Author's notes: ^_^ Most of the important stuff can be found in part one, so I won't bore you with it here again. This is where the fanfic starts to earn it's R rating, just as a reminder. This is also where you'll start to understand why a certain plot point may or may not be a part of the actual manga. :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chibiusa no PYUA na kokoro (Chibiusa's Pure Heart) Part 2 By Andrea Doolan "Sailormoon no ichiban daifan" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~*~*~*~*~ A scream rang out in the halls of Crystal Palace. This was in stark contrast to the blue skies and singing birds outside the building. For a few seconds there seemed to be silence all around, and the sun seemed to shine just a little bit brighter. Then the cheers could be heard all around the planet, or the solar system for that matter. The date was June 30. 2001. A child was born. ~*~*~*~*~ A solemn dark figure stood at the door where the celebrations were taking place. The girl's features betrayed her overall appearance, though, as she had a rather large smile on her face. A single tear trickled down her cheek in both sorrow and happiness. "Sayounara, Chibiusa-chan." A gloved hand reached out and touched her on the shoulder. It belonged to a blond haired women. Beside her stood a women in a green fuku. "It's time." Without another word, Saturn stepped back from the door and followed her parents down the corridor. They had already said their goodbyes to the other Senshi, but had stayed behind just long enough to see the miracle occur. Saturn didn't think it fair that she, Uranus, and Neptune had to leave Crystal Tokyo and Earth, but she knew exactly the reason why. During the time Small Lady was growing up, all 901 years worth, she hadn't seen a single one of them. Only when she travelled to the past for the second time did she meet these Senshi. Pluto had explained the timeline to Saturn very well, so she understood perfectly, but it still almost felt as if she was losing a piece of her heart. Uranus had also explained it to her in terms of duty. They were the Senshi of the outer planets, and their mission was to protect Crystal Tokyo and Earth from threats outside the solar system. Still, leaving the only home you had ever known and your newly born best friend was a little too much for a seventeen-year-old to handle. The tears starting streaming down her face without her control. Neptune looked back at the Senshi that quite possibly held the most power of any of them, besides the Queen herself. She sighed inwardly, and held her only daughter in an embrace. For a moment she thought about using a name they had abandoned a few years before, but thought better of it. She spoke in a slightly forceful voice, but not one without compassion. "Saturn." The black haired Senshi looked at Neptune with her purple eyes full of sorrow. She blinked, and almost magically they appeared full of duty and honour. "Hai, I know." She broke off the embrace reluctantly, and continued with her parents down the long corridor. At the end was a fairly large chamber decorated as if it held a special purpose. Pluto was waiting for them there, Garnet Rod in hand. The three just looked at her and nodded knowingly. The goddess of time nodded back, but took special care to smile at the purple clad Senshi. Without a word, Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn vanished from Earth for the better part of the millennium. ~*~*~*~*~ It wasn't as if Titan was a lonely place. Far from it. She got frequent visits from Uranus and Neptune, and she visited them frequently as well. If it wasn't a visit in person, they were always talking over the monitors at least once a day. And about once a month, one or two Senshi from Earth would come visit them (without the princess' knowledge, of course) to see how they were doing. Sometimes the Queen herself would come. One could tell Serenity felt more than a little guilty for sending them out there, but Titan's Senshi stood proud and was always pleasant. This made the Queen feel better, after all, which was important. It certainly didn't seem lonely, anyway. But for Saturn she always had the thought of a certain pink haired girl in the back of her mind. Her duty came first, but the memory of her dear friend could still sometimes bring tears to her eyes. Even after all these years. Though when this happened she always reminded herself of a pact they had made when she was only twelve years old. She laughed sometimes when she thought about it. It was a little childish, but somehow the knowledge of it filled her heart with strength, and let her carry on. Saturn walked over to the largest monitor in Titan's observation room. She touched a control pad, and an image of the planet Saturn appeared before her. Kirei, she thought. The swirling pieces of cosmic dust and ice converging in a ring-like structure around the planet was truly a sight to see. Sometimes she could just watch this for hours on end, letting her mind flow into the planet's energies. Sometimes she tried to replicate the effect using a technique similar to when she would simulate the big bang as a child. It always had a calming effect on her. "I wonder what she's doing now..." she said aloud absentmindedly. She shook her head and tried to get the thought out of her mind. Thinking about it always made her depressed. How many more years would it be? she thought. A few hundred more, she reminded herself. She sighed. Being depressed was getting her no where. She still had lots of great friends whom she saw often, and loving parents. Plus she was a Senshi. A Senshi of death, she joked to herself, but a Senshi of rebirth as well. Really, she was quite content right now. And one day she would get to return to that blue-green sphere. To that cheerful girl who brought so much joy into her life. ~*~*~*~*~ A faint pink beam of light shone briefly on a hill overlooking Crystal Tokyo, and then flickered out as silently as it had come. Standing there in its place was a girl in a blue and white sei-fuku [school uniform]. The bright sun flickered off the royal buildings, just as it always had. The girl smiled briefly in appreciation. She then looked forward, and her smile grew even wider. She saw her parents, of course, and Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus. Pluto was standing beside them as well. As good as it was to see those people, something else caught her eye right away. "Masaka... Hotaru-chan! Hotaru-chaaaan!!" For a moment she just stood there in disbelief, but then started running as fast as she could. She ran into the slightly taller Senshi and hugged her closely. Then she drew back and looked into her eyes. They seemed to be smiling at her. "Hota-" she cut herself off, blushing slightly. "Gomen, Sailorsaturn. Doushite?" The other just kept looking at her, happiness filling every pore in her body. She choked back some tears. "Okaerinasai." By this time everyone had evidence of strong emotions on their features. Chibiusa glanced beside Saturn at another welcome sight. "Uranus! Neptune!" She could barely hold back her shock. "Yo, Chibi-chan," said the blond playfully. "It's been too long," said the Senshi of the sea. Chibiusa felt like she was in a dream state. Was she really home? Had the future been changed somehow? She looked over at Pluto who just had a smile on her face. This was all very confusing for her. Finally she let go of Saturn, and walked over to her parents. She bowed respectfully. "Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity and Diana reporting home from the 20th century. If it pleases the court, we would like to return and live again in the 30th century." Neo Queen Serenity just smiled. How proud she was of her daughter. She had certainly come a long way over the last few years, and was on her way to becoming a wonderful Lady and future Queen. "It does please the court. Welcome home." Chibiusa flung herself into her mother's arms and was then greeted by everyone in turn. She wanted answers, of course, but right now it was just good to be home. ~*~*~*~*~ (from now on, I won't refer to her as Chibiusa) "So, all those years... You were alone?" Small Lady was still in shock and was trying to sort out some confusing feelings. She just couldn't believe that all this time Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn had been alive. She wasn't sure what had happened to them, but she knew she had never seen them. She thought they must have died somehow, but nobody would tell her. Now she understood why. Saturn laughed a little bit. "No, I was far from alone. Uranus and Neptune were there and the rest of the Senshi came to visit. Besides, orbiting Saturn in Titan Castle was a wonderful experience. I had forgotten what it was like to be so near my namesake. At first it was overpowering. From my previous life, before I was reincarnated for the first time, back in the Silver Millennium, I had very faint memories of it. And even then I hadn't awakened, so I was in a dream-like state. It took a little getting used to being away from Earth and everyone here, but it was fine in the end. Now it's a very dear place in my heart." Small Lady's eyes looked as if they were going to shed tears, but they were held back as best as they could. Right now it was just her and Saturn on a grassy hill overlooking the ocean. There had been a very big celebration when Small Lady returned, and everything was explained to her. It was still that same night, but it was very late. Her and Saturn had decided to take a walk and talk a bit. "But you did all this just for me, and to protect Earth? I would have been so scared." "You're exactly the same as I remember you, Small Lady. Which isn't surprising, as you just saw me less than twenty four hours ago." Saturn tried to comfort her as best as she could. "Yes, we did it for you and to protect the kingdom. *Any* Senshi would have done the same thing. I'm not going to pretend that I didn't miss Earth...that I didn't miss you, because I did." It was Saturn's turn to hold back her tears. "But everyone's love filled me, and made me strong. There's something else, too. I remembered the pact we made...to always be friends. It kept me going. Whenever I remembered I would see you again, it made me happy." Both women lost control and tears started coming down their cheeks. They hugged each other tightly; a hug that told of the 909 years they had spent apart. "I can't believe you remembered," said Small Lady between sobs. "Of course I did, baka," she joked back. "So, even after all this time, we're still best friends?" "Mochiron! Zutto zutto! Eien ni." ~*~*~*~*~ The years passed in Crystal Tokyo as they always did. The unpleasantness brought about by Sailorgalaxia in the 20th century was far behind them. Crystal Tokyo thrived again as the seat of power for the solar system. Neo Queen Serenity brought back the greatness that was once the Silver Millennium. The Earth, now free from evil, was united and stood like a glistening Christmas ball in the blackness of space. The other planets were now thriving, too. The great cities that were held inside the planets' castles started to revive and were prosperous once again. A princess was coming into her full glory and beauty, and now had the appearance of an eighteen-year-old. She was actually 910. And two friends were enjoying life together. ~*~*~*~*~ "Small Lady, hayaku!" "Hai! Ikimashou ne!" For the moment, these two girls weren't an heir to the royal throne and a Senshi who could destroy the universe with one swipe of her Glaive. They were two friends going on a little trip together. "You sure you know how to drive this thing?" "Well, Uranus taught me, so I shouldn't be too bad." The transport started off with a jolt. It left a slightly startled expression on the younger girl's face, but it was quickly replaced by a smile. They were taking a long needed vacation. The two had hardly seen each other for the past couple of months with the many diplomatic missions both had to go on. Now was their time to relax. As evidence, both were wearing casual clothing. Sometimes it felt good to get out of the sailor fuku and princess gowns they were always wearing. Though even in her lose fitting pants and pullover top Princess Serenity looked regal and glowing. She had really turned into quite the lady. The tresses that flowed from her two odango had grown down to her knees, and were now missing the "poofy" look they once had. Indeed, from the shoulders up she looked like a certain Black Lady the 20th century Senshi had fought all those years ago. Not that the princess remembered any of that. She had also grown quite a bit over the past couple of years. She now stood at 155 centimetres, just a hair less than Saturn. Her body was, of course, proportionately built, just like her mother's. For Saturn's part, she hadn't aged in the past 905 years. Well, not on the outside at least. She still had her purple-black hair cut just above her shoulders, but her deep purple eyes told the whole story, and let people know her true age. She had stopped her growth spurt at the age of 22, growing into a lovely woman. I guess that's something we have in common, thought Saturn. We both grew up in a rather odd way. Today she was wearing a pair of khaki shorts, sandals, and a t-shirt. Very normal, indeed. It was Sunday, and the pair made their way to the Northeast of Crystal Tokyo, about 120 kilometres from the centre of the city. The transport they were in was a sleek new model, and was designed for speeds of 200 km/h for normal travel. It could go much faster, if need be. It also had a very good shock system, which made the trip through the air especially smooth. "What's our ETA?" asked Small Lady. "A little over half an hour," replied her friend. "I can hardly wait! I haven't been to your beach house in so long!" The older girl laughed. The mini palace the Outer Senshi shared was situated on the shores on the Pacific Ocean. The appearance of the outside of the building had all the earmarks of the modern buildings in Crystal Tokyo. It's fundamental element was crystal, with some stone and glass thrown in just the right places for good measure. It's sleek angles shimmered in the sun as it made it's arc across the sky. The inside, however, was remarkably different. It's most prominent architectural style was from the Victorian times in England. Though one could also make out some 20th century designs and some modern ones as well. They all blended together to form an elegant structure that most designers cited as a wonderful example of architecture from any time. Even though this was a mini palace, with the building and grounds covering about 50 hectares of land, the Senshi still refered to it as the "beach house." For the obvious reason that it was on the beach. "Ne, will Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto be there, too?" asked the younger girl farther into their trip. "Ee. Uranus and Neptune will be there for sure, and I think Pluto's going to try and stop by, too." "Good, I've hardly seen any of them lately." Small Lady sighed. "It seems like our lives are just getting more and more hectic." The other girl smiled. "That's why we're taking this vacation. Sometimes it's good just to sit back and watch the world go by. Kami knows the Senshi deserve it." "Yeah, even though it's just for a week, it's better than nothing." The computer in the transport beeped slightly and then said, "Incoming message for Princess Serenity. Sailorvesta from Crystal Palace is on com channel 5." With a little laugh Small Lady pressed the button that would receive the call and put Vesta on the view screen. "Hai, moshi moshi. Small Lady desu." "Konnichiwa, Small Lady," said the red haired girl in a sailor fuku. "I know you just left, but we just got a request from the colony of Africa for you to visit there late next month." Small Lady looked slightly annoyed. "This couldn't have waited until I got back?" "Gomen, they asked for a reply right away. Besides, the Prime Minister there is a friend of mine, and I owed him a favour..." "Okay, okay. I see where this one is going." Vesta looked slightly embarrassed. "Of course I'll go. Hmm, I really like Africa in the fall. But, Vesta, no more calls, please. Not unless it's really important." "Hai, wakateru. Enjoy your trip!" With that the communication ended and the screen went black. "Honestly, I still think the Quartet needs more training." said Small Lady. "Maybe you could send them back to the past," kidded Saturn. Both girls started to laugh at the idea. "Ah! Mite!" said the princess excitedly. The transport slowed, and came to a stop in a garage of sorts beside the beach house. "Sugoi! It's just like I remember it." Both girls got their luggage from the transport and walked to the front doors of the "house." "Tadaima!" said Saturn as she walked into the front hall. "Okaeri." came a voice from one of the rooms off the main hall. "Ohayou," came the greeting from Small Lady. A head popped out from one of the doorways. "Ara, Small Lady. Ohayou. Saturn told us you'd be coming." Neptune looked elegant as always in a flower print sundress. "I'm going to take her upstairs," said Saturn with a smile. "We'll be back down for lunch." The two girls took the staircase up to Saturn's bedroom and got their luggage settled. Really, there were many free rooms that Small Lady could have used, but both wanted to spend their vacation together. The bed was more than large enough to fit two people, and they liked to tell stories and play games before they fell asleep. Someone might have mistaken them for actual teenagers, if they didn't know better. "It's such a pretty room," said Small Lady. "You've still got all your lamps." The room was done in purple colourings. The walls were a very light purple, while her curtains and bedspread were much darker. Most of the furniture in the room including her desk and dressers were white. It made for a very interesting effect with the lamps turned on at night. "Yeah, every now and then I'll even pick up a new one, if I like it." She smiled at the younger girl. Small Lady walked towards her and held her hand. Let's make this a vacation to remember. With so much going on, we have to make our time together count!" The other girl agreed. They had to make the most of their friendship when they had the chance. This was going to be one of the best weeks of their lives! ~*~*~*~*~ The sun shone brightly on a Wednesday afternoon in August. It was about 35 degrees C, which made the warm Pacific waters even more inviting. The calmness of the waves washing ashore and the gentle sea breeze was only interrupted by the happy cries of two friends having a good time. "I'm going to get there first!" cried the pink haired girl. "Oh no you're not! I'm a better runner than you, and you know it!" exclaimed her black haired companion. There was a temporary splash as both girls reached the water at the same time, and then began laughing. Their adventurous attitude was accompanied by a brief, if not large, water fight. Afterwards, the two just stood in the water happily, but out of breath. "I would have beat you if I still had Neptune's mirror," said the princess slyly. "Ha! She's my mama, she would do anything to protect me," replied the other with a defiant expression on her face. The charade didn't last long, though. Both girls immediately broke out laughing again. They started to swim normally in the water, both under and on top. It really had a calming effect, and was a place anyone would feel at peace. No wonder Neptune loves it so much, they both thought. An hour or so later they both reluctantly started to emerge from the water. Both were pretty tired, but it was a great swim, and it relaxed a lot of the built-up tension in their muscles due to Senshi duties. Saturn was a few steps behind Small Lady, and was almost out of the water. Unfortunately, she tripped on a rock she didn't see, crashing into Small Lady, and sending them both to the sandy ground. The scene was a pretty big mass of tangled limbs. Saturn ended up straddling Small Lady's torso, with her arms on either side of her head. She managed to stop herself a few centimetres before she flattened the girl. There was silence as both girls just looked into each others eyes. Their breathing was hard, and they could feel each others hot breath on their cheeks. Several moments passed where no one moved at all. The calming sound of waves on the shore could be heard again. Then, ever so slightly, they both moved at the same time. Their lips met in a kiss that was timid at first, but grew into something more passionate quickly. As if something snapped in both their brains, the kiss came to a crashing halt. Saturn retreated off of the princess with a terrified expression on her face. Small Lady's features almost matched hers, with her eyes displaying great shock. Small Lady was the first to speak. "Sa..turn..." But as soon as she started, Saturn was already up, and running towards the house, tears streaming down her face. "SATURN!!!" yelled the princess after her, but she didn't look back. "Saturn..." said the princess again as she started to cry. She tried make any sense she could out of the situation. ~*~*~*~*~ Saturn reached her bedroom and shut the door with a slam. Thank kami Uranus and Neptune weren't home, she thought. She flung herself on the bed and started to sob. A million confusing emotions were running through her head. Not the least of which was the total rush she felt when Small Lady's lips touched her own. Kami, kami, that had been so stupid, she scolded herself. She tried to remember why she had done it, but she couldn't. It was like a big blur in her mind. The tears kept streaming down her face. Had she really sacrificed all those years of friendship, all those years of waiting? Small Lady was her first friend and her best friend. She was someone who would be friends with her when no one else would. No one was forcing the princess, she *wanted* to be friends with her. That had been a first for Saturn, all those years ago. Now Saturn thought she had thrown it all away, that her best friend in the world hated her and no longer wanted to be her friend. "Damn these lamps!" she screamed. "Damn these lonely lamps!" ~*~*~*~*~ Small Lady was really no better off. She was still down at the beach. She just couldn't find the energy to stand up. She kept going over and over the events that had happened. She still didn't understand any of it. Besides the kiss itself, she was mostly terrified of Saturn's reaction. She just ran away, she thought. And that look she gave me... Is she really disgusted with me? It was all so confusing. The worst part was she didn't know if they were still friends. The thought of not being friends with Saturn chilled her to the bone. She didn't know if she could live without her. But what had the kiss meant? Was is just a kiss? Or was it something more...? Small Lady tried to think about it, but it was like her brain turned to mush. She just wasn't sure of anything anymore. ~*~*~*~*~ A sporty looking transport pulled into the garage of the beach house. It's three occupants got out, and started taking in groceries. "With all this technology, you'd think they be able to sell ripe tomatoes, wouldn't you?" complained Neptune. Uranus just laughed. "Maybe something else in here needs a little ripening, ne?" Neptune threw a sultry glance her way. "Maybe you're right. You can never tell until you feel the softness..." Pluto, being used to similar exchanges for centuries, virtually ignored them, and started to put away the groceries. Young love, she thought absentmindedly. Suddenly she realised Saturn and Small Lady weren't there to greet them. "Saturn to Small Lady wa?" she asked the couple who were now in an embrace. "E?" asked a puzzled Neptune. "Maybe they're still down by the beach. Saturn mentioned something about going for a swim today. Maybe you better call them, dinner will be ready in half an hour." Pluto nodded, and walked out the patio doors onto the deck. She couldn't see anyone on the beach, so she decided to look through the house instead. She heard some soft humming coming from one of the rooms down the hall, so she went to check it out. There, sitting in a darkened room, she found Small Lady listening to some music with a head set. "Oh, hello, Puu," she said calmly. "I didn't hear you guys get back." "Small Lady," asked Pluto cautiously, "is there something wrong?" "Hmm? Oh no. Nandemonai." She just smiled. The older Senshi looked at her strangely, then decided just to tell her when dinner would be ready. The princess said she'd be there on time. The Senshi of time had a similar experience when she found Saturn in her room. She just sat there calmly on her bed reading a book, acting as if nothing was wrong. ~*~*~*~*~ Dinner was an interesting experience to say the least. Both Small Lady and Saturn got there at the same time, but didn't seem to look at each other. Their faces showed signs of considerable stress, and they bowed their heads while they ate. The other three Senshi tried to strike up conversations with them the whole time, but the most either would give were one word replies. The three, knowing something was wrong, could just look at each other and shrug. If this kept up, they would have to do something, but right now it was best left alone. Small Lady stared down into her rice bowl and tried to imagine it as a snowy mountain in the winter, and skiing down it with the wind blowing through her hair. It would be better than being here, she thought. God, anywhere would be better than here right now. She...she won't even look at me. She must hate me. The sight of chopsticks in the bowl brought her back to reality again. She just sighed. Baka, baka, baka. I'm such a baka. Atashi no baka, thought Saturn. How could I just throw away years of friendship for a kiss? It's funny how something as simple as a kiss can change one's life so drastically. The memory kept tearing away at Saturn's heart. The thought of losing Small Lady... She just couldn't handle it. The dishes were beginning to get washed up. "Don't forget your baths tonight, you two." Sometimes Neptune forgot just how old they all were. Saturn just nodded and headed up the stairs. Small Lady's heart ached as she watched the other leave. She waited until she was out of sight before she went up, too. ~*~*~*~*~ Saturn warmed the bath water, and settled in for a nice relaxing soak. She hoped some of the worries of the day would somehow just wash away. She was wrong. Somehow her mind wouldn't let her think of anything else. Small Lady stood in the toilet room just outside the shower/bath room. She was ready for a bath, and was just wearing a robe. She sighed. Part of her wanted to run in and make up with Saturn right there. The other half wanted to run as far away as possible. She went over her options. If this was all a big misunderstanding, she could go in and talk to Saturn about it and work things out. On the other hand, if Saturn hated her she could be told to get out and go back to Crystal Tokyo. Was the pain of not knowing worse than being rejected as a friend? Small Lady didn't know, but she did know that she needed answers. So far the night had been awful... It couldn't really get much worse. That's when she decided. For better or for worse, at least they were going to talk about it. The door to the shower room slid open, and Small Lady stepped in. Saturn was caught completely off guard, and instinctively lowered herself in the tub to hide her body. "We used to bathe together all the time. Are you really that ashamed now?" Small Lady chanced a smile. "Small Lady, I..." Saturn trailed off. She couldn't think of the words to say. "Look, Saturn... We, we have to talk about this! I can't go on if things are going to be like tonight. It's killing me! I couldn't stand it if you weren't my best friend!" Both girls were sobbing. "Then... You don't hate me?" Saturn looked so timid. "Hate you? Me? I could never hate you! You're my best friend!" Small Lady walked up to her, and sat on the edge of the tub. "I thought you hated *me*..." "No! Never!" Saturn looked away from the girl. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. I had no right to kiss you. Then I was so afraid of what you were going to say, that I just ran away. I was scared." "So that's why..." Small Lady wiped away a few of her tears. "I thought you were disgusted because I kissed you..." Saturn laughed. It felt like the first laugh in a very long time. "I guess there was a little misunderstanding between the both of us. So...we're still friends?" "Always and forever, right?" Small Lady smiled. Something was still tearing at her mind. "But I don't think we can just leave it at that. Something...happened between us. I think we need to figure out why." Saturn looked depressed again. "I couldn't get passed it either. The kiss, how did it make you feel?" The other girl blinked. "Nani?" "How did it make you feel? Inside?" Small Lady thought back to the moment her lips touched Saturn's. It was like someone had set a fire in her body. Her head felt light, and all she knew was that she wanted to continue... "I can't lie. It felt good. Very good. But I don't want you to be scared away! Just staying friends is good enough for me." Saturn looked at her, gratitude in her eyes. "You'd do something like that for me... The truth is, I enjoyed it. too. I'm just not sure what that means. Small Lady, why don't you come in? The water's nice and warm." She hesitated a bit, but undid her robe, and then stepped into the tub. She submerged herself until her breasts were covered by the soothing water. "I don't know what it means, Saturn. But I know I can't just ignore my feelings! Whatever...whatever happens between us, I don't want our friendship to be affected. I think that scares me more than anything else." "Atashi mo. Today I've done a lot of thinking. I don't think I realised how strong my feelings were towards you. It scared me. It scared me a lot." Small Lady moved over to her friend to comfort her. "Don't be scared, Saturn. We'll always have each other." The princess leaned in closer and kissed the black haired girl. She expected the other might back away, but she didn't. Instead she returned the kiss with the same vigour. When they broke the kiss no one ran away. There were no broken hearts. ~*~*~*~*~ Later that night in Saturn's bed, both girls laid on their backs, and looked at the ceiling. They were holding hands. "It's almost as if someone removed a cloud from my mind," said Small Lady. "I think my feelings for you have been more than just friendship for some time. I didn't realise it before, though. It's like we were such good friends that our friendship grew into love." The other girl looked over in surprise. "Love?" The princess blushed. "Hai, love. I love you, I really do. With all my heart and soul." Saturn just gasped. "I think it was the same for me. Our friendship was just so strong that it sort of mutated into love. Now that I see it, it all looks so clear." Saturn looked Small Lady straight in the eye. "I do love you. More than I will ever be able to tell you." Both girls smiled. Saturn went on. "I think... I remember being on Titan and thinking of you sometimes. Sometimes I would think of holding you, of being close with you. But I buried the feelings so deep that I didn't recognise them. Until now." Both girls got closer to one another so that they were almost in an embrace. "I don't ever want to let you go." "Me neither." They moved closer again, and touched lips for the third time. Their hands travelled up and down each others bodies, exploring the new feelings they had. They stopped for a moment and looked into the other's eyes. The both smiled as they saw the love and caring in them. They whispered "aishiteru" to each other, and went back to kissing and trying to remove their partner's clothes. A special night followed for both of them. Special because of the fact it was the first time for both of them, and because they were glad to finally share how they felt with someone they loved more than life itself. Not just their bodies, but their souls touched that night. When their souls touched, they fused together as one, making the partners two beings of one whole. Forever, they would always be united as one. ~*~*~*~*~ Birds chirped, and the sun cast a ray of light over the land signalling the beginning of another day. A body stirred slightly in a bed. The figure's eyes slowly opened, and were greeted with a welcome sight. She moved forward slowly, and kissed the other girl. Her friend's eyes fluttered open, and a smile crept across her face. "Ohayou, Saturn." "Ohayou, Small Lady." They both just laid unmoving for several minutes. They couldn't take their eyes off of each other. They would look up and down the other person's body, all the time breathing in their wonderful sent. It was like a dream state, and neither one wanted to leave. "I suppose we should get up, ne?" said the princess in a voice that told she really didn't want to. "I suppose," the other replied. Several more minutes passed where neither one moved. "Although..." chanced Saturn, "we *are* on vacation..." Small Lady's eyes lit up. "Sou ne... It's not like we have any official business we have to do..." She leaned forward, and their lips met again in a passionate kiss. "After all, we're here to have fun." Now a wicked smile crossed her face, which made the other girl laugh. ~*~*~*~*~ Small Lady and Saturn were late coming down for breakfast. The others were worried because of the way the two had acted last night. They weren't sure what was going on. They were beginning to think they might never come. Needless to say, they were shocked when the two girls came bounding down the stairs happily, while holding hands. "Ohayou gozaimasu!" chimed Saturn. "O- Ohayou," replied Neptune. She had a look of confusion on her face. "What's for breakfast?" asked Small Lady. Then she saw the eggs and rice already laid out for them. "Ah! Arigatou. Gomen, omatase." She stuck her free hand behind her head to show her slight embarrassment. The rest of breakfast went fairly normal for everyone. Uranus was reading the paper, Pluto was sipping her coffee, and Neptune was reading a good book she had started last night. Small Lady and Saturn happily talked away while consuming their meal. The only strange thing was they never stopped holding hands the entire time. Uranus threw a glance over to Neptune, who raised an eyebrow. But neither said anything. It was when the plates were being put away that Pluto finally spoke up. "Saturn, Small Lady, can we talk to you for a minute?" The two girls just looked at each other with puzzled expressions on their faces, and nodded. The five made their way over to the living room, and sat down. At first there was only silence. Uranus was the first to speak. "We're...concerned about you two. Yesterday it seemed like you didn't want to have anything to do with one another, but today you're close again. Even closer than before." Neptune jumped in. "Don't get us wrong, we don't want to invade your privacy. If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. You're both adults; you can handle you're own problems, but we just want to let you know we're here if you wanted to talk." Pluto decided to add something. "We love you both dearly. We don't like seeing you hurt. Sometimes it helps to talk to other people." She smiled at them. Small Lady looked at her friend, and smiled slightly. Saturn smiled back and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "There's really no sense in keeping it a secret. I think we should tell them everything." Saturn nodded. "There shouldn't be secrets in a family. I guess we should just get it out in the open first. Small Lady and I are partners. We're in love." The two sat closer together, and held each other protectively. The three glanced at one another, and blinked a couple of times. There was no denying the shock they felt. Then large smiles crept across their faces. "We're glad for you," said Neptune. "It's always wonderful to find someone you love." She looked over at Uranus who was already looking at her. Saturn and Small Lady let out a sigh of relief. Well, the worst part was over. "Arigatou," said Saturn. "Your blessing means a lot to us." "I knew it," said Uranus half jokingly. "It's too bad all the pretty girls are already taken." She winked at Small Lady, who had a very large blush across her cheeks. "Uranus!" scolded Saturn. They all laughed. The family was back together. "But," broke in Pluto, "that still doesn't explain the way you were acting yesterday. Why were you both so depressed?" Small Lady sighed. It still brought pain to her heart to think about it. "Up until yesterday, we weren't sure of how we felt. Actually," she laughed a little, "we weren't even really aware of it." Saturn jumped in, sensing her friend was having a hard time. "There was a misunderstanding. Our feelings were confused. During dinner we weren't sure what to say to each other, and we were ashamed. Both of us were afraid of losing a friend. But," Saturn looked Small Lady in the eye, "we talked about it, and we managed to work it all out. That's when we revealed how we truly felt." She left out the details about the kiss, and the night that followed, but it was enough to make her parents understand. Besides, they were probably filling in the details for themselves anyway. "Are you going to tell the others?" asked Uranus. "Hai," said Small Lady. "Actually, we plan on discussing it with my parents first. Mama's been bugging me to find a koibito for the last little while, so we'll see how that goes. Then we'll tell the others." "So," said Saturn, "before we have to go back on Saturday, we plan on enjoying the last few days. No worries, no troubles. Just a couple enjoying their time together." They both smiled. The next few days would be bliss. ~*~*~*~*~ Later that day Saturn was alone in the kitchen trying to find something to snack on. She didn't hear anyone come up behind her. "Saturn," said a woman with long aqua hair. "Ah, Neptune," said Saturn as she turned around. "Doushitano?" Neptune didn't say anything, but showed how she felt with her actions. She hugged the younger girl and held her in her arms. "Neptune?" "Gomen," said the woman, still holding her. "Saturn, I really want you to know how happy I am, how happy we all are about you and Small Lady. And I want to let you know that we'll support you in any way." She laughed a little. "But why do I feel like I'm losing you?" "Mama," Saturn said in almost a whisper. "I'm 915 years old. I think it's time you let go." The other laughed. "I suppose you're right. But you'll always be my little girl. I hoped you'd find someone to love and be loved by. Now you have. I hope you become very happy, musume." "Arigatou, mama. I love you." ~*~*~*~*~ Saturday morning rolled around far too quickly for the happy couple. They wanted to stay at the beach house for all eternity, without having to face the real world, but they couldn't do it, and they knew it. The morning was being spent packing up luggage and saying goodbye. It could be months until they got to see these Senshi again. It surprised them when Uranus offered to drive them back to Crystal Tokyo. They accepted, of course, but they sensed a motive behind her asking. Pretty soon they were on the road, or the sky, actually. With Uranus driving it would probably take them twenty minutes to arrive at their destination. Or it would, if she drove as fast as she usually did. Today it seemed almost as if she was holding back. Neither girl knew why, but they were just content to sit in the back seat holding hands. They would get to Crystal Tokyo soon enough. "I have a little story to tell you," said Uranus, which slightly surprised the girls. "It goes back quite a ways, but I think it's important." Saturn winced slightly. She knew what was coming. She didn't know all that much about Uranus or Neptune before they became her parents, except the little bits they told her. She knew for a fact that it was very painful for both of them, so she never pressed the issue. She was a little scared, so she squeezed Small Lady's hand. The other looked at her slightly confused, but smiled at the same time. "It's about Neptune and I...when we were young." She seemed to pause for a bit. "When I first laid eyes on her, I couldn't believe how beautiful she was. She was like a shimmering angel trying to pull me out of the darkness of my existence. I had been having dreams about her and the mission for some time. So while I was overjoyed at meeting her in real life, I pushed her away, because I was afraid of the mission, and all I would have to give up. But she wouldn't give up. She always has been persistent." She stopped and laughed. "Actually she told me she had been following my F1 career long before she knew about the mission. She would always watch from a distance... "Anyway, I eventually gave into her. I couldn't help myself, I had fallen in love. For the next little while we were very concerned about the mission. It meant saving the world from the silence, so we had to stay focused. But at the same time... At the same time we grew closer as a couple. I began to wonder how I ever lived my life without this woman. Before any of this had happened I had already left home. Being at home was just too painful. After I left I vowed to make *my* family life a happy one." Uranus winked at Saturn, who smiled. "But Neptune was still living at home. She was distant from her parents, they really didn't seem that interested in her, and I think they fought a lot. "Something happened that I'll regret for the rest of my life. Her parents were on vacation. I think it was Hawaii or some such place. So, Neptune invited me over. It was a very special night. We ate by candle light, and played a lovely duet afterwards. It was almost magical. I should have went home right then, but I didn't. Her scent intoxicated me, and drew me in. I couldn't leave her arms." Uranus coughed a bit, sensing the blushes on the other girls' cheeks. "To make a long story short, her parents came home unexpectedly that night. They were none too pleased when they found me sharing a bed with their daughter... They said some horrible things to Neptune, to us both. Needless to say we left that night and never looked back, thereby severing our family contacts forever." Uranus looked back at the couple, they had slightly pained expressions on their faces. "Gomen, I didn't tell you that story to scare you. Far from it. Small Lady, you're mother is a very caring woman, you have nothing to worry about. But you have to be prepared for the reaction of the masses. You're Princess Serenity, heir to the throne of the Moon Kingdom, wielder of the most power force in the galaxy. You have to expect some sort of negative reaction to your decision." "Uranus, this is Crystal Tokyo. We're in an age of peace and love. People's opinion's have changed over the past 900 some years." said the princess in a calm voice. The blond woman tried to smile. How naive she is, she thought. "That's true. You'll have an easier time than Neptune and I ever had, but you have to expect some resistance. Some of the fringe religious groups are still around, and they can get quite opinionated." By this time Small Lady was slightly angry. "So what do you want me to do, Uranus? Just give Saturn up? I can't do that! I'm not going to bow to any sort of public pressure!" "No, no, please don't get me wrong, princess. You know how I feel about your partnership. If anything I'll be the first to protect you if any controversy comes of your announcement." She sighed. How could she make the younger girl understand? "I just don't want this to be a shock for you. I want you to stand strong if any resistance does come up." Saturn had been sitting quietly for some time, but now spoke up. "Uranus," she said in a loving voice, "believe me, we appreciate your concern. We understand what you're trying to say. But Small Lady and I have a force stronger than any resistance we might come up against. We have love. If we stand together, no harm will come, ne?" "Sou," said Small Lady. "All we need is each other. It might be a little selfish view, but it's true. We'll be together, and that's all that matters." Uranus smiled. "Yokata na. Forgive me, I just wanted to make sure that you were ready. Now there's no doubt that you are." The transport picked up speed, and zoomed along to Crystal Palace, which was just starting to appear in the distance. ~*~*~*~*~ "Serenity-sama," said a servant, "you have visitors." "Thank you, Naomi-san. Please show them in." Neo Queen Serenity sat in one of her private chambers overlooking a spectacular view of Crystal Tokyo. Of course, any room in the palace had a spectacular view since it was situated in the centre of the city. This particular room, however, was facing the south, which held a dazzling view of the Tokyo Tower. After all these years it was still standing. King Endymion was in the adjoining room attending to some paper work. Serenity herself was just about to start work on answering the many communiques she had received over the past day. The door to the room opened slowly, and in stepped Small Lady in her full princess gown and Sailorsaturn in her star fuku, Silence Glaive in hand. Both women bowed respectfully, which slightly surprised the older woman who wasn't used to such formal treatment by her daughter and close friends. "Small Lady, Sailorsaturn. Please come in and have a seat." "Mama, we're sorry to disturb you, but we would like to talk to you about something important. I'd like papa to come in, too." The two sat down on the couch and held hands. "Small Lady, I'm never too busy for you," she said with a smile. She called to the other room. "Endymion, Small Lady and Saturn are back. They'd like to talk to us." A man in a lavender tuxedo entered the room with a smile on his face. "Okaerinasai. My, don't we look formal today?" He gave a little wink. "I hope you both enjoyed your vacation, ne?" asked the queen. The two couldn't help but smile. "Hai, it was the best week of our lives, Serenity," spoke Saturn. "Now, what would you like to talk to us about?" Saturn squeezed Small Lady's hand. It was a bit harder than telling Uranus-tachi, but they couldn't back down now. Small Lady squeezed back, and had a look of confidence on her face. "Mama, while I was on vacation...I fell in love." Saturn beamed. So far, so good. Happiness and shock seemed to express themselves on the king and queen at the same time. "That's wonderful, Small Lady," said the queen. "Who's the lucky person?" "She's right here. Mama, I fell in love with Sailorsaturn." "Queen, King, before you say anything," spoke Saturn with clear devotion in her eyes, "please listen to what I have to say. I love your daughter. I lover her dearly. As you know, we've been friends for a long time. Long ago we swore we'd never be apart. Over time, and partly without our knowledge, that devotion and friendship turned into love. It's a deep love and we cherish it dearly. Please, you have to see that we're taking this very seriously." Saturn was looking the queen straight in the eye, trying to look as sincere as possible. "Saturn," said the queen softly, "daijoubu yo. I know you would not make an announcement like this without thinking it through thoroughly. I can see how deeply you care for one another." Small Lady and Saturn didn't quite know what to think at this point. Was that a blessing, or was there going to be a "but" to this statement. Waiting was killing them. The queen surprised them slightly by getting up from her chair and walking over to them. She surprised them even more when she began to give them both a big hug. "Omedetou ne! I'm so happy for you both!" "So, you're okay with it?" asked Small Lady hesitantly. "Okay with it? I'm overjoyed! We both want to see you happy with someone, and now it's come true. We're glad you could find love in such a close friend." The queen looked like she was glowing. "Small Lady, Saturn, Serenity and I wish you all the best. We love you both." spoke the king with clear emotion in his voice. "Papa, mama," said the princess with tears in her eyes. "Arigatou." She held Saturn in an embrace and hugged her tightly. "Do you plan to tell the others?" asked Serenity, while wiping the tears from her face. "Hai. Uranus-tachi already know, and we'll tell the other Senshi whenever we can get them all together. And...I know I'll have to make an announcement to the world soon. It'll just get leaked to the press anyway. I'm prepared, mama. We both are. But we're also both strong enough to get through any hard times. Love conquers all, ne?" "Sou ne," spoke her mother. "Love is everything." ~*~*~*~*~ To be continued in part 3. ^_^; Well, that was a whole lot longer than part 1, eh? Parts 3 and 4 may not be as long. I don't really know. ^_^; Okay, there will be fairly long author's comments this time. Yay! :P Chibiusa and Hotaru as a couple. Some of you may be thinking, "Is this girl out of her mind?" But it interested me, and I thought it would make a good fanfic. :) There's only circumstantial evidence to support it in the manga, but those few pictures were enough to peek my interest. Stay tuned for the next two parts, though. They may just surprise you (ooh, plot twist! :P). It took all my will power not to call Saturn "Hotaru" and Small Lady "Chibiusa." Or to use Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna's names, for that matter. Never in the manga do we see them using their human names in Crystal Tokyo, so it's fairly safe to assume that they never do. And, of course, we *know* Chibiusa was a 20th century invention and that everyone in the future calls her Small Lady. Still, it was hard. I had to hit backspace more than a few times, lemme tell ya. ^_- Now a note about all the ages and dates I threw at you. Some of them may not seem to make sense, so I'll go over them in detail. Remember, this is canon as per the manga. :) * June 30 2001 - this should be when Usagi turns 22, if we assume she turned 17 in June 1996 (this is when the fifth series manga came out, and Usagi was in second year high school (Grade 11) at the time). The second series manga establishes she rises to power and gives birth to Chibiusa when she turns 22 (since Usagi and Chibiusa share the same birthday, this seems to be the only plausible date). Plus it makes sense since 2001 is the first *real* year of the new millennium. * Hotaru at twelve-years-old - I meant in appearance. She'd actually be about a year old at this point (since the reincarnation). * Small Lady at 910-years-old looking 18 - If we assume she turns 904 in 1996 (she turned 902 in '94 in an enikki), and since she looked 12 in '96, we can assume, if she continues to age normally, that she'll look 18 when she turns 910. In the 30th century, the year would be 2911 (2001 plus 910). * Saturn not ageing for 905 years and stopping her growth at age 22 - We know Usagi stopped ageing at 22, so it's probably the same for the others. By 22 I mean the appearance of age 22. Saturn would have actually been 11-years-old, and the year would be 2006. Subtract 2006 from 2911 and you get 905 years. * Saturn at 916-years-old - 2911 subtract 1995 (when she was reincarnated) equals 916. If there are any other dates that I missed, they should all fit this timeline in a similar fashion. If any details don't make sense, like who Sailorvesta is, or what Titan Castle is, you'll have to read the manga to understand fully. It doesn't make much sense to go into a long explanation here. :) Yes, I know I based Uranus' speech on anime events, but nothing is mentioned about it in the manga, so I took a little artistic license. ;) And I think I kept it general enough that it probably fits the manga anyway. :) Okay, feedback time. ;) If you have any questions or comments, just email me at ajhd@king.igs.net. And if you don't, but liked the fic anyway, arigatou. I know I never email people even when I like their fanfics. ^_^;; Well, that's not true. I did email Tim Nolan once. ^_^; Extra special thanks to Jay Dee Archer (aka Jupiter Knight) for proof reading my fanfic for me! Arigatou gozaimashita! Go see Jupiter Knight's fanfic archive, he has lots of great stories. ^_^ http://www.dragonfire.net/~JupiterKnight/ Music I was listening to when I wrote this: Disc 1 & 2 from the Memorial Music Box (first season BGM). Actually, by pure coincidence, I was listening to the same BGM that played during the end of ep 88 when I was writing the 'Chibiusa returns home' scene. Any similarities can be blamed on that. :P Completed: Aug 20th 1998.