Hello, everyone! ^-^ We're so sorry it's been so long. We wound up taking a little more than we thought we could handle, so we're working on a whole lot of stories right now. This just happens to be the only one we've managed to finish. ^^; We're working on a lot of other stories and joint author stories atthe moment, so we don't really know when we'll finish the rest of them. We'd still really love to hear from you at: amazonessduo@hotmail.com We've got ICQ, too, so we'd love to talk to anyone on that. ^^ We're ChibiUsa Tomoe and our ICQ number is 50279282. A friend of ours put up a site for the ChibiUsa & Hotaru Anthology, so you can find a lot of stories about the two of them by many great authors there. ^^ The Anthology site is at: http://members.xoom.com/chibinhotaru/enter.html Please check it out. ^-^ Thanks to everyone who's helped make that a possibility. ^^ So many beautiful stories came out of it and we appreciate all your help. And most of all, we'd like to thank The Ghost of 'lectricity, because without him, there never would have been a site for the anthology. Thanks, everybody. ^-^ We're still trying to collect stories for it, so if you have any interest in writing a short story for the ChibiUsa & Hotaru Anthology, please contact us. ^^ This story uses one of the characters from the Sailor V manga, Natsuna Sakurada. She was a police chief in that and she chased after Sailor V throughout the manga. ^^ She collected a lot of things about her and kept them in her office. You never do find out what happens to her after the Sailor V manga, so this should hopefully wrap things up for her. Well, that should be all for now. ^^ We really hope you enjoy the story. Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, and others. 'Sudden Glimpse' by The Amazoness Quartet Present Tokyo Minako walked to the end of the hallway, although she wasn't known as Minako anymore. She was known as her alias, Venus. She was a Sailorsenshi. She wasn't thirteen years old anymore. She wasn't living in her own little world. She wasn't able to play volleyball anymore and she wasn't able to date anyone since the small cresent-moon-baldspotted kitty walked into her life and told her of her past. She was forever changed by that one act. She remembered her past, she remembered her present, she remembered period. And that one act had so much pain into her life that she was tired of living. Even though it had been many years since she left the trail of Sailor V behind her she was still a remembrance of her life. Even if no one else cared to remember, like the many idols that she had honored and discarded. But, she also supposed that it wasn't exactly Artemis' fault that she had been given her curse of eternal loneliness. It was, in fact, her protector's fault. . The man who had told her he was to protect her always and then with his dying words left her with almost nothing. No hopes of ever being loved and no hopes of ever feeling the happiness that she always saw in her princess' face whenever she looked into Mamoru's eyes. It was the one thing that made her hate Serenity. But, in all her life, no matter what the hate never lasted. Just as she never hated Adonis for what he did to her, because he was heartbroken and lost. Just as she was now, and because she could understand what he felt in those last few years of the silver millennium when he had to watch her love grow for a man that ultimately lead to the end of the happiest times of human existence. Past Silver Millennium "Serenity what are you doing her in the Terra sector?" Venus yelled grabbing onto one of the pigtails that cascaded down Serenity's back. The girl looked to Venus with sobbing eyes, she sighed and cliched onto Endymoin. "Venus don't make me go now," she yelled in her honeyed voice, "I really want to stay here with the Prince." "No," Venus said grabbing the princess from the prince's hands. " Are you crazy? Your mother would kill me if you stayed here! She'd have my rank stripped and I'd never ever be able to show my face at my home planet!" "It's all about you isn't it," Serenity said half meaning it, half-joking. "No I'm just trying to get you to try and not act so childish!" Venus yelled, "'You are almost eighteen years old, and able to take over for your mother as soon as possible. You know that you are not a child and I know it you have to act with some rational thought don't you?" "You aren't my mother!" she yelled tugging her hand away from her protector's grip. "It must be hard," another male voice intruded into her ears and Venus swirled around to find out who it was. "Having a bundle of curiosity for a princess." "Kunzite!" Endymoin yelled at his guard for having such a loose tongue. Venus blushed slightly and ducked her head at the Lord Generals presence. Venus is shy? He thought, This take-charge-ask-no-questions-girl is shy? "No need for formalities around Lord Generals now is there?" Kunzite asked more to Venus then the others. Venus pushed back a strand of hair. "No there isn't," she said, "we are equal and should be treated that way." Then the girl seemed to remember her meaning for being there. "Isn't it Serenity?" She reached out and grabbed the princess's pigtail again and shoved the girl into the moon transfer beam. Not exactly hurting her because she had also grabbed the girls arm in the process. She wasn't about to give the princess the benefit of hiding behind the prince again. When the girls left the Lord General turned to his Prince Endymion. He smiled and shook his head laughing at something that he thought was funny. Perplexed the Prince asked what was so funny to the guard. "Nothing Prince," he said, " She must really care for you if she is ready to make her protector so angry at her for endangering her life." "What do you mean?" he asked, "She is safe here. I can protect her." "You are young and naïve," Kunzite said, "You do not know how dangerous it is here. How much protection you and Serenity get from the generals and I. Venus is only doing her job by protecting and scolding her princess. She is scared. You are a threat. No matter how much you love Serenity you can not save her from everything. This planet is still under sedge. It is still not safe from all of the dangers that exist. Don't you wonder why the King and Queen, your parents, allow you to visit the moon so often? "No," Endymion said, " They have never put up much of a fight." Kunzite nodded his head and motioned for Endymion to follow him. "It's because you are almost completely safe in the Moon Kingdom." Kunzite answered, "Queen Serenity has vowed to care for and protect the planet Earth and all the people inside it. Because you are the highest order prince in this land and caretaker for the people you are the most valuable entity in this day. You will not live to see Serenity age. She is immortal you know that, don't you? She will live only to see you die, and you to become jealous of the fact that she will be forever young. It is a doomed match from the start and I do not agree to it flourishing any longer. You will get no help from me or from the other generals to see her, and if we see her again I have to close all gateways to the Moon Kingdom. "What!" the young prince yelled a look of total horror on his face, "You do not have to power!" Kunzite sighed he turned staring in complete seriousness. "Yes," Kunzite said, "I have the power to cut off all traveling and all people from seeing you at all. I have the power to create a total hell on earth for you if needed. I will do anything I need to protect you and the princess. If you do not understand that then you are in for a amazing treat to hear that reality is not all fun and games." Endymion stared at his 'friend'. The man he trusted with his life, and inside he knew that the man was only doing this to protect them his maturity level wasn't at all at it's highest. He yelled at Kunzite, and threatened to denounce the Lord General from his rank. Then he stalked off, and Kunzite was left alone. "Ah to be young again," Kunzite said even though the age difference between him and Endymion was about three years the phrase was meant as a joke. "They do no seem to understand how much we care for them," Venus said, her voice making the Lord General to spin around and stare into the sad eyes of SailorVenus. They where cold and piercing, as if everything that Kunzite had just thought about in relativity to maturity flew out the window at the mere sight of them. She wasn't looking at him, but in the direction that Endymion had exited from. "True," he replied as soon as he had gotten the nerve, " They do no understand what we must go through to give them the life that they so badly want." "Even so," Venus said, "If apart of that happiness means we must sacrifice them to love one another are we hurting them by separating them? My whole planet's meaning for existing is to give love to the planets surrounding us. I'm going against all of my principals of I separate them like this. I can't stand not giving them the love that they apparently have. Am I wrong for doing so?" Kunzite looked at her and how she was so close to tears. It made him upset to see her that way. In fact it almost killed him to see her that way. "I don't know," he answered, "So much can be compromised by doing so. I'd hate to put your princess in so much danger. I know that they love each other, but it is too much to just let them be together without thought for everyone else." "Perhaps," she said, " I can allow it in the confines of the Moon Kingdom walls. I will have to talk to the other senshi, but I need to talk to you first. He is, after all, your top priority." "I don't know it's a lot to consider." Kunzite answered watching Venus get up and walk away. She tossed him a small pen with her planets' symbol. It was orange and about the height and weight of a regular ballpoint pen. "Press the handle and you will be able to speak to me at anytime you need to. It is untraceable, and no one will be able to hack in to our systems when you make the call. If needed you may have the generals talk to me as well. I don't have it all figured out though, and I need more time. Okay? Goodbye." Then she turned and left. Present Tokyo "Venus-sama," Diana's voice interrupted Minako's thoughts into the Silver Millennium. She turned to the small gray kitten that sat next to her with a worried expression on her tiny kitty face. She smiled at the acknowledgement of the elder senshi to her person. "Are you alright Venus-sama? You are so quiet right now." Minako sighed and stared at the tiny violet-gray eyes of the kitten smiling and purring a happy tune into her head. Minako padded the kitten between her ears and smiled happily. "I am alright Diana," she said quietly taking into account that the kitten had thought of her, "You are just like your father, Diana-chan. As sweet and worried as ever, and taking time out to see if I'm okay. Your such a sweetie thank you Diana." Diana smiled and then shook her head as quickly as possible, as if she was trying to remember the reason why she had come to Minako's room at all. "There is a man here waiting for you," she said in a whisper, "He is accompanied by Mamoru-san. He says that you should come down quickly so that you may speak with him." Minako jumped up with a sudden bolt of electricity. "He knows you talk?" she asked the kitten quickly grabbing her by the shoulders and bringing her close to her face. "Yes Venus-sama he does", Diana said, " Papa isn't home right now may I come with you Venus-sama? Please?" Minako stood taking Diana into her arms and placing her onto her shoulders to rest. "I wouldn't feel safe without you." Minako walked down the flight of steps on her way to the living room, she was almost shaking because of what Diana had told her. She was scared to know that Mamoru-sama had brought someone to her house, and that this person knew that Diana could talk no less. Who was he? She turned a ways to see Mamoru sitting down and reading the report that she had written for her english college class the week before. It had been on the American favorite, "The Scarlet Letter". It was like the American's reading the many favorite poets and writers of Minako's time for their school assignment in their Japanese classes. "Mamoru-sama?" she said in her soft voice, "Can I help you?" He looked up at her and smiled. He closed the report and pointed at the 'A' printed in the front. "Very good Minako," he said, "I'm proud of you." Minako smiled and stepped to the bottom of the stairs. "And, yet I know that you didn't come down to congratulate me on my english report," she said. Mamoru smiled and stood up letting the report lay on the table. "Your right," he said, "I am afraid I have a job for you. You are the only one I felt fit to have do this for me." "Like what Mamoru-sama," she said, "You only seem to beat around the bush, and I can't help if you won't tell me what's wrong." "It's ChibiUsa and Hotaru," Mamoru said, looking down quickly and sat down. "I am worried about them." "Why?" she said looking around her room looking for the other man Diana was talking about. "They're in love you know," he said bluntly. "Of course I do," Minako answered, "I'm surprised you know. It's only been a few months maybe a year by now. I haven't been keeping track of any of it." "Why do you think they're so secretive about these things?" "Maybe because ChibiUsa is the Neo-Princess of Crystal Tokyo, and Hotaru is just a senshi. Only there to protect ChibiUsa not love her." "That should make no diffrence," Mamoru began, but Minako placed her fingers on his mouth. "It does," she said, "It makes a big time difference, and if ChibiUsa is to marry anyone it would be a crowned prince. Someone like Elios, and not a senshi. Do you don't understand much about things like this because you fell in love with a crowned princess. You didn't have to worry about things like this, ChibiUsa does. What would you do if she came up to you and told you that she was in love with a girl, and a senshi no less. If it had been you or Princess Serenity you would have been banned from seeing Serenity. It's kind of the same thing here, understand?" "No, I don't understand but then again my memories are clouded," he looked down thinking a second before answering, "You where one of the only ones who have received almost all of your memories. I can't even remember my life now, let alone my memories then." "Perhaps I should talk to them," Minako said. "No," Mamoru protested, "I do not want them to know that we know. I want them to tell us when they're ready." Minako looked confused. "I don't really know what I could do if you don't want me to talk to them." Mamoru shook his head. "I know that there's something you can do. They need to understand that they can tell us that they're in love. But they have to be ready to tell us." "Hmmm...." Minako thought about the situation for a bit. "It's getting dark out. Maybe I can come up with something if I sleep on it." "Thank you, Minako. I really appreciate this. ChibiUsa's afraid of the consequences of being in love with Hotaru. Even though she's the princess I want her to know that everything will be fine," Mamoru sighed wearily. "I just wish there was more I could do." Minako smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure we'll think of something." "Oh, before I go I wanted you to talk to someone." Mamoru called for someone. A man walked around the corner. Minako gasped as she saw who it was. Meanwhile, Hotaru and ChibiUsa's thoughts were far from the discussion Minako and Mamoru were having. They were both at the house where ChibiUsa lived with Usagi's family. The two girl's were locked in a passionate embrace on the couch. The lights were off and the only illumination was the moonlight that filtered in through the windows. THeir tongues dueled as their hands roamed each other's bodies, the thin fabric of their clothes the only barrier between them. They froze when they heard footsteps leading towards them. They pulled away quickly. Hotaru was smoothing out her skirt as the footsteps approached them. ChibiUsa was looking down nervously. ChibiUsa looked up. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was Shingo, Usagi's little brother, and it didn't look like he'd seen anything. "What are you two doing out here with all the lights off?" he asked. "Nothing," ChibiUsa answered immediately. "We were about to go upstairs. We were talking." Shingo stared at her oddly for a moment before shrugging. He sat down on the couch by them and turned the TV on. Hotaru and ChibiUsa both got up. "We're probably off to bed now," Hotaru said with an exaggerated yawn. Shingo looked at the clock. "It isn't that late." "Yeah, well, we're going back to my room anyway. Goodnight, Shingo," ChibiUsa said. Shingo waved to them as they walked upstairs. "You know, one of these days we're going to get caught," Hotaru stated matter-of-factly. ChibiUsa sighed. "We should be more careful. I forget where I am when you're around so its hard to remember." Hotaru smiled, glad to have that affect on the pink haired girl. "I know what you mean. I wouldn't really mind if we got caught, though. At least we wouldn't have to hide it so much. Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa don't hide it like we do." ChibiUsa sighed again. "I know, but that's a different situation. I haven't even been born yet in this time. That and I've always been told what responsibilities I have to the kingdom because I'm I have to one day be its queen. I'm pretty sure that I've already messed with a few of those responsibilities when we fell in love." Hotaru stroked her cheek gently. "ChibiUsa, please don't worry. I'm sure everything will be fine. No matter what happens, I'll be here with you. Even if everyone wanted us apart." ChibiUsa put her hand atop Hotaru's. "I love you, Taru-chan." She hugged the dark haired girl to her. Hotaru returned the warm embrace. "I love you, too, Odango-chan." They held onto each other reassuringly, knowing the other was there for them. They stayed that way for hours as they talked before finally falling asleep together. *******Minako's Plcae Minako sat watching the man befor her pace back and forth trying to reclaim his thoughts on what brought him here. She could only stare though. Because the shock that he was here probably made her speechless, and the past was still fresh in her memories. It made her so uneasy to be around him, and what made her even more uneasy was the fact that he was supposed to be dead. He walked around his long, shoulder length, silver hair tied back into a ponytail. His crystal gray eyes flitering in the dark light.Kunzite...she thought, why are you here? Her eyes lined with tears and she was about to cry if she hadn't held her breath and waitted for the feeling to go away. She stopped though. Then he stopped and stared at her for afew seconds and went to her to comfort her. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her on her forehead. "what's wrong?" he asked. Her eyes trying not to decive her from giving away her thoughts. "I thought you where dead," Minako said slipping herslef away from him. "Why are you here?" "Because I was reborn," Kunzite answered. "When you helpped kill Queen Beryal I was released from the bonds of being her slave. So where the other generals. But, they won't be reborn." "Why?" she asked,"Why are you here?" "Because I heard you." Kunzite said, "I heard you calling for me in your dreams. About the silver Millenium. I heard you calling for help. So I came." "Then you know about ChibiUsa and Hotaru," Minako said recalling her converstion with Mamoru. You about the and my mission." "Yes," Kunzite said, "I am also here to help you with that." "How?" "We send them back to Crystal Tokyo. We let them see what it's like in the future. Let them talk to thier future-selfs and realise that they can tell Mamoru-sama about thier secret. I can help you know." "Send them back?" ********** Hotaru woke up first. She blinked several times as she slowly woke up. Something felt different. Her left arm was asleep, but that wasn't it. It as pinned under the familiar weight of her pink haired lover. She flexed her fingers, feeling a tingle throughout her arm. She slowly tried to pull her arm out from under ChibiUsa. She finally gave up after a couple minutes. She sighed before kissing ChibiUsa's cheek. "ChibiUsa-chan," Hotaru said as she gently shook the other girl. Hotaru heard noises from another room. They were different from the sounds she usually woke up to. A type of happy chaos she'd grown to find comforting. The sounds of her Michiru-mama, Setsuna-mama, and Haruka-papa all going about their business. The sounds she heard were still happy, but not the same. She couldn't quite put her finger on what was different, though. When she started shaking ChibiUsa again, she realized the sheets covering them weren't her sheets. She relaxed a bit when she remembered that they'd fallen asleep in ChibiUsa's room. The relief was shortlived however, as she looked around the room. The room was much bigger than ChibiUsa's and lavishly decorated. There were a lot of lamps in the room and trinkets lying around the room collected over the years by the people who lived there. "ChibiUsa," Hotaru said louder, shaking the pink haired girl more urgently. "Wake up." "Mmmm..." ChibiUsa rolled over with her back to Hotaru. Hotaru managed to get her hand out from under the other girl, freeing it. She moved he arm around trying to work the feeling back into it. Hotaru sighed in frustration. She was worried about where they were. She'd feel a lot better if ChibiUsa was awake. She needed the reassurance the other girl's presence always gave her. "Odango-chan, please wake up," Hotaru said desperately. "What?" ChibiUsa asked sleepily. "Get up," the dark haired girl said, relief evident in her voice. ChibiUsa hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave the comfort of sleep. "ChibiUsa," she heard the other girl say again. "Okay, I'm up." ChibiUsa sat up groggily, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She blushed and pulled the sheet up around her as she realized her state of undress. Hotaru would have found it cute if she wasn't so worried. ChibiUsa looked closely at the dark haired girl for a moment. "What's the matter?" she asked. Hotaru looked so nervous. ChibiUsa hoped nothing was wrong. She felt an icy pit form in her stomach as she saw the frightened look on Hotaru's face. "Do you know where we are?" Hotaru asked her. The pink haired girl looked around the room for a minute. "We're in Crystal Tokyo. We're in the palace, but I'm not sure what room." She began to lie back down on the bed, glad to have answered Hotaru's question. She felt relieved that it wasn't anything big. Hotaru grabbed her arm to keep ChibiUsa in a sitting position. "Then why are we in Crystal Tokyo? We were in your room back in the present last night, remember?" ChibiUsa looked around the room again nervously, now fully awake. Why were they in ChibiUsa's time? Had her mother brought them there? If that was it, then why was Hotaru there with her? Did her mother already know about them? Had Setsuna brought them? ChibiUsa's head began to swim with unanswered questions. Hotaru got up and took a closer look as she walked around the room while she waited for ChibiUsa to get her bearings. It was the pink haired girl's time period after all. For some reason, the room was oddly familiar and calming. Something caught her eye about some of the lamps. She inspected it closely, shocked by what she'd found. "I think I know where we are," ChibiUsa said happily. "They must have moved all my things to a new room and this is it. Kind of like a suprise for when I got back." She lifted up a stuffed bunny doll from off the bed. "I had this on my bed here in the palace when I went back to the past. I felt bad because I'd forgotten to bring it along." She smiled and hugged the bunny to her bare chest. "That's can't be it," Hotaru replied. ChibiUsa looked up, confused. "Why not?" "Because this is one of the lamps I collected. It's one of my favorites." "Then where are we?" ChibiUsa got up and walked over to the other girl. "Well, wherever we are, someone must know we're here." The dark haired girl said thoughtfully. "This is too strange. Why would I be brought back here while I was asleep?" ChibiUsa asked. "I have no idea, Odango-chan. I'm sure someone can tell us what's going on, though." Hotaru thought about it for a moment. "My mom should know. She might even be the one who had us brought here." ChibiUsa tried to keep the nervousness out of her voice. If it was her mother that had brought them both then she probably knew thet they were together. ChibiUsa wasn't sure if she was ready to talk to her mom about that. "Good. Hopefully she can help us," Hotaru said, feeling a little better about there current situation. ChibiUsa stepped forward and opened the door. The two girls stepped out of the room. Before they could do anything, a little maroon haired girl ran up to them. "Mama! Mama! Shisa won't leave me alone!" The little maroon haired girl ran up to the two of them looking about ready to cry. She looked like she was about five or six and her hair was done up in odangos with pigtails coming out from them. Hotaru and ChibiUsa stood there, not sure what they should do. The little girl looked up at them with big, teary eyes, waiting for them to say something. Another little girl ran up to them before they could decide what to do. She had darker hair than they other one and she wore glasses. Her hair almost reached her shoulders. "Selene doesn't understand," Shisa said. "I just wanted us to play, but she's been trying to ignore me." Hotaru and ChibiUsa stared at the two children for a moment. ChibiUsa turned to look at Hotaru, waiting for the other girl to say something. Hotaru looked back at her and shrugged helplessly. "Mama? Are you okay?" Selene asked, sounding frightened. "Why are you smaller?" Shisa looked at the two of them as well. "Yeah. What happened?" "Its okay," ChibiUsa said soothingly, trying not to worry the two girls. "And mama, your hair isn't as long as it used to be." Shisa added as she looked at ChibiUsa. The two girls turned to Hotaru, but they couldn't notice anything different about her other than her size. They turned in unison to look at ChibiUsa again. "Its a bit confusing," Hotaru said reassuringly. "We don't really know what's going on either. But don't worry. I'm certain that everything's fine." Hotaru put a hand on both of their shoulders and smiled. The two girls seemed to relax slightly. "Could I ask you a question?" Shisa nodded. "Okay." "Who are your parents?" Hotaru asked anxiously. The two girls shared distraught looks before Selene answered. "You two are." Minako walked down the corridors from the palaces marbled floors."How did that happen?" Minako asked aloud. Her thoughts were in a jumble. 'Maybe I shouldn't have come to the future,' she thought to herself. 'No. I'm the Senshi of love. I wanted to help Hotaru and ChibiUsa. But why did I have to find out who I got with? Setsuna will kill me if she finds out that I know. I just had to know, didn't I?' she asked herself. After meeting Kunzite again in the past, she thought that he might very well be the man she'd marry. When Hotaru and ChibiUsa had been sent to the future, she decided to go too so she could help them, and possibly find out who she ended up with while she was there. Her love life never worked out for her and now she finally had renewed hope for it. And with Kunzite's reappearance, she had a burning curiosity to find out how things would turn out for her. This had all made her start thinking about the past again, but she'd never thought that a certain part of her past would be such a big part of her future. When she'd gone to find out who her one true love really was, she'd seen her future self in the arms of Natsuna Sakurada. Natsuna had been a police chief when Minako was Sailor V and she'd fallen in love with Sailor V. Minako had only been thirteen at the time compared to Natsuna who had been about ten years older than her. It hardly seemed to matter to Natsuna, though. She'd quickly had some of her officers out trying to get Sailor V so she could talk with her. It had frightened Minako to have the older woman chase after her like that. Eventually she'd even found out that Sailor V was Minako. Things between the two of them had left off unresolved because Minako's family had moved to England a short time afterward. She was shocked to find out what had become of that whole situation. The idea scared her. Had she really been in love with Natsuna all this time? She wished Artemis was there. She stopped before the ornate doors of what she was fairly certain were the goup of rooms Hotaru and ChibiUsa shared with their daughters. She'd asked a bit about the future and for the directions from her future self so she'd be prepared to help the two younger girls. She'd planned on asking her future self about what had happened between her and Natsuna, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything about it. She took a deep breath and composed herself before entering the room. When she opened the doors to the bedroom she saw Shisa and Selene jumping up and downtrying to get the two naked girls to comply with thier needs. She smiled andcleared her throat trying to get the attention of the two tiny girls. They stopped and looked at her. "V-sama!" Shisa yelled jumping to Venus' arms and kissing her on the cheek in adorance. Selene pulled on Minakos fuku. "V-sama, Shisa is being mean to me agian," Selene whinned, sticking her tounge out at Shisa. "You two know better then to just barge in on your parents like that," Minako said. Shisa stuck her tounge out at Selene and looked tirumphantly at Minako. "And, you know that Selene doesn't always like your games. You have to leave her alone sometimes. Try and practice your senshi skills with Jupiter and Mars." "V-sama," Shisa yelled, "I want to practice with you!" "Later Shisa," Minako said. "Just leave us now." The girls left and Minako closed the doors to the bedroom and smiled at the two nervous,naked girls. Hotaru had pulled the sheet over the girls and held her close to the cornor."Why are you two hiding from me? You've been married quite a while now." "M-married?" ChibiUsa asked. "What do you mean married? We're only sixteen!" "Not in this world your not ChibiUsa-chan." Minako said, handing over the clothes to a hamper, and turned and pulled out a gown that resembled Serenity's princess gown. She turned to ChibiUsa and grabbed her away from the sheet. She pushed the dress on her and released her hair from the tangled odangos. She began to brush the hair very gently, and when the tangles where gone she turned to Hotaru. Hotaru stared at her from the sheet and watched her pull out another dress that resembled a senshi's attire but was decorated with tiny sequins that where shapped like tiny moons and stars. In the middle of her bow was a small locket that had the Saturn and Moon symbol on it. In the middle of the symbols was a tiny crystal that was colored black with silver lining on it. Hotaru put on the dress and boots that laced up her legs almost to her knees. "How do you know we're not from this world," Hotaru asked, "How come your being so calm about this?" "Because I am from your world 'Taru." Minako said, "I am only posing like you and ChibiUsa. There is much that you need to know. Those two girls are the new princess' of Crystal Tokyo, they are your daughters." "Look at us Mina-san," Hotaru said, "We're girls. How can we have children?" "Ever heard of cloning? It's kinda like that but a bit harder to understand. Let's just say they've done a lot between our time and this one." "Then how did you get here Mina-san?" ChibiUsa asked "How did you get to the Future Tokyo?" "I was helped just like you two where," Minako smiled, "By someone you'd never guess." ChibiUsa & Hotaru both looked at her. Minako sighed. "Its pretty confusing. Trust me." ******* "Natsuna" Venus' voice breathed in the ear of her lovers. She kissed her sweetly on the cheek,tracing the jawline of her face with her gloved hand. Natsuna smiled sweetly her hair spilled over the fluffy pillows that litterd thier bed. She reached up pulling Minako's face to her own, kissing her fully on the mouth. "I missed you today lover where have you been?" she asked, "I thought you would teaching the girls how to use thier powers by now." "Not today," Venus said, "Today is our day to be together. You know that, it's our anniversary." She traced Natsunas creamy white breast with her fingertips bringing shivers down her spine. She loved every minute of this. Making her lover shiver underneath her touch and kisses. Strange how it just seemed so right after having shared so much with Natsuna in her past, Minako was able to share the future as well. It was perfect. But there was the unresloved issue of Kunzite. What would he do if he fould her younger self wondering around. It wasn't like it was easy for him to let go of the fact that she and Natsuna where married. He'd always belived that they would get together and stay together no matter. Much Usagi and Mamoru's relationship, but in the end she couldn't wait for true love of the past to come to her. When there was the chance of being with such a sweet human being as well. She just hoped that her younger self could understand that so early.Chibi-Usa and Hotaru must be awakeing by now, she thought, I wonder what thier reaction on thier faces are right now.... ******** "Minako, what's going on?" ChibiUsa asked her worriedly. Minako hesitated before replying. Maybe Setsuna should be doing all this. She was the Senshi of Time after all. "Well, you two have been hiding your relationship for a while now. You shouldn't do that. The rest of us care about you and all we want is for the two of you to be happy. So I thought if you saw the future, or at least some of it, you'll realize that you can tell all of us about the two of you without worrying." "We've already told my parents," Hotaru said. "Yeah, but you've been dating for a while now and you haven't told any of the rest of us. We wish you didn't think you needed to hide from us," Minako explained. "Wait, how do you know, then?" ChibiUsa asked. "I am the Senshi of Love you know." Minako smiled. Hotaru sat down on the plush couch near them, shocked from all that she'd heard. ChibiUsa sat down by her and put an arm around Hotaru, drawing her close. Both girls needed comfort from each other at the moment. Things seemed so strange. "I can't believe we have daughters," Hotaru said, amazed. "I never thought we'd be able to. I can't believe it." "So they're me and Taru's daughters?" ChibiUsa asked. "Yes. They are the children you wind up having," Minako said. ChibiUsa sat in silence. She'd been so worried about what her mother would think about her getting with Hotaru. Hotaru was a girl, so ChibiUsa had thought she wouldn't be able to have an heir. Now it seemed that there wasn't anything for her mother to worry about other than Hotaru being a Sailor Senshi. "They were so sweet. Will we be able to see them again before we leave?" Hotaru asked Minako. "I'm really not sure. You might," was all Minako could answer. "So they're like clones? Is one a clone of ChibiUsa and one a clone of me? Or are they both a mix of the two of us?" Hotaru asked. "I don't know. I really don't know much other than what my future self told me. Besides, its probably better that you two don't know about things like that anyway." Minako started thinking about Natsuna again after she mentioned her future self. She shook her head and tried to stay focussed on the two younger girls in front of her. "Are you okay?" ChibiUsa looked at Minako oddly. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something," Minako said, sounding distant. "This is a lot farther than the future I'm from," ChibiUsa remarked. Minako laughed. "Its not as far into your future as you think." ChibiUsa blushed a little at the idea of getting married and having children so soon. Hotaru looked happy about the whole thing. "What should we do while we're here in the future?" Hotaru asked confused. "You should probably talk to your future selves. That way you can see that there really isn't anything for the two of you to worry about. You should talk to some of us, too, and see how we handled finding out about the two of you. You might be surprised about how things have happened to the rest of us. I know I am." Minako stood up to leave. "I've got to go for now." "Where are you going?" ChibiUsa asked her. "I've got a lot on my mind. I've got to think. Good luck to you both. Ja!" Minako quickly walked out the door, leaving ChibiUsa and Hotaru once again alone in the room. ******* Minako wondered the sweet smelling halls until she reached the source. Makoto was cooking agian and the smell drove Minako crazy. It was so nice having the familiarity of her friends habits then the cold harshness of this world. She slipped inside hoping to grab a tiny cookie from the steaming batch next to the unsuspecting Makoto. But, just as she was able clasp one in her grasp Makoto's spoon slammed her hand down with a rap. "Ow! Makoto what did you do that for!" Minako whinned, she looked at the upset Makoto her green eyes flaring slightly. "Venus, you know you can'thave those." Makoto told her, "And since when did you start calling me by my given name. You know we only call each other by our senshi names." "Sorry," Minako said tapping her heand with her finger, "Stupidity leak." Makoto smiled slightly at her friends gesture. "So why aren't you with Natsuna?" Maoto asked. "She was looking for you a little while ago." "Oh I have some thinking to do," Minako said, "It is our anniversary, and I can't think of anything to do with her right now." Makoto turned to her agian after having checked the cookies one last time. She reached over and offered one to her friend. "Yeah I can't belive it's been so long since you and her got together." Makoto answered, "You and her where one strange couple I tell you. She was always after with her crush and you where always looking in all the wrong places." "You mean Kunzite?" Minako asked. "Yeah you and the rest of us where always looking for them to come back and be with us. But, we soon found out that that was just a dumb pipe dream." "And where is your lover Jupiter-sama?" Minako asked. "Probably up in the training grounds agian testing the newest similation atmospheres. They're a work of art don't you think?" Makoto asked. Minako rubbed her neck slightly, as if to show physical pain. "Yeah what can I say it's a work out," Minako answered, "Not like the training we did with Luna and Artemis." So, Minako thought, Jupiter and the rest are in the same boat as I am. The generals are apparently not our husbands like they where in the past. But, like me, it's people who had a large influence in our lives. My don't I feel special... ****** "Hi, Venus-san!" a little girl said as she ran into the room. She had short blue hair and light green eyes. She looked like she was around Shisa and Selene's age. "Hi..." Minako said, unsure. 'Another one?' she thought. "Hello, Meimi." Makoto smiled at the younger girl. "Makoto-mama, are the cookies almost done?" the little girl asked. "Yeah. You better eat some before Minako finishes them all," Makoto said teasingly. "Makoto-mama? Mako-chan... I mean, Jupiter. You're her mom?" Minako asked, shock spreading through her. Her future self hadn't said a thing about Makoto having a daughter. Makoto stared at her oddly. "Of course you are," Minako said nervously. "I was just kidding." "You're acting strangely, Venus. Are you sure you're okay?" Makoto asked. "Yeah. Like I said, I'm still trying to think about what to do about Natsuna for tonight." "Well, if you want to be alone with her tonight, Ai can always spend the night here with us," Makoto offered. "Could she? That would be great!" Meimi said happily. "The kids love playing together, anyway," Makoto gestured at Meimi's enthusiasm. 'The kids?' Minako thought. 'I really should have spent more time talking to my future self.' "Umm... Ai?" Minako said, not being able to think of anything else to say. "You know, cute little red-headed girl. You and Natsuna's daughter?" Makoto laughed. "I really hope you didn't forget about her." Minako's eyes widened in shock. 'My daughter? Why didn't my future self mention that? Isn't that something I should know? How could she just forget to mention that?' "Sure, sounds good. Thanks Mako... Jupiter." "Okay. Meimi and I will go get Ai a little later. I'm sure you and Natsuna would want to be alone on your anniversery anyway." Makoto gave Minako a conspiratorial wink in front of the innocent little girl. "Huh? Oh yeah. Thanks..." Minako said, trying to sound grateful. "When's Ami-mama getting home?" Meimi asked Makoto. 'Ami-mama? Mako-chan's with Ami? I can't beleive it. I really wasn't ready for this. There's so much I need to know,' Minako thought. "Pretty soon. Don't worry about it. After she gets home, we'll go pick up Ai. How's that sound?" "That sounds good. I hope Ami-mama gets home soon." Meimi looked thoughtful as she picked up another cookie. "Do you think Shisa and Selene could come over, too?" Minako looked up. "Oh, could they? I'm trying to help Hotaru and ChibiUsa with something and it would probably help if they were alone." Makoto thought for a moment. "I'll have to talk to Small Lady and Saturn, but I'm sure that will be fine." "Really? Thanks, Makoto-mama," Meimi said happily. "Yeah, thanks, Jupiter. That would help a lot," Minako said. "Don't mention it. Its nice having all the girls around here anyway. And it distracts Ami from working too hard," Makoto laughed again. "I should probably be going," Minako said, standing up. "I hope you and Natsuna have fun. Good luck with everything today." "Thanks. Bye, Jupiter. Bye, Meimi." Makoto and her daugher waved to Minako as she quickly headed out the door. ****** "ChibiUsa," Elder Venus whisphered, "Small Lady, Saturn are you in here?" She looked to the two figeting girls near the doorway talking to each other and looking quite frightened. She motioned for Mercury and Mars to come with her. Surprized that Venus had brought the other senshi with her to the bedroom they deduced that this was Elder Venus and not the Minako that they knew. "Venus-sama, Marsand Mercury," Hotaru asked looking at each of the senshi. Each looked beautiful grown and matureed to the age of twenty six. The age that each of them would eventually stop aging at when they reached the 30th century. Mars looked at Venus andthen to the two girls. "Well," she said, "If you hadn't told me I wouldn't of ever guessed. She does look like Small Lady and Saturn of our time. Are they really from the past Venus-sama?" "Well don't look at us like we're sideshow freaks," ChibiUsa yelled, "We are human beings you know!" "Odango-chan!" Hoatru cursed, reciving looks from Rei. "Odango chan," she whispered, "That's what I call...never mind. So you want to hear from us how we reacted to your coming out?" Hotaru looked at ChibiUsa and clasped her hand into her own, nodding. "Well," Mars answered, "It really was the best thing for us all. I made us realize that you two where growen women, fully capatible of caring for each other. You are 15 years old aren't you? Most of us knew that we cared for others and didn't know what to do about it. You two had the courage to do what we never could have at that age. It wasn't until you two started to come out that I realized my love for your mother Small Lady. Ami started to realize her love for Makoto and Diana and that friend yours Mamokofelt love for each other as well. In the end it was the best thing for us all. "And Venus-sama what about you?" "I fell in love with my dearest Natsuna, and fully understand what you and Saturn are going through. Haruka and Michiru and Setsuna-san are all the parents of you too, remember? How did they react? "They where proud of us.." "Right," Venus answered, "And so where we. We are apart of you as well Small Lady, we are your family you must always remember that." "Thank you minna-san," Hotaru said, "This was a great help to us, and our lives. We'll tell Usagi and the others as soon as we get home." Mars got up to leave and Venus followed behind her. Mercury walked up to them, handing ChibiUsa a small pen. ChibiUsa looked at it with wonderment and with an unspoken question. "Keep this in memorance of this trip Small Lady," Ami said, "So that you can always remember that we are here for you no matter what." With that she kissed ChibiUsa and Hotaru on the forhead and walked away. ****** ChibiUsa wearily leaned against Hotaru for support. "They understand," she said quietly. "They really do understand." Hotaru smiled gently at the girl she loved. Not only had her parents approved, but so had their friends. She nodded. "They do. And they're happy for us." ChibiUsa smiled back, her hand going up to Hotaru's cheek. All the worries she'd been having were washed away. She knew things would work out for them. They're friends and family cared for them, they were married, and they had two beautiful daughters in the future. No matter what happened to bring them to that point, it was worth it. Tears lightly clouded her eyes, her emotions overflowing. "I love you, Taru," she said. The two girls held each other closely. "Oh, Odango-chan. I love you so much," Hotaru said softly. Her hand ran through ChibiUsa's soft, pink hair as her lips met the other girl's. They kissed passionately, both locked in the feelings of the moment. They stood holding each other for several minutes, neither wanting the other to let go. ChibiUsa gently stroked Hotaru's cheek, smiling as the other girl continued to run her hand through her pink hair. "Hotaru-chan?" ChibiUsa's voice finally broke the silence. "Yes?" "What do you think Rei meant when she mentioned my mom?" ChibiUsa asked, curious. "I'm not sure. It doesn't matter, though. We'll find out soon enough. One day, we'll be here. And you heard Minako. It's not as far as we think." Hotaru kissed ChibiUsa again lightly. A smile spread across ChibiUsa's lips. "Yeah. You're right. One day." The two girls finally let go of each other. ChibiUsa grabbed Hotaru's hand. "We should probably find Setsuna so we can leave." Hotaru nodded. "I'm really glad we were broght here," she said. "Me too," ChibiUsa agreed. Before they could get very far, they heard footsteps heading towards them. They turned around when they heard a woman shout for them to wait. Three women quickly ran up to them. ChibiUsa quickly noticed her mother, Neo Queen Serenity, and the two other women seemed to be Hotaru and ChibiUsa's future selves. ChibiUsa's pigtails were longer, but still not as long as her mother's. She'd grown into a beautiful woman, looking regal in her palace gown. Hotaru was just a little taller than ChibiUsa, her dark eyes, now behind a pair of thin reading glasses, no longer carried any of the pain from her youth. ChibiUsa's mother smiled at her. "My little girl," she said happily. "Mom," ChibiUsa gasped. She hadn't seen her mother in several years, ever since she'd gone back to the past again. She knew Usagi would one day be her mother, but it just wasn't the same as seeing Neo Queen Serenity again. ChibiUsa ran up to her mother and hugged her. "Mom, I missed you." The queen laughed slightly. "I know. I missed you back when you were gone too. I know you had your reasons, though." She smiled towards Hotaru. "I'm really happy for you. I'm glad you found someone that means so much to you. Its more than I could have hoped for when I sent you to the past to train to be a Senshi." Serenity held ChibiUsa at arms length and looked her in the eyes. "There's a lot you have to face before you reach this point in your lives, but with Hotaru by your side, you'll get through it just fine." ChibiUsa hugged her mother again. "Thanks, mom." Hotaru's future self took a step forward. "ChibiUsa, you're just as beautiful as the day we met." ChibiUsa blushed at the compliment. ChibiUsa's future self stepped forward as well. "Good luck telling everyone. Try not to worry about it too much. There are still a lot of hardships the two of you have to go through, but I wouldn't mind going back to relive some of the things you have coming up." With an odd smile on her face she added, "Like the honeymoon." "ChibiUsa," the future Hotaru said, a smile forming on her lips as well. Hotaru looked confused. "Does everyone still call Odango-chan ChibiUsa?" The pink haired girl of the future laughed. "No, only Taru still calls me that, even if I'm not chibi anymore." Hotaru nodded happily. "That sounds good. I like that name." ChibiUsa thought for a moment before asking, "What about Shisa and Selene?" "What about them?" replied her future self. "Well, so Hotaru and I... we wind up," ChibiUsa began. "Yes," the future Hotaru answered, smiling at the girls that had once been her and her wife. "You wind up having twins." "But how?" ChibiUsa asked. "Its confusing," the future raven haired girl said. "But it doesn't matter. All you need to know is that some day the two of you will have the twins. And they'll be a big part of your lives. They're a lot to handle, but trust me, they're worth it." ChibiUsa and Hotaru smiled at each other and held hands. "Thank you," ChibiUsa said. "Thanks for everything," Hotaru added. Their future selves smiled back at them. "Don't mention it," Serenity said. "I'm glad you both got to be here, if only for a brief time, to see that you shouldn't worry so much about the rest of us. We all care for the two of you." When the two girls turned around, Setsuna was already standing there. "Are you read to leave?" she asked them. "Hai, Setsuna-mama," Hotaru answered. "Good. Then as soon as we get Minako, we'll leave," the Senshi of time said. The two younger girls followed after her while they're future selves waved. Minako was standing alone on a balcony, looking out over the buildings in Crystal Tokyo. She sighed to herself. She turned around when she noticed a shadow near her. She looked over to see Natsuna standing in the doorway. "Oh, hi. I hadn't noticed you," Minako said, trying to pass herself off as her future self. Natsuna smiled to herself. "I know you aren't my Minako. At least not yet." Minako just nodded, having been caught. "You really shouldn't worry too much about all of this. You shouldn't fear what your future holds, Minako." Minako turned around and looked out at the bustling city again. "I'm not afraid." "You could have fooled me," Natsuna said. "Its just that... I wasn't ready for this. I didn't see it coming," Minako said quietly. "Is that so bad?" Natsuna asked her. Minako thought for a moment before answering. "I don't know. I don't know what to think right now. This is all so strange." "I know. If you hadn't come here, things would have happened in their own time. Instead, you already know what happens between us. You don't understand how things developed between us, though. I know I'm not what you're looking for right now, but eventually..." Natsuna paused. "Eventually we fall in love." Minako laughed a little in spite of herself. "I already knew how you felt. You made that perfectly clear ever since I was Sailor V. I guess I'm just surprised at how I wind up feeling. I had no idea." Minako was shocked when she saw a little girl peeking out from around Natsuna. Minako looked carefully at the little girl. She had shoulder length slightly curly reddish brown hair. She looked up at Minako and smiled before disappearing behind Natsuna again. "Ai," Natsuna said. "That's Ai?" Minako asked. Natsuna nodded. "Yep, that's her. We were on our way to Makoto's. I knew you were going back soon, so when I saw you out here all alone, I wanted to say something before you left." "Really? Thanks, Natsuna. And you too, Ai." Minako smiled to the little girl as she peeked around Natsuna again. "Minako?" Minako turned when she heard Setsuna say her voice. "Are you ready?" Setsuna asked. "Yeah. I'm ready," Minako said. She looked back at Natsuna and Ai a last time before rushing over to Setsuna and the two younger girls. Natsuna and Ai waved to her as Setsuna prepared to send Minako, Hotaru, and ChibiUsa back to their own time. Hotaru and ChibiUsa weren't too sure who the women and the girl were, but they waved along with Minako as a bright light engulfed them.