"I know, I know you're hungry! Don't fight, Finch Mom! There's plenty here to take back to your fledglings!"

Chibiusa finally stirred, rubbing at her face. Last thing she could remember is reading that mysterious book in the library and then a bunch of light. But somehow she was in bed. Perhaps she'd just fallen asleep in the library and Usagi brought her home. But then what was all that chirping and that voice she didn't recognize?

Chibiusa shot up in bed, nearly knocking Diana off the comforter. At the window was a girl with strange orange hair covered in birds, holding a pan of bird seed. The place looked wholly unfamiliar, more like something out of a fairytale book.

"You're finally awake!" Duck emerged from the swarm of birds, setting the pan of bird seed on the windowsill. She dusted herself off and offered Chibiusa a smile. "Princess Kaguya."

"P-princess Kaguya?!" Chibiusa shouted in surprise, nearly falling out of bed.

"You suddenly came out of a bamboo stalk," Duck explained somewhat frantically before picking up the book from her desk and fumbling with it for a bit. She handed it to Chibiusa. "So you're Kaguya right? What am I saying, of course you are. You came from a bamboo stalk in a giant flash of light where are my manners I totally forgot about them suddenly ahahahahaha."

Chibiusa stared down at the book. It wasn't written in Japanese but somehow she could read it now. She'd heard that tale before, even met Princess Kaguya, but she had no idea what was going on or how she ended up in a bamboo stalk. "Where is this?"

"This is Gold Crown Town," Duck replied. "It's kinda weird, but it's not so bad."

Chibiusa stood up, walking over towards the window and peering outside around all the hungry birds. This place looked completely unfamiliar. The houses looked like they belonged in drawings of old fairy tales. It was like she had suddenly been sucked into one. "I have no idea how I got here. Last I remember I was reading a book in a library and this strange librarian handed me The Prince and the Raven."

Duck gasped, nearly tripping over her two feet. "Where did you find that book?!"

Chibiusa blinked, surprised by the outburst. She never expected anyone to know about the story. "Some strange librarian gave it to me. Edel, I think her name was."

Duck gasped again. There was no way it was the same Edel. She was just a puppet who burnt herself to save everyone.

"Then all of a sudden, the book lit up, and I ended up here," Chibiusa explained. "I was looking at a drawing of Princess Tutu, thinking how I'd like to meet her. I know it sounds really strange, but that's really what happened!"

"Things are pretty strange here," Duck nodded emphatically. "Though you popping out of a bamboo stalk isn't the weirdest. Stories come alive here like you did."

"So that's why you thought I was Kaguya," Chibiusa smiled. "But I'm not her."

"Are you from the moon?" Duck pressed. "I mean I don't mean to press and all but you really did pop out of a stalk of bamboo last night with a moon on your forehead."

"A-ah well... that was..." Chibiusa stammered. "I mean, it's kinda technically true and all. Mama was from the moon but I live on Earth. My name's Usagi, but everyone calls me Chibiusa."

"I'm Duck," Duck introduced herself, the foreign name somehow translating into a word she understood. "Like the bird and all, but that's kinda silly, right? So you're a rabbit and I'm a duck!"

"That is silly!" Chibiusa agreed. "But there's no reason a rabbit and a duck can't be friends!"

Duck offered a bright smile as well. "It's pretty early still but we should go visit the school school for art and music and dance and stuff. I mean you're stuck here and all and you might as well enjoy the place until we can figure out how to return you to where you came."

"Art school?" Chibiusa perked up.

"Mhm!" Duck nodded. "We're in the dorms for the school. Don't worry, you can bunk with me. Just don't mind the birds, they sure do love their birdseed in the morning!"

Duck did have a point. Chibiusa definitely did seem like she was stuck here, and Duck seemed pretty nice. It would be nice to attend an art school, but she was pretty certain she wouldn't live a normal life here. If stories were coming true, then there could be some sort of enemy lurking around. At least the Chibi Moon Compact was still with her. "I would love to be in drawing and painting classes. But I can't explain where I came from."

"That's just how this town is," Duck shook her head. She truly felt like she could talk to Chibiusa about the truth of Gold Crown Town. After all, Chibiusa did arrive just as Princess Kaguya did in the story. Technically she was a storybook character now too, right? At least she seemed fully aware that she was suddenly thrown into the city. "Stories just begin, people just arrive, and really only a few of us are actually aware it's happening. That's what Miss Edel always said. So likely you're already enrolled in the classes you want. That's kinda how I ended up here suddenly, enrolled in ballet class. We should be able to find a schedule in the art building! Here, you can borrow my second uniform so you fit in."

...

Duck's uniform was just a little too big on Chibiusa, sagging a bit at the waist, but it was still rather cute. she'd never really seen a style of uniform like this before, and it was a nice change from what she normally wore.

She glanced around as Duck lead her across campus. This place was strange. The students weren't all human. Some of them were animals of all sizes, anything from hippos to birds and even large butterflies. She leaned took a few large steps forward to pace herself with Duck. "The people are also animals?"

"Mhm," Duck nodded. "I don't really know why. I'd say you get used to it, but you really don't. Like my ballet teacher, Mr. Cat. He's really a cat that's weirdly obsessed with marriage."

Somewhere across campus, Mr. Cat's ears twitched.

"That's pretty strange," Chibiusa nodded. "I bet if I had taken Diana with me, she'd fit right in. Perhaps we could give her a cute little uniform."

"Your kitten?" Duck recalled the name.

"She can... well she can talk," Chibiusa explained. It felt so strange to be so free with information, but it was like Duck had said. This place was weird and there were few who actually realized it was. A talking cat would probably seem rather normal. She could probably pass as a student with Chibiusa at this point, and it would be nice to have Diana with her all the time.

"She'd definitely fit right in!" Duck reassured her. "I bet we can get her a uniform, if there isn't one made for her already."

Right, because characters suddenly manifested in the story and became known, Chibiusa reminded herself. It was truly like a story in that sense. Perhaps there would be some people who knew who she was already.

"Chibiusaaaa!"

Chibiusa knew that voice. She whipped around finding a familiar face bounding towards her and hugging her. "Momo?"

Momoko smiled brightly. It was the same Momoko that Chibiusa fondly recalled, her best friend from school in Tokyo. She looked pretty much the same, her deep fuschia hair pulled back into a bun with a white bun cover, but she now wore the same Gold Crown Academy uniform as Chibiusa now wore. "I'm so glad to hear you're feeling better. I heard that you had collapsed out in the city." She turned to Duck with the same bright smile. "I'm glad you're such a great roommate, Duck!"

Duck blinked. Chibiusa had already been written into the story as her roommate? Was this Fakir's doing or simply the will of the town's story? "Ahaha well you know, I always do what I can for my roommate! My dear friend, my roommate, Chibiusa, of course!" She laughed nervously.

"Silly Duck," Momoko laughed. "I'll see you in art class soon, Chibiusa! I'll bring by some milk for Diana later! I hope she's feeling better!" She smiled, turning then bounding off into the fine arts building before the two.

Duck heaved a sigh, feeling exhausted from all the stammering. "I have no idea who that was."

"Momoko Momohara," Chibiusa filled Duck in. "She's from the same place I am, my best friend from school in Tokyo. But why is she acting like she's always been here?"

"That's how it is when a new person appears here," Duck frowned. "They don't realize they're in a story. I mean, I didn't even realize it at first either. It's a really weird effect this place has. Don't worry too much, Chibiusa, I'm sure she's just fine! Ahahaha!" She patted Chibiusa on the back emphatically.

But Chibiusa did worry, and in a way, she was certain that Duck worried too. People were being brought into the story from Tokyo and didn't realize it. What was causing it? It couldn't be that she simply wished to meet Princess Tutu that started all this, could it? Or was it that book?

Everything felt so strange but not in an unfamiliar sense. Something felt like it was wrong. Perhaps she was overthinking things. Perhaps this was all just a dream. But inside her heart, Chibiusa felt something was off, that this was real and that an enemy was lurking within the shadows.

She placed a hand on her brooch. She still had that power within her, and if the time came, she would protect her new friend as Sailor Chibi Moon.

Chibiusa smiled as Duck stared at her worried. "Just nervous about starting in a school that I've supposedly belonged to for awhile, that's all," she dismissed the concern.

"I bet it would be a little strange," Duck admitted with a bit of a laugh. "But don't worry, you'll be fine! You kinda get used to it."

"Right, you're totally right," Chibiusa nodded. She'd started at school suddenly before when she started at Juban Primary School. It wasn't too much different. She'd arrived without explanation, attending the school and finding a way to fit in even though she was from a different time. Perhaps this time wouldn't be so different.

She offered a wave to Duck, heading off towards the art building. Everything would be okay.