Chapter Text
"Chibiusa!"
The girl in question turned around, searching for the location of the all too familiar voice, she probably knew that voice better than her own, but she looked around nonetheless. The young girl wasn't given enough time to analyze her surroundings, as she was taken into a bone-crushing embrace by the same woman who had called her name not a second before. If Chibiusa was being honest, then she'd have to admit that the hug hurt a little bit, and it had become difficult to breathe. Although the thirteen-year-old lady wasn't sure if it was because of the tightness of the hug, or if the lack of air had something to do with the tears and sobs she tried keeping at bay. But Usagi wasn't any better, if anything she was being more honest, and letting her tears cascade down the red of her cheeks. Although Chibiusa had grown to mistrust Usagi's tears, seeing how she cried for literally everything, from a fallen ice cream to a bad mark on class, Usagi's face was all tears, but now, now Chibiusa knew they were genuine, the moment she heard her heartbreaking sobs and saw her broken face, she knew she meant each and every tear that fell down her blue orbs.
Chibiusa should let go, let go of the hug and let go of Usagi and her friends, she will never see them again after all, it was silly to be held back by the past, literally. But she couldn't. Chibiusa couldn't let go of the hug no matter how much it hurt, even less when Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako joined; It was much harder to breathe now, not only for the tightness but also for her sobs. Chibiusa knew she was being nonsensical. She would be seeing all of their faces in a few minutes, when she would leave the 21st Century and return to her own century, permanently. They would all be waiting for her arrival… yet it felt so different. They felt so different. Rather than lively and energetic, ambitious and curious about their next adventure like the Senshi Chibiusa had grown to love, they were so… sad, and joyless and dull, like fish swimming around a pond with no purpose other than to survive. They , the people who had raised her and the mother who had given her her life, were not the same Usagi who loved everyone and cried over a fallen ice cream, not the same boy crazy and dorky Minako, not the same lovable and motherly Makoto, not the same hot-tempered and confident Rei, and not the same shy and gentle Ami. At this point, Chibiusa was convinced that they were just different people, or that something horrible must have happened to them to make the future Senshi so dull.
"C-can't you stay more?! J-just a b-bit more!" Usagi cried, her sobs making it difficult to understand her. "P-please… just a bit more."
Chibiusa knew she couldn't. But she wanted to, oh how she wanted to. She, more than anything in this world, wished she could stay more, just a few more days… just an hour would be better than leaving with such a hole in her heart. There were so many things she wanted to do, so many things she'll never get to do. Chibiusa wanted to sleep alongside Usagi when she, who was in her belly, got too annoying, she wanted to trick Ami about 31st-century technology, she wanted to help Rei sell charms, she wanted to bake cookies with Makoto, she wanted to go shopping with Minako. Chibiusa wanted to paint alongside Michiru, drive around in Haruka's Ferrari, and more than anything else she lamented not doing, Chibiusa wanted to kiss Hotaru, even if she was turned down, all she wanted was a single kiss and to give a proper goodbye to her dearest friend… but that won't be possible, now that Hotaru has been turned into an infant once again; she had said her goodbyes a few hours earlier, and even gave the tiny child a Sailor Chibi Moon doll, the same one Hotaru loved so much and accidentally broke, only Chibiusa had bought a new one. It felt so wrong though… It was so damn unfair. Life had made them go through so much, taken so much away from them, the least they deserved was a goodbye.
"I have to go," Chibiusa said with everything but firmness but didn't dare to let go, not yet, just five more minutes.
Minako was the first to let go, she knew she had to let Chibiusa go, and as much as it pained her, she let go of both Chibiusa and the embrace. Rei was second and on and on the only one left was Usagi, she refused to see her pink spore leave, she simply refused.
"Usagi, I have to go… you know that I can't stay any longer." Chibiusa began. "Don't make this more difficult than it has to be… please."
Even then, Usagi didn't let go, she didn't feel like she was able to.
"Small lady."
Chibiusa knew that voice just as well as Usagi's. Deep and mysterious, that was the voice of her very first friend, Sailor Pluto.
Chibiusa knew that the fact that Pluto was here meant that she had failed to execute her mission to return to her century. Chibiusa was one to take rules and tasks very seriously, at least the ones imposed by her mother, but this time she felt unable to care if she had completed her task on time or not, more time with her friends, even if it had been a few short minutes, were worth it.
Chibiusa turned around and looked over at Pluto, standing tall in her Sailor Fuku, the dark-skinned woman nodded, extending her hand for Chibiusa to take. Pluto was the only person who wouldn't change, ever, and yet somehow that thought didn't sit right with Chibiusa either.
Chibiusa took a deep breath and nodded, she tried cleaning her tears as best as she could while being crushed to a near end by Usagi's arms, not like she was complaining or anything.
"Usagi?" Chibiusa whispered in the blonde's ear and continued before she received an answer from her future mother.
"I love you, Usagi. Don't ever forget that. Give a big hug to Mamo for me, will you? And please try not to poison him with your cooking, I need my dad."
Chibiusa smiled through her tears that no matter how much she tried to stop, just wouldn't stop falling.
Usagi mumbled something, although what it was was a mystery, at least to Chibiusa, she couldn't understand a single word she said.
Pluto helped Chibiusa free herself from Usagi, only for her to run towards Chibiusa again, luckily for them, Rei was quick to hold Usagi back with as much gentleness as she could while also keeping her future queen in place; Chibiusa didn't feel very lucky though.
The pink-haired teen looked around, finding the tear-filled smiles from her friends, Haruka and Michiru watched from afar while holding a sleeping Hotaru in the aquamarine-haired woman. Neither of them dared to break the scene that had transcurred a minute ago. Although great friends, they knew they didn't share the same connection as the inners did with the young princess, instead, they limited themselves only to say their farewells and watch the events from afar.
"Everything ready, small lady?" Pluto asked, taking the small of the teen's hands in hers.
Chibiusa merely nodded. No amount of material objects the others gave her as tokens of their friendship would ever be enough to make up for the lack of their presence, but she carried them with her anyway, it was better than nothing.
"Yes. We're ready to go." The princess stated, trying her hardest to pretend she wasn't hearing Usagi's sobs that turned into screams, waking up the sleeping child in Michiru’s arms, causing her to cry.
"Very well then," Pluto said, holding a key in her hand. And at that moment Chibiusa had to physically restrain herself from taking the stupid key away, throwing it away as far as she could, even though she knew Pluto had many more.
Chibiusa's whole world turned white, she felt as light as a feather, her mind was cloudy, and the very last thing she saw was Usagi, breaking free from Rei's arms and running towards her with as much desperation as the day she fought against Queen Galaxia. But it was possible to defeat Galaxia, that was something that had a good solution for everyone; this situation, no matter who fought against who, they all knew that the only possible outcome was Chibiusa leaving. It wasn’t like it mattered if Usagi ran after her, the moment she got on her feet it was already too late, and with a final look at her baby blue eyes and a smile on her face, Chibiusa knew she wasn’t ready; the only way to make her heart ever stop aching would just be by erasing her memories.
“Small Lady.”
The princess turned around to find the location of her caller. Even her voice sounded so different. Chibiusa analyzed her surroundings, finding nothing but the same pure white walls and columns she had grown with. It was all so white and so plain that if it wasn’t for the people before her she would have been convinced that she was still in the space-time corridor. Chibiusa found herself hating more the palace the more she traveled to the past, the more she got to know Usagi and the rest of the Senshi, it felt so wrong that Usagi, the dorky clumsy Usagi, designed and felt a connection with something so plain and dull.
“Welcome home, Small Lady.” Her mother and father both said, moving forward and gently hugging the young princess. Nothing like how Usagi had hugged her not five minutes before, with so much desperation and emotion that Chibiusa still felt her arms around her small body. With her mother and father, she felt different… She still was happy, of course she was happy about seeing her parents again! It had been such a long time since she last saw them. But at the same time, she felt like her mother and Usagi were just two different people, and the thought of Usagi, the person whom she loved the most in this world, disappearing into nothing made Chibiusa feel so hopeless and depressed. Just what had happened to her?
“Thank you, mother, father.” Chibiusa smiled and bowed her head, her mother gently patting her pink hair. Chibiusa looked up and was greeted with the familiar faces of the Senshi, they looked so similar yet so different, so dull and tired. The Senshi walked closer to her, beginning to, one by one, ask about her stay during the 21st century, nothing like the disorganized mess they formed whenever they had to speak as a group.
Chibiusa gulped and looked around a second time, everyone was there, even Uranus and Neptune, who rarely ever left their planets, were present… all except one. No matter how many times she looked around, to her right, to her left, up and down, Chibiusa couldn’t see Hotaru anywhere. She had never seen Hotaru in her century, she had assumed that she was just somewhere, hiding so Chibiusa never saw her and didn’t break the timeline. Chibiusa thought that now, now that she’s home permanently, Hotaru would be here as well. Just where was she?
“Mother? Father?” Chibiusa began, drawing the attention of all the Senshi towards her. She didn’t know why, but she felt like what she was about to ask them was something they would not answer, but she gave it a shot nonetheless. “Where is Saturn?”
The silence and tension that fell upon them could have been cut with a knife.
Chibiusa looked at her mother’s face, she looked so sad now, but the moment she saw her staring at her, the Queen forced a smile and placed her hand over Chibiusa’s hair one again. Her father looked no better, but he didn’t try to force a smile and only looked to the side. The Senshi’s face all said the same thing, ‘Don’t go there’ and Uranus and Neptune, that for a second stopped being Senshi and became human, Haruka and Michiru looked so guilty, guilty, and melancholic.
Her mother opened her mouth, but no words came out, she seemed to think and rethink once again about what to tell her.
“We’ll talk about this later, you should go to your room and relax, I believe you were in quite a stressful situation.” The queen said, it wasn’t a request, and it was a suggestion, it was an order that said ‘forget about the topic.’
For a second, Chibiusa felt meek, her whole mind turned blank and she had to once again, restrain herself from moving. Chibiusa knew that if she left it to them, she would never hear the name Hotaru again, and her friend’s whereabouts were more important than the fear of disappointing Chibiusa felt at that moment.
“Why can’t we speak about it now? I just want to know she’s alright, you don’t have to tell me where she is.” Chibiusa said, she was beyond terrified, but she did not move.
Her mother and father both looked at her, the Senshi looked even more guilty than Haruka and Michiru had, and the latter couple began walking away.
They could have easily lied. Chibiusa wasn’t stupid, she knew that the reason why they all looked so sad and guilty was because something bad happened to Hotaru. But she was immortal, no matter how many times she died she would always be reborn into an adorable chubby baby. They could have easily lied, told her she was alright, or that she had a new family and she was happy. But they didn’t. They stayed in silence for the longest eternity and Chibiusa wasn’t sure if she was glad that they weren’t lying to her, or angry that they just wouldn’t just tell her.
Usagi removed her hand and lowered herself to her level, Chibiusa felt torn between apologizing for questioning and keeping her stance. Before she realized Chibiusa was taken into a hug by her mother; she didn’t hug her the way Usagi did, it wasn’t bad or wrong, it was just different. Her mother hugged her with care and sweetness, meanwhile Usagi, dorky and clumsy Usagi, hugged her with joy and energy, it almost felt like two different people had hugged her today, when in reality, only Usagi had, and is.
“We’ll discuss this later, go to your room.” The Queen whispered in Chibiusa’s ear.
“Of course, mother,”
Chibiusa didn’t apologize, she wasn’t sorry. She began to walk, her eyes focused on the ground, she looked behind a last time and stared at the Senshi’s faces, her red eyes practically begging them to tell her, even if they lied, all she wanted was them to at least acknowledge Hotaru. But none said anything.
Chibiusa wasn’t about to give up. Not until she had the answers she desired. She was going to figure out what happened to her friend and where she was. Upon leaving her room in her royal dress, long and awkward to move in, and entered the dining hall, she didn’t dare speak a word. She simply waited until the ‘later’ her mom had so quietly insisted they would discuss her question. But that later never came. After the banquet celebrated in her honor, Chibiusa followed her mother and father everywhere, but neither said a single word, not one related to Hotaru at least. Chibiusa tried asking again that day, but either her parents or some outside force always interrupted her. Chibiusa went to sleep with no answers that day or at least tried to go to sleep, the thought of Hotaru being in danger, alone, or worse made her feel sick.
She tried against the next day. Early in the day, Chibiusa saw Makoto in the dining room and walking towards her, Makoto smiled and looked down, she knew what Chibiusa was going to ask her, but she also knew that the princess wasn’t going to back down.
“Good morning Mrs. Jupiter, beautiful day isn’t it?” Chibiusa said with a smile, sitting down next to the Senshi with a plate of food in her hands.
“Good morning princess, and yes, it is a beautiful day, perfect for going out to the gardens and play,” Makoto said.
They both knew what was going to happen next, The princess will question the Sailor and the Sailor will either dismiss or change the topic. But once again, Chibiusa wasn’t about to back down any time soon, not until her questions were answered.
“Look, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I need you to answer me. Where is Hotaru?” The princess said.
Makoto’s smile fell, and she looked down to her plate, apparently too interested by the pieces of cereal that floated in the milk.
Chibiusa waited, she waited, waited, and kept waiting, but Makoto never answered her, to the eyes of the Sailor, the young teen wasn’t there at all.
“Ma-” The princess began but was interrupted by the Sailor standing up from her chair.
“Pardon me, princess, but I must go to my restaurant. As you stated, it’s a beautiful day and I don’t want any trouble to happen while I’m not there.” And with that, Jupiter, not Makoto, left.
Chibiusa walked around the crowded halls of the palace, servants, and maids running late to their position, they saw the princess and bowed, making them even tardier to their job.
The next person she saw who could answer her question, although she was expecting a similar reaction as Jupiter, was Mars. She was studying in the library, Chibiusa had expected Mercury to be in there when she went there, to search for any knowledge about Saturn.
“Good morning, Mars.” The princess tried again, positioning herself behind the Sailor.
Mars turned around and nodded, acknowledging her presence, but unlike Jupiter, Mars didn’t smile. Jupiter had probably let everyone know what the princess’ intentions were, and they were ready for the princess’ questions.
“I-”
Before she could begin, Mars was already gone.
Chibiusa asked the rest of the Senshi, only to receive a similar reaction to Mars and Jupiter. Every day, for weeks, she repeated the routine, and so far, she has as much info as she did at the beginning, exactly nothing.
During one particularly long night, the young princess had an idea. A good idea, genius, even. She should ask Pluto. She knew that if she pushed hard enough then her friend would tell her something, and would never even dare to think about lying. Even if the information she would receive was small, all Chibiusa wanted was to know Hotaru was alright. All she wanted was for someone to at least acknowledge her friend’s existence.
The young princess, still in her pajamas, got out of her bed, and making sure nobody saw her, she left her room and walked into the space-time corridor.
“You should not be here, small lady.”
The princess turned around to see Pluto, standing behind her with a small smile on her face. Her smile, unlike the others, wasn’t forced, she didn’t have to pretend she was happy to see her because she was.
Chibiusa giggled and walked over to the dark-skinned woman and hugged her. Chibiusa had grown a lot over the past few years; from a small child, she was now a thirteen-year-old young woman, and both her body and mind were developing quite nicely. Now rather than reaching the woman’s legs, she was tall enough to reach her lower torso.
“Hello, you too.” Chibiusa a cheeky smile, only to turn serious. Pluto caught unto that.
“I have not come here without a reason.” Chibiusa began, “I came here t-”
“I know why you’re here, young princess, The Queen, and King let me know how to handle this situation,” Pluto answered, a smile still on her face, this one was a different one though. When Chibiusa first arrived, her smile was easy and somewhat hopeful, but now she just looked sad, sad, and guilty and every synonym those two words might have.
“They did?” Chibiusa said, walking back from the woman and staring at her, hope in her big red eyes.
“Come closer,” Pluto ordered. Although Chibiusa wasn’t sure why, since there was none one miles away, she complied nonetheless.
Stepping closer, Pluto lowered herself to the princess’ height, but rather than letting her know Hotaru’s whereabouts, she raised her wand up to her forehead, and before she had any time to react to her action, she was on the ground. She was on the ground and her whole world was turning white at an alarming rate, she could hear voices at the distance, but one stood out the most; It was quiet and gentle, as clear as crystal and the most beautiful voice that had ever graced the princess’ ears, she had heard that voice before and yet she couldn’t put a name or a face to it if she tried; her voice was accompanied with the soft sound of a violin, and then-
Silence.
Walking into her room, Small lady looked around, when had her room become so messy? It was full of papers and strange books were thrown around the floor, she did not remember making such a mess. Small lady moved down and picked up one of the papers from her floor. It was a drawing. A girl, a beautiful girl, was drawn on the paper; she was as pale as snow, hair short and as dark as coal, her lips as red as blood and her eyes as purple as the unknown. She was so familiar, but Small lady knew she had never seen her before. She would remember seeing such a pearl, how could she forget? Putting the paper over her desk, a strange book caught the princess’ attention. Picking up the strange book which turned to be a diary, Small lady began reading a random page. It took her a moment, but open going back to the first page, Small lady realized that what she was holding wasn’t just a simple diary. It was HER diary. Small lady was beyond confused, when had she written a diary? Ever? As far as she remembered this wasn’t written by her. But it had her name, her handwriting, and even a picture of herself. Just what was going in?
Inside the diary, were descriptions about adventures she was sure she never had, stories about the Senshi that she was sure had never once, behaved as it was written, pictures of ancient buildings and constructions that had fallen over the years, only in these pictures they stood firm and proud, as new as the day they were built, she also saw descriptions about a primitive technology she had learned at during school? Just what was going on? What’s up with Hotaru? Who is she and why does she mention her so much in her writing?