Sailor Moon NeoStars: The Outers Meet Their Match
Chapter 1 – Flashback, The Children of Sea and Wind
Author's Notes: Hiya minna!! It's about time I got to work on this story, ne? I feel kinda bad, because I only got 1 review for my prologue. whimpers softly No one likes my stories no more!! Oh, well. Perhaps, this one will do better!! I do hope you like it. As always, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!
Two full weeks had passed since Triston, Damien, Antiny, and Chibiusa had returned to the 30th century. Lying on her stomach on the couch in the main living room on the 1st floor of the outers' mansion, Hotaru flipped through the pages of an old photo album. Pictures of her and Chibiusa – during the battle with Mistress 9, with Usagi and the girls, at the beach – brought back a wave of comforting old memories. She missed her best friend terribly whenever she had to return home.
Flipping the page, her eyes rested on one of her favorite pictures. It was a picture of her, Setsuna, Michiru, and Haruka. She sighed as her eyes fell on Michiru. "Mama looked so happy in that picture." She thought. Ever since they had met the children from the future, Michiru-mama had seemed terribly distracted and a bit sad as well. She spent most of her time starring distantly into her sacred mirror. "I wish I knew what was bothering her."
Just that moment in fact, Michiru was sitting in a large cushioned chair in a small sitting room on the second floor doing just that. Running her hand roughly an inch above the face of the mirror, she starred deeply into it. The presence of the sea flowed gently through that child's aura. She was sure she hadn't been mistaken. "Who is she? What is this connection I feel with her?" Michiru questioned looking to her mirror for the answers she so desired.
The image inside the mirror moved like waves reaching for the seashore. They moved with a purpose searching – searching for answers that had yet to be born. But therein lies the problem. The little girl was nobody – not yet anyway. She wouldn't be born for another 1000 years.
Michiru cursed her lips. She already knew the problem, and yet - - something kept her from giving up. She should just forget about it and get on with her life. She knew this, and yet she couldn't forget. She couldn't forget the frightened look in the child's eyes – the familiarity of her aura. Who was she? Where was the connection? One last time, she looked down into the mirror.
There was a bright light – a bright blinding light. The tides of time slowly faded away, disappearing behind the intensity of the bright blinding light. The light grew dimmer – dimmer and dimmer – taking the time warp away with it. In its place was an expensive though old-fashioned mansion (old-fashioned by 30th century standards in any rate) surrounded on all sides by forest-thick trees, which hid the old mansion well away from the rest of the world.
Blinking the spots out of her eyes, Hoshi starred at the huge mansion with a look that started as shock, but quickly faded to annoyance. "You put us through all that just to drop us off right where we started?!" She exclaimed shooting the Guardian of Time an incredulous look. Opening her eyes slowly – first one and then the other – Mishi took one look at the familiar mansion and a look of relief crossed her seven-year-old face.
Smiling at the oh-so-familiar Outers' Mansion, Pluto lifted Mishi up setting her on the ground next to the annoyed 10-year-old blonde. "Where we started? Yes. But not exactly WHEN we started." She answered back to Hoshi's question. "We are back in the 20th century. That would be before the great freeze."
Hoshi pondered this for a moment. "I knew that." She replied unconvincingly turning back to stare at the mansion once more. Pluto sighed. Sometimes, that child was just impossible. Reaching into her sub-space pocket, she pulled out a small bronze key and proceeded to unlock the door. "So in other words, this isn't the same Haruka-san and Michiru-san from our time?"
"Hai. Exactly." Pluto nodded ushering the two children inside.
Suddenly, the waves inside the mirror changed directions. They twisted and curled like waves of the sea in the middle of a wild storm. An image appeared: two young girls, the first is a harsh, though otherwise average 10-year-old with unruly blonde hair, which comes to just above her shoulders, angry and demanding hazel eyes with little feeling in them whatsoever, and a glowing yellow sign of Uranus on her right hand.
The second, a tiny seven-year-old, is an extremely shy girl with waist-length aquamarine-colored hair and downcast silver-blue eyes filled with such a wave of emotions that one could never quite tell what exactly she was thinking. Her right hand, which gripped her sister's hand tightly, revealed a glowing green sign of Neptune.
Michiru's smile at that moment could have lit up a room. That was her! The little girl from before; she'd recognize that aura anywhere. So, she HAD seen the sign of Neptune on the child's hand, but the other girl? She hadn't seen her before. The two children were as different as night and day, and yet – somehow – they seemed to belong together. They were an item – you couldn't take one without the other. "Kind of like Haruka and me." She grinned.
And then . . .the image changed again. Michiru continued to watch her mirror closely as the image twisted itself into an image of Sailor Pluto coming into the mansion – was that all? – WITH the two children. Say What?! Michiru blinked looking harder at the image – as if maybe she thought she'd been mistaken. She wasn't. Dropping the mirror into her sub-space pocket, Michiru got up making her way downstairs. No wonder the girl's aura felt so close.
"Wait right in here." Sailor Pluto told the two children leaving them at the door to the main living room on the 1st floor. Shrugging, Hoshi took the younger girl by the hand leading her into the living room while Pluto headed upstairs to search for Haruka and Michiru. The door creaked as it opened alerting the room's sole occupant to her visitors.
Hotaru looked up suddenly. As the door slowly slide open, she recognized two auras coming through the door – neither of which belonged to her Mama or her Papa. The door shut. Closing her photo album, Hotaru sat up suddenly surprising the two children who hadn't been expecting her.
"Eeeep!!" Mishi cried out. Hiding herself behind Hoshi, she cried softly. Balling her fist on instinct, Hoshi drew back as if preparing for a full frontal assault. Her eyes narrowed like an animal on the attack taking in the entire room until they focused in solely on Hotaru.
Hotaru, who had by this time aged to about 14 years of age, raised her eyebrows curiously. What were a couple of kids doing in their mansion? Jumping over the back of the couch, Hotaru landed a few feet in front of Hoshi who tightened her fist instantly. Hotaru shook her head. Despite the 10-year-olds show of aggression, she was how do you say - - less than frightened by it. "Hey, I'm Tomoe Hotaru." She greeted before getting straight to the point. "Who are you and what are you doing in our mansion?"
Hoshi cursed her lips as she studied the older girl cautiously. Deciding there was no eminent danger after all, she slowly lowered her fist. "Tomoe Hotaru? You look different without the swollen belly. I'm Hoshi. The one you just scared half out of her wits is my little sister, Mishi." Hoshi answered without a hint of apology in her voice.
"Excuse me?" Swollen belly? What was that supposed to mean? Who was this kid? Craning her neck, Hotaru took notice of the small girl hugging onto Hoshi burying her face into her back, almost shaking from fear. "Wow. A bit oversensitive isn't she?" Hoshi nodded mutely, the mention of her sister making her eyes take on a more sympathetic look. "I didn't mean to scare her that bad." Hotaru thought surprised.
Reaching out, she placed a single hand on Mishi's shoulder. Whimpering, she jerked away tightening her grip on her sister's middle. Hoshi winced. "Mishi, cool it. I need to breath." Mishi loosened her grip – though reluctantly – looking up at the older girl through large, nervous silver-blue eyes.
Hotaru smiled sweetly at her. "Gomen. I didn't mean to scare you." Sniffling, Mishi nodded though at the same time pushing herself as close to her older sister as humanly possible. Turning, Hoshi put two protective arms around her. Hotaru frowned. "Can't you say something? I really didn't mean frighten you." Cursing her lips together tightly, Mishi looked down at the floor shifting nervously. Kneeling in front of her, Hotaru placed a hand on her shoulder. Mishi blinked starring at her. "Hey . . ."
"She won't." An ancient familiar voice interrupted her coming in through another door followed closely by Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama. "Setsuna-mama? Did you bring them here?" Standing up, Hotaru eyed her ancient adoptive mother with curiosity. "What do you mean, she won't?"
"She won't speak to you." Setsuna (no longer Pluto) answered with a hint of sadness in her voice. "To my knowledge, she hasn't spoke to anyone – except Hoshi – in over a year." Hotaru's eyes went wide starring from Pluto to Hoshi and Mishi and continuing to stare at Hoshi and Mishi. Averting her eyes, Mishi looked down towards the floor sliding back up next to her sister.
"Whatever happened to make a child stop talking all together?" Haruka questioned curiously turning to watch the children. Mishi gulped blushing deeply focusing her eyes on the floor. Hugging her partner, Michiru watched the girl sympathetically. She felt a connection with these kids – the smaller girl in particular. But, who were they? Who had hurt them? "Who are they, Setsuna?" Michiru questioned.
Setsuna shook her head. "The older one is called Hoshi. Michiru, the one you kept asking me about was Mishi." Coming out from behind her sister, Mishi blinked starring at Michiru and Haruka curiously. "Their strange behavior dates back to some demons in their past I'm afraid. As for who they are – " Setsuna turned giving her two companions a meaningful look. "They are you're daughters." Coughing, Hotaru just about chocked on a peppermint she'd popped into her mouth.
"They're what?!" Haruka and Michiru burst out at the same time eyes growing wide with horror. "Who – who's? Mine or Michiru's?" Mishi jumped hiding back behind her sister starting to whimper again. This time, Hoshi too jumped taking a few meaningful steps towards the door.
Tugging on Hoshi's pants leg to get her attention, Mishi stood on tiptoes whispering something inaudibly into her ear. Hoshi nodded. Pushing Mishi back behind her, she tensed in preparation of a fight. Unconsciously, she tightened her fist beside her while her heart just about beat its way out of her chest.
"Both." She answered with a smile. "Yours AND Michiru's." Setsuna chuckled with amusement at the way Hotaru as well as the slightly – unusual – couple starred at her. She knew what they were all thinking. How was it possible for two WOMEN to have children? Waiting a moment for effect (AN: Aw, come on. The Guardian of Time is allowed to have a little fun too.), Setsuna offered the answer they were all waiting for. "They are adopted." She assured them.
A relieved breath escaped all around. Setsuna chuckled again. "Setsuna-mama! That was NOT funny!" Hotaru glared at her, though her eyes showed equal amusement. "So, I guess this means I have sisters now. Neat!" Hotaru grinned wondering what it would be like to have sisters in the future. Turning once more to stare at the young pair, Hotaru blinked. "Uh, oh."
Having backed almost right up next to the door, Mishi was sobbing almost uncontrollably. Holding her sister in her arms, Hoshi rubbed her back reassuring her while at the same time breathing unusually heavy. Watching the scene curiously, Haruka released her hold on Michiru approaching the pair their future selves had decided to take in. Reaching out her hand, she - - -
She was cut off by Hoshi who – spinning on heal – knocked the older blonde-haired woman's hand away forcefully. "You." She growled. "You don't touch her." Her eyes burned with a fire of near-hatred for the one she was starring at. But at that moment, she wasn't seeing Haruka. She was seeing another blonde - a blonde-haired man with unruly hair just like hers.
Her parents never took the young girl to church, never spoke of his name – never read her his word. Two non-believers walking lost in this world took their baby with them. What a sad little girl!
Her daddy drank all day and Mommy did drugs – never wanted to play or give kisses and hugs. She'd watch the TV and sit there on the couch while her mom fell asleep and her daddy went out. And the drinking and the fighting just got worse every night. Behind their couch, she'd be hiding. Oh, what a sad little life!
And like it always does, the bad just got worse with every slap and every curse . . .
Balling her fist tightly, Hoshi glared at Haruka – not at Haruka, but at her father – angrily. "What? You want to kill me to? Go ahead! I'm not scared of you!" Her eyes narrowed and her body shook with fear and anger. Tears pushed at the edge of her vision, but she pushed them back forcefully.
Haruka stopped eyes marked with confusion. Michiru starred at the blonde-haired child with obvious surprise. Setsuna shook her head sadly. "Hoshi – " She started hoping to talk some sense into the child, before she completely lost herself – again. Not that she was worried for Haruka's safety, but. . .
Eyes growing wide, Mishi starred at her sister. She knew what was happening. Hoshi had done this to older Haruka-san back in the future. She knew what was happening - -and she knew how to stop it as well. Haruka's eyes met Mishi's as she studied the older woman curiously as if making up her mind about something.
Rubbing her eyes dry and red, she took a deep breath building up her courage. She must have decided it was safe, because a moment later she ran at Haruka hugging her legs tightly. Looking back at her sister meaningfully, Mishi reached up her hands in a gesture of asking to be picked up.
Hoshi grew silent watching the exchange with a look of both horror and confusion. Mishi? Mishi hugging her Father? That didn't make since. It couldn't be. Daddy was angry . . .crazy . . . Haruka wasn't 100 sure of what was going on but decided to just play along and see what happened. Reaching down, she picked up Mishi who wrapped her arms tightly around her neck hugging her. Looking down, she starred at her sister once more.
Hoshi blinked pure confusion showing on her face. Daddy holding Mishi? Mishi hugging Daddy? That was impossible. It couldn't be. Mishi was afraid of evil people – and her father was the most evil person she knew. It couldn't be. Shutting her eyes, Hoshi shook her head clearing her mind before opening them again.
Mishi. It was Mishi, but not with her father. Mishi wasn't hugging her father. (That was impossible.) Haruka-san. It was Haruka-san she was holding. Haruka-san, not her father. It wasn't her father after all. Sighing with relief, she lowered her fist. Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru all starred at her wide-eyed. Blushing, she averted her eyes.
Soon as she was sure her sister was back to normal, Mishi began to swirm in Haruka's arms demanding to be put down. Haruka obliged and Mishi ran back to her sister hugging her tightly. Standing on tiptoe, she whispered something into her sister's ear. Smiling slightly, Hoshi nodded. "Hai. I love you to, Imouto. Arigato." Mishi smiled, hugged her older sister tightly.