Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon - Infinity II Alternate
'Eye of the Beholder' - Chapter One
by AmazonessDuo
amazonessduo@hotmail.com


	As the afternoon sun beat down, a lone girl made her way home. The
dark stockings and midnight-black hair almost helped her blend into
the shadows. But the lonely girl didn’t need them for that purpose.
She was used to being ignored, used to fading away into shadows. It
was so much better if to others if she didn’t exist. To exist meant
for them to torment her, to hate her. Why did they hate her? Why did
everyone hate her? What had she done? All she wanted was to be left
alone. Why was this impossible to allow her? And so she hid. In plain
sight, she hid. She was the quiet girl; the shy girl. The lonely
girl. But only when she was lucky. When she wasn’t, she was the
freak. That thing that was only to be hated, not pitied. A witch. No
one knew her. No one cared to. 
	Her eyes downcast, she walked slowly home, keeping to the shadows,
wishing she could fade away into them. As she passed a group of
students around her age on the sidewalk, she gripped the strap to her
school bag nervously. She silently prayed to go unnoticed, and as the
small group left her behind, talking and laughing happily, she
sighed.  But her relief was short-lived, as two girls walking to
their next class spotted her and began to talk, just loud enough for
her to hear.
	"That's the 6th grader, Tomoe-san," says one, as they catch up to
her.  "She's carrying her bag.  Is she leaving early again?"
	"Isn't she really weak?" responds the other.  "She's been wearing
those long tights all year."
	Hotaru closed her eyes, hoping the two would just go away and leave
her alone.  "She's such a dark person," they continued. "Her
expression is always so empty.  It's well known that she's a bit
strange."
	"Naturally.  Her father's a mad scientist."  This insult cut into
her.  She was used to being taunted and tormented herself, but
resorting to attack her father..?  The pain grew until it was almost
unbearable.  "Doesn't she have any friends?"
	The lonely girl collapsed, her bag and its contents spilling out
onto the pavement.  Coughing and trying to see through the haze of
pain, the suffering girl reached out to gather her tin pencil case. 
The girls, seeing this as a perfect opportunity to torture her,
quickly approached, one stepping on the pencil case to attract her
attention.  "What's wrong, Tomoe Hotaru-sempai?" she said, grinning
down at the poor girl condescendingly.  "You tired, need some help?"
	Hotaru simply pulled the pencil case out from under the girl's
foot, and stood, having picked up everything else already.  Glaring
at the two girls, she holds up the tin pencil case and crushes it in
her fist, dropping the now-useless scrap to the ground and continuing
her walk home.  As she left, she heard the girls behind her gasp in
astonishment and continue talking: "W.. what??  She crushed it!  Just
like that!!" "She looked so mad.. like a completely different person!"
	Every day it was the same, and this was no different..  By now she
had grown used to it. One lonely day to the next, she dealt with her
classmates taunts, the emptiness inside of being truly alone even
amidst so many people. She was an outcast, an outsider to which
everyone, even other outcasts, looked down on her. 
	The fact that the school day was over brought little comfort to the
raven haired girl. The cycle would begin again the next day, or after
the weekend. It was unending, a constant in her life that she
couldn’t escape. She darkly contemplated what to do once she got
home. Her father would probably be in his lab, as usual. She hoped
his assistant, Kaolinite, would be as well. She would probably go
back to her room, close the curtains and try to escape her painful
existence in one of the many books she was reading. Maybe she could
even forget, at least for a short time. Or maybe she could come up
with a more permanent escape….
	The dark haired girl gasped and froze in place at the sight ahead
of her. Her heart nearly stopped at the shock that washed over her. A
girl with beautiful pink hair stood with her hands clasped in front
of her near the front gate to the mansion Hotaru lived at with her
father. Hotaru brushed some dark strands of hair from her eyes and
blinked. Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. No one would ever
come see her. She knew that much. The pink haired girl couldn’t have
come back to see her. Nothing like that had ever happened to her. No
one cared that much to come see her. Her pulse raced as she stood
nervously, completely unsure of what to think or do.  She wanted to
shrink back into the shadows, to disappear. Then this couldn’t
confuse her like this. It wouldn’t be able to scare her as it did.
But something deep inside stopped her from leaving. 

~~~~~~ 

	ChibiUsa stood nervously in front of the imposing iron gate. She
felt a knot in her stomach as she waited. And waited. And waited. She
had been thinking more and more of the pale, dark haired girl lately.
She had to see her again. She’d bought a new handkerchief to give
Hotaru since the other one had been stained with the blood from her
wound. Oddly enough, ChibiUsa treasured the cloth, keeping it hidden
behind some of the bunny dolls she collected. She would take it out
when no one was around, a reminder of Hotaru. She was a bit glad that
it had been stained, both to remind her of the dark haired girl’s
soft healing touch, and so she could keep the handkerchief for herself.
	Releasing a sigh of defeat, ChibiUsa turned to leave. She gasped,
startled by the sudden appearance of the girl she’d been thinking of.
She wasn’t sure what to do, whether she should go to the dark haired
girl or stay and wait for her to walk up. ChibiUsa didn’t have to
worry about that decision because her sudden shock had taken her mind
from the task at hand. Her forward momentum kept her going, but her
feet weren’t moving. Before she knew what had happened, she tripped,
falling face first. She managed to land on her arm, the same arm that
had been cut by the Daimon. Pain coursed through it as she collapsed
to the ground.
	The pink haired girl could dimly hear Hotaru yell something before
running over to her. It wasn’t so much the pain she felt as the
embarrassment that really got to her. It wasn’t exactly the first
impression she wanted to have on the dark haired girl when they met
again. ‘Why am I always so clumsy?’ ChibiUsa asked herself angrily.
‘I’ll never be like my mother. Some graceful princess I am.’ Letting
herself be helped into a sitting position, she met Hotaru’s gaze with
difficulty, her cheeks still a flustered shade of red. One glance
into the violet eyes looking back at her completely rid ChibiUsa of
the embarrassment she’d felt seconds before. There was nothing but
concern in those large beautiful eyes. 
	“Does it hurt?” Hotaru asked, rolling up ChibiUsa’s long sleeves to
get a better look at her arm. She gently ran her hands across the
pink haired girl’s creamy skin.
	ChibiUsa sat silently for a moment. Hotaru’s fingers caressing her
arm was sheer bliss. The dark haired girl’s soft touch pushed all
conscious thought from her mind. She looked back at Hotaru, not
saying anything, just enjoying the silence and the feel of her touch.
Finally noticing the other girl’s concerned stare, ChibiUsa shook
herself from that strange moment. ‘What just happened? I feel so
strange. How does she keep making me feel this way? Even when she’s
not there, she’s all I can think about. And now that she is here, I
can’t think,’ she thought to herself. She smiled and laughed
nervously. “Its nothing. I’m not exactly as graceful as I could be.
I’m used to it by now.”
	A smile tugged at the corner of Hotaru’s lips. “Its cute,” she said
quietly. 
	ChibiUsa smiled broader. Hotaru thought it was cute? She’d always
wanted to be graceful, elegant, worried that she’d never be. But the
other girl actually thought her clumsiness was cute? She tried to say
something but all that came out was a quiet, “Thank you.” Still
feeling the gentle brush of fingertips against her skin, ChibiUsa
brought her gaze down to her arm. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about
that. I’m fi…” She winced as the dark haired girl’s fingers pressed
against a small place on her arm. 
	“You’re fine, are you?” Hotaru asked, starting to smile. “If you’re
normally like this, then at least someone’s benefiting from my
healing powers.” Her hands started to glow as she concentrated. The
pain began to recede from ChibiUsa’s arm.
	The pink haired girl giggled as the warm glow healed her arm.
“That’s why I’m not scared of you. I could use the help when I get
hurt like that,” she joked. She noticed that though she hadn’t known
this girl for long, she felt completely at ease with her. A warm
feeling spread through her at the thought.
	A small laugh escaped Hotaru’s perfect lips. “I’m glad I could
help.” Standing up, she offered her pink haired companion a hand,
which the other girl eagerly accepted. Brushing the grass from her
skirt, Hotaru looked sidelong at ChibiUsa. Now that the fall was over
with, she was back to wondering why the pink haired girl was here. No
one ever came to see her. What was going on? Was this a joke? No,
this couldn’t be. She knew the pink haired girl was incapable of
doing anything so cruel. As an uneasy silence set in, both girls
laughed nervously. Thinking for a minute, Hotaru grabbed ChibiUsa’s
hand. ‘Dad’s gone for at least a couple more hours and Kaolinite’s
probably with him, so I should be able to talk to her.’ “Would you
like to come inside?”
	Nodding, the pink haired girl flashed a smile at Hotaru. “I’d love
to.” 
	That sweet voice and those warm crimson eyes sent tingles down
Hotaru’s spine. She couldn’t shake the feeling as she led ChibiUsa
inside the mansion. “Come with me.” Finally, the two entered Hotaru’s
room. 
	ChibiUsa let out a small ‘oh’ as she glanced around the dark room.
“There are lamps everywhere. Your room’s so romantic, Hotaru-chan.”
The room was filled with lamps of every size and description. They
were all placed around the room neatly keeping them from making the
room look cluttered.
	Hotaru blushed, turning on a few of the lamps, though the room
remained fairly dark. In the darkness the lights shined like
fireflies, seeming to cast a faint glow on Hotaru. “I prefer
obscurity.. The quiet and the dark.” She said softly.  "Would you
like something to drink?" the mysterious girl quickly asked, trying
to get off the subject.
	The pink-haired girl nodded enthusiastically.  "Hai, that sounds
good."  Hotaru silently slipped out, leaving ChibiUsa alone in the
dimly-lit room.  Ever curious, ChibiUsa couldn't help but wonder why
the girl was so shy, so lonely.. so mysterious.  Her wonderings were
cut short when the door opened to reveal Hotaru, now clad in a simple
black dress complete with tights, and carrying a tray with two
teacups on it.  “Do you like dark clothes, too?” she asked,
indicating the dress. 
	Hotaru nodded slowly. “Hai. I feel better in the shadows.”
	“Hotaru-chan… Why do you always cover up so much? I mean, with
sweaters and long sleeves and stockings,” ChibiUsa asked.
	“I had an accident a long time ago. I have many wounds from it,”
Hotaru said simply, looking away. To change the subject, she asked
what had been on her mind all along. “Why are you here?”
	ChibiUsa smiled sheepishly, almost having forgot. She handed Hotaru
the new handkerchief she bought. “I wanted to give it back to you,
but the blood wouldn’t come out of the old one. So here’s a new one.”
	Hotaru blinked at the handkerchief in ChibiUsa’s outstretched hand.
“You came all this way to see me… just to give me back my
handkerchief?” She was astonished. This girl had come to see her over
something as insignificant as a strip of cloth, something no one else
would ever have worried about with her involved. Before she could ask
the pink haired girl why she did it, she started coughing
uncontrollably. Her heart beat faster as she slumped to her knees. 
The tray clanged to the floor, spilling tea and cups alike, forgotten
by the two in this moment of crisis.
	“Hotaru-chan!!” ChibiUsa ran to her side as Hotaru suffered another
of her fits. “Hotaru-chan!!!” she yelled worriedly, clutching onto
the raven haired girl. The look of excruciating pain on Hotaru’s
beautiful face tore through her heart like a knife. Her mind raced
desperately to find a way to help. 
	“My…medicine…” Hotaru barely managed to get out. A shaky hand
reached towards her desk, too far out of reach. 
	ChibiUsa’s eyes frantically searched the desk, but she couldn’t
find the medicine Hotaru had mentioned. Hearing Hotaru say something
about an amulet, she fumbled for her broach. “It’ll be okay, Hotaru-
chan. I’ll help you, I promise,” she whispered soothingly.
	‘You can’t help me. No one can help me,’ Hotaru thought sadly.  Her
eyes closed, trying to block out the immense pain. "No.. don't come
closer... you shouldn't.. be near me.." she managed to whisper
between gasps for breath, wishing she would pass out. Or worse…
	Finally getting at her broach, the pink haired girl pulled out the
Silver Crystal, the one from the future that her mother had given her
to take care of when she’d come back to train as Sailor Chibimoon.
Her breath caught in her chest as she watched the dark haired girl
writhe in pain. She brushed wisps of pink hair from her own tear
streaked eyes, praying this would work. A soft glow slowly began to
emanate from the crystal, quickly growing brighter.
	Hotaru gasped as a warm glow blanketed her body. The wonderful
feeling spread through her. The pain ebbed away, her body once again
her own. Her pain had never disappeared so quickly, vanished so
completely in such a short time. The room was silent for a moment,
the only sound was the breathing of the two girls. Hotaru could do
nothing but look at ChibiUsa’s worried face. She had wanted to
express her gratefulness, but her voice caught in her throat as her
violet eyes gazed into ChibiUsa’s glittering crimson ones. ‘She looks
so worried,' Hotaru thought to herself. A sudden realization shocked
her. ‘About me? She’s worried about me? But how? No one worries about
me…’ The raven haired girl’s pale cheeks flushed as crimson as
ChibiUsa’s eyes. She tried to say something, but her mind was having
trouble locking onto anything than the fact that this girl could be
worried about her. “Thank you…” she managed quietly.
	ChibiUsa sat down on her knees in front of Hotaru. She smiled
happily. “I’m just really glad you’re okay, Hotaru-chan. You had me
so worried for a moment.” A strange feeling filled her as she looked
into those lonely violet eyes.  The intensity of the gaze, the way
she was looking at her, part of it scared her. Yet an odd excitement
coursed through her as their eyes met. She sat completely still, half
scared of what might happen next, but anxiously hoping something
would. She swallowed nervously as her eyes slowly traced Hotaru’s
beautiful features. From her soft lips, down to her elegant chin, to
her dark eye lashes, to the slight blush coloring her pristine
cheeks. ChibiUsa’s lungs ached for air as she quietly waited.
	Hotaru slowly brought a hand up towards ChibiUsa’s. The pink haired
girl started reaching for Hotaru’s hand instinctively, as if it was
exactly what she should do. Releasing her grip on the Silver Crystal,
it fell from her grasp. Time seemed to slow as the glittering crystal
dropped towards the ground. Hotaru barely caught the crystal before
it hit the ground. “Your amulet, it's wonderful,” the raven haired
girl said at last, breaking the silence.
	ChibiUsa finally released her breath. She wasn’t sure if she was
glad or disappointed that nothing had happened. ‘What was I thinking
might happen, anyway?’ she asked herself. Try as she might, she
couldn’t come up with an answer to that. Looking back up at Hotaru,
she couldn’t resist the urge to reach out and take her hand in her
own. The raven haired girl almost flinched at the sudden contact of
the warm hand against her skin, but ChibiUsa continued to hold her
hand gently. “Oh, that? Yeah, I guess you can call it my amulet.” She
laughed a bit, lightening the moment. “It used to be my mother’s but
she gave it to me, sort of as a going away present until I returned.”
	“Return where?” Hotaru asked, as if picking up on the pink haired
girl’s thoughts of home. She started to relax, greatly enjoying
ChibiUsa’s gentle touch. 
	ChibiUsa laughed again, nervously this time. “Well, its kinda hard
to explain.”
	Handing the crystal back to ChibiUsa, Hotaru smiled softly. “I
won’t tell anyone your secret, Chibimoon.” Her eyes widened as she
remembered something. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I don’t even know your name.”
	ChibiUsa grinned broadly. She felt good that the other girl wanted
to know her name. “I’m ChibiUsa Small Lady Tsukino. Well, my real
name's Usagi, but while I’m here everyone’s calling me ChibiUsa.”
	Hotaru brushed some dark hair from her eyes, looking intently at
the other girl. She couldn’t help but giggle. “Little Rabbit. That
fits you perfectly.”
	ChibiUsa couldn’t help but laugh as well. “You really think so?”
	“Yes. It's cute. It really seems to fit you.” Hotaru blushed and
looked away.
	Tilting to the side, ChibiUsa managed to catch Hotaru’s gaze again.
She wanted to see those beautiful violet eyes pointed her way again,
looking out from that gorgeous face. “Thanks,” she said, feeling her
own cheeks blush slightly. “Hotaru’s a really pretty name. Firefly.
It makes you sound kinda mysterious.”
	Hotaru sighed and shook her head. “No. People want to know about
the mysterious. I just frighten them.”
	Taking Hotaru’s hand with both of her own, ChibiUsa kept gazing
intently into the mysterious girl’s dark eyes. “I want to know about
you. And you don’t frighten me. I don’t know how anyone could see you
like that.”
	Hotaru tried to look away, these new feelings threatening to
overwhelm the poor girl, her mind already lost in confusion. Those
crimson eyes captivated her. Escape from them seemed impossible. This
was too good to be true. She had never had a friend before, someone
who wanted to know about her, who cared for her. No one cared about
her, right? Hadn’t life seemingly banned her from having a single
soul that could be her friend? So why was this pink haired girl here?
She flinched away from the contact of the other girl’s hands against
her own, but ChibiUsa held tight, not letting go. “But you don’t know
me,” she said quietly.
	“I want to,” came ChibiUsa’s earnest reply. She looked pleadingly
into Hotaru’s violet eyes. “Please let me get to know you.”
	Hotaru was silent for a long moment. This caught her by surprise.
All sorts of emotions ran through her. Happiness that ChibiUsa could
care that much, fear that this might all be a dream or that ChibiUsa
would change her mind when she did learn more about her,  hope that
her loneliness could finally come to an end. “Thank you.” She slowly
smiled, a broad genuine smile. “ChibiUsa-chan.”
	ChibiUsa smiled happily. She had managed to see that beautiful
smile again. “Hotaru-chan, you’re the most interesting, most
beautiful person I’ve met since I came here. I really want to be your
friend.” ‘That’s all I want to be, right? What else would I want to
be?’ ChibiUsa shrugs off the thoughts, leaning forward and hugging
Hotaru. 
	The dark haired girl’s eyes went wide as she felt the pink haired
girl against her. She relished in the sensation. She tentatively
placed her arms around ChibiUsa, hugging her back.
	The two girls stayed that way for a long time, both enjoying the
companionship and warmth. ChibiUsa glanced up from Hotaru’s shoulder
and noticed how dark it had gotten. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.
It’s getting late and I don’t want Ikuko-mama to worry." Releasing
the embrace, ChibiUsa frowned reluctantly. “I wish I didn’t have to,
but she doesn’t know where I am. I really want to see you again.”
	Hotaru blushed again, standing up as well. “You do? ChibiUsa-chan,
you’re sweet. I really hope I can see you again, too.” She smiled a
little shyly at the pink haired girl.
	ChibiUsa grinned brightly, her hands placed behind her back.
“Really? Then you will. I’ll try to see you soon.”
	Brushing a few strands of dark hair from her eyes, Hotaru stood in
front of the pink haired girl awkwardly. She smiled softly. “I’d like
that.”
	“Me too.” ChibiUsa gave Hotaru another hug before following her to
the door.



~~~~~~ 


	It was near the end of the day at Minato Ku Juuban Elementary, and
ChibiUsa's mind wandered from her teacher to hey shy, mysterious
friend.  'She's got such pretty pale skin..' she thought, tuning
everything else out. 'Like new-fallen snow..' Momoko poked her,
whispering that she should pay attention to what her teacher was
saying as she explains that all the clay works they did recieved
compliments from the other classes.  "But, it's time now to take your
sculptures home.  Give them to someone important to you, like your
mom or best friend, in gratitude."
	ChibiUsa took her jeweled chalice from the display, holding it up
to the light and silently cursing. 'Do I really have to give this up?
I worked so hard on it..'  She turned to Momoko and verbalized the
thought.  "Momochan, what will you do with yours?"
	"My mom's birthday is coming up in a few days," the other girl
replied.  "I'll give mine to her."  Just then, one of the clay cups
found its way to ChibiUsa's desk.  It had a profile of Sailormoon
worked into the side.  "That's a nice design, Kyosuke.  But why are
you giving it to Chibiusachan?"
	The somewhat annoying boy put his hand behind his head as he
laughed nervously, blushing a little.  "Well.. I've been a really bad
friend.  So I thought this might make up.  Kind of a sign of
friendship."  Immediately upon those words, ChibiUsa's mind pops up
with a picture of Hotachan.
	"A sign of friendship!  That's it!  I'll give it to Hotaru-chan!!"
	Momoko groaned.  "Isn't that the Mugen student?"  ChibiUsa nodded
and began to explain. "Yeah!  She's my new friend, and she's really
pretty, but she's kinda lonely, and mysterious too!"  Momoko snorted,
replying semi-sarcastically. "You're so obsessed with her, what is
she, your girlfriend?"
	The commotion of the class leaving as the bell rings served to hide
ChibiUsa's deep blush.

~~~~~~ 


	By the time she got home, Momoko’s comment had faded to the back of
ChibiUsa’s mind, replaced by much more urgent things. Like seeing
Hotaru again. The fact that it was starting to rain heavily outside
hardly seemed to matter to the future princess. The thought of seeing
her lonely friend was all consuming. ‘Is she okay? Does she miss me?
What’s she doing?’ she thought to herself as she dropped her book bag
on her bed and hurried downstairs. Her mind was hazy with the
thoughts of her new friend swirling through her mind. She wasted no
time in getting an umbrella and pulling on her shoes. There wasn’t
any thunder, so she might be able to make it there despite the rain.
A cold pit formed in her stomach at the thought of thunder and
lightening along the way, but she pushed it aside. She’d see Hotaru
soon enough and then it wouldn’t matter what she went through to get
there. A sudden burst of cold, wet air made ChibiUsa look up towards
the opening front door. 
Usagi stood there for a moment, her blonde pigtails glistening with
the raindrops from walking in the rain. She took in the scene before
her, her ‘cousin’ obviously ready to leave. Again. ‘Why is she always
leaving to see that girl?’ Usagi asked herself. ‘Hotaru Tomoe might
be part of The Enemy. Her father’s in charge of them. ChibiUsa might
be in danger and she doesn’t even realize it.’ Feeling herself begin
to get a bit angry at whatever ChibiUsa was keeping from her, she
demanded the smaller girl tell her where she was going.
	"Hotaru-chan’s," ChibiUsa said simply, standing up and moving to
get past Usagi. Her future mother barred her exit. ChibiUsa frowned
as she pulled the umbrella up against her shoulder.
	Usagi shook her head stubbornly, droplets of water flying about.
"Not on your own you aren’t."
	"But..." ChibiUsa began indignantly.
	"It's raining really hard and its already getting dark. I’m going,"
Usagi argued obstinately. "You’ve been going to see this girl for a
while now and this time I’m coming with."
"That’s not fair! She’s my friend!" ChibiUsa replied angrily. 
"Well, if you want to see her this time, I’m going, too." The blonde
girl crossed her arms in front of her.

Earlier that day, Usagi had been with Luna and Artemis under the
Crown Arcade at the computer they used to gather information. They’d
been trying to find research on The Enemy in the hopes that they
could use it to their advantage. Nothing had come up on the two
mysterious Sailor Senshi and whether they were friends or foes.
Nonetheless, Usagi couldn’t help but wonder about the tall,
intriguing woman, Sailor Uranus. The kiss they’d shared in the
forest...
Luna’s voice shook her from her thoughts as an image of a white
haired man with glasses appeared on the screen. A star took the place
of where one of his eyes should be. 
"The Delta Area is where all the abnormal energy has been coming
from. Especially the Infitity Zone. It seems all of our problems are
coming from there. The Enemy must be situated there. This has to have
something to do with their plan."
"That’s the guy who owns the Infinty Zone and Mugen Gakuen. He looks
suspicious," Artemis added. 
Usagi sat down and began reading the data on the screen. His name
was Souichi Tomoe and he was indeed owner of the prestigious school
and the surrounding area. His field of expertise was genetic
engineering. He lived at the Tomoe Research Labs with his daughter,
Hotaru Tomoe.  Usagi paused for a moment, rereading the name. It
sounded familiar, as if on the tip of her lips, but she couldn’t
quite remember where she’d heard that name before. A small
description of Hotaru popped up on the screen next to the
Professor’s. Usagi’s eyes went wide when she saw the picture. It was
the girl who had healed ChibiUsa. That’s where she’d heard the name!
ChibiUsa had been mentioning her all the timelately. She gasped, her
hand going to her mouth at the implications. She very well could be
with The Enemy. "ChibiUsa’s been becoming really good friends with
her lately. She’s been going over to her house all the time for the
past few weeks to see her. I hope ChibiUsa’s okay..."

As the two girl’s entered Hotaru’s home at the Tomoe Research Labs,
Usagi berated ChibiUsa in a harsh whisper. “We can’t just barge in
like this! It’s rude. And who knows what they’ll do if we get caught?
You’re a princess, aren’t you?”
ChibiUsa stuck her tongue out at the older girl, her thoughts still
elsewhere. “I couldn’t find the intercom anyway. Besides, Hotaru-chan
probably already knows I’m here so she won’t mind.” After a moment’s
pause, the pink haired girl smiled politely and managed a “Hello.”
Usagi looked at ChibiUsa puzzled for a moment. The younger girl
seemed to be looking behind her oddly. Turning around, Usagi almost
jumped when she noticed the red haired woman in a lab coat watching
them both coldly. Her heart pounded worriedly in her chest. This
woman had to be part of The Enemy. 
“What business do you have here? You’re trespassing. This is private
property. If you don’t leave now..” Kaolinite began before being
interrupted by a soft, but sweet voice.
	“They are my guests,” Hotaru said, glaring at Kaolinite as she
walked out of one of the rooms. She once again was clad all in black,
her pale skin the only contrast against the tight black clothes and
her own raven hair. Her gaze shifting to the pink haired girl, her
deep violet eyes gained a sparkle to them. Her heart swelled as she
looked at her visitors. She almost felt sick from the sudden anxiety
that washed over her at their arrival. It was as if she could sense
some sort of great aura from the blonde haired girl, but her
attention was still riveted to the kind pink haired girl whose
crimson eyes smiled back at her. The aura might not be as strange,
but everything about ChibiUsa captivated her. Why had she rescued her
heart from its lonely prison? Why had she become her friend? Her head
swam in circles as she tried to answer these questions, but for now
she had to attend to her guests.
	“Hotaru-chan!” ChibiUsa exclaimed happily at the sight of their
mysterious savior. 
	Kaolinite turned from the small group and left, thinking to
herself. ‘She has guests? But no one ever wants to see her. This is
odd..’
	
	The pale wisp of a girl bent down ever so slightly to pour some tea
for the two visitors. She shyly brushed back some dark hair from her
eyes as she felt their eyes baring down on her. She wasn’t used to
this. Without knowing what to say, she asked the first thing that
came to mind. “Why did you both come here?”
	ChibiUsa smiled broadly and set the chalice she’d brought with her
on the table. “I made this at school. Well, after school with Usagi
and Mamo-chan’s help. But I want to give it to you as a present. It’s
supposed to be the Holy Grail.”
	Usagi’s eyes go wide as she turns to the younger girl. “What? But
Mamo-chan and I worked so hard on that for you to just give it away.”
The blonde girl frowned as she remembered all the time she and her
boyfriend had put into working on the chalice when ChibiUsa had come
to them for help on the art project. It seemed like such a waste for
her to give it to this girl who very well may be part of The Enemy.
ChibiUsa just ignored Usagi as if she weren’t even there. Her smile
grew warmer, her crimson eyes never wavering from the darkly dressed
frail girl across the room. She felt butterflies in her stomach as
she kicked her legs almost nervously. “We were supposed to give our
projects to someone special to us this week. To someone very
important to us. Well, I was just thinking about how much you mean to
me and I wanted to give it to you as a sign of friendship.” Why was
it so hard to tell the other girl she wanted her to have it because
of their friendship? It felt different somehow than with her other
friends. This girl was so…. so….  amazing, wonderful, pretty, kind,
sweet, mysterious, sad, and so much more. Hotaru intrigued ChibiUsa.
She’d never met anyone like her. The pink haired girl always felt a
warm feeling inside when she was with Hotaru. She felt safe with her.
Her homesickness for Crystal Tokyo and her parents always faded away.
The quiet raven haired girl was so shy, but it just made her want to
get through to her all the more.
“Why aren’t you giving it to Mamo-chan, then?” Usagi questioned the
pink haired girl. She still thought of ChibiUsa as her rival for
Mamoru’s attention. 
ChibiUsa looked down at her kicking feet, her hands on either side
of her on the couch. Why did Usagi have to come with her? It just
made everything more difficult. Besides, she wanted to be alone with
Hotaru, not arguing the point with Usagi. “You and Mamo-chan helped
make it together, so I couldn’t give it just to him anyway.”
A tiny smile started spreading across Hotaru’s lips. She felt so
honored to be the one this cheerful pink haired girl thought was
important enough to give the chalice to. The shock and surprise of
the gift along with the other girl’s presence was a little
overwhelming. It was strange enough having a friend, but one that
thought so highly of her was such a foreign concept to her. It seemed
an utter impossibility. Everytime she saw ChibiUsa it seemed more and
more as if it had to be a dream. A wonderful dream. But the pale girl
hadn’t had any good dreams in years. That seemed almost as impossible
as if it were real. Whatever it was, she prayed it would never end.
“You made this for an important person, ChibiUsa-chan? But I… I
shouldn’t be the one to have this. You should be the one to keep it.
Thank you, ChibiUsa-chan,” she spoke up in her quiet voice. Glancing
at the Holy Grail ChibiUsa had given her on the table, she began to
think of where in her dark room to place it. It was already
significant to her. She wanted to make sure it had an important place
amongst her lamps. She smiled shyly as she turned back to the other
two girls.
Usagi leaned forward ever so slightly, her curiosity increasing
about this mysterious girl. Was she part of The Enemy? Was she using
ChibiUsa? What was she up to? She feels a cold chill run down her
spine as she gets a good look into those infinitely sad, dark eyes.
‘Its like I’m being drawn in. Her eyes seem to know everything,’ she
thinks. The cold feeling grows worse before she realizes the room has
been utterly silent for a long moment. Laughing nervously, the blonde
girl stands up, eager for a moment’s respite to think. “Could you
tell me where the bathroom is?”
	The dark haired girl turns and points out of the room. “Its right
down that hall.”
	“Thanks,” Usagi says quickly, leaving the room, confused. The pale,
raven haired girl was even more of a mystery to her now. And her
seemingly mystical hold over ChibiUsa baffled her. She resolved to
get to the bottom of things, no matter what. 

~~~~~~~~~

"Hotaru-chan!?" I watch as Hotaru collapses into a fit on the floor.
I run over, fear coursing through my entire body. I’ve only seen this
happen once before, but I kneel beside the dark haired girl, my heart
racing. "Hotaru-chan!?"  I feel so helpless, seeing this happen to
her. Why can’t I do anything? Isn’t there some way I can help her?
Why did this have to happen now? 

Clutching her chest, she looks up at me with pain-filled eyes. My
heart goes out to her. I want to go to her, to stop her suffering,
but I don’t know how. Her shaky hand slowly reaches out, touching my
broach. 

"..it’s better.. when I touch your amulet... I’m being filled with
power..." she says softly. Her body seems to relax as the fit finally
comes to an end. Her breathing slowly returns to normal. She looks up
at me with a strange look in her dark eyes.  

I smile slightly, relief flooding through me. "Really? Then I’m
glad, Hotaru-chan." It feels good to be able to help her. She’s
already healed me a few times, I’m glad to repay the favor. And to
see her in such pain… I’m just glad she’s alright now. 

The dark, distant, pale girl echoes my smile, still looking up at me
with that odd look in her eyes. "Your amulet... it has great power..
what power is it..?" Something isn’t quite right… but does it matter?
She’s alright now, that’s all that matters. I sigh, relieved that her
pains gone, if only for now. I smile again, a hand going to my
broach. "It’s the Mystical Silver Crystal," I say, telling of the
crystal inside my broach.

"Mystical Silver Crystal.." Hotaru repeats. Everything about her is
different, somehow. The voice, its not the soft, sweet voice I’m used
to. Her eyes, seeming even darker than before. Its like she’s a
totally different person now. Suddenly the frail girl recoils in
horror, her eyes widening as she draws back from me, raising a shaky
hand to her mouth. 

"Hotaru-chan?" I pull my hand from my broach, forgetting about it as
concern gets the better of me. "Are you alright?" I take a nervous
step forward. What happened? Why is she so scared? The frightened
look in her eyes chills me. I shudder, not knowing why. Is she afraid
of me? Did I do something wrong? I frantically want to reach out to
her, to make sure its okay, to know why she’s so scared. I don’t ever
want her to be scared again. I know that its probably foolish to
think that I could do something like that. But I can try.

Hotaru stays back from me, still seated on the floor. "I.. I... I’m
sorry.. I didn’t mean,,,! It’s like.. it wasn’t me..." Her soft voice
sounds almost desperate, pleading. Does she think I would leave? I’d
never leave her like that, not now. 

I take another nervous step forward, smiling reassuringly at the
obviously grief stricken pale girl. I want to hug her, hold her
close, make her know that its all okay, but I’m afraid she’d run away
from me. She’s so delicate, so fragile, like a china doll. "It’s
okay, Hotaru-chan. Don’t worry," I says soothingly, trying to get the
mysterious girl to relax.

She grants me just a bit of a nervous smile. I feel relieved again.
I was so worried that she might flee her own room to get away from
me. I know it’s a silly thing to worry about, but she looked so
frightened. My heart flies just to see that hint of a smile. She
manages a tiny nod, not saying a word.

Seeing her visibly relax, I take a sigh of relief. This beautiful
girl in front of me should never have to be hurt again. "I’m just
glad you’re feeling better, Hotaru-chan. I hate seeing you in pain
like that. I want to help you." And I do. I just don’t know how.

"..thank you.. ChibiUsachan.." A small smile plays across her thin
lips. She looks more confident as she tries to speak. “..you’re the
only one who’s ever cared... it’s like..." her soft, whisper-like
voice trails off. Like what? What are you trying to tell me? She
seems to withdraw from me again, nervous. 

I frown as I walk closer to her, closing the distance between us
quickly. There’s so much I want to know. There’s so much I want to
say. But what, exactly? I wish I knew. "I don’t know why I’m the only
one who seems to notice how great you are, Hotaru-chan. I can’t see
why anyone would ever be mean to you, why anyone would ever want to
hurt you." Because I can’t stand to see you suffer, firefly.

Her deep violet eyes gaze up at me, working their magic on me. How
can I hope to keep from losing myself in their depths? I find myself
being drawn further into those beautiful dark eyes. I see tears start
to form in those perfect violet spheres. Please don’t cry, firefly. I
don’t ever want you to hurt. "I.. don’t know.. but... It doesn’t
matter.. as long as I have you..." 

I feel my cheeks burning as I begin to blush. Had the raven haired
girl really said that? But… what did she mean by it? She didn’t
mean... "I.. I... Thanks, Hotaru-chan." My mind swims in confusion.
Why would she say that? Do I really mean that much to her? I kneel
next to her, smiling. As long as she has me... but how does she have
me? I’m not so sure myself.

The quiet girl blushes as well, her pale cheeks darkening as she
looks at me. I look into those beautiful eyes for a long moment. She
just looks at me silently. This moment, so much like the last time.
It ended off so... I don’t know. What had I been expecting that time?
A kiss? I almost laugh aloud. But then what Momoko said comes back to
me as well. My girlfriend? A kiss? How did I really feel about this?
Her blush deepens and she looks away from me.

I tilt my head, trying to catch her gaze. A soft sigh escapes my
lips. Why won’t she look at me again? Did I say the wrong thing?
Please let me see those beautiful violet eyes again. I try to meet
her gaze, to see those dark eyes. 

Hotaru quietly looks up slightly. Its obvious she’s nervous. Why?
Why are you nervous, firefly? Don’t you know I’d never do anything to
harm you? Her eyes look at me questioningly, almost as if she’s so
shy that she may flee from me at the hint of anything at all. The
silence envelops us. I want to break the silence, but my mind can’t
think clearly with this mysterious girl in front of me. She invades
my thoughts, making it impossible for me to think of anything but
her. But is that so bad? 

"Hotaru-chan, you’re so pretty," I hear myself breath softly. I
smile at her, once again losing myself in those violet pools. It’s
the truth. She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. Yet so
timid. Please let me get close…

The dark haired girl blushes profusely, as if no one had ever said
that to her before. Is the world that blind? She’s,,, heavenly. She
seems like she’s trying to reply, but nothing comes out. She looks so
afraid still.

"I would never want to hurt you, Hotaru-chan. I want to be your
friend. I want to be.. I don’t know." This time, I’m the one to look
away. I don’t know what I had meant to tell her. That thought scares
me. "I just want to make you happy." And I know I do. Oh, how I want
her to be happy. To see another one of those beautiful smiles...

Though she smiles at me in relief, I can see disappointment in the
mysterious girl’s violet eyes. She seems to relax at what I said,
though. "..I.. I wish I could be half as good a friend to you.. I
don’t know... I’m not really good at it, ne.. inexperience..."

I gaze into those eyes, wanting to know what caused her
disappointment, but quickly losing myself in them. "No, you’re
perfect, Hotaru-chan," I whisper softly. Everything about her fills
me with wonder. I so want to tell her, but I don’t know how. I don’t
even know what I want to tell her.

A slight blush colors her pale cheeks as she looks back up at me.
She seems more sure about something now, but I can’t tell what.
"..no.. I can't be.. but... Chibiusachan... Chibimoon.. when did you
fall from heaven..?  I want to know.. so I can give you a gift before
you have to return..." her soft voice whispers to me.

I blush hotly, looking down, averting my eyes. I laugh nervously,
trying to relax. I’m so happy she thinks of me that way, but to hear
her say it… "Oh, I’m no angel," I assure her quickly. "Your
friendship’s the best gift I ever could have received."

"..but.. you have to be... you're a magical soldier.. you had to be
from the gods... and.. you're the only one that ever noticed me, and
didn't call me a witch..." The words pour out, one after the other as
she tries to tell me it all.

"I... I'm glad you think that, Hotaru-chan. Thank you." I feel the
blush return, my cheeks burning even more as I replay her words in my
mind. I smile brightly at her. She’s sooooo sweet. No one’s ever said
something like that to me before. The smile disappears after a
moment. The only one, she said. How could the world be so cruel to
this beautiful girl? Isn’t there more I can do for her? I want to
make the whole world leave her alone. No, I want the whole world to
realize how great she is. "I could never call you that. And how could
I not notice you? You're so beautiful. And nice. And mysterious.
And..." I trail off, finding it far too hard to think as I look into
those endless violet orbs. That feeling… that same feeling I had the
first time I was in her room, the feeling that left unfinished, it
returns to me now. I don’t want to leave it this time. I want to see
it through. But what is this feeling? 

The blush on Hotaru’s cheeks darkens as she looks less certain about
something. "Thank you.. for everything... ChibiUsachan.... I..." She
cuts off the words at that. Please tell me, Hotaru. I want to know so
badly. You can tell me anything, do you know that? I’d never judge
you, never berate you. I just want to hear. I want to help. I want to
know how you feel about me...

"You’re welcome, Hotaru-chan. You deserve it, though. I really want
to get to know you better. To be closer to you..." I sigh a little,
unsure of myself.  I feel so confused. What do I want, exactly? To be
her friend, right? Then why is this all so awkward? Why do I want to
say something more? She’s so important to me, whether she knows it or
not. I want her to be there with me, always. I want… Why does this
have to be so hard? Why can’t I just tell her. I sigh inwardly. Tell
her what? I don’t know, but I want to. I know that much. She makes my
heart melt. I feel so warm inside just being with her. I want to hug
her close, to make all her pain disappear forever.

"..that's... that's what I want..." Hotaru says softly. She seems so
nervous, everything she says as if she can barely manage to tell me.
She blinks her long, dark lashes, blushing just a bit. 

"You do?" I ask quietly, hopefully. It fills my heart with a warm
joyous feeling to know that she want’s to get closer to me, too. I
sit in front of her, entranced by this mysterious girl. I find myself
wanting to lean forward and… And what? I feel all anxious inside.
We’re both dancing around what we want to say, aren’t we? Neither of
us knows exactly how to say it, though. And I’m still not quire sure
what ‘it’ is. But I have a funny feeling that she does. "That's
great, Hotaru-chan. You already mean a lot to me. You're all I can
think about." It’s true. She’s been on my mind practically all the
time since I’ve met her. And this mysterious girl is already so very
important to me.

"..but.. you..." She blinks those dark lashes again and shakes her
head. I follow her gaze to the table where the chalice I’d given her
still sits. My sign of friendship. Right? I blush when I remember
what Momoko had said. I really did want Hotaru to have it, so I could
show her… What would it be like if she was my girlfriend? I’d been
thinking about it all afternoon after Momoko had said that. I’m a
princess, I shouldn’t be thinking about such things. But I don’t
care. "..only Himitsu knows how much you mean to me..." She turns
back to me, looking as if there’s more she wants to say, but she
keeps it from me, afraid. Why is she afraid of telling me? What could
it be? But… the way she said that, do I really mean that much to her?

"It makes me happy that I mean so much to you." I brush some pink
hair from my eyes, feeling my cheeks flush. To mean so much to this
beautiful girl, that’s wonderful.  I smile nervously at her, so much
left unsaid between us. But what can I do? What can I say? If I
said.... Would this mysterious girl be happy? Or would she be
frightened?

A small smile crosses the dark haired girl’s thin lips. "..as long
as you’re happy.. I’m happy.." But her voice, there’s a sad tone
underlying it, as if she doesn’t truly mean it, as if there’s
something more. I want to coax it out of her, but I’m afraid she’ll
back away again if I try.

"Hotaru-chan..." I sigh as I look away from her again, confusion
threatening to overwhelm me. Does she really know just how important
she is? "You mean so much more to me. Since I met you, I haven’t been
able to stop thinking about you. When I’m away, I want to see you
again. When I’m with you.. its just perfect." 

Hotaru shyly raises a hand up towards my face, but after she makes
it halfway, she seems to realize what she’s doing and draws back,
only making it about halfway between us. I wish she’d keep going. Why
did she have to stop? "..it's the same... I thought it was...." She
shakes her head slightly before continuing. "..but you're a friend of
a million.. so it couldn't be..." But it is, Hotaru. It is.

I smile softly, reassuringly at this beautiful frail girl in front
of me. Leaning forward, I bring my hand up to her pale cheek,
enjoying the soft feel of her skin. It feels so warm. So...
wonderful. "But you’re special, Hotaru-chan. I feel... differently
about you. You mean more to me than all those others," I try to
explain, feeling as though I’m failing miserably at it.

I hold my breath, waiting to see what she’ll do. She almost pulls
back at my touch. My heart stops. No! Please, just grant me this.
Finally, she starts to relax into it, blushing again. "..then... then
I wasn't wrong..? ..I thought.. that I was wrong... because...." She
stops, her soft voice choked up with emotions. I see tears beginning
to form in her eyes as she looks at me silently. 

I shake my head emphatically, trying to get rid of that notion. Of
course she’s not wrong. How could she be? How could this shy angel
ever be? My heart aches as I see those tears in her gorgeous violet
eyes. "No, you weren’t wrong, Hotaru-chan. I just.. you..." I gaze
intently at her, trying to gather up my courage for what I want to
tell her, what I so want to say. "You’re very special to me," I
finally get out. 

The frail girl looks taken aback at my words. Its true, firefly. You
are so special to me. How do you feel, my firefly? In a hushed,
almost fearful whisper, I get my answer. "..I love you, ChibiUsa..."

I blush deeply, her words running through my head over and over
again. Those lovely words, spoken by this lovely girl. I feel like a
veil’s been lifted. Everything seems clear now. I never thought about
those words, not like this. And I’ve certainly never, ever heard them
spoken of me. It fills me with a warm feeling to here her say that, a
warmth I’ve never felt before. I feel so fuzzy, so giddy. I feel like
laughing and crying and jumping for joy all at the same time. For a
brief second I wonder what my parents would think. I’m the Princess
of the Royal Family of Crystal Tokyo. But I shake it off. It doesn’t
matter. I know in my heart of hearts that this is right. "I love you,
too, Hotaru-chan." I feel like a weights been lifted from my
shoulders. No more mincing of words, no more hiding our secrets. How
we felt was out in the open between the two of us now. This frail
girl... she truly means that much to me. That much and more. Gazing
over at the raven haired girl, seeing myself reflected in her violet
pools, before I know it I lean forward, ever so slightly at first.
Even I don’t realize it until my lips gently brush hers. I blush
deeper as I feel those warm soft lips against my own. It feels…
wonderful. My first kiss… Hers too, I realize. But that just makes it
all the more wonderful in this quiet moment.

The sad, shy girl looks at me sadly, apologetically. "I’m sorry…
I’ll only cause trouble for you..."

I shake my head quickly, not wanting her to ever have to worry about
something like that. "Even if you did cause trouble for me, I’d
gladly take it." Over and over again, forever, just so I could be
near her. To emphasize my point I lean forward, kissing her gently
again. It tastes better than the best candy I’ve ever had back home
in Crystal Tokyo, much sweeter than the best they could offer. I’d
give anything to just stay like this.

A small giggle escapes her lips, a smile gracing her delicate
features. "..I've never even had a real friend before.. and now I
have you... it's so wonderful, so perfect...." It means so much to me
to be that for her, to be that and more. I never want her to have to
suffer ever again. I don’t know if I can help it or not, but I’ll try
my hardest to keep her happy. Forever.

I find myself smiling brightly back at her, my hand still pressed
gently against Hotaru’s cheek. I giggle softly myself, glad to see
that smile on her face again.  "Hai, perfect. Just like you, Hotaru-
chan. I want to be everything for you. I want you to be happy. I want
to be able to see your smile." I look deeply at her, wishing I could
just tell her everything here and now, but not knowing where to start.

"How can I not be happy... if I’m with you..?" she says in that soft
voice of hers that I can’t help but imagine whenever there’s silence
around me. A faint smile appears on her lips. "It’s like... like...."
She trails off, at a loss for words. But I know exactly what she
means. Everything about this is perfect, magical. Its too hard to put
into words. So why bother, when I can just be here with her?

~~~~~

	Usagi stared at ChibiUsa oddly as they made their way home. The
younger girl had been acting strangely all night and now she seemed
to be off in her own little world, barely noticing what was happening
around her. The blonde girl sighed inwardly. This whole thing just
seemed to be getting more and more confusing.
	Had ChibiUsa heard those thoughts she would wholeheartedly agreed.
Her fingers absentmindedly went to her lips, her mind drifting back
to her first kiss just moments before. She felt a sudden wave of
dizziness wash over her as she relived the moment. What had happened
back there? She swallowed nervously as she walked along. That strange
feeling refused to leave her. She had never thought something like
this would happen. Her mother had told her to be ready for anything
when she came back to the past, but this was beyond anything she
could have imagined. Falling in love had not been one of the things
she’d thought her mother had meant. And with her… ChibiUsa’s cheeks
started to flush and her heart beat faster as the odd feeling in her
stomach increased in intensity. She felt like she needed to sit down
soon, but she didn’t want Usagi’s already paranoid mind to have
anything to work off of. 
	The mysterious dark haired girl had quickly drawn her in. Those
violet, pain filled eyes seemed to look deep into her soul whenever
she gazed into them. This almost deathly pale girl had invaded her
every thought. How could she have become so important to her? Did it
matter? The whole idea of falling in love this way had been so
foreign to her. The thought of falling in love with this girl was
almost frightening to begin with. But Hotaru needed her, didn’t she?
She wanted to do everything she could to make her happy. This whole
thing was so new to her. But it was exhilarating, the feeling that
encompassed her at the very thought of the raven haired girl. It
scared her a bit, but she pushed that to the back of her mind. She
wouldn’t let that get in her way. She couldn’t just run away from
Hotaru. The other girl had already woven a spell deep into ChibiUsa’s
soul. Maybe this was destiny. She had heard her mother say that so
many times about her father. This wasn’t quite the same, but it sure
felt like destiny had brought her to Hotaru. 
	“What are you daydreaming about?” Usagi asked after a long moment
of silence. “You haven’t said a word since we left Hotaru’s house.
What’s gotten into you? All thoughtful and dreamy all of the sudden.”
A sudden pang of worry spread through Usagi. Her suspicions about
Hotaru began to grow. The mysterious girl very well could be part of
The Enemy. And ChibiUsa would be completely unreasonable about things
if she mentioned the possibility to her. So for now it was best if
she just kept an eye on the younger girl. A silent sigh escaped her
lips. What would the pink haired girl do without her?
	ChibiUsa almost didn’t hear Usagi’s question at first. Shaking her
head, she tried to clear her thoughts but found that nearly
impossible. “I.. Nothing. I’m just thinking about… home. And my room.
And stuff…” There. That sounded convincing enough, ChibiUsa thought
with a satisfied smile. She did get homesick a lot, so Usagi
shouldn’t get too suspicious over that. 
	Usagi seemed to consider it for a moment before finally deciding to
let it drop. ChibiUsa was acting strangely, but pushing her probably
wouldn’t get her anywhere. She knew how stubborn the pink haired girl
could be and she didn’t feel like arguing with her for once. There
was too much to think about after meeting the Professor and his
daughter. She had to see what the others thought. 
	Glancing sidelong at Usagi, ChibiUsa contemplated saying something
for a long moment. This woman would one day become her mother, the
woman she held in the highest regard. Her mother meant a lot to her.
And she dearly wished she could talk with her about what was going
on, about Hotaru. She bit her lip thoughtfully. Opening her mouth to
speak, nothing came out. The nervousness that overtook her was too
strong to quell. Usagi may be her mother in the future, but now…
Maybe this just wasn’t the time to say anything. She couldn’t bring
herself to bring it up now as it was. Finally deciding to tell the
blonde girl later, if ever, she turned her attention back to what
really mattered. Hotaru.

	Hotaru gazed longingly out her window. How long had she been
sitting there? Minutes? Hours? She honestly couldn’t tell. The
conversation she had had with the pink haired girl kept playing over
and over again in her mind. It was too much to believe. How could
something so wonderful happen to her? That such a sweet girl would
actually care for her? Her? No one cared about her. Those that didn’t
hate her or try to actively hurt her saw her as an oddity, something
that had no real significance. But ChibiUsa was different from
everyone else. She had looked beyond everything and had stayed. She
hadn’t ran away or decided that Hotaru was an object of derision.
Instead she had come again and again to her, always as her friend. A
friend… Hotaru had never had a friend before. That alone seemed
inconceivable. But that the pink haired girl could love her?
Impossible. How could anyone? Yet ChibiUsa had been perfectly honest.
She had seen that in those beautiful crimson eyes. 
	Finally lying back on her bed, Hotaru stared up at the roof. Her
lamps lit her dim room like fireflies in the darkness. Romantic, the
pink haired girl had called it. She allowed herself a soft smile.
This was her only place of escape from the pain of the world. This
was her sanctuary. The atmosphere helped her try and forget
everything, much as her books let her attempt escape into the life of
another. But she was always brought back to reality, or taken from
the safety of her room. The cold harsh pain would always come
flooding back in after her short reprise. Her escape was always too
short. Much too short. There had never been anything in this life
worth returning to. Until now. There was something for her to hang on
for now.  She had a reason to go on.
	It had been so easy for her to fall for the pink haired girl. She
was so sweet and caring. There was never any doubt in ChibiUsa’s mind
that everything would turn out right in the end. Even with Hotaru.
That outlook on life was so different from Hotaru’s own. Everything
about her was like a bright light in Hotaru’s life, lighting up the
darkness that threatened to engulf her. The thought that falling in
love with the pink haired girl was wrong had briefly crossed her mind
on several occasions, but she couldn’t help it. And what was one more
mistake for someone like her? 
	The fear that this would all be snatched from her as quickly as it
had appeared to her was nearly overpowering at times. This could all
be some sick joke by the heavens. A way to taunt her with what she
desired with all her heart only to have it taken away. How could a
witch like her, a freak, be granted this? If ChibiUsa knew… her body
went numb at the thought. If ChibiUsa knew everything about her,
would her mind change swiftly? Would she decide that everyone else
had been right about Hotaru? 
	The raven haired girl almost felt like crying at that. Hugging her
pillow tightly to her chest, she wondered how this would all turn out
in the end. Her life didn’t matter. She would let this play out the
way it was intended. It seemed safer to keep things as friends, to
not risk losing what little she had. But for ChibiUsa’s sake, and the
yearning in her own heart, she would see where this took her.