Standing on My Own
A ChibiUsa and Helios Sailor Moon Romance / Action and Adventure / Drama / Humor FanFiction Story
By: Bunny

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They belong to the extremely talented Naoko Takeuchi.

Chapter Two – With Friends Like These…

Ok, so I openly admit it, I was a total brat sometimes to my Mother when she was young. I was. I think a part of me knew it then, I just didn't care. Regardless, I still loved her, and even though she was a younger version of my Mother, I looked up to her. She was my role model. I wanted to be just like her, and have everything she had. One day, I hoped to be just like her.

The sad part is, I still wish I could be just like her. Don't misunderstand me, I don't mean that my Mother is a poor role model. She's the best. The sad part is that, I still don't feel that I measure up to the standards she set as a child of the Moon.

I'm all grown up now. Queen, even. In fact it's been a year since I inherited the throne from my Mother and Father. A year since I became the ruler of this solar system. The time had come much sooner than I ever expected it to. How was I to know? None of the events that had led up to my Mother's inheritance of the throne had occurred. She had not died. I was not married; heck I wasn't even dating. It just didn't make much sense to me why I had to take on the responsibilities they were giving me. I admit, I'm still a bit bitter about it. Why did they have to go and dump the fate of the whole solar system on me so suddenly?

Which brings me back to thinking about how I used to be a brat sometimes to my Mother. It all happened in the past, when she was Sailor Moon, before as well as, during my training as a sailor soldier. Sadly, my bratty behaviour in the past is the only reason I've been able to come up with as to why she would do such a thing to me. However, my Mother was never a malicious person, even when I was bratty, and my reasoning on the matter at hand appears to be lacking. Lacking my Mother's wisdom I suppose. And if I am right, well, no matter how bratty I was to her, I didn't deserve this. Damn her. I'll never be as good as her. I wonder if…she ever felt this way about my Grandmother? Not Ikuko-momma, but my real Grandmother, Queen Serenity, another child of the Moon.

Before they did this to me, things had been going very well. Ceres, Vesta, Juno, Pallas and I had bonded in the same manner that my Mother had with Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury. We were capable of protecting the solar system from any threats placed upon it, although they were always rather minor, and my Mother still guarded the Silver Imperium Crystal. I was Sailor Moon though, fully legitimate Sailor Soldier of Love and Justice, and I had the closest of friends to back me up and lend me their powers. In our training in the future, we had acquired skills that my Mother's team had not even mastered. With the help from Mercury we learned how to combine our attacks without the need of me taking in all of their powers, but evenly distributing the strain to use the power while still focusing on one main target. We were very proud of ourselves then, and my parents had openly praised us. I couldn't have been happier. It was not long after that my parents suddenly dumped the whole world into my hands and took off with all their friends to go live on the Moon.

After my coronation ceremony I had met up with them in their private chambers to inquire when they would be leaving, and how long it would be before they came back to visit.

"We are leaving immediately. Living parents of the acting King or Queen must live outside of the palace, it has always been this way Serenity," my Father had informed me.

"I see," I had replied.

"So when will I see you again?" I had asked.

My Mother let out a sigh. "We are not sure sweetheart, but you know you can teleport to the Moon to visit us whenever you want to right?"

"Yes, I know. I am going to miss you both terribly you know," I added.

In a moment they both were hugging me and I grasped at them. It was all so much, so quickly. The power, the responsibility, and I didn't have a husband to support me like my Mother had when she ascended the throne. I felt like a little girl again going into the past trying to find Sailor Moon to save me, but this time, I was Sailor Moon, and I could only save myself.

"Everything's going to be just fine baby. Just you wait and see," my Mother said wiping tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry honey, I promised your Father I wouldn't cry, but I've always been a bit of a cry baby."

I rolled my eyes and said, "I know, Mom." It felt good, picking up the banter we had shared what seemed like eons ago in a different time.

She had smiled at me, that cute infectious smile that had often graced her face in the past and then she had turned away from me, and it had been only a few minutes later that they had left.

"Hey Usagi! Why do you look so glum?" Ceres said as she strolled into my chambers and flopped onto my bed.

I smiled at her and replied, "Oh, I was just thinking about my parents."

"Again?" she questioned. "You sure miss them a lot don't you?" she asked.

"Well, yes. Not only did I not want this responsibility yet, but –"

"We know, we know, we know," Vesta cut me off as she entered the room, "and quite frankly," she continued, "we're sick of hearing about it."

"Seriously Usagi, if it's such a big deal, why don't you just teleport to the Moon and visit them?" asked Juno who had also come in to check up on me.

"What is this? Pick on the Queen day?" I asked them, faking a pout.

Pallas who had also joined us and flopped herself next to Ceres on the bed launched a pillow across the room at my head and said, "oh please. We aren't falling for that act."

Catching the pillow in both hands I laughed. "Maybe you guys are right. Perhaps I should go visit them, check in with them and see how they are doing," I said.

Vesta, who had sat down next to me slapped my knee hard and said, "what a great idea! I'll go with you!"

"Ow!" I said as I grabbed my knee and gave Vesta a scowl clearly showing my disapproval. Noo…I think I'll go alone," I answered.

"No can do," Ceres said as she stood up from the bed and walked across the room to stand in front of me. I noticed immediately she was in what I secretly referred to as "I'm the leader of the Queen's guardians" mode. Crossing her arms she continued, "we are your guardians and you can't go anywhere without at least one of us. If you don't want Vesta to go with you then I can assign someone else," she offered, "but since I will have to stay here and look over things while you are away as your second, Vesta would be the best choice as my second."

"Yes, yes, yes," I said waving my right hand at her in defeat. 'Can't a girl just go away every once in a while without the whole world following her around?' I wondered to myself. All right, so maybe I was more used to it than I acted, but I had once lived in a time and a place where I could go where I wanted and do as I wanted without guardians following me around. Not that I didn't love them, they were my best friends, but it would be nice if I could have a bit more privacy sometimes.

"Goody," Vesta said jumping up from the divan we were sitting on.

"What are you so excited about?" asked Pallas.

"She wants to go see Jedite," Juno said answering for her.

"It's true. He's so dreamy," Vesta said, "and since they all moved to the Moon, I haven't been able to see him!"

I rolled my eyes. "He's taken Vesta, and by a better guardian than you at that!" I teased.

"HEY!" she exclaimed as she turned a full glare on my form. "Nobody asked you for your input on this subject!" she declared.

Feeling incredibly defiant, I gave into the urge to stick my tongue out at her.

Faking shock, she dropped her mouth open and widened her eyes before returning the favor.

"Enough you two," Ceres said. "Get ready and get a move on. My generous offer to handle the planets while you guys frolic on the Moon is quickly expiring."

Without another word, Vesta and I shot out of the room and made our way to the teleportation chamber and got ourselves off of the Earth and off to the Moon.

End Chapter Two.

A/N: Thanks to every body who read and reviewed chapter one. I really appreciate it. ^_^