A snicker was heard from the group of parents. Then a snort. Finally they were all out laughing. The group of children looked back and forth between the two groups. In one were their mothers standing before their fathers - all completely serious. In the other were their grandparents. Their mothers the Sailor Scouts? Sailor suited female warriors who fought evil with magical powers? It was not long before they too were laughing hysterically.
Serena - ignoring the laughter - turned and faced her scouts.
"Are you ready to prove them wrong?" Everyone nodded. "Then you know what to do."
Mina stepped forward, her henshin stick in hand.
"Venus Crystal Power!"
All eyes locked on Mina expectantly as the crowd hushed. A few moments later though she still stood there, arm upraised with henshin stick in hand.
"I-I don't understand," Mina said with tears in her eyes. "Venus Crystal Power!" Still nothing.
"Let me try," Haruka said. "Uranus Planet Power!"
One by one they all tried transforming, except for Serena. By the time each of them had tried, the crowd of family was once again laughing. They did not notice the devastation evident on their loved one's faces.
"What's wrong? Why aren't we transforming?" Rei asked Serena. "You could transform, why can't we?" The desperation was evident in her voice. Serena did not answer though, she appeared to be spaced out instead. Suddenly her eyes lit up and refocused on reality.
"I know what's going on," Serena said with conviction. Her scouts all turned and looked at her. "Form a circle around me and hold out your henshin sticks as if you were going to transform." They did as she said as their husbands stepped back to observe. The laughter had by then stopped, and all attention was placed on the group of women.
Serena closed her eyes. The crowd was not sure when it happened. One moment Serena was dressed in a sensible business suit and the next she had on a flowing white gown with wings. Her mother grabbed her father and hung onto him in shock. Sammy's jaw dropped so far that Mika had to physically close it.
Princess Serenity called forth her silver crystal and it appeared in between her waiting hands. The crystal began to glow, and as it did a soft white light surrounded Serenity. Slowly but steadily the light expanded until it encased the circle of warriors. As the light reached the women though the light changed so that each woman was surrounded by the color of their fuku. The light held steady for several moments, but then it ended as suddenly as it had begun, for Serena once again stood in the center of the group.
Serena opened her eyes and turned in a slow circle, looking each of her friends in the eye. What she saw was about the same: understanding and love. She gave each of them a smile, which to the last they returned.
The crowd watched this. Saw Serena look at her friends who still held their arms in the air, no longer holding a pen, but all now holding a brooch similar to the one that sat on Serena's chest. Everyone was having a hard time digesting what they saw. And it was about to get harder.
"Moon Eternal Power!"
"Mercury Eternal Power!"
"Mars Eternal Power!"
"Jupiter Eternal Power!"
"Venus Eternal Power!"
"Uranus Eternal Power!"
"Neptune Eternal Power!"
"Saturn Eternal Power!"
"Pluto Eternal Power!"
Seeing Serena, a woman they had just met, turn into a magical princess was one thing, but seeing their mothers turn into sailor suited female warriors was quite another. All the children were having a difficult time dealing with the situation. Some of them were standing stock still staring at the women, a couple were lowering themselves onto the ground before they fell there, and some of them were fighting the urge to run from these sudden strangers.
The parents too were having a hard time. Their daughters were the Sailor Scouts. The same girls who, when younger, had seemed to be just normal teenagers had actually been out there saving the world: attacking and being attacked by evil creatures. The general feeling among the parents and siblings was shock and disbelief, and even some anger that such an important aspect of their lives were kept from them.
On the Sailor Scout's part they had not even noticed their loved one's reactions yet. They were too busy taking in the changes in uniform they had undergone. They were now uniform in the design and style of their fukus. On each fuku the back bow had lengthened to the knee and the front bow had been shaped into wings, in the middle of which now rested the key to their transformations. The biggest change of all were the wings that adorned their backs. All in all they were now more similar to Sailor Moon, but they in no way matched the elaborance of her fuku.
Sailor Pluto stood back from the group of her peers with a small frown on her face.
Eternal Sailor Moon was the first to notice that the children, parents and siblings were having a difficult time. She looked at Sammy and smiled, but he just stared back, wide eyed. She looked over at her parents. They were looking at her like she was a stranger. A sharp pain of regret flashed through her.
Darien saw the pain enter Eternal Sailor Moon's face, a pain that he felt himself. He had always been in tune to Serena's stronger emotions, and this feeling of regret and shame was beginning to overtake her.
Eternal Sailor Moon stood with her eyes locked to her parents. She could not tear her eyes away, until she felt two arms encircling her from the back.
"It's a shock to them now, but just give them some time. Eventually they'll understand," a warm voice whispered into her ear.
Eternal Sailor Moon whirled around so that she could return the embrace.
"Oh Darien! I didn't mean to reveal anymore than the fact that I am Sailor Moon, but now I have to explain about the power up that I gave to the scouts. How can I tell them about our past? Will they understand? Will they understand that even though I was born long ago to the King and Queen of the Moon Kingdom that they too are my parents and nothing less?" Eternal Sailor Moon buried her head into Darien's chest, trying to fight back tears. Darien pushed her back and cradled her chin in his hand, making her look into his eyes.
"Why don't you find out? Talk to hem. Tell them about our past. You are their daughter Serena, and you could never be anything less than that."
Eternal Sailor Moon looked into Daried's eyes for a long moment before slowly nodding. "All right, I will talk to them. First though I have to say something to the scouts."
The two reluctantly let go of each other, and Eternal Sailor Moon motioned her scouts to come closer.
"All right girls, we have some explaining to do," Eternal Sailor Moon said. The scouts nodded in agreement. "Ami, Mina, Hotaru and I should go talk to our families in private. I have a feeling we'll need the time alone. In the meantime, Lita, Rei, Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna, you guys tell the children what's going on. Talk about the Silver Millenium up until the present. Go no further. Do not answer any of their questions. Later tonight when our families are gone we'll have a more in depth talk with the kids and then I'll answer their questions. We'll just stay the night right here at the temple, if that's okay, Rei?" Eternal Sailor Mars nodded. "Thank you. Does this sound okay to everyone?" The scouts nodded.
"Okay then. Let's get this over with." With a sigh Eternal Sailor Moon turned around and started for her parents and brother. Along the way she grabbed Darien's hand. "You're coming with me." He willingly followed behind. Hotaru, Mina and Ami followed Serena's lead and soon the four families were leaving to find a secluded place to talk.
