Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine.
AN - I have a feeling this chapter will be long, and I decided to break it up into two parts. So, here's the first one. Keep in mind that this is taking place right after the confrontation between the Inners and Outers, around the same time Usagi, Rei, and Makoto are walking around town.
Whatever It Takes
Chapter 6: Revelations and Investigations, Part 1
"Goku," Yamcha, Tien, and Chaotzu yelled as the trio landed near the Saiya-jin. They gathered around him, patting him on the back happily; just touching him to make sure that he was really there. Goku smiled dearly at the friends he had not seen in nearly three years.
"I'm glad to see you too, guys," he exclaimed. Everyone looked up as they felt Vegeta's ki, and saw him flying towards them. When he landed, they saw that he had Bulma in his arms, and she was holding a giggling Trunks.
"Kakarot," Vegeta said. He looked shocked, and seemed at a loss for words. He shook his head slightly, regaining his composure. "So, the woman wasn't lying after all," he began, placing Bulma on her own feet.
"Vegeta, I wouldn't like about Goku returning to Earth," Bulma said angrily.
"Yes, I know, woman, now be quiet," Vegeta replied, looking at her briefly before turning his attention back towards Goku. "Kakarot, I've been training for the day you'd return, so that we could fight and prove once and for all who's the strongest between the two of us." The two Saiya-jins stared at each other, an eager glint in each of their eyes.
"Goku, Gohan," Chichi exclaimed suddenly, running from the direction of the complex with Goten in her arms, and ruining the moment. She came to a stop near her husband, catching her breath. "Why in the world did you two just run off?" She noticed Krillin supporting an unconscious Masumi, and she gasped. "My goodness, is she okay? Krillin, what happened?"
"Yeah, what happened to you two," Bulma echoed, noticing Krillin and 18's state. She looked around her yard, frowning slightly. "What the hell happened here?"
"These three women appeared and overpowered us," Krillin stated, noticing as 18 began to anger again. Yamcha listened with interest. "They were trying to harm Masumi."
"Why would anyone want to hurt her," Bulma exclaimed.
"They didn't give a reason," Krillin stated. "Although they did call 18 Masumi's surrogate mother."
"Whatever the hell that was supposed to mean," 18 growled, smoothing down Masumi's hair.
"So that was the display of power that surfaced earlier," Vegeta mused, scoffing. "It was nothing, absolutely pathetic!"
"Like I said, they overpowered us Vegeta," Krillin repeated, annoyed. "They knocked 18 out first, and then me."
"That's not surprising," Vegeta sneered. "She is only human now. And you have always been weak."
"They blindsided me, Vegeta," 18 yelled. "That's the only reason they won, and the next time I see them, I'll make sure they know it."
"Just be quiet, Vegeta," Bulma stated. "You're not helping any." Vegeta smirked and crossed his arms over he chest.
"Shouldn't we get Masumi inside," Gohan suggested, looking down at her in concern as she moaned in her unconscious state.
"Gohan has a point," Chichi added. She frowned slightly as she studied Masumi. "18, did Masumi grow some more?" Balancing Goten on her hip, she knelt down next to the girl and felt her forehead. "She's burning up!"
"It happens every time she has one of these growth spurts," 18 replied, gently taking Masumi from Krillin. She stood up, making her way towards the Capsule Corp building.
"So, what happened to the women," Yamcha asked as 18 passed by him. She stopped and glared at him, causing him to step back away from her. "I-I was only asking!"
"We don't know, Yamcha," Krillin stated. "18 and I were knocked out, remember?"
"They took off when I showed up," Goku commented. "One of them seemed to know who I was; the woman with the long, green hair. She seemed to be the one in charge of the other two."
"Masumi called her Pluto," Krillin offered. "And the other two Neptune and Uranus." A moment of silence passed before anyone spoke again.
"Hey, what about the other girls, Dad," Gohan asked.
"There were more of them," Krillin exclaimed. "What did they look like?" Goku gave a short description of Sailor Moon, Mars, and Jupiter, and then frowned, a thoughtful look on his face.
"I think they were trying to help Masumi," Goku explained. "The blonde one was trying to shield Masumi from…" He paused, thinking briefly. "…Uranus' attack."
"As far as I'm concerned, they're all my enemy, Son Goku," 18 said coldly. "I don't care if they were trying to protect Masumi or not."
"Hey, don't worry 18," Goku exclaimed. "Dende asked me to protect Masumi, and I will."
"I don't need your help to protect my family," 18 yelled.
"Please, don't argue any longer," Dende's voice was heard speaking. "Allow me to explain what I have been holding from you all." He appeared just then, emerging from a golden light, seemingly from out of thin air.
"Dende," Gohan exclaimed. The young Namekian turned to his friend, and the two exchanged a hug. "What brings you here, Dende? It must be important."
"It's about Masumi," Dende replied, a somber look appearing on his face. "And something I should have told you all one year ago. Let's go inside, shall we?"
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
As dusk was falling, everyone was gathered in the living room of the Briefs' household, listening as Dende told them all of Sailor Pluto's visit a year earlier. Bulma and Chichi sat together holding their toddlers, while Gohan and Goku stood behind them. Tien, Yamcha, and Chaotzu sat together on the sofa, while Vegeta leaned against the wall, a look of indifference set on his face. Krillin sat next to where Masumi lay on the couch resting, and 18 stood near them, her arms crossed as she listened.
"And so you see, my friends," Dende continued, "I did not tell you of Sailor Pluto's visit because I feared there was nothing that could be done, or nothing that I could say to change what would inevitably happen."
"So, those girls are called Sailor Senshi, and three of them are trying to protect Masumi, while the other three are trying to destroy her," Gohan reflected, absorbing everything Dende has said.
"That is what Sailor Moon told me," Dende replied, recalling what she had told him briefly. "But I have a feeling there is more than she told me."
"It's a lie," 18 said, her blue eyes flashing dangerously. "It all a damn lie! Masumi came from my body. Krillin and I created her together, and she is our daughter. I don't care what those Senshi claim."
"The truth is always hard to grasp, 18, but what your God speaks is the truth," Sailor Pluto stated as she appeared in the doorway. The warriors collectively took up defensive stances at her sudden appearance, save for Vegeta, who raised an eyebrow in interest. Sailor Pluto grasped the time staff tightly in her hand, looking around the room with a roaming eye.
"You," Dende exclaimed, gaining her attention. She turned her attention to him, bowing her head slightly.
"Kami-sama, we meet again," Sailor Pluto stated.
"You have no right to be here," Bulma exclaimed angrily, as both Goten and Trunks began to fuss due to the tension in the room.
"You may want to hear what I have to say before you do anything drastic," Pluto stated, turning full-face towards 18, who began to move towards her. "Anything you plan on doing, I have already foreseen."
"This woman is one of the Senshi," Yamcha asked, never taking his eyes off Pluto as he directed his question towards Dende. "She doesn't look so tough." Pluto smiled slightly.
"Yes, I am Sailor Pluto of the Outer Senshi, Guardian of Space and Time," she began. "And you would not stand a chance against me, Yamcha."
"How does she know my…"
"I know many things about this timeline, Yamcha, for I have been watching over it for the past year," Pluto cut him off. "Now, without any further interruptions, allow me to show you all something." The garnet orb on the top of her staff began to glow, and a phantom image of a girl appeared.
"That's Masumi," Gohan exclaimed.
"Yes, this is Hotaru Tomoe," Pluto stated.
"Her name is Masumi," 18 yelled. "Get it right."
"Call her what you will, if it will appease you," Pluto replied. "The one you know as Masumi is really named Hotaru. She is the Sovereign of the Silence, Sailor Saturn." The image changed, and a picture of Sailor Saturn appeared. "She is the reason Hotaru must be destroyed."
"But why," Krillin demanded. "She hasn't done anything to anyone. She's an innocent little girl!" Sailor Pluto remained silent and the staff once again glowed. The images changed rapidly, each showing a display of Sailor Saturn's destructive powers.
"I do not yet know the reason which brought Hotaru here, but she must be stopped," Pluto stated. "And I hope now that you have seen her true powers, you will no longer stand in the way the other Outer Senshi. Allow me to take Hotaru."
"Masumi's heart is pure," Goku stated. "And she will stay here with us, where she belongs." Pluto shook her head sadly.
"Son Goku, your super Saiya-jin powers can not stop the coming of the Silence Sailor Saturn will bring," she began. "Not even your son, who has surpassed your power, can stop her if she uses her ultimate attack." She turned towards Dende. "Kami-sama, haven't you ever wondered why she grows so rapidly?"
"Yes," Dende began, "but it's not right to destroy the life of one, to destroy the life of another!"
"The Silence is growing inside of Hotaru, causing her rapid growth," Pluto explained. " Hotaru has no control over her, and once Sailor Saturn reawakens, she will destroy this world in an instant. Is that a risk you are all willing to take?"
"Yes," Vegeta stated, surprising everyone. "Kakarot will not be here forever, and if this brat's power is as great as you claim it is, I look forward to the challenge of killing her myself." Sailor Pluto closed her eyes briefly, and reopened them.
"Very well, then," she said, defeated. "If we can not stop her, then all is lost for your world." As she began to turn, Gohan called out to her.
"Wait! What about the other Senshi," he asked.
"The Inners," Pluto stated. "The Princess will try her hardest to protect Hotaru, but in the end it will not matter." She glanced over the room once more, and then disappeared. The room remained silent, and that was broken only when Dende sighed.
"I must return to Kami's Lookout," he announced. "Masumi will be best protected here, and if I come up with anything to help, I will send Popo-san with word."
"Dende," Krillin stated suddenly. "Thank you, for telling us. You did what you had to, by not telling us about all this. Even if you had said something, it wouldn't have changed what's happening now."
Dende smiled. "Thank you, old friend," he stated, before he, too, disappeared.
"Do you think Masumi is really that powerful," Tien asked, looking at the girl. "What did Sailor Pluto mean when she said Goku and Gohan's power wouldn't be enough to stop this Sailor Saturn."
"She's bluffing," Vegeta scoffed. "No mere child is as strong as that woman claims, unless it's a Saiya-jin. And this girl, obviously, she is not." He turned on his heel, leaving the room.
"I don't know what she meant by that, Tien, but it's something to worry about if she says not even Gohan can stop her," Goku stated, a frown on his face. "I'll have to keep a closer eye on her."
"Who is this princess Sailor Pluto mentioned," Chaotzu asked. All eyes turned down to Masumi, who began to speak.
"The Princess … the girl from my dreams … Someone, please save her," she murmured. 18 knelt down next to her, wiping the sweat gently away from her brow.
"Well, there's nothing else that can be done tonight," Bulma stated, cradling Trunks in her arms, who was asleep. "You all should just stay here. I'll go and fix the guest rooms."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The following morning, Usagi, Rei, and Makoto sat crouched in some bushes, peering through them towards the Capsule Corp building. They had arrived at the complex early that morning, and keep a watch over it, to see if Hotaru was still there.
"Do you see anything yet," Usagi asked, pulling some leaves and twigs from her hair that got caught in there from the previous night. "I still can't believe that we had to sleep outside!"
"Hush, odango atama," Rei hissed. "There's no one around on the complex right now, but if you keep whining, someone's going to hear us, and you'll blow our cover!"
"No, if you two begin to argue, that will draw attention to us," Makoto pointed out. Her eyes roamed the area, and she gasped. "Hey, look at that," she exclaimed, pointing to a crowd of people that were gathered in the distance.
"What's going on down there," Usagi asked.
"I don't know," Rei replied, squinting her eyes. "It looks like some sort of … tour." Her eyebrows raised in surprise. "I think that's what it is. This place must be famous."
"That's it," Usagi exclaimed. "I know a way we can get in there, without looking suspicious." She began to search her pocket, and her face lit up as she found what she was looking for. "Here it is! I brought the disguise pen just in case of an emergency, and this is an emergency, right? We can blend in and look for Hotaru at the same time!"
"That's brilliant, Usagi," Makoto exclaimed. "Great thinking." Usagi smiled, and then raised the pen.
"Disguise power! Make us into beautiful tourists," she exclaimed. Rei sighed, shaking her head at Usagi's choice of words. Magic surrounded the three girls, and when the glowing stopped, each looked very different. Usagi's hair was cut short, and she wore a pair of cut-off shorts and a tank top with the words Capsule Corp written across the front. Rei's hair was pulled up into a bun, and she wore a red sundress. Makoto's hair was pulled back into a braid. She, too, wore a tank top with Capsule Corp written on it. She had on jeans, and a pair of sunglasses rested on her head.
"Wow, Usagi, I'm impressed," Rei stated. "Now, let's get over there, and hope we don't have to pay for this tour." As the three stood, none of them noticed the figure that came up behind them.
"What are you three doing," a masculine voice demanded.
To Be Continued …
Okay, there's part 1 of 2 for you! I hope to have the next part out soon, so keep an eye out for that soon. And as always, please leave a review!