Chapter 5: Links of the Chain
"Man…..Why did mom have to go on tour? I'm bored." Sakura whined before jumping onto Crawford's back.
"Get off." The assassin growled while the child hung loosely on his shoulders.
"Crawford-san take me to the park or something please." Sakura whined.
"Ask Nagi to." Crawford groaned.
"But Grandpa has him doing something." Sakura whined.
"Then make Farfarello take you." Crawford started to get irritated.
"Farfie isn't here. He went with Makato-san to the hospital." Sakura painfully reminded him.
"Then make Schuldig he's on the couch." Crawford said before picking the child off his back and putting her firmly on the ground.
"You're mean man. Schu-chan could you take me to the park please!" Sakura said while tugging on the German's arm.
"Why not." Schuldig said before Sakura cheered and did a dance.
As the two were walking down the street they saw many televisions in most of the shops talking about the recent attacks upon Juban and Tokyo and of the sailor senshi's repeated appearances at the sites of attack to end them. One article stopped Sakura as they were nearing the park.
'During the last attack last night near Tokyo Tower we at Tokyo News 3 caught footage of our protectors while they were trying to stop a monster from attacking. From this footage it seems like three of the senshi were injured severely. Question though is who are these women who protect our city if not the whole world? Who are these women who fight to protect us without wanting to be rewarded or given credit? Some of our footage caught the near revealing of who these pretty soldieresses are but due to the situation we were unable to. But are these women even human? They wield powers from the elements and seem to call upon them on will.' The reporter said making Sakura gasp at the footage they had gotten.
The minion that Chaos' daughter sent to get the senshi was holding Mercury by the throat hitting her with the hilt of an energy sword, then thrashing Jupiter around into walls and poles and bashing an unconscious Mars against the ground over and over.
'They can't handle this on their own. Mama will . . . iie! I can't think that!' Sakura thought not knowing that she dropped the ice cream that was in her left hand.
Schuldig took in the look the child had in her eyes and looked at the footage that played over and over. The senshi were getting a beating, a very bad one might we add. He went up to Sakura who looked like she was about to cry and picked her small body off the ground.
'Mama, you need help. Why won't you let us help you? Why?' He heard her think while she started to shake in his arms.
"Is there something wrong Sakura-chan?" He asked her snapping her out of her thoughts.
"I-Iie Schu-chan! Daibuju! Come on lets go to the park!" Sakura said with a smile and laugh.
"Alright brat." Schuldig said before getting the child to stop prancing around.
"Engel? Is that you?" Motoki asked spotting the two.
"Motoki-Nii-san!" Sakura yelled before knocking the arcade worker over.
"It's good to see you again. Here I thought you and the others would remain in the future after what happened a few years ago." Motoki said.
"Well I'm here to make sure I'll exist and to protect mama and daddy." Sakura said.
"So how far have your powers evolved? I mean you must have trained with your mother and father a lot to come back to protect your future parents." Motoki said.
"Well, I trained with daddy a lot. Until a few months ago." Sakura said suddenly getting a cold and malicious look on her face.
"What happened?" Motoki asked.
"Dad was killed by our enemy while protecting me and mama. The attack was so sudden. Mom is being watched over right now. She tried to kill herself a few times already." Sakura said.
Schuldig listened to the child's story of her real mother in the future. It seemed like her mother was in shock of loosing her husband and wanted to join him in hell.
"So, then the shadow posing as your father?" Motoki asked.
"You've been at each battle?" Sakura asked.
"I'm Venus' knight. I must protect my princess. And I see you and the other two hesitating to help because of how it could affect time." Motoki said.
"Yes, the person who is protecting me is the ghost of my father. If it wasn't for what he made my mother swear she'd be sealed away forever in a coma to seal the power that half her blood gave me in my body. Mama, I want to go back to see how she is right now. You know when she was marked as a cursed child, when I was born I was marked the same? Motoki, if you were to die would you let Venus take her life or would you make her remain living to endure the suffering and pain of being alone to relive the past pains that brought forth destruction and sorrow? When all the princesses regain their past memories they'll all want to die. If my prince, if Alex was killed protecting me I would want to join him even if I ended up in hell. Being a cursed child, you tend to not care for your life after being harassed by the moon monarchs after so long. I know what my mother's going through. But all I can do right now to make sure of a somewhat happy future for her is to keep to my presence here and make sure her and my father meet." Sakura said sadly with a small smile.
Schuldig picked Sakura up and put her on his shoulders to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. This child from the future, marked as a cursed child, trying to keep hope of living bright looked at his blue eyes with sorrow which was well masked. As they got to the park and Schuldig put Sakura down he watched her run to a cherry blossom tree not far from where they stood. He pondered on what he overheard the night before between Sakura, Abigail, and Aurora.
'When this war gets more intense we'll have to step in. I know it'll affect the time stream but if our moms can't do it we have to help. It would be what our mother's back in the future expect of us. To take our duties seriously. We are after all the future ladies of our planets. Plus I know you want revenge for what they did to your father Engel.' Aurora's voice echoed.
'That bitch will pay for having that monster kill my father. If I get involved in this war I'll be nothing but thrilled to destroy things.' Sakura's voice echoed.
'But don't forget, we've had our hair dyed or contacts in our eyes to make sure no one knows who our fathers are and if we throw these disguises away our parents will be known. Especially you Engel and myself.' Abigail's voice echoed.
'The identities of the senshi will not remain a secret for long. We'll have to transform in front of them soon. Isn't that right? Engel? Abigail? You've seen it haven't you? The future?' Aurora asked.
'Yes, our fathers will know soon. And our mothers will need help. But you know one cool thing?' Sakura asked.
'What?' Aurora asked.
'We will be ladies then. This curse on our bodies will be lifted!' Sakura said.
'You mean . . . . We'll actually look our age?' Aurora asked again.
'Yes.' Abigail said.
'Alright!' Aurora said.
"Schu-chan? Are you ok?" Sakura snapped him out of his thoughts.
Schuldig looked at the child to see a worried look in her eyes. The look of knowledge from seeing things a child isn't supposed to see. Whoever was her father, she had the look of a tortured soul, the tortured soul of a killer long since sleeping in a dream of a new life. Since Rei went on tour nearly a week ago Sakura get pretty close to him and the other three. She came up with names for all of them and everything. Nagi was her 'Nii-san', Farfarello was Farfers or Farfie, Crawford was meanie or Mr.Stiff and Schuldig was Schu-chan or Schu-papa since Schuldig was the only one who would play and pay attention to the child.
"What's wrong Sakura? You look like someone put a snail in your food." Schuldig asked.
"I'm just missing my mom. But then her concert is going to be on TV tonight. Although she's not here with me now I can at least see her at her best. Baring her soul through music." Sakura said with a sad smile while thinking of her mother in the future.
The Martian Queen smiling sadly while hugging Sakura to her chest telling her to be strong and to not cry. To not let her feelings be shown to the enemy for they will take her away like they had taken her father.
"Daddy. Doshite? Doshite daddy?" Schuldig heard Sakura whisper before reading into her thoughts.
He saw a beautiful queen talking to Sakura with a sad smile.
'Don't cry my sweet daughter. Be strong. I know it's hard for you to be since you are still young but if the enemy saw your weakness you'll end up just your father. I don't want you to die my sweet child. If I lost you then my being alive again would be for naught.' He could see the beautiful goddess in the child's thoughts hugging her as silent tears came from the goddess' crimson eyes.
Schuldig watched Sakura climb the tree and sit on a branch for a while. Her wild violet eyes stared out into the sky.
"Ne, Schu-chan. What did you and the others do in your world? I mean for work and stuff like that? Did you have family? Friends?" Sakura asked.
"I think you're getting nosy." He said.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." Sakura said.
This child had the knowledge of an elder but then Schuldig reminded himself that she was a child of an immortal goddess so she could be eons older than he was. But then again she was still considered a child to even her mother in the future.
"Sakura-chan? Schuldig-san?" A familiar voice made the two look in the direction of the entrance.
"Ami-san!" Sakura said before jumping down from the tree and going to hug the woman.
"Sakura-chan, you mother had called from Germany. She said that everyone is welcomed to her opening show tomorrow night and that if we want to go she has tickets for us to go. But we would have to leave tonight." Ami said.
"Honto Ni?" Sakura asked.
"Hai." Ami answered.
"Ami-san." Schuldig said getting the Mercurian Princess' attention.
"Hai Schuldig-san?" She asked.
"Who's going?" He asked.
"Everyone is welcomed to come. And you probably would be surprised to see that Germany here isn't that much different from Germany in your alternate world." Ami said before Sakura took her hand and started to tug.
"I wanna start packing now! Let's go! Ami-san!" Sakura said with a smile.
"Most of this is because of the enemy's aura in the area but your mother misses you." Ami said in Mercurian.
"I figured that much but I DO want to see mama sing." Sakura said in Martian.
Schuldig wished he knew what the two were saying. After Ami told them about going to Germany everyone was at the temple with their packed belongings holding tickets for those who wanted to go. Usagi had to stay in Japan for how close to her due date she was so that left an extra ticket and Minako happily used it to get Motoki to come.
"Oh man! Minako will be all clingy on Motoki throughout the whole trip. Schu-chan, Nagi-chan can I sit next to you two?" Sakura asked while giving her ticket to the flight attendant.
"Sure Sakura-chan." Nagi said with a smile.
"Yay!" Sakura cheered.
When the plane took off Sakura clung to both Nagi and Schuldig's arms with her eyes squeezed tight. Abigail and Aurora were sitting with their mothers. After two hours Sakura was already sleep, her head resting on Schuldig's shoulder. While this was going on Crawford was looking at Abigail who sleeping on with her head on his shoulder and her small hand holding Ami's. While looking at the child he saw a flash of the future through her.
'Daddy! Wait up dad! Mom wants us! Come on!' Abigail yelled toward a man who was shadowed.
'No, not again. Not this dream again. Mom! Dad! IIE!' He heard Abigail scream in her dream as things started to explode.
He saw it happen. A beautiful palace on a planet not far from earth being attacked. A woman that looked like Ami summoning a crystal to create a barrier around screaming civilians.
"Hurry Abigail! Run!" the woman yelled.
"But mom! Where's dad!" Abigail yelled.
"Your father . . . NO RUN! RUN!" The Ami look-alike yelled before shoving the child into the time gates.
"MOTHER! FATHER!" Abigail screamed before the time gate door was blown up.
"NO! NOO! LET ME THROUGH! MOM, DAD!" She screamed over and over while pounding the space where the door once was.
A symbol on her forehead now glowing brightly, as tears of ice (Like the tears Yukina from YYH cries) fell to the ground as an elegant gown came to her small form and the ground under her started to break apart.
"MOM! DAD! OPEN UP! I COMMAND YOU!" Abigail cried while pounding her fist on the 'wall' where the time gate once was.
"Abigail!" A voice startled the 'child' and as she turned she saw her older brother standing there.
"NII-SAN! MOM! DAD! THEY'RE STUCK IN THERE! WE HAVE TO HELP THEM!" Abigail cried as her brother took her shaking form into his arms.
"Go into the past. They'll be after mom and dad before they meet. I can't go there for someone has to be here to represent Mercury. Go now!" Her brother yelled before shoving her into a time gate.
"NII-SAN!" Abigail cried while Crawford was coming out of what he was seeing.
After pulling out of the child's conscious, unknown to him that he was there, Abigail woke up and started to cry. Ami quickly tended to the weeping child.
"Mom . . . dad . . . brother." Abigail sobbed.
"Abigail? What's wrong you can tell me." Ami said calmly as the child now clung to her.
"Mom . . . it's worse then the Black Moon Family. Chaos' daughter was able to get to the future. One minion was all it took. That minion killed Sakura-chan's dad, attacked the Io castle of Jupiter, and then attacked our castle and my mom shoved me through the time gates. I didn't see father or anything. Mom, Watashi wa kawai." Abigail cried.
"Shh. It's alright Abigail. We'll save this timeline and make sure that the future is fixed." Ami said reassuringly before hugging Abigail, Crawford looking at the child for a moment.
He wondered why she had that gown and symbol on her forehead and body. But then he looked over at Farfarello who was cradling a crying Aurora in his arms. She too was calling out for her parents. Makato was rubbing her future daughter's back with a sad smile on her lips.
"Daijubu ne watashi wa koshii mirai misume." (It will be alright my darling future daughter.) Makato cooed soothingly.
"Demo….." Aurora sniffled.
Nagi for some reason ever since these three children appeared seemed to have strange connections to Farfarello, Schuldig, and Crawford. Right then the strangest but possibly most logical thought came to mind. That these three would be their children, but then they looked nothing like them but then they never met the goddesses intimately or anything. Sakura noticed Nagi's hard thoughts and got up and jumped into his lap after cheering up.
"Ne Ne Nii-san! I can't wait to get to see mama. She has a very pretty voice. You'll love it." She hyperly said.
After everyone got to Germany they were escorted to a fine hotel in which Rei was. When they got to the main reception hall they saw three bodyguards standing near a slim young woman in black with sunglasses on and her hair up in a bun. Instantly Sakura jumped out of Schuldig's arms and ran up to the woman.
"MAMA!" Sakura cried before clinging onto the disguised Rei's leg.
"Sakura. Minna. It's about time you guys got here." Rei said letting her bun down and taking her sunglasses off.
"Yeah, we're sorry. You're show is on in like 13 minutes why are you here?" Ami asked.
"Because….." Rei said with a grim look on her usually calm porcelain face.
"The enemy?" Makato asked next to Crawford and Farfarello.
"I've been sensing it here so that's why I choose Germany to do my opening. Although I know they'll attack at all my shows. We must do our best to protect these humans." Rei said in Martian.
"Agreed Rei, we must protect all the mortals here. I've been sensing things also ever since you left. The enemy is really wanting to get us now." Ami said in Mercurian.
"Well I'll see you guys later. It's time for my show." Rei said before disappearing into the crowd that was in the large civic center in the next wing of the hotel.
"Is there going to be a battle mama?" Aurora asked.
The 4 assassins looked at the child and then to Makato.
"Yes, there's going to be a battle. And if things get rough you, Abigail and Sakura are to make sure that the guys are taken out of here. Rei didn't seem very calm like she is most of the time. So it's going to be bad." Makato said.
"I sense it. Great malicious power." Ami said quietly.
"Mom I'm scared." Abigail said while clinging to Ami's pants.
"Don't worry. The senshi will protect everyone." Motoki said while holding Minako's hand.
Minako didn't look so cool either. Her blue eyes were hard as ice. Yes, a battle would begin any time now.
The Schwarz looked at the women and felt something in their beings react to their attitude changes. And then………the concert started…
The concert footage is in a side fic called 'Concert'