AN: I have to mention the timeframe for this story coincides with the beginning of the SuperS series. In other words, my story will end on the day the first episode of SuperS takes place. You'll see why this is an important bit of information, but not until later chapters ;)
Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" doesn't belong to me, nor do any of its characters .No profit is being made off this story, no infringement of any copyrights is intended.
Chapter III- Not Another Eventful Flower Show…?
The next morning came and went unexcitingly, with only the usual daily dramas: late starts, desperate dashes to school, endless Math lessons and revered lunch-breaks. Before she even knew it, Usagi was halfway through the day—and a few good hours closer to the planned trip to the flower exhibition.
"Usagi-chan! Look! Mom let me borrow her camera for today's trip!"
Naru, the blonde's best friend from school, waved the device excitedly, drawing envious looks from a few younger students who happened to walk by that moment. The girl continued to chat animatedly to her friend, as they both walked through the bustling schoolyard towards the gate.
"I even brought a small snack so that I didn't have to go home to eat! I can't wait to get to the park and then we can take…"
"I heard we're not allowed to take pictures—not close-ups of the flower arrangements at least!" Umino cut in. The girls' classmate and friend—and Naru's boyfriend, if one was to ignore the awkwardness that sometimes reigned between the two in their moments alone—donned a large woolen scarf, that covered half of his face.
"What, where did you hear that! I'm sure you heard wro—Umino!" Usagi's eyes went wide at the sight of her friend's choice of outfit. "Wh-what's that for?" she giggled, pointing at the conspicuous shawl.
"It's for my allergy!" the bespectacled boy said promptly. "Pollen makes me sneeze! In fact, all those flowers in one place could kill me! But"—he said dramatically, pounding his fist on his chest—"I would even confront that danger for the honor to escort Naru-chan to the flower show!"
The auburn-haired girl shrugged and rolled her eyes, while Usagi continued to giggle uncontrollably.
"So, Usagi-chan, did you bring along a snack?" Umino asked. "We're probably not allowed to eat in that section of the park…but we could find a nice place for a picnic afterwards! I even brought a blanket—see, Naru, so you won't have to sit on the damp grass—"
"Shouldn't we hurry…?" Naru interrupted, blushing slightly. She then noticed Usagi's face, and knew the anguish it reflected could only have one cause. "Usagi-chan…did you forget your lunch bag again…?"
"What? Me? Of course not!" the blonde made a dismissive gesture with her hand, laughing loudly—too loudly to be believable. "I…uhm, I just knew I had to drop by home anyway…to…to pick up…Chibiusa! That's right, Mom asked me to take her to the flower exhibition as well so I have to pick her up at home after school! Oh…and I'll just have a quick snack while I'm there…"
Just as she delivered her brilliant excuse, Usagi's mind wandered back to the discussion she had had with her "little sister" that morning. Ikuko-mama had suggested she take Chibiusa to the park later that day, but the younger girl had diplomatically refused. She had seemed very mysterious…and rudely lashed out at Usagi when the girl had asked her about her plans that afternoon.
Well, a short stop at home might serve to clear up that mystery, too. And of course, Ikuko-mama would have a snack to offer her beloved daughter…
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"Puuu!"
When the pink-haired avalanche tumbled through the front door, Setsuna prayed with all her heart that her nightmare visions would not surface anytime soon. While she was usually delighted to see Small Lady, part of her wished the young girl would not come close until the guardian of time had discerned the cause of the nightmares—and made sure they posed no threat. Whatever evil caused them, she wanted to keep the others away from it…and especially the child who now clung lovingly to her waist.
As she half-heartedly returned Chibiusa's hug, she felt a surge of anger wash through her—not only did the terrifying dream haunt her nights, but the memory of it robbed the warmth and joyful moments of her days.
Even as those thoughts crossed her mind, Setsuna displayed an affectionate smile, as she looked down at the pink-haired child.
"Wonderful to see you again, Small Lady" She gestured for Chibiusa to take a seat, but was somewhat surprised to notice the girl still had not broken the hug. Something was amiss, and she hoped to discover what that was. "What brings you here?"
The princess of Crystal Tokyo raised her large red eyes, and Setsuna noticed they shimmered with tears. With a small gasp of surprise, the woman moved to comfort her…but before she could say anything, Chibiusa's angry words rushed out:
"You haven't come to visit me for so long…! Why do you keep your distance? Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?"
"What…?"
Setsuna was taken aback by the sudden burst…and by the bitterness she heard in the child's voice.
"Is it because I am still here in the 20th century? Because I like it here? Do you think I'm a poor princess? Or an ungrateful daughter, is this it? Don't you like me anymore?"
Chibiusa's tears now flowed freely across her face, and the child stared accusingly at her friend. For an instant, the woman did not know how to react…until her mind processed the words she had just heard, and everything started to make sense. She kneeled on the neatly lacquered floor, and pulled the pink-haired princess to her, ignoring the weak resistance and the almost inaudible protests.
"Of course I like you…" she spoke in a soft, soothing voice, hugging the child tightly. "Listen to me... My Small Lady, I don't think you are ungrateful. I know why you are still here in this century…it is perfectly normal. And I can assure you," she continued firmly, meeting the pained red eyes with a warm and confident gaze, "your parents don't think you are ungrateful or that you love them less."
A small sob came from the young girl, confirming Setsuna's suspicions. The child buried her head into her friend's shoulder. Setsuna felt tears come to her eyes, as she imagined the thoughts that troubled her much-loved Small Lady's mind. Mentally, she chastised herself for not having anticipated them.
"Put these worries away…no one could ever think such things about you…not your friends, not me, certainly not the King and Queen, your parents!" She felt the child's crying subside, and kept on talking, while she stroked Chibiusa's hair. "We all know what a sweet, wonderful child you are…and I love you just as much as always."
"Then why don't ever come see me anymore?" came the muffled reply.
Setsuna let out a small sigh, and replied in a voice that sounded deeply regretful.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize it had been that long since we hadn't seen each other." The time-guardian smiled reassuringly at her young friend, just as she silently swore to herself she would not come close to Small Lady before confronting the source of her nightmares.
"I miss you, Puu."
Chibiusa finally raised her tear-stained face from Setsuna's hair, and her eyes held an earnest and worried expression.
"I miss you too, and I promise I'll make it up to you, Small Lady."
It saddened the woman to be dishonest, but she told herself she would just make it up…later. After the dreadful visions were dealt with. Until then, it was safer for all involved if she put as much distance between herself and the child…
"Really? Promise…? Please, Puu, promise you still like me?"
The question, or perhaps the hopeful look in Chibiusa's large eyes, actually elicited a small laugh from the green-haired woman. She caressed the girl's cheek and smiled merrily.
"Promise."
"And that I'll see you more often?"
Setsuna's smile faltered a little, but her tone held the same reassurance—although, the young woman could not tell who she was trying to reassure: herself, or the child.
"Yes."
Suddenly, Chibiusa's eyes twinkled with excitement, as a new idea formed in her mind.
"Will you take me to the park…please…? I would love for you to take me to the park this afternoon!"
Setsuna was instantly wary.
"I…I don't know…maybe the girls should…"
A shadow of doubt clouded the small girl's happy expression, and her red eyes lost some of their merriness. She did not allow her friend to continue, but instead cut her off with endless arguments, while her face frowned into a plaintive pout:
"But you promised! And I don't want them to take me, I want to go with you…and you promised!"
The guardian of Time hesitated for a long moment, before finally surrendering to the poignant plea in Chibiusa's hopeful eyes.
"You're right…" she conceded with a small nod. "I would love to go. Let me just get ready…" She stood up from where they had both sat on the floor, and headed up the stairs, followed by Small Lady's shout:
"I love you, Puu!"
On the top stair, Setsuna stopped in her tracks, and shook her head with a small smile.
"I know."
Elsewhere in the city…
Its perspective was heavily distorted. Light and shadow played across its line of sight. The surroundings were strangely…hollow. A quick intake of breath revealed the atmosphere had changed, too. It was colder, less stable and…unknown. It reached out a long, black finger, trying to touch the air, and discovered the air was not corporeal. Yet, its sensitive nervous centers could feel the pressure exercised.
And there was no noise. At least none that its long, sharp ears could recognize. Yet, a faint buzz seemed to ring at the very edges of its acute hearing.
Panic.
It arched violently backwards, and felt the air move along its elastic skin and muscular limbs. It wanted to go back. It was not prepared for this entirely foreign place. It had been violently yanked out of its natural environment, and thrown in the wholly new surroundings.
The unknown environment held thousands of smells, yet none familiar. It allowed itself a few moments to get used to the new sensations, so different from what it had known its whole existence. Few minutes later, it could barely feel any of the initial panic. Its mind discerned a vital goal: to find the way back. That would be a challenge in surroundings so different, so alien…
…and suddenly, amid the millions of unknown sensations, something familiar caught its sense of smell. A vaguely recognizable scent.
So, it knew where to go. It had a direction, and a sense of purpose. It allowed survival instinct to take over, and hoped for the best.
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Some time later, in Juuban Park…
"Wow…! This is…incredible! Look at it! It looks so much like the Spring Flower Carnival in Crystal Tokyo…just…even more beautiful!"
Chibiusa had been spellbound from her first step inside the park section that hosted Ryou Tsumbono's exhibition. She had merrily run from one flower to another, cheering whenever a petal or a leaf happened to float downwards, and trying to catch them. Alongside her walked Setsuna—less extroversive, but no less enthused with the surrounding beauty.
"It does resemble the Carnival, doesn't it?" she agreed with a small nod. A moment later, a smile came to the Time Guardian's lips, as she recalled the origins of the Spring Flower festival that NeoQueen Serenity had made a world-wide tradition.
Her expression did not go unnoticed by the child.
"Puu? Mama didn't hire this…this Ryou-something…to organize the parades and…"
"Small Lady…!" Setsuna tried to compose a revolted expression, but the trace of a smile still tugged at her lips, "you should know better than to ask this kind of questions!"
Chibiusa hung her head and pulled her best expression of shame, which caused her friend to laugh out loud. The pink-haired princess winked and offered her brightest smile, happy she had managed to draw laughter from the young woman.
She had noticed her friend had been unusually silent—even wary! The child knew that Setsuna's cool and mysterious veneer did not go as deep as most people thought. While her inner balance and long years of experience had made the Time Guardian appear—and act—serene and placid, she was really a good-natured, mild-mannered person who could enjoy a bit of fun just as much as anyone else could.
Or at least so Chibiusa hoped—mainly because the many pranks she had pulled on her friend had usually ended in laughter, not in being grounded.
"Can I at least ask what inspired my Mama to hold the Carnival? I can't believe I was never curious about it before…!"
"It was a good occasion for different people to get to know each other, to interact, to have fun together…on a global scale." Setsuna remembered the first Spring Flower Festival, and how the celebrations had brought people closer. "In fact, it was not quite as far-reaching at first, but the tradition soon extended to the other planets of the system, and eventually became what you know as the Carnival."
"I've only seen it once, I think…or twice maybe…" Chibiusa recollected, "but it was so beautiful…just like this." She admired a violet flower with a long, tall stem and heart-shaped leaves. "Did you go to the festival often, Puu?"
"Sometimes, but not very often."
"Why? I wasn't allowed to go when I was young because all the celebrating was supposed to make me tired…but why didn't you go every time, Puu?"
"Well…" Setsuna smiled teasingly, "I would have really wanted to go, but…" her lips turned downwards in a small pout "most of the time I was stuck babysitting the young Princess who wouldn't go to bed when everyone else was having fun at the festival!"
Chibiusa stuck her tongue out.
"That can't be true, I was a very well-behaved child…right…?"
The young woman's enigmatic smile did not offer any answer. The pink-haired girl playfully nudged her friend into a nearby shrub, causing a shower of leaves to fall on the two of them.
Setsuna raised her gaze, and watched some colorful petals drifting downwards towards her. For an instant, she closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation…
…when a feeling of dread ran through her.
She opened her eyes, and saw the petals still gliding towards her face…only this time they seemed to grow larger, and darker, until they completely covered her sight. Their shadows expanded around her, blocking her view, and the light once more seemed to seep through the rapidly-vanishing cracks in the confining dark walls, leaving her in utter blackness. She opened her mouth to cry for help…
"Puu?"
With a start, Setsuna found herself staring down at Chibiusa's concerned face. Instinctively, she took a step backwards, and leaned against a tree trunk for support. Her throat felt dry, and her lungs hurt—she realized she had been holding her breath.
"What's wrong? What did you see?" The child looked up at the flowery shrub. "Something bad…?"
Setsuna swallowed hard. Her worst fears were coming true—the nightmares had obviously crossed the boundaries of sleep. She had to start searching for their cause again—but that particular afternoon she had promised to Small Lady, and intended to keep her word.
"No… I guess I was a bit taken with the surroundings, that's all", she said with a reassuring smile. "Come on, Small Lady, I'm sure we have plenty more to see…"
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Exterior designing was obviously an art, and botany obviously a science. But one would have been wrong in deeming Ryou Tsumbono as only an artist—or only a scientist, and his floral exhibition proved it.
"The man's a genius…!"
Haruka was impressed by the breathtaking displays of exotic-looking flowers, some placed in delicately painted wooden pots, others in imposing stone containers, and some planted directly in the ground. The seemingly infinite rows of plants—ranging from small, bushy shrubs to majestic flowers in full bloom—twisted and turned, forming intricate geometrical patterns across the green patches and stone alleys of the park alike.
"He's turned this place into a maze!"
Michiru's comment was not far off the mark: even those who knew every single alley by heart found Juuban Park totally changed. The elaborate arrangements completely ignored the organization of the park, spanning paths as well as meadows, and even some of the smaller ponds had been completely covered in floating flowerpots that swayed gently on the rippling waters. Obviously, respecting his design pattern had been of paramount importance to Ryou Tsumbono—and the results were noteworthy.
What fascinated people the most was probably the apparent lack of pretension that characterized such a sophisticated display. The colors harmonized perfectly with one another, and none of them—not even the most exotic of blooms—seemed out of place in the mélange. Green dominated the chromatic palette—to support the impression of artlessness—but each color found worthy representatives among the exhibited plants. Furthermore, the containers for some of the more delicate flowers strayed from the bulky design that usually described such recipients. Most of them closely resembled the contained plant in shape: one was witness to a multitude of dainty willowy earthen containers, that were really works of art in themselves.
"Admit it, Michiru…you're impressed!"
It took the aqua-haired girl a second to realize she was being addressed. Leaning against her partner's shoulder, she had been watching imposing trees on both sides of the narrow path, wondering just how Tsumbono could have eclipsed the park's natural vegetation, without covering a single inch.
"Well…he obviously has some sense of the sensational…" she said in a low voice.
"You mean you don't enjoy it…?" Both eyebrows raised, Haruka gave her a disbelieving look.
Michiru smiled, and shook her head, inhaling the delicate fragrance that surrounded them both.
"I can't…not like it…" she admitted softly. "It proves so much passion, such a desire to show nature's beauty to the world…even in an organized flower show…"
Haruka was taken by the conviction in the other's voice.
"One really can find little fault to an exhibition like this one…" she agreed in a gentle voice.
Together, they watched a leaf slowly float down from the nearest tree, towards the baby-cart Haruka had been pushing. The leaf landed right on top of baby Hotaru's round nose, and she gave a squeal of surprise, immediately capturing the intruder between her chubby fingers.
"Haruka-san! Michiru-san!"
Usagi's voice broke the moment shared by the two, but they did not seem to mind, as they turned and smiled to the younger girl.
"You're here too! It's amazing isn't it! I've never seen something like this in my entire life! I'm so glad you're here to see it, too! Isn't it wonderful?" The blonde bubbled with enthusiasm, as she made wide gestures to encompass the surrounding marvel.
"You're right, kitten, it is a pretty special sight…"
"I can't believe he could make it all seem so…natural…" Ami said from behind Usagi, contemplating the flowers showed on both sides. "It's…scientific symmetry, and yet, it's not…"
"Well, the man is both a scientist and an artist…Did you see the section where he presents his hybrid plants?" Michiru asked the blue-haired girl, quite sure the topic would interest Ami.
Naturally, it did.
"I…I didn't! He actually brought them here?" The girl's voice sounded amazed, almost skeptical. "I've done a bit of research, especially on his most recent experiment..."
"Hotaru-chan…!"
Usagi interrupted her friend, as she bent over the cart. A small shadow clouded her features, as she remembered the dark events in the not-so-distant past. Yet, the sight of Hotaru's innocent, smiling face helped her remember that they had all survived the trial.
Over the blonde's head, Haruka and Michiru shared a glance. They knew what went through Usagi's mind.
"You've grown a bit!" the blonde exclaimed happily, and reached out her hand to touch the baby's hair. "And you're pretty strong too, aren't you…?" she continued, as Hotaru caught one of her fingers and squeezed it in her little hand.
"Isn't Setsuna-san accompanying you?" Minako asked, as she suddenly noticed the absence of the remaining Outer Senshi.
Michiru hesitated for a moment before answering, as she felt something was not entirely true in her words.
"She was…busy… this afternoon."
"Well, there is probably enough time to come in the weekend", Usagi agreed, "but I would have liked to see her, too…you guys have almost disappeared recently…" she continued, in a plaintive tone. However, even the otherwise tactless girl could sense she should not hassle that issue, so she grew quiet after the last words.
For a second, silence fell over the group.
"Erm…how about we head to the section that hosts the new hybrids?"
Ami's suggestion was met with nods of approval, and the girls slowly walked down another flowery path.
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"Look here!" Chibiusa's attention had been caught by a display with an unusual coloring. "They're almost black…! And they're all in glass casings…"
They had wandered to a section that was surprisingly less populated than the rest of the park. In fact, the two of them were the only ones within sight.
"These are Dr. Tsumbono's recent experiments", Setsuna said as she read the information written on the cases. She frowned, intrigued. "Well…this is interesting…I didn't think this was possible…at least not with evolved plants on Earth…"
"Huh?"
"Apparently these hybrids survive without having to undergo the process of photosynthesis! This is a priceless discovery…this is probably why they are encased, so no one could study the plants without the doctor's permission..."
Chibiusa had wandered a few steps further, looking with new interest at the hybrid plants on display. Suddenly, she made a startling discovery:
"Oh, no!"
Alerted, Setsuna came closer to the child.
"Look!" Chibiusa pointed at one of the glass casings, "It's broken!"
Indeed, a long crack ran from the top of the case, where a small, irregular hole was visible.
"It would seem someone threw a rock at it…" the green-haired woman opined. "Although…why they would do that…"
Suddenly, a movement caught their attention. From behind a thick bush, a small boy emerged, wearing a playful expression. He gave them a wide smile, and stumbled towards them.
"What…"
Chibiusa was taken aback when the child clung to her waist, staring up at her with large, hazel eyes. He did not appear to be older than two.
"Where did you come from?" Setsuna questioned him, "Is you mama or papa near…?" When he returned her gaze, but no answer, she asked again: "Can you talk, little one?"
Just then, from a certain distance, a call was heard.
"Ryuu! Ryuu, come back here this instant, daddy isn't playing hide and seek!"
"I guess this solves our mystery, huh, Ryuu?" Chibiusa concluded. "Let's return this runaway to his dad! Before he gets worri—"
Another noise caught the pink-haired girl's attention before she could finish. To her right, she could hear the snapping of twigs. Someone was headed their way from behind the bushes.
"Must be the angry daddy", she said to Setsuna, who had also turned in the direction of the sounds.
Suddenly, all noises stopped. All they could hear were their own breaths, coming out more rapidly than normal.
"Small Lady…" Setsuna whispered, not sure why she felt threatened by the sudden silence.
"Why…why is there no sound…"
And suddenly, a creature emerged from the bushes, showering the three humans in twigs, stones and dirt. It had moved with such speed that, for a moment, all they could discern was a black mass breaking from the surrounding vegetation. It stopped in the middle of the path, not at all far from where they stood in awe.
"What is this!" Chibiusa cried in alarm.
The being was almost three times as tall as her, and vaguely human in shaping—except its limbs were abnormally large and seemed to flex in all directions, without the hindrance of joints. It was entirely black, with the exception of two white slits on its face—probably its eyes—and another one on its chest.
"Small Lady, take the boy somewhere safe!"
Setsuna had gone in defensive position, stepping in front of the children. She refused to even think the creature had anything to do with her dreams—but what other explanation was there really? Inwardly, all she wanted was to run away from the dark mass that so resembled her nightmare nemesis. Had she been alone, she probably would not have risked a fight—but again, what choice did she have now?
"No!"
Chibiusa's reply did not come as a surprise.
"Please", Setsuna tried to reason with the child, "someone has to take care of him, just make sure you take him to safety…! I'll be fine…it might not even be aggressive…"
"We don't know that!"
Another look at the creature revealed it had come closer, sliding across the ground on two strong legs. It approached noiselessly, with an economy in movement that Chibiusa recognized as a good warrior's mark.
"Just go, we can't risk the boy getting hurt! Where's all that training about efficient team-work, Small Lady?" the green-haired woman quipped, trying to leaven the moment.
Chibiusa grabbed the boy's hand.
"I'll come back in a second, I promise!"
She broke into a run, taking the child away from the creature. As they moved away, she could hear a cry over the loud sound of their hurried footsteps:
"Pluto Planet Power…"
With a small measure of relief, the pink-haired child thought Sailor Pluto would probably handle the creature with no difficulty.
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Setsuna eyed the potential enemy once again. It had come even closer, and its eyes seemed to fix her intently.
"Stay back, I'm not looking for a fight", she yelled at him, but at the same time grabbed a hold of the transformation pen. "Pluto Planet Power", she cried confidently, "Make Up!"
For a second, she anticipated the familiar sensation of transforming…
…and felt absolutely no change.
In one panic-filled moment, she realized the transformation had not worked.
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AN: Thank you for reading! Please take a minute to let me know what you think:)
Myosotis