If the Future May Fade Ch. 07

. . .

B-But it can't be. Helios went back to Elysian after the Nehelenia stunt. And Hotaru-chan is supposed to be working outside our galaxy fighting threats. They can't be sitting here in the 20th century. There's... no reason for them to be here. Right?

"Honda-sensei, this is Tsukino Nyanko. She's a transfer student from Kyoto," Yua announces to the small woman in front of the silent classroom. We obviously made a disruption but the teacher isn't protesting our tardiness or our rudeness. She just looks at us in complete awe before turning back to the class with a blinding smile.

"Why don't you tell the class about yourself?"

I can practically feel Hotaru and Helios glaring at me waiting for my response. And I feel my face burn red at their attention. "H-Hello, I'm Tsukino Nyanko like Y-Yua-chan said. I've moved from Kyoto to spend time with my family. Please take care of me," I offer a stiff bow and the class murmurs a soft welcome in response.

"We'll take her to her seat, class may resume, Honda-sensei."

When I raise my head I can see the two people of my past whispering to each other. Everybody else, though is just...mesmerized? Is that the right word? The girls take me and lead me to the back of the classroom and all eyes are on them. There's something special about them but I can't quite place my finger on it.

Before I can waste my time thinking too much into the girls, I brush it off as just interacting with new people. The only girls I've interacted with that were my age was my senshi so of course all of this is coming off strange. Settling into my seat, Midori sits beside me and Yua and Hana take places in the row in front of me and in the back of my head I know it's not possible that it's a coincidence that the only empty seat in the class is grouped with them.

"Okay everybody, take a look at page twenty three in your English workbooks."

. . .

Water splashes over my face and I reach for a paper towel. It took a lot of work to convince the girls I could in fact go to the restroom on my own. My dislike of learning is already swarming back to me. I've never been like Usagi in regards to school but it's times like this that I feel like giving into her laziness. It's already obvious that this is all what Ami has taught me. Simplified, even.

I sigh. So far the most interesting thing about getting to class is the two familiar faces. That said, I haven't even had the opportunity to track down Helios and Hotaru to ensure that my eyes aren't playing some sort of cruel joke. Not that it would be the weirdest thing that I've witnessed already.

There was the voices I heard last night. There was the senshi having trouble defeating the enemy. And there was...Mamoru. He's the polar opposite of everything I've heard and this new attitude is enough to run shivers down my spine. In a bad way.

Especially after learning that it was only after he started dating Beryl-san that the attitude started.

Beryl. Beryl. There's something about that name that strikes a chord with my memory. All I can deduce is that her name has a bad association with it. It's too blurry though to-

"Chibiusa."

Her voice breaks me from my thoughts. The only one who could know my name...I whip around and meet the purple eyes of the speaker. Deep purple hair, purple eyes, and pursed lips. She looks pissed. "H-Hotaru-chan. What a coincidence meeting up with you here!"

She looks at me and arches an eyebrow. "Isn't it, Nyanko-chan?" The words are chilling and I inch away from her. But she doesn't accept my fear and backs me into the wall. "A coincidence because you're supposed to be in the thirtieth century! Why are you here?"

"I-I kind of sort of ran away."

There it is. I said it. Now I can't take it back.

Hotaru's eyes widen and she grabs my wrist. "You have to go back! You're going to get yourself killed!" Her eyes plead with me but I don't see the reason for her obvious desperation. Everything should be fine in the end.

"No I'm not! Sailor Moon is here protecting everybody and all that guardian stuff! Papa told me the story when I was growing up! I'm not going to go back just to be primped and primed for a crown I won't have for hundreds of years!"

"Small Lady-" The name falls from her lips uneasily and she shakes her head. "No, Chibiusa, listen to me! This isn't the past you know!" A pained look crosses her eyes and she squeezes my wrist tightly. "If you don't go back, I can promise you will never be born!" She grits through her teeth, her voice echoing slightly.

I tear my hand from her grasp and hold it to my chest. "What?"

The bell rings, ending the moment. Hotaru turns away but I won't let her. I run into her path and throw my arms out to block the door. "Explain, Hotaru-chan! You can't leave me like that!"

She looks at me and I can see her calculating how much she would hurt me if she threw me to the ground. She would never. And finally, Hotaru relents. "The Order of Things have changed, Chibiusa. And if you don't go back home right now—you will watch both of your parents die as you fade from existence."

. . .

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