PINK REBELLION,
Part 3: "Child Rearing"
By Bill K.
Giggling came once again from inside Hotaru Tomoe's bedroom.
Haruka passed it on the way from the bathroom.
"Go to sleep!" she growled. "Or at least giggle quietly if
you're going to stay up all night!"
"Yes, Haruka-papa," Hotaru called out.
She looked down, chastened, then glanced out of the corner of
her eye at Usa. Usa glanced back and they both broke out in giggles
again, knowing that there was no way they were ready for bed yet.
Sitting at the head of the bed, cross-legged, Hotaru looked at her
friend, wondering if she should ask the question that was foremost on
her mind. But as she agonized over it, Usa, sitting cross-legged at
the foot of the bed, did it for her.
"So are you going out with anyone?" Usa asked excitedly. "And
if you are, what's he like?"
Hotaru tried to keep her smile for Usa's sake, but it couldn't
help drooping as she looked away.
"I'm not seeing anyone," she said softly, then shrugged. "Not
a lot of people have ever wanted to get close to me."
"Why not?" Usa asked, genuinely sympathetic to her friend's
plight.
"Well," Hotaru hesitated. "I'm not much to look at."
"That's not true! You have a very nice smile. And you have
the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen! They're even more beautiful
than Mama's, and that's saying something! Why, I've seen her enchant
entire rooms full of people just by looking at them!"
"I can imagine Usagi doing that," Hotaru grinned.
"It's still hard to imagine they're the same person sometimes,"
Usa continued. "Usagi and my Mama, I mean. If baka-Usagi can grow
up to be my Mama, then there's hope for anybody!" Usa thought a
moment. "You know, if you don't like the way you look, you could
always do something about it. Change your hair, maybe?"
"I don't think it would help. Usa, too many people remember
how I was - - before. When I was . . ."
"When Mistress 9 was inside you?"
Hotaru nodded. "And those people are still afraid of me. And
if I meet someone who doesn't know me from that time, well, they
usually tell them pretty quickly."
"That's not fair," Usa scowled.
"I don't think they're trying to be mean - - not always."
Hotaru stared at her hands for a few moments, then forced herself to
cheer up. "So what about you? Have you met anyone?"
"Well," Usa said, looking down with a sheepish, melancholy
smile, "there is this one boy."
"Tell me about him?" Hotaru asked hopefully.
Usa's cheeks grew crimson and Hotaru stifled a smile. "Well,
his name's Helios. He's the guardian of a realm called Elysian."
"Sounds important. Is he cute?"
"Oh, he is just so fine," Usa sighed, biting her lip. "And he
can change into a Pegasus! Oh and he's just so beautiful when he's
Pegasus!"
"I love horses," sighed Hotaru happily.
"And he's gentle and understanding and kind - - and he treats
me with respect! He acts like my opinion matters and I can think for
myself, you know?"
"He sounds perfect. Do you go out a lot?"
Usa bowed her head. "He has to stay in Elysian. And Daddy
says it's too far for me to go on my own. Like I'm some kid or
something! I'm fifteen! If it was up to me, I'd move there for the
rest of my life!" She stared bitterly at nothing in particular.
"But I have 'obligations'."
"That sounds so sad," Hotaru said. "Do you see each other at
all?"
"We talk occasionally. He'll come to me in my dreams once in a
while and we'll just curl up under a tree and he'll just hold me."
Usa grinned happily. "And about five months ago - - in the future, I
mean - - I snuck off and went to Elysian all on my own and we just
spent the whole day together. Oh, it was beautiful."
"What did your parents say?"
"Well Daddy flipped out, as usual," Usa scowled. "Like I don't
know what he and Usagi were doing when they were my age! Mama was
actually kind of rational about the whole thing, if you can believe
it. She got Daddy to calm down and all she seemed concerned about
was if I had a good time. I think she actually likes Helios." Usa
dramatically flung herself down on the bed. "Oh, Hotaru, being with
you is the only thing that's keeping me from missing him so badly."
"I'm glad to help," Hotaru smiled, stroking Usa's pink hair.
* * * *
Normally she would be gasping for breath about now. However
Sailor Moon barely noticed the discomfort in her ribs as she ran
blindly down the street. Passersby stopped and stared as the girl
flew past them, her costume wings actually hindering her progress
with their wind resistance.
Close on her heels, struggling to catch up, were the Amazoness
senshi.
"Brother, Sailor Moon can really run!" gasped Vesta.
"Pallas!" Juno yelled back to Sailor Pallas, who was trailing
the pack. "Do you see anything up ahead?"
Pallas kept running, but her eyes seemed to glaze over for a
few moments.
"Oh that poor little girl!" cried Pallas. "She's lost her
Daddy!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ceres asked Juno.
"I don't know," shrugged Juno. "Look for a little girl that's
crying, I guess."
Sailor Moon skidded around the corner, led only by a sense she
couldn't name. At once she staggered to a stop, amazed at the path
of destruction she found. As she stepped haltingly forward, it let
Jupiter and the Amazons catch up.
"What went through here?" Jupiter gasped. "A tank?"
"Pallas knows, Pallas knows!" squealed Pallas. The others
turned to her inquiringly.
"Can you tell us?" Juno asked her pointedly.
Pallas grinned eagerly. Two dolls seemed to materialize in her
hand. One was a male doll and the other smaller and female.
"Where's my friend?" mimicked Pallas, moving the female doll.
"Bring me my friend or I'll make you sorry!" She began moving the
male doll. "I am the great and glorious Tuxedo Mask!" Pallas
mimicked, lowering her voice. "You must stop hurting people, little
girl." She moved the female doll again. "Bring me my friend! I'm
lonely and I'm afraid!" She moved the male. "I don't know who your
friend is, little girl." She moved the female. "Then you're
useless!"
Then she shook the female doll at the male doll. With a
dramatic flair, Pallas moved the male doll horizontally onto its
back. Sailor Moon's eyes widened and her hands shot to her mouth.
"Tuxedo Mask!" she gasped. "I've got to find him!" and she
tore off again.
"Did Pallas do bad?" Pallas asked Juno with the wide-eyed
innocence of a chastened child.
"No, Pallas," Juno said, her arm around the girl. "She's - -
just worried about the king."
Jupiter had already moved past them, keeping pace with Sailor
Moon. She was about to call out when she spotted what Sailor Moon
spotted. As one, they sprinted forward.
"Tuxedo Mask!" wailed Sailor Moon. When she reached the still
prone man, she fell to her knees and cradled him in her lap.
"Mamo-chan?" she whispered.
"Uhh," he groaned, disoriented. At first he didn't recognize
her touch as Sailor Moon's hands caressed his face and began to
struggle. Then he opened his eyes and calmed some. "That girl," he
gasped. "Where . . .?"
"She's gone, whoever she is," Sailor Moon said. "Are you all
right?"
"A little wobbly. Whatever she hit me with was strong. But
how? Sailor Moon, she's just a little girl!"
"A little girl did all of this?" gasped Jupiter. "Wow!"
"She," gasped Tuxedo Mask, "has to be stopped!"
"Leave that to us," Vesta said as she and the other Amazons
arrived. "With your leave, your majesty."
"Yes," Sailor Moon nodded. "Thank you. Please be careful."
"We will." Vesta glanced up at Jupiter, her expression issuing
a good-natured challenge. "So are you going to stand there all day?"
Jupiter turned to Sailor Moon with a sly grin. "Oh, this one's
got a smart mouth." She winked at Sailor Moon and took off with the
Amazons.
"Aren't those . . .?" Tuxedo Mask began.
"They're friends now," Sailor Moon replied.
Tuxedo Mask tried to get up, but fell back.
"Things are spinning," he mumbled. Sailor Moon held onto him
tighter.
"Just sit here and clear your head," she whispered, hugging him
to her breast. "I'm here. No one will hurt you."
The five senshi found their quarry wreaking more havoc down the
street. Stopping about fifty feet from her, they considered their
next move.
"I hate using my electrical attack on a little girl," Jupiter
said.
"Maybe a little passive restraint is in order," Sailor Ceres
suggested. Her hand sweeping in front of her, the senshi yelled out,
"Floral Stimulation!"
Quickly green tendrils pushed their way through the asphalt
street. Growing at a tremendous rate, the tendrils took on the shape
of some sort of jungle vine. The vines began to twist and multiply
beneath the little girl.
She screeched in alarm as the vines rapidly wound around her
ankles and up her legs, growing thicker as they did. She tried to
pull away, but she was already caught. Growing inches per second,
the vines caught her arms and pulled them to her sides while other
tendrils coccooned her torso. Both her violent thrashing and her
cries of distress made it clear the little girl was terrified by what
was happening.
Then her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Her dark hair
flew up, blown by an unfelt wind. And with the speed of thought, the
green vines grew brown and brittle. As if touching her were
poisonous, the lush green drained away from the vines. Ceres
suddenly fell back, clutching her head.
"Ceres?" gasped Juno.
"Ahh!" she cried. "I can feel them dying!"
The girl wrenched out of the grip of the dead plants and glared
angrily at the senshi.
"Guess it's time for the direct approach," Vesta murmured,
stepping forward. As her pace quickened, Vesta spread her arms and
yelled, "Fauna Assimilation - - Tiger!"
Vesta's movement took on the power and speed of a charging
tiger. She cut the distance between her and the girl in mere steps.
The girl seemed prepared to throw some sort of attack at her, but
even as she charged, Vesta was ready to dodge with cat-like grace.
Then an unseen forced struck her from the side. Caught
unaware, Vesta was thrown from the girl's path and knocked roughly to
the sidewalk. Stunned, Vesta struggled to get up.
"So, are you brats back for more?" Sailor Venus said coldly,
having used Love and Beauty Shock on Vesta. She stood on a side
street, ready for battle, with Sailor Mars on her right, flaming bow
in hand, and Sailor Mercury between them.
"And what are you doing wearing those fukus?" snarled Mars.
"Guys, no!" Jupiter called out. "They're on our side!"
"Yeah, we're senshi, you bubble-head!" snapped Vesta.
"Senshi?" gasped Mars. "Since when?"
"Who's a bubble-head!" snapped Venus.
"Hey! The kid!" screamed Vesta.
Everyone looked and saw the little girl running toward Mercury,
Mars and Venus. Juno raised her hand to attack, but at the last
moment held back. Something about the girl's posture told her not to
attack her.
"Ami?" the little girl cried, anguished tears streaming down
her face. For all the destruction she had caused, now she looked
only like a fragile little girl.
"Sakiko?" gasped Mercury. She knelt down and the little girl
jumped into her arms. She held onto Mercury as tight as she could,
crying out all of her fears and hurts onto Mercury's comforting
shoulder. Jupiter eased up next to Mars.
"They know each other?" Jupiter asked.
"Yeah," Mars said, stunned by the turn of events. "We met her
before you joined up. I think Venus was still in England." She
watched the little urchin cling desperately to Mercury. "Poor kid.
She looks like her whole world's crashed down around her. I wonder
what she's doing in Tokyo."
"Oh, Ami, I thought I was never going to find you!" wailed
Sakiko. "And-and everybody was just being so mean to me!"
"It's all right now, Sakiko," whispered Mercury. "You're safe.
But what are you doing here?"
"Looking for you," cried the girl.
"Is your father with you?"
"That's why I came looking for you," Sakiko sniffled. "Ami,
Papa won't wake up!"
Mercury and Mars exchanged horrified glances with each other.
* * * *
In the future, Queen Serenity stared out the window of her
chambers in the palace. Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter eased into
the room and found her. She was in the same spot she was in when
they'd left her this morning - - staring out the window.
"Have you moved from that spot?" Jupiter asked her.
"Yes," sighed Serenity. "I had a fine lunch that I don't
remember eating. I also got up twice when my bottom got tired and
once to tell Rei to stop worrying about me." She turned to them.
"Now, do you have anything to tell me?"
"Well, the door of time's unlocked," Venus reported. "There's
no way to tell if Usa's used it, but we've scoured the kingdom and we
can't find a trace of her."
"Endymion told me he's been in contact with Helios in Elysian
and she's definitely not there," Jupiter added.
"I sealed that door," Serenity scowled, "just to keep things
like this from happening. Without Pluto around, that thing's just
too dangerous. I can't imagine where she got a key, though."
"Hey, she's your daughter," Venus shrugged. "Maybe she made
one out of moonbeams and thin air."
"If she did, I'd be almost proud of her," Serenity huffed.
"She's doing this just to spite me, you know."
"Come on, hon'," grinned Jupiter. "You know better than that."
"You know how she's gotten the last couple of years. It's like
everything I do is guaranteed to annoy her in some manner. I'm
afraid to open my mouth around her anymore."
"Serenity, a lot of kids are like that, especially at her age,"
Venus smiled. "You remember the titanic battles I had with my mom
when I was fifteen? We got better. It just takes a little patience
on the mom's part and a little maturity on the kid's part."
"Besides, we all went through it a thousand years ago," Jupiter
added. "You know how it's going to end. What are you worried
about?"
"Something going wrong," Serenity suggested. "And even if it
goes like we remember it, she's going to go through so much."
"Loosen up the apron strings, Mama," Jupiter grinned, massaging
Serenity's shoulders.
"You wouldn't say that if it was YOUR daughter in the past,"
Serenity retorted.
"But it's not, so that's why I can," Jupiter taunted playfully.
"Go on!" they all heard Luna bluster angrily. "Get in there!"
They each turned and found Luna shoving Diana through the door.
Luna's eyes were blazing, while Diana's face showed poorly concealed
irritation. "Your Majesty! Diana has something to tell you!" When
Diana didn't respond immediately, Luna whacked her across her tail
with a paw. "Well? Speak up!"
"Mom, would you lighten up!" huffed Diana in her familiar
throaty voice. The gray cat, now fully grown, gathered up what
little dignity she could salvage and turned to the queen. "Your
Majesty," she began reluctantly, "I gave a time key to Usagi-Chibi."
"How did you get them?" Serenity asked.
"Before she went into the past," Diana related, "Sailor Pluto
entrusted me with the time keys. She asked me to guard them with my
life. It's a mission I'm only too glad to perform."
"Then why'd you give one to Usa?" gasped Venus.
"Because she has to prove herself," Diana replied. "Both to
you, Your Highness, and to herself. If she doesn't, she's going to
doubt herself for the rest of her life. And she can't use the
crystal with doubt."
"You're right about that," Serenity whispered.
"Besides," Diana continued. "She misses her friends terribly.
I didn't think it would hurt anything to let her take a short visit
to see Hotaru and Momoko - - especially when we all know this is her
last chance."
"It wasn't your decision to make," Luna said through clenched
teeth.
Diana glared at her mother, then turned to the queen. "Your
Majesty, how did you put up with her all those years?"
Serenity smirked while Luna sputtered. "Diana, sometimes I
wonder that myself."
"Really! Of all the nerve!" huffed Luna.
"Oh, Luna, hush," Serenity said. "What's done is done. We're
just going to have to trust in Usa's ability to rise to the occasion.
Heck, I learned on the job."
"Yes, and I've got the scars to prove it," Luna jabbed back.
Venus and Jupiter giggled.
* * * *
Sailor Moon was still caring for the recovering Tuxedo Mask
when she saw Sailor Mars walk up. She posed an unasked question.
"It's handled," Mars replied. "Do you remember Sakiko? From
the inn?"
"Yeah," nodded Sailor Moon. "Was it her doing this? Rei,
what's happened?"
"She's pretty upset. She came looking for Ami. We think her
father may have died."
"That's terrible," cried Sailor Moon. "Oh, that poor child!"
"Yeah, and when someone with that level of telekinetic power
gets upset and afraid, things tend to break. She's going to stay
with Ami tonight. I thought tomorrow I'd take the train up to the
inn and try to nail down some facts." Mars glanced at Tuxedo Mask,
still clearing his head. "How's he doing?"
"HE'LL be fine," Tuxedo Mask grumbled. He tried to gain his
feet and only succeeded with an assist from Sailor Moon.
"He's being stubborn," Sailor Moon said to Mars.
"Yeah, but you know how cute he gets when he's stubborn," joked
Mars.
"YOU'RE not supposed to notice things like that anymore,"
Sailor Moon playfully warned.
"Meow," Mars grinned, shaking her nose at her. "The Amazoness
brats are going to crash with Makoto for now. Think you can take
care of him?"
"I'm willing to bet a wedding ring on it," Sailor Moon replied.
Mars noticed Tuxedo Mask blush, chuckled and walked off.
The crisis over, both people reverted to their other forms.
Mamoru, leaning on Usagi for support, took several steps forward with
increasing confidence and dexterity. Then he stopped suddenly.
"Mamo-chan?" she asked him, looking up with concern. "Does it
hurt somewhere else?"
"No," Mamoru replied vacantly. Then he turned to her. "Is
Chibi-Usa back in this time?"
"I haven't seen her," Usagi replied. "But now that you mention
it, the Amazoness senshi said they were here looking for the
princess. I guess they meant her. Why?"
"I can - - feel her. The way I can sense you."
Usagi looked out into the dwindling light of the evening. "I
wonder why she hasn't contacted us. I hope nothing's happened to
her."
Continued in part 4
Part 3: "Child Rearing"
By Bill K.
Giggling came once again from inside Hotaru Tomoe's bedroom.
Haruka passed it on the way from the bathroom.
"Go to sleep!" she growled. "Or at least giggle quietly if
you're going to stay up all night!"
"Yes, Haruka-papa," Hotaru called out.
She looked down, chastened, then glanced out of the corner of
her eye at Usa. Usa glanced back and they both broke out in giggles
again, knowing that there was no way they were ready for bed yet.
Sitting at the head of the bed, cross-legged, Hotaru looked at her
friend, wondering if she should ask the question that was foremost on
her mind. But as she agonized over it, Usa, sitting cross-legged at
the foot of the bed, did it for her.
"So are you going out with anyone?" Usa asked excitedly. "And
if you are, what's he like?"
Hotaru tried to keep her smile for Usa's sake, but it couldn't
help drooping as she looked away.
"I'm not seeing anyone," she said softly, then shrugged. "Not
a lot of people have ever wanted to get close to me."
"Why not?" Usa asked, genuinely sympathetic to her friend's
plight.
"Well," Hotaru hesitated. "I'm not much to look at."
"That's not true! You have a very nice smile. And you have
the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen! They're even more beautiful
than Mama's, and that's saying something! Why, I've seen her enchant
entire rooms full of people just by looking at them!"
"I can imagine Usagi doing that," Hotaru grinned.
"It's still hard to imagine they're the same person sometimes,"
Usa continued. "Usagi and my Mama, I mean. If baka-Usagi can grow
up to be my Mama, then there's hope for anybody!" Usa thought a
moment. "You know, if you don't like the way you look, you could
always do something about it. Change your hair, maybe?"
"I don't think it would help. Usa, too many people remember
how I was - - before. When I was . . ."
"When Mistress 9 was inside you?"
Hotaru nodded. "And those people are still afraid of me. And
if I meet someone who doesn't know me from that time, well, they
usually tell them pretty quickly."
"That's not fair," Usa scowled.
"I don't think they're trying to be mean - - not always."
Hotaru stared at her hands for a few moments, then forced herself to
cheer up. "So what about you? Have you met anyone?"
"Well," Usa said, looking down with a sheepish, melancholy
smile, "there is this one boy."
"Tell me about him?" Hotaru asked hopefully.
Usa's cheeks grew crimson and Hotaru stifled a smile. "Well,
his name's Helios. He's the guardian of a realm called Elysian."
"Sounds important. Is he cute?"
"Oh, he is just so fine," Usa sighed, biting her lip. "And he
can change into a Pegasus! Oh and he's just so beautiful when he's
Pegasus!"
"I love horses," sighed Hotaru happily.
"And he's gentle and understanding and kind - - and he treats
me with respect! He acts like my opinion matters and I can think for
myself, you know?"
"He sounds perfect. Do you go out a lot?"
Usa bowed her head. "He has to stay in Elysian. And Daddy
says it's too far for me to go on my own. Like I'm some kid or
something! I'm fifteen! If it was up to me, I'd move there for the
rest of my life!" She stared bitterly at nothing in particular.
"But I have 'obligations'."
"That sounds so sad," Hotaru said. "Do you see each other at
all?"
"We talk occasionally. He'll come to me in my dreams once in a
while and we'll just curl up under a tree and he'll just hold me."
Usa grinned happily. "And about five months ago - - in the future, I
mean - - I snuck off and went to Elysian all on my own and we just
spent the whole day together. Oh, it was beautiful."
"What did your parents say?"
"Well Daddy flipped out, as usual," Usa scowled. "Like I don't
know what he and Usagi were doing when they were my age! Mama was
actually kind of rational about the whole thing, if you can believe
it. She got Daddy to calm down and all she seemed concerned about
was if I had a good time. I think she actually likes Helios." Usa
dramatically flung herself down on the bed. "Oh, Hotaru, being with
you is the only thing that's keeping me from missing him so badly."
"I'm glad to help," Hotaru smiled, stroking Usa's pink hair.
* * * *
Normally she would be gasping for breath about now. However
Sailor Moon barely noticed the discomfort in her ribs as she ran
blindly down the street. Passersby stopped and stared as the girl
flew past them, her costume wings actually hindering her progress
with their wind resistance.
Close on her heels, struggling to catch up, were the Amazoness
senshi.
"Brother, Sailor Moon can really run!" gasped Vesta.
"Pallas!" Juno yelled back to Sailor Pallas, who was trailing
the pack. "Do you see anything up ahead?"
Pallas kept running, but her eyes seemed to glaze over for a
few moments.
"Oh that poor little girl!" cried Pallas. "She's lost her
Daddy!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ceres asked Juno.
"I don't know," shrugged Juno. "Look for a little girl that's
crying, I guess."
Sailor Moon skidded around the corner, led only by a sense she
couldn't name. At once she staggered to a stop, amazed at the path
of destruction she found. As she stepped haltingly forward, it let
Jupiter and the Amazons catch up.
"What went through here?" Jupiter gasped. "A tank?"
"Pallas knows, Pallas knows!" squealed Pallas. The others
turned to her inquiringly.
"Can you tell us?" Juno asked her pointedly.
Pallas grinned eagerly. Two dolls seemed to materialize in her
hand. One was a male doll and the other smaller and female.
"Where's my friend?" mimicked Pallas, moving the female doll.
"Bring me my friend or I'll make you sorry!" She began moving the
male doll. "I am the great and glorious Tuxedo Mask!" Pallas
mimicked, lowering her voice. "You must stop hurting people, little
girl." She moved the female doll again. "Bring me my friend! I'm
lonely and I'm afraid!" She moved the male. "I don't know who your
friend is, little girl." She moved the female. "Then you're
useless!"
Then she shook the female doll at the male doll. With a
dramatic flair, Pallas moved the male doll horizontally onto its
back. Sailor Moon's eyes widened and her hands shot to her mouth.
"Tuxedo Mask!" she gasped. "I've got to find him!" and she
tore off again.
"Did Pallas do bad?" Pallas asked Juno with the wide-eyed
innocence of a chastened child.
"No, Pallas," Juno said, her arm around the girl. "She's - -
just worried about the king."
Jupiter had already moved past them, keeping pace with Sailor
Moon. She was about to call out when she spotted what Sailor Moon
spotted. As one, they sprinted forward.
"Tuxedo Mask!" wailed Sailor Moon. When she reached the still
prone man, she fell to her knees and cradled him in her lap.
"Mamo-chan?" she whispered.
"Uhh," he groaned, disoriented. At first he didn't recognize
her touch as Sailor Moon's hands caressed his face and began to
struggle. Then he opened his eyes and calmed some. "That girl," he
gasped. "Where . . .?"
"She's gone, whoever she is," Sailor Moon said. "Are you all
right?"
"A little wobbly. Whatever she hit me with was strong. But
how? Sailor Moon, she's just a little girl!"
"A little girl did all of this?" gasped Jupiter. "Wow!"
"She," gasped Tuxedo Mask, "has to be stopped!"
"Leave that to us," Vesta said as she and the other Amazons
arrived. "With your leave, your majesty."
"Yes," Sailor Moon nodded. "Thank you. Please be careful."
"We will." Vesta glanced up at Jupiter, her expression issuing
a good-natured challenge. "So are you going to stand there all day?"
Jupiter turned to Sailor Moon with a sly grin. "Oh, this one's
got a smart mouth." She winked at Sailor Moon and took off with the
Amazons.
"Aren't those . . .?" Tuxedo Mask began.
"They're friends now," Sailor Moon replied.
Tuxedo Mask tried to get up, but fell back.
"Things are spinning," he mumbled. Sailor Moon held onto him
tighter.
"Just sit here and clear your head," she whispered, hugging him
to her breast. "I'm here. No one will hurt you."
The five senshi found their quarry wreaking more havoc down the
street. Stopping about fifty feet from her, they considered their
next move.
"I hate using my electrical attack on a little girl," Jupiter
said.
"Maybe a little passive restraint is in order," Sailor Ceres
suggested. Her hand sweeping in front of her, the senshi yelled out,
"Floral Stimulation!"
Quickly green tendrils pushed their way through the asphalt
street. Growing at a tremendous rate, the tendrils took on the shape
of some sort of jungle vine. The vines began to twist and multiply
beneath the little girl.
She screeched in alarm as the vines rapidly wound around her
ankles and up her legs, growing thicker as they did. She tried to
pull away, but she was already caught. Growing inches per second,
the vines caught her arms and pulled them to her sides while other
tendrils coccooned her torso. Both her violent thrashing and her
cries of distress made it clear the little girl was terrified by what
was happening.
Then her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Her dark hair
flew up, blown by an unfelt wind. And with the speed of thought, the
green vines grew brown and brittle. As if touching her were
poisonous, the lush green drained away from the vines. Ceres
suddenly fell back, clutching her head.
"Ceres?" gasped Juno.
"Ahh!" she cried. "I can feel them dying!"
The girl wrenched out of the grip of the dead plants and glared
angrily at the senshi.
"Guess it's time for the direct approach," Vesta murmured,
stepping forward. As her pace quickened, Vesta spread her arms and
yelled, "Fauna Assimilation - - Tiger!"
Vesta's movement took on the power and speed of a charging
tiger. She cut the distance between her and the girl in mere steps.
The girl seemed prepared to throw some sort of attack at her, but
even as she charged, Vesta was ready to dodge with cat-like grace.
Then an unseen forced struck her from the side. Caught
unaware, Vesta was thrown from the girl's path and knocked roughly to
the sidewalk. Stunned, Vesta struggled to get up.
"So, are you brats back for more?" Sailor Venus said coldly,
having used Love and Beauty Shock on Vesta. She stood on a side
street, ready for battle, with Sailor Mars on her right, flaming bow
in hand, and Sailor Mercury between them.
"And what are you doing wearing those fukus?" snarled Mars.
"Guys, no!" Jupiter called out. "They're on our side!"
"Yeah, we're senshi, you bubble-head!" snapped Vesta.
"Senshi?" gasped Mars. "Since when?"
"Who's a bubble-head!" snapped Venus.
"Hey! The kid!" screamed Vesta.
Everyone looked and saw the little girl running toward Mercury,
Mars and Venus. Juno raised her hand to attack, but at the last
moment held back. Something about the girl's posture told her not to
attack her.
"Ami?" the little girl cried, anguished tears streaming down
her face. For all the destruction she had caused, now she looked
only like a fragile little girl.
"Sakiko?" gasped Mercury. She knelt down and the little girl
jumped into her arms. She held onto Mercury as tight as she could,
crying out all of her fears and hurts onto Mercury's comforting
shoulder. Jupiter eased up next to Mars.
"They know each other?" Jupiter asked.
"Yeah," Mars said, stunned by the turn of events. "We met her
before you joined up. I think Venus was still in England." She
watched the little urchin cling desperately to Mercury. "Poor kid.
She looks like her whole world's crashed down around her. I wonder
what she's doing in Tokyo."
"Oh, Ami, I thought I was never going to find you!" wailed
Sakiko. "And-and everybody was just being so mean to me!"
"It's all right now, Sakiko," whispered Mercury. "You're safe.
But what are you doing here?"
"Looking for you," cried the girl.
"Is your father with you?"
"That's why I came looking for you," Sakiko sniffled. "Ami,
Papa won't wake up!"
Mercury and Mars exchanged horrified glances with each other.
* * * *
In the future, Queen Serenity stared out the window of her
chambers in the palace. Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter eased into
the room and found her. She was in the same spot she was in when
they'd left her this morning - - staring out the window.
"Have you moved from that spot?" Jupiter asked her.
"Yes," sighed Serenity. "I had a fine lunch that I don't
remember eating. I also got up twice when my bottom got tired and
once to tell Rei to stop worrying about me." She turned to them.
"Now, do you have anything to tell me?"
"Well, the door of time's unlocked," Venus reported. "There's
no way to tell if Usa's used it, but we've scoured the kingdom and we
can't find a trace of her."
"Endymion told me he's been in contact with Helios in Elysian
and she's definitely not there," Jupiter added.
"I sealed that door," Serenity scowled, "just to keep things
like this from happening. Without Pluto around, that thing's just
too dangerous. I can't imagine where she got a key, though."
"Hey, she's your daughter," Venus shrugged. "Maybe she made
one out of moonbeams and thin air."
"If she did, I'd be almost proud of her," Serenity huffed.
"She's doing this just to spite me, you know."
"Come on, hon'," grinned Jupiter. "You know better than that."
"You know how she's gotten the last couple of years. It's like
everything I do is guaranteed to annoy her in some manner. I'm
afraid to open my mouth around her anymore."
"Serenity, a lot of kids are like that, especially at her age,"
Venus smiled. "You remember the titanic battles I had with my mom
when I was fifteen? We got better. It just takes a little patience
on the mom's part and a little maturity on the kid's part."
"Besides, we all went through it a thousand years ago," Jupiter
added. "You know how it's going to end. What are you worried
about?"
"Something going wrong," Serenity suggested. "And even if it
goes like we remember it, she's going to go through so much."
"Loosen up the apron strings, Mama," Jupiter grinned, massaging
Serenity's shoulders.
"You wouldn't say that if it was YOUR daughter in the past,"
Serenity retorted.
"But it's not, so that's why I can," Jupiter taunted playfully.
"Go on!" they all heard Luna bluster angrily. "Get in there!"
They each turned and found Luna shoving Diana through the door.
Luna's eyes were blazing, while Diana's face showed poorly concealed
irritation. "Your Majesty! Diana has something to tell you!" When
Diana didn't respond immediately, Luna whacked her across her tail
with a paw. "Well? Speak up!"
"Mom, would you lighten up!" huffed Diana in her familiar
throaty voice. The gray cat, now fully grown, gathered up what
little dignity she could salvage and turned to the queen. "Your
Majesty," she began reluctantly, "I gave a time key to Usagi-Chibi."
"How did you get them?" Serenity asked.
"Before she went into the past," Diana related, "Sailor Pluto
entrusted me with the time keys. She asked me to guard them with my
life. It's a mission I'm only too glad to perform."
"Then why'd you give one to Usa?" gasped Venus.
"Because she has to prove herself," Diana replied. "Both to
you, Your Highness, and to herself. If she doesn't, she's going to
doubt herself for the rest of her life. And she can't use the
crystal with doubt."
"You're right about that," Serenity whispered.
"Besides," Diana continued. "She misses her friends terribly.
I didn't think it would hurt anything to let her take a short visit
to see Hotaru and Momoko - - especially when we all know this is her
last chance."
"It wasn't your decision to make," Luna said through clenched
teeth.
Diana glared at her mother, then turned to the queen. "Your
Majesty, how did you put up with her all those years?"
Serenity smirked while Luna sputtered. "Diana, sometimes I
wonder that myself."
"Really! Of all the nerve!" huffed Luna.
"Oh, Luna, hush," Serenity said. "What's done is done. We're
just going to have to trust in Usa's ability to rise to the occasion.
Heck, I learned on the job."
"Yes, and I've got the scars to prove it," Luna jabbed back.
Venus and Jupiter giggled.
* * * *
Sailor Moon was still caring for the recovering Tuxedo Mask
when she saw Sailor Mars walk up. She posed an unasked question.
"It's handled," Mars replied. "Do you remember Sakiko? From
the inn?"
"Yeah," nodded Sailor Moon. "Was it her doing this? Rei,
what's happened?"
"She's pretty upset. She came looking for Ami. We think her
father may have died."
"That's terrible," cried Sailor Moon. "Oh, that poor child!"
"Yeah, and when someone with that level of telekinetic power
gets upset and afraid, things tend to break. She's going to stay
with Ami tonight. I thought tomorrow I'd take the train up to the
inn and try to nail down some facts." Mars glanced at Tuxedo Mask,
still clearing his head. "How's he doing?"
"HE'LL be fine," Tuxedo Mask grumbled. He tried to gain his
feet and only succeeded with an assist from Sailor Moon.
"He's being stubborn," Sailor Moon said to Mars.
"Yeah, but you know how cute he gets when he's stubborn," joked
Mars.
"YOU'RE not supposed to notice things like that anymore,"
Sailor Moon playfully warned.
"Meow," Mars grinned, shaking her nose at her. "The Amazoness
brats are going to crash with Makoto for now. Think you can take
care of him?"
"I'm willing to bet a wedding ring on it," Sailor Moon replied.
Mars noticed Tuxedo Mask blush, chuckled and walked off.
The crisis over, both people reverted to their other forms.
Mamoru, leaning on Usagi for support, took several steps forward with
increasing confidence and dexterity. Then he stopped suddenly.
"Mamo-chan?" she asked him, looking up with concern. "Does it
hurt somewhere else?"
"No," Mamoru replied vacantly. Then he turned to her. "Is
Chibi-Usa back in this time?"
"I haven't seen her," Usagi replied. "But now that you mention
it, the Amazoness senshi said they were here looking for the
princess. I guess they meant her. Why?"
"I can - - feel her. The way I can sense you."
Usagi looked out into the dwindling light of the evening. "I
wonder why she hasn't contacted us. I hope nothing's happened to
her."
Continued in part 4
