AN: Domo arigato minna-chan, especially those who reviewed. Here's the
next chapter!
"..." is talking, '...' is thought, [...] is AN, (...) is extra info but part of the fic, ... means trailed off, -- means interrupted. Enjoy the fic and please review to let me know how you like it! Thanks!
**************************************************************************** ** **************************************************************************** **
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
--The Beatles
**************************************************************************** **
Everything was dark. Her mind was buzzing. She felt light as a feather, almost as if she were flying. Slowly, she felt herself returning to the ground and being placed in the snow. Something warm and strengthening was poured down her throat and she finally returned to consciousness.
She was miles from anything she could recognize. No longer were there any proud buildings or gleaming streets. No, she was no longer in Crystal Tokyo. Here was an area that had been destroyed long ago.
The 'street' was a collection of broken concrete and scattered bits of debris. The buildings had all fallen, and now were steel skeletons on bent their knees. There was no sign of life anywhere.
"Why have you taken me here?" asked Chibi Usa to the boy who stood in front of her. He was silent as he helped her up. He did not immediately reply, but his eyes were constantly alert.
"We will be safe," he said simply.
He moved again, but now they were stealthy movements, always in the shadows and silent. They approached an old domed building, looking half-sunk into the ground. The faded letters on the side were almost illegible: Capsule Corporation.
The boy suddenly slipped down an almost hidden side alley beside the building. Chibi Usa followed, cautiously. He stopped at a side-door that was almost camouflaged with the old building. He gently pushed it open and gestured her inside. He closed it carefully, with furtive glances all around.
He led her down a dusty hall that appeared to not have been used for many years. She soon lost track of the twists and turns and felt lost in a maze. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice as the boy abruptly stopped.
Smack! She ran straight into him. Surprisingly, he barely flinched, but Chibi Usa felt like she'd run into a brick wall.
"Gomen," she mumbled.
The boy made no response. He pulled open the door to a small closet. "In here," he said, closing the door behind them.
As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized that the floor seemed different in this closet. It was harder or... something.
There was a small square panel on the wall that seemed to glow with black light. The boy approached it and pressed his palm to the screen. "Trunks," he said, as the machine checked his handprint and voice against that which was programmed. There was a small beep and the floor began moving.
Chibi Usa felt herself moving backwards as the floor was absorbed into the bottom of the wall. It stopped abruptly. All that remained of the floor was where they now stood. A gaping hole was below them with a long stairway that sloped downward. Ceiling lamps illuminated the darkness every few yards.
Without a word, the boy, Trunks she assumed his name was, descended down the seemingly endless stairs. Chibi Usa hesitantly followed. She heard the floor close up behind them, and she tried to swallow her fear.
How long they walked, she didn't know. There was no way to measure time here. It all seemed the same. Steps, always descending. Sometimes steeply, sometimes not so steeply. But to Chibi Usa's exhausted mind, it seemed an eternity. She dared not think about climbing back up to leave.
Eventually, they came to an end. A huge invincible-looking metal door barred their path. A keypad was off to the side. Trunks approached the latter and quickly typed a code before Chibi Usa could see.
She watched, waiting for the big door to open. Trunks had turned away and was behind her. It never opened.
"Well, are you coming or not?" came his voice.
She spun around. He was peering out of an opening that she swore hadn't been there a moment ago.
"Nande? The door--"
"Just for show," he replied, with the tone of one explaining it to a small child. "Extra protection. Nothing behind there but dirt. And it will never open. Now come on!" He turned and disappeared again.
"Not more stairs?" Chibi Usa almost whined as she entered the dark opening.
"Iie, just a short corridor," came his voice from ahead.
In a moment, they left the darkness and entered a brightly lit room. She gasped as she felt carpet under her feet. A sofa was against the wall and three recliners faced a television. Chibi Usa was surprised because she knew few TVs had survived and still functioned outside Crystal Tokyo. Pillows were scattered and a bookshelf stood against one wall. Overall, it seemed to have a feeling of comfort and relaxation.
"Kaasan!" Trunks called. "I'm back!"
" 'K dear. Have our guests make themselves comfortable; I'll be out in a minute."
"Kaasan," he called again, a bit more softly with a pain in his voice, "I only found one girl that made it."
His mother came bustling out from one of the other corridors with a concerned look on her face. She was middle-aged with aqua hair, and she had flour almost to her elbows. She brushed her hands off on her apron.
"Only one?" she repeated slowly. "Demo... the people... I made room for fifty..."
"Gohan'll have more luck, Mom," Trunks assured.
His mother didn't look convinced. "Was it... bad?"
"Depends on the district," Trunks replied. "I took the North and East Sectors. It seems that that was where the androids first entered. It was eerie and deathly silent. All the monsters seemed to be heading to the heart of the city, the palace. I didn't dare go there . . ."
The colors swam in Chibi Usa's eyes and she couldn't make out any further words. She had been running for hours and finally the exhaustion overwhelmed her. It didn't help that it was almost dawn and she hadn't slept all night. Her mind buzzed. Everything went black.
o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~
Death. Blood. Youmas. Androids.
Everything was flying by as the nightmare continued. She could feel herself sweating and shaking, but the horror scenes continued.
Destruction. Screaming. Tears. Blood. Gone. Dead. Senshi. Puu. Hotaru. Kaasan...
Bang. Clown youmas. Evil. Hole in chest. Laughing. Dead.
She watched herself fall to the ground dead as the youmas and androids gathered around her, taunting her and throwing the bodies of her loved ones around her. Their faces were permanently fixed in a horrid expression of death...
o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~
She let out a scream and bolted upright, panting for breath. Her hair flowed freely down her back; someone had taken out the odangoes. A bandage was on her left arm.
Two people rushed into the room. One was a woman, whom she seemed to recognize from earlier. The other was a boy, who seemed to be in his late teen, with dark hair.
"Who are you?" she asked frantically, glancing around the window-less room. "Where am I?"
The woman put a cool cloth against her brow, and she began to stop sweating. Her breathing slowed and her heart rate returned to normal.
"My name is Bulma," said the woman kindly. "My son, Trunks, brought you here. This is Gohan. You are in Capsule Corporation... well, the new CC, under the ruins of Sataan City."
"Under?" gasped Chibi Usa.
"Hai. It is safer this way. Safer from Juuanagou and Juuhachigou."
"The androids?!"
"Hai."
She fell back upon the comfortable pillows. She felt exhausted, like she'd run twelve marathons in one day. [AN: You know, how you don't feel rested after you dream a lot? Add that to the fact the she's completely drained and there you go!]
"What is your name, child?" asked Bulma gently.
"I am Chib-- no." She stopped herself and spoke more to herself than the others. "Iie, not anymore. Watashi wa Rini." *
Gohan looked at her strangely. "Are you sure? You look oddly familiar."
She sighed. Sleep was tugging at her, and she only wanted to give in. "Don't know. Gomen, never saw you before . . ."
Gohan waited for her to continue, but she was lost in the realms of sleep. Bulma quietly ushered him out of the room.
o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~
A four-year old Chibi Usa laughed with her parents as the three stood at the bow of a swan boat, circling the glistening waters of the Lake.
Her tousan grabbed her and threw her into the air. The small bunny giggled as she spread her arms to try to fly like her mother. The sun glinted off the windows of the palace.
The chibi-hime fell and was caught in her father's arms, where she was held tightly.
All of her precious memories came back to her: Her surprise birthday party. Meeting Hotaru. The senshi of the past. The senshi of the future. Helping her kaasan defeat the Doom Phantom . . .
The image of her mother's beautiful face faded away. Chibi Usa grieved to see her go. All that had happened came flooding back to her.
"She will return," said a voice.
Chibi Usa looked up. She knew that mysterious voice anywhere. "Puu? Demo... you're dead."
Pluto approached and embraced the small bunny. "Hai. It is true. Demo, as senshi of time, I know many things, and thus I can prepare for them. I am a Pluto of the past, sending you, Small Lady, this message of hope."
"Hope?" Chibi Usa echoed, confused.
"Hai. All is not lost, Small Lady. In time, the androids will be defeated. And though Crystal Tokyo will never again flourish as it did, the world will return to as it was before the monsters were created."
"Demo, what about... Kaasan...?" she asked quietly.
Setsuna sighed in defeat. "I see you cannot be easily side-tracked. Very well."
She looked seriously down at the girl. "I am not permitted to tell you much, but this much I may say. The Ginzoushou's ways are a mystery, even to those that wield it. Long ago, your grandmother made a dying wish on the Moon. She wished to give her daughter a new beginning and a happy life. Your mother made a dying wish as well; she wished for your safety. These wishes hold great power, not only because they are wished upon the most powerful jewel in the universe, but also because they were these women's *dying* wish, their final plea. Demo, the Ginzoushou did not recognize your mother dying as fulfilling your grandmother's wish. They will be given another chance at life and happiness."
"Demo... how will I find them?"
"That I cannot reveal, Small Lady. You will find them when the Time is right, no sooner nor later."
"Demo, Puu..."
"And don't go looking."
Chibi Usa sighed in defeat. "What about the Crystal. Where is it now?"
"I cannot tell you, Small Lady. Demo, I believe you can find the answer hidden inside yourself."
Chibi Usa took this answer figuratively. What qualities did she posses to help her find the Ginzoushou? Curiosity? Maybe. Or maybe she was once told where it would be, and she needed to search her memories...
"One last thing." Setsuna was fading. "Do not be afraid to go on with life. You can trust those that have taken you in; they have suffered and will suffer as much as you. Do not be afraid to let them into your heart. And be careful while fighting."
"Nande?!"
Setsuna smiled fondly. "I must go. Your past self is returning to the Time Gates from the Past. I must guide you to the Future. You will not be able to contact me so do not try."
She hugged Chibi Usa one last time. "Goodbye, Small Lady. And thank you."
She vanished and Chibi Usa was plunged into another sea of happy memories.
**************************************************************************** ** **************************************************************************** **
* I was going to have Chibi Usa no longer be "Chibi" and be "Usagi". But for reasons that would spoil a future plot if I revealed them, it would be too confusing if I were to do that. So you'll have to settle with "Rini".
AN: Whew! Typed that all while I'm supposed to be doing a history paper. Hopefully, I'm not sacrificing my grade for you all!
I worked hard for you all, now *please* take a second and review. Domo arigato.
And be sure to check out my new fics "Sacrifice" (GW/SM) and "Perilous Omens" (HP).
I'd better go finish this paper. Ja ne!
~Calli-chan
"..." is talking, '...' is thought, [...] is AN, (...) is extra info but part of the fic, ... means trailed off, -- means interrupted. Enjoy the fic and please review to let me know how you like it! Thanks!
**************************************************************************** ** **************************************************************************** **
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
--The Beatles
**************************************************************************** **
Everything was dark. Her mind was buzzing. She felt light as a feather, almost as if she were flying. Slowly, she felt herself returning to the ground and being placed in the snow. Something warm and strengthening was poured down her throat and she finally returned to consciousness.
She was miles from anything she could recognize. No longer were there any proud buildings or gleaming streets. No, she was no longer in Crystal Tokyo. Here was an area that had been destroyed long ago.
The 'street' was a collection of broken concrete and scattered bits of debris. The buildings had all fallen, and now were steel skeletons on bent their knees. There was no sign of life anywhere.
"Why have you taken me here?" asked Chibi Usa to the boy who stood in front of her. He was silent as he helped her up. He did not immediately reply, but his eyes were constantly alert.
"We will be safe," he said simply.
He moved again, but now they were stealthy movements, always in the shadows and silent. They approached an old domed building, looking half-sunk into the ground. The faded letters on the side were almost illegible: Capsule Corporation.
The boy suddenly slipped down an almost hidden side alley beside the building. Chibi Usa followed, cautiously. He stopped at a side-door that was almost camouflaged with the old building. He gently pushed it open and gestured her inside. He closed it carefully, with furtive glances all around.
He led her down a dusty hall that appeared to not have been used for many years. She soon lost track of the twists and turns and felt lost in a maze. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice as the boy abruptly stopped.
Smack! She ran straight into him. Surprisingly, he barely flinched, but Chibi Usa felt like she'd run into a brick wall.
"Gomen," she mumbled.
The boy made no response. He pulled open the door to a small closet. "In here," he said, closing the door behind them.
As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized that the floor seemed different in this closet. It was harder or... something.
There was a small square panel on the wall that seemed to glow with black light. The boy approached it and pressed his palm to the screen. "Trunks," he said, as the machine checked his handprint and voice against that which was programmed. There was a small beep and the floor began moving.
Chibi Usa felt herself moving backwards as the floor was absorbed into the bottom of the wall. It stopped abruptly. All that remained of the floor was where they now stood. A gaping hole was below them with a long stairway that sloped downward. Ceiling lamps illuminated the darkness every few yards.
Without a word, the boy, Trunks she assumed his name was, descended down the seemingly endless stairs. Chibi Usa hesitantly followed. She heard the floor close up behind them, and she tried to swallow her fear.
How long they walked, she didn't know. There was no way to measure time here. It all seemed the same. Steps, always descending. Sometimes steeply, sometimes not so steeply. But to Chibi Usa's exhausted mind, it seemed an eternity. She dared not think about climbing back up to leave.
Eventually, they came to an end. A huge invincible-looking metal door barred their path. A keypad was off to the side. Trunks approached the latter and quickly typed a code before Chibi Usa could see.
She watched, waiting for the big door to open. Trunks had turned away and was behind her. It never opened.
"Well, are you coming or not?" came his voice.
She spun around. He was peering out of an opening that she swore hadn't been there a moment ago.
"Nande? The door--"
"Just for show," he replied, with the tone of one explaining it to a small child. "Extra protection. Nothing behind there but dirt. And it will never open. Now come on!" He turned and disappeared again.
"Not more stairs?" Chibi Usa almost whined as she entered the dark opening.
"Iie, just a short corridor," came his voice from ahead.
In a moment, they left the darkness and entered a brightly lit room. She gasped as she felt carpet under her feet. A sofa was against the wall and three recliners faced a television. Chibi Usa was surprised because she knew few TVs had survived and still functioned outside Crystal Tokyo. Pillows were scattered and a bookshelf stood against one wall. Overall, it seemed to have a feeling of comfort and relaxation.
"Kaasan!" Trunks called. "I'm back!"
" 'K dear. Have our guests make themselves comfortable; I'll be out in a minute."
"Kaasan," he called again, a bit more softly with a pain in his voice, "I only found one girl that made it."
His mother came bustling out from one of the other corridors with a concerned look on her face. She was middle-aged with aqua hair, and she had flour almost to her elbows. She brushed her hands off on her apron.
"Only one?" she repeated slowly. "Demo... the people... I made room for fifty..."
"Gohan'll have more luck, Mom," Trunks assured.
His mother didn't look convinced. "Was it... bad?"
"Depends on the district," Trunks replied. "I took the North and East Sectors. It seems that that was where the androids first entered. It was eerie and deathly silent. All the monsters seemed to be heading to the heart of the city, the palace. I didn't dare go there . . ."
The colors swam in Chibi Usa's eyes and she couldn't make out any further words. She had been running for hours and finally the exhaustion overwhelmed her. It didn't help that it was almost dawn and she hadn't slept all night. Her mind buzzed. Everything went black.
o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~
Death. Blood. Youmas. Androids.
Everything was flying by as the nightmare continued. She could feel herself sweating and shaking, but the horror scenes continued.
Destruction. Screaming. Tears. Blood. Gone. Dead. Senshi. Puu. Hotaru. Kaasan...
Bang. Clown youmas. Evil. Hole in chest. Laughing. Dead.
She watched herself fall to the ground dead as the youmas and androids gathered around her, taunting her and throwing the bodies of her loved ones around her. Their faces were permanently fixed in a horrid expression of death...
o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~
She let out a scream and bolted upright, panting for breath. Her hair flowed freely down her back; someone had taken out the odangoes. A bandage was on her left arm.
Two people rushed into the room. One was a woman, whom she seemed to recognize from earlier. The other was a boy, who seemed to be in his late teen, with dark hair.
"Who are you?" she asked frantically, glancing around the window-less room. "Where am I?"
The woman put a cool cloth against her brow, and she began to stop sweating. Her breathing slowed and her heart rate returned to normal.
"My name is Bulma," said the woman kindly. "My son, Trunks, brought you here. This is Gohan. You are in Capsule Corporation... well, the new CC, under the ruins of Sataan City."
"Under?" gasped Chibi Usa.
"Hai. It is safer this way. Safer from Juuanagou and Juuhachigou."
"The androids?!"
"Hai."
She fell back upon the comfortable pillows. She felt exhausted, like she'd run twelve marathons in one day. [AN: You know, how you don't feel rested after you dream a lot? Add that to the fact the she's completely drained and there you go!]
"What is your name, child?" asked Bulma gently.
"I am Chib-- no." She stopped herself and spoke more to herself than the others. "Iie, not anymore. Watashi wa Rini." *
Gohan looked at her strangely. "Are you sure? You look oddly familiar."
She sighed. Sleep was tugging at her, and she only wanted to give in. "Don't know. Gomen, never saw you before . . ."
Gohan waited for her to continue, but she was lost in the realms of sleep. Bulma quietly ushered him out of the room.
o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~
A four-year old Chibi Usa laughed with her parents as the three stood at the bow of a swan boat, circling the glistening waters of the Lake.
Her tousan grabbed her and threw her into the air. The small bunny giggled as she spread her arms to try to fly like her mother. The sun glinted off the windows of the palace.
The chibi-hime fell and was caught in her father's arms, where she was held tightly.
All of her precious memories came back to her: Her surprise birthday party. Meeting Hotaru. The senshi of the past. The senshi of the future. Helping her kaasan defeat the Doom Phantom . . .
The image of her mother's beautiful face faded away. Chibi Usa grieved to see her go. All that had happened came flooding back to her.
"She will return," said a voice.
Chibi Usa looked up. She knew that mysterious voice anywhere. "Puu? Demo... you're dead."
Pluto approached and embraced the small bunny. "Hai. It is true. Demo, as senshi of time, I know many things, and thus I can prepare for them. I am a Pluto of the past, sending you, Small Lady, this message of hope."
"Hope?" Chibi Usa echoed, confused.
"Hai. All is not lost, Small Lady. In time, the androids will be defeated. And though Crystal Tokyo will never again flourish as it did, the world will return to as it was before the monsters were created."
"Demo, what about... Kaasan...?" she asked quietly.
Setsuna sighed in defeat. "I see you cannot be easily side-tracked. Very well."
She looked seriously down at the girl. "I am not permitted to tell you much, but this much I may say. The Ginzoushou's ways are a mystery, even to those that wield it. Long ago, your grandmother made a dying wish on the Moon. She wished to give her daughter a new beginning and a happy life. Your mother made a dying wish as well; she wished for your safety. These wishes hold great power, not only because they are wished upon the most powerful jewel in the universe, but also because they were these women's *dying* wish, their final plea. Demo, the Ginzoushou did not recognize your mother dying as fulfilling your grandmother's wish. They will be given another chance at life and happiness."
"Demo... how will I find them?"
"That I cannot reveal, Small Lady. You will find them when the Time is right, no sooner nor later."
"Demo, Puu..."
"And don't go looking."
Chibi Usa sighed in defeat. "What about the Crystal. Where is it now?"
"I cannot tell you, Small Lady. Demo, I believe you can find the answer hidden inside yourself."
Chibi Usa took this answer figuratively. What qualities did she posses to help her find the Ginzoushou? Curiosity? Maybe. Or maybe she was once told where it would be, and she needed to search her memories...
"One last thing." Setsuna was fading. "Do not be afraid to go on with life. You can trust those that have taken you in; they have suffered and will suffer as much as you. Do not be afraid to let them into your heart. And be careful while fighting."
"Nande?!"
Setsuna smiled fondly. "I must go. Your past self is returning to the Time Gates from the Past. I must guide you to the Future. You will not be able to contact me so do not try."
She hugged Chibi Usa one last time. "Goodbye, Small Lady. And thank you."
She vanished and Chibi Usa was plunged into another sea of happy memories.
**************************************************************************** ** **************************************************************************** **
* I was going to have Chibi Usa no longer be "Chibi" and be "Usagi". But for reasons that would spoil a future plot if I revealed them, it would be too confusing if I were to do that. So you'll have to settle with "Rini".
AN: Whew! Typed that all while I'm supposed to be doing a history paper. Hopefully, I'm not sacrificing my grade for you all!
I worked hard for you all, now *please* take a second and review. Domo arigato.
And be sure to check out my new fics "Sacrifice" (GW/SM) and "Perilous Omens" (HP).
I'd better go finish this paper. Ja ne!
~Calli-chan