Hi! Here is the third chapter to "Child of the Glaive"! Comments, praises or hisses to: jellicatso@yahoo.com Disclaimer: Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon. I don't. All I ever own are several dreadfully bland canned cat foods - the kind my cat hate. (Yo, Artemis! Want some?) *************************** CHILD OF THE GLAIVE By Jellicatso Rated PG (Nothing offensive in this chapter, though.) CHAPTER THREE Surreptitiously the snow-white cat peered around the corner. The chef and supervisor of the Crystal Palace Kitchen, Matoko Kino, was nowhere to be seen - she was away on a Senshi duty. The second chef in charge was busy overseeing a staff in preparing the menu for the upcoming banquet the next evening. So far, so good. As long as the cook was distracted she won't even notice Artemis sneaking around. His whiskers twitching with anticipation, Artemis slipped into the rather large pantry just ahead of him through the open door and stole over to the farthest corner down there. There he reached between two large food cartons and retrieved a small jar - the one that contained his favorite snack. He had been secretly hiding this from the public...it wouldn't do if they knew where he had been hoarding his foodstuff. It's just as well that they didn't know where it was or what was is inside his jar! Anyway, after two tries he managed to pry off the lid and, licking his lips eagerly, he extended one claw and dipped into it. He snagged a small pickled mouse and popped it into his mouth. "Mmm....!!" [AN: Pickled mice?! Tsk tsk, shame on you, Artemis!] "Well, just one more before I go." He popped another mouse into his mouth. [AN: Hey now, Artemis! Are you trying to gross the readers out or what! ^^;;;] "Ah, that should do for now until the next time!" Hearing a noise, he hastily put the lid back on and shoved the jar back into the hiding place just as the door swung open and a young, flour-and-grease-splattered chef's assistant walked in. She flipped out when she saw Artemis. "We have a CAT here, chef!" She announced at the top of her lungs, "And he's in the pantry!" The chef spun around. "Again? Well, I'll take care of him!" This said, she grabbed the broom and ran into the pantry. "GET OUT OF HERE! You know NO CATS allowed in the kitchen! We won't have shredded cat hair all over our food! Now SCAT!" Ears flattened, Artemis ran out as quickly as he could to avoid being swatted by the broom and was out of the kitchen in two seconds flat. "Huh. No respect for old Lunar Cats like me, the way they treat me like some common stray! Harrumph!..." He trotted away down the corridor, muttering all the while. He glanced at the nearby royal clock on the wall along the hallway. It was ten minutes past 10. Whoops...Time to go pick up Diana and take her outside to do a bit of stargazing like he had promised her. Diana always loved looking at the stars. Hmm - at this hour it should be clear and cloudless weather. That way the stars would be clearly visible. Yes, sir, it was indeed a good time for astronomy lessons! He started trotting off at a fast pace, and in a while he reached the Royal Suite. Good thing they had installed a small hinged cat door in that ornate door for the Lunar Cats to go in and out. When he pushed his head through he spotted in the living room a rather exasperated- looking Sailor Mars trying to soothe the anxious Neo-Queen Serenity who was wringing her hands. Diana was sitting between the women, turning her head worriedly from the Senshi to the Queen and then back. "At least nobody died, that much we can be assured of," Mars was saying, "And Small Lady, I emphasize, is just fine. She's not injured at all! Saturn has been with her all along." The Senshi of Fire added with a small sigh. "You know how protective she is of Small Lady!" "Thank kami-sama!" Serenity cried in a relieved tone, "But I should never let Small Lady go out if I have known something terrible would happen to her! How did it all happened and why?" Mars shrugged. "It seemed nobody really know what was going on, but I promise you we will look into it! That is all I can say. And what's more, I was told we may need to be alert for the next possible attack!" Artemis tried to squeeze the rest of his way through the cat door, but to his consternation he was unable to do so. His whiskers drooped with annoyance. "The next attack? Oh, no!" Serenity looked a little upset, "But why? What is it that youma was after for?" Mars thought for a moment. "Well, if I heard correctly, it seemed it has to do with the little girl the youma was looking for..." Diana meowed in surprise and Serenity gasped loudly, her hands going up quickly to her neck with a look of fear on her face. The queen said with a slight quiver in her voice, "My kami-sama. Mars, where is Small Lady now?" Mars held up her hands, trying to calm her anxious friend, "I believe Small Lady and Saturn are probably still at the infirmary. They would be in the office with Sailor Mercury - so I was told. But like I said, she is fine." "The infirmary, you say?" Serenity pulled up the lower part of her royal dress high above her ankles and hurried toward the door. "Then that's where I'm going right now!" Artemis frantically wriggled backwards until his head popped out of the cat door. The larger door swung outward before he could scramble out of way, smacking him right on the head and knocking him over. Serenity fairly flew out of the door and raced down the hallway at top speed, her large wing-like bows flapping behind. Mars came running out, having belatedly realized just what she had said. "Wait, Serenity! That's not what I mean! The youma is NOT after Small Lady, believe me!" But the queen was already too far away to hear her. "Sheesh - why don't Odango Atama listen to me anyhow?!" Diana came running out. "Wait for me, I want to see Small Lady too!" She skidded to a stop when she saw Artemis. "Daddy!" Artemis was lying flat on his back with his legs straight up in the air and a dazed expression on his face. One paw twitched. "Say, Diana-chan, look at the stars!" He exclaimed. Diana looked at him worriedly. "Daddy? Are you all right?" Artemis slowly sat up and rubbed his head gingerly. "Ungh...I think so, kiddo. Although I'm going to have a lovely bump the size of the goose egg the next morning, no doubt!" He looked curiously at the fast receding figures of Serenity and Mars down the corridor. "Say, kiddo, what's going on?" "Small Lady and Saturn are supposed to come home from the restaurant, but they didn't!" Diana cried, her words tumbling out, "And then Mars came over and reported there had been a youma attack somewhere in Crystal Tokyo, and some people got hurt real bad!" Artemis' eyes went wide with disbelief. "What? Whoa, slow down. Back up a bit. You say there's been a youma attack? In Crystal Tokyo?!" "Hai, Daddy. That's right!" Diana replied, her furry head bobbing furiously. "I can't believe it. A youma?" He shook his head in bafflement. "We have not seen any youmas in such a long time. What brought them out to the Crystal Tokyo?" "I don't know. Oh, Daddy, I'm scared for Small Lady. Mars said the youma was after the girl!" Diana began to cry softly, "I really want to go see her - will you come with me please?" Artemis patted his daughter gently on the head. "There, there, kiddo. Don't you cry. Hai, I'll be glad to go with you. I'd like to see how Princess Usagi is doing too. After all she's my pupil!" "Then come on, Daddy, and hurry!" Diana darted away. "Hey! Wait, wait, hold on!" But the gray kitten was already scurrying off down the corridor and around the corner. "Diana-chan...Aaah...." Artemis sighed and started trotting briskly after his daughter. His brows furrowed. **************************** "We're related? Are you absolutely sure?" Saturn ran her hand through her dark hair rather nervously and glanced down at the little girl on her lap. The mysterious (and then hungry) child had wolfed down the crackers and cheese that the kind-hearted Senshi in purple obtained for her a while ago. Now she was leaning against Saturn, sleeping peacefully. "But what about other living relatives of hers around here, if any?" "Hai, there is no doubt you two are related, Saturn," Sailor Mercury answered evenly. She tapped on the screen of the large monitor. "Well, I've looked through the database to find a living relative in entire Crystal Tokyo and the surrounding districts - from the past to the present - whose DNA makeup would closely match that of this child's. And there are none existing here now except you. And what's more," She rested her elbows on the desk, folded her hands under her chin and smiled warmly over them. "Congulations, Saturn. She is your daughter!" "Wow!" Usagi exclaimed, wide-eyed. She looked up at the dark-haired Senshi. "Gee, Saturn, you are a mother - That is so cool!" "B-but how can I have a daughter all of sudden?" Saturn protested. She could feel a sweatdrop sliding down the side of her head. "And we don't even know where she came from. Do you?" Mercury looked thoughtful. "No, and judging from the girl's accent, I'll say she's not native to this city, nor any other place. Otherwise I would have looked up every language and every dialect from all over the Earth and easily pinpoint her origin. But she's not from around here." Saturn's eyebrows raised. "You mean, this child was born and raised somewhere else other than Earth?" "Looks that way." "Nani? But how did she turned up in Crystal Tokyo?" Usagi asked. Mystified, She glanced at the slumbering girl in Saturn's lap. It so happened they have been asking her questions such as where she came from and how, but the girl had only said she was looking for her mother and was happy she had found her. And that was that. So the thought of her running away from the youma somewhere in the outer space and travelling all the way to Earth was mind-boggling. For Saturn, she was finding even this too strange just to think about it. "This is crazy! I'm not even a mother, and I have a daughter from outer space? Which planet do she come from, anyhow?" "Perhaps Titan?" Usagi piped up helpfully. Saturn paused. She said with a shake of her head, "I doubt that. Not with her accent like that, ChibiUsa-chan." "I really don't know, Saturn," Mercury gave an apologetic shrug, "If you like, I can look through the entire database of every charted solar system for clues to which planet she come from. But it will be days or perhaps months before I have the information. And," She peered over the desk to look at Saturn's unexpected daughter. She could not help but smiled again and continued, "Considering you have a child before your time, it sounds like it is something you'll want to ask Sailor Pluto. She will know about this better than I!" Usagi sat straight up, her cone-shaped odangoes perking up. "Oh, yeah! We can ask Puu! No doubt she will tell us what she knows about this kid!" She giggled. "It is kinda funny - it's a bit like me and my mother. I went into the past to stay with her even before she became my mother. So it could be this kid came from future looking for you, Saturn!" "It's a possibility, Princess Usagi," Mercury agreed. "But we really don't know which timeline she came from, though." Saturn looked down at her newly acquired daughter. The girl, who looked so much like her, stirred slightly and burbled sleepily. "My daughter...from the future?" Usagi giggled again at the expression on her friend's face. Her giggles, however, quickly turned to a rather noisy yawn. Embarrassed, she covered her mouth to stifle it. "Oh dear, I don't realize how late it is!" Mercery glanced at the large digital clock on the wall, "And Serenity is probably waiting for Princess Usagi to come home already!" She stood up and extended her gloved hand, "Domo arigato, Saturn, for all your assistance. If it were not for you several people would undoubtedly die of injuries from the assault!" "You're very welcome. It was no problem," Saturn replied with a smile and shook her hand. "Oh, ome other thing," Mercury added, looking slightly embarrassed as though something had suddenly occurred to her, "In case nobody said it yet, domo arigato for your patience in answering so many questions from other Senshi - including me - concerning the youma situation!" Saturn laughed. "It's all right. I don't mind. Really!" She carefully gathered her daughter up in her arms and stood up. "Um, Mercery - what am I going to do with her?" Mercury took a quick look at the little girl. "Well, I think she may need a bath. I would suggest for you to take her home and care for her. Don't worry, Saturn," Mercury grinned at Saturn's noticeable awkwardness, "It wouldn't be that hard with just one child. Trust me. I still have four children left at home," She pressed her hand to her forehead and rolled her eyes heavenward, "all under 12 years of age!" "Oh. Well, come on, then, ChibiUsa-chan," The dark-haired Senshi said, hoisting up her daughter to a more comfortable position against her shoulder, "I'll see you home first thing, okay?" "Yay! Wait until Mama sees your daughter! Won't she be surprised!" Usagi jumped off her chair and called, "Luna-P! Time to go home!" The floating sphere made a series of beeping that sounded as though it was saying, "About time!" and glided across the air to follow the pink-haired princess as she stepped toward the door. But scarcely had Usagi reached the door when it swung open and Neo-Queen Serenity came rushing into the office. "SMALL LADY!" "Oh boy," Saturn said sweatdropping as she watched Serenity scooped up her pink-haired daughter and hugged her tightly. "Oh, my Small Lady!" Serenity was saying, "I was so worried about you when I heard about the attack and that the youma was looking for you!" "Mama, can you put me down please? I can't breathe!" Usagi gasped, trying to wriggle out of her mother's arms. "And no, the youma was not after me! Honestly!" "I was just trying to tell you, Serenity! When I said that the youma was after a girl, I meant some other girl," Mars said, shaking her head in exasperation. "Not Small Lady!" "Oh...well, okay," Neo-Queen Serenity took a long breath and put her daughter down. "Gomen, Small Lady. It's just that I'm very worried when you and Saturn didn't come home like you are supposed to!" Then she became aware of the other Senshi watching her. "Uh...Ohoyo, Mercury and Saturn," Serenity said, blushing at her overreacting behavior in presence of others. "Ohoyo, Serenity," Mercury said with a smile. "Ohoyo, Serenity-sama and Mars," Saturn said warmly, "Sorry I didn't bring ChibiUsa-chan home on time. We have a guest here..." She indicted the sleeping little dark-haired girl in her arms, "...so that's why we came here for a while to let Mercury have a look at her." "That was the little girl the youma came for?" Serenity asked in surprise. "Hai, that is correct," Saturn answered. "If you don't mind me asking something, Mercury," Mars spoke up with a frown, "What I'd like to know is why was the youma youma trying to make off with the kid? Have you found out anything about that?" Mercury shook her head. "Not much, I'm afraid." "Huh. Well," Mars looked at Saturn and Small Lady, "You know, that's good thing you came by and rescued the little girl from her. I hope you got to punish the youma good and proper!" "Yeah, that's right!" Usagi grinned broadly, "Saturn and I beat the tail off the youma and she ran off bawling!" Luna-P beeped plaintively, and Usagi quickly added, "Oh, and by the way Luna-P helped, too. She smacked the youma on the head real good and hard!" That caused the floating black sphere to bob up and down happily and turned a little to show off her battle scar proudly - that is, a small dent on one side. "Oh, poor little girl! That's terrible that anyone would try to snatch her!" Serenity said. "I hope the youma didn't hurt her." "No, she was not harmed in any way," Saturn assured her. "Mommy..." The girl stirred in the dark-haired Senshi's arms and opened her eyes to look around drowsily. She saw Serenity and Mars, blinked, and glanced up at Saturn "Mommy? Who's them?" Usagi quickly covered her mouth, trying not to laugh out loud as Serenity and Mars fairly goggled with astonishment. "Did I hear correctly? She called you Mommy?" Serenity asked incredulously. "I didn't know you have a daughter. How come you don't tell us about her?" Mars said. "I didn't know I have a daughter either," Saturn admitted, looking slightly flustered, "But she somehow found me, and Mercury later confirmed that she is indeed my daughter...possibly from the future. Only what we don't know is which timeline she came from and where. We'll need to ask Pluto about her." "From the future? That sounds pretty familiar," Serenity said. She took a closer look at the girl in Saturn's arms, "Now that Inoticed it, I do see the strong resemblance between you two." Serenity looked up and smiled, "I think I understand your feelings, Saturn. That was just like my situation when the certain little pink-haired girl dropped on me so long time ago...," Here Serenity exchanged knowing glances with Usagi. "and for a long while I was have no idea it was my own daughter, even though my friends had commented on how alike we looked!" "That's what ChibiUsa-chan noticed too," Saturn said with a small laughter. She said to her still sleepy daughter, indicting the Senshi of Fire, "Well this Sailor Mars." The girl became alert. "Mars. Oh yeah," She said, and tilted her head to one side. "Your dress look different." "It does?" Mars raised one eyebrow. "Uh..." Saturn scratched her head. "Anyway, this is Neo-Queen Serenity." "Yay! Neo-Queen Serenity!" The girl perked up happily. "Hi, Serenity!" She waved her hand furiously, greeting the bemused queen like she was an old friend. Serenity was taken aback, but then she smiled. "Hi, there." The girl became confused and stopped waving... "Serenity? How come your hair is different?" "My hair?" Serenity asked, surprised. Nervously she felt about her head and found the hair nicely brushed and tied up in well-formed odangoes. Nothing seemed to be out of place about her hairdo. "What about it?" "It's not pink," The girl said sadly. "Nani?" Serenity and Usagi exchanged startled looks. "She must mean me when I'm older!" Usagi exclaimed. Just then Artemis and Diana arrived in the doorway. The gray kitten promptly ran toward the princess, meowing loudly. "Small Lady, Small Lady! I'm so glad you're all right!" Diana cried, and climbed up Usagi's coat to perch on her shoulder. "I was very worried when I heard about the attack!" "You know, I was bit surprised when I heard the news that the youma was in the Crystal Tokyo," Artemis remarked as he came ambling up, "I wonder, aren't the youmas supposed to be extinct by now?" "Oh, Artemis!" The girl cried suddenly. She wriggled down from Saturn's arms and scrambled over to the snow-white cat. "Hi, Artemis. I miss you!" Artemis looked surprised and puzzled. "Huh? Have we met?" The girl did not answer but reached over to pet him on the head. But scarcely she touched him when Artmeis suddenly flipped upside down, startling the girl, and ended up flat on his back with his paws up in the air. "Daddy!" Diana cried, deeply concerned. "What's the matter, Artemis-sama?" Usagi asked anxiously. "Wuff! What hit me?" Artemis said, looking slightly dazed. Abruptly he sat up and declared, "Wait! I sensed a new Senshi!" "A new Senshi? Who?" Serenity asked. "This kid! She's the new Senshi!" Artemis pointed at the little girl. "And pretty powerful, too!" "A Senshi of what?" Mars demanded. "A Senshi of..." Artemis' brow furrowed. "I don't know exactly what this is. She has a power that is somewhat similar to Saturn's but I can't tell what kind of power it is." "Gee, she's even younger than me!" Usagi exclaimed. "Artemis-sama, I remember how you flipped over the other day when I came home from the past and declared I am the Senshi - and it was about two years ago!" The girl covered her mouth and giggled. "You're funny," she said to Artemis, and wrapped her arms around the cat in a big hug. "Hey, whoa, whoa, take it easy, kid," Artemis said, sweatdropping a little. He craned his head over her shoulder and asked, "But who is this girl? I don't think I remember meeting her, did I?" "You don't remember me anymore?" The girl asked sadly, letting go of the cat. She dropped to her knees and hands to look straight in his face and pleaded, "Artemis, please remember! I'm Hotaru!" "Hotaru?" Diana said, saucer-eyed with surprise. Serenity, Usagi and Mars all looked at the stunned Saturn, whose jaws was hanging open. "Hey, she's named after you, Saturn!" Usagi said. She glanced at her mother. "Like I'm named after Mama, too!" "Fascinating," remarked Mercury, who has been observing from her desk most avidly. "Well, well. So she's your daughter. Must be your lucky day, eh, Saturn?" Mars said with a grin. Artemis' eyes bugged. "What? Saturn, you're a mother?" "Mommy. Yeah!" the girl jumped up and scurried back to the Senshi in purple and held up her arms. When Saturn picked her up, the girl snuggled against her shoulder and said happily, "My Mommy!" "W-W-wait a minute!" Artemis stammered, lowering his head. "I've known you Saturn for a long time, and you have always been single with no kids. That much I know," He raised his head. "But all of sudden you have a daughter with a name after yours, no less!" He lowered his head for a few seconds and then raised it again, "And to top it off, she seems to have quite a powerful Senshi powers. What are we to make of this?" Saturn had to chuckle. "Well, Mr. Bobbing Head, I have no idea. But I hope to find the answers to all this when Sailor Pluto comes around!" "Speaking of Pluto, we haven't seen her for quite a while," Mars remarked. "Do any of you know where she has been up to?" She glanced at Mercury who shook her head, then at Usagi. "What about you? You're the one who is close to her. Maybe you know, Small Lady?" Usagi shrugged. "Nope. She really doesn't talk much to me about where she went anyway." She stifled another yawn. "But I sure miss her...wish we could see her now...." "I think it is high time Small Lady and I go home now," Serenity declared. "We cam resume our discussion another time, but my daughter needs to get some sleep." With that she picked Diana off her daughter and put the kitten next to Artemis. Then she gathered Usagi up in her arms. The young princess mumbled something in protest, then gave up and rested her head on her silver-haired mother's shoulder. "Ja ne, everyone...And good luck, Saturn with your new daughter." She started to walk away. "Serenity, not so fast! I'll come with you and see you safely home." Mars called out. She glanced at Saturn and grinned. "Well...what more can I say? Enjoy it while you can!" With a quick goodbye nod she then escorted the queen and the princess through the door and was out of sight. "Um..." Saturn looked at Mercury and the cats, then glanced down and saw that her daughter - "Chibi-Hotaru" - had just drifted off to sleep again. "Oh, boy." "Saturn?" Diana questioned, shinnying up her father's back to sit on his broad head, "What are you going to do?" "Take my 'daughter' home, I guess," Saturn answered with a small sigh, "And let's hope that tomorrow won't get any complicated than today already is!" "Saturn, you'll do just fine. I'm sure. And," Mercury said, "If you ever need help just holler!" "Yeah," Saturn managed a lopsided grin, "So... Ja ne for now." She left the office. "Well. This is news," Artemis remarked. He shook his head with wonder, taking care as not to dislodge his daughter from his head, "I still can't believe Saturn's got a daughter. It has to be the historic moment of the century! As soon as I get full information I'm going to record it all in the Crystal Tokyo History Book...!" "That would be a excellent idea!" Mercury interjected, chuckling. "Daddy, are you still going to take me out to look at the stars?" Diana asked hopefully. "Oh, but of course, Diana-chan," Artemis said genially, "I'll take you up to the roof where we can have a better view of the stars. I plan to point out constellations for you!" "Yay!" Diana cheered. "Ok, we're off then!" Artemis bobbed his head once goodbye toward Mercury and then he trotted off, carefully balancing the kitten on his head. Mercury could be heard still chuckling from within her office. *********************************** Usagi waited patiently until her mother finished untying her odangoes and letting her long pink hair fall freely down. "Okay, Small Lady. Time to get into your bed." Serenity rose from the bed and watched as her daughter got under the covers and pulled them up to her chin. She reached over and turned off the light, and then stood back and gazed at Usagi. A small gold-plated Japanese lantern was on the table near the bed, and the candle was flickering and causing the shadows to dance across the young girl's face. "Good night, Small Lady, and sleep well," Serenity bent over and kissed Usagi tenderly on the forehead. "I love you, Small Lady. Very much." At this the princess threw her arms around her mother. "I love you, too Mama," Usagi murmured, hugging her tightly, basking in her mother's familiar potpourri scent. Then she giggled. "Saturn sure was surprised when the girl called her Mommy!" Serenity chuckled. "I'll bet." "Mama, you know, She had always liked kids, so I'm really glad Saturn get to be a mother!" "Hai, sweetie," Serenity said, smiling. "See you in the morning, Small Lady," She said softly, giving her daughter a quick kiss and turned to leave. "Hai, Mama. Good night." Usagi responded. She looked up and was assured by the presence of Luna-P, floating near the ceiling in the corner. She snuggled happily down under the covers, then realized something. "By the way, Mama, when will Daddy be home?" Usagi called out, "I haven't seen him all day." Endymion poked his head in the room. "You called for me, Small Lady?" He said, flashing a big grin. "Well, lo and behold, here I am!" "Papa!" Usagi cried joyfully, sitting up in her bed. "Mamo-chan!" Serenity happily greeted her beloved husband with a hug and a kiss, "I'm glad you got back home safe - I was beginning to wonder where you are! Have you heard the news...?" "Hai, my beloved, I've heard about the youma. And that's why I didn't come home earlier like I should," Endymion replied, returning the hug wholeheartedly, "I've had an emergency meeting with several of the elder Senshi over this incident and it has kept me busy for a while!" He disengaged from Serenity's embrace and walked over to Usagi's bed. "Small Lady, you were caught in the attack. I want to make sure you're all right. It must be real rough for you, isn't it?" "Hai, Papa, it sure was. But I'm all right," Usagi said, "Because Saturn was with me the whole time!" "That's good. I'm very glad to hear that." Endymion said in a relieved tone. He kissed his daughter on the forehead, then sat on the edge of her bed. "I should tell this, Small Lady and Usako. The Senshi had expressed concerns that the because youma seemed to be capable of causing extensive property damages and seriously injuring people around her, and since she was not destroyed, it is possible she will return for another assault." "Hai, Mamo-chan, Mars had told me that," Serenity replied, beginning to wring her hands rather anxiously. "I worry about that so!" "So, if it is the case, we will need to put up the shield around the Palace. Just in case!" Then Endymion became concerned. "I was told that the youma was looking for a small girl. Where is she now?" Usagi pushed back the covers and bounced on her knees on the bed excitedly. "She's at Saturn's place, Daddy and guess what?" Endymion raised his eyebrows in puzzlement. "What?" "That is Saturn's daughter!" Usagi answered, "From the future!" Endymion blinked. "Indeed! She has a daughter?" He looked curiously at Serenity. The silvery-haired queen nodded. "Hai, dear. We've seen her, and she's awfully kawaii," Serenity said with a smile. The king just sat there, looking stunned. "Well! That is news!" He said finally after a moment, shaking his head in wonderment. "Hmm. Of all the Senshi I have always thought Sailor Saturn was destined to be a childless loner. Well, well, well...' ******************************* In a suite reserved exclusively for her, Saturn, havimg already de-transformed and was wearing casual clothes, kneeled and took the wet washcloth in order to wash the grime off the fidgety little girl's face. The girl - or Chibi-Hotaru as she was now called - was sitting waist deep in the warm water in the tube, looking rather cranky. Needless to say, it was getting quite late anyhow...but she would soon be put in the spare futon that Saturn had pulled out of the closet for her to sleep on. "There you are," Saturn said with a smile, "You look so much better now. Okay, you can come on out now." Chibi-Hotaru scrambled out of the tub and stood there shivering until Saturn wrapped a Turkish towel around her and carried her off into the bedroom where Chibi-Hotaru's futon lay next to Saturn's bed. There Saturn gave the girl one of her oversized night shirt and pulled the covers back so Chibi-Hotaru could scramble into her futon. "Good night, Chibi-Hotaru," The dark-haired woman said, making sure that the girl was comfortable, "And tomorrow I will cook something delicious for breakfast. How about that?" "Yeah, Mommy!" Chibi-Hotaru cheered. She took a curious look around the room, noticing the lamps (and lots of them - about a hundred) of all shapes and sizes. "Pretty lamps!" "Thank you," Saturn beamed. "Now go to sleep, and I'll see you in the morning." She gave the little girl a gentle pat on her head and stood up in order to change her clothing and to get ready for bed. Chibi-Hotaru sat up. "Mommy?" "Hai, Chibi-Hotaru?" The little girl said plaintively, "Where's Daddy? I miss him." Saturn nearly fell over in surprise. "Uh..." She sat down again and took deep breathe. "Well, actually, he doesn't live here. At least not yet." Chibi-Hotaru looked confused. "But I want to see Daddy!" Saturn put her arm around her and said gently,"Well, honey, to be honest I haven't even met him yet. I don't know where he is. Perhaps we will see him soon, I think." "Real soon?" Chibi-Hotaru said hopefully. "Hai, I believe so. Don't worry, we just have to wait and he'll come around soon enough!" Saturn said reassuringly, although she secretly wondered just who Chibi-Hotaru's father was and what he looked like. She gazed at the girl, taking notice of her short black hair, wide violet eyes and her trusting face - indeed, the child certainly took so much after Saturn. Except that her skin which was somewhat darker than Saturn's. The dark-haired woman mused, The thought unsettled her, and she shook her head to clear her mind of it. "Anyway, Chibi-Hotaru, you should really get some sleep. And so do I, too. Okay?" "'Kay, Mommy," Chibi-Hotaru squeaked and scooted under the covers. "Good night, Mommy." "Good night," Saturn repeated. She turned down the light, then changed into her sleeping clothes and crawled into her bed. She was just beginning to drift off to sleep when she heard movement and opened her eyes to see her daughter standing by the bed, looking worried. "Mommy, I want to be with you," Chibi-Hotaru said in a small scared voice, "I don't want them to come get me!" Saturn blinked. "Who?...Oh. Okay...you can get in here then," With that permission, Chibi-Hotaru promptly climbed into the bed and snuggled happily against Saturn. "It's all right, honey. You're safe with me," the Senshi said, wrapping her arms protectively around the girl, "I won't let the youmas get you!" Her daughter smiled, nodded and mumbled something indistinct before closing her eyes. As she gazed silently at her daughter Saturn became somewhat concerned. Something was bothering her. Although Chibi-Hotaru had indeed came out unharmed, which was a relief, Saturn couldn't help worrying. What was it that was so bad, it caused Chibi-Hotaru to come running from her own timeline to seek out Saturn in the 30th Century? Until Chibi-Hotaru opens up and start talking about what was happening, Saturn had no choice but to wait. For now, the girl needed her and that was important at the moment. Saturn had to smile when she heard her daughter started to snore softly. She had more than once seriously thought of having a child, perhaps two. But she was so busy and besides, being a Senshi often mean being sent to deal with potentially dangerous situations that could mean life or death. She couldn't bear the thought of what would become of her children if anything happen to her, so she had no choice but to be alone indefinitely...until the frightened little girl appeared. Chibi-Hotaru whimpered softly in her sleep, and Saturn tightened her arms around her. Her daughter. Warmth filled her chest, and Saturn smiled again. Despite her misgivings, she was beginning to enjoy being a mother already. ********************* Mercury took a deep breath and pressed the button on the computer to put it on a standby mode. There - now she was done with what she needed to do for the day and anxious to go home to be with her family. Thank kami-sama her husband had agreed to stay home to be a full-time and around-the-year "Mr. Mom", to look after the children while she work. Wonderful, sweet man - she was lucky to have such an understanding husband. As she stood up from her desk and was about to head toward the door, she suddenly sensed something shifting in the air - subtly but noticeably - and the hair on the nape of her neck stood up. Abruptly She turned around, getting into fighting stance as she called out in a challenging voice, "Who's there!" "Ohoyo, Mercury. This is only I," Came the soft, familiar gentle voice, "But I believe I may need your medical assistance." Mercury blinked. Standing before her in the middle of her office was a tall Senshi with a long dark hair with greenish tint, cradling the Time Staff in her good arm. But she looked disheveled, battered and favoring the other arm that appeared to be broken. Her usually serene and kind face looked strained. Before Mercury could think to act, the Senshi of Time toppled over and lay prone on the floor. "Oh, Kami-sama!" Mercury gasped, putting her hand to her mouth in horror. "Pluto!" **************** TO BE CONTINUED **************** Comments? 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