Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Ascension Trilogy, Book 3: Ressurrection ❯ Through The Eyes Of A Child ( Chapter 5 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

RESSURRECTION,
Chapter 5: "Through The Eyes Of A Child"

By Bill K.

It had once been the Tokyo Performing Arts Center, a jewel of the
great city and a place for people to come and enjoy all manner of
entertainment. That was before the Frost Giants came. Through a
miraculous combination of fortune and excellent construction, the
structure survived two years of ice covering it. Now it was a makeshift
hospital. One side of the building was cordoned off from the other. On
one side doctors, nurses, EMT technicians, medical students and anyone
else who could help gathered to treat the sick and injured.

On the other, the dead were gathered, identified and prepared for
burial.

"This patient is ready for transfer," Dr. Mizuno said to a
volunteer as she examined a battered young girl on a table. "You'll be
all right."

"Have you seen my Mom?" the girl asked weakly.

"No, I haven't," grimaced Dr. Mizuno. The child was carried away
on a makeshift litter and Dr. Mizuno steadied herself for the next in
what was becoming an endless line of patients.

"Naturally you'd be here."

Dr. Mizuno turned, exhilaration flooding through her fifty-two
year old body. There behind her was a sight she'd hoped she'd see, a
hope she kept buried beneath her duty.

"This was the most logical place to start looking for you," Ami
commented. "I'm glad I was right the first time. I'm glad you're
alive, Mother."

"Ami," Dr. Mizuno smiled with relief. Then her medical instincts
took over. "You're just in time. We can use all the help we can get."

"How are you, Mother?" Ami asked, just a little perturbed by her
parent's response.

"I'm fine," the woman said. "It was quite an ordeal, but I
managed to make it through with little damage. You obviously survived,
too. Hayami?"

"Hayami made it, too. I'm glad to know you were interested."

"Ami," Dr. Mizuno sighed. "These people need me. I couldn't
. . ."

"Please don't," Ami scowled. "I know the words by heart. I was
saying the same thing to Rei just a few hours ago. 'Duty always comes
before personal pleasures'."

"Could we continue this conversation while we help some of these
injured?" Dr. Mizuno bristled.

"I have to get back. Right now my duty is to Serenity and the
other senshi." Ami turned to leave, then paused. "Rei actually had to
convince me to go looking for you, rather than shirk my duty."

Dr. Mizuno started to reply, but saw her daughter was already
leaving. Sighing in frustration, she turned back to her patient and
buried herself in her work.
* * * *
The door of the temporary headquarters for Princess Serenity and
her band of senshi opened. Their suspicions aroused, Rei, Ami and
Hayami turned to the door. In times like these, it was hard not to be
paranoid.

But the head that peered in through the door belonged to Michiru,
allowing one and all a chance to breathe again.

"Hi," Michiru ventured cautiously. As usual, Haruka flanked her.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I just wanted a word with
U - - er, I mean Serenity."

"It's hard getting used to saying that," Haruka quipped, trying to
take the edge off of the awkward situation.

"I know," Rei nodded. "She's not here."

"Oh," Michiru replied, disappointed. "Is she out with the one
from off-world?"

"Princess Kakyuu?" Rei asked. "Not from the vibes I was getting,
unless there's something about those two that I don't know about. I'd
say she's with Endymion."

"You can tell that just from psychic vibrations?" inquired
Michiru.

"Yeah - - because they were 'those kind'," Rei smirked.

Michiru stared, perplexed, though Haruka seemed to understand.
Then the light bulb went off over her head.

"Oh!" gasped Michiru, embarrassed. "Those kind. Well, after
everything they've been through, I guess they deserve it."

"I know we did," Haruka chimed in, curling an arm around Michiru.

"Haruka," Michiru hissed uncomfortably. Trying to shift the
subject, she noticed Ami and Hayami sitting arm in arm on the floor.
They noticed her looking.

"Michiru, this is my husband, Hayami," Ami said proudly.

"I'm glad to meet you," Michiru nodded. "I'd heard Ami got
married." She noticed Hayami staring at her. "Is there something
concerning you?"

"Y-You're Michiru Kaioh, aren't you?" sputtered Hayami. "Forgive
me. My glasses broke and I can't quite tell except for the green hair."

"Yes, I am."

"You're fantastic! Your album of violin symphonies was - - was
art! And the collection of your prints is one of the best movers at the
library. At least it was."

"Thank you. Your affection is flattering." Michiru gestured
toward Haruka. "Maybe you didn't recognize Haruka without your glasses,
either."

"Haruka Tenoh? The race car driver?"

"Yeah," Haruka grinned. "You a big race fan?"

"Not really," admitted Hayami.

"Oh," Haruka replied, slightly deflated.

"Best behavior, everybody!" Rei said suddenly. "We've got kids
coming!"

The door opened. Makoto, flanked by Minako and Sanjuro, ushered
her two kids into the room. They were timid and unsure at first, until
they recognized all their favorite aunts inside.

"Auntie Rei, you're alive!" squealed Akiko while Ichiro ran over
and hugged Ami. The girl bounded down and Rei scooped her up in her
arms. "Auntie Rei, we were so scared we'd never see you again!"

"Same here, button nose," smiled Rei, hugging the girl. "I'm glad
you made it."

"Daddy was there," Akiko shrugged.

"And how are you doing, Ichiro?" Ami asked the young boy.

"I'm OK," he said quietly. "Mom's back and everyone's OK and
there's no school anymore. Of course, there's no TV, either."

"That just means we'll have to work hard to get them back, right?"
Ami prodded. Ichiro nodded reluctantly.

"Where's Auntie Usagi?" Akiko asked. "Is she OK? Is she still
sick?"

"Usagi's fine," Rei reassured her. "She's just off - - doing
something important."

"What about Akira-Sensei?"

Rei felt her heart sink. Being reminded of Akira was bad enough,
but having to break it to a ten-year-old was worse.

"Akiko, honey," Rei began, "Akira-Sensei didn't make it."

Akiko's bouncy demeanor drained out of her face like someone had
pulled a plug from a sink. Her lip quivered, then she jammed her face
to Rei's shoulder.

"But Auntie Rei!" sobbed Akiko. "I was in love with him!"

"I know, Akiko-chan," Rei whispered. Instantly Makoto was by her
daughter's side. She eased Akiko away from Rei and let the girl cling
to her. "If it helps, he died trying to save someone else's life."

"Is he in heaven now?" squeaked the girl.

"I made sure of it," Rei said. It seemed to give the young girl
some comfort. Then Ichiro eased up next to them.

"It'll be all right, Akiko," he said, touching her dangling leg.

"Thanks, squirt," she sniffed.

Haruka and Michiru looked on, touched and saddened by the display.
Michiru leaned her head on Haruka's shoulder.

"And you always wondered why I never wanted kids," Michiru
whispered. "Who can deal with heartbreak like that? Having Hotaru
leave was bad enough." Haruka bent her head to touch Michiru's.

"You dealt with it. You could deal with that, too, if you wanted
to," Haruka whispered back. "You can deal with just about anything."
It drew a smile from Michiru.

"We figured you folks needed Makoto back," Sanjuro told them, "and
I didn't want to separate the kids from her again. Hope we're not
imposing."

"Are you kidding?" grinned Ami. "I think Serenity would have our
hides if we turned you away."

"I'll second that," Rei added. "You folks stay for as long as you
want."

"Um, we're going to go," Michiru announced suddenly. She clasped
Haruka's hand and eased them toward the door. "We'll check in later to
see if everything's all right."

"Running off so soon?" Makoto inquired with a hint of suspicion in
her voice.

"There's still a lot of things that need attending to," Michiru
replied. "Plus neither of us have seen Setsuna around recently - - and
I want to make sure Usagi's all right with my own eyes." A flash in her
eyes seemed to challenge Makoto to disagree.

"Don't disturb them," came the polite warning from Rei. She went
back to fussing over Akiko.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Michiru said with a knowing smirk.

Outside, Haruka and Michiru found more people waiting at the
building. The crowd was well-behaved, but seemed to be searching for
answers or hope - - or something, and milled about absently. Michiru
felt Haruka squeeze her hand.

"What's got you worried?" Haruka asked.

"Just what I said in there," Michiru replied.

"Setsuna's a big girl with a lot to sort out. Still, I'd like to
know she's safe, too. After what happened, feeling safe seems like a
luxury. But it's this Kakyuu woman that's really got you bothered,
isn't it?"

"I admit, I don't quite trust her yet," Michiru said. "Besides, I
can tell you're not that happy with Sailor Star Fighter being back,
either."

"That little runt tries to break them up and she's history,"
scowled Haruka.

"Ahh, I love having these intellectual debates with you," smirked
Michiru.
* * * *
Sailor Pluto walked along a broken street in broken Tokyo, one she
had walked many times as Setsuna Meioh. The familiarity of the path
brought back memories of her previous life as Setsuna. For she was
Setsuna Meioh no longer. For now and eternity, she would be only Sailor
Pluto.

They were all the more painful, for they were nice memories,
recollections of her days at the university. Going back to her time as
a teaching assistant to Professor Shinjo, there were many happy memories
associated with the university, to which this path led. But now the
path ahead seemed to lead only to ruin.

"Please?" came a plaintive voice.

Sailor Pluto turned and found a woman who might have been thirty.
Her clothes were dirty and torn and she seemed a shell of a person. Her
eyes were deep-set and haunted, her frame stooped and unhealthy. Many
had recovered from being frozen with less than full health. It looked
like she was one of them.

"You're one of 'them', aren't you?" she asked. Her entire manner
was edgy and desperate. "The ones who saved us?"

"I am," Pluto replied.

"C-Could you help me, please? I don't mean to impose . . ."

"How may I assist you? Are you ill?"

"It's just - - I can't find him."

"Who?"

"Kusuke. I can't find him! I've looked and I've looked, and all
I see are dead people who can't walk and - - and walking people who
don't know they're dead. Please help me find him!"

"Who is Kusuke?" asked Pluto.

"My son. He's only seven. We were coming to the library at-at
the university. Kusuke's very smart. He loves to come to the library
and explore and the university library has so many books the others
don't have. His eyes always light up when we go there." The woman's
fond reminiscences died away and a danker, more desperate expression
colored her. "We got separated - - during the crisis - - during when
'they'," and the woman shuddered at the very memory of the Frost Giants
storming through Tokyo. "I have to find him! I'm his mother! I have
to protect him!"

Sailor Pluto looked on with sympathy, but with a sadness that
seemed to throw cold water on the woman's hopes.

"Calm yourself, please," Pluto replied. "I shall look for him.
However, you must be prepared for the worst. We have all gone through a
tragedy and there were those who did not survive."

"Just find him, please," begged the woman. "I have to know."

"Very well."

Her eyes focusing on things that only she could see, Sailor Pluto
stood and stared. Already unnerved by everything that had transpired,
the woman's hand came to her mouth and she stepped back. The ruby orb
atop Pluto's staff began to pulse with a life beat all its own.

"I'm sorry," Pluto said softly, returning from where she'd gone.
"Your son is dead."

The woman seemed to choke out a gasped breath, then began
quivering. She folded up into herself, covering her chest with her arms
and sank to her knees. Burning hot tears flowed from lids clamped shut
and eyes that no longer wished to see.

"Oh, Yu-chan," she cried. "I'm so sorry! I was supposed to
protect you!"

Though she was now and forever Sailor Pluto and she had witnessed
billions of deaths more gruesome and more tragic, her ascension had not
taken her human soul from her. Crestfallen, Pluto knelt down next to
the woman and gathered her up. The woman sobbed into Pluto's chest as
she held her, trying to comfort what could not be comforted.

"I grieve for your loss," Pluto whispered. "His death is a
tragedy. He was a fine boy."

"Did you know him?" the woman sniffed, her sorrows eased slightly
by someone to share it with.

"I do now," Pluto said, returning from her vision of his life.
"You were a fine mother to him. Do not think for a single moment that
you failed him. You were his shining light for his too short life."

The woman continued to cry and Pluto continued to comfort her.
* * * *
Walking hand in hand from the park, Serenity and Endymion surveyed
again the destruction that was Tokyo. But they saw it in a different
light now: before it all seemed so hopeless, while now a new optimism
colored their viewpoint. It wouldn't be easy, but she envisioned a time
where she and Endymion walked the streets shopping and laughing and
flirting just like the old days.

As they walked, strangers would come up to her in the street.
They would greet her, thank her for all sorts of things, and reach out
to touch her. Serenity was amused by it at first, but as the crowds
grew in number and fervor, she grew pensive. Serenity shrank against
Endymion and he covered her with his cloak for protection. From a
distance, people began to shout to her, plead with her for help. Some
wanted to know the fate of loved ones, while others pleaded with her to
rebuild and restore everything they'd had and lost during the crisis.
Very quickly the pleas became an indecipherable din and Endymion hurried
her on.

Sensing his wife's growing distress, Endymion acted. Grasping her
hand tighter, Endymion leaped up into the air. The pair defied gravity,
floating silently up into the air. They soared across the darkened
square and glided effortlessly down through the hole in the roof to the
building's upper floor. The pack following them sighed in
disappointment and wonder.

"I didn't know you could do that," marveled Serenity.

"I can do anything as long as I'm holding you," Endymion grinned.
He bent in and stole a kiss, eliciting a giggle from Serenity.

They walked down the stairs to the first floor. There they found
everyone asleep except Minako and Artemis. They were off in a corner
talking. Luna turned from her perch in the window.

"Serenity!" she gasped happily. "Endymion! When did you return?"

"Just now," smiled Serenity.

"Is popping in out of nowhere one of your new talents?" Minako
asked, startled. She noticed the smile fade from Serenity's face. "Um,
sorry."

Turning from Minako, Serenity spotted Akiko snuggled in Sanjuro's
arms and Ichiro sleeping next to Makoto.

"Endymion!" she gasped happily. "The children survived!"

Akiko raised her head and rubbed her eyes. She looked up
inquiringly at the voices above her.

"Auntie Usagi?" she squinted. Then her face lit up with
excitement. "Ichiro, look! It's Auntie Usagi!"

"Where?" slurred Ichiro.

By the time he focused, Akiko was already up and running to her.
Not one to let his sister beat him, the boy was up and scampering over
to her as well. By now everyone was awake. They saw Serenity kneel and
catch the two children in her arms. She hugged them to her, the kids
pressing against her as hard as they could. For a moment it seemed like
old times to them, old times they all feared were gone forever.

"Oh, I'm so glad you two are all right!" sobbed Serenity. "I
would have been devastated if we'd lost you!"

"I'm real glad you're not sick anymore, Auntie Usagi," Ichiro told
her. "You are all well, aren't you?"

"I'm fine," beamed Serenity. She grew a conspiratorial glint in
her eye. "And I think I've got something for the two of you."

Instantly the two kids grew excited at the prospect of a treat
from their favorite 'Aunt'. Releasing them, Serenity brought her hands
up between them. She clasped them together for a moment. When she
opened them, there were two pieces of wrapped candy in her palm. Then
she felt the room tense and was instantly sorry she'd done it.

"Wow!" gasped Akiko, unaffected.

"You're a magician!" squealed Ichiro. Each child snatched up the
candy.

"Can you do other stuff?" Akiko asked.

"A few things," Serenity shrugged modestly. "Aren't you scared of
it, though?"

"Scared? Why? You're amazing, Auntie Usagi!" Ichiro marveled.

"Did you see what she did, Mom? Isn't she great?" Akiko asked,
turning to Makoto.

Makoto stared at the woman that looked like her longtime friend.
Then she looked back at the expectant Akiko. Then a shy, apologetic
smile grew on her face.

"I don't know," Makoto said, looking Serenity straight in the eye.
"She seems like the same old Aunt Usagi to me." Serenity's eyes began
to mist as her mouth widened into a smile.

"Aw, Mom, you're blind!" gasped Akiko in horror.

"Yeah," nodded Rei with a wistful grin. "Same old goofy Usagi to
me."

"No question," grinned Minako. "Nothing's changed that I can
see."

"She certainly seems like the same old good friend to me," Ami
pronounced happily.

Tears trickled down cheeks bunched up to accommodate an ear to ear
grin. Serenity looked on, helpless to act, yet deliriously relieved.

"Are you all blind?" howled Akiko. "She's super now!"

"Well," shrugged Makoto, to her daughter, "your Aunt Usagi has
always been super in my eyes."

Instantly Serenity broke down in shudders of happy tears. Her
four lifelong friends gathered around her and the five shared a long
group hug.

"Uncle Mamo-chan," scowled Akiko. Endymion knelt down next to the
girl. "Why are adults weird?

Endymion smiled and hugged the girl.

Continued in Chapter 6