Chapter 3: Chibi Moon's Confession
Rini indicated for Hotaru to sit next to her on the bed. Hotaru drew nearer, slowly, and perched precariously on the edge of the pink duvet.
"You have them too? Then you must understand what these dreams mean! Tell me!"
Rini shook her head and her pink hair narrowly missed Hotaru's dark brown eyes. "I can't. Serena and Haruka made me promise. I just can't." She looked at her friend, tears in her eyes. Then she burst out crying.
"Oh but I have to! I can't keep it in much longer! I have to tell you something! Or at least give you something….."
She ran over to a chest of drawers and pulled out a cloth. She carried it like some kind of holy crown or breakable treasure. She handed it carefully to Hotaru.
"It's yours. I've had it since you fell ill.. sort of. Can you remember why or how you fell ill?"
Hotaru started to reply, but found no answer. Why had she fallen ill? She knew that her memory had failed slightly, and she knew that she had to be told her name, age and various other small details. Her best friend, who she could trust. Her guardians, Michiru and Haruka, had refused to divulge in any more information until Hotaru was back to normal. She shook her head.
"No. I don't know. That's what's annoying me."
Rini closed her eyes like she didn't want to be a part of it any more. Then she continued.
"You fell ill because of Sailor Moon, Sailor Jupiter and the Dark Crystal. The Dark Crystal turned you to the side of evil, the Sailor Senshi came to rescue you and Sailor Jupiter had to knock you out with her Supreme Thunder attack. Sailor Moon then used her Moon Healing powers to turn you back to the light side. Then, Sailor Pluto had to modify your memory so you had no recollection of your past."
Hotaru stared at her friend, who had started sobbing inexcessively. Then she had a flashback. A miriad of voices.
" Hotaru? Oh my god, Haruka, is she okay?"
"I don't know. That memory modification was pretty harsh."
"But Haruka, surely she will remember some things?"
"She will, Michiru. But hopefully, not those things we don't want her to."
"Hotaru? Hey, you okay?"
She jumped at the sound of Rini's voice. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you serious? How do you know all of this stuff?"
"Because I'm.. I know Sailor Moon."
Hotaru nodded slowly to show she understood. Then Rini said "Aren't you going to see what I kept for you?"
Hotaru looked down at the cloth. For the first time, she felt something hard and cold inside. She drew back the first corner, and saw a black and purple pen with a star on top. It had a weird kind of H inside. Then she had another flash back, from years ago.
"Hotaru Tomoe? I am Setsuna, but you can call me Sailor Pluto."
"Sailor Pluto? You're part of the Sailor Senshi!"
"Yes, and so are we."
"Michiru? Haruka? You're Sailor Scouts?"
"Yes, and so are you. That's why you've grown.."
The voices faded. "Oh my god. This cannot be happening. Not here! Not now! I've got to find Serena! LUNA! LUNA, HELP!"
The last thing Hotaru saw was Rini standing over her. "Saturn." She whispered.
Rini indicated for Hotaru to sit next to her on the bed. Hotaru drew nearer, slowly, and perched precariously on the edge of the pink duvet.
"You have them too? Then you must understand what these dreams mean! Tell me!"
Rini shook her head and her pink hair narrowly missed Hotaru's dark brown eyes. "I can't. Serena and Haruka made me promise. I just can't." She looked at her friend, tears in her eyes. Then she burst out crying.
"Oh but I have to! I can't keep it in much longer! I have to tell you something! Or at least give you something….."
She ran over to a chest of drawers and pulled out a cloth. She carried it like some kind of holy crown or breakable treasure. She handed it carefully to Hotaru.
"It's yours. I've had it since you fell ill.. sort of. Can you remember why or how you fell ill?"
Hotaru started to reply, but found no answer. Why had she fallen ill? She knew that her memory had failed slightly, and she knew that she had to be told her name, age and various other small details. Her best friend, who she could trust. Her guardians, Michiru and Haruka, had refused to divulge in any more information until Hotaru was back to normal. She shook her head.
"No. I don't know. That's what's annoying me."
Rini closed her eyes like she didn't want to be a part of it any more. Then she continued.
"You fell ill because of Sailor Moon, Sailor Jupiter and the Dark Crystal. The Dark Crystal turned you to the side of evil, the Sailor Senshi came to rescue you and Sailor Jupiter had to knock you out with her Supreme Thunder attack. Sailor Moon then used her Moon Healing powers to turn you back to the light side. Then, Sailor Pluto had to modify your memory so you had no recollection of your past."
Hotaru stared at her friend, who had started sobbing inexcessively. Then she had a flashback. A miriad of voices.
" Hotaru? Oh my god, Haruka, is she okay?"
"I don't know. That memory modification was pretty harsh."
"But Haruka, surely she will remember some things?"
"She will, Michiru. But hopefully, not those things we don't want her to."
"Hotaru? Hey, you okay?"
She jumped at the sound of Rini's voice. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you serious? How do you know all of this stuff?"
"Because I'm.. I know Sailor Moon."
Hotaru nodded slowly to show she understood. Then Rini said "Aren't you going to see what I kept for you?"
Hotaru looked down at the cloth. For the first time, she felt something hard and cold inside. She drew back the first corner, and saw a black and purple pen with a star on top. It had a weird kind of H inside. Then she had another flash back, from years ago.
"Hotaru Tomoe? I am Setsuna, but you can call me Sailor Pluto."
"Sailor Pluto? You're part of the Sailor Senshi!"
"Yes, and so are we."
"Michiru? Haruka? You're Sailor Scouts?"
"Yes, and so are you. That's why you've grown.."
The voices faded. "Oh my god. This cannot be happening. Not here! Not now! I've got to find Serena! LUNA! LUNA, HELP!"
The last thing Hotaru saw was Rini standing over her. "Saturn." She whispered.