"She's so precious..." Tsukino Ikuko cooed as she looked down on her
little baby girl. After a long wait, she finally had a little girl. She
looked up at her husband. He smiled back. It was the perfect picture of a
perfectly normal family beginning. A tall nurse stood nearby, watching the
scene.
"What's her name?" the nurse questioned, although she knew the answer.
"Usagi." the father said, lovingly looking at his baby girl. Soon the doctor came back in, and the nurse took Usagi in her arms, and walked out the door. Looking around the be sure no one was watching, she slipped into a empty room nearby. She locked the door behind her, and leaned against it, letting out a sigh of relief. Then she turned her attention to the little baby in her arms.
"I'm sorry to have to do this, Usagi-hime." she said as she changed appearances. Now Sailor Pluto stood in the nurse's place. She took a deep breath and placed both of her hands underneath the baby. A soft white light flooded the room, and slowly Pluto brought her arms apart. She looked down at the two identical baby girls she held. Slowly a smile spread across her face, and she kissed each babies forehead. Tiny cresent moons appeared, and then disapeared once more. She grinned even wider.
"I did it." she whispered. A soft knock was heard on the door. Changing into the appearance of Setsuna Meioh, she placed one of the babies in a plastic baby's hospital crib on the other side of the bed, out of sight. Whispering a word or two over the baby, the little cherub fell asleep.
Setsuna moved to unlock the door, and she slowly opened it. Once more she sighed in relief, opening the door wide enough so the person on the other side could get in.
"Hello." he said. "Is this the baby?" he said, looking at the baby in her arms, who seemed strangely alert of everything around her
"Hai." Setsuna replied, placing the baby carefully in his arms. "Take her and go. Oh, and give this to him, and tell him I'll see him soon, okay?" she said, handing him a manilla envelope.
"Yes." he said with a nod. "Goodbye!" he called, and then ran back down the hall. Setsuna smiled at him, and picked the other baby up. Shimmering back into her nurse's garb, she proceeded down the hall. Outside, she smiled at the newborn. Inside, she cried for her poor princess that had already gone through so much and yet had so much more to go through.
'Gomen nasai, Usagi-hime. O-negai, forgive me.' she thought sadly.
This baby would never be normal.
-----------------------------
Nearly fifteen years later...
Tsukino Usagi ran out of detention, grateful to be away from Mrs. Haruna's wrath. 'I don't get it.' she thought as she headed for the Crown Arcade. 'Why do I have to lie about everything?' Usagi was stronger and smarter than she let on. She pretended to be a blonde ditz because something deep inside told her that it was the right thing to do, although she hated lying and pretending to be something she wasn't. At fourteen, when she befriended a talking cat named Luna, she had been scared that if she showed her friends who she really was, they would hate her. She hated for people to be upset. Usagi was very troubled. The other Senshi, her best friends, were mad at her. Their taunts echoed in her head with every step she took.
'Why don't you let someone else be leader, Usagi? Someone stronger could do the job much better.' Makoto had said after one particularly bad fight.
'Yes, someone more gifted in the ancient arts would be much better suited.' Rei told her sneeringly.
'No, it should be someone with more grace. She couldn't land on her feet to save her life. Give us the Crystal or else, Usagi.' Mina said, taking a step towards Usagi.
'Beauty and strength will not matter in a bad fight. The new leader should be someone smarter, someone who can multiply by two, maybe?' Ami had said, acting totally unlike herself.
'Give us the Crystal.'
'Hand it over, and we'll choose a new leader.'
'Consider yourself retired from your role as Sailor Moon.'
'You can lead a normal life.'
'Isn't that what you've always wanted?' They had taunted her until she put her hands over her ears and ran. Now she was avoiding them, or as much as she could. She had been recieving death glares from Lita and Mina all day, and Ami had taken the time to point out to Mrs. Haruna that Usagi hadn't touched her classwork. Which was the reason Usagi had just gotten out of detention.
She slowed as she neared the entrance to the Arcade, peering in. She didn't see who she wanted to see. Disappointed, she walked in.
"Hello Usagi-chan. Daijobu ka?" Motoki asked as she sat down on a stool in front of the counter.
"Hai, daijobu." she lied. "Have you seen Mamo-chan today?" she asked, dreading the answer.
"He was here earlier. Said something about how late you were and left. Usagi, something's bothering him, don't take it personally. Don't worry, he was probably in a bad mood." Usagi was hardly listening though. In the corner booth sat four angry girls, all shooting daggers in her direction.
"Umm, Usagi-chan, are they mad at you?" Motoki asked.
"I dunno, I think so." she replied as Makoto stood and walked over, the other three right behind her.
"Hello Usagi-baka." she said icily.
"Hello Makoto." Usagi said, not looking up.
"May we have a word with you Odango Atama?" Rei asked coldly. Motoki was surprised, if not shocked. He could literally see the air around the four girl's breaths turn to ice, although their eyes were red with fire.
"Hai. Go ahead." Usagi said, trying desperately not shake.
"Privately?" Minako asked sweetly.
"I know what you want and you aren't getting it." Usagi said. "I am keeping it. If you don't want me anymore, that's fine. If you can get along without me, you can get along without it. Got it?" she finished, and ran out.
"Brat." Makoto spat after her.
Usagi ran towards a certain block of apartments. If even he didn't want her, then... Usagi shook her head, trying to clear out a mental image of what she would do to herself if even Mamoru agreed with the others.
"Mamo-chan open up!" she cried, banging her fist on his door. Suddenly the door opened and Usagi fell straight in and landed on top of Mamoru Chiba.
"Hello to you too Usagi." he said. A knife was driven through her heart- 'Usagi?'
"Usagi?" she asked timidly. Mamoru stood up and leaned against a wall, turning from her.
"Usagi, we can't see each other anymore. I can't go through life with someone I don't love. Endymion may have loved Serenity, but I can't find that same affection for a whiny, clutzy ditz who just happens to be Sailor Moon." (AN: I know, harsh, even for him, but...)
"Nani?" Usagi said, backing towards the door.
"Usagi, I want something else. Someone smart like Ami, graceful like Minako, strong like Makoto, and gifted like Rei. Not you. Now if you'll just leave," Mamoru said, pushing her out the door. "Oh and Usagi?" she turned to him, hope rising in her eyes.
"O-negai, give the Crystal to the others."
The hope was crushed, and she ran.
She reached her house, but no one was home. Then she remembered the discussion at breakfast that morning.
'I'm not going to be here when you get home, Usa-chan.' her mother said. 'Your brother has a dentist appointment.'
'I'll be home late, too.' her father had added. 'But I'll try and bring us some take-out for dinner, okay Bunny?'
Usagi raced up to her room, frantic.
"Someone's got to be here, someone, anyone.... Luna?!" she called. Then she noticed a piece of paper on her bed. (AN: Yes I know this is somewhat impossible but work with me.)
It was typed on her computer, and had a pawprint at the bottom.
"Luna..." Usagi said after reading it. She buried her head in her skirt and cried. The piece of paper fluttered out of her hand and onto the floor.
Usagi- it read.
I will be at a Senshi meeting at the temple. Please attend it. We will be discussing the great need for new leadership, and wish for you to be present when we give the Crystal to the new leader. Oh and try to be on time, get there at least five minutes before it's over.
"What am I supposed to do?" she asked, holding her stuffed bunny close to her. Something in her head snapped, and she looked around the room desperately.
She remembered something she bought at an antique store about a month after she found out she was Sailor Moon. She lifted a decorated shoebox down from the top of her closet. Digging through choronologically ordered laminated magazine and newspaper articles tracking the news of the Senshi and Sailor Moon, she found what she was looking for. It was an ornately carved dagger. It was extremely sharp, from all the times when she had snuck something up to her room to sharpen it without Luna noticing. It's hilt was black and silver, and had a rose carved into it. Usagi got out pen and paper, writing quickly for she was anxious to get it all over with.
'Dear Mama, Papa, and Shingo.' she wrote in a fast but beautiful calligraphy.
'I am sorry to put you through this. I really am. But I cannot stay here any longer. I have many confessions to make, some more important than others. I am not who you think I am. My four best friends do not even know the real me. If only I had time to show you... But I don't. I can't stay in a place where everyone I love hates me. I have one favor to ask of you--- burn my locket.
O-negai, DO NOT give it to any of my friends. I can't explain why. I'm sorry for everything, but most of all not being the perfect daughter I know you wanted.
I love you forever.'
Usagi
Usagi placed it on her bed, and took a deep breath, and closed her eyes as she drew the smooth metal blade across her wrists.
Time Gate...
Pluto was not surprised by her actions, and yet there was nothing she could do. She had prepared for this, but nothing could prepare her for actually seeing it. She closed her eyes and stepped through the Time Warp, reappearing...
In Hino Rei's temple.
The four girls were bent over in pain, each clutching her forehead as her planet symbol appeared. They looked up briefly as Pluto appeared. A few minutes later the pain had dulled somewhat. Each of the girls was now looking at two scars that had appeared on each of them, one on each wrist.
"Hello Senshi-chan." Pluto said.
"What the hell was that and why are you here?!" Rei demanded angrily.
"What each of you experienced was one-fourth of the pain you put her through." Pluto replied cryptically.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Makoto asked.
"Look at your wrists." Pluto said. "And at your right side." they did. A scar also ran down their sides now.
"Where did these come from!? I can't model like this!" Minako exclaimed.
"Those scars will fade soon, but the pain in your hearts will not." Pluto replied.
"Stop speaking Greek and tell us what is going on!" Rei demanded once more.
"Usagi is DEAD, and it's your fault!" Pluto cried. Shocked looks came over each of their faces.
"Usagi's dead? Was there a youma attack?" Ami said, the only one to show real remorse at first.
"Why didn't she call us?" Makoto asked Rei.
"She probably thought she could handle it without us."
They went on like this for a minute or two.
"STOP!" Pluto yelled. They looked at her, more shocked now than before. They had never heard Pluto raise her voice.
"She killed herself. She slit her wrists. There was no youma." Pluto told them, fury and hate showing in her eyes as she looked at each.
"She- killed herself?" Rei repeated, eyes open in horror.
"Hai."
"Why?" Ami asked through tears. Pluto waved the Time Staff, and in each of their hands appeared a letter. A copy of the one Usagi had left behind.
"Oh my God." Minako whispered, leaning on a wall.
"The scars are from her two lives. The one on your sides is from the Silver Millenium when she killed herself after Endymion died, and the ones on your wrists is from today. The pain will stop coming from those scars when she is dead."
"But the pain hasn't completely stopped... Is there still time?" Minako asked.
"Iie. She will be dead in a few minutes." Pluto responded. "You'd never make it over there in time."
"But you can take us! It'll take three seconds, and we can save her!" Ami cried.
"IIE! You can't! I won't take you! She wanted to die! She wanted to leave here, and I WON'T take that dream away from her!" Pluto nearly screamed.
"How can her life be over?" Makoto asked suspiciously. Then a realization dawned on her. "You had to have seen this coming! You see everything that happens in her life, and ours! Why didn't you stop her!?" Pluto sighed.
"I didn't stop her because I saw it coming. I will re-awaken her, and I doubt she'll ever forgive you all." Pluto said, before stepping through the Time Warp once more. The girls looked at each other and ran for the door, but before they could get down the steps....
The pain was gone.
"She's dead." Ami whispered, and four girls sat on the Temple steps, holding each other and crying for the mistake they had made.
But Usagi was already awakening, thousands of years away.
"What's her name?" the nurse questioned, although she knew the answer.
"Usagi." the father said, lovingly looking at his baby girl. Soon the doctor came back in, and the nurse took Usagi in her arms, and walked out the door. Looking around the be sure no one was watching, she slipped into a empty room nearby. She locked the door behind her, and leaned against it, letting out a sigh of relief. Then she turned her attention to the little baby in her arms.
"I'm sorry to have to do this, Usagi-hime." she said as she changed appearances. Now Sailor Pluto stood in the nurse's place. She took a deep breath and placed both of her hands underneath the baby. A soft white light flooded the room, and slowly Pluto brought her arms apart. She looked down at the two identical baby girls she held. Slowly a smile spread across her face, and she kissed each babies forehead. Tiny cresent moons appeared, and then disapeared once more. She grinned even wider.
"I did it." she whispered. A soft knock was heard on the door. Changing into the appearance of Setsuna Meioh, she placed one of the babies in a plastic baby's hospital crib on the other side of the bed, out of sight. Whispering a word or two over the baby, the little cherub fell asleep.
Setsuna moved to unlock the door, and she slowly opened it. Once more she sighed in relief, opening the door wide enough so the person on the other side could get in.
"Hello." he said. "Is this the baby?" he said, looking at the baby in her arms, who seemed strangely alert of everything around her
"Hai." Setsuna replied, placing the baby carefully in his arms. "Take her and go. Oh, and give this to him, and tell him I'll see him soon, okay?" she said, handing him a manilla envelope.
"Yes." he said with a nod. "Goodbye!" he called, and then ran back down the hall. Setsuna smiled at him, and picked the other baby up. Shimmering back into her nurse's garb, she proceeded down the hall. Outside, she smiled at the newborn. Inside, she cried for her poor princess that had already gone through so much and yet had so much more to go through.
'Gomen nasai, Usagi-hime. O-negai, forgive me.' she thought sadly.
This baby would never be normal.
-----------------------------
Nearly fifteen years later...
Tsukino Usagi ran out of detention, grateful to be away from Mrs. Haruna's wrath. 'I don't get it.' she thought as she headed for the Crown Arcade. 'Why do I have to lie about everything?' Usagi was stronger and smarter than she let on. She pretended to be a blonde ditz because something deep inside told her that it was the right thing to do, although she hated lying and pretending to be something she wasn't. At fourteen, when she befriended a talking cat named Luna, she had been scared that if she showed her friends who she really was, they would hate her. She hated for people to be upset. Usagi was very troubled. The other Senshi, her best friends, were mad at her. Their taunts echoed in her head with every step she took.
'Why don't you let someone else be leader, Usagi? Someone stronger could do the job much better.' Makoto had said after one particularly bad fight.
'Yes, someone more gifted in the ancient arts would be much better suited.' Rei told her sneeringly.
'No, it should be someone with more grace. She couldn't land on her feet to save her life. Give us the Crystal or else, Usagi.' Mina said, taking a step towards Usagi.
'Beauty and strength will not matter in a bad fight. The new leader should be someone smarter, someone who can multiply by two, maybe?' Ami had said, acting totally unlike herself.
'Give us the Crystal.'
'Hand it over, and we'll choose a new leader.'
'Consider yourself retired from your role as Sailor Moon.'
'You can lead a normal life.'
'Isn't that what you've always wanted?' They had taunted her until she put her hands over her ears and ran. Now she was avoiding them, or as much as she could. She had been recieving death glares from Lita and Mina all day, and Ami had taken the time to point out to Mrs. Haruna that Usagi hadn't touched her classwork. Which was the reason Usagi had just gotten out of detention.
She slowed as she neared the entrance to the Arcade, peering in. She didn't see who she wanted to see. Disappointed, she walked in.
"Hello Usagi-chan. Daijobu ka?" Motoki asked as she sat down on a stool in front of the counter.
"Hai, daijobu." she lied. "Have you seen Mamo-chan today?" she asked, dreading the answer.
"He was here earlier. Said something about how late you were and left. Usagi, something's bothering him, don't take it personally. Don't worry, he was probably in a bad mood." Usagi was hardly listening though. In the corner booth sat four angry girls, all shooting daggers in her direction.
"Umm, Usagi-chan, are they mad at you?" Motoki asked.
"I dunno, I think so." she replied as Makoto stood and walked over, the other three right behind her.
"Hello Usagi-baka." she said icily.
"Hello Makoto." Usagi said, not looking up.
"May we have a word with you Odango Atama?" Rei asked coldly. Motoki was surprised, if not shocked. He could literally see the air around the four girl's breaths turn to ice, although their eyes were red with fire.
"Hai. Go ahead." Usagi said, trying desperately not shake.
"Privately?" Minako asked sweetly.
"I know what you want and you aren't getting it." Usagi said. "I am keeping it. If you don't want me anymore, that's fine. If you can get along without me, you can get along without it. Got it?" she finished, and ran out.
"Brat." Makoto spat after her.
Usagi ran towards a certain block of apartments. If even he didn't want her, then... Usagi shook her head, trying to clear out a mental image of what she would do to herself if even Mamoru agreed with the others.
"Mamo-chan open up!" she cried, banging her fist on his door. Suddenly the door opened and Usagi fell straight in and landed on top of Mamoru Chiba.
"Hello to you too Usagi." he said. A knife was driven through her heart- 'Usagi?'
"Usagi?" she asked timidly. Mamoru stood up and leaned against a wall, turning from her.
"Usagi, we can't see each other anymore. I can't go through life with someone I don't love. Endymion may have loved Serenity, but I can't find that same affection for a whiny, clutzy ditz who just happens to be Sailor Moon." (AN: I know, harsh, even for him, but...)
"Nani?" Usagi said, backing towards the door.
"Usagi, I want something else. Someone smart like Ami, graceful like Minako, strong like Makoto, and gifted like Rei. Not you. Now if you'll just leave," Mamoru said, pushing her out the door. "Oh and Usagi?" she turned to him, hope rising in her eyes.
"O-negai, give the Crystal to the others."
The hope was crushed, and she ran.
She reached her house, but no one was home. Then she remembered the discussion at breakfast that morning.
'I'm not going to be here when you get home, Usa-chan.' her mother said. 'Your brother has a dentist appointment.'
'I'll be home late, too.' her father had added. 'But I'll try and bring us some take-out for dinner, okay Bunny?'
Usagi raced up to her room, frantic.
"Someone's got to be here, someone, anyone.... Luna?!" she called. Then she noticed a piece of paper on her bed. (AN: Yes I know this is somewhat impossible but work with me.)
It was typed on her computer, and had a pawprint at the bottom.
"Luna..." Usagi said after reading it. She buried her head in her skirt and cried. The piece of paper fluttered out of her hand and onto the floor.
Usagi- it read.
I will be at a Senshi meeting at the temple. Please attend it. We will be discussing the great need for new leadership, and wish for you to be present when we give the Crystal to the new leader. Oh and try to be on time, get there at least five minutes before it's over.
"What am I supposed to do?" she asked, holding her stuffed bunny close to her. Something in her head snapped, and she looked around the room desperately.
She remembered something she bought at an antique store about a month after she found out she was Sailor Moon. She lifted a decorated shoebox down from the top of her closet. Digging through choronologically ordered laminated magazine and newspaper articles tracking the news of the Senshi and Sailor Moon, she found what she was looking for. It was an ornately carved dagger. It was extremely sharp, from all the times when she had snuck something up to her room to sharpen it without Luna noticing. It's hilt was black and silver, and had a rose carved into it. Usagi got out pen and paper, writing quickly for she was anxious to get it all over with.
'Dear Mama, Papa, and Shingo.' she wrote in a fast but beautiful calligraphy.
'I am sorry to put you through this. I really am. But I cannot stay here any longer. I have many confessions to make, some more important than others. I am not who you think I am. My four best friends do not even know the real me. If only I had time to show you... But I don't. I can't stay in a place where everyone I love hates me. I have one favor to ask of you--- burn my locket.
O-negai, DO NOT give it to any of my friends. I can't explain why. I'm sorry for everything, but most of all not being the perfect daughter I know you wanted.
I love you forever.'
Usagi
Usagi placed it on her bed, and took a deep breath, and closed her eyes as she drew the smooth metal blade across her wrists.
Time Gate...
Pluto was not surprised by her actions, and yet there was nothing she could do. She had prepared for this, but nothing could prepare her for actually seeing it. She closed her eyes and stepped through the Time Warp, reappearing...
In Hino Rei's temple.
The four girls were bent over in pain, each clutching her forehead as her planet symbol appeared. They looked up briefly as Pluto appeared. A few minutes later the pain had dulled somewhat. Each of the girls was now looking at two scars that had appeared on each of them, one on each wrist.
"Hello Senshi-chan." Pluto said.
"What the hell was that and why are you here?!" Rei demanded angrily.
"What each of you experienced was one-fourth of the pain you put her through." Pluto replied cryptically.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Makoto asked.
"Look at your wrists." Pluto said. "And at your right side." they did. A scar also ran down their sides now.
"Where did these come from!? I can't model like this!" Minako exclaimed.
"Those scars will fade soon, but the pain in your hearts will not." Pluto replied.
"Stop speaking Greek and tell us what is going on!" Rei demanded once more.
"Usagi is DEAD, and it's your fault!" Pluto cried. Shocked looks came over each of their faces.
"Usagi's dead? Was there a youma attack?" Ami said, the only one to show real remorse at first.
"Why didn't she call us?" Makoto asked Rei.
"She probably thought she could handle it without us."
They went on like this for a minute or two.
"STOP!" Pluto yelled. They looked at her, more shocked now than before. They had never heard Pluto raise her voice.
"She killed herself. She slit her wrists. There was no youma." Pluto told them, fury and hate showing in her eyes as she looked at each.
"She- killed herself?" Rei repeated, eyes open in horror.
"Hai."
"Why?" Ami asked through tears. Pluto waved the Time Staff, and in each of their hands appeared a letter. A copy of the one Usagi had left behind.
"Oh my God." Minako whispered, leaning on a wall.
"The scars are from her two lives. The one on your sides is from the Silver Millenium when she killed herself after Endymion died, and the ones on your wrists is from today. The pain will stop coming from those scars when she is dead."
"But the pain hasn't completely stopped... Is there still time?" Minako asked.
"Iie. She will be dead in a few minutes." Pluto responded. "You'd never make it over there in time."
"But you can take us! It'll take three seconds, and we can save her!" Ami cried.
"IIE! You can't! I won't take you! She wanted to die! She wanted to leave here, and I WON'T take that dream away from her!" Pluto nearly screamed.
"How can her life be over?" Makoto asked suspiciously. Then a realization dawned on her. "You had to have seen this coming! You see everything that happens in her life, and ours! Why didn't you stop her!?" Pluto sighed.
"I didn't stop her because I saw it coming. I will re-awaken her, and I doubt she'll ever forgive you all." Pluto said, before stepping through the Time Warp once more. The girls looked at each other and ran for the door, but before they could get down the steps....
The pain was gone.
"She's dead." Ami whispered, and four girls sat on the Temple steps, holding each other and crying for the mistake they had made.
But Usagi was already awakening, thousands of years away.