Changed Reality Chapter 03

Sailor Moon Changed Reality
Chapter 03

Hime walked down the hallway, with Luna-P bouncing behind her faithfully. She turned the corner and began to hurry. She burst into the room where Chibiusa was brushing her hair.

"I got an A!"

Chibiusa clapped her hands excitedly. "Yes! I knew you could!"

"How come you're getting so dolled up?"

"Um… well, I'm going with Papa to see someone very special to me."

"A boyfriend?" Hime teased.

"Um… not quite but I'm hoping when I get older, we can.. .develop such a relationship."

"That's so nice. I never found anyone to have a crush on. Well, save maybe NOW but um…" Hime turned red, as she rubbed her head, avoiding Chibiusa' highly interested gaze.

"Oh! Let me guess!" She tried to think of any possible boys. But she fast realized that there was no boys around the two girls that they ever hung out with. "Um…" She thought harder. "I… can't quite seem to remember.."

Her father flashed in her mind as Chibiusa eyed Hime suspiciously. "It's not a boy, is it?"

"Forget I mentioned it…" Hime began, standing up as Chibiusa pulled her down.

"Oh, forget it my butt. Look, I had a crush on Papa ages ago. It's… understandable to like him. He's a good person, a good man, and a wonderful father. He's only made you feel welcome."

"Yea, he's really nice. My… papa was nice  but sometimes he liked to think of himself first. If I were hurt, though, he was always there to defend me."

"Did you send your letter to him?"

Said letter was hidden deep in her sock drawer. "Um… soon. Soon."

"Still angry? I can understand that."

Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion were talking softly in a well-lighted and decorated room. They had just left the council meeting with all the political leaders and such, and while Neo Queen Serenity's head hurt, King Endymion felt that the days were doing well. They were finally managing to rebuild some of the other countries from the previous war against Nemesis, a span of time that took a while to recover from.

"Your Majesties?" A butler bowed. "Sailor Star Fighter is here at her request to see you. Shall I let her in?"

"Send her in." King Endymion said to the man as he bowed again and Sailor Star Fighter entered. "So, what brings you here?"

"I thought to enquire how Hime is doing," Fighter said a little stiffly. "I had heard…"

"That she was suicidal and tried to kill herself because she felt as if she were nothing?" Neo Queen Serenity butted in. "I have realized my mistakes and now have fully accepted her as -my- daughter. And as such, I do not think you should be here unless you're here to see her, and not us." She said it all heatedly.

"I'm sorry for my reaction. What was I supposed to do?"

"Been a little more open. You found Earth in another solar system, for God's sake! Another race that was close to your own home system. When  something that big happens, who's to say that a alternate universe is not possible?"

"Usako, while I enjoy you saying such things, you're only repeating what Mercury told -you-."

"Mamoru! You didn't have to say that!" She was red with embarrassment.

"Papa! I'm ready to head to Elysion!" Chibiusa bounded in and the moment she spotted Fighter, she attempted to stop Hime from entering.

"Oh.." Hime stared at her. "Well. Nice to see you." She kept her distance.

King Endymion sighed as he stood up. "Well…"

"Can I come?" Hime asked suddenly. She approached him and gave him big puppy eyes. "Pretty please? I want to see the guy that Chibiusa has a crush on!"

Chibiusa whacked her face. "Hime! You're not supposed to say that!"

"But they know, you said so yourself when we were walking here!"

"It's not fair to point out all the obvious! If you do come, please, please, please! Do not say that in front of him! I'm trying to be impressive here."

"Not in that outfit."

"Papa!"

"It's not that bad," Neo Queen Serenity protested.

"Look how high that skirt goes!"

"It's not as bad as the Senshi wear theirs!"

"They're women!"

"I'm thirteen!"

King Endymion sighed. "Fine. Fine. But on your best behavior. Hime.. Honey, maybe you should stay here and talk with.. Seiya."

"I don't want to."

"Hime…"

"You're my Papa now!" Hime cried out. "He had his chance! He doesn't want me!"

King Endymion rubbed the back of his neck. "Usako?"

"I think Hime has made her point. However, Hime, please think on what you said thoroughly. I know how hard it's been for you but for others, it is also difficult. Do no give up on those you love."

"Yes, Mama."

King Endymion stood up. "All right. Are you sure you want to come, Hime?"

"Yes, I do." She said firmly. She pointedly ignored Fighter as the three then left. Fighter reformed into Seiya, rubbing his face tiredly.

"I see she's improved. I'm glad she's not… that way anymore. And I appreciate… your Mamo-chan taking a stand when I'm unwilling to."

"Still unwilling to?"

"Usagi…"

"Look, I know how awkward this is. And how it's turned out. I'm sorry that I could never return your feelings but I had always hoped we could be friends. But ever since you left, you've avoided Crystal Tokyo. Your allies have visited at least ten times more than you. Well, now you have a better reason to come visit."

She stood up. "She's a lot like you. She's intelligent but enjoys teasing Small Lady, she's very independent and she… likes to watch the stars. The look in her eyes, you should see them, Seiya. Her eyes light up and I can see her reminiscing. I… was blind for a while and tried to stay aloof but I can't. Not when… she's in such pain. She's lost everything and what she does have here is all broken. Your behavior enough was childish at most and cruel at the lowest point."

"I don't need to be reprimanded by you," Seiya broke out. "You have no right to tell me how I should act or feel!"

"I'm not telling that! I'm telling you that your actions have hurt someone who loves you! Who thinks of you as her father even though that person has died!"

They stared at each other. "Seiya. Why did you come here if you're just going to argue?"

"How am I supposed to accept her? When I can't even stand to be near you because of how I feel but then am expected to be near the daughter that I had always wanted with you," Seiya said lowly. "How can I look at her and not feel ripped off?"

"I can't help you with that," Neo Queen Serenity stood up. "I'm done arguing. I'm not trying to pretend that she's not mine. I cannot. Not when my actions have hurt her. I may not have known her from the age she backwards but I can know her now and raise her into the good adult she'll be. It's your choice if you want to be a part of her life."

She walked off as Seiya grumbled. She was at the door when he spoke. "I came, didn't I? I.. was worried about what she had done. I thought… I thought…"

"There were a lot of factors of why she tried what she did. I am at fault, you are at fault, the only person who is not at fault is Chibiusa, who was the first to truly accept her here while the rest of us just hedged around her. We learned from that mistake and we won't be making it again."

She left him completely then.

In Elysion, Chibiusa had run ahead as King Endymion chuckled. "They grow up so fast."

Hime walked slightly behind him, peering up at him shyly. "…Can I call you Papa?"

King Endymion stopped to turn at her. He was gently smiling as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can, if you like. But you know that while I can be a father figure, your father still is around. I'm sure he'll realize what a treasure you are."

"He's… so angry looking. Sullen, upset. He… hates me, I know he does!" She burst out.

He knelt, holding her shoulders gently. "No, he doesn't. You must understand that as…well… he loves my Usako very much and came to the realization long ago he could never compete. She made her choice. And because of that, he's nursed his pain instead of letting it go. He could've found his own soul mate by now but he keeps himself closed off. He… needs someone to open his heart again. I think you can do that, Hime."

"How can I do that? When he can't even look at me?"

"Don't give up and don't give in. There is enough love in this world to be shared and he… will come to love you as his. I'm sure of it."

"But I can still call you Papa?"

He smiled. "Yes. You can."

"Thank you!" She hugged him. "I miss calling someone that!" She then danced around him. "What's this place?"

"It's Elysion."

"Ely…sion.." She tried to say it. "What world is this?"

"It's inside the Earth. It's built by the power of dreams."

"That's weird."

"It was for me when I first learned of it. I've gotten used to it by now." He started forward. "Hime, why don't you do me a favor and peek on Small Lady? Don't let her see you, though."

Hime nodded as she tore off. King Endymion felt guilty but he also knew if he spied on her, Chibiusa wouldn't forgive him.

Hime peeked over the bush, standing about twenty feet from the two. The man was petite and thin, with strange garments and a red teardrop upon his brow. "He's kind of cute."

Chibiusa was giggling, arms clasped behind her as she tried to be flirtatious without being outright coming on. The man seemed oblivious to it, however.

She inched closer.

"So, yea, that's how I've been. You've heard I have a sister, right? Himeusagi? She's going by Hime. Cute name, right?" Chibiusa beamed at him.

"Yes, I have felt her presence. She has a very powerful dream mirror."

"She does?"

"Yes. Much how you do, Maiden."

Chibiusa's smile dimpled at the fondness in his voice.

"We don't have the same birthday but we're pretty much the same age."

"Yes. And she's as curious as you are as well. She's over by the bush," He added as Chibiusa looked around for her.

"How did you tell?"

"This is Elysion. Anything that steps onto this soil, I'll know of." Helios smiled. "I'm Helios of Elysion. The Priest."

"Does that mean you can't get married?"

"HIME!"

"Not that type of priest."

"Did Papa send you?"

"No, I came on my own. Remember, I asked to come?"

"No! I meant did he tell you to spy on me? You -were- hiding!"

"Um… why don't you go ask him?"

"DADDDY!"

King Endymion winced. "She has her mother's shout."

"HOW COULD YOU!?"

He sighed as she stormed toward him. "Honey…"

"When are you going to trust me? You let me go ahead!"

"I was merely sending your sister to go meet Helios."

"Sure! That's what you say!"

The three stayed for a while longer, before King Endymion shooed the two to head home. "I'm going to talk more with Helios but it's going to be all boring politics and such."

Chibiusa eyed him suspiciously before she kissed his cheek and waved to Helios. Hime wasn't as open as she waved to both and followed Chibiusa.

The two found themselves outside in the rose gardens. "He's kind of cute." Hime told Chibiusa.

"He is, isn't he?" She beamed at her. "I'm going to head on in. You coming?"

"No, I'm going to stay outside for a while."

Hime sat down on a bench, looking at the greenery. The wind had a slight bite to it as she let her mind wander.

She was unaware of the extra company until Seiya cleared his throat.

She glanced at him and then turned away pointedly. She stared at the ground hard, listening carefully.

"What was it like?"

She frowned. "What was what like?"

"Having us as parents? Were we good together?"

"You come to talk to me about how you were with my mother?" Her voice was soft. "Fine. You both weren't even entirely happy together. You did love each other to a sense but never to the length that I've seen with the King and Queen in this universe. You slept in separate bedrooms toward the end.. But you both loved me, no matter what. You would work together, be together, to be sure I was raised with the love that they wanted to give."

She turned toward him. "But then, should I even talk of myself? If all you're interested in is your relationship with Mama?" She stood up. "I'm done here. Mama said I should give you chances but I don't see why I should when you're so fixated on her."

"I love her." Seiya said heatedly.

"And I love you!" Hime shouted. "You called me your Little Starlight. You would take me flying across the stars to Kinmoku! You always read to me at night, helped me with my nightmares, and made me feel loved when I thought my mama was too busy for me! But this form.. It's worse than I had ever seen before. You're blind and cruel. You came to me asking if you both were happy in that universe. Well, not one hundred percent but enough to have had a child. Is that enough information for you or did you want to know if you sex on a daily basis?"

Seiya reared up suddenly and slapped her. She staggered back, eyes wide as tears filled her eyes.

Seiya immediately looked apologetic. "Hime…"

"You'll never be my father," Her voice cracked. "You don't have his heart!" She turned and ran off with a sob.

He rubbed his face, highly agitated.

She stumbled to her wing, going to the mirror. His handprint was lightly visible as she rubbed at the lingering pain.

She began to cry again, falling into sobs as the crescent moon upon her brow lit up in view. Everything in the room was lifted in the power escalating from her as she cried out in her grief.

"Hime!" Chibiusa entered as she was flattened against the wall from the pressure of the power tearing from the girl. "Hime!"

Her voice broke through to Hime as she slowly stopped her sobs. She sniffled, looking at Chibiusa with a pitiful gaze. "He hit me."
"What?"
"He.. My..my father… hit me…" She rubbed her eyes, sniffling harder. "He struck me…"

Chibiusa's gaze darkened as she grasped her hand. "We're going to Mama!"

They found her with King Endymion who had returned from his talk with Helios. She automatically touched Hime's face. "You've been crying.. And is that a bruise?" She touched the corner of her eye where it was slowly forming.

"Seiya hit her!" Chibiusa burst out.

Both of her parents stared at Chibiusa in utter silence.

"I'm sorry. Did you just say…?" King Endymion faltered off. "That son of a bitch…" He reared up. " Pick on someone his own size.."

He was stopped by arms partly wrapped around him. Hime tugged on his cape. "It's.. it's not so bad.."

"No one should ever hit anyone." King Endymion said softly.

"I was upset.. He came up to ask about how his relationship with Mama was and I… kind of asked him if he wanted to know if they had sex on a daily basis? I was mad… he wasn't asking about me…" She was sniffling. "It was my fault, really…"

King Endymion gently pushed her to Neo Queen Serenity. "Regardless of what is said, Hime, we don't hit others. Especially if you're justified in how you feel."

She watched him storm off. "Mama, I'm sorry.."

"Don't. Let's get some ice, all right?"