Sailor Moon X: Lunar Eclipse

a Sailor Moon/X-Men crossover

Chapter 22: Dealing With the Fallout

1-28-2018

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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"No, I'm not saying you should wait a while before seizing this opportunity. Far from it," Erina Kizachi said into the phone. "Just make sure you don't come off as an opportunist, Seto. This is the sort of incident we've been waiting for: a teenage mutant right here in Japan going completely bonkers. Property damage, hospitalized police officers, a kidnapping…. We got it all. Play this right, and we'll galvanize the whole country into action. More importantly, I'll be able to pitch Kizachi Technologies' Sentinel program by the end of the week. Same for some of the measures you've been floating."

Erina hoped enough of their marriage was still intact for her husband to pick up on the subtle cues in her voice. Things had already taken an unfortunate, unexpected turn due to one family member getting sloppy. Granted, Seto was way smarter than Gai, but he was still prone to fouling up at the worst possible time. No wonder politics suited him so well.

At any rate, his position and influence were still crucial. Erina had successfully nudged him the desired direction for well over a year. Stirring up just enough anti-mutant resentment here and there in public, while maneuvering behind the scenes in the House of Councillors for when it was time to reveal her Sentinel program to a government desperate to assuage a fearful populace.

And now, thanks to Naru Osaka finally snapping, that time was soon. Her Sentinels would be unleashed, and they would leave Usagi Tsukino's heart permanently shattered in their wake.

"Those who were ready to take Yoshida's side after that interview will be forced to eat their words now," Seto replied. "Very well, dear. I'll be making the rounds on the evening news. Indeed, we must strike while the iron is hot. Are the Sentinels anywhere near close to being combat-ready?"

"As close as they'll ever be," said Erina. "Let's just say I had a… unique opportunity to test them under actual combat conditions," she added with a nasty grin.

"A pity you can't clandestinely use one to smoke out this little monster," said Seto. "Unchecked mutants could very well be the reason that tree grew out of control and killed our little girl. It's a wonder no officers had to leave the park in a bodybag."

Erina shut her eyes. Of course, her husband was dead wrong about the nature of the tree that had decimated the Juban Odyssey building. It was merely a ploy to get Seto to go along with her scheme. Amazing how useful a little twisting of the truth still proved. Still, if he only knew the irony behind what really happened...

"There may be a chance for that yet," said Erina. In fact, one facet of the next phase of her plan involved sending out another Sentinel, but the timing would be delicate. "For now, we have to make sure all is in readiness before we pitch our little program."

"Worry not, I'll be on it as soon as I hang up. Love you," said Seto, a click following his words.

Erina couldn't suppress a snort. Ever since Erika died after being caught in the crossfire between Sailor Moon and one of her nemeses, their marriage became frayed. Blaming each other for Erika's death. Granted, of the two of them, Erina knew most of the responsibility was on her, yet the bulk of the blame lay elsewhere. And soon, it would be time to make Sailor Moon painfully aware of that.

Erina hung up and glanced at the television in her main office again. Gai was down in her secret office, watching the monitors until she could get down there tonight. She couldn't go home to her condo, not with the X-Men and Sailor Senshi liable to take out their frustrations on her. Still, the cameras she had clandestinely placed in key areas of Tokyo also fed pertinent discoveries to her computer up here as well. In fact, there was a meeting in her office today that had to be abruptly ended once she got the alert. Funny how at times she could still get so wrapped up in her old life, running this business, only to be abruptly reminded of the only thing that mattered now.

A most welcome sight greeted Erina once she brought up the feed. Naru Osaka cutting loose with her powers in the most dramatic, destructive way imaginable. News bulletins on the television followed soon thereafter. In fact, once her camera was covered in frost, watching the live feed from news copters was the only way to see what was going on. Granted, swirling snow around that school's roof hid most of the action. When Storm's blizzard died away, however, Erina saw Naru teleport herself and Umino away.

Erina chuckled to herself again. Naru wasn't a super-genius like her herself, but she was a crafty little girl nonetheless. All that time, making the Sailor Senshi believe Naru Osaka and Eclipse were two different people. And then, keeping her budding teleportation ability hidden until she really needed it. Enough snow and wind had faded when Sailor Moon and her group arrived at the school's roof. The way Sailor Moon fell to her knees, sobbing as her fellow Senshi broke the news, warmed Erina's heart beyond belief.

This was the culmination of over a year of careful planning. Stirring up anti-mutant sentiment, mostly through her husband. Using Gai to steer his yakuza clan toward jobs that would both speed along the construction of her Sentinels, while ensuring Naru Osaka would wreak more and more havoc. First as a vigilante hunting yakuza, and then when she became disillusioned with the path of a hero.

"If it wasn't for the unfortunate death of your mother, Osaka, I'd say you should thank me. For helping you see the truth," Erina muttered.

That did threaten to spoil the mood. Her scheme involved Gai manipulating his yakuza associates to harass and intimidate Mayumi Osaka, thus nudging her daughter further and further down the desired path. To see her die when it was almost said and done, after how carefully they had orchestrated so much else, left a foul taste in her mouth.

Still, perhaps it couldn't have been avoided. Her plan was dependent on Naru Osaka's descent into darkness. There was simply no other way to drive a dagger through Sailor Moon's heart. To see a close friend turn to the darkness of her own free will, not because of brainwashing… THAT was something Usagi Tsukino had never faced before, something she would never expect. Many would insist the bonds of friendship were a weakness, but that was only if you knew where and how to strike.

And at last, through Naru, she had struck a near-fatal blow in just the right way. As she watched a replay of the helicopter feed, and saw Sailor Moon collapse to her knees again, Erina let a low laugh escape her lips. She had waited for this moment for so long, planned so carefully… Now that it was here, she intended to savor it.

Granted, her work was not complete. For one thing, Erik Lehnsherr would certainly not be pleased. Any hopes of Naru joining his cause went out the window today. It was clear Naru was simply out for herself, wanting nothing to do with Magneto, the X-Men or especially the Sailor Senshi. The Master of Magnetism would have to settle for Naru causing an uproar fanning the flames of hate and distrust in Japan like never before.

Furthermore, there were her Sentinels, and using them to create an even greater rift. As Japan descended into chaos, and Sailor Moon was forced to watch helplessly, only then would her revenge be complete. Sailor Moon's heart was broken now, but only then could Erina ensure it was shattered to pieces forever.

In the meantime, Erina contented herself with knowing she just made Usagi Tsukino's heart ache like never before. Low laughter kept echoing in her office as Erina watched the news feed.

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Kenji paced restlessly in the living room, only half-listening to the news broadcast. It was mostly repetition of what had been relayed before. Which would only feed into the hysteria already gripping Tokyo. It shamed Kenji to realize that the sort of paranoia so prevalent in the United States was finally taking hold in his own country. Before he left America after that fateful day the X-Men and Magneto first appeared, he heard whispers on the buses, in the airport. Wondering just what to make of these X-Men, and mutants in general. It wasn't long before the X-Men started to be viewed with suspicion, much to Kenji's dismay.

Bad enough things had been building to this point these last few months, but now, something else plagued Kenji's thoughts. Ever since that day, Kenji always wondered if one of his own children would be a mutant. Now he realized nothing could have braced him for the truth. He knew he should feel proud. He had always hoped Usagi would one day step up, show initiative. To find just how much she had…

But now, as Kenji glanced at the television again, he didn't know what to feel. Seeing Usagi forced to fight her friend was bad enough. A worse blow came when Kenji saw Sailor Moon break down on television. It was only a brief glimpse from a news copter, but that was enough for Kenji to see just how heartbroken she was.

I always thought… Seeing the X-Men here in Japan again, it should be uplifting, Kenji mused. Dr. McCoy, Storm, Wolverine and the Shadowcat, he recognized them all. They stood alongside the Sailor Senshi, looking just as flabbergasted when Naru vanished, spiriting away Umino with her. Then Sailor Moon came and broke down upon hearing the bad news. Shingo and Ikuko were glued to the television as well. What was going through their minds? Besides utter disbelief, that was.

Eventually, the evening news finally showed something different. Ikuko gasped upon seeing Usagi's old English teacher trying to get away from reporters. For some reason, she was rubbing her neck.

"No comment, you goddamn vultures! Do you hear me!? NO COMMENT! Go find someone else to badmouth mutant kids!" Haruna roared. She actually shoved the cameraman and the feed went to static.

Then they cut to footage from the other side of the world. Kenji recognized her instantly, having written articles on her. Rui Saionji, the tennis star, and an old friend of Naru's from what Kenji could recall. She was playing internationally at the moment, and a reporter in France asked her something.

Kenji's French was rusty, but it was definitely a leading question, to get something negative about Naru out of Rui. Rui simply held up a finger, asking for a second. Then she opened up the case for her tennis racket, took it out, and swung at the reporter. The feed went dark again.

"At least some people won't give up on friends so easily," Kenji grumbled.

Ikuko shot him a strange look. She wouldn't easily forgive Naru, if ever, but it weighed on her heart, how all this affected Usagi.

"Usagi will find her, right?" Shingo asked hesitantly. "I mean, she's smoked out worse, and those X-Men… Papa, you're always going on about how good they are. They'll help her out, right?"

"They've set aside their differences, at least," said Kenji. Beyond that, he wasn't sure what to say.

"Setting aside differences…" Ikuko muttered. She looked back to the television, then buried her face in her hands, sobbing. "Oh, I can't believe this! No wonder Usagi exploded! Those things I said before… I-I-I-I must've sounded so foolish to her! A-A-And now her friend's gone completely insane, egged on by that sort of talk!"

"You couldn't have known, dear," said Kenji. "How could any of us guessed she was actually Sailor Moon this whole time?"

"I'm her MOTHER, Kenji!" Ikuko cried. "Mothers are supposed to figure out these things! And this little girl who barely made it into high school somehow went out superheroing under my nose this whole time!?"

"Well, in hindsight, maybe the hair should've clued us in…" Shingo offered.

"At any rate, those two friends of hers didn't tell us much," Ikuko grumbled. "There's gratitude for you, after we return their car and cut them loose from Naru's gunk."

"It doesn't matter. Usagi promised to tell us everything, remember?" Kenji reminded her.

Ikuko shook her head, still crying. "W-W-What if she doesn't want to come home? What if she's too afraid to face us?"

"Yeah. maybe she's got this secret base on the Moon or something!" Shingo cried. "She'd BETTER show me that, the big dummy…"

Kenji didn't know what to say. It dawned on him how much of a mystery Sailor Moon really was to the people of Japan. Just WHAT secrets would their daughter reveal? Did she have the courage to tell them all? Did they have the courage to hear it?

A shrill, howling wind interrupted Kenji's thoughts. It soon caught Ikuko and Shingo's attention, too. They all looked to the sliding glass door leading to the backyard. Leaves and dirt swirled around, and fog rolled in just around their house. Cover, Kenji realized. Then, just as he expected, Storm slowly lowered herself to the ground, holding onto Sailor Moon with one arm and Sailor Chibi-Moon with the other.

Ikuko was on her feet and sliding open the door before Storm's feet touched the dirt. "Oh, my baby!" she cried as she scooped Sailor Moon up in her arms. "Naru didn't get her hands on you again, did she!? Are you still hurt from before!?"

"Please, Mama! Not in front of other superheroes!" Sailor Moon protested, wriggling free.

Ikuko glanced anxiously over at Storm. Ikuko had to know who she was, and what she could do. No doubt she had summoned that blizzard over the school. Despite knowing how awkward her presence made things, Storm turned to Sailor Moon and asked, "Usagi, would you like me to stay and help… explain some things?"

Sailor Moon stared at Storm for a moment. "I-I-I-I'd like that, Ororo. But for now, I think it's best to keep this 'in the family', so to speak…"

"Is that so? I hope you'll reconsider, Ms. Tsukino. Otherwise, I will have had Nathan bring me all the way out here for nothing," came another voice from above. They all looked up to see Cable levitating himself down, but he had brought someone else with him. A bald man, who also looked to be from the West. Curiously, Cable was also levitating a wheelchair made mostly of clear plastic.

"Professor!?" Sailor Moon cried. It was odd to hear Usagi speak to an educator with such… reverence. "Why are you here? Aren't there bigger problems than, well, some family troubles?"

"Considering that telepathy and Cerebro are still proving useless in tracking down Naru Osaka, and I'm having no luck locating Umino's thoughts either, I believe this may be a better use of my time," said the man as Cable set him gently down in his wheelchair. "Besides, since you've chosen to explain everything to your family, I decided they are trustworthy enough to learn about your newest allies. Especially your father."

"What? Why would Kenji…" Ikuko began, then something dawned on her. "Y-Y-You… have something to do with the X-Men, too?"

"A very big something," said Chibi-Moon.

"Indeed. I am Professor Charles Xavier," he said. "I founded the X-Men."

Kenji just stared at him in disbelief for a moment. This man confined to a wheelchair put together the team that took down Magneto time and again? Of course, if he was a mutant too… "Wait… You said you're a telepath?" he asked delicately.

"That's correct," said Xavier. "I helped Nathan paralyze everyone in that park with my power, and purge their memories. Save you three, on Usagi's insistence."

"So… you know what we're thinking? Right now?" Shingo asked nervously.

"No, I don't use my power recklessly, and I've learned how to control it over the years," said Xavier. "That's the whole purpose of my school and the X-Men, to teach mutants to control their powers and be an asset to mankind."

"And if you don't mind, the two of us need to be getting back to that," said Cable gruffly.

"Usagi, if you want any help later, if you need someone else to talk to… Please don't hesitate to call on me," Storm pleaded.

Sailor Moon took Storm's hands in hers and nodded, tears in her eyes. There was some strange bond forming, between these two leaders of superhero teams, Kenji could sense it. He also saw some pain in Ikuko's eyes. She sensed it too, and it tore at her, how this stranger understood their daughter in a way they never could.

Storm backed away, along with Cable, and suddenly swirling winds picked up again. She let her winds carry her up and away from their house. Cable followed, using his telekinesis the same way, just as the fog faded away.

Kenji and Ikuko kept looking up as the two X-Men faded into the night sky. They looked back to Sailor Moon when a fierce glow went off in their peripheral vision. In a flurry of glowing flower petals that soon faded to nothing, the form of Sailor Moon vanished, and their daughter stood in her place. Chibiusa also reverted back to her usual self. But the sadness, the hurt, didn't fade away.

"Usagi, if now isn't the best time, it can wait…" Kenji began. As much as he wanted to learn the truth, it wasn't worth it if it made the raw pain even worse.

Usagi shook her head. "N-N-N-No Papa… I promised I'd tell you everything. B-B-Besides, I've kept this secret long enough."

They followed Usagi back into the house. Remembering they had a guest, and one confined to a wheelchair at that, Kenji turned back. However, that plastic wheelchair was moving on its own, despite having no controls. Perhaps there was some sort of motor inside, but how was Xavier operating it? With his thoughts?

Kenji soon found themselves seated on their couch, with Usagi and Chibiusa standing in front of it, with Xavier between them. Silence ate away at all of them, except for Xavier, who seemed to have bountiful patience, simply waiting for someone else to speak first. However, after several awkward moments, he said, "Well, I've visited the families of many gifted youngsters in my years, but I must say none have been quite like this. Typically, it's about enrollment at my school."

"So, y-y-y-your… students…" Ikuko began. "They were telling the truth about being in Japan for new recruits?"

"The scary-looking short dude said something about Usagi being more special than anyone realized," Shingo added. "Looks like he was right."

"So all of you X-Men knew she was Sailor Moon? How?" There was no mistaking the hurt and frustration in Ikuko's voice. How dare these strangers from the other side of the world figure all this out first? Kenji shared some of that frustration. After idolizing the X-Men so long, it did slightly sting of betrayal.

Xavier was surprisingly forthcoming. "I have a special device that detects mutants via their brainwave patterns, which differ significantly from normal humans, so…"

"But Usagi's not a mutant," Shingo cut in. "Is she?"

"No, yet the nature of Usagi's power and that of her teammates confused Cerebro, while something about Naru Osaka's mutation serves to shield her from most methods of detection," said Xavier. "So while the X-Men and I were trying to locate Eclipse, we accidentally stumbled upon all of the Sailor Senshi."

Usagi stayed silent, happy to let Xavier do the talking for the moment. It was dawning on Kenji, how big her revelations would be. The entire Senshi team, would she reveal all their identities, too? Would they take kindly to that? Judging by how Haruka Tenoh and her partner were so surly and evasive, probably not.

"Why were you looking for Eclipse in the first place?" Ikuko demanded.

"To keep a dangerous mutant from harming others, to find a potential recruit, or at the very least try to help a troubled mutant… A good number of reasons," said Xavier. "All of which pertain to my life's work."

"There's more to it than that," said Kenji suddenly. "Magneto's been active a little too close to Japan, and Usagi asked me to look into Kizachi Technologies. Are all of these things interconnected somehow?"

Rather than look incensed that he was prodding in his affairs, Xavier actually smiled. "Ah, Usagi wasn't exaggerating about you being one of Japan's sharpest reporters," said Xavier.

"And you're right," said Chibiusa. "As terrifying as it is, Magneto's here in Tokyo, right now." Kenji could sense Ikuko was ready to faint, and he didn't feel too well at the moment himself. "Plus, he's working with Erina Kizachi, so she can build Sentinels for some reason. And Naru was part of both their plans. Magneto caused that monorail accident, and we think Kizachi used certain yakuza connections to goad them into harassing Naru's mother. Just to push her to the breaking point."

Kenji saw Usagi grip the back of Xavier's wheelchair tightly, tearing up all over again. Kenji wondered if any of her past escapades as Sailor Moon had caused her this much pain. Yet he was also fascinated by Chibiusa's matter-of-fact delivery of all that. That carefree child he thought he knew, gone now that the masquerade was over. And she was supposedly Usagi's child with Mamoru Chiba, from the future? In all his time as a reporter, never had Kenji felt so completely in over his head like this. Not even back at Cape Citadel.

"And what about you, Usagi?" asked Ikuko delicately. "How does… Sailor Moon fit into all of this?"

Usagi sighed as she choked back tears. "Well, I-I-I-I guess there's no putting it off any more," she stammered. "Erina Kizachi hates Sailor Moon. Part of this is revenge, pure and simple."

"Revenge? For what?" Shingo demanded. "You're a superhero, right!? Why would some roboticist have it out for you?"

"Maybe we should start at the beginning," came an unfamiliar voice. Everyone turned to see Usagi's cat, Luna, stride into the living room. And then, she made Kenji's heart leap into his chest when she SPOKE. "I can help explain how this all began. Actually, it started many millennia ago, when…"

"Uh, L-L-L-Luna, maybe this isn't the best time for a talking cat to be thrown into the mix," said Usagi with a nervous laugh.

The cat then scowled at Usagi, in a disturbingly human-like manner. "Oh please. Xavier's planning on spilling everything about a team of superpowered mutants that's been in space and fought demonic entities, but a talking cat is a bridge too far!?" Luna scoffed, sounding quite offended.

"Yeah, c'mon Usagi. It's a TALKING CAT!" Shingo protested. "You've been hiding the fact you had a TALKING CAT this whole time!?" That made Kenji a little edgy. All this time, a sentient animal had been in their midst? Just what other nasty surprises were there?

"Cats still made you nervous, Shingo," said Usagi. "Like you could've handled knowing Luna was as smart as any person…"

"Way smarter than some people around here," Chibiusa added.

"Yeah, and… HEY!" Usagi snarled.

"Alright everyone! The… talking cat can stay!" Ikuko cried. "It's just… I want to hear it in your own words, Usagi. How did you become Sailor Moon in the first place, if the Senshi aren't mutants?"

Usagi fidgeted for a moment, fumbling around for the right words. "W-W-Well, I didn't… become Sailor Moon, really. Like mutants, I was born this way too. R-R-Reincarnated might be a better word…"

"So, Luna's telling the truth about this beginning far in the past?" Kenji asked.

"On the Moon, believe it or not," said Luna. "Thousands and thousands of years ago, the Moon Kingdom existed up there, and Usagi used to be known as Princess Serenity."

"It's not all that hard to accept," Xavier added. "There are other ancient civilizations that once existed on our moon, for one thing."

"So you were once a princess? And… originally, you weren't my daughter?" Ikuko asked , wonder mingling with sorrow.

Usagi shook her head furiously. "No, Mama! Don't think like that! I can count the times I've spoken to Queen Serenity in this life on one hand! You're the one who raised me!"

Kenji could tell this was one reason Usagi dreaded her family ever learning the truth. Deciding a change of subject was in order, he said, "And this Moon Kingdom, what happened to it?"

"This evil creature born of a sunspot called Queen Metalia… She found a willing accomplice in Beryl, a woman jealous of Princess Serenity's relationship with Endymion. Beryl conned his four bodyguards into becoming her lieutenants, the Shitennou, and in turn convinced to people of Earth to rise up against the Moon Kingdom," said Luna. To hear a cat tell them of some ancient tragedy that sounded like it came out of a fantasy novel… Yet, it all had to be true. "In the ensuing war, just about everything was destroyed. Beryl and Metalia were about to win, and Queen Serenity was forced to fall back on a desperation move."

"And that was?" Ikuko asked.

"This," said Usagi. She held out a heart-shaped compact, the one she used to wear on her school uniform. It opened up, revealing a gem that glowed with an indescribable ferocity.

"The Ginzuishou, I believe it's called," said Xavier. "The only thing I've seen quite like it is the Infinity Gems, and this may have the potential to surpass the entire set."

"But under normal circumstances, it drains the life energy of the user," said Luna. "Queen Serenity sacrificed herself to stop Queen Beryl's army cold, and ensure Princess Serenity and the Sailor Senshi assigned to protect her would be reborn when Metalia and her servants returned. My partner and I were placed in stasis, waiting for the day they were to reawaken."

The three of them let all this sink in for a moment. To think, their daughter had inherited something so powerful, it could burn out its user. Ikuko sounded aghast. "U-U-Usagi, you never actually used it yourself, have you?"

"Yes. I eventually used it to obliterate Metalia and Beryl once and for all, and a few other times," said Usagi. "And if Magneto aims to turn his power on Tokyo, I may have to use it again." That earned her a glare from Xavier as well. "What? He took apart Uranus and Neptune in no time, remember? And he knows who the rest of us are, too. It may come to that…"

The way Usagi seemed so at ease with using a weapon that could kill her too, with fighting the most dangerous mutant terrorist out there… If they had needed any further proof that their daughter had truly matured, truly had the courage befitting a superhero, they just got it.

Shingo, however, was dwelling on something else. "Even MAGNETO knew you were really Sailor Moon before us!?" he demanded, incredulous.

"He found out thanks to Erina Kizachi," said Xavier. "That was another reason I came here tonight. Since Kizachi's ultimate goal is revenge against your daughter, the three of you may be targeted as well, either by her or by Magneto's forces. For your protection, I would like you to stay with the X-Men and Sailor Senshi until this crisis is resolved."

"And where would that be?" Ikuko asked anxiously.

"Their plane is hidden behind the Hikawa Shrine," said Luna. "That's where they've been operating out of these last few days."

Kenji raised an eyebrow. "You mean, that modified SR-71 Blackbird your X-Men are always seen flying around in?"

"That's the one, yeah," said Chibiusa. "It's pretty damn cool, too."

Xavier smiled. "You truly have been keeping up with our exploits all these years. I'm flattered. In any case, Rei Hino's grandfather is currently away, so the Sailor Senshi and X-Men have free reign of the shrine. There will always be several of us protecting both the shrine and the Blackbird. You'll be safer there than anywhere else in Tokyo at the moment."

Ikuko and Shingo didn't look mollified, but Kenji knew that, given the circumstances, it was the safest place to go. And of course, he could learn more about the X-Men than he ever dared hope. Perhaps eke out another award-winning story in the process.

"Y-Y-You sure we won't have to worry about Magneto while sticking close to the shrine?" Ikuko asked, her dubiousness palpable.

"Ikuko-mama, if anyone out there knows Magneto better than he knows himself, it's Charles Xavier," said Chibiusa.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shingo demanded.

"It means that Xavier knows how Magneto fights, how he thinks," said Luna. "He always has, long before Cape Citadel."

"Luna, that's a bit much, don't you think?" said Usagi testily.

"It's quite alright, Ms. Tsukino. You felt you could entrust your family with your secret, so out of respect I'll do the same," said Xavier. "Luna is quite correct. I once knew Magneto as Erik Magnus Lehnsherr. I met him in an Israeli hospital, where he was doing volunteer work, drawn to it being a Holocaust survivor. I spent many months with him, until circumstances forced us to reveal our powers to each other. In the aftermath, the bitterness and grief he had once kept in check ultimately consumed him, and I knew one day he would resurface. I vowed to be ready when it happened, no matter how painful it would be."

"And that's why we have the X-Men," Usagi added.

"One of the reasons," said Chibiusa. "They also have to keep idiot humans from doing stupid stuff like building Sentinels guaranteed to go out of control."

"But now, it looks like both duties overlap each other," said Xavier.

"And sucked in Usagi's team in the process," said Ikuko darkly. "But what were those fights between your two teams about?"

"Nothing I approved of, that's for certain. And Ms. Tsukino sought to avoid conflict as well," said Xavier sternly.

"What's important now is that we're working together," said Usagi quickly. "But the professor's right about you three needing to keep yourselves safe until we make Magneto run with his tail between his legs again. I lost a friend today, Mama, maybe forever. I can't lose my family, too."

Ikuko shut her eyes and sighed, her frustration and disbelief a tangible thing again. This time, Kenji shared it. He was her husband, and Usagi's father, the one who was supposed to provide for and protect all of them. But it was his daughter who would be rushing into a fight, getting her hands dirty. And he would have to entrust his family to another man who, despite being the X-Men's founder, was still more or less a stranger.

"W-W-We'll all go to the shrine, if only so I can keep an eye on you," said Ikuko at length.

"Believe it or not, Usagi's quite capable of taking care of herself," said Luna.

"Except when it comes to cooking," Chibiusa threw in, earning her a glare from Usagi.

"Then I can still fill that void," said Ikuko dryly. "Point is, Usagi, I'll be watching you more closely than ever…"

"In the meantime, before we go… Let's hear about all the other cool stuff you've done as Sailor Moon!" cried Shingo.

There was an odd look in Usagi's eyes, and Kenji knew even more old wounds were about to reopen. And with the way Naru's lashing out now weighed on her heart more than anything else, Usagi would need her family to help shoulder the burden this time. And Kenji vowed to be there for his daughter, however long it took.

He could do that for his little girl, at least.

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As his eyes fluttered open, all that Umino was aware of was feeling burned all over. As in, he should be covered in third-degree burns. Yet when he rubbed his thumbs over his palms, his skin felt fine.

He shifted around on whatever he was laying on, and it didn't feel like anything was wrong with his skin. He also felt light-headed, a fog keeping him from thinking straight. Trying to remember just what had happened, he finally recalled Naru, groggy, drugged and freezing, reaching up to grab him. That's when things got hazy. He did remember a flash of fire – some dark, unnatural fire - and the sensation of being burned, though it evidently wasn't injurious.

Umino tried to bring his eyesight into focus, but it wasn't easy. For one thing, wherever Naru had taken him, it was dimly lit. One set of fluorescent lights hung above him, but it did little to illuminate the place. As if this place was just naturally gloomy. That, and he realized his glasses weren't on his face.

Groaning, Umino slowly sat up, still feeling achy. How long was he out, and just where did Naru bring them? Wherever it was, there were no windows, no clues he could make out. All he could make out was a figure in bright enough clothing to stand out… It was Naru, still in her ruined school uniform. She sat in some office chair near the foot of a bed she must have placed him on, watching over him.

At first, it looked like the effects of Ami's drug still lingered. Naru appeared half-asleep, slouched in the chair. Soon enough, however, her eyes snapped open completely, hearing telltale signs of movement.

"Umino!" Naru cried. "You're alright!? The strain of the teleportation wore off!?"

"L-L-Looks like it," Umino spluttered. His chest ached just from getting those words out. And here he thought lifting weights with Naru had helped his stamina. "W-W-What possessed you to try teleporting with another person? You've been struggling to control that with just yourself…"

Even in the faint light, Umino could see tears form in Naru's eyes. "I-I-I-I didn't see any other way out!" she cried. "A-A-And Kitty told me about her friend who teleports, and could get other people around that way just fine. I-I-I-I figured I could do it too…"

"Remind me to focus more on your teleportation power in our next session," said Umino dryly. He wasn't being entirely sarcastic. If there was a way for Naru to get him around without making it feel like he was being burned at the stake, best to pursue that. "Anyway, what about you? That concoction Kitty pumped you full of seems to have worn off…"

"Yeah, after nearly half a day," said Naru.

Umino's eyes widened. "And I was even out longer?"

Naru could only nod, trembling with shame as well as relief. All this time she worried about accidentally breaking him in half, yet teleporting with him did a greater number than her super strength ever had. "You still had a pulse, a-a-a-and you didn't really seem hurt, just exhausted. So I've been here watching over you the whole time."

Umino looked around again, but could make out little in the murky darkness. "And just where is here?"

"Someplace Sailor Moon and Professor X will never find us," said Naru icily.

Umino frowned at Naru. "I… don't think we can give them the slip forever."

"We'll see," said Naru. "I meant what I said about not risking anyone else getting hurt or killed on their watch."

Umino didn't know how to respond. He cared for Naru, wanted to make her happy. But this was going too far. He never intended for Naru to use her powers this way, to lash out at her friends in anger, and technically this was kidnapping. On top of whatever else Naru did while en route to the prep school.

Umino looked around again, but without his glasses, it was hopeless. "Naru, where are my glasses?"

"Don't worry, they weren't broken," said Naru. "It's just, well…"

"It's just… what?" Umino demanded.

Naru's icy expression melted into one of slyness. "I just realized that I've never seen you without your glasses until now, Umino," she said with surprising sweetness. "You're… so much more handsome without them than I imagined." She stood up, stumbling a little. Ami's chemical cocktail, Storm's blizzard, Wolverine's claws… Something was still affecting her. She came over to the side of his bed, caressing his face. "Let's just say it's made me more determined to make sure nothing ever happens to you."

The feel of her hand, such surprising gentleness, made Umino's heart flutter. It took a great deal of willpower to focus, to not lose himself. "N-N-N-Naru, don't you think you're being a little too overprotective?"

Naru fixed him with a stony gaze. "With a human-hating terrorist out there that endangered a monorail car full of people? With scores of yakuza who'd do anything to get back at me for all their buddies I put in the hospital? I think not."

Given how Naru had such a dim view of humanity now, the former sounded a bit hypocritical. It took a moment for Umino to work up the courage to say so. "Naru, you're not exactly eager to be a defender of humanity yourself. It's… quite obvious you're not making plans to attend Xavier Institute anytime soon."

"You heard McCoy and the others, Umino," said Naru gruffly. "How often does trouble show up at the doorstep of their mansion in America? Juggernaut, Apocalypse's Four Horsemen, Sentinels, Marauders, the Hellfire Club, Mojo… And here in Tokyo, who knows when the next psychos connected to Usagi's past or future will show up and wreak havoc? Nuts to all of that. Sorry if you were really looking forward to attending Xavier's school, but I'm done having us in the line of fire." Then her expression softened a little as she sat on the edge of the bed. "As for the rest of humanity… Yeah, screw them. You're the only human left worth caring about."

"That's… painting my kind with a bit too broad a brush," said Umino nervously. "And, well, don't I get a say in the matter?"

"You said wherever I go, you go," Naru reminded him. "I'm sticking here, where no one can find us. And once I'm good enough with teleportation, I can make sure no one tracks me when I have to venture out for things." She took her hand away from his face, then let black goo flow over it. "I scoped this place out before driving to the park to confront Usagi. I figured there was a way to make teleporting to certain spots easier, in case I had no choice but to try. By leaving a bit of gunk with a faint charge of dark energy that I could zero in on later. I call it 'tagging', and it worked. It was a rough trip, but I got us here from that rooftop, didn't I? Once I 'tag' enough spots here in Tokyo, I can get around in a blink of an eye. Whatever you want, I can get for you, and no one will be able to stop me."

Bad enough Naru seemed proud about attacking people for no reason, but now she seemed willing to just take whatever she wanted. "N-N-Naru, this is really going too far. First off, I think the Sailor Senshi and X-Men just proved they CAN stop you. B-B-B-Besides, you're not a thief…"

"I'll be whatever this world forces me to be in order for us to survive," said Naru darkly. "Granted, I still have plenty of money, what I've legally inherited from my mother, but… If you can't go to Xavier Institute, I can still help you out. I can get you whatever books you want, whatever scientific equipment you need. Of course, there's plenty of tech here to keep you enthralled for months, I'll bet…" Umino was about to ask again just where Naru had teleported them to, but she went on. "And Umino, stop being so modest. You're already smarter than most of the teachers we ever had, or would have had. Think about it, Umino! With my powers and your brains, we can accomplish anything! We won't need anyone else!"

Granted, Naru had a point. They could accomplish a good deal together, but it still sounded crazy, to forsake the world like this out of spite. Umino hoped that Naru wouldn't notice this ego stroking wasn't having the desired effect, but some instinct told him she picked up on that. However, instead of looking frustrated or flustered, she flashed a coy smile at him, as if she knew another way to get him to lighten up.

"Anyway, I think I've been stuck in this mangled uniform a bit too long," said Naru softly. Umino felt blood rush to his face when Naru took off her scorched, bullet hole-riddled top. Even without his glasses, Umino could make out his girlfriend wearing nothing but a bra from the waist up. Umino's mind went blank as Naru crawled onto the bed, hovering right over him.

Still, Umino had enough presence of mind to notice something, even in the dim light. Until now, he never had a good look at the scar Sailor Moon gave Naru. It did look quite unsightly, and painful. And now, Naru sported a trio of stab wounds right below it, still patched up by her ooze. How long would it take for those scars to heal, if ever?

Naru looked down and frowned, realizing Umino wasn't gawking at what she wanted him to. "Oh, those," she said dryly. "As if we needed any more reminders we can't trust any of them."

Umino was about to point out she was attacking the Sailor Senshi before receiving both scars, but thought better of it. Instead, he simply asked, "Naru, don't those still… hurt?"

"Nah, my oil slick patched them up in short order," said Naru quickly. "Anyway, enough about me. Right now, I want to focus on you," she added seductively. She leaned closer, reaching behind Umino's head.

As much as Umino desired this, he still felt a twinge of fear. Not exactly fear that Naru would accidentally snap him in half. Under normal circumstances, he would happily accept the risk. No, on top of feeling like this would be biting into forbidden fruit, it scared Umino that Naru wanted to… rush things. Either to fill an emotional void, or to salve inner pain that still seethed.

Umino wasn't given too much time to ponder it, as Naru forcibly locked lips with him. She pulled him close with her other arm, pressing down onto him. She held him a little too tightly, but it was bearable. And at this point, he thought nothing of the goop he felt flowing down her arms, triggered by her emotions. Finally surrendering, Umino deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms around Naru, but something else perplexed him. The way her skin felt like hard rubber, and how it definitely was bulletproof.

Pulling away, he looked up into Naru's eyes and asked, "N-N-N-Naru, your power, h-h-h-how you're resistant to physical harm… C-C-Can you even feel it when we touch, o-o-o-or…"

"I feel enough," Naru said sternly. "Now just shut up and keep kissing me."

"Don't you think we're taking things a little too… fast all of a sudden?" Umino asked delicately. "What's the rush?"

Naru scowled down at him. "Usagi never told you the whole story, did she?"

"The whole story? About what?"

"This future of hers, with Mamoru," said Naru acidly. Was that envy in her voice, too? "Where she becomes queen and ushers in an age of world peace or something. Their love will bloom eternal, but us? No mention of what happens to us. Let her have her preordained future. We're making our own."

With that, Naru leaned down to kiss him again, holding him too tightly for any hope of getting away. So Umino just let himself melt into her embrace again, though it felt like he was being devoured.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Magneto knew he should be satisfied with this turn of events. That after the unexpected death of Mayumi Osaka, things proceeded as smoothly as could be expected, given how volatile that tragedy would make her daughter. Naru's rampage and litany of crimes under human law would make the humans of Japan even more fearful than ever, demanding action. And his own human ally would be in a position to pitch something that would, in time, serve Magneto's ends instead, and thus all of mutantkind.

Yet, it still felt like a failure. Naru had rejected his old friend's path and turned on the Sailor Senshi, but at the same time turned away from his cause as well. Naru Osaka was a mutant who belonged in his fold.

At first, Magneto doubted Kizachi's guarantees that Naru could be goaded into taking vigilante action against the yakuza, the first step in using her for their plans. He had been happy to be proven wrong, and impressed by Naru's willingness to go to such lengths in her Eclipse persona. Someone willing to do whatever it took to survive, to keep history from repeating itself. Any Acolytes who dared question his decision to welcome humans onto Asteroid M, as part of a deal for Eclipse's allegiance, would have quickly regretted such folly.

But for the moment, there was no worry about that. Naru Osaka had disappeared with her boyfriend. Now, neither he nor Erina Kizachi could track her. She insisted she could soon reacquire her location, so they could watch for another chance to recruit her. Magneto was willing to trust her, so long as her idiot nephew had no part in it. The death of Naru's mother was partly why she wasn't at his side, preparing to make Japan ground zero for mutant liberation.

A fact he was all too willing to remind Kizachi of as he strode into her secret office. This time, he wore his trademark outfit again, to show he meant business.

At first, Kizachi didn't even notice he was there, her chair turned around to face the monitors behind her desk. More likely, she knew full well he was there, but made a show of playing dumb while listening to someone on the phone. He wouldn't put it past Kizachi.

"Good to hear. Keep feeling everyone out, Seto. The sooner Kizachi Technologies can make the pitch, the better," said Kizachi before hanging up. A few moments passed before her chair swung around. "Ah, Lehnsherr, good news. That was my husband, and it looks like we can get the Sentinels out in the open sooner rather than later. On top of that, he's pitched the use of mercenary outfits for situations deemed too delicate for Sentinels."

"Then at least something's going according to plan," said Magneto coolly.

"Yes. It's finally happening," said Kizachi with a saccharine grin. "To think, it's taken this long. All these years, people actually thought Sunfire would be Japan's only mutant. The bombs dropped during World War II were partly the reason for his mutation, and yet many were naïve enough to believe it would stop with him. Well, it took long enough, but a whole generation of Japanese mutants is here. And you'll be there to recruit them once the Sentinels start rampaging, just like we wanted."

"Only it looks more and more as if Naru Osaka won't be among them," said Magneto dangerously, striding closer to her desk. "Perhaps the most powerful of Japan's new mutants, and she's turned her back on EVERYONE."

"There'll be another chance," Kizachi said quickly. "I'm still using her for another part of our plan, you know that. We can modify it so you can make your pitch to her personally. Instead of waiting for Naru to come to you, this time we'll make it so you can go to her."

"That could work. Now that she's become disillusioned with both her old friend and mine, Naru may yet see reason," said Magneto. "Just make sure your nephew has nothing to do with your modified plans."

"Given how Wolverine will soon be on the rampage again, I'll be keeping Gai away from EVERYONE, believe me," Kizachi grumbled. "That's one thing Osaka and I have in common. We've both learned the hard way we have to keep those we love out of the crossfire."

Magneto knew what she was referring to. "Still the need for revenge after the loss of your daughter, Kizachi. I must admit, when you initially came to me with your plan for your country to ensure mutantkind's ascendancy, I was reluctant to draw the ire of the Sailor Senshi just because of your thirst for payback."

Kizachi actually had the gall to fix him with an annoyed glare. "Lehnsherr, as someone who also lashed out upon seeing his daughter cut down, you're the last one who should be lecturing me. You and Mystique both must learn the need for retribution isn't a privilege for just mutants." Magneto said nothing, merely letting his power flow. The flickering of the monitors behind Kizachi let her know she was on a dangerous path. It did little to cow her. "And here I thought being forthcoming about my daughter would earn me some measure of trust, Lehnsherr. I guess I was wrong. Must I reveal more about myself before you'll finally put aside your doubts?"

Magneto let the magnetic fields he was generating subside a little, though a couple of the monitors still blinked in and out. "What else is there you could tell me that you haven't bothered to already?"

"Things that would otherwise be foolish to discuss with someone who survived Nazi death camps as a child," said Kizachi. "So yeah, my childhood wasn't exactly rainbows and ponies either, but for a different reason."

Magneto was a bit intrigued. "And that reason would be?"

"My family… The lineage of brilliant scientific minds started with, well, me. And now it'll end with me," said Kizachi. "I came from a family of mystics in the mountains, of shamans, who believed in spirituality, while from a young age I was drawn to the power of science instead. Power that could get tangible results. So it's no surprise there was a falling out and I went my own way. Maybe that's also part of the reason why I tolerate a screw-up like Gai. He had little patience for the rest of our family as well, which made him turn to the yakuza."

"My heart bleeds for you two, Erina," said Magneto dryly.

"It shouldn't," said Kizachi. "Some of the meditation and spiritual techniques I was forced to learn, they did wind up coming in handy."

"In what way?" Magneto asked, his curiosity now piqued.

Kizachi smiled again. "Didn't you ever wonder just HOW the whole mess with me being 'commissioned' to build Sentinels by Masato Sanjoin went down?"

Suddenly, Magneto understood. "Ah, so you were one of his intended victims as well."

Kizachi nodded. "Indeed, Nephrite's usual modus operandi. Infuse a bit of my equipment with a youma of his while touring my corporate headquarters, posing as a potential investor. Fueling an obsession for creating the perfect fighting machine for his own use, while bringing my energy to its peak. And it was perhaps the one time his machinations didn't draw Sailor Moon's attention." There was no mistaking the acid bite in her voice. "Thankfully, I didn't need her anyway. I had enough presence of mind to eventually realize I was being played, and used the countermeasures passed down by my shaman ancestors. Dispatched the youma myself."

"And why are you telling me this now?" Magneto demanded. "To convince me you have use beyond your technical expertise, that you're far more than your everyday Homo sapien?"

"Oh, that should've been obvious already, Lehnsherr. I do have a mutation, just not on any X-gene. And though not as deleterious as uncontrollable optic blasts or leeching someone's life force through physical contact…" Kizachi stood up and removed her dark glasses, revealing eyes that looked like they belonged to a blind person. No, even more disturbing than that. They looked chalky, diseased. The reason Kizachi needed those glasses, and preferred working in darkness. Already, she was wincing in pain from what little light there was. "And no, I didn't think this shamanistic power would matter much to you. My greater faith in hard science, however…"

"Has proven quite valuable, I assure you," said Magneto. "These are perhaps the most advanced Sentinels one could create without reverse-engineering the ones that traveled back in time."

"It's not just that," said Kizachi. "It's how I've come to view the biological, not just the technological. Your kind, Homo superior… All these debates that rage on, making it more complicated than it has to be, when anyone who understands science and history should see it's so, so simple."

"Simple, you say?" Magneto asked airily. "What is it about what mutants face that's so simple?"

"Just that it's nature running its course again," said Kizachi. "Evolution simply marches on, and natural selection will come into play, as it has so many times before. To get flustered about your kind one day dominating the Earth would be like getting mad at a supervolcano bringing about nuclear winter. What's the point? It'll happen, regardless. That's why I relish the idea of using my Sentinels to bring about the exact opposite of their original function. To speed up the inevitable, rather than futilely try to impede destiny."

"Of course, you've discovered that one possible future involves Usagi Tsukino's destiny as inheritor of a kingdom from her past life," Magneto pointed out. "I take it your preference of hard science over mysticism extends to that?"

Kizachi smiled more broadly than ever. "See, we do understand each other, you and I. The thought of Tsukino ascending like that, when she's neglected so much already, failed so hard…" She put her glasses back on, covering up her sudden icy glare. "Maybe she will ultimately succeed, and perhaps achieve your old friend's dream for him, or maybe not. In any case, it changes nothing. If that can be thwarted and you rise to prominence in Sailor Moon's place, more power to you. If she does ultimately become Neo Queen Serenity, then at least here, now, I tear out a piece of her heart and make that pain last for an eternity. Either way, by sticking with you, I win. So that, more than anything else, should tell you you can trust me more than Mystique or any of your Acolytes."

As much as Magneto hated to admit it, Kizachi made a lot of sense. "True, we stand to gain much working together. Just remember that, ultimately, I want Naru Osaka on my side. Now that the mutants of Japan will look to her as a fellow mutant who won't tolerate humanity's obstinance, her joining me is more important than ever."

"Oh, I read you, Lehnsherr," said Kizachi. "Besides, what else could twist the knife harder than Tsukino seeing that happen?"