Minako saw the light fade away and had to wait until her eyes adjusted to the new level of light. All the Senshi were still standing around Hotaru, but they were outside Rei's temple. A faint gasp brought her around in just enough time to see Hotaru close her eyes and collapse. Minako ran up to her and caught Hotaru before she hit the ground. The others slowly remembered where they were and rushed to Hotaru and Minako. Ami placed her hand on the girl's forehead and checked for a pulse.
"She's ok, but she has a fever, and her pulse is very faint. We better bring her inside, before she gets worse." Ami said. Mamoru picked up Hotaru as Rei lead them inside the temple.
"Hey! Wait for me!" a small squeaky voice called to them from behind. Usagi turned to see Chibi-Usa running up the steps towards her.
"Chibi-Usa! How'd you get here? And when? And you're
older! " Usagi asked, as they hugged each other.
"Well… Mother gave permission to come visit whenever I wanted, so I was keeping it for a special occasion. Turns out I was needed, so I decided to use it now. I was given a special mission, one that needs my… special talents, let's say…that's why I came earlier. There were… complications, though, and I had to come back right away after I broke Hotaru's seal, but after you and the future Sailor Saturn gave me more instructions, I was allowed to come back." She frowned and pulled lightly on Usagi's hair. "I've been waiting for you at home, but when you didn't come back, I came here. I figured this is where you'd be, meatball head." Usagi smiled, but frowned when she realised that she'd been insulted. She was just about to yell at Chibi-Usa but she saw the young girls suddenly solemn face. "Can I see Hotaru now? That's one of the reasons I'm supposed to be here. "
"Not right now, she's very tired. How about later, when she wakes up." Chibi-Usa nodded and followed Usagi inside the temple.
*****
Hotaru had a hard time remembering where she was. She recalled running away, and the Scouts, and the dreams she had had, but that was it. Yet, now she was in bed. She wasn't at the gates of time, with Setsuna, and she wasn't at the place she was at earlier. She opened her eyes, and very slowly looked around. She was on a bed, in a small room, but she didn't know exactly where she was yet. She slowly sat up to look around. Outside the window, she saw sunset over the lake near Rei's temple. 'That's where I must be.' She thought. Suddenly, she remembered how she transported everyone back home. She hoped she had gotten everyone home safely; she didn't want anyone to get hurt on account of her. She turned her head and was startled to see everyone around her. They were all stretched out on the floor and leaning against walls, sound asleep. The only one who wasn't asleep was…
"Chibi-Usa!!!" Hotaru cried as she sat up to hug her friend. Chibi-Usa hugged her back.
"Oh Hotaru! I missed you soooo much. You have no idea! Are you feeling better? Rei said that you outran her! And Haruka too? How have you been? Have you missed me, too? well?" Chibi-Usa asked in one long breath.
"Um… what was the question? I missed all that." Hotaru said sheepishly.
"Um… never mind, I forgot.
*****
When I woke up again, I was back in my own room, with all my lamps lit. A dark figure was sitting beside me, half hidden in shadows. I slowly sat up, feeling better that I had in days. I was a little stiff, but moving around would fix that.
Suddenly, the person in the shadows woke up, and as they
snapped their head into the light, I could see that it was Haruka.
I saw her bring out a small black box. "You wouldn't believe where we've been looking for you, so I brought back a souvenir to confirm my story." She handed me the box, and after staring at it for a full minute she said to go ahead and open it. I lifted the lid to the box and stared at the item inside the box. Inside I found a fluorite crystal. It was beautiful; six sided, with ends that came together like a prism. Inside it though, was a black core that flashed with all the colours of the rainbow.
"Wow… it's beautiful…" I croaked out, my voice sounding gravely and unused. I cleared my throat before I continued. "Thank you. Where'd you get it?"
"Well, your mother wanted me to give it to you." She said. I continued to stare at it in amazement as she told me the whole story.