Sailor Moon X: Lunar Eclipse

a Sailor Moon/X-Men crossover

Chapter 15: Bridge Building

10-18-2017

By Grey-X

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the creation and property of Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation. X-Men is the creation and property of Stan Lee, Marvel Comics and Disney.

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"So I couldn't let up, even though I knew you Senshi were hot on my tail," said Naru. "I figured the police in the area might've been bribed, so I couldn't go to them. Even if they weren't… Why bother? The yakuza are so entrenched everywhere, probably nothing would've been done. And I figured if the Sailor Senshi had any interest in stamping out yakuza operations, they would've done it already. Besides, I still wasn't entirely sure Usagi was really Sailor Moon, and even if I was, well… I just wasn't willing to trust anyone else." Usagi couldn't help but feel ashamed. "So since I had all this power, I decided to go it alone. Cause so much grief for all the yakuza I could find, they wouldn't know where to turn. And leave my mother and our business alone."

"But it didn't really turn out that way, did it?" Wolverine pointed out. "You aimed to create chaos, and caused a bit more than you bargained for. I've been sniffin' around… You've upset delicate balances of power, made things hairier for a lot more people than you and your mom. The extortion attempts against your mom didn't stop, and yakuza violence has been up all across the board."

"Even worse, given how the yakuza are essentially an indelible part of Japanese society, as you said, you've served to make mutants even less trusted," Cable added.

"Get over yourself, Cable," Chibi-Moon snapped. "Mutant relations is the X-Men's job. Naru's not one of you yet. She had more immediate concerns."

"No, Chibiusa, he's right," said Naru, right before burying her face in her arms. "I've probably made things way worse for other kids worried about keeping their powers a secret. I know I'm more terrified than ever of slipping up." She sniffed again, choking back sobs. "But I just couldn't stop. I figured there HAD to be a breaking point, that soon those thugs would just back off!"

"What about us, Naru?" Uranus demanded. "Did you have to go so rough on all of us?"

Sailor Moon had hoped learning Naru was Eclipse would shock some sense into the Senshi of Wind, but she was still as rigid as ever. Before she could scold Uranus, Naru responded. "I just wanted the Senshi to back off too! Don't you remember, Haruka? I didn't know WHAT to do about you and your partner…"

"Yet when Sailor Moon arrived, you tried to kill her!" Uranus spat back. "Naru, we must know… Do you really hate her THAT much!?"

Naru buried her face in her arms again, sobbing. "NO! It's just, I mean… When I saw her, and she talked about me as if I was just one of those goons from Nephrite's outfit, when I already felt like she abandoned me… I-I-I-I just snapped. It made me feel even more alone. And then that time, the tiara actually HIT…"

"You're not alone, Naru!" Sailor Moon cried, unable to restrain herself any longer. Tears flowing, she threw herself at Naru, ensnaring her in a bear hug. "Naru, you could have told me! I would've done something! WE would've done something! I'm so sorry, Naru… I don't know how, but I'll make it up to you!"

"And not only do you not have to tackle these thorny issues alone anymore, kiddo, neither to the Sailor Senshi," said Wolverine, sitting down next to Naru as well. He popped out his claws again. Naru couldn't help but gawk at those razor-sharp, adamantium claws. "Contrary to popular belief, this ol' Canucklehead knows how to use these with surgical precision. It'll take me more time to get the feel of how things stand now in Japan's underworld. But since we're gonna be here for a stretch, Naru, I'll make time. Whether or not you choose to enroll in our school, we ain't leavin' until we find a way to get the yakuza off your mom's back. And NOT drag the Yashida clan into this mess," he finished, smirking at Storm.

Naru stared at Wolverine in disbelief, eyes still drenched in tears. "Y-Y-You mean it? The X-Men are sticking around in Japan?"

"It's part of our agreement with Sailor Moon, Ms. Osaka," said Xavier. "Some of the team will remain here, as we wait for you to make a choice about enrollment."

"Yeah, it looks like the X-Men will be sticking around to help up smash up some Sentinels," said Venus.

"Trust us, you DON'T want these things unleashed, Naru," said Mercury. "It's the… least we can do for you, after, well, making you feel neglected."

And freezing her, electrocuting her, nearly cleaving her in half, and dousing her with a weapon tailor-made to turn her power against her, Sailor Moon added silently, feeling another twinge of bitter shame.

All these months, wondering just how to help Naru, but being too afraid to even take baby steps. Only to find that her indecision had made things even worse! Naru had needed her more than ever, both as Sailor Moon and as plain old Usagi Tsukino. But her hero and best friend just wasn't there in her time of greatest need. And now to find Naru was tempted by a dark path, just what she was hoping to avoid!

But like Xavier said, it was important that Naru knew that she was there now. And now the X-Men are here too! Sailor Moon reminded herself. Who knows better how to steer mutant kids away from the wrong path than them?

Sailor Moon had to console herself with the hope that the X-Men would know what to do, because she couldn't think of anything else to do or say. What could she say, after everything that had happened? So she hugged Naru tighter, still sobbing, while Naru hung her head in shame, crying as well.

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"This is a disaster!" Gai exclaimed as he paced around his aunt's secret office. In stark contrast, Erina Kizachi stood in place, somewhat flustered, but otherwise composed. "We were counting on the X-Men and the Sailor Senshi locking horns for a lot longer, weren't we? From what we've seen, now they've pretty much joined forces, and have sworn to come after your Sentinels!"

"Calm down, Gai," Kizachi said sternly. Even with those dark glasses, there was no ignoring the cold stare in her eyes. "Their leaders may have told them to make this truce work, but for the moment, both sides lack complete trust in the other. And Sailor Moon is not the effective leader she believes herself to be. There is still time to act before it fully sinks in they have a common enemy."

"Weren't you the one who keeps saying what a mistake it is to underestimate Usagi Tsukino!?" Gai roared. "Besides, how much do they really need to trust each other? Now that they know Naru Osaka was Eclipse this whole time, they'll figure you have absolutely no superpowers whatsoever! Which would've been bearable if the Senshi and the X-Men were still at each other's throats, but now… To get to your Sentinels, they'll come right for you! Assuming Charles Xavier simply doesn't decide to take the information he wants from your mind, to save them the trouble!"

"And precautions have already been taken," Kizachi said calmly. "I haven't worked this hard, come this far, for it all to be undone because the Sailor Senshi allied themselves with Lehnsherr's rivals sooner than I anticipated."

The mere mention of the Master of Magnetism flustered Gai all over again. "What, you're counting on HIM to protect you from their wrath?"

"Not entirely, but yes," said Kizachi simply. "Magneto's invested far too much into my operation to let it be uprooted. So stop worrying about me, my nephew. You should be more concerned with your own well being. Naru Osaka must've told the X-Men of the reason she became Eclipse by now. Which means the 'gaijin' will take it upon himself to further investigate yakuza activity. And who do you think he'll try sniffing out first?"

"I'd suggest listening to your aunt, Mr. Izumi. I know better than anyone what ridiculous extremes are required to bring Wolverine to heel."

Now that he had finally announced his presence, both Gai and Kizachi turned in the direction of his voice. With the way Kizachi always kept her hidden office so dark, she seemed to naturally blend into it, despite often wearing a white lab coat. So with his outfit of dark red and purple, it had been a simple matter to stay hidden in the shadows as he observed his human 'allies'.

Kizachi merely looked a little shocked to see him so soon, while Gai, naturally, looked gobsmacked and terrified. As he should be. He must've known that sooner or later, he would come face-to-face with the Master of Magnetism, yet it still shook him to the core.

Magneto stepped forward into what light there was, removing his helmet. Kizachi had quickly regained her composure, and stood by her desk without a hint of fear, even nodding in respect. Gai, meanwhile, couldn't keep his panic out of his voice. "What's HE doing here!? How did he bypass all your security measures!?"

"By using the same security codes I gave you," Kizachi said simply. "He IS our partner in this venture, after all. Besides, even if I hadn't, do you honestly believe any countermeasures could keep HIM out?" Not placated in the least, Gai edged closer to his aunt as Magneto advanced, as if to shield her from him. Kizachi picked up on this. "Honestly, Gai, you're going to get all chivalrous when HE'S involved? For once, don't be an idiot. I told you which mutant you need to be more scared of. Get out of here, and lay low until I contact you again."

Gai stared back at Kizachi in disbelief, then glanced back at Magneto. Whether it was out of deference to his aunt or fear of him, Magneto wasn't quite sure, but Gai finally got the message and climbed up one of the ladders.

Kizachi watched him go, then turned back to Magneto. "I don't know how you keep all those Acolytes in line, Lehnsherr. I have my hands full keeping that one from doing something stupid yet again. But he did have a point. Usually when you pay me a visit, you're courteous enough to give me a heads-up. What's going on?"

"Your nephew elucidated it most succinctly," said Magneto, stepping close enough to loom over the roboticist. Kizachi still kept her composure. Magneto admired that, to an extent. "Things have taken an unfortunate turn. Just like when I fetched the components you needed to begin the final phase of mass production of your Sentinels from that ship at sea, I must now intervene due to Osaka disrupting yakuza activity at the shipyard. Granted, I couldn't swoop in and take what's needed just then, not with the X-Men and Sailor Senshi so close. Of course, now they've joined forces anyway, as Izumi said, so perhaps I shouldn't have bothered waiting."

"Ah, a not-so-subtle implication that I've failed you," said Kizachi. She walked around her desk and sat down. "We both knew we couldn't play the Senshi and the X-Men off each other indefinitely, Lehnsherr. That's more Essex's thing, correct? Them joining forces just happened quicker than we expected. And no, you know that sending another Sentinel would've done little good. Osaka already knows that I'm behind this new model, thanks to Tsukino, and would have turned her attention elsewhere. If Osaka's not making things chaotic for the yakuza to my benefit, and fomenting further distrust between mutants and humans for yours, there was no point in any attempt to keep the two teams fighting each other. Plus, it looked like Wolverine deduced I'm not Eclipse well before Tsukino unmasked her. Like it or not, we'd be forced to step up our timetables, regardless of what I did tonight."

"I'll grant that through your manipulations, Naru Osaka has performed both tasks for us quite well," Magneto admitted. "Still, this turn of events is a cause for concern."

"I'll bet. You would know better than anyone what a handful a team of teenage superheroes can be," said Kizachi.

Magneto wasn't sure whether or not Kizachi was prodding him, or to what end if she was. Again, he admired that a Homo sapien had the courage to needle him so, but only to a point. "The tactical information you've provided after observing the Senshi for so long will help greatly. But I wasn't just speaking of them."

"Indeed. Naru Osaka is still vital, to both our goals," said Kizachi absentmindedly. She had turned her gaze from him, fidgeting with that Sumerian artifact on her desk. Mystique said it had been up in her main office before. Why was she so fascinated by it? Regardless, Kizachi's preoccupation with it was a reminder of what motivated her, of why trusting this human was worth the risk. "Without her, my plans for Sailor Moon will crumble, and you want that young mutant as a recruit."

"She's a mutant like no other, especially with what she's inherited from this Dark Kingdom," said Magneto. "But it's not just her unique array of mutant gifts. It's what her joining the Acolytes or the Brotherhood would symbolize."

"A complete repudiation of the idea that mutants and humans can coexist, anywhere in this world. Not to mention a repudiation of that drivel about love and justice that Sailor Moon spews." Kizachi snorted. She turned her gaze away from him again. "Hearing that speech of hers all the time… I get as sick of it as you must get of your old friend's prattle about said coexistence being possible."

"Which brings us back to the matter of how to proceed," said Magneto dangerously. Daring to talk about Charles Xavier, of a friendship left in tatters again and again… Magneto was not in the mood. It was one thing he would not tolerate from Kizachi, ally or not.

Fortunately for her, Kizachi got the message and dropped it. "Well, like the first time the two teams butted heads, I clandestinely recorded footage to leak to the press. It'll create some friction, make things awkward, but not enough to divide them. The X-Men are no strangers to bad press."

"It will, however, serve to convince many mutants in Japan that the Sailor Senshi are not on their side," Magneto pointed out.

"And perhaps keep doubt alive within one Naru Osaka," added Kizachi.

"I'm not so sure. My old friend and his charges can be infuriatingly… persuasive," said Magneto.

"You underestimate how these last few months have weighed on Osaka," said Kizachi. "You've read the papers, the sheer vehemence behind her attacks on the yakuza. That won't vanish overnight just because fellow mutants are giving her hugs and well wishes, and the Senshi are trying in desperation to kiss and make up. There's a window of opportunity here, Lehnsherr, to play on Osaka's frustration. It won't close too soon, but we must be careful when we jump through."

"I trust you have a plan?" Magneto asked dangerously.

"Well, yes, but it involves you sticking around in Tokyo a little longer, and not for the protection that Gai insinuated," said Kizachi.

"Still, I'm sure since both teams are aware of your antics, you wouldn't mind my remaining in Japan for a stretch," said Magneto. Though he could see the logic of where Kizachi was going, it sounded too much like her giving him orders. Their partnership was a rocky one. Kizachi wasn't exactly his subordinate. But neither would he tolerate Kizachi getting the notion that he was to be led around by the nose. His trust of any Homo sapien, even one whose goals aligned so closely with his, was VERY conditional. Especially one from a country that once allied itself with Nazi Germany.

"I won't deny I won't sleep better knowing the Master of Magnetism has my back," said Kizachi dryly. "But I'm just thinking that if anyone has a chance of making Osaka see how foolish it is to get her hopes up. Hope can be a dangerous thing, Lehnsherr. Once hopes are dashed after they rise too high, too fast, a soul can be shattered forever. I speak from experience. Right now, Xavier and Tsukino are flooding her heart with hope. Soon enough, you'll see the opportunity to break it."

"And by extension, break Sailor Moon's," Magneto pointed out.

"Thus, we both get what we want," said Kizachi with a wicked grin. "I leave Usagi Tsukino a broken husk, and you'll be able to remold a broken Naru Osaka however you wish."

Yes, it sounded good. Too good for Magneto's tastes, in fact. Erina Kizachi had sought him out with an offer he could not easily dismiss out of hand. But still, working so closely with any Homo sapien entailed risk, even one with unique aims such as hers.

Kizachi picked up on his dubiousness. "You're thinking this sounds too good to be true after such an unfortunate turn of events."

"I consider myself a prudent man, Kizachi," said Magneto. "Surely you think the same of yourself. After all, the Sentinels you're constructing are nearly immune to my power."

"All so no one in my country's government suspects a thing once I make my company's side operation public," Kizachi said with a smile. "Who would suspect the Master of Magnetism was partly responsible for a new breed of Sentinels almost completely devoid of metal?"

"And I'm sure such a design choice wasn't envisioned as insurance in case you felt our arrangement was going sour," said Magneto with mock sincerity.

"True, Lehnsherr. Despite what you may think, I'm not suicidal," said Kizachi calmly. "I have no intention of expiring until I see my plans reach fruition, and I finally see Sailor Moon's heart shattered beyond repair."

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Sailor Jupiter continued to pace around the Blackbird, forcing down her anxiety through sheer force of will. It was so stupid, this lingering phobia about planes, even ones not going anywhere. It looked like the X-Men would be sticking close to the Hikawa Shrine, so they could work closely with the Senshi. So the engines were cold, powered down. Yet the gnawing fear would not go away.

In a strange way, Jupiter was grateful for the fear. Forcing it down gave her something to focus on, and kept her mind from wandering. If not for that, her thoughts would surely drift back to what happened tonight, force her to face up to what happened. And Jupiter didn't think she could do that just yet.

Still, it wasn't like Jupiter could avoid the issue. As she paced around, her gaze would occasionally drift over the biobed where Naru still sat. Sailor Moon and Mars sat on opposite sides, Luna in the former's lap, while Professor Xavier had parked his wheelchair near the biobed. No doubt Sailor Moon was still going over the Senshi's entire history with Naru. Their past lives in the Moon Kingdom, their rebirth and struggle against Queen Beryl, everything.

At least now, Naru would finally have answers about Nephrite, not to mention what her old friend had been through over the last two years. Jupiter still wasn't thrilled about the X-Men's leader listening in. But Xavier would find out anyway, due to his deal with Sailor Moon.

It was still a little jarring, bringing another superhero team into this. The Sailor Senshi saved the world four times… Why did they need help now!? But Sailor Moon insisted that this time, the problem was too big to handle alone.

Having seen what Sentinels were all about firsthand, Jupiter couldn't argue too much. There would be more of them. Sailor Moon had the right idea, doing whatever she could to prepare. Plus, there was anti-mutant hysteria in general… Sailor Moon was right about that being a problem the Sailor Senshi never had to face before, but what could they do? What could anyone do?

As her gaze fell on Naru again, Jupiter realized why Sailor Moon felt something had to be done. The feeling of being left out, ostracized… It was something Jupiter was all too familiar with, treated like a pariah by many, feared for her strength and not being shy about using it. Why had it taken so long to see the similarity to what mutants faced? Plus this mess with the yakuza. And what did Sailor Jupiter end up doing? Thrash her around and fry her with lightning.

But now Naru's got help, Jupiter told herself. The X-Men can do for her what Usagi did for me. Show her she's not alone, keep her from sinking deeper into depression…

"So I kept Chibiusa from going splat, and Nehelenia vanished back into the, well, the eclipse," said Sailor Moon uneasily. "We thought the Sailor Senshi were finally in the clear, but now, we've got Sentinels to deal with."

"We will render what assistance we can, Sailor Moon," said Xavier. "Though from the sound of it, the X-Men's efforts may not be as vital as you believe. The Sailor Senshi have accomplished a great deal on their own already."

"It doesn't hurt to have backup, I suppose," said Luna. "Especially from people who've faced those things before."

Jupiter couldn't entirely disagree. Granted, these Sentinels weren't the same ones the X-Men fought in the past. Thankfully, Mercury had plenty of scan data on this new Sentinel to pour over.

Jupiter glanced over her shoulder. Shadowcat had joined Beast and Mercury in working on their computer interface. Despite herself, Jupiter felt her ire rise. She wouldn't forget the humiliating beatings those two had handed her anytime soon.

"So this Nehelenia… She's still out there? Is there any chance she could come back?" Jupiter heard Naru ask. "It sounds like she packs as much power as Magneto, if it took this Golden Crystal to force her back."

"Honestly, I'm not sure," said Sailor Moon. "I… did feel a little sorry for her. At least the Amazoness Quartet learned their lesson, and have a shot at a better life. The Amazon Trio… sort of found redemption too."

"Which included that creep who triggered my X-gene," Naru noted. "Anyway, if they could all turn it around… What about me? What do I do for now? Professor Xavier, should I help with these Sentinels? I'm strong enough to…"

"No, Ms. Osaka," said Xavier quickly. "Groups of yakuza are one thing, but Sentinels are quite another. The Sailor Senshi only triumphed over this first Sentinel due to their considerable combat experience. You would need much training before you could consider facing such a threat."

"You've been through enough, Naru. While Logan figures out how to keep the yakuza at bay, the Sailor Senshi will cover the Sentinels. You won't have to worry about anything," said Sailor Moon, putting a hand on Naru's shoulder. "Just focus on what you need to do for yourself. I mean, think about it! Give it a little time, and you'll finally get to be a superhero!"

"Yeah!" Mars chimed in. "We all know you wanted to be a SAilor Senshi, Naru. Well, now you can be the next-best thing!"

"Uhhh, I do recall the 'next-best thing' was holding their own against the Sailor Senshi just fine. And then some," said Shadowcat all of a sudden. She sauntered up to the biobed, smirking at Mars.

Mars turned to scowl at Shadowcat. "Says the girl who had to trap Jupiter inside a wall to eke out a win," she spat. Sailor Moon facepalmed. She desperately wanted this partnership to work, as did Xavier, but some on both sides were still more than willing to butt heads. Jupiter certainly still was.

"Sailor Jupiter wasn't hurt by that trick," Shadowcat snarled. "As opposed to what you intended Sailor Mercury to try on my man. He's already…" Shadowcat stopped suddenly. Looking down over her shoulder, Shadowcat saw Chibi-Moon poking a finger at her back. "And just what are you doing?" Shadowcat barked irritably.

"Just how does it work? That phasing thing?" Chibi-Moon asked innocently. "You're completely solid now."

"Thanks to being able to turn it on and off," said Shadowcat.

"And if you go through solid matter, how come…" Chibi-Moon went on, but was stopped by Shadowcat.

"Oh no, don't give me the 'How do you not fall through the floor?' bit," snapped Shadowcat. "Oh, people think they're so clever when they ask that. How do I not fall into the Earth's core? THIS is how." Shadowcat jumped up, and suddenly she was hovering about a meter off the Blackbird's floor. "I interact with air molecules while I'm phasing, not any physical surface," she explained as she danced backwards, her feet practically gliding on air.

"Wow, amazing…" Mars muttered.

"Yeah. Moonwalking is still a thing in America?" Jupiter chimed in.

As bizarre as Shadowcat showing off was, it did diffuse the tension she helped cause moments before. Shadowcat got back to work on the interface, while Sailor Moon and Xavier turned their attention back to Naru.

Jupiter stared at Naru a moment longer, wanting to say something, to apologize for unloading on her. But she couldn't. The shame was just too much. Perhaps it was best Naru would probably go with the X-Men. Because just then, Jupiter felt she didn't deserve to work with Naru, not after how she had fouled up. After how all the Sailor Senshi fouled up.

No, the X-Men were the mutants Jupiter would be working with. Jupiter looked back to where Mercury was working. At least she was getting along with them. Working alongside her idol was enough to make her giddy, but Mercury seemed to be bonding with Shadowcat as well. An X-Man close to her age, who also was a wizard with computers? This was hardly a surprise. Jupiter wondered if she could get over her lingering distrust of Shadowcat. If they had to fight more Sentinels, their lives might depend on it.

Apparently, Jupiter's musings didn't go unnoticed by Shadowcat. Shadowcat suddenly glanced her way while Mercury was typing some commands into her computer, which was still linked up to the Blackbird.

"Kitty, it looks like we're done writing up an interface program for our separate computer systems," said Mercury cheerily. "We should start exchanging files regarding all our old enemies first. I know Usagi's eager to read more about…"

"Hold that thought, Ami," said Shadowcat. "I think there's something else that needs sorting out first." With that, she walked away from the computer terminal and over to Jupiter. "Look, it doesn't take a computer genius to figure out you're not happy with the idea of us working together."

Jupiter raised an eyebrow. "Is the feeling mutual?"

Shadowcat suddenly was nursing her jaw, and Jupiter swore she heard it pop. "If you can unload punishment like that on some Brotherhood dopes, not one bit," said Shadowcat. "It's basically an unwritten rule of the universe that the X-Men will have at least one grudge match with every other superhero in existence. So when it's crunch time, we gotta learn to forgive and forget."

"Really? That sort of thing happens often?" Jupiter asked.

"With the Avengers over Magneto, with the Fantastic Four over, well, me… Yeah, it's pretty stupid how often it happens," said Shadowcat.

"Well, I'll admit we were being the stupid ones," Jupiter conceded. "I thought we had everything figured out. To find out Eclipse was Naru instead of Kizachi…"

"Even superheroes make mistakes, Makoto," said Shadowcat. "At least now we know the truth, and we can help your old friend and still go after Kizachi."

"Hopefully you had a chance to pump her for information like you did me," said Jupiter.

Shadowcat scowled. "You're still upset about that? Look, we didn't know what to make of the Sailor Senshi just yet, or even if it was you that Cerebro was picking up by accident. Like I said, grudge matches with other superheroes happen disturbingly often, and the X-Men don't always have the best reputation. We just didn't know what we were walking into."

Jupiter scowled back at her. She couldn't really argue that point, not with how the Sailor Senshi had been floundering for answers this whole time. "You seemed quite concerned about Dr. McCoy, though, like you expected the worst for him."

"And he sure found you," said Shadowcat. "Look, Makoto, I'm more than willing to put this behind us if you are. I won't hold a grudge for someone thrashing around a friend once. If that was the case, I'd still hate Rogue's guts."

"Yet you seem quite determined to never forgive a certain fellow teacher," said Beast coyly, smiling at the pair. Shadowcat just grimaced, a dark look in her eyes. Whoever Beast was talking about, it was clearly someone Shadowcat loathed. Despite all her talk about forgiveness, the little ninja-genius could sure be bitter.

"So there are people you work with, but still refuse to trust," Jupiter pointed out.

"Thanks, Hank. Real helpful there," Shadowcat snarled. "Listen Makoto, if you're still mad about how we butted heads, how about we both get it out of our systems?"

Jupiter blinked in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll admit it, you got some moves on you, and some serious power," said Shadowcat. "How about we try to learn from each other? No superpowers, no stakes. Just some straight-up sparring to blow off steam."

"That's… actually a good idea," said Jupiter, surprised by the suggestion. If nothing else, it would help distract her in the coming days. And keep her skills sharp for when it was time to thrash their real enemies, not mistakenly beat down on a friend.

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Consciousness slowly drifted back to Michiru Kaioh, though she immediately wished it hadn't. She awoke to a sensation akin to her brain being crushed in a vise. Her eyes hadn't opened yet, but the pain made her screw them shut tighter. She moaned softly, trying to think despite the crushing pain. What had happened to her? What were the Sailor Senshi doing before she blacked out? Why did it take so much effort to recall such things?

We were… hunting Eclipse… Set up an ambush for her… Michiru's mind slowly came back into focus, though jabbing pain still plagued her. It would have worked, but… THE X-MEN! They showed up and ruined everything! And one of them, Rogue, she…

At last, Michiru's eyes snapped open. She tried to sit up despite the lingering migraine. That was when she discovered aches in just about all her muscles as well. She fell back onto wherever she lay with a thud, a loud moan escaping her lips. "Uhhh, what did that mutant do to me?" she demanded of no one in particular.

"Something that's mercifully wearing off, just like she promised," came Sailor Uranus's grateful voice. Forcing her eyes open again, Michiru looked up. Her partner stood over whatever bed she was put in after Rogue had sapped her power.

She took note of where Wolverine had clearly cut into Uranus's fuku, and the dried blood which had dribbled down, and scowled. Fortunately for Wolverine, he hadn't cut too deep, otherwise the little man would have to answer to her, along with Rogue. Once the room stopped spinning, at any rate. Michiru gazed down at her body. Indeed, her Senshi transformation had long since faded. Her mirror rested on her belly.

Michiru reached for the mirror, noticing the IV for the first time, along with the electrodes stuck all over her. Clearly, it was some sort of medical facility Uranus brought her to, but… Wait, how come Sailor Uranus hasn't undone her own transformation? Squinting to banish her blurry vision, Michiru realized that wherever they were, it sure didn't look like any hospital. Some enclosed space, like… the inside of a plane? "Uranus, where did you take me? And Eclipse, the X-Men… what happened after Rogue sucked me dry?"

"This… is going to take a long time to explain. And you're not going to like most of it," said Uranus. "I sure don't, but our princess was crystal clear about…"

Michiru heard someone grunt in frustration behind Uranus. From the muttered curses, it sounded like Sailor Jupiter. Michiru turned her head to see what was going on.

Indeed it was Jupiter, her hands gripping the handles of some device worked into the walls of the plane or wherever Uranus had taken her. She was pulling some sort of cylinder out of the wall, gritting her teeth. Standing beside her was…

Michiru's ire rose, and she would have bounded off her bed if every muscle in her body didn't ache so. Beast and Rogue were watching Jupiter, along with… "Wait. Uranus, what's Usagi's old friend Naru doing here!? With the X-Men no less!?"

"Like I said, a lot's happened while you were out," said Uranus evasively, glancing at the girl. She wore shorts and a black leotard, though there was some strange blotchy spot over her left shoulder. "Just keep watching. You'll get an answer soon, I think."

Michiru glowered at her partner in irritation, then turned back to Jupiter. A panel next to whatever Jupiter was pulling displayed some numbers that were constantly in flux. But when they finally locked in place, the number 1.6374 flashed.

"Impressive, my dear," said Beast. "But if you don't mind, let me check to see if it's properly calibrated before we gauge Ms. Osaka's strength." With that, Jupiter stepped aside for Beast. Michiru could sense Jupiter's lingering unease around the big, blue mutant. He wrapped those huge hands around the handles and pulled. The numbers climbed again, this time stopping at 10.0667.

If this apparatus was to measure how much muscle power someone had, as Michiru supposed, then Mercury hadn't exaggerated one bit about her idol outclassing the Senshi in brute strength. "This looks about right to me," said Beast. "Now, Ms. Osaka, let's see what you can do."

Naru glanced up at Beast timidly, then over to Rogue. "Go ahead, sugar. No harm in seeing just how strong you are."

Nodding meekly, Naru walked over to the device and grabbed the handles. She pulled, and Michiru's eyes widened upon seeing the readout immediately climb back up to ten. And it just kept going, past twenty, past thirty, past forty… Usagi's old friend, more than FOUR TIMES AS STRONG as the Beast!? Jupiter's eyes bulged out in shock as well, though Beast and Rogue didn't look the least bit surprised. And it kept going up, finally clocking in at 45.0827!

"I can't even… Naru can lift forty-five metric tons!?" Jupiter cried, gawking at the readout. Michiru didn't blame her. This little girl possessed such monstrous strength!? But the numbers didn't lie.

"Actually, the apparatus uses our units of measurement," said Beast. "In metric units, it's only about, oh, forty-one metric tons."

ONLY FORTY-ONE METRIC TONS!? Michiru thought incredulously. This is madness. The only beings I know with such strength are… ROGUE AND COLOSSUS!

That's when Michiru finally put it all together. Naru Osaka was also a mutant! This was why the rising tide of anti-mutant hysteria tore at Usagi's heart.

"Well sugar, keep benching them semi trucks," said Rogue, placing a hand on Naru's shoulder. Thankfully, she had put on new gloves. Michiru sure didn't want Rogue getting any stronger. "Soon enough, I might have another gal-pal I can arm wrestle."

"And then some, Rogue," said Beast. "Ms. Osaka has yet to reach full maturity. There is much potential for her powers to grow, perhaps exponentially. By the time you reach adulthood, Ms. Osaka, you may be well into Class 100 territory like Colossus."

Naru didn't seem too encouraged by that, as if she felt her current strength level was more than enough. This was hardly surprising to Michiru. She had read some of the psychology literature regarding kids who developed mutant powers. Perhaps this was why Naru was now with the X-Men. They took her in upon Usagi's request. But what of their earlier conflict with the X-Men, over Eclipse?

"Haruka, as happy as I am that our princess's worries over her mutant friend may be over, there's still unfinished business," Michiru whispered. "Why does it look like the Sailor Senshi and the X-Men are working together now? What of Eclipse?"

"You were looking right at her," said Uranus darkly.

"What are…" Michiru began, but when she looked back over at Naru, she noticed something odd. Black goop, leaking down from underneath the sleeves, onto her wrists! "Haruka, please tell me my eyes are playing tricks on me. That we didn't…"

"We did," said Uranus as she shut her eyes, her voice full of shame and regret. "History repeated itself, Neptune."

Michiru looked back as Jupiter and Beast led Naru away, possibly to do tests on her other powers. The powers of the mutant monster Eclipse. "Haruka, how can this be!? How can this girl be the one connected to the Dark Kingdom, and not Erina Kizachi!? And why did she go on a rampage!?"

"She's connected to our ancient enemy by a twist of fate," said Uranus. "Mercury believes it happened when one of their generals died in Naru's arms, willing his power to be transferred to her. As for her one-woman war against all the yakuza, Naru did it to protect her mother from their harassment."

Michiru took a moment to digest all this. At least this meant there would be no resurgent Dark Kingdom. No, just one mutant with an axe to grind for the most basic of reasons, defending a loved one. This only made the realization that they had plotted against Usagi's friend even more horrific.

Uranus clearly felt the same way, but she hadn't worked on the chemical weapon meant to bring Usagi's friend to heel. Michiru had. Michiru could only guess how that weighed on Mamoru's conscience. "I take it this is why the other Senshi have more or less made peace with the X-Men," Michiru muttered at length.

"More or less," repeated Uranus. "That, and our princess reached an agreement with their professor, even before we all learned the truth. They would take Eclipse off our hands, and we get all the information we need about their old enemies, plus a few of these mutants stick around to help crush the Sentinels. A good bargain, when you think about it. The Senshi stand to gain more. Once again, we underestimated just how worthy Usagi is to be our princess."

"Don't feel too bad," said Rogue suddenly. "Your princess had to knock some sense into us X-Men too." Michiru's eyes widened again as she craned her head back up. That life-sucking mutant was still there. If possible, Rogue felt more ashamed just then than Michiru did. "Don't worry, sugar. You won't have to look at my mug much longer. By noon tomorrow, I'll be out of your country."

"You're… not one of the X-Men staying with the Senshi?" Uranus asked. Michiru understood her partner's incredulity. Rogue's powers made her uniquely suited to tackle Sentinels.

Rogue shook her head. "Nope. The Blackbird's stayin' here, in case the fight with Magneto needs to be taken to Asteroid M. So yours truly is flying some of the others back across the Pacific. I can handle the chilliness up in the mid-troposphere. So can Bobby and Peter when they're transformed. Remy might need to bundle up, though, but we all know he'll just smile and joke about it the whole trip."

"Awww, no more tender moments between you and the Cajun. What a pity," said Michiru as she glanced up at Uranus, smirking.

Uranus grimaced, but she didn't take the bait. She really was determined to make Usagi's deal with the X-Men work. At length, she said, "Any special reason your entire team cannot stay?"

"Important as it is to lay the smackdown on Magneto and these Sentinels, the X-Men can't commit too much manpower to one spot for long," Rogue explained. "We got dancin' partners besides the buckethead and those tin cans. We were lookin' at some mystical energy poppin' up in the Rockies before Xavier hauled us all here. Doctor Strange hasn't confirmed what it is yet, so we're just operatin' on the assumption it's a Mojoworld incursion. And we never know when Sinister and them Marauders'll pop up again, or Apocalypse with four new Horsemen."

"The X-Men certainly have made a lot of enemies," said Uranus.

"Kitty and Mercury've finished an interface to swap data. So you'll be able to read all about 'em, in case any come trying to knock down Tokyo Tower or somethin'," said Rogue.

Perhaps Uranus was right. The Sailor Senshi were getting a wealth of tactical information out of Sailor Moon's arrangement. And perhaps, it's wholly necessary, mused Michiru. The X-Men, and their allies over in the United States… The Senshi have been insulated from the machinations of their enemies thus far. In hindsight, it was foolish to believe such conflicts wouldn't spill over into our midst.

"Anyway, not like you two need to pretend you won't be glad to see my backside," Rogue went on. "Not bein' able to control what happens when I touch someone stopped bein' an excuse a long time ago."

Rogue was right about not soon forgetting how it felt like her very life was being leeched away. But after a moment, the true gravity of Rogue's words sank in for Michiru. "No control… You mean, that ALWAYS happens when you make contact with someone's skin!?" Rogue merely nodded. "No wonder you looked so horrified when you touched me by accident…"

"Wait a minute," Uranus cut in. "Does that mean, you and Gambit… You can't touch him at all!?"

"Well, there's been a time here and there but, yeah," Rogue admitted. "I… had a glimpse of what you two got, when I touched Neptune. Trust me, it's something you gotta cherish."

Just when it looked like Michiru could forgive Rogue, even pity her, she had to spill that her power let her absorb memories, too. Scowling at her, she demanded, "So what else did you glimpse inside my head?"

Rogue stared thoughtfully at the pair for a moment. "Honestly? That you don't find the idea of us mutants possessin' power that rivals yours kosher."

"Can you blame us for feeling that way?" Uranus demanded. "You were in Michiru's mind, you know about the Outer Senshi and their duty. It's going to be hard to accept there are so many beings in this age that can match us."

"I suggest you try, sugar," said Rogue darkly. "There's plenty stronger than me and Colossus. Like the Hulk, or Xavier's stepbrother Juggernaut. And in terms of raw power, hardly anyone can touch Magneto."

"We understand the wisdom behind Sailor Moon's deal with your professor, Rogue. We will honor it, despite our personal feelings," Michiru said quickly. But if our princess gets a chance to unload on Magneto with the Ginzuishou, you may yet eat your words, she added silently.

"I do hope so. Do forgive me for sayin' so, but you and Haruka have rightfully earned a reputation for bein' bullheaded," said Rogue. "Then again, I can't really talk. I did way worse before I joined up with the X-Men." Michiru wanted to demand Rogue tell her just what that was, but there had been enough sniping. For now, she could only guess it involved how she came to possess power from an alien source, permanently. "But you two genuinely want to do the right thing, even if you got some screwy methods. So I ain't too worried about leavin' you two to watch my friends' backs when push comes to shove, I suppose."

This wouldn't be the most amicable of partings. Yet it was close enough to an apology and a vote of confidence for Michiru, and she sensed Uranus felt the same. Perhaps this alliance wasn't doomed to fail after all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After so much had collapsed around Sailor Moon's ears, this was a welcome relief. Almost two hours had passed since she broke up the fight between the X-Men and the Sailor Senshi. So far, despite the palpable, things hadn't come to blows again. Even that little brat Chibi-Moon mostly kept her big mouth shut, refraining from spouting off at Cable. Perhaps the best indicator things might work out, however, was how Uranus didn't start another fight after coming face-to-face with Rogue again. Not to mention, Uranus still sported other marks from the fight, namely where Wolverine had slashed through her fuku. Yet the Senshi of Wind kept a lid on the simmering frustration Sailor Moon was certain she still harbored.

Whether that was due more to being humbled after how the Senshi screwed up, or genuine respect for her wishes, Sailor Moon wasn't sure. And she didn't care either way. Naru would now have the guidance she needed, and the Senshi could prepare for smashing Sentinels.

There was plenty of reason to be hopeful. Usually, Sailor Moon would be. Yet somehow, Sailor Moon got the feeling something could still go wrong.

At least, for the moment, things looked stable. Shadowcat and Sailor Mercury had already finished setting up an interface. Soon enough, the Senshi would have information on all the X-Men's enemies. After devouring all the material her father had collected on them, she was eager to learn even more. Given how news reports on the Senshi barely ever scratched the surface… Just how much more was there to the X-Men's battles, their missions?

"You seem troubled, Ms. Tsukino," came Storm's voice all of a sudden. Sailor Moon turned to see the X-Men's commander stroll out of the cockpit. Even out of uniform and sporting bandages to cover wounds, Storm still exuded a regal air. But there was a gentleness to her as well, which belied her potentially frightful power. Unlike their first meeting, Sailor Moon felt completely at ease around her now.

"Just… trying to convince myself I shouldn't worry much," Sailor Moon admitted. "Storm, you've led the X-Men almost as much as Cyclops, right? And done it longer than I've been the Sailor Senshi's leader. Do you ever get scared? Or worry something's going to slip out of your control?"

"Only a fool has no fears when it comes to what we do, Sailor Moon," said Storm. "Yes, I freely admit sometimes I fear for the future, that I won't pull through for my friends. All I can do is prepare the best I can, but no plan is foolproof. Look at what happened tonight. Both teams miscalculated badly."

"But usually, you don't make mistakes, right?" Sailor Moon asked. "Everything I've read about you… The X-Men always seem to pull through. You've gotten them through just about everything."

"You've led the Sailor Senshi through trying times as well," said Storm, laying a reassuring hand on Sailor Moon's shoulder. "You shouldn't worry about comparing yourself to me."

"Still, I bet there's a lot I could learn from you, Storm," said Sailor Moon.

"Yet you had the wisdom to try keeping our two teams from fighting altogether, while I sought to take advantage of how preoccupied you were. Going against my instincts as I did so, no less," said Storm. "Perhaps it is I who'll learn more once we're done in Japan."

"Glad I can help somehow," said Sailor Moon dully. She was sure Storm was sincere, yet it did little to improve her mood. She looked back to the rear of the Blackbird. Cable and Xavier were both talking to Naru. Despite Storm's reassurances, Sailor Moon still felt that if Naru went ahead with being a superhero, she was better off on their team than hers.

Guessing what still weighed on her mind, Storm said, "You still feel guilt over not knowing what to do for your friend for so long." Sailor Moon could only nod. "You shouldn't, Sailor Moon. You returned her favor by keeping her secret. And your heart was in the right place all this time."

"Yet I couldn't think of anything to do. And the whole time, yakuza were harassing her mother," said Sailor Moon. "The Sailor Senshi always seemed to stay on top of Queen Beryl's antics and everyone who came after. We always kept Naru safe from their goons. But something as simple as a yakuza group? Went right under our radar. How did it get this bad, Storm? Did that sort of thing ever happen to you when you're in charge?"

"I see we have much more we can discuss, Sailor Moon," said Storm. "Come, perhaps a little fresh air will help as well." Storm led Sailor Moon to one of the Blackbird's side exits. Just as well, as she couldn't bear meeting Naru's gaze again just yet.

Right before reaching the door, Sailor Moon passed Iceman. He seemed so carefree, much like herself when there were no bad guys to fight. It was hard to believe he had been fighting Magneto since the beginning.

"Hey Iceman, there's… stuff I'd like to ask you too," Sailor Moon said sheepishly. She was afraid Iceman was in no mood to talk, but he merely shrugged his shoulders and followed them outside.

"I'll bite, squirt. What're you curious about?" Iceman asked, once the three of them had stepped out into the shadow-shrouded forest.

"Well, it's just that… You see, my father was there that day the world first saw you as Iceman," Sailor Moon explained. "He was a reporter covering the Cape Citadel crisis. He's followed you guys for a long time. So when he recently told me all about the X-Men it, well, gave me some hope, I guess."

"Good to know we got a few fans out there," Iceman said with a chuckle. "So what is it you wanna know?"

"It was a big deal, that day you first fought Magneto," said Sailor Moon. "I guess what I want to know is, well, what was it like? And were you scared, going on that first mission?"

Iceman chuckled to himself again. "Sailor Moon, back then, I was too dumb to be all that scared. Sort of like what Storm was trying to tell you."

"I envy you," said Sailor Moon. "Every time Luna would drag me into a fight in those early days, I was scared out of my mind."

"As for fighting Magneto, well, it wasn't easy," Iceman went on. "We were able to surprise him and stay one step ahead, thanks to all our training. And there were quite a few close calls on that first mission. Not that I couldn't keep a cool head and whip up some icy defenses for my teammates," he said with a smirk. "But then Magneto came back with his Brotherhood, and each time it got harder and harder to drive him back. I guess it didn't take long for the stakes to really sink in for me."

"Yet for a time, it looked like Magneto truly had seen the error of his ways," Storm added. "But recently, he's gone back to his old ways. He's rebuilt his orbital station, recruited new followers and forged a partnership with the current Brotherhood."

"And now, the Sailor Senshi might be stuck in the middle of whatever he's cooked up next, probably with Erina Kizachi," Sailor Moon muttered.

"That's what the X-Men are here for, kiddo," said Iceman. "Granted, I won't be sticking around in Japan to stick it to the buckethead if he shows. You've got your own ice manipulator anyway, who's as smart as Hank no less, so I guess I won't be missed."

"Still, it'd be nice if you could stay a little longer. It would mean the world to my father, seeing two of the original X-Men after all these years," Sailor Moon pointed out.

"Oh, you're something else, Tsukino," said Iceman. "If your friend's anything like you, I think she'll fit in at the school just fine."

"Yeah, your school," Sailor Moon muttered. "Yeah, it's best for Naru to be around her own kind. Instead of here, where the anti-mutant hatred is getting out of control. That was another reason I came to all of you. I hoped you might have advice about that. It's maddening. The Senshi worked so hard to keep Japan safe, but now everything's coming apart and I have no idea what to do. For Naru, for anybody."

There was an awkward pause as Storm and Iceman carefully considered their answer. It had been heartbreaking, learning from Xavier that the X-Men had no simple solution for turning back this tide of hate. Neither the Ginzuishou nor Xavier's telepathy were of any real use there.

"There's one thing that must be made clear, Sailor Moon. And that's that you shouldn't consider yourself unworthy of being in Naru's life anymore because you're not 'her own kind.' That's not the X-Men's philosophy, that mutants and humans must stay apart," said Storm.

"Something tells me it's not the Sailor Senshi's either," Iceman added. "Guardians of love and justice and all that."

"Precisely, Robert. Usagi, you still refuse to give yourself enough credit," said Storm. "Patching things up with Naru will take time and effort, as will whatever solution our teams come up with for what's plaguing Japan, if there's one to be found. But I sense you have a strength of spirit that WILL help us find one. This isn't my first mission in Japan, Usagi, but it's still your home. The X-Men will do whatever we can to aid you, but I feel it will be you leading the way for those of us who remain, not the reverse."

Despite her lingering doubts, Sailor Moon couldn't help but smile. Here was the leader of another superhero team. Smarter and more skilled, the type of woman Sailor Moon looked up to. And yet she hinted that in the coming days, she would defer to her. It was absurd, but here was the X-Men's leader, ready to follow her.

It was almost enough to banish her doubts, her fears that something would still go horribly wrong.

Almost.