone's energy, soaking it up. Then, like dropping a lit match on gasoline, it ruptured in a silent explosion.
The pressure blew out the windows, blasting light out into the dead of night. Shards of glass danced in the air like snow. Gusts of wind snapped in, carrying the fresh, wet scent of rain. The storm pelted in from outside, drenching everyone. Thunder roared, lightning sizzled. Light burned everyone's eyes.
And then, all at once, the lights faded and everything was quiet.