Chapter 7-The Reveal

Mom was sleeping still when I arrived. I grabbed her luggage and started packing her stuff. My mind was crowded with conflicting emotions. Love, anger, worry, relief…

"Haruka? What are you doing?" Mom stirred, struggling to sit up.

I forced myself to take a deep breath. I had to choose my words carefully.

"Mom, I need you to go. For a little while." I looked at her in the eyes, feeling the pain radiating from her gaze.

She looked down and slowly nodded. "You are not ready. I understand. I thought….never mind. I will go in the morning."

I clenched my fists, reminding myself not to cave. I wanted to tell her the truth, that it was not safe here. That, however, would lead to questions. It was better to mislead her.

"Actually, I am packing your stuff now. I need you to leave soon…..I am sorry." I looked away, afraid my eyes would betray my emotions. "I will call a cab for you later."

Mom got out of bed with great effort. Her face contorted in pain as she stepped on her legs. She grabbed the bedpost and steadied herself. Mom looked at me with a half smile, "I am okay. Just weak from sleeping all day. Don't worry, Haruka. I understand. It was too sudden."

I rushed over and told her to sit down. "Mom, you don't have to stand up. I will do the packing. Actually, I should probably just drive you to your hotel. Help you get set up and stuff."

She reached over and stroked my hair. "Okay."

I put the last of mom's bags into the convertible. Mom was sitting on the front steps, waiting for me to come help her. I was glad Mako-chan offered to keep an eye on her while she stayed at the hotel. Just in case if the enemy figured out who she was. Mother of Sailor Uranus. That would make a perfect hostage for them.

"Hello, Tenou Haruka." A sinister voice said behind me.

I turned, clutching my transformation pen in my pocket. Sailor Iron Mouse stepped out of the shadow. She was wearing her civilian form still.

"You can't run away from me. Looks like I caught you before you flee." She turned to look at mom. "So obaasan, how do you know Haruka? Who are you?"

"Leave her out of this! This is between you and me." I stole a glance at mom. She stood, leaning on the wall, looking worried. She had the sense to stay quiet though.

Mouse turned and gave me a sinister smile. She leapt up into the air and shed her human clothes. "Give me your star seed. You are the best car racer in Japan and you shine with the brilliance of the star. You are also Sailor Uranus. I think you are the one I've been looking for. You and Sailor Neptune." She let out an evil laugh. "Surrender, or obaasan dies." Sailor Iron Mouse turned her bracelets toward mom.

There was no choice but to reveal myself. "Uranus Planet Power Make up!"

I emerged from the sun cocoon as Sailor Uranus. Mom gasped and her eyes tear up.

"Let her go and I will let you live." I should be able to run fast enough to get mom out of the shot range. I have a chance.

Sailor Iron Mouse laughed. "Then say goodbye to Obassan."

"Monster! Haruka, RUN." Mom hurled a large rock at the enemy. Unbelievably, the rock hit the sailor hard in the head. Mouse stumbled back and yelped in pain.

I ran to mom, put her on my back and started running. I zigzagged through the back alleys, trying to put some distance between us and the enemy. With mom on my back, I couldn't leap high enough. The only option was to keep running. I clicked open my communicator and send a distress signal to everyone. Then I called Michiru. "Make sure Hotaru is safe." If the enemy could track our address, they might have tracked the adoption papers. If they track far enough, they could figure out who Hotaru was.

Finally reaching the little cluster of forest behind our house, I put mom down. We stayed low in the bushes, obscured by darkness. Mom whispered a "thank you" to me. She looked up at me with wonder and sadness in her eyes.

I gestured her to be quiet. I looked around for any signs of movement. Just need to hold on for a few minutes until back up showed up. Normally, one on one was not a problem. With mom here, it changed the balance.

My communicator beeped softly. "Almost there." It flashed a message from Sailor Mercury.

Just then, a glow radiated from up ahead and the trees exploded. Sailor Iron Mouse appeared in front of us. "No more forest to hide in. First I will take your star seed, and then kill her. Or I will kill her first before I take your …."

"World shaking." I hurled the attack at her before she finished talking. I grabbed mom and started running again.

Poof. Sailor Iron Mouse materialized in front of us, a couple yards away. I put myself in front of mom. My options were quickly running out.

"Sailor Planet Power Attack!" A powerful rainbow beam shot out, piercing through the darkness. Sailor Iron Mouse turned in horror and screamed as the kill shot made direct contact. She fell from the sky and thudded on the ground.