1Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story except the plot line. I think I may have even borrowed the lullaby without permission, but I just loved it so much.
Chibiusa's Trials
A little girl scanned her surroundings; she was in the dark, but that didn't faze her even though she didn't have any equipment. Her red eyes could see every detail as if in broad daylight. A hall without lighting and a few red dots on the sides.
Lasers, she thought. As if they could stop me. The girl carefully stepped through the hallway and avoided the lasers easily. At last, she reached the corner and rounded it. She didn't see anything.
That doesn't mean a thing. She thought drily. We're known for doing things that others can't see. She closed her eyes and did as her mother once instructed her, listen. At first, everything was silent. Then, she heard a faint drip, drip, drip coming from her right. Leaning closer to it, she nearly fell over. Opening her eyes after regaining her balance, she looked down to see a pool covered by a thin sheet colored exactly like the floor.
Oh joy. What was that about tasting my own medicine…? She took a deep breath. Okay, you can do this. It's water, a pool. Like Ami or Michiru. Thinking of her two friends, she pictured them and what they would do in a situation like this. Ami, with her short, blue hair and brilliant blue eyes would be calculating how deep the water was and how far it went. MIchiru, the graceful, talented artist, would be looking on the water's surface for answers. The girl leaned down to see her own refection. Dipping one finger in, she sampled the water. The girl felt a tingle, then a sizzling feeling on that finger and quickly pulled it out. She peered at it; a bruise and a red mark were forming. She scowled.
Acidic water. Should've known Ami would do something like this. Her and science. Jeez… She contemplated the water once more. Let's see, what was the mizu riddle again? Oh, yeah.
"A swift current you might not be,
Yet you are dangerous for all to see.
Deep in your danger lies a softer side,
Only seen by those who are none the wise." Her childish (or not so childish) voice whispered softly into the silence. She understood the first part. But what did they mean by a softer side? She looked in the water, maybe it was under it? Below, the girl saw nothing but rocks and sand, but those weren't soft. She squinted hard. There, a small shell, smooth and soft. It was the kind that wouldn't ever dissolve in acid. But how to get it? She hadn't brought any equipment and…Ah, what the heck? Might as well get this over with. Grumbling under her breath, something about too smug scientists and their obsession with making things complicated, she stood back up, took a deep breath, and dove straight into the acid water.
The first thing she noticed was pain. Too late to go any safer way. Might as well get going. She opened her eyes slowly and they began to sting. Don't be a baby, Usa. She scolded herself. Now, where was that shell? She found it again and pushed herself to the bottom where it was. Grabbing it despite the pain, she clung to it tightly as she swam to the top. She latched onto the ledge, trying to ignore the painful sensation of being eaten away and looked around noticing she was still on the same side as before and that she had to cross.
You HAVE to be KIDDING me! She was twitching even in her pain. Fine. Just fine. I can handle this. And when I'm done with the test, I can go kill Ami for doing this to me. She dove back in and barely made it to the other side. She dragged herself out, gasping and wheezing. Before collapsing, she reminded herself she had more to go. Somehow, she managed to drag herself to the next room. As she pressed a hand to the doorknob, she felt heat.
I guess it's Rei's challenge. Great. She opened the door and just as she expected, there was fire in the room, no filled the room. At her left was a rope. Guess I have to swing across. She smiled tiredly. At least I don't have to go through the fire, although with my luck and Rei's way of thinking, there'll be something worse. Weakly, she grabbed the rope and held on tight, pushing off the wall and soaring over the fire. This isn't so bad. In fact, its rather fun. But I still have a bad…
Just then, she heard a ripping sound from above. She looked up and saw the rope had broken slightly. …feeling. Typical Rei. Knowing her, though, it probably won't break all the way. But there should be some ninjas on ropes coming at me or flaming or plain arrows. I hope they don't singe the rope if they're flaming. Sure enough, flaming arrows shot out of the walls at her. She swung around, trying to doge them and not let them hit her or the rope. One just barely grazed her thigh; another flew right past her ear. As soon as all of them were gone, she sighed. But then, one caught her off guard and it hit the very place where the rope had broken. Wide eyes with realization, Chibiusa flinched as she fell into the fire.
REI! You are soooo DEAD when I get out of here! She hit the fire and it licked at what was left of her uniform. Sweat didn't have time to get off her body; the fire licked it up instantly. In pain and tiredness, she stepped forward to the exit, ignoring the burning sensations all along her body. By the time she reached the outside of the room, there wasn't a part of her that wasn't covered in burns and her clothes were all burned off. Good thing it was only the girls watching her, otherwise she would've died of embarrassment. But at the moment, she was too tired and too much in pain to care. Stumbling, now half blindly, forward, she moved on. This next place was an indoor garden, with flowers and trees.
Mako-chan's probably. Even her thoughts were weak. Gonna haveta avoid poison. Makoto likes to do stuff like that…She looked around for anything brightly colored. There and there and there. She went forward avoiding those spots. She found a tree, much larger than any other in her path. Betcha anything that Hakura's next. She's the only one that requires me to go up. She started climbing. It was more difficult than usual, but somehow she managed. At last, she reached the top of the tree.
This must be where the ninja-people or martial arts specials come in. She thought, looking around. Eventually, she spotted a person, wearing ninja garb, but in gold, not black, zoom towards her. She smiled tiredly. Hakura never did really like black. Said it was too boring for a real fight. Lessee here. I'm facing Hakura after being burned by fire and acid and my clothes are gone. I climbed a tree and avoided poisonous plants and animals. She's wearing ninja garb in her favorite color. She's got a sword and we're high up.
They began to circle each other, as much as they could. Hakura looked ready with her sword out of its sheath and her eyes narrowed above her face mask. Chibiusa ignored her pain as best she could and looked for an opening. When her eyes went off to the side for a second that was her opponent's chance. Hakura went at her, sword ready, before the girl could snap back into place. It nearly chopped off her arm if she hadn't moved. There was a cut where the sword had almost swiped through. She panted, trying to grasp what had happened.
Leaning backwards and using a cartwheel that Juno taught her, she backflipped out of the way of the sword. Sliding to one side, she formed a sword out of the moonlight and tried to hold it solid enough for at least one swing. It solidified and in one moment, Chibiusa felt herself grow still and patient. Then, she lunged forward and swung, destroying the sword and making her own disappear. Hakura bowed and left.
Chibiusa almost fell in relief, but remembered she still hadn't taken all the tests yet. With a sigh, she prepared herself for the trip down. Suddenly, her surroundings changed. She was all alone and waiting for someone. A voice showed up in her head when a group of boys passed her.
Oooo… boys! Let's go flirt and play around with them.
Wha? Why?
For fun! Let's play around with their adorable hearts!
Oh… She felt something in her chest lurch, but the voice was so strong, and it overpowered the pain. She ran to the boys and called out to them.
"Hello!" Her voice sounded alien to her ears, but the boys faced her. They smiled, but it didn't reach their eyes.
"Hi" they said. The pain in her chest felt larger as she went over to them. Suddenly, an image flashed in her mind. It was another boy. One with a sad look in his eyes, but it was somehow kind, too.
Helios…This is an illusion?! She shook her head and screamed as loud as she could. The illusions shatter to reveal that she was floating in a vortex. She gasped when she realized why it looked so familiar.
Pluto! Help me! I got lost in the fourth dimension again! She blinked as she realized something else. Oh, duh. It's another test. Did they have to make everything so painful? She steadied herself as much as she could, then closed her eyes and felt. At first, there was nothing. Then, she realized it was another illusion; Puu was very good at them.
She shattered the illusion and opened her eyes. Well, gee. Puu and V-babe aren't that creative, are they? She was looking around a room with lavish furnishings and sighed. Let's see. I went past Ami-chan's and Michiru-san's, Rei-chan's, Mako-chan's, Hakura-san's, Minako-chan's and Puu-chan's tests. She mentally ticked them off of her fingers. That means I only have Hotaru-chan's and my parents' to go. Her eyes widened. They save the hardest for last, ne?
Suddenly everything went dark. Chibiusa froze, not because she was afraid of the dark, but because she knew her best friend and knew exactly what was going to come next. She's gonna scare the heck outta me. Chibiusa groaned. On the outside, she appeared annoyed, but her friend would know it was just a show. Silently, Chibiusa sang an old lullaby her parents once sang to her.
Icy Wisdom and Golden Beauty
Fiery Passion and Protective Strength
Rebellious Wind and Sighing Sea
Endless Time and Silent Death
All together protect and defend
Bound as one, 'circling without end
Round the One who rules them all
To ensure Life's Energy never shall fall...
The melody helped calm her fears and she didn't know why, but it always did so. She prepared herself for whatever came next. Out of the darkness, a figure came. Chibiusa gasped when she saw who it was. Black Lady! She thought. Don't tell me I've got to fight her. The woman with narrowed eyes smirked at her and held her hands out in front of her. Black balls appeared in her hands and became beams that shot at Chibiusa, who narrowly dodged them
Guess I do have to fight her. What can I hit her with? She scanned the woman and realized something. I can't hit her, because she's me! This won't go over well. She summoned her rod.
"PINK SUGAR HEART ATTACK!" She cried, aiming her first weapon at her opponent .Little pink hearts shot out of it and hit Black Lady one by one. The woman disappeared, leaving Chibiusa in pain from her own attack. Luckily, it seemed that was the only thing Hotaru had prepared for her. She sighed.
Knowing my parents, they will test me together and it will be even harder than any of the others. She stood up straighter and became determined. Bring it on!
She was transported out of the darkness and into a place her father had told her about. A temple in ruins and surrounded by beautiful, yet frightening black roses. She hated black roses with a passion! She entered what was left of the ruins and came face-to-face with both her mother and father. Behind them was her grandmother, Queen Serenity. Chibiusa knelt, unsure of what to do.
"Daughter, you passed the other tests," said her mother's melodious voice. Chibiusa looked up at her.
"Well done," her father added. Her parents parted ways so her grandmother could come forward.
"Now, dear granddaughter, we have a test for you." Even though she never heard her grandmother's voice, she knew exactly what to expect; after all, wasn't she just like her mother too?
"I'm ready," she said. The three smiled.
"So willing," commented her father. "You don't even know what is needed of you yet."
"Of course she is, dear," Scolded her mother. "She's a Serenity, isn't she?"
"We are all rulers, us three," continued the Queen. "Thus, you must understand your future burden of ruling. You must make an oath. Not just any oath, but an oath of the ruling class." Chibiusa waited for her to continue. "You must, no matter, what, not abandoned your duty to the name of Serenity."
It was such a simple oath, yet Chibiusa knew it was more than that. It was a silent pledge to her role as a crown princess. She couldn't, not for friends, or romance or family, ever even slightly abandon her position. But she knew what she had to do. It was her dream, her decision to do this. Very carefully and slowly, she stood.
"I am Lady Serenity, Princess Tsukino Usagi, Neo Sailor Moon. I am the granddaughter of Queen Serenity. I am the daughter of Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion. But that is not my identity. I am the maiden and future ruler of the Earth and Moon." The adults smiled.
"I knew you could do it, Usa-chan," came the whisper of her mother's voice as she woke up in her own bed in the Crystal Palace.
"Welcome back, Lady-sama," said a quiet voice by her ear. "Welcome home."
A/N: I came up with this after reading Windfall by Ysabet. What'd ya think of my Sailor Moon version?
Pick-a-little Talk-a-little… Anyone up for some Music Man? LOL