A fan-fiction Sailormoon/ X-Men crossover.
BIRD HUNT
Disclaimer : none of the characters in this fan-fiction are mine
but one ( Read note in Chapter 2).
The Sailor Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, Queen Serenity, Queen Beryl,
Queen Metallia, Luna, Artimis, Chibi-Usa (Chiba Usagi) and
Tsukino Shingo are the copyrighted property of Takeuchi Naoko.
The X-MEN, GENERATION-X, EXCALIBUR, the Starjammers , Shi`ar Empire,
and the Watcher are all copywrited property of Marvel Comics.
NOTE: Since I do not know if the X-Men's Rogue has even divulged
her name, I'm giving her one. Say hello to "Drusilla."
Chapter seven- Salvage Operations.
Darkness fell.. then lifted.
Usagi awoke in a bed. More precisely, she awoke on a hospital bed.
"Owwwwwww ! How did I get here ?" She asked no one in particular. Then she
remembered the battle. And sat bolt-upright.
"Patient should lay back down !" Snapped the.. doctor ?.. by the bed. Usagi
guessed it was the doctor from thr tone it took. But she thought it looked more
like a dragonfly- or a helocopter. Usagi couldn't tell which it looked more like.
"Her Highness best get sleep !" chimed a familiar voice. "Sikorgski not known for
bedside manner!"
"Kella!" Usagi almost leapt out of bed.
"Get patient back in bed !" Sikorgski ordered.
"You heard my 'Grand-daughter' !" Luna chided kiddingly in her human-form.
"Get some rest."
She leaned over the kiss Usagi. "You seem fine," she whispered, "but we don't
want to take any chances."
"OK, 'Grandma' !" Usagi kidded. "But why are you in human-form, Luna ?"
"Well," Luna said, " after receiving a clean bill of health, I noticed Dr. Sikorgski
seemed a bit short-handed in the infermory, so we're helping out."
"'We'?" Usagi asked.
"'We' as in Artemis, myself, and..."
"Hi, Mom !" Chibi-Usa smiled and waved.
"Usa!!" Usagi cried out. "That WAS you back there on .."
"Hai ! My place," Chiba Usagi said, "will always be with you."
Usagi cried.
"Everybody out!" Sikorgski said firmly. ""Visiting hours over!! Patients must rest!"
"Would you mind turning down the volume, Usagi ?" Rei asked from the bed beside hers.
"I'm trying to follow Doctor's orders !"
"Sorry, Rei." Usagi blushed a smile. " I'll be quiet."
"That's OK !" The Priestess got up and hugged Usagi. "It's good to have you back,
Usagi", Rei whispered and kissed her.
"Kella," Usagi said as gently as she could, "you were wrong about the blood-bond.
Death doesn't break it."
"Me know", said Kella with a soft smile. Then all went back to bed.
Three hours later, after a thorough check-up from the Starjammer's doctor, the
assembled Senshi and X-Men gathered on the ship's obversation deck.
"Sorry for long wait," said Kella, "but Sikorgski want to be sure all alright.
Shi'ar medical records not tell of many resurrections."
"It be rare, alright, Kella!" Gambit agreed.
"I dunno !" Makoto said. "After a couple of rounds, you kind of get used to it!"
"You never get used to it", Usagi corrected her friend. Makoto held her
gently. "It was a close thing. Part of me wanted to leave and never return."
She turned to her daughter. ""Oh, Usa ! I'm so sorry ! I was almost ready to give
up.. almost.." Usagi cried against her daughter.
"Don't worry, Mama!" Usa reached out to cradle her mother protectively.
"I understand."
Then Usagi remembered another. "What happened to the Phoenix? It disappeared
into that dark crystal of the Shi'ar !"
"Dark crystal ?" Asked Storm. "The M'Kraan Crystal ?"
"Shi'ar crazy enough to use it", Kella observed darkly.
"The crystal is back to normal!" Chiba Usagi said, "And the Pheonix is where it
should be. Among the stars."
"Even Usagi knows not how close it was", Setsuna whispered to Wolverine. "The
Imperium Silver Crystal does have a limit. Its energies were indeed taxed."
"I t'ink she know", said Gambit.
"An' what about you an' Hotaru ?" Wolverine asked. "What are your limits?"
"We are Senshi." Setsuma said.
"But even warriors need a rest!" Rogue said as she gave Hotaru to Setsuna. "An'
somethin' t' ground them. What d' ya'll have?"
"We are Senshi", Hotaru said. She looked to Usagi, still cradled in Usa's arms
but joined now by Mamoru.
"Well, I guess that's enough", said Rogue. She took Mystique's and Kurt's hands
and moved over to Sabertooth. The Southern belle understood the littlest Senshi
very well.
"So ! You're the Moon Princess !" The tall, dark-haired man extended his hand in
greeting. "My kids have told me about you !"
"All good news, I hope, Captain Summers ?" Usagi shyly smiled.
"Nothing but, Your Highness ! And the name's Corsair. Or Christopher."
"Good thing Chis remember he has name !" sang his First Mate. "Especially since
Kella tell me she has new sister !" Kella's mother smiled. " Hello, Usagi. I'm
Hepzibah."
"Hello, Madame Hepzibah", Usagi bowed. And Hepzibah blushed.
"How are Scott and Alex and Jean ?" Usagi asked nervously.
"We're alright, 'sis'." Scott said.
"New sister, huh ?" Alex kidded. " Maybe she can civilize our old one ! HEY !!!!"
Alex quickly dove out of the way of Kella's claws.
"I don't know, Alex", Usagi said with a glint in her eye. "Maybe she can teach me
something ?".
"Like what, Odango ?" Rei called out, making an ever-so-slight face at Usagi.
"Like how to make a fire-break ?" Usagi chirped back. Both women hugged each other
and laughed.
Haruka and Michiru watched from a corner. The last few hours had left big questions
for them both- especially for Sailor Neptune. And answers were proving elusive.
"I do not know myself, Haruka !" Michiru said as Haruka held her tightly. "I thought
I did. But these past days have changed things. What I have learned of myself, I
do not like!"
"Michiru, things will get better."
Rahne walked up to the couple softly. "I am sorry, Michiru !" Rrahne apologized,
"Madame Ten'ou, I'm afraid I am t' blame for Madame Kaiou's plight. I'm sorry for
what I said earlier, Michiru ! Can ye forgive me ?" Michiru took the young
Scotswoman's hand.
"There is nothing to forgive, Rahne !" Michiru said. "You were right. You just
reminded me of something my Princess corrected me on earlier. In my.. enthusiasm..
to do my duty, I often forget what is most important. I am beginning to wonder if
I should be Senshi."
"It is a thought I know well, too, Michiru." Haruka confesssed as she turned to
Rahne. "Miss Sinclaire, when we came to America, we only thought that the enemy was
without. Either one of the X-Men or their allies. But, Setsuma later told us that
the enemy was also within the Senshi- within even the Princess herself. That changed
much. As Senshi, our duty is to protect the Princess from all threats. But, how can
we protect her from herself?"
Rahne pondered this. What Shingo had told her about the suicide-attempt was true.
"Well," the young werewolf said, "the best way t' guard someone from their own
demons is t' be there when the demons call ! Haruka ! Michiru ! Ye must be there
for her as friends should!"
"But such has never been our place !" Haruka protested.
"Och ! An' what, pray tell, is yiur place ?" Rahne demanded. "T' stand by yiur
Princess' grave an' say 'We tried our best' ? Tha' is no' the Sailor Senshi I saw
givin' their lives earlier !" Rahne held both warriors softly and turned to face
Earth and pointed to Japan.
"There is where y' live, am I right? Well, tis also where Tsukino Usagi calls
home." She smiled at the two warriors. "An', I always heard it said, the easiest
friend t' make is yiur neighbor. Well, guess what? She's on this ship right now!
Go to her."
The Senshi turned to kiss the werewolf thank-you brfore they left to join Usagi.
"An' what are you grinnin' at, Tsukino Shingo ?" Rahne asked as she turned around.
A most remarkable young woman !" answered Shingo. "I saw you on the moon, but I
did not see you until I talked to my sister. She spoke of three special people
she met at the X-Mansion: Kathryn-sama, Kella-san, snd you. Arigato, Sinclaire-
sama." Shingo bowed in respect.
"Arigato, Shingo-sama." Rahne bowed, trying to hide her sudden blush.
"Well, I must leave now." Chiba Usagi said. "My time is up. Sayonara, Aunt Kate,
Aunt Kella." She hugged the two X-Men and kissed them. She held the hands of
Rahne Sinclaire. "Take Care, Aunt Rahne."
"I'll be seeing you in time, Chiba Usagi " Rahne said.
"Count on it!" Chibi-Usa turned to kiss her parents one last time before leaving.
"ChibiMoon Time Torii Future !" At these words, slight winds heralded the opening
of a time-portal. Then Chibi-Usa stepped inside, and the portal vanished.
"Well, I guess we better leave, too." Usagi said. "I wish we could stay a little
longer, but school starts in two weeks. I can't screw up this year. At least, not
right away." This last remark brought giggles from the other Senshi.
"I quite agree, Usagi-chan !" Emma Frost said. "Corsair, take us to Long Beach
Harbor, California !"
---
"Arigatou, Emma-Sama", Usagi said, "but you shouldn't have booked us on a ship
back to Tokyo! You could have just had Captain Summers sit us down in Tokyo."
Emma Frost waved off the protest with a smile. "I'm a telepath, remember? I can
'see' how much Makoto likes air-travel. We'd have had to gather your things in
Westchester, and you would have gone back to Tokyo via JFK ! Besides," said Emma
said with a smile, "it's still three weeks from the start of school. And even Ami
can afford to unwind on a couple of cruise-ships!"
"I wouldn't argue with her, your Highness", Sean smiled. "Many have tried! And they
all wind up babblin' into the night !"
Emma laughed. "Don't listen to the Irishman !" She teased. "He knows my right is
more dangerous than my mind!" Sean winced a smile as he remembered that.
"Ohhhh Kayyyyy ..." Usagi said in a pout. "I guess if I'm told to go. But
how can I repay you ?"
"You can't. This is my repayment for your helping Kathryn." Emma said with a smile.
"Alright." Usagi said. "Just remember to watch after Mamoru for me? Harvard's a
long way from Tokyo!" She turned to Mamoru. "Ooooooooo, I'm gonna mish you.
Uuuuuuuuuuuu."
"And I'll miss you, Usako." Mamoru said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing
her deeply.
"Don't worry, Usagi ! We'll watch out for him !" Everett said.
"So, You're on your way back home", Wolverine said. "Any chance you and Hotaru will
get back this way ?"
"Only time can tell, Logan", Setsuna said quietly.
"Remember to tell Dr. Tomoe 'Hello' for me", Wolverine told her.
"So..." Gambit said. "I know it's your duty, but I'll remind you anyway. Watch
after Usagi, Hotaru. An' watch after Setsuna, too!"
"Hai, Remi." Hotaru hugged Gambit. "And you watch over Rogue. OK ?"
"Gambit do dat", The Cajun answered.
Hotaru turned and embraced Rogue. " Take care. I'll miss you, Drusilla !"
"Aw ," Rogue blushed, "Japan ain't that far away, Hotaru ! I'll come visit ! You
just take care of yourself an' your daddy."
"Hai !" Hotaru snapped to the request as a command. "And you look after the
Shadowcat?"
"HAI!" Wolverine, Rogue, and Gambit snapped to attention.
Setsuna and Hotaru both giggled as another picture clicked.
"Usagi will want pictures of this!" Minako said.
"So will I!" Paige replied. "OK ! Two sets, then." Minako paused. "Pictures of
the cruise for pictures of the Starjammers ?"
Paige nodded, "It's a deal!"
CLICK!
"Well, we best get going." Wolverine said. He, Gambit and Rogue turned back toward
the gangplank.
"I'll miss you. All of you !" Ami brushed away a tear.
"We're NOT that far away, you know !" Jubilee said.
"I know. It's just.."
"You don't know what tomorrow will bring?" Jubilee finished.
"Hai."
"She'll be alright." Jubilee said. "The hardest part was wanting to come back."
"I know", Ami nodded. "Will we see you again? The X-Men?"
"I dunno." Jubilee volunteered, "We can phone every now and then ! And I'll TRY
to remember to write !"
"Arigato, Firefly !"
"Anytime, Bookworm !"
The departure-whistle sounded. "Oops !" Jubilee jumped. "There's the warning. I
best be getting off! Sayonara, Ami!"
"Sayonara, Jubilation !"
The last goodbyes were just being said.
"I'll miss you two!" Usagi said in tears, hugging Kate and Kella.
"Hey! We'll still be around!", Kathryn smiled. "You can't be rid of us this
easily !"
"I know!" Usagi managed a laugh. " I'll write."
"Usagi better !" Kella pouted a bit with a glint in her eye, then broke out in
giggles as she headed down the gangplank. "Remember, Rabbit !" She shouted as she
stepped off on the dock, "MAMA-TIGERS GOTTA WATCH OUT FOR EACH OTHER !!!"
'We sure do,' Usagi thought, 'and we will!'
THE END.
kgraham@wt.net