Chapter Text
ACT 1: Le début
┈┈・୨ ✦ ୧・┈┈
XX/XX/XXXX
_____
Her body felt different. She could feel it perfectly.
Despite being in a deep and peaceful sleep, without any interruption from maids, or even from her people who had always cried out in praise since the new century began with blessings, she felt completely different. It was as if her body had changed overnight.
Even though she was tired, she wanted to know what had happened to herself, her heart slightly tight as it almost pounded in her chest.
Slowly, without any hurry, the girl opened her eyes and her first gaze fell upon the ceiling of her large, crystalline room, where she had previously slept peacefully.
She could only lie paralyzed on the large bed, staring at the ceiling as if terrified at the thought of getting up to see what was causing her so much anxiety.
However, as if summoned by a surge of courage, 10 minutes after staring aimlessly at the ceiling, the girl began to move, lifting her body from the bed until she sat up and lingered a little longer, gathering even more courage to find out what had happened.
But she felt that her previously short hair now completely covered her back as she stood up. This startled her a little, even though she had always liked long hair.
When she finally found a comfortable way to sit, her long locks fell over her shoulders, almost completely covering her silhouette with her now extremely long hair.
She rubbed her fists against her closed eyes, as if trying to wash away all the grime that had formed from the lubrication of her closed eyes during the night.
However, when she took her hands apart and decided to examine them more closely, she realized that her hands were now typical of a teenager, with long, thin fingers, highlighting her almost perfect nails.
She felt her heart skip a beat, and with that, she almost choked. Her body had truly changed. And significantly.
Silence reigned in the room, almost deafening. The only sound that could be heard was that of the birds that had nested near the great crystalline castle, which had been their home for many centuries.
A little more anxious than when she woke up, the girl decided to get out of bed completely and look at herself in the mirror beside her, a thoughtful gift from a distant kingdom, but one that was almost considered a neighbor.
When the girl finally got close to the mirror, snoring a little to "shake off" some of her sleepiness...
She froze, almost screaming at the image she saw.
It was Chibiusa there, but not in the way she knew herself. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly at the sight of herself in the mirror.
Chibiusa was no longer the little girl who had apparently been 7 years old the day before. No. Now, she was a 14-year-old teenager. Her pink hair, which had previously been a good length, was now as long as her mother's. Her body had changed quite a bit too, although it didn't fit the beauty standards that people perceived for a teenage female body.
She was now wearing a nearly transparent pink dress, almost identical to the dress she wore on the day of her mother's coronation last week, to be more precise.
Before completely panicking, the pink-haired girl quickly turned her head to look at her alarm clock, trying to see what time it was and what day it was.
—That's impossible...
It was impossible that this could have happened. Had she fallen into a coma without knowing it? Or was it another explosion of her mother's powers that caused it?
The only thing that went through the completely confused and bewildered girl's head was:
—I need to know what the hell happened here.
_____
-MOOOOOOMMM!!
Chibiusa yelled angrily as she stormed brutally toward Serenity's study. Her mother was probably the only person who knew the truth about why she was in that year, at that time.
—Speak more quietly, Chibiusa! I'm doing an important thing here
The queen reprimanded her daughter, completely irritated with her, while she continued to observe her magical "smoke," a power she had just learned to use, something that greatly facilitated her life in warning of future dangers and alerts.
—What I need to know is also important, Mom
With a half-irritated sigh, Serenity turned her face toward the door, where her daughter held one of her hands on the gatepost. She was breathless, but still, anger and anxiety filled her eyes and her mind.
—Well... It's good that you woke up early...
The woman with almost crystalline white hair gave a mischievous little laugh, further unnerving her daughter. Sometimes, Serenity's energy was so mysterious that it infuriated anyone.
—Tell me, Mom! I need to know what's happening to me right now. Because overnight, I went to sleep at 7 years old and woke up at 14 YEARS OLD!!
—Okay, okay... I'll tell you what happened right away...— The woman in front said ironically.
Then, the crystalline queen walked closer to the magical "smoke" she had made, still quite a distance from the gate where her daughter was leaning, to listen attentively to what she had to say.
—... A new ally of Chaos, likely his ultimate weapon, has emerged...
The atmosphere in the great hall grew heavy with the words spoken calmly, yet earnestly, by Serenity. Chibiusa's mouth paled at the news, causing the teenager even greater fear and anxiety.
—But... Didn't we end the forces of Chaos, even if only for a limited time? — Chibiusa stepped out the door and took two steps, slowly approaching her mother, who had a serious expression, trying to hide all her terror.
—Yes... But, I don't know how, but this greater force emerged trying to ally itself with Chaos, bringing him even greater power. From what I've seen and understood, this new ally of his is stronger than any villain we've ever faced, even him...
The hall fell into almost complete silence, the only sounds being the wisps of the magical smoke as it revealed the possible silhouette of this new evil ally.
—But... what can I do, Mom?
—Isn't it obvious?
Chibiusa started getting annoyed again with her mother, who was saying things that were too curt, without offering a real solution.
—The mission in the 20th century is complete! All are free from evil! There is nothing I can do!
With a sigh, Serenity turned to face her daughter again, almost impatiently, revealing the information she had not previously disclosed.
—It wasn't by chance that you're in this time. I sent you to this present moment so that you would be more developed, since with the structure of a 7-year-old child, you wouldn't be able to make half the fight happen. And another point: the mission in the 20th century is not over. It's far from over.
The pink-haired girl fell silent, even though she was annoyed; now she was curious to know what she should do from then on.
—I'm going to send you to the 20th century. But don't think it's just a matter of talking to the girls to get them back together to fight. They've had no contact with each other for three years, and also... there are more heroines you'll have to summon. They're closer than you think.
—And who would they be? — Chibiusa asked, confused, even though her voice was low.
—You'll find out when the time comes.
The teenager was angry at her mother's "neglect." But she decided not to say anything more. She simply accepted her new mission.
—I'm just going to tidy things up; in 18 minutes I'll take you back to the 20th century. Take care and get organized.
Chibiusa quietly nodded as she left the hall, her head almost bowed. Despite her mother giving her basic instructions on what to do, she was still afraid of what might happen.
She walked through the corridors, her eyes fixed on the floor, as she thought and processed everything Serenity had told her in the hall. Her words were confusing, but unfortunately, she would have to make do with what little she had been given.
As she was almost out of the corridors and onto the stairs leading to the castle's main hall, the tee
nager closed her eyes and sighed deeply, gathering courage for what would happen next.
┅┅┅┅༻❁༺┅┅┅┅
28/01/1999
_____
With a deep sigh, a tall woman dropped two large, heavy, full suitcases she was carrying on her trip from her hands.
The albino woman, whose name was Angelitta, attracted everyone's attention in the city, but she didn't pay much attention to it. For a while now, she hasn't cared about her image being completely overestimated by everyone.
She looked only at the traffic light and the cars driving, some speeding, down the avenue where she had "parked." When a Toyota Century Royal passed by, the woman elegantly raised her hand, signaling for the car to stop in her direction.
—I'm sorry, Daiki! I completely forgot to call you earlier...
Angelitta commented with a smile as she watched the man open the car window. He returned the smile as well.
—Would you like me to carry your bags to your house, Ms. Tenō?
—Oh, Dai-chan... You don't need to call me so formally! I'm not a queen to be called "Miss"! — Angelitta laughs as she says.
—Oh... I'm sorry... It's just that I've always been a big fan of yours since I was younger, so—
—That's okay, but promise me you'll never again feel embarrassed to call me by my first name, Okay?
The blond boy in the car simply nodded. The woman in the front of the car took charge of putting the suitcases in the trunk of the last edition car of that year, leaving her bodyguard somewhat amused.
—I'm always completely shocked when you lift such heavy things with such ease... It seems you're even stronger than your brother...
—He takes after him, doesn't he?
They both laughed as Angelitta said goodbye to Daiki, who started the car to head towards the house Angelitta had recently bought. With a smile on her face, she gripped the strap of her new Dior bag a little as she walked through the streets of Tokyo, completely nostalgic for the time she spent with her brother and secretly, gradually getting to know the friendships and passions he had gained ove over time.
_____
As the elegant woman walked through the streets, gazing at the bustling thoroughfares, she fondly remembered every corner, recalling everything she had lived through, every detail of her life. However, her thoughts completely vanished when she saw her.
In the middle of the crowd, she spotted her. Hotaru Tomoe.
Years had passed since she had last seen the girl, who was now her adopted niece. The last time she saw her was on the day the little girl was reborn as a newborn baby; in fact, that is one of Angelitta's best memories for a lifetime.
It felt like only yesterday when she saw that pale little girl with dark hair and violet eyes, her chubby cheeks and plump little hands pointing at her while she sat on her sister-in-law's lap. That day, Angelitta almost revealed her vulnerable side to the very people she never wanted to show her hidden side to.
The woman remembered all of this as she spotted the girl in her school uniform, walking with her friends and enjoying some time with them. The albino woman's light green eyes filled with unshed tears.
Her gaze followed only that beautiful teenager, walking with a lovely smile on her face, long dark hair flowing in the wind, with a grace that the woman had never seen in anyone before.
Even with her heart racing, Angelitta decided to approach when, apparently, Hotaru's friends were leaving her side to return to their daily tasks.
Walking a little faster than usual, she managed to reach the sidewalk where the teenager simply watched her friends slowly walk away from her, waiting for the perfect moment to call her.
When her friends said goodbye and disappeared before her eyes, she turned to head towards her house when, behind her (even though she was only a meter away), she noticed the woman who had been watching her for hours.
Her long hair seemed to move in slow motion as she turned her face, beautifully highlighting her mature features. Her violet eyes were small, but they captured the attention of all who looked at them. Her pale skin, which resembled that of a vampire, gave a melancholic air to her appearance, as did her long, straight hair. And finally, her lips, thin on top but slightly full on the bottom, gave an odd quality, as if she were someone who was seemingly innocent, but in reality, was not.
Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the woman behind her, equally shocked to see her. Her platinum blonde hair, very similar to her adoptive father's, was wavy and a little shorter than hers. Her equally pale skin, like hers, made the woman look like an angel who had fallen straight from heaven. Her light green eyes, with a slight grayish tint, resembled a beautiful forest in the rain, standing out more than the light mole near her left eye.
Even though she tried to hide it, the docile girl couldn't help but make a confused face as she looked at an almost perfect replica of her adoptive father.
"But... Didn't Dad tell me he had a sister...?" She thought, as she continued to analyze the woman behind her from head to toe, copying her gaze.
With an emotional voice, Angelitta could only whisper the girl's name, leaving her increasingly frightened.
—H-Hotaru? Tomoe Hotaru? Is... you?
The woman, besides stating her full name, mentioned the surname that Hotaru never dared to say publicly, after having heavy flashbacks about her past with her biological father. She hated knowing that at one point in her life, she had that cursed surname. Every time someone asked her name, she wouldn't say her father's surname, only to her close friends, who already knew about her parents' reputation and who they really were. She wasn't ashamed of them, she was ashamed of herself.
Confused, Hotaru simply nodded, causing the woman to move closer to her as she continued to speak to her.
—Let's go to... the Crown Cafeteria, that's the name, right?
Now visibly disturbed and shy, the girl merely widened her eyes at the speed of the woman's words, while her wrist was gripped, before the woman gently pulled away the woman's fist and nodded again.
In short: Angelitta took her to the coffee shop for coffee or some other drink or treat (in the older woman's case, an espresso, since the girl only ordered coffee without milk, as she always hated milk), while she introduced herself to the girl. Angelitta confirmed to Hotaru that she was her adoptive father's older sister, and that she had returned from her trip with the intention of reuniting with them, after some strange events that had occurred to her. (Was she a little overzealous in showing her passport and identification card? Perhaps, but she wanted her niece to believe her words.)
Accepting only what the woman had just said, Hotaru went home accompanied by her aunt, Angelitta, to seek a proper explanation from her parents, who had not yet told her about her aunt's absence.
However, both were surprised when the teenager opened the door of her adoptive family's mansion and found women, almost adults, fighting like children in the spacious living room of her house.
—This isn't your house for you to be acting like this, Rei! More respect, please?— Makoto said in an irritated tone, receiving support from Ami, who was standing beside her.
—Ugh, come on! They're my friends, we're not in a stranger's house!— replied Rei, who was sitting on the cushions of the large sofa in that spacious living room, glaring at Minako, who was sitting in an armchair right in front of her.
—And what if you break that sofa? You're going to pay for it, doll?— Minako asked, butting into the fight as well, though it seemed she wasn't just angry about Rei about to break her friends' sofa.
Rei didn't answer, just turned his face away and shamelessly settled himself more comfortably on the cushions, without breaking the car sofa.
Hotaru decided to avoid entering the room and instead went towards the kitchen, where her adoptive parents might be at that moment.
As she approached the door of the room, she heard her parents' voices raised in anger, or rather... her mother's.
—Why did the girls have to come here today of all days? Like... Couldn't they have chosen a better day? It's been 3 years since our last meeting! — Michiru said, quite irritated, already venting all her feelings that would have to be adorned with glitter if she were in front of the quartet downstairs.
—That's exactly why! Maybe they were missing us, you know? — Haruka replied to her wife, trying to be a little more peaceful so as not to further irritate the woman who was already a bundle of nerves.
—But today of all days?"the shorter woman replied, glancing back to face her taller wife.
However, the sound of the door opening made them both quiet, thinking it might be one of the girls, but they were surprised when they saw Hotaru enter the kitchen.
—Haru-papa, Michi-mama... I think you need to clarify something... Or rather, clarify two things...
The teenager placed both hands on the wooden door frame, releasing one to gesture as she spoke with her free hand.
—First... Why are they all here? — she said the last sentence very quietly.
—Look, your father and I were just talking about this... But the worst part is that neither he nor I know what got into them to come here... — Michiru said, pointing to herself and Haruka, who looked more like a statue, before finally shrugging at her daughter.
—Okay... But...
Hotaru sighed, preparing to catch her parents in the act, as she felt slightly offended by the fact that they had hidden this from her her entire life.
—One more thing... I think you should tell me why you omitted the fact that I had an aunt... Like... For years I thought it was just us, you know?
This actually left them both a bit pale, unsure of what to say to their daughter, who was demanding such a complex explanation. At that moment, they felt a little angry at Setsuna for not being there to explain the consequences of a bad choice she had made.
This actually left them both slightly pale, unsure of what to say to their daughter, who was demanding such a complex explanation. At that moment, they felt a little angry at Setsuna for not being there to explain the consequences of a bad choice she had made.
—And there's no point in trying to justify that it doesn't exist, since it's down there, at the entrance to the house.
They both cleared their throats and rushed to the kitchen window, only to observe the woman, dressed in impeccable attire, cynically waving at them with a fake little smile and a wave of her hand.
—Angel... — Haruka murmured when she saw her older sister down there, in the flesh, feeling even more tension as she tried to tell her daughter what had really happened, which was difficult to do.
Hotaru simply stood still, leaning more firmly against the doorframe, watching from afar as her parents gazed out the window in disbelief. Even though it didn't seem like it, she was a little more surprised by her father's reaction after seeing her older sister, whom she hadn't seen in years.
Finally, they both stepped away from the window and sighed deeply, finding something they could say to their daughter who had been patiently waiting for answers. A break in the silence made her happy.
—Honey... Come with me. I'll see if I can explain it to you in a way you'll understand...
Haruka approached Hotaru, who was somewhat pleased that at least her question had been heard by her parents. She followed him to the room, ignoring the noise of the argument downstairs, while Michiru, though worried, went back to the window and told Angelitta to come upstairs to their house.
_____
—You don't understand, Usa!
Chibiusa yelled at Usagi. It had only been a few minutes since the pink-haired girl had gone to the blonde's house to inform her of what they would do from then on. Despite trying to be firm with the young adult that Usagi was, it might be a little difficult to deal with her past mother.
When she arrived home after a warm welcome from Ikuko and immediately went up to Usagi's room, who was getting ready for school, she explained the whole reason why she was there again, and the new mission they would all have to do from then on. It was difficult to explain, but Chibiusa managed to do it masterfully.
However, Usagi became confused when Chibiusa said that new villains were on the loose, and they would have to defeat them, even if they didn't know who they were or where they were.
—But I'm just telling you this, you know! We're practically adults! We don't have time for this nonsense, Chibi-chan! We have work to do, and besides... It's been 3 years!
—So what?— Chibiusa yelled angrily at Usagi, who was also furious with so much "nonsense."
—We have very important obligations to deal with right now, such as work, responsibilities-
—You don't understand the magnitude of this, Usagi! If we don't stop them, everything will change! I won't exist, you won't exist, and there's even a risk that humanity will become something empty, with nothing and no one!
Silence filled the room after Chibiusa's shouting match with Usagi. Both let the conversation play out in their minds, so they would know what to say next.
—What do you want us to do?— the blonde said, breaking the silence, completely annoyed with the girl.
—Just talk to the girls. We're going to meet at the Outers' mansion. I already have plans for what I'll do from then on.
Usagi simply nodded as she went to take off her uniform, since class time had passed, and she felt she wouldn't be able to go to class after that conversation. However, before she started to take off her top, the pink-haired teenager just called her over with a "psst," making her turn her face to look at the girl.
—Can I borrow your uniform later? I don't think my old uniform fits anymore, does it?
The young girl simply rolled her eyes as she dropped the top part of her uniform onto her bed, revealing her crop top, while opening the wardrobe, searching for a uniform that might fit her, which wasn't so difficult, since the eighth-grade uniform was brand new, barely looking like it had been worn.
She handed the pieces to Chibiusa, who smiled mischievously as a way of thanking her.
_____
With a deep sigh and a slight gasp, a red-haired woman woke up, practically jumping out of bed to sit up amidst a large comforter.
She was almost hyperventilating as she looked around her room with its red walls decorated with flowers and butterflies. Even though she didn't know it, she had been in a coma for 3 years, since most likely she would have died.
The woman perfectly remembered her last moments before she died (in theory). She felt the middle of her pierced body ache and bleed profusely, causing her to become weak and only able to say her last words in the lap of... Sailor Moon. The battle had been cruel, but, amidst so much turmoil, she managed to die in a way she believed to be dignified.
But there she was! In a room she didn't know, or whose it was, discovering that she had been in a coma since that day. Probably, some magical entity had taken her there as a form of rest and protection.
She placed her hand on her stomach and felt no puncture wound, as she should have felt since her last fight. With that, she sighed deeply, relieved to know that perhaps the universe had given her one last chance to live.
With a sudden impulse, the woman got out of bed, walking through the house until she found a mirror, so she could see what she looked like now, after 3 years of sleeping soundly, faithfully believing that she was dead.
It was when she found the bathroom in the house that she saw a large mirror hidden in the dressing table, which made her curious, she pulled the mirror out, leaned it against the tiled wall and finally, looked at herself.
What really scared her was the fact that it wasn't her there.
Her eyes widened. She didn't recognize herself as the form she had died in, but now she was a young woman named Lau Yanfei (which, coincidentally, was written on a post-it note stuck to the small mirror on her dressing table, next to a Polaroid photo of her in her adolescence), who, unfortunately, had truly died for an unknown reason. She was no longer Kakyuu, but she was slightly sad and felt guilty for having caused a body that should have rested to be used to preserve her soul.
But on the other hand, she was happy not only to give Yanfei another chance at a new life, but also to have another opportunity to live herself.
With a slight smile on her face, Kakyuu, or rather... Yanfei, brushed a section of her bangs aside and placed it to the right side, making it easier to wipe away the dirt from her newly opened eyes.
As if her brain had snapped its fingers, she had the idea to pretend to be the deceased Yanfei in order to gain trust and allies in this new life, and quite possibly, meet the Sailor Senshi again. But, for this disguise to be executed in the best possible way, Kakyuu had to know more about the life of this girl who was lending her this body.
As strange as it sounded, she found a small notepad on the arm of the old living room sofa, where on the first page was written "My Autobiography" with small flower decorations and her signature below, which could make it easier for Kakyuu to pretend to be her for a while.
As she carefully read through all the pages written about her biography, she became increasingly confused, because... How could the girl know that, most likely, her tragic end was approaching?
When, in a short time, she had absorbed everything that was written, with renewed excitement, she got up from the sofa to start getting ready, prepared for her new first day of life.
Despite feeling very insecure, "Yanfei" knew that no matter what awaited her, she would fulfill her new mission, whatever it might be.