Sailor Moon Aeons.
Book 2: Rebirth.
Act 5: Labyrinth of Mirrors.
Episode 81: Mistakes.

By Razor Knight
Last update: September 26, 2014
Last edited: June 10, 2017

Terry was quite surprised at what he was seeing. True, Hotaru had warned him about it, but he still wanted to measure these two girls' abilities. "I'll be damned, you were right."

Hotaru chuckled. She had known Haruka and Michiru long enough to not be surprised about this. "I hope I can get to that level of trust, one day."

Usagi had also been watching the two girls fight, for the last ten minutes. As impossible as it sounded, they weren't holding back, and yet neither of them had scored a hit so far. "How do they do it?"

"If I were to make a guess, they've been fighting side by side for long enough to know what the other's going to do at any given time. It may have to do with their relationship, too," Terry said, "and I hope I can be as synchronized with Ami as they are with each other, someday."

Haruka and Michiru stopped sparring and looked at Aiko. "You got enough data now?"

Aiko nodded at Haruka. "You're individually rather skilled. Not to dad's level, but quite close."

Haruka shrugged. "There's always room for improvement."

Michiru looked at Usagi. "Sorry we haven't been around much."

"I don't expect all my friends to come to the base every single day," Usagi said dismissively.

"That..."

Usagi looked at Haruka. "What's wrong?"

"You already see us as friends?"

"I try to give even my enemies a second chance, so it's nothing to be surprised about. And you two, if you had been more eager to talk back then, I would have helped you."

"I thought you said you didn't want any sacrifices."

"And neither did you, despite the tough facade you kept putting up," Hotaru noted.

Michiru smiled at that. "Guilty as charged."

Aiko walked to Terry. "Can you punch me?"

Terry blinked at the strange request. "Huh, why?"

"I've made some further improvements to this body. I want to know if they work."

Terry sighed and then punched Aiko in the stomach.

"Ow!" Aiko flinched then smiled. "Doesn't feel as bad as I thought it would. Thanks, dad."

Hotaru looked at her. "So, you actually wanted to be able to feel pain?"

"I... I don't think I'll ever truly become human, but I want to come as close as possible to that goal." Aiko looked at Haruka, who was staring at her in shock. "What's the matter?"

Haruka shook her head. "I just- Don't mind me, it will take time to get used to you, and other strange things in this group."

"So, you think I'm weird?"

Haruka nodded. "Honestly, yes."

Aiko smiled. "Thank you."

Hotaru shook her head. "That's my joke."

"Hawk, the Senshi are craftier than we thought."

"I noticed," Hawk Eye agreed. "First attack went almost fine, but the second time, it was almost as if they knew we were attacking."

"Then we'll have to be smarter than them. Make them fall for a trap."

"And how would we do that?"

"Here's what we'll do..."

ChibiUsa was walking around the city. She didn't really have a destination in mind, and was just thinking about how things had turned. When she was told she would be able to train in this era, she was excited, but if she had known... No, Setsuna couldn't tell her everything. And she knew she had liked getting surprised. However, she sensed something and stopped. "What's up?"

"Where's Hotaru?"

ChibiUsa looked at Diana. "She may be at the base."

"Did something happen?"

"What's that, you're worried about me?"

Diana looked down. "Guess I do deserve that. Listen, I would like us to be friends..."

ChibiUsa picked the small cat up. "As far as I'm concerned, we already are."

"Then why the hostility?"

"Sorry about that, I'm not in a great mood. Nothing did happen, but Hotaru told me she had noticed me being distant lately. She may be right."

"If it's about the enemy..."

"I don't like this. I mean, I know I need to be able to fight on my own, but what if I fail, what if I let someone else get hurt?"

"Nobody will blame you for-"

"But I will."

Diana shook her head at that. "I know you're the only one whose magic can affect the enemies, but the others can also fight them. You shouldn't try to shoulder everything by yourself."

"I'm not-" ChibiUsa stopped and looked around. "Damn, another attack."

Diana found herself floating for a split second as ChibiUsa vanished. "Damn it, you're supposed to listen to your friends, Princess!" she snapped at the air as she landed.

Luna had watched it all from atop a tree - she hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but she was curious as to how good a guardian her daughter was, and was pleased with what she had heard. But she decided to make her presence known, and leapt down from the tree. "Diana, take your own advice. Don't try to shoulder everything by yourself. She has other friends who can help her."

If Diana had been surprised by Luna's words, she didn't show it. "You're right, but still, I wasn't there to help her when they took her heart crystal."

"I've missed many of Usagi's fights," Luna noted, "but I'm sure the Princess knows you'll be there when it's really needed."

"I won't be able to if she keeps running off like that."

"Then you should tell her that, next time you see her."

Diana smiled. "Thanks, mom."

"You're welcome. I know it's hard to deal with them at first - Usagi was quite a handful too."

"The Queen was a -"

"Quite a brat, yes. But these wars have changed her, for better or for worse. Mostly for better."

"Perhaps... No, I'll have to talk to her, for sure."

Usagi was the last person left inside the base, but it had not been coincidence. She had noticed something and wanted to make sure her senses hadn't fooled her. "Can I ask you something?"

Aiko turned to look at her. "I supposed you had something you wanted to tell me, you don't usually stay here if nobody else is around."

"You're still here."

"But I'm-"

"One of my friends, as far as I'm concerned," Usagi noted.

"Thanks. So, what's the matter?"

"I've noticed the way you look at Yuki. And your body language when she's around is also..."

Aiko blushed. "I don't really act different, do I?"

Usagi smiled knowingly. "Sometimes it's hard to notice it, yourself. I didn't realize what I felt for Mamoru until it was almost too late."

"You think I'm- Can I be in love with someone, even?"

"You may not have all the 'functions' in that body of yours yet, but I know it from watching you, you're as human as we are, Aiko. Don't sell yourself short."

"I'll have to run some scans-"

"You'll have to give it some thought," Usagi said, "I can understand that."

"But even if I do feel that way about her, who would fall in love with something like me?"

"Stop it."

"What?"

"Stop refering to yourself as a 'thing.' You've only been what you are for a short while, but I know you're much more than just a program."

"I- I guess you're right."

"And even if they don't feel the same way, falling in love is good. Don't be afraid."

Aiko looked at Usagi for a few seconds, then walked to her and hugged her. "Thanks."

Usagi was a bit surprised by that, but still smiled at her as she stepped back. "You're welcome."

Aiko walked back to the wall where the city map was displayed, and looked up. "Damn it. I wish I could detect those bastards."

"What's wrong?"

"They're attacking Chie. ChibiMoon is already there, fighting them."

"On her own?" Usagi asked.

Aiko nodded. "Karin is there, but she seems to be unconscious."

"Call everyone and tell them about it."

Aiko looked up at the map as Usagi run out of the base, and sent a message to all the Senshi. She then walked to the far side of the room, sitting on a long bench. "I wish I could help them." But what could she really do, she was just a- No, Usagi had been right. She wasn't just a program. And she also hoped Usagi was right about something else.

"Falling in love, huh? Sounds interesting."

Minutes earlier, Karin and Chie had been walking away from Chie's house. "That was quite a surprise."

Chie was in a better mood than she had been in weeks. When they had told her to bring Karin along that day, she had been worried, but... "It's not like I need their permission to be in love with you, but I'm happy that they finally see I'm not just fooling around."

"Well, we do a fair share of 'fooling around' already," Karin commented.

Chie blushed at that. "Let's not tell them that, though."

Karin laughed, then saw a man walking to them. "Chie..."

Chie nodded at her. "His stealth sucks. Hey, you!"

Hawk Eye groaned and his business suit changed into his circus clothes. "So I was found out? Big deal."

Karin rushed at the man, who sidestepped her easily as she swung her fist at her. However, she was expecting that, and spun around as she rose her leg, delivering a powerful kick to Hawk Eye's face. "Go away, freak, you won't get her."

The man smiled as he stood up. "I don't have time to waste with you." He snapped his fingers, and a creature which looked like a cross between a lion and an ape appeared. "Lemure, Get her!"

Karin frowned. "As if a dumb monster would stop me!" She tried to tackle the creature, but it was stronger than it looked - a lot stronger. It clutched her neck and rose her off the ground. "Crap..."

"Karin!"

"You should worry about yourself." Hawk Eye said from right behind her. "One, Two-"

Chie punched the man away. "As if I would let you get me that easily. Lilith Star Power!"

Hawk Eye wasn't impressed. "Hmph, dumb human, what can you do against me?"

Lilith looked past him. She had to take care of this guy, but first... "Gotcha."

The man heard a sound and turned around, and stopped himself from cursing. His lemure had been crushed by a large tree. At least the other Senshi was unconscious, so he-

"You should worry about yourself."

Hawk Eye felt the stabs and grimaced. He turned to Lilith, who was smiling at him, then growled. "Damn it, I've had enough of you!" He summoned his whip and lashed at her several times, Lilith tried to dodge but many of the blows got her. As she fell to her knees, the man glared at her. "I won't kill you yet, I need to check on you. One, two, three!"

Lilith screamed as her mirror appeared. "Damn you..."

Hawk Eye sensed something and leapt aside just as ChibiMoon tried to stab him with her swords. "Oh, you're here."

ChibiMoon glared at him. "Give that back!"

"Sorry, not yet."

ChibiMoon was about to tackle Hawk Eye, but felt something wrapping around her neck and gasped. "What..."

Tiger Eye had appeared right behind her, and used his whip to strangle her. "Remember me, kid?"

"I'm going to-"

"You're going to die," the man snapped and kicked her away, reappearing right next to her and knocking her down to the ground. "Little girls should not try to be heroines!"

Lilith saw Tiger Eye furiously kicking and punching ChibiMoon. "Damn it, leave her alone..."

"Don't worry, she'll join you in the afterlife."

Chie saw the man walking to her mirror and growled. "You asshole. You think just because I'm tied up and weakened, you've already won - Don't mess with us!"

Hawk Eye sensed something, but couldn't dodge whatever it was in time - and his attacker dragged him a block before stopping. "What in... Darkness."

Lilith smiled weakly as Hawk Eye tried to stand up. She never really chose what her luck did, so it was always a surprise even for her. In this case, a truck had 'luckily' been left without hand brake, and charged down the road, hitting Hawk Eye dead on.

As she looked at the other battle, however, she paled. "ChibiMoon!"

Tiger Eye smiled at Lilith. "I can't kill her yet, but-" Suddenly he looked down. No, he had not imagined it, a metallic tip was poking out of his chest. A staff?

Pluto's glare could be felt by the man, even if he couldn't see her face. "You will not kill her. If you wish to keep on living, you will leave and take your friend with you.

Tiger Eye tossed the pink-haired Senshi to the side, and turned around. "Don't take me for a weakling!"

Pluto took the man's fist without flinching. "Likewise." She did something - Lilith could not see exactly what, Pluto moved way too fast to see - and Tiger Eye slumped to the ground, only weakly struggling to get up. "Last warning."

Karin woke up right in time to see the two men vanish. "Ugh, what did I-" She noticed ChibiMoon and flinched. "Damn it, what happened to her?"

Pluto looked at ChibiMoon sadly. "Some days I hate myself."

Karin saw Lilith picking her own mirror, then took out her communicator. "Karin here. Chie was attacked, but the enemy's gone now. However, Chibi is hurt-"

"I'm here." Saturn noticed Pluto there, and for a second thought the older woman would scold her for using the key, but then saw the way Pluto was looking at her friend. She would have to ask her about it, but first... "What happened to her?"

"One of those mirror guys attacked me," Lilith explained, "Karin tried to help but was knocked out, ChibiUsa attacked him, but then another guy showed up and started beating her up. I'm sorry I couldn't-"

"She was being reckless," Pluto said, "she should have at least brought Saturn along. But still..."

"You could have stopped her," Saturn noted. There was no hostility in her voice, but she was a bit upset at her former mentor.

"I could, but she would have been reckless another time." She noticed the others staring at her. "I hate seeing her get hurt."

"That's good to hear," ChibiMoon said as she sat up. She looked at Saturn for a few seconds, then hugged her. "I'm so stupid..."

"Chibi?"

"Diana was telling me to not try shouldering this war on my own, right before I sensed this attack. And yet I-"

Pluto smiled knowingly. "We all make mistakes. I hope you've learnt your lesson, next time you should get someone to help you."

"But I thought you said you only authorized me to use the key."

"I never said anything about not taking passengers," Pluto noted, then shook her head. "I see now I worded it ambiguously. As I said, we all make mistakes."

Saturn looked at Pluto. "Uhm, sorry for-"

"The keys aren't a toy, but I'm not about to shout at you for using it - not this time."

Lilith saw Pluto vanish and smiled. "She's a lot more human than I first thought she was."

Right then, Moon and many of the Senshi flew in. "Damn, we're late."

ChibiMoon looked at Saturn, then at Moon. "Mom... Guys, I'll tell you what happened later-"

"I can tell them," Lilith said, "I had a first row seat for the whole mess."

ChibiMoon smiled humorlessly. "Sorry."

"No harm done, you did stop them, in a way."

ChibiMoon looked at Saturn again. "Let's go for a walk."

Moon was a bit confused as she watched her daughter walk away. "So, what happened?"

Lilith sighed. "Well..."

ChibiUsa leaned on Hotaru as they walked. "I was worried about all this, I didn't want anyone else to get hurt."

"What's done is done. It's like Pluto say, we all-"

Diana jumped in front of them right then. "Uh, bad timing?"

"Not really," Hotaru said.

"From what I heard, you already know what you did wrong," Diana said, looking at ChibiUsa, "so I won't rant at you. Just... Please, try to listen to what I tell you, once in a while."

ChibiUsa picked Diana and hugged her, causing her to squeak in surprise. "I'm sorry for making you worry. I'm a rookie when it comes to actual combat, I didn't check for any other enemies-"

"And you speak too much," Hotaru said before kissing her.

ChibiUsa was surprised, and blushed as the kiss ended. "That's the first time you kiss me."

"You're a bad influence for me."

A/N: Not even ChibiMoon gets plot armor in my stories.