SINS OF YOUTH

Chapter 3: "Til Proven Guilty"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Hotaru sat on her bed and frowned at the computer next to it. She had tried to call Usa, but there was no answer from the Princess. Hotaru wondered what Usa could be doing.

But mostly she wondered why Cere-Cere had destroyed that restaurant. It had been Cere, in her guise of Sailor Ceres, in front of the restaurant. There was no doubt. And who else could control plant life the way Sailor Ceres could? But why would Ceres do such a thing? Had she been battling to defend someone in the restaurant?

No. Hotaru remembered the look she saw on Ceres' face. Ceres had willfully destroyed the place for nothing more than the perverse enjoyment of it. Hotaru had never faced Cere or the others when they had been fighting for the Dead Moon Circus, but she'd heard some stories from Minako Aino and she'd researched as much of the records of the time as had survived from the twentieth century. This was something the old Cere-Cere would do.

And that's why she wanted to talk to Usa: to warn her, first, but also to discuss what they should do. If Cere-Cere was a danger, Hotaru felt she had to tell someone about it. But Cere was also a friend, and the idea of turning her over to the authorities made Hotaru feel vaguely disloyal. And if it was something other than Cere reverting to her old ways, turning her in might harm their friendship and that was something Hotaru didn't want.

"Oh, Usa," Hotaru sighed and flopped down on the bed. "I wish you'd pick up."

There was a knock on Hotaru's door. Sighing in frustration, Hotaru stopped the call to her friend's room.

"Come in," she said unenthusiastically. The girl had a feeling she knew who it was.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Haruka asked, poised in the doorway.

"Usa must be busy," Hotaru answered.

"Umm," Haruka nodded. She ambled over until she was next to the bed, towering over petite Hotaru. The girl seemed to shrink a little. "This thing with the restaurant has really got you strung out."

She waited, but Hotaru didn't reply. So Haruka continued.

"I don't know why," Haruka continued. "With some of the stuff we both know you've gone through in your life, something like this shouldn't give you this much trouble."

Again she paused and again Hotaru stayed silent.

"Unless there's more to it."

Hotaru released an involuntary, but very telling sigh.

"I know I'm not the Princess," Haruka told her, "but I'm willing to listen if she can't."

"I'm not sure I should tell you," Hotaru responded. Haruka could hear the pain in the girl's voice. "I'm sorry, Papa."

"Is it about that crack I made earlier about - - what's his name? I'm sorry about that, Firefly. You're my most important and I get a little nuts sometimes because of that. But if it's important to you, I can control my temper. Don't feel you have to hide things from me because you're afraid of how I'll react."

"It might help if you used his name," Hotaru murmured. "It isn't about Yutaka."

"Then what is it?" Haruka persisted. "Hotaru, I want to help. I hate seeing you like this. But I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."

"I know," Hotaru whispered. "Maybe that's the problem. Maybe nobody can help."

Haruka stared down at the slight teen that meant so much to her. Her face twisted in agony. Michiru had warned her not to venture in, but she needed to. She needed to give Hotaru the love and support and understanding that she never got as a child those many years ago. She wanted to be the parent to Hotaru that her parents weren't to her. But the girl wouldn't let her. The gulf of age separated them. And, no matter how close they were, Haruka was the disciplinarian and that fear that being the disciplinarian instilled in a child would always be there. Haruka felt like lashing out, but she kept it in. That was the last thing she could do.

There was a knock on the door, followed by Michiru entering the room. Since Haruka was already in there, Michiru felt there was no need to ask permission. Haruka glanced at her and at once picked up on the mystified anxiety in her mate's face.

"Hotaru," Michiru said softly, "could you come out here please."

Reluctantly Hotaru got off the bed and went into the outer living quarters. Haruka followed, silently questioning Michiru the entire time. Michiru could offer nothing, though. In the outer room, the mystery only deepened.

"Y-Your Majesty?" Hotaru gasped. Endymion stood in the center of the room.

"Hotaru," Endymion said. He was calm, but very business-like. "Surveillance drones have placed you in the vicinity of Sashimi's Inn at about eight forty-five tonight. You're not in any trouble. I want you to tell me exactly what you saw."

As she looked up at the king, Hotaru felt her insides begin churning. For a moment she considered covering for Cere, but the look on Endymion's face told her that his surveillance drones had already identified everyone there, including Cere. The eyes of her adoptive parents bored into the back of her head as Endymion held her attention with an iron gaze of his own. Hotaru wanted to run and hide. There seemed to be no way out of it, though.

"All right," Hotaru answered, her voice quavering. She forced her gaze down, unable to continue looking at Endymion.

Little had changed in the Asteroids' quarters. Palla-Palla and Cere-Cere were both asleep in their rooms, while Ves-Ves listened to samba music and Jun-Jun ether-shopped for hover bike accessories. It was a typical night, free for once of homework during the school break and untroubled by senshi business.

"King Endymion and Queen Serenity desire entry," announced the environmental computer. Jun looked to Ves with surprised and saw it mirrored in her sister. The Royal Couple never visited them in their quarters. They were always summoned to the Royal Chambers when something was up.

"Uh oh, what did I do now?" Ves frowned.

"Come in, please," Jun said breathlessly. The computer complied and opened the door.

Endymion walked into the room, wearing his standard pale gray tuxedo and white cape. His demeanor was quiet, but confident and commanding as always. The two teens instantly fell ill at ease, for Endymion always projected an aura that was just a little bit intimidating. Behind him was Serenity, dressed in her strapless white gown with the bow in the back that resembled the wings of an angel. As usual, she disdained her crown - - Serenity had given up wearing it years ago except for special occasions, maintaining that it put people at a distance. She was anything but intimidating. However, the solemn look of distress on her face was not reassuring.

"I'd like to speak with Cere-Cere," Endymion told them. His tone was calm and even, but the undercurrent of it told them not to argue.

"Uh, sure," Jun nodded nervously. "I'll go get her."

"What's wrong?" Ves asked. As usual, Ves showed little deference to authority. It was a trait that Endymion secretly admired in the girl - - at times. Now was not one of those times.

"What time did Cere-Cere get home tonight?" Endymion asked.

"She's been here all night," Ves replied with as much challenge as she could muster. The girl sensed the tone of this visit from her vast experience dodging the law in her previous life and, though she didn't know what Cere was suspected of, Ves knew Cere was a suspect and would protect her however she could. "Why?"

"Ves-Ves," Endymion frowned, "don't compound this situation further by lying to protect her. I won't warn you again."

"Who says I'm lying?" Ves shot back belligerently. "I suppose you've got proof?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Endymion replied cooly. "Cere-Cere is shown by surveillance cameras returning through the front gate at 9:06 pm."

Before Ves could reply further, Jun and Cere entered the room. Cere seemed groggy, but the sight of the king and queen snapped her out of her haze. She had put a robe over her clingy satin romper, but the sheer nature of the robe didn't really help a lot.

"Cere-Cere," Endymion began cooly, but with a sharp gaze, "what did you do when you were out tonight?"

"Tonight?" Cere asked. Everyone could see she was searching her memory, as if trying to identify something that would be the cause of this. "I went to this club. I was looking for a date. This guy came up and we got to talking." Cere seemed to mist up a little with emotion. "But - - it was too soon. Too soon after Gallan, you know? I-I brushed him off."

"That's all?" Endymion asked.

Cere's brow furrowed. "Yeah. I must have fallen asleep. It's all I remember."

"You fell asleep?" Endymion asked, eyeing her critically. "Cere-Cere, did you have any alcohol to drink tonight?"

Immediately Cere tensed. Her eyes popped just slightly. Though she didn't reply, everyone in the room knew the answer.

"The truth," Endymion added sternly.

"Hiro," Cere admitted reluctantly, "bought me a couple of drinks." She sagged. "I know I'm not supposed to, but I'm seventeen! I thought I could handle it! Guess I couldn't."

"What club was this?"

"Tanaka's Palace," Cere confessed, "on Avenue B."

"Was that before or after you went to Sashimi's Inn?" Endymion asked.

"I-I didn't go to Sashimi's Inn," Cere told him.

"The truth," Endymion reiterated.

"I am telling the truth!" Cere protested. "I didn't go to Sashimi's Inn! I only went to Tanaka's Palace! After I brushed Hiro off, I must have fallen asleep for a bit because of the alcohol. When I woke up, I felt so tired and depressed that I just came home!" Cere saw the skepticism in the King's eyes, a familiar sight since their reform. "I'm telling the truth!"

Endymion sighed. "At about 8:45 pm, Sashimi's Inn was vandalized by a gigantic plant," he informed the room. Instantly the eyes of Ves and Jun shot to Cere. "City surveillance drones caught the perpetrator and recorded her."

"Me?" gasped Cere in shock and disbelief.

"Hotaru Tomoe requests entry," the environmental computer announced.

"Show her in," Endymion said. The door hissed open and Hotaru entered. Behind her were two CDP officers and CDP Chief Nakamura. Cere's eyes went saucer wide.

"The drone's playback shows you, as Sailor Ceres, in control of the plant," Endymion told her. "The plant destroyed the interior of Sashimi's Inn."

"There has to be a mistake!" Cere exclaimed. "Some glitch in the drone's recording system! I don't do that sort of thing anymore!"

"You were positively identified by fifteen patrons and eight staff as being in the restaurant and being in command of the plant," Nakamura stated crisply and in a very accusing manner.

"They're wrong! It wasn't me! It couldn't be me!" howled Cere.

"Yeah, it couldn't have been her! It had to have been someone dressed like her!" added Ves.

"Commanding a mutant plant?" Endymion asked.

"It's possible!" Ves replied.

"Hotaru," Endymion said, turning to the teen hovering by the door. "Did you see Sailor Ceres come out of that restaurant tonight?"

Hotaru's eyes bulged. She looked first to Endymion, then to Cere, and back to Endymion. Her mouth opened, but no sound could come out. Everyone could tell this was the last place in the universe she wanted to be in.

"Hotaru," Endymion said again in his calm but commanding way. Hotaru lowered her eyes in surrender.

"It," she squeaked, "could have been her." The testimony seemed to deflate Endymion as much as either of the three asteroids.

"There's clearly enough evidence to hold her pending the investigation's conclusion, Your Majesty," Nakamura ventured.

"Yes," Endymion whispered.

"BUT I DIDN'T DO IT!" Cere wailed, tears flowing from her.

"Cere-Cere, until we decide this conclusively," Endymion told her, "you'll be confined to the holding room here in the palace."

"Your Majesty," Nakamura started to protest.

"You'll still have access to her for interrogation, Chief," Endymion countered. "Nothing against your holding facilities, but her time in service to the Princess has earned her this consideration. And there will be no further publicity about this from your office."

Nakamura tensed for a moment. "Yes, Your Majesty." He turned to the two officers. "Escort her to the palace holding facility and secure her in."

The two officers advanced. Just as quickly, Cere began to back away in a panic. Then Serenity moved in and took the girl's hands.

"Cere, please calm down," Serenity smiled. "We'll find out what happened and clear this all up. Please go with them. You'll be very comfortable."

"I-I didn't do it!" Cere sobbed. "You believe me, don't you?"

Serenity smiled. "Yes," she said. "The person I know you are now could never do something like this. But we have to think of everyone, and everyone will be more at ease if you're confined until the truth comes out. Please bear with us."

Cere dropped her head. After a pregnant silence, she nodded her head. The officers took her by the arms and led Cere to the door. Hotaru avoided eye-contact. Ves smoldered angrily, while Jun was simply stunned.

Then the door to Palla-Palla's room hissed open.

"Where's Cere-Cere going?" Palla-Palla asked. Instantly Ves pivoted and headed for her. "Ves-Ves? Where are they taking Cere-Cere?"

"Go inside," Ves commanded gruffly, herding her sister back into the bedroom.

"But Ves-Ves!" Palla-Palla wailed.

"GO INSIDE!" Ves snapped. "I'll explain it in there."

Palla-Palla whimpered as the two disappeared into the room. Simultaneously the doors closed on Palla-Palla's room and on Cere-Cere in the hall with her escorts. Quietly, Hotaru slipped out of the room in shame. Endymion scowled as if he's swallowed something bitter. Serenity's hand touched his arm and he looked at her. The sympathy and support in her gaze was a balm to him, one he was eternally grateful for. His hand closed over hers.

"Y-Your Majesty," Jun began. The teen was stunned and shaken to the core. "There's no way this is possible."

"That's what we're going to determine," Endymion told her.

"Your Majesty, Cere doesn't do that sort of stuff anymore. None of us do! It's our past and nothing could make us bring that back! It's not worth it!"

"I honestly hope you're right," Endymion replied. "This is not something I wanted to do. I can't believe it either, and less so now because of the reactions of you three. But I have to think of the public welfare first and foremost. We'll get to the bottom of this. But I have to do this, just in case we're all wrong."

Endymion and Serenity turned to leave. Jun slipped back down into her chair and stared at the floor.

"It's not fair," they heard her say. "How long are we supposed to keep paying for those times?"

Knowing there was nothing more that could be said, Endymion moved to leave. Serenity followed, looking back on the forlorn Jun-Jun with great sympathy. Then Endymion tensed. Serenity picked up on his vibes instantly. Despite her own anguish, Jun-Jun looked up. The King seemed to stare in horror. Serenity started to reach for him, but Endymion bolted for the door.

"It's Usa!" he shouted as he barreled through the door. At once, Serenity followed at her quickest pace.

Continued in Chapter 4