By Meredith Bronwen Mallory Hey there peeps! Well... erm, I strike again! ^_^ This is basically to make up for the fact that there is no Cadre Sister for this week yet, and there probably won't be... hey! Don't kill me yet! ::sweat drop:: I come baring a gift... maybe two, depending on how my inspiration holds out. Anyway, big thanks to Sakura, my beta reader! Meredith PS. This is for Kate, who emailed me the NICEST letter I have probably ever received! ^_^ THANK YOU!! I tried to mail you back, but there wasn't an email address... so, Kate, if you read this, know that I own you a great BIG thanks! Legal Disclaimer: Me thinks thou doth protest too much... err.. SM ain't mine ^_^ Tokyo, Japan, 1985 Tsukino Iukuo hummed a happy song as she fairly bounced down the side walk. Eight months pregnant, she had that glow only expectant mother’s can have. It highlighted her deep blue hair and sparkling brown eyes, making it seem as though fate itself had smiled down on this young woman. Indeed, this was so, though she had no idea yet. In her arms, Iukuo carried what her husband teasingly referred to as her baby library, a huge stack of books, all about infants, newborns and toddlers. Today was a very good day, she’d just gotten a job at the new Crown Arcade, which was run by a friend of the family. Not to mention, Iukuo forced down a giggle, she’d received a very sweet letter from her husband, who was away on business in New York. Not looking where she was going, the young mother-to-be was rather surprised when she crashed into someone full force. "Gomen ne!" she cried as she attempted to get up, the added weight of a baby not helping her much. A strong hand came down and helped her to her feet. "Don’t worry about it," the stranger replied, his voice smooth. Looking up, Iukuo locked eyes with a handsome young man, perhaps twenty two, or twenty three. His midnight blue eyes were smiling at her affectionately, as if he had expected to run into her, though he ran a hand through his jet black hair in a some what nervous gesture. "Let me help you get your things," he offered, bending down to pick her books before she could even begin to protest. "A-arigato," she replied, somewhat surprised as he handed her the books. "You have quite a collection there," he commented with a slight smile. Iukuo blushed, a hand going to her enlarged abdomen. "Hai, it’s my first," she said by way of explanation. He raised an eyebrow, as if in question, before a smile bloomed on his face. "Hmm.." he said, as though considering something. Iukuo could have sworn she heard him mumble; "Still bumping into you, odango." But she had no idea what he meant by it. "Um, well, thank you again," she said, realizing she would be late for work. "Oh, yes, of course," he replied somewhat sheepishly. "Ja ne!" she called out as she rounded the corner, waving to him. "Ja ne, Tsukino-san!" was the return. Smiling, Iukuo resumed her walk. She was half way down the street when she realized she had not given the man her name. ‘How did he know then?’ she wondered. The day was a busy one, and gave Iukuo plenty of reasons to forget her strange encounter. Instead her attention was focused on wiping down counters and helping the kids with the video games. Every now and then, Motoki, the owner’s four year old son, would run out of the back room to chat with Iukuo, or show her one of his new pictures. The Furuhata’s lived in a small apartment bellow the Crown, which they hoped to one day turn into a storage room once they found a place of their own. Motoki was great kid, and Iukuo enjoyed his company. It was around nine in the evening when Iukuo finally locked up and made her way down the darkened side walk, headed towards the post office, where she could mail her letter to Kenji. The wind whipped around her mercilessly, making the trees move in the moonlight. The sound of leaves rustling together gave the world an eerie aura, turning the familiar into the surreal. As she walked, her high heels clacking on the side walk, Iukuo watched the moon as it continued it’s climb to the heights of the sky, the night was so beautiful. It would have remained that way, had it not been for the blood curdling scream that shattered Iukuo’s thoughts. From around the corner, another pregnant woman dashed, followed closely by a hideous monster! Her hand instantly flew to her abdomen as Iukuo went into panic mode. The monster had spotted her, but, frightened as she was, Iukuo could not force herself to move. The monster aimed a blast of energy towards her, it’s black light emanating from a strange jewel in the center of its forehead. Just when the young woman despaired all was lost, she was yanked bodily into a nearby alley way. Frightened, she clung to the masculine form, weeping tears of relief. In the distance, she heard a woman’s voice call out ‘Dead Scream!’, followed by a flash of light. The monster screamed in agony, before once more the night grew silent, as though nothing had ever happened. Able to think clearly at last, Iukuo raised her head to look her savior in the face. It was the man from earlier! "Konnichiwa," he said, breathing heavily. Drawing back, Iukuo gasped for breath, before replying with her own weak greeting. "A-arigato," she said softly, looking curiously into his midnight blue eyes, "You saved me." She forced a smile. "Don’t mention it," he echoed his earlier words, "But, Tsukino-san, I would feel much better if you would allow me to escort you home?" he asked. His words were kind, and Iukuo nodded, she didn’t want to walk home alone, not after that! "So, um, I never did learn your name," Iukuo said quietly as they walked down the deserted sidewalks. She kept glancing at the shadows, fearful that another monster would appear, but it never happened. Each time, the young man would give her a reassuring, friendly smile. "Er," for the first time, the stranger actually looked flustered, "I’m Chiba Ma-" he paused, sucking in a breath, "Chiba Motoki." "Motoki?" Iukuo giggled, "That’s such a coincidence, my friend’s son is named Motoki too!" She smiled up at him, her brown eyes filled with amusement. She noted, quite suddenly, that young Chiba Motoki also seemed amused, but, it seemed, for reasons other than her little joke. Indeed, it seemed as though he was involved in some private amusement, from which his smile steamed. It was a nice smile though. They stopped off at the post office, Chiba waiting patiently while Iukuo mailed her letter, then holding the door open for her as they stepped out once more into the cold night. "You’re quite the gentleman," she commented teasingly. "So I am," Chiba replied smoothly. "So, where do you live?" "Ten'un Apartments, over in the Juuban district," Iukuo said, a grateful smile appearing on her features as she saw the large building she called home rising in the distance. "Oh," her companion replied, sounding rather surprised. "What is it?" "I thought.. perhaps you might live..." he trailed off, a blushing for some strange reason. "Oh, it’s only temporary," she echoed her husband’s words, "I’m looking for a nice little house. Maybe over in Azabu." "Hmm.. that’s where I live," the young man said, "Why not stay in Juuban?" "I want to, but I can’t seem to find the right place. It has to be perfect," Iukuo said. "Have you tried over near Cherry Hill?" Chiba asked gently, a knowing smile playing on his lips. The blue haired woman beside him was confused. She felt like this stranger knew her too well, for they’d only been aquatinted a few short hours. "Uh, no, should I?" "Yes, it’s rather lovely over there," he told her. She noticed they’d reached her apartment building, and reached for her key. "Would you like to come in?" "Hai, arigato." "Is this your husband?" Chiba asked as he picked up the small portrait. "Hai, it is," Iukuo replied as she poked her head out of the kitchen. She returned to the main room a few minutes later, carrying a tray of tea and odangos. Chiba raised an eyebrow. "Odangos?" "Hai, I love the things!" Iukuo told him as she dug in. He joined her, his pace a little more reserved. "I... I can’t thank you enough for saving me earlier," the young woman said in between bites, "I’ve never seen a youma like that before!" "Hmm.. I’ve seen far too many," Chiba remarked, mostly to himself. To Iukuo he said, "You’re quite welcome, Tsukino-san, it’s my job." Surprised, the young mother to be opened her mouth to ask him what he meant. It hadn’t been the reply she was expecting. However, before she could get a word in edgewise, Chiba was picking up his olive green jacket and heading for the door. "Thanks for the odangos, Tsukino-san, ja ne!" then he was gone, leaving Iukuo to mumble a surprised ‘ja ne’, before shaking her head. As she cleaned up the dishes, she couldn’t help but wonder just who the mysterious Chiba Motoki really was. "Konnichiwa, Tsukino-san," a now familiar voice made Iukuo’s head jerk up from where she was wiping down the counters. Before her stood Chiba Motoki, hands in his pockets as he smiled down at her. "K-konnichiwa," she stammered, her brown eyes filling with surprise. She honestly hadn’t expected to see him again, though the look in his eyes told her she should have known otherwise. "Can I get you anything, Chiba-san?" "Hai, just coffee, please. Black, if you don’t mind," he said. Nodding, Iukuo went about getting his order, nearly tripping over Furuhata Motoki as he raced out of the back room. "Please Motoki-chan, watch where your going!" Iukuo admonished the young boy as she regained her balance. "Sorry, Iukuo-aneki (big sister), it won’t happen again!" the little boy assured her as he raced around the counter. "Konnichiwa!" he cried in a friendly manner, having noticed the young man also sitting at the counter. "Konnichiwa, Motoki," the older boy said with a smile. "How’d you know my name?" the younger was confused. "Um, I told him," Iukuo said as she handed Chiba his coffee, "His name is Motoki as well." "Really?" the blond child asked, eyes wide. At the older boy’s nod, he smiled, "Wow! That’s neat! I hope I’m as tall as you when I grow up!" "Oh, I’m sure you will be," Chiba replied with assurance, helping the boy up onto a stool. Beaming with pride, Motoki displayed his latest drawing, a rather comical blue bear, drawn in crayon. "Isn’t he *scary*?" young Motoki asked, eyes hopeful. "Oh yes," Chiba was all seriousness, "Terrifying," he glanced up at Iukuo, a smile on his face. The young woman smiled back, before picking up her rag and dowsing an empty section of the counter. "Will you help me play one of the games, Chiba-san?" the little boy asked pleadingly. "Sure I will..." "Ahem," another, foreign voice, interrupted the conversation, and all three looked up to see a tall, green haired woman standing in the doorway, her hands on her hips. "Oh," Chiba said, as though suddenly realizing something, "Perhaps another time, Motoki-san," he patted the boy’s head affectionately, "I think I need to go. Ja ne, Tsukino-san!" "Um, ja ne," Iukuo replied, watching as Chiba and the strange woman took their leave. He returned the next day, and every day after that. Iukuo came to expect his handsome visage sitting on the other side of the counter, most often staring thoughtfully off into space. She found he was easy to talk to, and very kind, especially towards herself and Motoki. As they became better acquainted, she took to calling him ‘Toki, so as not to get him confused with the younger boy. But Iukuo had a strange feeling Chiba Motoki was more interested in her baby than the woman carrying it. He inquired daily as to the child’s health, and sometimes he seemed ready to refer to it by name, though Iukuo had yet to decide what the child would be called. "Konnichiwa, Iukuo-san," Chiba greeted her as he took his usual seat at the end of the counter. Iukuo smiled she looked up. 2:30 pm, he was right on time, as usual. "Konnichiwa, Toki-san," she replied happily, "I have great news!" "Oh?" "Yes, I went and got an ultrasound today, and guess what?" her brown eyes held a great deal of excitement in their depths, "It’s a..." "Girl?" Chiba asked, raising an eyebrow. At her gapping jaw, he gave her a knowing smile, shrugging his shoulders. Long since having learned to let such things pass, Iukuo went on with out missing a beat. "Well, now the name is a toss up between Midori, Himeko and Usagi," she said, watching as interest peeked in Chiba’s blue eyes. "I like Usagi," he said, taking a sip of coffee to cover his blush, "I like Usagi very much. It’s a beautiful name." "Really?" Iukuo asked, her smile widening. As if answering, the baby within her kicked. "Oh!" the young woman cried, "She must like Usagi too, she just kicked!" "Really?" Chiba’s eyes widened considerably. "Here, see for yourself," without thinking, Iukuo grabbed his hand and placed it over her abdomen. Again, the child kicked, and the blue haired woman watched as a huge, brilliant smile bloomed on Chiba’s face. Removing his hand, he nodded slightly, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Shaking her head, Iukuo went back to work. Later, as Chiba took out his wallet to pay, a small photo fell out of the inner pocket, along with some coins. Picking it up, Iukuo gazed on the smiling face of a young girl with shinning golden hair, wound up in twin buns. Her blue eyes looked at the camera man fondly, her body clothed in a Juuban school uniform. "Who’s this?" she asked. Oddly enough, the girl seemed very familiar, though Iukuo couldn’t recall meeting her. "That’s my girlfriend," Chiba replied with a sad smile, taking the picture from her and gazing at it lovingly before sticking it back in his wallet. "What’s wrong?" "Huh?" "Is there something wrong, Toki-san?" Iukuo asked, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Does she make you sad?" "Oh no!" Chiba cried, as though appalled by the very thought, "She makes me very, very happy," his face fell again, "It’s just that she’s very ill, and I can’t be by her side." "Why ever not?" "I have to stay here. It’s my job," he replied, echoing his earlier words. "What do you mean?" Iukuo had the courage to ask this time. "Gomen, Iukuo-san, I really must be going," Chiba said, before turning and all but fleeing the arcade. Perplexed, Iukuo waved goodbye, as the baby kicked again. Walking home from work, Iukuo decided to take the short cut through the park. After Chiba left, the day had gone down hill. A bunch of boys had gotten into a fight because of a video game, and Iukuo had been forced to throw them out. On top of that, a strange woman with bright green hair, a red fan and dark glasses had arrived on her break, asking if she was Tsukino Iukuo. Stunned, but not knowing what else to say, Iukuo had told the truth. Without saying another word, the strange woman had gone, leaving the young mother with a very uneasy feeling. She supposed she shouldn’t have given her name so freely, but it was just so confusing... A sound in the bushes jarred Iukuo from her musings, and frightened, she let out a small squeal. To her relief it was only a bunny and her family, out searching for a midnight snack. "Geeze, Iukuo," she said to herself, "You really need to calm down." With that, she resumed her walk through the park, trying to shake the feeling that she was being watched. ‘Calm down, calm down,’ she repeated internally, over and over again. It didn’t help, and finally, something within her snapped, and she broke out into a run. Without warning, something jumped in her path, and with a scream, Iukuo realized it was another monster, wielding a large blade... pointed at her abdomen! "No, no, please, LEAVE ME ALONE!!" Iukuo cried, backing away in terror. A shrill laugh sounded, making the young woman want to cover her ears, but she was too frightened to think about moving. In the air, a woman materialized, and Iukuo recognized her from earlier at the arcade. "You!" "Ah, so you remember me, Tsukino-san," said the woman, "I’m touched. But you and your child are not getting away from me this time!" She turned her attention to the youma, "Bladia, get her!" With another scream, Iukuo turned to run, but the monster caught her by the wrist and held fast. Convinced it was the end, Iukuo closed her eyes, not wishing to witness the inevitable, tears spilling out from under her dark lashes. She felt the monster begin draining her energy, and struggled as hard as she could for her child’s sake, but found her strength was leaving her. Just when she thought all was lost, the youma cried out suddenly and let go. Iukuo fell to the ground, barely managing to turn so the baby would not be hurt. Looking up, the young woman saw a rose embedded in the youma’s torso "Picking on pregnant women now, Esmerude?" a deep, almost mocking voice asked from the tree tops. Turning her head, Iukuo saw a man in a tuxedo, his face obscured by a domino mask, outlined against the brilliant moon light. "Geeze, how low do you sink!?" "Tuxedo Kamen!" the woman- Esmerude- cried out in alarm, "What are you doing here?! How did you find me!?" "We have our ways," another voice piped up. It was the same green haired woman Iukuo recalled from the arcade a few days before- the one who’d left with Chiba. She was dressed in an odd, tight parody of a sailor fuku, a long, silver staff clutched in her hand. "Sailor Pluto!" Esmerude was *not* happy, "Why is it that were ever I go I’m plagued by Sailor brats!?" "Because I will not allow the likes of you to take my Usa away!" Tuxedo Kamen cried, letting loose a barrage of roses. In a blink of an eye, Esmerude vanished, only to rematerialize a short distance away. "Missed again, cape boy!" she cried triumphantly, "Bladia! Get them!" The recovered youma leapt at the unfortunate Sailor Pluto, but the green haired senshi wasn’t even phased. "DEAD SCREAM!" she cried. By now, Iukuo was seriously considering that this was either a dream, or she had lost her sanity. Either way, she was terrified, and watched in mute horror as the battle ensued. It was short, Pluto and Tuxedo Kamen tag teaming the enraged Bladia, but soon, Iukuo felt her body becoming faint. Unconsciousness seemed so very inviting at the moment, but she didn’t want to pass out, not knowing if she was safe... or if her mysterious saviors could even defeat the monster. However, her dismal projections didn’t come true, and with one last ‘death scream’, the youma dissolved into a pile of dust. Closing her eyes, Iukuo began to weep tears of relief, when she heard Tuxedo Kamen and Esmerude arguing "I’ll get you for this, Tuxedo Kamen!" the enraged woman cried. She was, quite frankly, seeing red. "I’m sure," the man replied, his tone mocking, "Tell me, Esmerude," his voice took on an angry edge, "Does your prince know just *who* you are trying to kill?" His opponent must have blanched, for he went on, "I thought not. How will he feel when he figures out you are making attempts on Serenity’s life? I don’t think it’ll go over so well..." "Oh, what do you know!?" Esmerude vented, before disappearing "That wasn’t necessary," Pluto admonished. "They will *not* take Usa from me, Pluto, they will NOT!" the tuxedo-ed one said, his voice like steel. A moan from the fallen woman jarred the two super heroes from their conversation. Bending over her, Tuxedo Kamen lifted Iukuo into his arms. Hearing her whimper, he only handled her more gently than before. "Shh," he whispered comfortingly, "It’s all right, you’re safe now." Assured that, indeed, she and her child *were* safe, Iukuo succumbed to the darkness. She awoke to the dull murmur of voices above her, and at first thought she’d just fallen asleep with the T.V. on. But soon, the head ache pounding in Iukuo’s temples forced her to return to wakefulness, and she realized this was not so. Opening her eyes, she found herself in the back seat of an unfamiliar car. Panic raced through her, but the sound of Chiba’s voice pulled her back from the verge of fresh tears. "Esmerude is getting desperate," she heard him say. "Hai, this is not good," another voice replied. Craning her head sideways, Iukuo saw Pluto- the strange woman from the arcade. ‘So it wasn’t a dream’ she thought uneasily. Her life had most certainly taken a strange turn. "Nothing is set in stone, Mamoru-san," Pluto went on, "The future is changing. ‘Mamoru?’ Iukuo thought, ‘Who’s that?’ "They won’t win, Setsuna-chan," Chiba replied harshly, "I won’t let them." Now Iukuo was really confused, and she let out a groan as she attempted to adjust her resting position. "Iukuo-san, you’re awake! Are you alright?" Chiba asked, concerned. Placing a weary hand to her forehead, the young woman drew a deep breath before replying. "Hai Toki-san," she said, "I think I’ll be alright... what was that?" "It was... not good," the other woman replied. "Uh, Gomen, Iukuo-san, this is my friend, Setsuna," Chiba introduced them briefly, his eyes fixed on the road. "Uh, konnichiwa, Setsuna-san," Iukuo greeted the other woman tenatively. Setsuna looked back at her and the expectant mother felt as though she was staring into some ancient being, lurking just behind the other woman’s ruby eyes. "Um, where are we going?" "Back to your apartment," Chiba replied with ease. Again, the passengers lapsed into silence and, tired from the rather strange turn her day had taken, Iukuo soon fell asleep. "Iukuo-san, you need to wake up," a voice penetrated her dreams, and with a groan, Iukuo fought for wakefulness "Come on, as soon as you get inside, you can sleep." "Toki-san?" "Yeah," he said, shrugging as he helped her out of the car, "I’m really sorry about what happened earlier, I should have been there sooner." "Toki-san, it’s not your fault! I’m so very glad you were there,! Arigato, you saved me again," Iukuo replied, all traces of sleep vanishing from her features. "Please, Iukuo," Chiba’s eyes wore intense as they bored into her own, pleading, "Please, don’t go out alone at night... I’ll walk you home from the arcade. Just.... promise me you’ll be careful." "I... I promise," Iukuo swallowed, hard. "Good, arigato," he seemed very relieved, "When is your husband coming home." At this, the young woman sweat dropped. "He was supposed to come home this week, but he’s been detained," she looked away, "I miss him." Chiba nodded slowly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Everything’s gonna be fine, Iukuo-san," he told her earnestly, "I will protect you and the baby, I promise." Then, before Iukuo could react, he was climbing back into the car. With a slight wave, he started the ignition and drove off. Iukuo stared after them in their wake, her hand going to her abdomen. Quite suddenly, she had the overwhelming feeling that the child she carried was something...special. True to his word, Chiba arrived at precisely quarter ‘till nine, his green jacket slung over his shoulder and a grin plastered on his face. He wasn’t fooling anyone, Iukuo could see the sadness in his eyes, the worry hidden in those midnight blue depths. Folding the letter she’d just received from Kenji, Iukuo placed it in her pocket and went to greet her friend. "Is something the matter, Toki-san?" Iukuo asked as she laid a friendly hand on his shoulder. The young man looked up at her, and for the first time, the young woman noticed how weary he seemed. "Hai, Iukuo-san," he hung his head sadly, "My girlfriend, her condition is only getting worse. I... I couldn’t bare it if she left me." "Oh! Gomen, Toki, I had no idea," she felt bad for bringing up a sore subject, "Is there anything I can do?" "Hai," her friend replied, his gaze resting briefly on her abdomen before returning to her concerned brown eyes, "Just stay safe, please." Though she had no idea what her safety had to do with Chiba’s girlfriend, Iukuo nodded, and with one last reassuring smile, went to get her coat. When she returned, Chiba was not alone. "Setsuna-san," the young woman was surprised, "I didn’t hear you come in." "Gomen, Tsukino-san, I didn’t mean to trespass. I hope you don’t mind if I accompany you home tonight, with Ma- er, Motoki-san, of course." Nodding, Iukuo consented, and after locking up, the three some made their way towards the Juuban district. They stopped in an all night bakery, Iukuo’s craving for odangos having come on full force. For some reason, Chiba found her fixation with the scrumptious little deserts rather amusing. "You know, they say what you eat during pregnancy affects your baby," Iukuo considered as they stood in the short line. "So you’re saying your baby will have an affinity for odangos?" Chiba asked, a smile lighting his face for the first time that day. "Hai, that’s what they say." "Huh, well, who ever said it is a genius," Chiba remarked, mostly to himself. That little comment earned him an elbow in the stomach from Setsuna, who was beginning to remind Iukuo of a supreme, omnipotent force. "Well," Setsuna began, but she never finished. In that instant, a loud, high pitched screech, pierced the air, and Iukuo watched the terror filter into Setsuna’s red eyes. Before she could say anything, Chiba yanked her- rather roughly- towards the back room, just as a huge explosion rocked the building. The tendrils of flame raced outward, and Iukuo’s body paralyzed with fear. Later she would thank the heavens that Chiba was more level headed than she, but for now, the abyss called. There was a pain in her abdomen, Iukuo realized as she opened her eyes again. Her muscles were clenching, moving in a down ward motion... With a gasp, she righted herself. The world around her was dim, but she could make out the familiar form of Chiba, resting against the wall, rubbing his temples wearily. "Tsukino-san, how do you feel?" Setsuna’s voice asked through the darkness, penetrating Iukuo’s shadowy world. "Fine..." she ignored the feeling in her middle. The baby wasn’t due for another week, and besides, she’d heard a lot about false contractions, "What, what happened?" "Esmerude blew the building up, isn’t that tactful of her?" Chiba said, the annoyance and anger in his voice incredibly apparent. "Who *is* she?" the young woman found the courage to ask, "What did I ever do to her? I don’t understand this at all, I’d never met the woman before yesterday..." "Iukuo," Setsuna’s voice held firm command, "Know only that she is the enemy..." "Shimatta! Stop feeding me these... I don’t know what they are, but I’m sick of it! Why am I being kept in the dark and what the hell does this have to do with my baby?!" Iukuo knew she was being emotional, unreasonable and down right difficult, but she just couldn’t take it anymore. She *knew* all of this wasn’t focused on her, it was focused on the child that grew inside of her, and she had a right to know why. "Iukuo," Chiba knelt beside her, his voice kind and compassionate, not at all like the domineering Setsuna. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he gave her a reassuring smile, "I’m sorry you had to be involved in all this. Esmerude... is the enemy. She wants to kill you because your daughter has a very important destiny. Please trust us, I can’t tell you much because the future is at stake here but..." he trailed off with a shrug, " you’re just going to have to trust us." "How do you know this?" the young woman persisted, brown eyes burning, "Who *are* you?" Now Chiba smiled, it was wistful, ironic, and somewhat sad. "A friend, Iukuo-san, just a friend." Realizing she wasn’t going to get anything more out of him, especially with the way Setsuna was glaring her, Iukuo let it go. "Where are we?" she asked, looking around the dark, dusty room. No light entered at all, though she realized that could partly be because it was still night. "In the basement," Setsuna replied, "We pulled you down here just before the blast reached us. We can’t get out though, the debris is blocking the door." "Best I can tell, we’ll be here until at least dawn, or until some one calls the police," Chiba added, his gaze thoughtful. Nodding, Iukuo forced back a gasp. There was that feeling again! It really wasn’t painful, at least not yet, it was more like she might have a bowel movement or... The young woman closed her eyes and prayed really hard that it was a false contraction. How much time had passed, Iukuo wasn’t sure, but silence had descended for quite a while. Setsuna was hunched over in the corner, seemingly asleep, but Iukuo wouldn’t put anything past the strange green haired woman. Chiba, well, the young woman was convinced he was praying, what for she did not know. But in his hands he clutched something- perhaps a piece of jewelry, for it gleamed gold in the dim room. Iukuo closed her eyes, those feelings were becoming more painful and... suddenly, something wet flooded through her, and, with horror, the young mother realized that her prayers had not been answered. "Toki-san?" he didn’t answer, seemingly too wrapped up in his thoughts. Normally, Iukuo would have let him be, but things were a *little* urgent. "TOKI-SAN!" "Huh, what?" "We have a problem," she stated simply. She watched as his eyes widened in fear, and he managed to choke out; "What is it?" "Um... it’s the baby." "Did it get hurt?" "No." "Then what’s wrong..." he trailed off, seemingly answering his own question, for his eyes raised to the heavens, as though pleading. "Please tell me it’s not what I think it is?" "She’s gone into labor," Setsuna stated simply. Iukuo’s gaze shot over to the woman. ‘I *knew* she wasn’t sleeping.’ "But I thought the baby wasn’t due for another week!?" "She’s early," Iukuo remarked on the obvious. Chiba rolled his eyes and attempted to regain his composure. He didn’t due a very good job. "Odango!" he cried to the heavens in frustration, "Why’d you have to be early? Why can’t you just be late, like usual?" That vented, a calm seemed to flood over the young man, and the next thing Iukuo knew, he was ordering Setsuna to find some blankets, and hunting around for a sink to wash his hands. "I’m in training to be a doctor," he said, by way of explanation "I *hope* you know what you’re doing!" "Soon," Chiba assured her, patting her hand. It really didn’t help much, Iukuo could see the wild fear in his eyes, "Soon. Press down, Iukuo-san, press down HARD." "I can’t!" she wailed as another contraction ran it’s course on her body. It was even more painful than the last one, and the young woman had been positive the pain could not increase! Screaming, she groped for Chiba’s hand, and clutched, hard. Laying on her back on a pile of blankets Setsuna had found, Iukuo was seriously considering throttling her husband, that was, if she lived through this. "KENJI!" she cried at the dratted man who was still an ocean and half a continent away, "This is all YOUR fau...AHHH!" Another ontraction hit, more intense. "Squat," Setsuna ordered. Looking up, Iukuo’s brown eyes met with the other woman’s red ones, and she wondered detachedly how she could be so cold. "I did, I did!" Iukuo protested, "Until I was so tired I..." Five hours of doing this. Five hours of squatting and screaming and taking brief naps between the longer contracts... until Setsuna would nudge her awake and demand she squat again. She was really starting to detest the green haired woman. "Setsuna’s right, you need to get up," Chiba said, much more gently. There was a pleading light in his eyes, the only thing that motivated Iukuo to raise from her flat position and squat once more. "Now. Push. Push harder!" Setsuna was urging her on. "Slave driver," Iukuo hissed through clenched teeth. "Please, Iukuo," she looked to find, with much shock, that Chiba was crying. Salty tears coursed down his cheeks as he helped her to squat again. Iukuo’s world tilted slightly... she’d never seen a man cry! As Chiba held her small hand in his, something passed before the young woman’s eyes. She saw Chiba’s girlfriend, racing down the street and into his arms, she saw a tall woman, an older version of the girl, a crown adorning her golden locks. She saw a city made of crystal, and a little pink-haired girl, sweet as sugar and willful as iron. "Please," Chiba repeated, "I need you to do this for me." "Alright," she gasped for breath. From somewhere deep within, a renewed strength coursed through Iukuo’s body, and she kept those images in her mind as she squatted with every fiber in her body. "Work, woman!" Setsuna barked, "We can not have this child for you!" For some reason, Iukuo found that statement hilarious, and began to laugh. "You...try.." she gasped for breath, "having a...baby... then come...talk to me!" "Setsuna," Chiba ‘s eyes never left the spoiled blanket he was laying aside, "Ease up a little, she’s trying." The green haired woman growled a little, but kept her mouth shut. The set of contractions passed, and Iukuo fell into a somewhat exhausted sleep. Barely had she closed her eyes- it seemed- when Setsuna was lifting her back into a squatting position. Screaming, Iukuo bore down once more, gripping Chiba’s hand like it was her last link to the world. None them heard the search team rummaging around above them, eeking the source of Iukuo’s screams. They were focused on this one point in time. "This has gone on so long," he said worriedly, "Can she take much more of this?" "Queen Serenity survived," Setsuna stated simply. "Who the..." Iukuo began, but another contraction hit, and she was too busy screaming. "I see the head!" Chiba cried triumphantly, "Come on, Iukuo, one last push. Give it all you’ve got!" Laying back so Chiba could catch the baby, Iukuo did as commanded, watching over her deflating abdomen as he drew the baby out, as though afraid he might break her. Taking a deep breath, one blond haired, blue eyed baby girl thew back her head and howled, announcing herself to the world. Together, Setsuna and Chiba cleaned the baby off as best they could, wrapping the child in Chiba’s green jacket before handing her to her beaming mother. The instant Iukuo held her little girl, the pain of the last six hours faded from her mind, to be replaced with such motherly love that she thought her heart might burst. Almost as exhausted as the mother herself, Chiba and Setsuna sat back against the wall, breathing heavily. "Toki-san?" Iukuo asked at last, still gazing into her baby’s bright blue eyes. "Hai, Iukuo-san?" "I’ve decided on a name," she looked up, meeting his midnight blue gaze, "It’s Usagi. Tsukino Usagi." In all her years, and all the years that would come, Iukuo would swear she’d never seen such a brilliant smile as the one that adorned Chiba’s face. "Would you like to hold her?" "Me?" Chiba looked shocked, "Are you sure? She’s so small... I’m afraid I might break her, or squash her or something." Iukuo laughed. "I’m sure you won’t, here," she moved forward, allowing the young man to cradle her child. She watched his face as he looked down at the little miracle, eyes wide. The child stared straight back at him, giving him a toothless smile. "Konnichiwa," his tone was breathless with wonder. Usagi’s tiny fist wrapped around one of Chiba’s large fingers, and she tried to put it in her mouth. Chuckling, Chiba handed the little girl back to her mother. "Arigato, Iukuo-san," he said earnestly. "For what?" "For giving her...to the world." There was no time to ask him what he meant, for at that moment, the last piece of debris was hauled away from the basement door, and the rescue team shoved the barrier open. "Hey! Are you alright down there?" some one called out. "Hai! Come and help us!" Setsuna replied impatiently. From the portal above, another face appeared. It was a young man, staring down at the four-some in shock. "IUKUO-CHAN?!?" he cried, eyes wide. At the sound of his voice, the blue-haired woman looked up, her brown eyes filling with joy. "KENJI-CHAN!" she squealed happily, "Come down here this instant and meet your daughter!" She didn’t have to tell him twice, Kenji was racing down the stairs and bombarding her with a hundred questions in an instant. "Oh koibito (sweetheart)," he murmured as he embraced both wife and daughter, "I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner, and oh,you poor thing, you had to give birth down here and..." "It’s all right!" Iukuo assured him though happy tears, "I’m fine!" "I owe you my deepest gratitude, Chiba-san," Kenji said later on as the five of them stood in the hospital waiting room. Iukuo and Usagi had both passed with a clean bill of health, much to everyone’s relief. The doctors had even congratulated Chiba on doing such an excellent job under such adverse conditions, to which he had mumbled something unintelligible "Don’t mention it, Tsukino-san," Chiba replied, "It was the least I could do. She’s a beautiful little girl. I’m sure she’ll grow up to be just as beautiful," his smile was knowing, and Setsuna’s elbow connected with his stomach once more. "We really must be going," Setsuna said authoritatively, "It’s rather late, and I’m sure you want to get home." "Hai, thank you again," Kenji replied. "Say good-bye, Usagi," Iukuo giggled as she puppeted a wave. Chiba smiled, waving back. "Ja ne, Princess," he said cryptically. Turning, he began to walk towards the door. Setsuna hung back, and, to Iukuo’s ever lasting surprise, impulsively threw her arms around the other woman's neck in a brief hug. Drawing back, Setsuna looked sheepish. "Gomen for being harsh with you, Iukuo," she said, "You’re a very strong person, I admire you." Then she was walking towards the door, catching up with Chiba. "Sayonara, Iukuo!" he called out to her. Iukuo waved, then stopped, when his words sunk in. ‘Sayonara? Good-bye?’, she thought. "Wait, Toki-san!" she called out, "I’ll see you in the arcade tomorrow, right?" "Gomen, Iukuo-san," Chiba shook his head with a little smile, "I can’t stay. My girlfriend is waiting for me." With that he turned and walked out the door. Iukuo watched him go, looking down at her daughter, only to realize she was still swathed in Chiba’s green jacket. Toki, your jacket!" she said, realizing he was already gone. "Don’t worry about it," Setsuna said, pausing at the door, "His girl friend has been bugging him to get a new one anyway." A smile briefly touched her lips, before she too was gone. Tokyo, Japan, 2000 "Usako!" a male voice cried out as Chiba Mamoru rushed in the hospital room and straight into his girlfriend’s arms. "Mamo-chan!" Usagi squealed, "Oh, I missed you," she hugged him with all the strength her still recovering body possessed. Amused, her friends and family looked on, well, all save her father, who was being restrained by her mother. "I’m so sorry I couldn’t be here," Mamoru apologized as he cradled her close, kissing her hair, "I came as soon as I could..." "It’s all right, Mamo-chan," Usagi drew back, smiling and crying happy tears, "I’m just glad you’re here!" With that, they kissed, despite the fact both of them knew Usagi’s dad was seeing red. "Man, Setsuna-chan, you look beat!" Makoto commented as the green haired woman entered the room. "Remind me never to have children," Setsuna remarked tiredly, rubbing her temples as she flopped in a chair. "Whoa..." Minako said, "Mamoru-san, you didn’t!" The four girls looked at one another, all sharing some common knowledge Usagi’s family was not privy to. "Hai, Minako-chan, I did!" Mamoru said, Usagi resting comfortably in his embrace. "Wow, that’s weird," Rei commented, before turning to Ami and inquiring if that was actually possible. "For once, Rei-chan, I have no explanation," Ami said with a shrug. The girls giggled, before excusing themselves to give the love birds some privacy. "Come on, Kenji," Iukuo said, pulling her husband along, "Leave them alone." The disgruntled father merely mumbled something about the ‘evil boy who stole his baby’, but allowed his wife to drag him out. "Yuck! Mushy stuff!" Shingo cried as Usagi and Mamoru shared a much more.. involved kiss. Claiming to have a headache, Setsuna left as well, off in search of some Advil. The room was empty, save the couple, when Iukuo stuck her head back in. Sighing to herself, she closed the door, ensuring the two would be left alone. Two Weeks Later Outside, the rain pummeled the sidewalks relentlessly, letting loose on the earth it’s refreshing, life giving water. Inside, Tsukino Iukuo was bored. She’d planned on working in the garden today, but the rain was preventing that, so she was at a loss for something to fill the time. After the scare with Usagi, life had returned to what passed for normal. Iukuo was still trying to figure out just what had assailed her daughter, who had been so vibrant and alive one minute, then hovering on the edge of death the next. Spotting the huge stack of photos on the dinning room table, the older woman decided to do something about it. After all, Kenji was at work, Shingo was at a friends, and Usagi was off some place... with Mamoru, no doubt. ‘Maybe I should start working again,’ Iukuo considered, ‘Sometimes I really miss the Crown.’ But she shook her head. She was a little too old to be working with teens again.. she had enough adolescent angst with Usagi! Grabbing a cup of coffee, Iukuo sat down with the photos and several albums, most waiting to be filled. As she flipped through one of the older ones, an envelope fell out from one of the pages, landing on the floor. Bending down, Iukuo picked it up and opened it, drawing out a few old snapshots. Smiling, she gazed fondly on a few of her and young Furuhata Motoki, at the Crown arcade. Her smile only widened as she found one of herself, Toki and Motoki, leaning towards each other in front of the camera. Gazing on Chiba’s face, something occurred to Iukuo, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Reaching for one of the more current photos from her stack, she looked at one of Usagi and her boyfriend. Mamoru had his arms around Iukuo’s daughter, smiling as if he had never been happier, while Usgai mischievously gripped the lapels of his green jacket... Glancing from photo to photo, Iukuo looked from Chiba Motoki to Chiba Mamoru, and back again... ‘Still bumping into you, odango’ ‘I’m Chiba Ma-, Chiba Motoki’ ‘I like Usagi, I like Usagi very much. It’s a beautiful name.’ ‘She makes me very, very happy. It’s just that she’s very ill, and I can’t be by her side.’ ‘They will *not* take Usa from me, Pluto, they will NOT!’ ‘Your daughter has a very important destiny.’ Iukuo’s blood ran cold in her veins, and she suddenly felt very, very faint. The same black hair, the same midnight blue eyes, the *same green jacket*. "Kami-sama!" - - - Alas, the wheel turns, but the hamster is dead. Meredith Bronwen Mallory Evil Mad Scientist - - - By the time you swear you're his Shivering and sighing And he swears his passion is Infinite, undying Lady make a note of this-- One of you is lying -"Unfortunate Coincidence" by Dorothy Parker |
