Author's Note: I CANNOT believe it took me this long to update! I feel bad because this chapter had been ready for a while. The only explanation is that this evil thing that I call "real life" got in the way and delayed it. Plus, I had to make a few changes to the story that I -hope- you all will enjoy (don't worry, these are changes to be made in the future). Anywho, I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Sailor Moon.

Chapter Five

"If I had the luxury of being able to roam freely as I please," the tall man remarked keenly, "I would seize each and every single opportunity I had to peruse the wonders of civilization and mingle with other individuals of my age and mentality… especially if I were invited to attend social functions where I would be surrounded by beautiful and nubile women."

"I wholeheartedly agree," the younger blonde man beside him declared loudly, narrowing his eyes scornfully at the third man standing in the room. "You are the luckiest son of a bitch on the planet and I hate you. I should have killed you when I had the chance."

Mamoru glared scornfully at the two patronizing young men sitting comfortably on his leather couch, regretting and damning himself for having anything to do with their redemption. The youngest, in particular, was the most unpleasant and rambunctious of them all and perhaps it would have been best if he had allowed him kill him. He wondered miserably what he had done in a past life to deserve such vindictive and conniving friends… but then mentally slapped himself because he did know exactly what he had done in his past life. There was absolutely no justice in the world.

"Don't look at me like that, Mamoru. I may take it a bit personally," the blond one continued annoyingly. " You brought this onto yourself. You can't expect to get everything you want without there being some sort of consequence."

"What I want is to be left alone and to have one day of peace," he replied irritably, pacing the length of his finely-furnished living room. The bright afternoon sun gleaming from the large windows did nothing to soothe his mood.

"You sought me out and I graciously gave you my guidance. I hardly think that warrants me your contempt."

"I wanted to speak with Nephrite," Mamoru replied through painfully gritted teeth. "But now you've run him off!"

"It isn't my fault you grabbed the wrong crystal."

"It was an accident! And if you don't shut up, I'll throw yours into the Mariana Trench and happily watch you sink!"

"Gentlemen, please," the oldest interjected calmly, his long white hair enhancing the effect of his sensible demeanor. "It is disgraceful to watch you both behave so despicably. I would say you're acting like children but I do not wish to insult them with such a comparison."

"He started it by interrupting my peaceful slumber! Quite rudely, I might add," the blond man said, sticking his nose in the air.

"Jadeite, if you continue speaking, I will joyfully support Endymion in making the bottom of the ocean your permanent new home and feel no remorse about it. Now for the love of the gods, please return to your dwelling."

Jadeite stared impassively at his superior. It was not the first time he had been threatened to have his stone be disposed of, cracked, hurled, melted, donated to the Smithsonian… nor would it be the last. He shrugged in indifference, grabbing the remote control and turning on the big-screen television. A new episode of Law & Order was on today and detective Lennie Briscoe was quickly becoming his favorite character.

Mamoru rolled his eyes to glower at the ceiling and counted backwards to ten in his head. "Kunzite," he said looking to the older man apologetically, "I appreciate your help with this brainless scoundrel, but I have told you over a thousand times not to call me Endymion."

"Forgive me, my prince," Kunzite replied soundly. "I will try not to let it happen again."

"Don't call me 'my prince,' either. Please call me Mamoru."

"I'm sorry, Mamoru. Ancient habits are hard to break."

Mamoru sighed in defeat, knowing full well that Kunzite would never stop calling him Endymion or any other formal title he had been educated to regard him as. It was one of the many reasons it was best for the respected ancient general of the Earth Kingdom during the Silver Millennium to be kept out of the public eye… for the time being, at least.

It had been difficult at first, becoming comfortable in associating with former enemies who had betrayed you and tried to kill you, your friends, the whole city, the world population… but surprisingly, the adaptation had run rather smoothly (with the exception of the occasional "friendly" quarrel between Mamoru and Jadeite).

He was indebted to them in this lifetime, and he would forever remember that fated stormy night when the tall and imposing Kunzite had cornered him into a dark alley. He had instantly recognized the dull, gray uniform that was the trademark of the Dark Kingdom, and had bravely attempted to break free of his firm grasp. It was useless, of course, for the older man beat him in both build and stature. Kunzite had then looked at him straight in the face full of sorrow, icy blue eyes moistened with unshed tears, and bent to his knees, begging Mamoru for forgiveness.

"Damn it all to the abyss of hell," Jadeite exclaimed brashly, startling Mamoru out of his thoughts. "It doesn't come on for another hour." He began to madly change the channels, then, getting a thoughtful look on his face, he abruptly stood and left the room.

"That was incredibly simple," Kunzite said dryly. "If I had known that that's what it took to get him to leave, I would have demolished that mind-rotting metal box ages ago."

Mamoru and Kunzite watched in disappointment as not a minute later, Jadeite happily returned carrying a game console under his left arm, placing it gently on the floor as it were a fine piece of priceless art.

"Where did you get that?" Mamoru angrily asked as Jadeite connected the gray cables into the large television. "I don't own anything like that!"

Jadeite shrugged elegantly. "It belongs to Zoicite. I am only borrowing it," he lied. "You know how obsessed he is with this technology. And I've wanted to play that new Super Mario All-Stars for months."

Mamoru ran his hand through his dark hair, wondering how long it would take to get to the Mariana Islands. "None of you have any money to afford something like this."

"I know."

"So how did he obtain it?"

"I suppose he used your money."

Mamoru pinched the bridge of his nose, struggling to keep his anger in check. "Jadeite," he gently asked the young man who was now sitting on the floor with a game controller. "Do you think of me as some sort of idiot? Do you truly believe, even for the slightest of moments, that I would ever trust your word… in anything?"

"Yes," Jadeite replied, now fully engrossed in the game. He was actually quite skillful and he fully intended on taking advantage of his free time to amuse himself with electronics, which did not happen as often as he wished. "Yes, to the latter, as well."

If Mamoru had not been beaten down with moral values and reason, Jadeite would never see the light of day again, judging by the look of absolute murderous intent plastered upon his face. Kunzite remained seated quietly, mentally chanting a mantra.

"If you think that I'm going to allow--"

"Mamoru, stop avoiding the subject," Jadeite interrupted him, keeping his green eyes on the screen. "I know that you are noble and all that other nonsense that you royals are conditioned with since birth, but it sickens me beyond belief at how ungrateful you are to this second chance at life that you have been given. You are still alive, a benefit that I do not have, and if I did, I would not be wasting it by being surrounded with these dreary walls instead of in the arms of a willing woman."

Did he honestly have to come home everyday to this? Mamoru had spent the first few hours after he arrived from school brooding and Kunzite would have none of that, questioning him relentlessly on his mood. This inquiry then lead to the need of assistance from Nephrite, his rationality would be of great use since Zoicite was taking his afternoon nap, but concluded with Jadeite's unfortunate presence and refusal to go back within his crystal, and Nephrite refused to be in the same room. Mamoru glanced at Kunzite who was still in a meditative state… or asleep. Mamoru wasn't too sure.

"So because you are a dunce and pathetic when it comes to the human necessity that we call common sense," Jadeite continued with an authoritative air. "You will go to that party, or whatever it is you adolescents of today term it as, and you shall remain there until the festivities have ended and hopefully -- although, I highly doubt it since it is you we are discussing -- you will enjoy it."

Mamoru reckoned that if Jadeite were to have a twin, that twin would be none other than his other rowdy and meddling friend, Asanuma. The resemblance in attitude and arrogance was uncanny. "Why am I even listening to your opinion?" he asked. "I'm older and far more knowledgeable than you. I will never understand what my father was thinking when he allowed you to become part of the imperial guard."

"The King was awed by my proficiency with a sword and dashing good looks," Jadeite assured simply. "And if I recall correctly, the Queen was rather fond of me, too." He cursed at the screen after Mario got hit by a fireball, shrinking him down to "regular" Mario .

The whole scene taking place in Mamoru's living room -- Kunzite meditating on the couch and Jadeite playing video games on the floor -- was quite a sight to behold, and if Mamoru had not seen or been part of more bizarre events, the situation would have been highly comical and very ridiculous.

But the situation, regrettably, was indeed very real.

Mamoru frowned at the back of Jadeite's unruly blond head intensely, reflecting over his accurate words, and for a moment, he began to feel somewhat uncomfortable. It was the same guilty feeling that overcame him when he had first received the memories of his past as the Earth Prince, for if they had come sooner, the loss of two of his reincarnated guardians could have been avoided. He allowed himself to drop on the couch next to Kunzite.

"He is right, Endymion," Kunzite commented suddenly, apparently not asleep. "You have imprisoned yourself here for far too long. It is time that you step outside of your school obligations."

Jadeite paused the game, turning his head to look squarely at Kunzite with wide, shocked eyes. "You agree with me," he stated, flabbergasted.

"Yes… I do," Kunzite said carefully, raising a pale eyebrow. "Am I not allowed to be in agreeance with you?"

"Well, yes… but, I -- you… You agreed with me!"

"I am afraid I do not--"

"You once said that it would take a disastrous event and my talking corpse for you to finally agree with me."

Kunzite was not the type of man to be easily intimidated or be frightened into immobility, but it was the first time in over a millennium, even after seeing countless battles and wars, that he was rendered absolutely speechless.

"You are indeed a man of your word." Jadeite smiled pleasantly and genuinely and returned to his game.

Shaking his head at Jadeite's flair for the overdramatic, Kunzite placed a hand on Mamoru's shoulder. "Your companions, Furuhata and Ittou -- they have good reason. They merely insisted on your presence, Endymion, it is not for you to run yourself into such a temperament."

Mamoru could not believe that Kunzite would ever suggest that Asanuma had a smidgeon of reason in that twisted head of his. He groaned. "Not you, too."

"I am quite serious, prince." He looked stonily at Mamoru, making him almost shiver in fear. "I would think that after what we have gone through to rid mankind of that evil woman, you would appreciate the freedom you have been granted. This is not the Silver Millennium anymore, Endymion, so there are no more hindrances to your happy ending. There is no more reason for you to run from your destiny."

It was when Kunzite looked at him with coldness that made Mamoru squirm a little… but only a little. Not that Kunzite would ever do anything to harm Mamoru, no, on the contrary, he had shown time after time again exactly what he was willing to sacrifice in order to ensure the safety of the reincarnated prince, which included his own young life.

Kunzite was the only one that could make Mamoru feel inferior, or more precisely, like a wandering lost child. The feeling was disconcerting, a feeling that Mamoru had promised himself, since his first few weeks at the orphanage, to never allow to affect him again. After waking up at the hospital with absolutely no memory of his past, truly he had been reborn that day, he had to start all over and he would have to do it himself. Since then, he had been an introvert, never allowing anyone into his little world of obscurity. It was selfish, perhaps (he thought now), but like most self-imposed barriers they eventually fell. Mamoru was a man of accomplishments and detested waste, though now those years of isolation seemed ridiculous and he was thankful of persistent people like Motoki, whose kind soul refused to be blocked by Mamoru's walls. Kunzite may have had the frustrating ability to make him feel foolish, it was necessary for his stubborn and unrelenting attitude and he was thankful for that.

Mamoru sighed and was just about to agree with his two guardians when the doorbell rang incessantly. Jadeite rapidly paused his game and looked worriedly back at Kunzite who raised an eyebrow in response. Jadeite sighed and sullenly left the room. After Mamoru heard the soft click of a bedroom door closing, he yelled, "Enter," the front door proceeded to open swiftly, allowing two handsome young men to enter the living room. Mamoru damned himself again.

"Well, what do we have here, Motoki? A little testosterone fest, I see! Now all we need are some girls, and most importantly, beer!" Asanuma crossed the room after removing his shoes and clapped Mamoru on the back of shoulder. Mamoru grunted.

Motoki remained by the door and bowed his head. "Kunzite. Mamoru."

Kunzite had already risen from the couch and bowed elegantly. "Furuhata. Ittou."

Mamoru waved at them from his seat. "I knew it was too much to hope that I would not see you two this evening," he said, rubbing a hand through his hair. "In fact, I expected you sooner."

"We would have come earlier," explained Motoki as he took a seat in the recliner. "But I had to stop by the arcade because I had to give Unazuki the keys to close up tonight. It will be my first Friday night off in months and I am not taking any chances."

Asanuma was now sitting on the floor where Jadeite previously sat and lifted up the controller, frowning. "Damn, Mamoru, I didn't know you had a Super Nintendo. I'm upset that you haven't invited me over so I can slaughter you." He unpaused the game and continued the game.

Mamoru glared at the back of Asanuma's head who was happily controlling the little Mario character around green pipes and throwing fireballs at oddly-shaped animated turtles. Pressing his lips into a thin line to keep from grinning, Mamoru knew he could just as easily throw Asanuma across the room and not break a single drop of sweat. This brightened his bad mood immensely.

"So," he said, still thinking of different ways to harm Asanuma, "You two aren't going to give up."

Motoki gave a bright smile. "Not a chance, pal, you're going whether you like it or not. I have plenty of backup if I need to drag you out of this building," he nodded to Asanuma and Kunzite, "and I'm very certain we three can take you." Of course, he and Asanuma were no match for Mamoru, but Kunzite could keep him down. Motoki was positive.

For several seconds, the only sound that filled the room was the game music coming from the television. Mamoru eyed each of his friends carefully. He knew Asanuma was waiting silently for his response, too, for the little Italian plumber superhero was no longer running in the two-dimensional space.

If he concentrated hard enough and closed his eyes, he could even hear the soft breathing of the sleeping Zoicite in the second bedroom. He sighed. Really, there was no reason for him to prolong his self-induced alienation from the world.

There were no more cries for help or screams of mercy in the wind. He was free.

Mamoru stood from the couch and ran a hand through his already impeccable hair in a useless attempt to fix it. "Well, I suppose I should change," he said, looking down at his school uniform.

Motoki squinted at him silently, and for a second Mamoru thought he might be angry or upset. But almost instantly the frown left his face and was replaced by his usual friendly smile. "Yes, I think you should definitely change."

Chibiusa had been about to hyperventilate and trying to assure herself that it would be fine because it was only her mom, even if it was a younger version of her, so they most certainly would get along. She sat stunned as Usagi's form appeared at the entrance of the drawing room and for the life of her she couldn't figure out why. She was no stranger to her mother's beauty but it seemed as if in this point in time it was magnified, more powerful, and just as captivating if not more as it was in the future.

She squinted at the young, pink-haired girl on the couch, confusion marking her pretty features, but then a flash of recognition spread across her face and she proceeded to walk briskly across the room. Chibiusa was sure her mouth had been open and she was about to close it when suddenly Usagi's foot got caught at the edge of the embroidered rug and she stumbled, quickly trying valiantly to regain her balance but only managing to grab handfuls of air. It was like watching everything in slow motion, and Chibiusa watched in shock as Usagi fell forward, right on her face with a loud thud. Chibiusa's hand was instinctively in midair, as if in hope to catch her, but she had made no move to stand from the couch. She was completely immobile and she desperately wanted to pinch herself to make sure this wasn't a nightmare.

Almost immediately, Usagi jumped up from the floor and began rubbing her reddening nose. "Ouch," she grumbled, "that one really hurt." She was frowning and she seemed to be mumbling to herself. She then looked up and gave Chibiusa a big smile. "But don't worry, I'm fine."

All Chibiusa could do was stare dumbly, her mouth still hanging open in disbelief. "Are you sure you're okay?" she managed to stammer out. A fall like that most certainly would have given her a concussion.

"Completely," Usagi replied, waving her small hand dismissively. "It happens all the time. This is nothing compared to my other falls."

Chibiusa blinked, finally managing to close her mouth tightly. Only a few seconds before, she had been practicing in her mind what she would say to her mother -- her "cousin" once they officially met, but now her mind was completely blank. She was absolutely terrified.

Usagi smiled reassuringly, seeming to notice the discomfort in Chibiusa's face. "My mom told me you would be coming," she began to explain quickly, "I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to see you this morning but I've been anxious all day." She walked and stood directly in front of Chibiusa, bowing. "I'm Usagi and I am so happy to finally meet you."

Chibiusa slowly stood up, trying to keep her trembling body steady. She bowed quickly and gave a tight smile. "My name is Usagi, too, but everyone calls me Chibiusa. It's a pleasure to meet you, as well."

It was sort of like looking into a mirror that had become foggy with moisture after one took a long, steaming hot shower. The reflection in the mirror was of the person looking in, but at the same time it wasn't, it was a distorted, blurry version of that individual. So really, if a reflection did not show it's true image, was it an entirely different person? Was that someone perhaps, someone else? Chibiusa liked to think so.The faces were shaped the same, including the eyes, though the color and the amount of lashes differed greatly. The lips were a different shape, Chibiusa's were slightly bigger and more rounder, while Usagi's were small and pretty with a well-defined Cupid's bow. She was also taller and bigger, but not by much. Usagi had always been petite, and Chibiusa, although small too, was more muscular (how, she didn't know, but she was, perhaps it was her walks at night).

Mother and daughter stood facing each other, taking in the resemblances, and the feeling of familiarity and joy. Usagi suddenly stepped forward and embraced Chibiusa warmly, like if they had known each other their entire lives.

Chibiusa closed her eyes, absorbing the warmth of her mother's hug, inhaling the sweet scent of flowers that always seemed to surround her and for one small moment she allowed herself to believe that this was her real mother, that she was back in her time, in her home. Just as quickly as the feeling of content consumed her, it quickly vanished, and she felt a slight tug in her chest at her foolishness. She entangled herself from the embrace, but Usagi held on to her arms.

"You're so beautiful," she said with a smile, making Chibiusa's eyes widen in surprise. "I wish I could be as pretty as you."

Again, Chibiusa was stunned into disbelief. Surely, Usagi had an idea of how beautiful she was and that Chibiusa didn't compare. "You're kidding, right?" Chibiusa asked. "Trust me, Usagi, you are very pretty. You're fine." Maybe she had hit her head in the fall.

Usagi looked down at the floor, biting her lip, allowing her hands to settle at her sides. "How was your trip?" she asked, as they both sat on the couch.

"Um, good," Chibiusa replied, hoping she sounded honest.

"Eh, that was sort of a stupid question," Usagi said, rubbing the back of her neck. "You travel so much, this trip must be like nothing to you."

"I suppose, yes."

The atmosphere became very awkward as the two fifteen-year-old girls silently looked around the room. Chibiusa stared at a finished canvas of a bowl of fruit that Ikuko had painted leaning against a side table filled with various tempera paints and oil pastels. Her grandmother was a fantastic artist and in the future, she would even come to sell some of her homely paintings.

"She loves to paint, draw, sketch, anything," said Usagi, nodding to the various drawings scattered on another table. "I can't even draw decent stick figures." She sighed, not noticing Chibiusa nodding, who knew it was true. "Do you like art?"
"Yes, a little. I'm pretty good at sketching, but I guess I don't have a real passion or skill for it. I do like it, though."

"What are you good at? What do you like to do?" Usagi asked eagerly.

Chibiusa took a deep breath, she knew these questions were inevitable. "Hmm, well, I like to read and I do best in math and science," she said, seeing Usagi scrunch her nose in distaste. "I like to sometimes play tennis, sometimes I walk or jog. I'm not really one to do outrageous things. I like to stay home, but I can do plenty of outdoor things like hiking." She looked to her mother, who had her complete attention on her. "Actually, that's almost everything about me. I'm not that interesting. I'm just… normal." She shrugged. She figured she should indulge in the truth of her personality since she would be lying about her identity these next few months… or however long she was going to be in this time. She bit the inside of her cheek to not try and think about that.

Usagi laughed. "You're funny. Believe me, you are a very interesting person and definitely not normal -- you're beyond it." She patted Chibiusa on the knee. "I can tell."

Chibiusa frowned. "How?"

Usagi shrugged, looking away towards the window. "I don't know, I just know you are. It's a gift, really, at least that is what grandmother used to say." She shifted on the couch, placing her leg underneath her. "I mean, do you ever just look at someone and know that they are something else? Something special? Like you were supposed to meet them and they will affect your life in a positive way? That's how I feel about you. I can see in your eyes that have a good heart and that everyone you encounter in your life will always remember you." Her light blue eyes stared deep into Chibiusa's stormy blue ones. "We were meant to be related," she grinned, "and definitely meant to be friends."

A thousand feelings and thoughts rushed through her body and Chibiusa at that moment felt like confessing everything to Usagi. She was so different yet so much like how she would be that Chibiusa thought she would cry and she didn't know why. Her mother had always said that, that she could instantly tell if she was going to like a person or not. Chibiusa thought she was just being prematurely judgmental but almost always her suspicions about a person were correct. She wondered if it really was a gift that Usagi had about people or if it was connected to her being Sailor Moon. Either way, she was accurate in her declaration of them being destined to be bonded by blood.

In ways, despite their differences, Chibiusa often did consider her mother her best friend and hardly ever lied to her. When she did, however, surprisingly, it was not very hard. She remembered her father once saying that usually the biggest lies you will ever tell will be to the ones you love the most. She wondered how often her father had lied to her or her mother. To be fair, both of her parents had lied to her, even if it was by omitting the truth of their heroic pasts.

"Yes," Chibiusa finally said, "perhaps we won't just be cousins, but friends as well."

"We will be." Usagi got up and walked to the drawing room entrance. "Come and let's go to my room for privacy. Do you know your way around?" Chibiusa nodded. "Yeah, Shingo should be home soon, he always plays video games at his friends' houses every Friday… have you met him, yet?" Chibiusa shook her head no, trying to imagine what her Uncle Shingo looked like in this time. "Eh, there isn't much to know about him anyway. He's like every other brother -- annoying and exist only to bother their older sisters."

"I don't have any brothers or sisters, so I really don't know." Chibiusa tried not to sound accusing but she didn't always enjoy being an only child.

"Lucky," Usagi sighed dreamily. "I wonder what that's like."

They walked fast, almost running to Usagi's room upstairs. Chibiusa tried to pretend to be interested in the details of the pink-infested room, to give the impression that she had never seen it before, but the love for all things pink and the absolute mess were not foreign to her. Usagi scratched her head trying to cover her embarrassment.

"Sorry for the mess, I just don't always have time to pick it up," she said, folding a pair of pajama pants in a drawer. "My friend Ami says that some of the geniuses of the world were quite messy and that it doesn't truly show the personality of that person." She began to kick some of the clothes to the edge of the room. "But I think she was just trying to be nice. Plus, I'm far from being a genius."

"My mom's the same way, so I'm used to it. She calls me a neat-freak," Chibiusa commented softly.

"Really?" Usagi asked in surprise. "Aunt Setsuna seems like she's so tidy and organized and clean."

"Appearances tend to be deceiving." Chibiusa looked away out the window, the afternoon sun casting a soft glow. She didn't want to talk about her mother, real or fake.

"That is something I definitely believe." Usagi was now sitting on the edge of her bed, patting the space next to her for Chibiusa to sit down. "If I believed what others said or how they appeared, I wouldn't have the best friends that I have now. They are the proof of what you just said."

"Tell me about your friends. Have you known them long?" Chibiusa asked, sitting next to her on the bed.

Usagi pursed her lips, looking at the ceiling in contemplation. "I've known them for over a year now but I feel like I've known them my whole life."

"Oh?"
"Yes, it's like -- well, I can't explain it, but believe me when I say they are the best!" Her eyes lit up excitedly. "In fact, you can meet them this afternoon if you like. One of them, Minako, she's having a birthday celebration tonight and she told me to tell you about it, if you're interested. Would you like to go? So many of us from school will be there."

"I--" Chibiusa's heart sped up and the dizziness she had experienced earlier overcame her once again. Slowly integrating herself into this world, this other time, to the time of her parents as adolescents was not what she had in mind. Being thrust into a party where everyone would no doubt gather was an entirely different matter. Obviously, Setsuna had known exactly where she had placed her in this time and she was beginning to become suspicious of this particular point in time. Usagi had said a party…

"Chibiusa? Chibiusa, are you okay?" Usagi was waving a hand in front of her face. "Are you all right? That's the second time you've sort of spaced out on me."
Chibiusa blinked. "A party? You said one of your friends is going to have a party?"

Usagi smiled warmly. "Yes, my friend, Minako. She's turning sixteen and she's really --" Usagi made a clicking noise with her tongue. "Minako likes to put on a show." She shook her head. "I can't think of the word, Ami said it the other day…"

"Ostentatious?" Chibiusa supplied.

"Yes, that's the one. Minako is ostentatious and she is incredibly nice and really knows how to have fun. All my closest friends will be there and they are also excited to meet you." She raised her dark eyebrows in hope.

"I--" Chibiusa didn't understand why she hesitated but something in the back of her mind poked her to remember the importance of Usagi's words. She was fully aware of Minako's dominating presence at every single festivity or special occasion they attended, and it appeared that in this time, things were no different. Still, as much as she wanted to say no, since Chibiusa didn't particularly like parties, though she knew it was important for her to attend. She smiled graciously. "Sure," she said, "That would be great."

"Wonderful!" Usagi exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly. "It doesn't start for a couple of hours, but by then I'm sure you'll be more relaxed and we can get ready," she added with a wink while rummaging through her closet.

Chibiusa's cheeks reddened in embarrassment. "I don't m-mean to be," she stuttered.

"Don't worry about it," Usagi waved it off. "It's normal for you to feel like that. You're taking it pretty well actually. If I was in your position, I would be crying like a baby."

Chibiusa couldn't deny that, her mother seemed to have an infinite amount of tears. As a rule, they did not keep tragic movies in the house.

As they continued to speak and "get to know" each other, Chibiusa couldn't help but notice her mother's extremely cheerful attitude. That wasn't to say that she was highly different from her future persona, yet there had obviously been a great change before then. Her mother, despite having the biggest heart out everyone she knew, was rather cautious of the world, as if afraid that it would sting at the most inopportune moment. If anything, she was a shadow of this beautiful, bubbly girl that no force could ever destroy. It all of a sudden saddened her, and Chibiusa once again felt like crying, not really sure why, but knew that this change in her mother was one of the reasons she was here in this time in the first place. After the brief moment of calm that Usagi had bestowed upon her, the fear she had been inundated earlier returned full-force.

The hours passed by quickly, and before Chibiusa could take it in, she was thrust once again into an unfamiliar world. For a small moment she recalled the times she had begged to know of this particular time in her parents' past, yet now, she wanted nothing to do with it.

A/N: I must admit, it was a little difficult writing this mother-daughter scene. I wanted it to be more awkward, but as I wrote it, it ran smoothly. Strange.

Anywho, reviews? Please? No?