Sailor Moon X: Lunar Eclipse

a Sailor Moon/X-Men crossover

Chapter 39: Ends and Odds

12-4-2018

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 the late, great Stan Lee, Marvel Comics and Disney.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When the black haze cleared from Sailor Moon's vision, she found herself standing in the back of the Blackbird. Soon after rematerializing, Sailor Moon sank to one knee, that familiar feeling of mingled burning and freezing overwhelming her. A quick glance around the Blackbird told her the other Sailor Senshi still found Naru's teleports a rough ride as well.

"I really need to get the hang of that," said Naru, looking them all over. She still looked so ashamed, as if helping to take down Magneto somehow didn't make up for anything.

Sailor Moon grabbed hold of a seat along the side of the Blackbird to pull herself up. She wanted to rush over to Naru, to console her, but she glimpsed something right outside a window that made her freeze.

Asteroid M was already coming apart. Huge chunks of it were slowly, but noticeably, breaking away, despite Magneto's best efforts. Small explosions were going off too, hastening its breakup.

"Oh no, using the Ginzuishou and the Sailor Planet Attack did all that!?" Sailor Moon cried fearfully. "W-W-W-What if pieces of it hit Earth and kill people after all!?"

"Magneto is a... complicated one. Capable of such ruthlessness, but he does have some sense of honor," said Beast, walking up to observe Asteroid M's collapse. "Considering the condition you Sailor Senshi left him in, it's quite remarkable he was capable of slowing its breakup this much. I do not believe he will allow parts of the asteroid to strike Earth out of spite, not after conceding somewhat graciously."

"That's... good to know," said Sailor Moon. As she watched Asteroid M break apart, Sailor Moon found her anger at Magneto subsiding. It was mostly replaced with regret now. Magneto's assurance that Asteroid M's pieces wouldn't crash to Earth reminded her that there was some hope for him, however slight. Naru eventually saw the light. Would Magneto one day, too?

Ultimately, that was a puzzle for another day. Magneto would survive, and make his way back to Earth. For now, it was just good to have Naru back. The other Sailor Senshi had recovered from her fiery teleportation, but Naru was noticeably standing away from them, her gaze downcast. Now that they weren't fighting for their lives, her doubts and shame all bubbled back up.

Sailor Moon started to walk over to her, but Venus spoke up first. "Naru, why so glum? You just helped us teach Magneto a lesson he'll never forget!"

"Yeah, Naru! I bet this'll teach ALL of the X-Men's enemies you're one mutant they should never try to recruit!" Mars added.

"With that uniform, Rei, it's clear where she intends to go," Mercury pointed out.

"That old-school blue and yellow looks pretty good on you, Naru, if I do say so myself," said Jupiter.

Naru looked up to them, a bit of surprise mingling with the shame in her eyes. "Y-Y-You really think so?" she asked dubiously. "I-I-I-I mean, what I did to all of you at that school, the things I said... I n-n-n-never really apologized back when I had the chance..."

"Even I'm willing to concede that helping to beat back Magneto is apology enough," said Uranus.

"I agree. Despite all you've done, you've more than earned the right to wear that, if you ask me," said Neptune.

Sailor Moon was hoping this would cheer Naru up, but she still looked doubtful. "So, you think I can cut in as an X-Man?"

Iceman snorted. "Little lady, in the past week, you prove the deciding factor against Mastermold, and then Magneto himself. And you STILL doubt yourself!?"

"You haven't spent a day in the Danger Room, yet you plowed through enemies we would never let trainees within a hundred miles of," Shadowcat added. Lockheed, perched on her shoulder, nodded in approval. "I'm sure even Emma Frost would insist this moves you to the head of the class."

"Speaking of which, right before heading back to Japan, I took the liberty of havin' this made. Let this show we all had hope you'd see the light," said Gambit. He handed Naru a box that looked like it held bulky clothes. "The blue and yellow do look good, but fashion always changes, no?" Naru looked at Gambit quizzically, then opened the box. Inside was a sleeveless, black X-Men uniform, cut for her shape.

Naru said nothing, simply staring at her uniform. Sailor Moon hoped it wasn't wishful thinking, but it was like the doubt in Naru's eyes was fading. But then, she shut her eyes and sighed. "I can't accept this. At least, not yet."

"What? Naru, you heard them!" Sailor Moon protested. "The X-Men say you're a perfect fit!"

"Maybe I am, Usagi, and maybe they've all forgiven me," said Naru. "But I still made a mess of my life back in Japan. I... have to go back first."

"Stand trial, you mean?" Gambit asked, now sounding concerned. "It's not like some of us X-Men don't have rap sheets, Naru. We can get you back to the United States, under the radar..."

Naru shook her head. "I can't just run away. I have to remove the stain on my family's name, at least, and show the rest of the world I've really changed. Besides, you all say Ms. Walters can get me off easy, so..."

"A commendable decision, Osaka, even if we may not all agree with it," said Cable. "In the meantime, we're about to kick the engines into high gear, so I suggest everyone strap in. Especially you." Sailor Moon turned to see Cable telekinetically levitate Erina Kizachi to the chair she had used to pull herself up. The seat's restraints came out and pinned her down.

Sailor Moon stared at the bound roboticist for a moment. In the chaos caused by Magneto and his forces, she had almost forgotten about Kizachi. To think, after all the enemies the Sailor Senshi fought with the power to end the world, it was an ordinary human who came closest to undoing everything. Not only did she set out to rip out her heart, but cruelly tried to destroy the life of a friend to do it. AND plunge their entire country into chaos before cancer consumed her.

Yet despite Kizachi's long list of unforgivable crimes, Sailor Moon decided it wasn't worth working up any hatred for her. Just like Magneto, she had such talents, but she wasted it by giving in to bitterness and grief. And while there may be hope for Magneto, Kizachi wasn't long for this world, not with cancer eating her alive. Seeing her there, looking so small and withered, Sailor Moon only felt sorrow.

Sailor Moon sat down in the seat to the left of Kizachi, who didn't even seem to notice her hated enemy was there. Naru then sat down next to Sailor Moon, albeit a bit hesitantly, and strapped herself in.

"Hey, the rest of you Sailor Senshi might wanna strap in," said Gambit. Sailor Moon looked to see most of her friends had yet to find seats.

"Why's that?" Neptune asked.

All of a sudden, the Blackbird lurched forward with such speed, the rest of the Sailor Senshi, plus the mooncats, were flung to the back of the plane. They were pinned there, as one collective heap of tangled limbs, screaming in protest and crying out in pain.

"That's why, honeybunch," Rogue muttered dryly. She was standing there beside Gambit, holding him in place.

"OWWWW!" Luna screamed. "Jupiter, get your iron asscheeks off of me!"

"And damnit, Mamoru! Get your hand off of my butt!" Neptune snapped irascibly.

"No, wait, pretty sure that's me," Uranus muttered.

Neptune's mood changed completely. "Oh, never mind then," she said with a smile. Chibi-Moon gagged a little.

Sailor Moon couldn't help but giggle a little, and was heartened to hear Naru chuckle as well. "It's... good to hear you laugh again, Naru," said Sailor Moon.

Naru's smile swiftly faded. She slowly looked to Sailor Moon, fumbling for words. "U-U-Usagi, I-I-I-I..."

"You don't have to say anything, Naru," said Sailor Moon. "What's done is done."

"I-I-I-it's just, that, w-w-w-well..." Naru went on. "I was such a coward back at the shrine. I-I-I-I should've apologized back then, but... All the things I said, all the things I did..."

"Naru, you've done more than enough to show you're truly sorry," Sailor Moon said softly. "Besides, if that's not enough for you, I knocked out a tooth if you insist on things being even."

Sailor Moon saw Naru feel the inside of her mouth with her tongue. To Sailor Moon's relief, she chuckled again. "Yeah, I guess..."

"And don't forget, for us Sailor Senshi, it's fate. It's destiny," Sailor Moon went on. "The X-Men... I guess what fascinated me about them is how they choose to do what they do, despite all the heartbreak. When I first heard about them, I knew they'd be the perfect fit. But in the end, you had to make the choice, and you did."

Naru looked down at herself, at her ruined uniform. She fumbled with the X emblem on her belt buckle, her face inscrutable.

A sudden snort from Kizachi made Sailor Moon turn her head. "So disgustingly naïve," Kizachi croaked out. "You said to Magneto his path hasn't gotten anyone anywhere. Has the X-Men's?"

She slowly turned her head. Sailor Moon withered a little as those chalky, diseased eyes met hers. They now radiated a sick need for retribution that utter defeat hadn't quite squelched.

Sailor Moon forced down her revulsion, narrowing her eyes. "It worked for the Sailor Senshi. Your plans to divide Japan and leave its mutants with no hope... We put a stop to that," she said evenly.

Kizachi snorted again. "And as Magneto said, how long will it last?"

"Oh, gag," said Naru suddenly. "Magneto would've gladly let me pulp your nephew, and you still side with him anyway?"

"Because he's right about how two sentient species can't share the same planet," said Kizachi coldly, still meeting Sailor Moon's gaze. "Fear and suspicion of what's different always wins out, and those only out for themselves will be there to exploit it. I just made a point of playing them first, and ensuring there would be lasting peace down the road, the world my daughter deserved." She studied Sailor Moon thoughtfully for a moment. "I've observed you from afar all this time, but seeing you up close, so confident, so defiant... But you know I'm right. Think of what your future self has to do to craft everlasting peace, with the Ginzuishou. To the point where those unwilling to submit are banished. Are you and Magneto really so different, Sailor Moon? Are you..."

A gooey tendril grabbed Kizachi's head from behind, covering her mouth and pressing her head back against the seat. Sailor Moon looked back to Naru, surprised.

"Oh, she wasn't finished?" Naru asked coyly. She had one hand held up, ooze flowing from it and around the back of Sailor Moon's seat. "Sorry, still new to this whole superhero thing. It's... kinda hard to tell if the villain is done with a big speech or not. Anyway, I think Kizachi was done. Weren't you, Kizachi?"

Sailor Moon looked back to see Naru using her tendril to force Kizachi to nod 'yes'. Sailor Moon's frustration with Kizachi melted away, replaced with laughter once more as the Blackbird flew back into Earth's atmosphere.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ikuko looked up at the overcast sky, wondering when rain would finally fall. It might go a long way to cool off some seething tempers. She took a good look around, at the crowds gathered outside the courthouse. An announcement regarding Naru's case was expected soon. At least, that was what was hinted at this morning. By mid-afternoon, the news had drawn the press, along with hundreds and hundreds of people, both those who supported Naru and those who wanted her to hang. Many in the former group could be picked out by the black glop on their faces.

Another circus, more chances for fighting to erupt, Ikuko thought regretfully. It had been weeks since the Sailor Senshi and X-Men brought Naru back to Earth. Looking around at those who clearly thought she was guilty, Ikuko wondered why Naru ever thought she could get a fair trial. You were counted among them, don't forget, Ikuko reminded herself.

Now, Ikuko had to face that she was wrong about Naru, and her kind as well. Of course, the thought of Magneto or his fanatical followers coming after her family still haunted her. Usagi insisted, however, that they had learned that the price would be steep, and would be in no condition to do so for a long, long time.

Ikuko looked down at Usagi, who stood with Chibiusa and Shingo, breathlessly waiting for something, anything, about her friend's fate. Part of her still couldn't believe it, that her little girl was really Sailor Moon.

Not only that, the lengths Sailor Moon would go to. Everything from basically starting an insurrection in Japan to storming Magneto's lair in space. To think the crybaby girl who had trouble making it to class on time had such convictions, such courage. Worse, there had been the fear that Usagi was leaving her behind. That she no longer needed her mother, or even thought of her as her 'real' mother.

Well, Professor Xavier had told Ikuko she merely needed to be there, that having the courage to back her was key. In her most trying time, doing that helped Usagi face down everything from giant killer robots to the Master of Magnetism.

And now, Usagi needed her here for emotional support. The girl with the nerve to stare down Magneto now looked ready to be undone by the waiting. Such worry over Naru, who she never gave up on. Such a big heart... How could there be any doubt she was truly Sailor Moon?

Ikuko grabbed Usagi's shoulders and pulled her close. "Mama, what's..." Usagi began.

"Just relax, Usagi," said Ikuko softly. "After all, all of the charges against the Sailor Senshi have been dropped, without a single one of you... THEM," she quickly corrected herself, "stepping into a courtroom. If this lawyer is as good at settling cases as she is punching through mountains, Naru should be fine."

Usagi smiled up at her weakly. Dread still tore at her, but she seemed a little calmer now. Professor X was right, this was what Usagi needed from her. She wasn't Queen Serenity, but there were still things she could do.

"Kenji-papa's magazine sure helped with that," said Chibiusa. She held up a copy of said magazine, which had a picture of Naru and Magneto, both haggard and worn out from their battle, slugging it out. The headline read, "ECLIPSE AIDS SAILOR SENSHI, X-MEN IN MAGNETO'S DEFEAT AND ASTEROID M'S DESTRUCTION!"

Shingo's spy camera came in handy after all. Before the Inner Senshi were set to strike, Sailor Mercury used it to snap some quick photos. With those, some other pictures Ami took, and those sold to the magazine by bystanders from when Magneto attacked Naru's convoy, Kenji had everything he needed for the story he always wanted to write.

And it had helped immensely with swaying more people to Naru and Sailor Moon's side. Solid proof that Naru wanted nothing to do with professed evil mutants, that she sought to make amends. But will it be enough to sway the judges Naru is facing? Ikuko wondered.

Chibiusa echoed those lingering worries. "Let's just hope Kenji-papa got through to any thick-headed judges in there. I... need to know things here are settled when it comes to the X-Men's enemies."

"Huh, Chibiusa? It sounds like you plan on leaving," said Shingo.

"We beat Magneto, Shingo, taught him not to come sniffing around Japan anymore," said Chibiusa. "But he's not the X-Men's only enemy. Or even their worst. There's someone who might've even been around back during the old Moon Kingdom, and may be around for mine, in the future. Cable finally told me everything, and... I've got to go back soon, Shingo. Get ready, if this En Sabah Nur tries anything."

Hearing such a serious tone from someone so young, it chilled Ikuko a little. Plus, the notion that Japan wasn't quite done with the X-Men's laundry list of supervillains... Ikuko decided the less she knew, the better.

"Oh, I'm sure Crystal Tokyo is safe from Apocalypse," Usagi said brightly. Ikuko shivered. THAT was his name!? Obviously, Chibiusa didn't want it uttered, judging by the glare she gave Usagi. "After all, it's got me running the place, right?" Usagi let out a nervous laugh, but Chibiusa wouldn't stop glaring daggers at her.

"Zip it, you dummy!" Shingo snapped. "It looks like someone's coming out of the courthouse!"

Ikuko looked ahead to the courthouse entrance. They had arrived rather late, when the crowd had already spilled into the street, so they were pretty far back. But Ikuko could make out her husband among all the other reporters. She felt happy for him. Stories such as these, tied to the X-Men, were what Kenji had always wanted to cover. And now, he wouldn't be the only reporter refusing to put a negative spin on things.

The reporters awaited breathlessly as some figures made their way away from the courthouse doors. Ikuko had to squint, but she could make out Naru, now dressed in formal attire fitting her circumstances, her gaze downcast. She was flanked by Sunfire and She-Hulk, both recovered from the Acolytes' attack. While Jennifer Walters also had on appropriate attire, Shiro Yoshida wore his red and white costume.

A few police officers and court officials followed them out, looking quite nervous. But they couldn't be anywhere near as anxious as Naru herself, or Usagi. Ikuko held onto Usagi's shoulders, sensing the dread radiating off of her. One of the court officials looked ready to grab the microphone on a stand set up in front of the reporters, but hesitated.

Sunfire took it upon himself to do it instead. He delivered the news in his usual brusque, to-the-point manner. "An agreement has been reached with the Prime Minister for a pardon, in exchange for the defendant paying restitution for all property damage, and all medical expenses for injuries she has caused. Naru Osaka is to be cleared of all charges."

More than half the crowd erupted in thunderous cheer, but it wasn't quite enough to drawn out howls of fury from those unwilling to forgive Naru. Ikuko looked around nervously, fearing that brawls would erupt. Usagi and Chibiusa looked like they were wondering if slinking away to transform would be necessary. As police moved in and called for order, even Sunfire and She-Hulk looked fearful they would have to step in.

Thankfully, the crowds soon got under control, and no slugfests started. Meanwhile, Ikuko could see reporters swamp the group. Kenji wasn't being too pushy, but others were shoving microphones in the faces of Naru and her attorney, though they had to reach high up for the latter.

"Please, my client would like some privacy after this announcement. She must get to work with the family finances to fulfill her end of the deal," Walters said forcefully. She looked dangerously close to forcing reporters back, and not being gentle about it.

Naru herself had looked timid, seemingly wanting nothing more than to teleport away. But suddenly, she grabbed the microphone from Sunfire. "I have something I'd like to say before I get to work! To the whole country..."

The reporters seemed to get the hint, and let the police officers ease them back. It took a visible effort for Naru to lift her gaze toward the crowd. "Not everyone here is thrilled with the news, and I can't blame those who aren't. A pardon can't erase the shame I still feel, nor can paying restitution to those I've hurt erase the pain I caused, and get back the lost time. That's why... I can't stay in Japan."

That seemed to get everyone's attention, even those who still believed her to be guilty as sin. "I may have helped beat back Magneto, but I obviously still have a long way to go before I can be trusted again," Naru went on. "The people of Japan already got the Sailor Senshi, and they've got Sunfire. Hopefully one day, I'll have the honor of being counted among them, but for now... There was something my mother hoped I would do, but it involves leaving the country... For those who already forgave me, maybe one day you'll see me here again, and I'll have earned back the trust of everyone else. Thank you."

And with that, Naru handed back the mic, and teleported away, which made even Sunfire jump. She left the crowd in a confused state, using that power openly, but Ikuko could sense her daughter's relief. Usagi even looked ready to shed tears of joy.

Ikuko felt a bit of relief, too. She couldn't quite forget what Naru did, the terror she felt while in her grip. But after hearing the sincerity in Naru's voice, and her genuine sorrow over the prospect of leaving Japan, Ikuko found herself letting go of her own lingering doubts. Charles Xavier espoused how people, human and mutant alike, had to set aside doubts which shackled them to a tumultuous past, and work toward a brighter future.

And now, despite Chibiusa's grumblings about trouble in her future, despite the rancor of those unwilling to forgive Naru just yet, Ikuko felt confident their future could be bright indeed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

All these weeks since coming back from Asteroid M, Usagi had been on pins and needles, worried sick over what would happen to Naru. Naru had trusted Walters, and after her father's magazine got the story out, Walters was confident swaying public opinion would give her leverage to negotiate a deal. Still, as hopeful as Usagi had been, some doubt had lingered. The way so many still clung to their fears and prejudices was cause for concern. But when Sunfire announced Naru would go free... Words couldn't describe the relief.

At last, it was over. Naru was out of legal jeopardy, and plenty of people in Japan were willing to give her a chance. And most important, Naru's faith in humanity was being restored. Magneto and Erina Kizachi had done their best to break Naru down, but they failed. Magneto lost Asteroid M and wouldn't be bothering humanity for quite a while. And while Naru was cleared of all charges, Erina Kizachi's stuck. Minako's old buddies in Interpol, and Xavier's in S.H.I.E.L.D., made sure of that.

Usagi wasn't sure how she felt about that. Learning that there had been a casualty that day in Juban Odyssey tore at her heart. Despite all the pain and suffering Kizachi had caused, Usagi empathized with her loss. How couldn't she, after seeing the rest of the Inner Senshi 'die' in front of her, trying to save lives? That, plus learning her nephew had been slaughtered by Sabretooth in front of her, ultimately made Usagi pity her rather than hate her. Like her daughter, Kizachi could've done so much good, but instead sought to tear down to avenge Erika before cancer did her in.

I wonder what her daughter was like. Kizachi said she was a lot like me. What was her mutant power? Usagi mused silently. But this wasn't really the time nor place for such thoughts. This party being thrown at Edwards's manor was a celebration of their victory over Erina Kizachi.

Usagi looked up from where she had been loading up her plate. Just like that first night when people flocked here to see Sailor Moon, there was quite a crowd. This time, to celebrate victory rather than plot an insurgency.

Up on the stage, Michiru was playing a soothing melody on her violin, ever the picturesque image of a lady. But instead of Haruka, another was up on stage singing, a much younger girl. Squinting, Usagi realized it was Tomoyo Daidouji, the girl whose mother owned the skyscraper under construction, where the mutant refugees had been hidden. From what Usagi heard from the Amazoness Quartet, she seemed to know that costumed girl who had kaiju-ized herself to stomp Sentinels.

On top of that... Was that a big panda right next to the stage? There was a giddy look on his face, almost as if there was a sapient mind behind it. No, there definitely was. The panda was guffawing and grinning as he danced and belly-bumped with someone HUGE. A big, horned, portly guy, wearing a yellow suit with tiger-stripes. The father of Lum Invader, perhaps? Lum must have invited family to the celebration.

So many people here, sharing in the sense of triumph. Shouldn't I be able to put aside my doubts for a while and live it up, too? Usagi wondered. Then she turned back to the food. Oh well, might as well stuff my face, she decided with a grin, going right back to filling her plate.

Once she was done, Usagi navigated her way back through the crowd. She steered clear of the spot where couples were dancing. She caught a glimpse of Lum dancing with that brown-haired boy she often clung to. He looked flustered, but didn't exactly seem to hate it. Also looking anxious and flustered was Ryoga, who Storm said helped take on Sentinels over at the Ryuuzaki mansion. He was dancing with that purple-haired Chinese girl, the one Chibiusa said couldn't speak proper Japanese to save her life.

One of the tables Usagi passed... She instantly recognized one of the voices. Hikaru, who had fangirled harder over Sailor Moon than anyone in recent memory. Usagi turned to see those three Magic Knights seated at a table with the ones Michiru said called themselves 'Spirit Detectives'.

"So where's Sailor Moon now, now that the job's done?" asked the boy with slicked-back hair. Yusuke Urameshi, if she remembered right. "Shouldn't she be celebratin' with the rest of us?"

"I don't think she's the type who would be knocking back beers with you, if that's what you're suggesting," said the boy with long, red hair. Usagi shuddered, remembering the time she accidentally got drunk in this very place.

"Still, there's things I'd like to ask her. Like where we go from here?" said Yusuke. "Sailor Senshi, Magic Knights, Spirit Detectives... Do we just go our separate ways? Magneto may be back someday, and there's still plenty of suckers distrustful of mutants who can be played."

"I believe Mr. Urameshi raises a valid point," said Fuu. "This tragedy has brought all of us together. What could we accomplish if we all stayed in touch from this point on?"

Usagi scooted away before any of them noticed her listening in. New questions went through her head now. Was Fuu onto something? She remembered Dr. McCoy telling her about how the Avengers originally got together, because of Loki. Now Erina Kizachi's machinations brought the Sailor Senshi together with so many other super-people in Japan. Was an ongoing alliance between all of them in order?

"Even more questions with no ready answers," Usagi grumbled as she finally got back to her table. Minako, Rei, Haruka and Ami were sitting there, with Artemis nestled in Minako's lap. Usagi caught telltale hints that some things still weighed on them, but were doing a better job of losing themselves in this party's joyous atmosphere.

"Michiru and that girl make quite a lovely duo on stage," Ami commented, looking over to the performing pair.

"If you say so," said Haruka, glaring over in that direction. Usagi chuckled a little. Leave it to Haruka to be jealous of ANYONE spending time with Michiru instead of her. But then she noticed Haruka casting furtive glances over at that big oni guy, along with a woman in a yellow tiger-stripe dress close by, who had to be his wife.

"Oh, lighten up, Haruka," Usagi scoffed. "Both of us know that if Lum's OK, her family should be welcome, too."

"Her and that UFO were a big help against the Sentinels," Ami added. "Sometimes, you take allies where you can get them. I mean, look over there, next to Mr. Edwards. He's usually a thorn in the side of heroes back in the United States. But when it comes to the X-Men's cause, we've seen him do a world of good."

Usagi looked around while stuffing her face, and then saw Edwards speaking with some older American weird a weird, flat-top cut. She recognized his picture from the staff listing in those Daily Bugle papers. Perhaps an invited guest of Edwards's, since he had taken Naru's side.

There were some people sticking close to him. A smiling elderly lady, along with a much younger girl, with fiery red hair done up in a bun, wearing a metallic red cheongsam. Wrong country, Usagi mused, then she noticed the guy standing next to her. Her boyfriend no doubt, the way one arm was slung around his shoulders. He kept taking pictures of the partying crowd. He looked so unassuming, yet something told Usagi there was a lot more to that guy.

There was also a quite confident-looking man in a sharp suit standing close to the Daily Bugle crowd. Like that photographer, Usagi got the sense there was more to him, but couldn't put her finger on it. "Who's that guy?" Usagi thought aloud.

Ami looked over to him and immediately facepalmed. "You've USED his inventions now, and you STILL don't know who Tony Stark is?" Ami huffed.

"Yeah, you meathead, better keep up with the movers and shakers over in the West," Rei added. "Something tells me a lot more of their problems will be spilling over into our midst."

"Well, at least we've got Naru as a liaison with the X-Men now," said Minako. "So happy for the girl, that she made the right choice..."

"Still, having Eclipse as a wild card in our deck would've been nice," said Rei.

"Rei, it's what's best for Naru, they understand what she's gone through! Show some support! I know I am!" With that, Minako unzipped her jacket, to reveal she was wearing a t-shirt with the emblem of Xavier Institute emblazoned on it.

"Oh come on, Minako, have some respect for the home team," Rei grumbled. "Yeah, we're all friends now, but you don't have to be a walking advertisement for them."

"Oh please, Rei. The Blackbird was loaded with swag like this. The X-Men must hand this stuff out for free wherever they go," Minako protested.

"Besides, if you think this is bad, she jacked one of Kitty's uniforms when she rode Haruka's dirtbike for some crazy stunt riding, to use as a motorcycle jumpsuit," Artemis added.

Haruka looked to Artemis, then up at Minako. Minako didn't notice, as she was too busy glaring at Artemis. "Pictures or it didn't happen, cat."

"Funny you mention that. They're right here," said Artemis. He reached into Minako's jacket and pulled out a stack of photographs between two digits. He threw them down onto the table. Indeed, they showed Minako wearing a black X-Men uniform while doing crazy and dangerous stunts on Haruka's dirtbike. "I'd have taken more, but Lockheed was asking for it, and..."

Artemis stopped upon seeing Minako glare daggers down at him. Rage boiling to the surface, mirrored by Haruka, now that she knew there was no way her dirtbike would have been returned unscathed.

"Why you little!" Minako roared, trying to grab Artemis. He was too swift, jumping down and making a break for it across the room.

"Why you little!" Haruka echoed, taking off after Minako.

Usagi, Rei and Ami watched the three of them cut a path across the party, through the crowd of couples dancing. Both Lum and Ryoga were pushed aside, and they watched them run by, flummoxed. Michiru didn't miss a beat, but Usagi saw her shake her head a little as she kept playing.

"Then again, it looks like there's still some trust issues within OUR team," said Rei dejectedly.

"Oh well, sometimes friendships aren't easy, but they're worth the trouble. Usually," said Ami .

Usagi nodded, stifling a giggle. She wondered just how long the chase would go on, and looked around to see if the three had looped around yet. That was when she saw the guest of honor, Naru herself, over at another table. She looked quite lonely, even though she sat at a table next to Umino, along with Professor Xavier, McCoy and Kitty. The three of them had flown back to Japan almost as soon as the X-Men got word of her pardon.

Minako was right about how the X-Men were the best fit for Naru. It was what Usagi knew in her heart, from the moment her father first told her about them. Still, that was no reason for an old friend to not be there whenever possible. Kizachi's whole scheme was made possible because of how Usagi let the two of them drift apart, and now an ocean would soon separate them. Deciding that stuffing her gut could wait a bit, Usagi got up to walk over to their table.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naru absentmindedly poked at her food with chopsticks for a moment. Where I'm going, chopsticks won't be handed out just anywhere, Naru mused. The weeks she stayed in custody had dragged on seemingly forever, but now her name was cleared, more or less. It was actually going to happen. She would be part of a superhero team, just not the one she had wanted to in simpler times.

Things had changed. Naru learned that having superpowers wasn't always fun and games. Sometimes, it was still a challenge, simply holding something like chopsticks without grinding them into dust. Not to mention, disillusionment had set in about superheroes for a time, and Naru was so wrapped up in her own troubles, dedicating her life to helping others seemed a pipe dream.

In a way, it still was. Her mother, a casualty of Erina Kizachi's chess game. At the memorial she was allowed to attend before she got her pardon, she cut loose with the tears again. Plus, the wounds from Nephrite's death ripped open again. All that, coupled with getting a firsthand taste of an X-Man's life on Asteroid M, left some doubt within Naru.

But it's what my mother hoped I would do, and Nephrite probably would too. He wanted to make sure our mutant gene for darkness wasn't abused, Naru reminded herself. For them, I'll do it.

And for the people who had reached out to her when all she wanted to do was lash out in rage. She turned to Umino. "Hey Umino, just what d'you think your..."

Umino didn't hear her, as he was too busy chatting with Kitty and Dr. McCoy. More like he was bragging about his part in their misadventure on Asteroid M. "So I knew what I had to do, whip up that virus. Of course, I found myself staring down that mountain of muscle and crazy, Frenzy..."

"I am all too familiar with how that is a dubious pleasure," said McCoy.

More like you were screaming like a little girl until I got Frenzy off your back, Naru shot back silently. But she let Umino have his moment of glory. Magneto must have recovered the data cores. Without Umino, there'd be another army of Kizachi Sentinels.

McCoy and Kitty looked impressed with the tale Umino wove about his mad computing skills. If Naru hadn't known Kitty was a computer wiz herself, and already had an eye for that mountain of Russian beefcake, she'd be a little jealous.

Naru looked down to her food again, poking it, then looked out to the crowd. Everyone partying it up and having a good time. Celebrating a victory culminated by Naru's pardon, not to mention how all the mutants they had been protecting had their charges dropped outright. And yet, Naru still felt isolated, like she didn't deserve this.

"Penny for your thoughts, Ms. Osaka?" Xavier suddenly asked.

Naru looked up, not sure how to answer. "Just... still feeling jittery. This is a big deal, up and going to another country. And I look at this crowd and just wonder... Is there really reason to celebrate?"

"What would make you think that?" Xavier asked. "These people are rejoicing because they believed in you, and you showed their trust was well-placed."

"Maybe, but I still feel it'll take a few more years of world-saving to completely erase the stain," said Naru. "And isn't this a premature celebration? Not everyone in Japan loves me, or mutants in general. All the other mutants that got hounded had their records cleared too, but so what? That sort of hate and distrust can be played on again. Seeds were planted, and I don't think Magneto's the type to just give up on making them sprout."

"That sort of evil can never truly be stamped out. The best we can do is remain vigilant in the face of it. That's what the X-Men were brought together for, and why the Sailor Senshi exist," said Xavier. "As for being brought down by how the tide hasn't been completely turned back here in Japan... If anything, I see what happened as a reason for hope, not despair."

"That's what you keep telling Usagi," said Naru.

"And it's true," said Xavier. "What she did for mutantkind here in Japan... I've never seen anything quite like it. It's given my X-Men and I reason to be optimistic, just when things looked hopeless. I thought that would be evident."

"Evident? How?" Naru asked.

"Look at the costumes the X-Men wear these days," said Xavier. "First it was the blue and yellow uniforms, then individual colorful costumes. But now we've gone the practical route with the black suits that let us blend into the darkness as Nightcrawler does. But perhaps it wasn't all about pragmatism. Perhaps it was a reflection of our own hearts, this dread that we weren't making a difference. You and Sailor Moon have proven otherwise."

Naru smiled weakly. Indeed, they were all lucky that Usagi came into their lives. But now, just when things were patched up between them, she had to leave Japan.

"Well, I'll be helping you make a difference from here on in," said Naru, trying to sound upbeat. "Not like I have much of a choice. Paying restitution will blow through a good deal of what my mother left me. In a couple days, it should be complete. The stocks and other assets covered most of it, but I'll have to sell others things, like OSA-P itself..."

"Y'know, that's gonna be one of the hardest things to get over," came Usagi's voice suddenly. Naru looked up as she took a seat between her and Xavier. "The place we would often go right after school, talk about how Ms. Haruna was being a hardass again or some cute guy we saw. Ah, the simpler times..."

It was Usagi's clumsy attempt to make her feel better, but strangely, it was working. A bit of reminiscing about the old days, the times they had shared. That carefree innocence was lost though, places like the OSA-P would be lost. But they shared bonds over other things now, and these were perhaps stronger.

"But hey, I've seen where you'll be staying instead, remember? And I'm still super-jealous," Usagi went on. "And to think, you won't be that far from New York City! Oh, you've got to take pictures over there and send them back, and DEFINITELY tell me what the food is like!"

Again, Naru smiled weakly. To think that someone who teleported into space to clobber bad guys more than once would be so excited about another city, but that was Usagi for you. "Well, sure Usagi, no problem. That is, assuming I dare show my face in New York..."

"We have image inducers, if that concerns you," said Xavier. "Also, if you're anxious about using your real name while out in public, Nick Fury was kind enough to procure false identification for you. In fact, I have it here." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small envelope.

Naru took it and opened it, curious. Inside were forged documents, such as a birth certificate, along with a fake driver's license. She looked over the name on it and grimaced. "Molly Baker? What kind of stupid alias is that!?"

Usagi snorted. "I don't know, it kind of fits," she said, giggling. "Oh yeah, since you'll be spending time in New York, go on, try to whip up one of those weird New Yorker accents."

Naru glared daggers at her. "Oh I'm sorry, am I now sprouting orange rocks out of my skin on top of everything else!?" she spat back.

McCoy decided to chime in. "Come to think of it, Ms. Osaka, perhaps the distinctive accents of some New Yorkers are the most analogous things in the United States to the Kanzai dialect of Japan's Osaka region, and..."

"Oh zip it you blue fuzzbucket, you're not helping!" Naru snapped.

"Alright alright, you don't have to blow up over this, we'll drop it!" said Usagi quickly, but sincerely. But then she muttered under her breath, "Phhhhht, Molly Baker..."

A bit of that desire to bash Usagi's face was creeping back. Thankfully, others came up to their table just then, two of the men from America who had stuck close to that Edwards fellow. The older one, the one in the suit, seemed more interested in McCoy though. Judging by how mesmerized Umino was by his presence, Naru had a good idea who it was.

"Hey Hank, just couldn't stay away from Japan, huh?" he asked in English, placing a hand on his shoulder. Naru could mostly follow, even though Xavier had yet to give her that telepathic crash course. Perhaps she could persuade him to give one to Usagi instead?

"What can I say, Tony? Some recruitment efforts take longer than others, and besides, the food is quite delectable," McCoy replied.

"So I take it the... designs I lent you helped out?" Stark asked.

"I don't know Mr. Stark, you tell me," Naru said abruptly in English. She pulled up her upper lip and turned her head, showing where she had lost a tooth. Usagi tried to disappear into her chair, looking quite flustered.

Stark looked a bit taken aback as well. "Oooooh, I read you," he said at length. "Tell you what, kiddo. Once you're stateside, I can hook you up with people that can do convincing implants..." Naru glared at Stark, but then she noticed that other guy was looking at them expectantly, holding up a camera.

"May I?" he asked anxiously. Naru shrugged her shoulders, and he got a good shot of her, Usagi and Umino together. She remembered when it was just the three of them, before Usagi awakened as Sailor Moon. But now something entirely different had awakened in Naru, leading her and Umino on a different path. "Thanks Ms. Osaka. Hopefully, I'll get plenty more shots once you're over in America."

Naru stared at him quizzically. "What do you mean by that?"

The man just smiled. "Let's just say I've got experience snapping people who can swing around on sticky threads and climb walls," he said aloofly.

Naru figured she understood what he was being cryptic about, but still stared at him curiously. Usagi looked a little suspicious of him, too. He didn't seem to mind, and simply wandered off to snap photos elsewhere, while Stark hung around to chat with McCoy a little longer.

Naru eyed Stark suspiciously as well when he finally left. "Wow, life over in America might be even more complicated than I thought," she said at length.

"You'll do fine," Usagi said reassuringly, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Besides, you've got a SCHOOL to teach you all about superheroing. All I had for a long time was a nagging, talking cat, then a brainiac who I couldn't understand half the time and a hothead priestess riding my ass."

Naru smiled weakly. It wasn't the most reassuring pep talk ever, but Usagi always had a way of instilling optimism. Naru felt her dread subside somewhat...

And then she heard a cat mewling. Naru looked to see Artemis dart past their table. Followed by Minako and then Haruka, both looking mad as hell, nearly knocking them out of their chairs.

Once the girls got their balance back, Naru looked to Usagi. "The dirtbike?" Naru asked sheepishly.

Usagi sighed, then said, "The dirtbike."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had taken several more days before all of Naru's affairs were in order back in Japan. Mostly, she had to pile up enough money with what she had inherited. Selling off assets, including the OSA-P, the family business and her home. But at last, everything was paid off, in accordance with the deal for her pardon. And then, Naru Osaka and Gerio Umino quietly disappeared from Japan, as if they vanished into thin air.

Or rather, hid themselves in plain sight as they boarded a flight to the United States, thanks to image inducers supplied by Professor Xavier. Not to mention, his telepathy got them through all security checkpoints with no one the wiser.

Oddly enough, Dr. McCoy didn't bother with any such trickery. There were plenty in Japan still distrustful of mutants, but Naru figured no one would soon dare accost someone so close to Sailor Moon. Or someone who had helped ensure Magneto wouldn't menace Japan for a long time.

All throughout the long flight across the Pacific Ocean, Naru couldn't help but dwell on how much faster it might've been if they took the Blackbird. That thing was powerful enough to go IN SPACE! Or hell, just have someone like Rogue fly her across the ocean. After all, Remy had survived two such trips.

Of course, even if they had taken a quicker means of transportation, it might've done next to nothing about the jet lag. Amazing how her body could take poundings from Blob and Sabretooth, but something like that could still prove deleterious.

It messed with her head badly enough that it was difficult to concentrate after their plane had landed in John F. Kennedy Airport. A lot of things about New York City were surprisingly similar to Tokyo, yet in many other ways very different. Not the least of which was driving on the right side of the road. That weirdness, coupled with the jet lag, made it hard to appreciate and take in the sights.

Xavier had their van waiting in parking for their arrival. Naru sat in the middle row with Umino and Professor Xavier, just blankly staring out the window for most of the ride. This was the big city closest to her new home now, and it was all so overwhelming. And to think, they hadn't even gone through Manhattan!

Hopefully I'll be able to appreciate Manhattan first on the ground, not swinging between buildings on oily tendrils, like that Bugle photographer hinted at, Naru had thought to herself as Kitty drove them further away from the city, towards Westchester. She looked down at the copy of the Daily Bugle she had picked up after landing. On the cover, unsurprisingly, was Spider-Man fighting some really bizarre bad guys. OK, a dinosaur in a lab coat, and some old guy in a bird costume? she mused. Then again, I'll probably end up fighting plenty weirder than this...

Naru flipped through the paper, finally finding the photo that guy took of her, Umino and Usagi. She stared at the photo for a moment. Heh, if Usagi flew here with us, she'd be going bonkers taking in New York City, jet lag be damned.

She found herself missing Usagi already. Despite how humble she sounded when talking about her early days as Sailor Moon, Naru still wished she'd be around to help with her training. As she read through the segment about her, Naru wondered how the people of America would feel, knowing Eclipse was now among them. Could she ever earn the same trust here that Sailor Moon had back home?

"Naru, you OK?" Umino asked suddenly. He was sitting between her and Xavier. Naru looked up from her paper, seeing the amazement in the eyes behind those thick glasses. Jet lag wasn't exactly hindering him, either.

"Just wondering how Haruka would've handled driving through this city," Naru lied. "I mean, the traffic was way worse than in Tokyo in some spots."

"Plus, it would've been a pain in her car," said Umino. "By the way, she didn't want you to know, but... She said the transmission sticks now and then after you drove it..."

Naru snorted. She didn't need a reminder of her past antics. "Then why didn't you volunteer to fix it? I would've held it up so you could..."

Naru stopped when she looked ahead. At last, it looked like they had arrived. The van was approaching a beautiful, pristine mansion, even more wondrous than Usagi had described. The lush grounds seemed to stretch out forever, and it had such a serene atmosphere. To think, underneath that mansion was a place meant for training for war.

Xavier had told her one reason he decided against bringing them in the Blackbird was so the lower levels wouldn't be the first thing she saw. He wanted their first impression of the school to be a place of peace, a refuge. As she gazed upon the mansion as the van drew closer, Naru had to admit it was having the intended effect.

Kitty parked the van right in front of the mansion. After hesitating a moment, Naru got out to fetch Xavier's plastic wheelchair from the back, then helped him into it. When she was done, a shadow passed over her. The brief glimpse she got of it... Someone with wings? Like the weirdo Spider-Man was fighting? No, the jet lag must be playing tricks on her still.

"Gerio Umino, Naru Osaka, welcome to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning!" McCoy said proudly.

"There's a tagline that goes with such an introduction, but... We'll skip it this time," Kitty added.

Umino stared up in wonder at the mansion. If he was feeling jittery about being perhaps the only human here, he wasn't showing it. "It's... Words fail me, Kitty," he said at length. Meanwhile, Naru fetched all their luggage. With her strength and oily tendrils, it was a simple matter to securely sling it all over her shoulders.

McCoy was already wheeling Xavier up one of the ramps along the side of the main entrance, while Kitty and Umino went up the front steps. Naru was about to follow them, but then something dropped down. Or rather, someone! Someone with wings! Not like those ugly, mechanical things that old guy in the paper sported, but fluffy, white wings! Like those of an...

"A-A-A-Angel!?" Naru spluttered. She almost dropped all the luggage, despite the tendrils wrapped around them.

"Saw the van coming in while on my morning flight, so I decided to come welcome our newest arrivals!" Angel said warmly. He had on his black X-Men uniform, but as Naru stared up at him, she saw that wasn't the only difference from the footage Kitty had shown her.

"T-T-T-Thank you, Mr. Worthington. And... Uhhh, b-b-b-blue skin?" Naru asked timidly. "B-B-But, when I saw that recording from Washington D.C., your skin looked normal..."

There was a crackling sound from behind her, along with a pungent odor. Naru looked over her shoulder, and this time dropped all the luggage. A blue-furred demon thing emerged from a puff of smoke. He also wore a black uniform, though shoulder pauldrons protruded from his.

"And what, pray tell, is wrong with being blue?" the new arrival asked coyly. Naru remembered who this was too: Kurt Wagner, the acrobatic teleporter Nightcrawler. "My apologies for startling you, fräulein. After all, it's always nice to have another teleporter among us."

"C'mon, fuzzy elf, give Naru a chance to catch her breath," Kitty scolded. "Their orientation'll be soon enough, no need to spook Naru before then."

"No, Kitty, it's OK, they're fine," Naru said quickly as she used her tendrils to scoop the luggage back up. "I mean, after having Sabretooth breathing down my neck, it'll take more to spook me."

"That's the spirit, Ms. Osaka," said Angel. "And since Hank and the others are probably a bit worn out from the flight, why don't Kurt and I give you two the preliminary tour?"

"I'd... like that, thanks," said Naru anxiously as the three of the them went up the steps. This country, and this school, would take a lot of getting used to.

But as Naru looked up at the mansion, and then peered through the front doors, she felt like she was coming home.