[Disclaimer]: I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine.
AN - Thank you all for all those wonderful reviews! There was some confusion as to whom the baby was, and you'll more than likely will know who she is by the end of this chapter. On to the next part …
Whatever It Takes
Chapter 2: Reconciliation
Chibi-usa was asleep in her bedroom in the attic of the Tsukino residence, tossing and turning restlessly. She was moaning in her sleep, and beads of perspiration covered her forehead. "No," she mumbled. "Don't hurt her. Leave her alone … Stop it!" She began to sob quietly, and thrashed around some more until she was gently shaken awake.
"Chibi-usa, wake up," a soft voice spoke.
Chibi-usa opened her eyes, and the silhouette of a girl came slowly into focus. "Usagi," she asked groggily.
"Yes, it's me," Usagi replied, smoothing down the younger girl's sweat-drenched bangs. "What's the matter? I could hear you crying from my room."
"Usagi," Chibi-usa sobbed, lunging forward and clinging to the older girl's nightgown. "I had a nightmare!"
"Sh," Usagi whispered, gently rubbing Chibi-usa's back. "It was only a bad dream. Nothing else."
"No, you don't understand," Chibi-usa exclaimed, pushing away from Usagi. "It was too real to be a bad dream." She lowered her gaze, and her body racked with sobs. "It has already happened."
"Well, why don't you tell me what your dream was about," Usagi prompted.
"It was … about Hotaru," Chibi-usa said brokenly. "She was scared, and the Outers wouldn't leave her alone. She transformed into Sailor Saturn just to protect herself, and the Outers, they … Sailor Uranus, she …" She allowed her sentence to trail off as fresh tears filled her eyes. She buried her face in her hands and cried heart-wrenching sobs. "Where is she, Usagi," she asked, her voice muffled. "Why hasn't she come back yet? Why?"
"Oh, Chibi-usa," Usagi stated sadly. She took her future daughter in her arms and gently rocked her back and forth. "I don't know what happened to Hotaru," she answered truthfully. She shook her head, remembering the events of that day.
After she had followed Sailor Saturn into Pharaoh 90 as Sailor Moon, she watched as the Senshi of Destruction obliterated the evil being. She had watched as Saturn began to glow a purple aura, and turned into a baby. However, as Sailor Moon reached out towards Hotaru, she disappeared.
"I'm so sorry that I couldn't save her, Chibi-usa," Usagi thought as tears formed in her own eyes. "I'll do what I can in order to find her, Chibi-usa," she stated softly. "I promise."
"Do you truly mean that, Princess," a voice asked. Usagi looked up in the direction of the voice as Sailor Pluto emerged from a shadow. Chibi-usa turned towards Pluto and glared.
"It's your fault she's gone," she cried. "Yours, Uranus', and Neptune's! Because of what you three did, I haven't seen Hotaru since that day."
"I truly am sorry, Small Lady," Pluto apologized.
"Why did you do it, Puu," Chibi-usa demanded, her sadness replaced by anger. "She wasn't going to hurt anyone!"
"That's where you're wrong, Small Lady," Pluto replied forcefully. "If it weren't for you, Hotaru would have eventually destroyed this world. She wasn't a very happy child, and when her true form emerged, her sadness would have fueled her anger!"
"We'll never know now, because you killed her," Chibi-usa screamed. She turned back towards Usagi and buried her face into her future mother's nightgown.
"Sailor Pluto, what brings you here so late," Usagi asked quietly as she rubbed Chibi-usa's back.
"Even though you feel we have betrayed you, Princess, you still manage to be kind," Pluto thought, smiling fondly.
"Sailor Pluto," Usagi asked, looking up towards the older woman.
"Princess," Pluto replied, giving herself a mental shake. "Small Lady is exhausted. Why don't you put her to bed, and come with me?"
"Alright," Usagi agreed, glancing down at the little girl, who was already asleep. She tucked Chibi-usa into her bed, and then stood next to Sailor Pluto. She placed her hand on the older woman's arm, and the two disappeared.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
"Pluto, where are we," Usagi asked, taking in their new surroundings. "Is that a castle?" She gasped as someone walked out of the building, and stood at the edge of what she now realized was a platform. "A youma," she asked, clutching her chest, and panicking as she realized she didn't have her transformation brooch. Sailor Pluto smiled at the girl's questions.
"No, he is Dende," she replied. "He is this world's protector, and is known as Kami by the ones he protects." She put a hand on Usagi's shoulder, and the two disappeared, reappearing in front of a small house.
"Where are we now," Usagi asked.
"In front of the home of a teenage boy who is much like you, Princess," Pluto replied. "He is the reluctant savior of this world. Here he comes now." Usagi blushed as a tall boy with dark hair exited the house, walking towards them.
"Pluto," she hissed, hiding behind the taller woman. "If I knew we'd be meeting people, I would have gotten dressed first!"
"Worry not, Princess," Pluto replied with a smile. "We are but phantoms in this world, because I chose for it to be that way." They both watched as the boy walked past the spot they were standing. "Though we can see them, they can not see us."
"Well, that's a relief," Usagi replied, her face returning to its' normal shade. "Why have you brought me here?" Pluto transported them once again, and they were standing in front of a large building.
"This is the reason I brought you here," Pluto stated, gesturing towards a man and a child. Usagi watched with a smile as the toddler waddled, her father chasing her.
"I'm going to get you, Masumi," she heard the man state, as the toddler laughed.
"She's adorable," Usagi exclaimed.
"Would you believe that child was born three months ago," Pluto asked. Usagi looked up at her, shocked.
"That's impossible," she exclaimed. "She looks like she's at least two years old! How could she have been born three months ago?"
"This was almost a year ago, in this world's time," Pluto stated. "Allow me to take you to their present time." The scenery around the two changed, and suddenly stopped. They were in front of the same building, however there seemed to be some sort of party going on.
"Masumi, come here," a man called towards the building.
"Masumi," Usagi asked. "That little toddler?" Pluto nodded, and the two Senshi watched as a girl around the age of eight ran out into the yard. She stopped suddenly, looking directly towards them. Her dark, chin-length hair whipped around her face, and when it settled back into place, Usagi's hands flew up to cover her mouth as she gasped.
"Masumi, what are you staring at," a blonde woman asked the girl as she came out of the building followed by two women; one with short blue hair, and the other with dark hair pulled up into a bun.
"Nothing, Mother," Masumi replied.
"Well, your father called you," the woman stated. "He's got a surprise for you."
"I'm coming, Daddy," Masumi called towards the man. She looked towards Usagi and Sailor Pluto once more, and then ran towards her father. Pluto stole at glance towards Usagi, and smiled, satisfied. The scenery around them changed, and they were back in Usagi's room.
"That is what I wanted to show you," Pluto stated quietly. Usagi looked at her, fresh tears in her eyes.
"I don't believe it," she said in awe. "How is it possible?" She sat down on her bed, and then a realization struck her. "You can't, Setsuna-san! Didn't you see how happy she was? Just let her be! Please, she deserves to be happy!"
Pluto scowled slightly, however her eyes conveyed her true feelings. "I told Kami that I would return to his world in a year, and that year is almost up," she stated. "I will not go alone, of course."
"Pluto," Usagi began, a frown on her face.
"I've already said too much," Pluto interrupted. "I leave you with this gift. Do with it, what you want." A key appeared around Usagi's neck, and she looked up towards Pluto, understanding written on her face. "I have made my peace, Princess. Now I must go and fulfill my duty." She bowed towards Usagi, and seemed to disappear.
"Thank you, Sailor Pluto," Usagi whispered. "I know what I must do."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The next morning, Usagi ran towards the Hikawa Shinto Shrine at a faster pace than she was used to, save for when she was late, en route to school. She had woken up earlier than normal, and had contacted the girls for a meeting. She grew tired from her run, and slowed to a fast walk. As she was walking, she noticed a familiar car driving at her walking pace from the corner of her eye.
"Hello, Bunny," a voice called out to her. Usagi turned her head to the side, and stopped as she saw Haruka and Michiru.
AN - I know Haruka doesn't call Usa Bunny, but I can't think of what it is she does call her. I really wish I could remember, but I can't. -_-*
"Good morning," Usagi greeted.
"My, Usagi, where are you headed this early in the morning," Michiru asked.
"Rei asked for some help at the shrine," she lied. What business was it of theirs what her true intentions were? "I thought that the two of you had left town?"
"We have a pressing matter to attend to," Haruka stated, an edge in her voice.
"Well, I don't want to keep you from whatever it is you need to do," Usagi exclaimed. "Rei will kill me if I'm late. I'll see you around." As she began to walk off, Haruka called out to her.
"Bunny," she murmured. Usagi stopped, however did not turn back around. "We know what Setsuna told you." She involuntarily flinched and slowly turned back towards the car.
"And what would that be, Haruka," Usagi asked innocently. She winced inwardly as Haruka sent a glare in her direction.
"You shouldn't get involved in this, Usagi," Michiru warned. "You'll only get hurt."
"What do you care," she shot back, eyes narrowed. "I'm only trying to help someone who is very important to me. And if in order to do that, I have to go up against you three, then that's what I must do."
"So, you do know," Michiru mused. "If we didn't have to do this, we wouldn't. I hope you believe that."
Usagi took a step closer to their car. "Then if that's true, please, just let her be," she begged. "If not for me, then for …"
"Listen, Bunny," Haruka interrupted, looking at Usagi pointedly. "From this point, if we meet again, it will be as enemies. If you get in our way, we'll have no choice but to remedy the problem."
"Even at the cost of my life," she asked, an eyebrow raised. Haruka noticeably hesitated before she gunned the engine.
"Just stay out of our way," she stated in a low voice, before speeding off. Usagi stood, staring after the car, until a voice called out to her.
"Usagi," Chibi-usa exclaimed, walking up to the older girl. "What was that all about?"
"Chibi-usa! It was nothing," she replied, continuing towards the shrine.
"Don't lie, odango atama," Chibi-usa exclaimed. "What were you, Haruka, and Michiru talking about?"
"I'll tell you later, Chibi-usa," Usagi replied, exasperated. "I need to get to Rei's."
"Why didn't you bring me along," she questioned.
Usagi hesitated. "Because, I thought it would be best if you didn't come along," she said slowly. "But I suppose you have the right to know, too." She stopped when they reached the stairs leading up towards the shrine, causing Chibi-usa to bump into her.
"Why'd you do that for," Chibi-usa demanded, scowling. Usagi squatted down eye-level to the girl and placed her hands on her shoulders.
"Chibi-usa, you've got to make a promise to me," Usagi began. "Whatever it is I have to tell you once we reach the shrine, I want you to promise you'll stay here with Mamo-chan. Promise me that, okay?"
"Sure, Usagi," Chibi-usa replied. "I promise."
Usagi smiled and then stood up. "Well, then I'll race you up the stairs," she exclaimed, taking off running. Chibi-usa voiced her objections, and then raced after her when she realized she wasn't going to stop.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Dende stood peering down from the edge of Kami's Lookout, and sighed heavily. "Just one more day, and that mysterious woman will return," he thought to himself. "But what, exactly, is she coming for? I can not sense her true intentions. I only know she wants Masumi."
"Kami, what is it that troubles you," Popo asked, as he joined Dende's side. "You seem unhappy."
"Please, just call me Dende. It's almost been a year already, Popo-san," Dende replied. "It's been a year since that mysterious woman appeared. I really wanted to tell either Krillin or Gohan about her, but … what would I say?"
"It is one of those decisions you must make as the Guardian of Earth, Dende-sama," Popo replied. "You could not have made a wiser decision. The existence of that child is unnatural to this world. Perhaps this will be for the best."
"Don't say that," Dende exclaimed. "Regardless of the unnatural circumstances surrounding her rapid growth, she is still Krillin's daughter! And I'm going to fail my friend, because I didn't tell him what I know." He turned towards Popo with tears in his eyes, and gasped as he saw movement behind his shoulder.
"Dende-sama," Popo asked uncertainly. He turned around, and gasped as he, too saw the figure. "By Kami, it can't be!"
To Be Continued . . .
I'm only vaguely familiar with the Japanese versions of SM and DBZ, so I'm just going by what I've read/what I've been told. I probably won't use any of the suffixes, except when Usa is talking about Mamoru (which probably won't be often) or when Gohan is talking to/about Piccolo. And I guess whenever Popo/Dende talk to each other. Then again, I can always use 'em where I think it's appropriate. As always, please review!