AN: Another relatively quick update! I don't want to curse it, but this story has practically been writing itself, so assuming the next chapter of A Life Once Forgotten goes as planned (and that should be easy to write, too) I should have chapter 5 of this story up in no time! For now, here's a slightly longer than usual chapter. :)
As always, many thanks to my amazing reviewers: , lilymoon80, Bin82501, maryyorke, and slightlyxjaded. I asked for more reviews, and lo and behold, I got them! You guys rock.
Usagi stared in shock at the bloodied shirt in her mother's hand. She had never expected her mother to find it, she thought she would be able to bleach it or throw it away before her mother ever found out. "It's not what it looks like."
"Really?" Ikuko said, her voice shaking. "So would you like to explain what it is? Because it looks like there's a lot of blood on my daughter's shirt, but surely she would have no reason to get so injured, right?"
"Blood?" Usagi forced out a little chuckle. "Don't be so melodramatic, mama. It's just… some dirt stains. I was goofing around, and slipped on a patch of mud."
"Don't lie to me, Usagi," Ikuko said, her voice low and harsh. "Because it's not just the shirt. Why is it that all of a sudden strange memories are coming back to me? I remember you sneaking out of the house at all hours of the night, and coming back bruised and bloodied. And… I remember a conversation we had. So what the hell is going on?"
Usagi shook her head. "If you remember that conversation, then you already know, don't you?" She had hoped that her mother would never regain the memory of the night when she finally told her the truth about who she was. She had hoped that maybe this time she could hide it better, and they could have a normal mother-daughter relationship.
And yet… at the same time, she was relieved. When she had finally told her mother the truth, it was a relief to know that she didn't have to hide it anymore.
"No," Ikuko said firmly. "That is not a possibility."
"Mama…" Usagi broke off, wearily. Her mother had resisted the truth back then, too. She winced, slightly, remembering the last words her mother had said to her before she went off to face Queen Beryl and certain death: "If you leave this house, don't even think about ever coming back!"
"How?" Ikuko said, her voice breaking. "How is it possible? Are… are you really Sailor Moon?"
"I am," Usagi said. "And it's not something I can change."
"But that can't be possible…" Ikuko trailed off, her voice barely a whisper, as she thought it over, and Usagi knew the pieces of the puzzle were adding up in her mind.
Usagi's mysterious disappearances, her injuries, her sudden maturity combined with the burden of responsibility… and most of all, the night when a youma had attacked their home, and Usagi had disappeared right when Sailor Moon showed up. It all made sense.
"Mama…" Usagi bit her lip. She had an idea on how to solve one of her current problems, but she didn't want to push her mother too far. "I know this is hardly the time to ask for a favor, but… there's a little girl who needs my help. She's very far away from home, and we think the enemy might be targeting her. She needs a place to stay, and well… she'd be safest with me. With us."
Ikuko rubbed her eyes, and didn't say anything. When she finally spoke, her voice was weary. "What am I supposed to tell your father and brother?"
"I don't know," Usagi said. "Think of something? You could say she's the daughter of… an old high school friend of yours. And her parents were in an accident, and she needs a place to stay." It was the same story she'd used on Motoki, which would make things easier.
"Okay," Ikuko said. "I guess I can't say no to Sailor Moon." She chuckled bleakly to herself and left the room. She paused briefly at the doorway, as if she was going to say something else, but she shook her head and walked out.
The tension in the house was too much for her, so Usagi decided to take a walk in the park to clear her head. After such a long time of relative peace and stability, all these new changes were happening so quickly, and it made her head hurt. The mental list of all the crazy things happening in her life just got a little longer, with the addition of her mother knowing her true identity.
Would Ikuko tell Kenji and Shingo? Usagi doubted it, but she wasn't sure. She wasn't even sure if she wanted her father and brother to know or not. Of course, she knew that the less people who were aware that she was Sailor Moon, the better, because there was less of a chance the enemy could find out. And it wasn't just for her sake.
If the enemy discovered her identity, they wouldn't hesitate to use her friends and family to hurt her. Jadeite had tried in the past, and he had nearly succeeded. If her family were to be killed because of her… it would break her. Which was why it was best that Kenji and Shingo never know. It was bad enough that Ikuko knew.
"Yo! Odango!"
Usagi heard the voice, and for a split second, she thought of Mamoru. But of course it wasn't him. It didn't sound like his voice, and he hadn't called her Odango in ages, anyways. Now, he always called her Usako. Or at least, he used to. Her heart twinged painfully, and she shoved the memory away.
Indeed, jogging up to her was not Mamoru, but Haruka. Michiru was following close behind.
"Haruka-san," Usagi said, smiling. "Michiru-san. What brings you here?"
"Enjoying the beautiful day of course!" Haruka said with a grin, as she slung her arm around Usagi's shoulders. "What's a pretty girl like you doing out here by herself?"
Michiru sighed and rolled her eyes at Haruka's blatant flirting with Usagi.
"Um, I was just out here to clear my head," she said, shrugging off Haruka's arm. She liked Haruka, and Michiru seemed nice, too, but she was worried that the teal-haired girl might get the wrong idea.
Michiru smiled. "We were just about to go grab a bite to eat at the Crown Arcade and Fruit Parlor. Would you care to join us?"
Before Usagi had a chance to respond, she heard her name being called. Looking over, she saw Chibiusa running towards her, with Mamoru jogging to keep up with her.
"Hi," Usagi said with a smile as Chibiusa flung her arms around her waist. "What have you been up to since I left?"
"Mamoru bought me dumplings from the stand over there," the little girl said excitedly, pointing to a cart further along the path.
"I'm glad you're having fun," she said. Mamoru walked up beside Chibiusa, and Usagi stiffened. "Thank you for looking after her, Mamoru-san."
"Of course," he said, equally stiff. "It was my pleasure."
"And who would this be?" Michiru asked, smiling at Chibiusa.
"My name's Usagi," Chibiusa said, before Usagi could introduce her. "Chibiusa for short. Who are you?"
Usagi chuckled. She was glad the girl was becoming a little less shy, but her manners could use some work. Luckily, Michiru didn't seem to mind the slightly rude question.
"My name is Michiru Kaio," she said.
Haruka eyed Mamoru suspiciously. "I don't believe we've been introduced. Haruka Tenoh. And you are?"
"Mamoru Chiba," he said. "How do you know Usagi-san?"
"Oh, we go way back, " Haruka said with a grin, slinging her arm around Mamoru's shoulders again. "How do you know her?"
"Usagi-san is…" Mamoru trailed off, his lips drawn together. "… an old friend."
"Really?" Haruka drawled. "Must not be very close."
Mamoru opened his mouth to say something, but Usagi interrupted. "Actually, it was so nice running into you Haruka-san, Michiru-san, but I'm afraid I really should be going." She turned to Chibiusa. "I'm still working out some details, but I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Do you need a ride anywhere?" Michiru asked.
"Actually, yes," Usagi said. "A ride would be wonderful. Would it be too inconvenient for you to drop me off at the Hikawa Shrine?"
"Of course not," Michiru said, and then crouched so she was eye level with Chibiusa. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Chibiusa, and I hope we meet again soon."
The little girl smiled and nodded, but clung on to the leg of Mamoru's pants. Like with earlier in the arcade, Usagi bent down and quickly brushed a kiss on the girl's forehead, before she had the chance to second-guess herself.
"So, who's that Mamoru Chiba guy?" Haruka asked when they were in the car.
"He's my boy—" she started to automatically say, before she stopped to correct herself. "He's my ex-boyfriend."
"Ah, so that explains it," Michiru said. "I could tell there was a lot of tension between you two, you didn't seem like old friends."
"Yeah…" Usagi trailed off, looking out the window. "I guess we're not. I thought we were, but…" she shook her head sadly, not sure what else there was to say.
"So, does that mean you're single?" Haruka said, turning around with a wink. "I seem to recall you saying you had a boyfriend when we met at the Arcade."
Usagi gave a half-hearted smile. "He'd just broken up with me. I guess it hadn't really sunk in yet."
"Men," Haruka said with disgust. "You should just forget about them all together."
Usagi laughed, a genuine laugh that surprised her. She barely knew Haruka or Michiru, and yet there was something about them that made her feel at ease, as if she could talk to them about anything.
"Well, you seem like a lovely girl, Usagi, so I'm sure you'll find someone else," Michiru said, giving Usagi a warm smile. "And if he couldn't appreciate what he had, then perhaps he doesn't deserve you."
"Thank you," Usagi said. She appreciated their kindness, she really did. But the problem was she didn't want to find someone else. All she had ever wanted was Mamoru. A part of her felt silly for feeling that way, as she was just a fourteen-year-old girl, and it was hardly expected of her to be with her boyfriend forever.
Most girls her age, if they had a boyfriend, would likely only date him for a few months, maybe a year, before breaking up and finding someone new.
But she and Mamoru were different. They had loved each other in their past lives, and once they found each other in this life, she had never doubted that they would be together forever. She couldn't imagine herself with anyone other than Mamoru. Which was why this breakup just didn't make any sense. She had been so sure Mamoru felt the same way.
"Usagi?" Michiru said, and Usagi realized she'd zoned out.
"Oh, sorry!" she said. "What were you saying?"
"I was asking about Chibiusa," Michiru said. "She seems like a lovely girl. Is she a relative of yours? A sister, perhaps?"
Usagi shook her head. "No, Chibiusa is the daughter of a close family friend. Her parents were in an accident, so she's staying with my family for a little while." She'd said the lie so many times by now that it almost sounded convincing.
"How unfortunate!" Michiru remarked. "But she seems to be in good hands."
"Thank you," Usagi said. "She's been through a lot… but she still remains positive. It's nice to have her staying with me." She smiled to herself, thinking about how true it was. She hadn't even known the girl for a full day yet, but there was something about her that made Usagi feel… calmer. More stable. Maybe it was just having a responsibility outside being Sailor Moon helped take her mind off the breakup, but she genuinely enjoyed having Chibiusa in her life.
"Well, here you are," Haruka said, pulling up outside of the Hikawa Shrine.
"Thank you so much for the ride," Usagi said, getting out of the car, and bowing slightly to show her thanks.
"No problem," Haruka said. "Take care of yourself, Odango."
Haruka and Michiru watched as Usagi walked up the main building of the shrine, and entered, disappearing from sight.
"There's something strange about that girl," Haruka said.
Michiru nodded. "The seas are stormy and wild. There is definitely something about her, and I sensed something similar around that little girl, Chibiusa."
"Do you think…" Haruka trailed off. "Do you think she could be the one we've been looking for?"
"Perhaps," Michiru said. After so long searching, it was tempting to believe they'd found her. "But we know very little about her. The only way to find out is to continue to befriend her and gain her trust."
Haruka nodded, looking at the shrine that Usagi had disappeared into. She could only hope…
Mamoru watched Usagi leave the park with a frown. He didn't like the looks of Haruka Tenoh. He seemed far too possessive of Usagi, and he had been downright rude. It pained him, thinking that perhaps Usagi had already moved on with Haruka. Of course, he was the one who broke up with her, and she had every right to move on, but… it pained him.
He would never stop loving her, even if he couldn't be with her. He shuddered, thinking what could happen if he and Usagi stayed together. The Black Moon Clan wouldn't hesitate to exploit any perceived weakness, just like the Dark Kingdom hadn't hesitated to brainwash him and turn him against Usagi.
If it happened again… if he ever hurt her again… he closed his eyes against the thought. The sounds of her screams were never far from his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw and felt himself hurting her. Torturing her. Nearly killing her. She was the one person he couldn't bear hurting—she was Serenity, Sailor Moon, his Usako.
She was everything to him, which was why it was better this way. And perhaps it was better if she moved on, with Haruka or someone else. He could see how much he hurt her with this breakup, but it was better that than he be used as a tool against her again. He was her biggest weakness, and she his. It was better this way.
Mamoru was pulled out of his depressing thoughts as a small hand slipped into his. He looked down and saw Chibiusa looking up at him, concern and curiosity in her eyes.
"Sorry," he said. "I guess I got a little lost in my thoughts. But I'm all yours now."
"What's going on between you and Usagi?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked. "There's nothing going on. We're friends."
"You always act so tense around each other," she said. "And you seem really unhappy whenever she's brought up, but whenever you see her, you can't look away from her."
"I…" Mamoru trailed off. He hadn't realized how much Chibiusa had noticed. She was so young, he had assumed she was oblivious to his complicated relationship with Usagi. "We recently broke up," he admitted. "We used to date."
"Why did you break up if you still love her?"
Mamoru stared at her in disbelief.
"I may be six, but I'm not an idiot," Chibiusa said, sticking her nose in the air. "It's kind of obvious."
Mamoru smiled. "I know you're not an idiot. Usagi and I broke up, because… well, it's complicated. But some bad things happened, and it's best if we're not together."
Chibiusa didn't look like she believed him, but she didn't say anything.
"Now, come on, let's go back to my apartment," Mamoru said. "I'll set up a room for you."
Chibiusa nodded, and they walked off towards Mamoru's apartment together, hand in hand.
They arrived at the apartment a short while later, and Mamoru made a mental note to go out and buy some books or toys or something. His apartment wasn't very kid-friendly; it was mainly filled with medical textbooks. He had barely finished setting up a bed for Chibiusa when he heard a loud crash outside the building.
"Stay here," Mamoru said to Chibiusa as he rushed out the door.
Outside the apartment complex was a youma. Mamoru cursed, and pulled out his cellphone.
He didn't have a specialized communicator like the Senshi, but he did have the phone numbers for Ami, Makoto, Rei and Minako, in case of emergency. And, of course, Usagi. He hesitated for a split second, wondering which of them to call. He settled on Ami. She was the most rational; she wouldn't let his breakup with Usagi interfere with business.
"Mamoru," she said as she picked up. He tone was cool and icy, but at least she was listening. "What do you want?"
"There's a youma right outside my apartment complex," he said. "Chibiusa's inside."
"We'll be there in a minute," Ami said, and hung up.
Mamoru observed the youma, analyzing it before making a move. It was very nimble and quick on its feet, and it was humanoid, with purple skin, long razor-sharp claws, and a tail, which seemed to be made out of fire.
He was just about to attack, or at least draw its attention away from the civilians, when a ball of lightning hit it. The youma screamed in pain, and turned to see who had attacked it. The Sailor Senshi had arrived.
"We were nearby," Jupiter said, seeing Mamoru's look.
He nodded, and slipped away to transform. The Senshi could take care of themselves, but he wanted to be ready, in case something happened.
Meanwhile, Chibiusa was curious as to what was going on. She couldn't see anything, but she could hear screaming, and lots of loud crashes and bangs. She knew Mamoru had told her to stay inside the apartment… but surely it couldn't hurt to just peek outside, right?
She hopped up off the couch, and carefully crept out to the hallway. She paused a moment at the front door of the building, but then she opened it and wandered outside. There was some kind of ugly monster, and the Sailor Senshi were fighting in. She wanted to see better, so she walked a little closer. The monster turned its eyes on her, and she screamed.
"Chibiusa!" Sailor Moon cried out. The youma had turned its attention on Chibiusa, and wad advancing rapidly, its claws out, ready to impale her. She was rooted to the spot in fear. Sailor Moon took off running, faster then she knew she could.
She launched herself in the air, and flung her arms around Chibiusa, knocking her aside. The youma's claws raked down Sailor Moon's back, and she cried out in pain. Beneath her, the little girl was shaking, but she seemed unharmed.
"Are you okay?" Sailor Moon asked.
Chibiusa nodded tearfully.
"Go back inside the apartment," she said, wincing as she sat up. "Run as fast as you can, okay? We'll hold off the youma. Go NOW!"
Chibiusa scrambled out from underneath Sailor Moon, and she ran off into the building, not looking back.
"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Kamen rushed to her side. "You're wounded."
Sailor Moon resisted the urge to say something mean. Of course she was wounded, that wasn't a particularly clever observation.
"Move aside," Sailor Mercury said brusquely, pushing away Tuxedo Kamen's hands. "I'll handle this. You go… do something useful."
Tuxedo Kamen frowned as Mercury crowded him out, but he didn't say anything. He still hovered, anxiously, not wanting to leave Sailor Moon when she was injured.
"The wounds don't look too terrible," he muttered with a sigh of relief. "But she is bleeding a lot."
"Go away!" Mercury's voice was harsh. "You're not helping anything by standing here and hovering like an idiot."
"You can't just order me away!" he said. "She's injured, she needs help!"
Mercury gave him a scathing look. "Really? I couldn't tell. I am trying to help her, and you are keeping me from doing that!"
Sailor Moon groaned. "Just go away. You're giving me a headache." She struggled to her feet, despite protests from both Tuxedo Kamen and Mercury.
"You said it yourself, they're not very terrible wounds," she said to Tuxedo Kamen. "I'll be fine. I need to finish off this youma."
Jupiter and Venus were dueling it out with the youma, while Mars took to helping the injured civilians, since Mercury was preoccupied with Sailor Moon.
"Moon Scepter Elimination!" she called out, and the youma turned to dust. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she fainted from the combination of blood loss from her injury and energy loss from the use of the scepter. Tuxedo Kamen caught her just before she hit the ground.
"Perhaps we underestimated her," Neptune said, watching from afar. "She seems like a capable warrior."
"Perhaps," Uranus said. "But I still don't think we should join forces. You know what the costs of this battle could be. The Black Moon Clan isn't an ordinary foe. Do you really think Sailor Moon is ready to sacrifice anything in order to defeat them?
"Hmm," Neptune said. She was quiet after that.
"You're thinking about what she said the other day, aren't you." Uranus knew her partner too well.
"Yes, I am," Neptune admitted. "It made a lasting impression on me."
"True," Uranus said. "But she's so young. She's barely more than a child! I still don't think joining forces would be a good idea. It will only distract us from our end mission."
"You do have a point. Joining with these Sailor Senshi could hold us back, which is why I'm not suggesting we join forces. At least, not yet. It's just something to think about, yes?" she held a hand out to her partner with a smile.
"I'll think about it," Uranus said, and accepted Neptune's outstretched hand.
Far off in the palace of the Black Moon Clan, Prince Demande sighed dreamily as he gazed into his crystal ball. Neo-Queen Serenity… she was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes upon.
He had hoped that after successfully taking over Crystal Tokyo, he might be able to sway her to his side, and convince her to love him. Or at least hypnotize her into believing she was in love with him, he didn't much care as long as she was by his side.
But unfortunately, the attack on Crystal Tokyo hadn't gone as planned. The Queen was now in a coma, a good portion of his youma had been defeated, the Silver Crystal was nowhere in sight, and the little brat of a princess had disappeared. The plan had been to take over Crystal Tokyo, killing the royal family, with the exception of Neo-Queen Serenity, and stealing the Silver Crystal to use as a power source for Nemesis and the Black Moon Clan.
"Prince Demande!" Rubeus, a powerful member of the Black Moon Clan, entered the throne room. "I have some good news, my liege."
"Hmm?" Demande tore his gaze away from the crystal ball, and Neo-Queen Serenity.
"I believe I have located the energy signature of the pesky Rabbit," Rubeus said. "There was a large spike earlier this afternoon, in downtown Tokyo."
"That is indeed good news!" Demande said. "Double our efforts to find her and kill her."
"My liege…" Rubeus hesitated. "She seems to be under the care of Sailor Moon."
"Perfect," Demande said, a smile growing on his face.
"But my liege… it might be harder to kill her than we thought."
Demande waved him away. "Double our efforts to find the Rabbit and kill her. Sailor Moon will not pose a problem."
His smile grew. He turned back to his crystal ball, and called up an image of Sailor Moon. She was so like Neo-Queen Serenity… indeed, there were rumors that Sailor Moon was Neo-Queen Serenity. He may not have been able to win over Neo-Queen Serenity or Crystal Tokyo, but he would try harder this time. He would be better prepared.
He would capture 21st century Tokyo, and he would make the young version of Neo-Queen Serenity his bride. And he would not fail.
AN: If you're wondering about Usagi's previous conversation with Ikuko about being Sailor Moon, or the attack on her family that Usagi mentioned, that's in the prequel, Changes. :)
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