Author's Note: I don't have the words to even start talking about what is happening in our world. I won't bring politics into our refuge from all the bad things. Sailor Moon is my escape, and probably yours as well. So I just want to say this: Don't give up. This too shall pass. I'm with all of you in wishing we had Sailor Moon to swoop in and save the day. If only there were someone as kindhearted and pure as she is to help us get through it all. Since that can't happen, how about we all enjoy some one on one time with our favorite heroes.
Sorry I haven't updated in a couple days. I've been very sick. I don't know the cause, but I know I wish it would go away. This one is hot off the presses... I only wish it hadn't taken me three days to write. Happy reading to all of you, and stay safe!
Sailor Silver Ladybug
~ Tori

Update 6/11/20: I need to apologize... I ended up changing the timeline for this story, which means I used portions I had written for much later in the story. Unfortunately, I didn't catch the fact that I hadn't introduced Haruka and Michiru yet. I've edited the scene to remove them, I really hope this doesn't cause too much confusion.

Don't Push Me: A New Take on Sailor Moon R
Chapter Seventeen
Hidden

"I have no idea what I'm supposed to talk about," An admitted.

The sun was coming up over the horizon. An breathed deeply, pulling fresh, clean air into her lungs. The place she had brought Mother was full of trees and flowers. Water flowed nearby where Mother could dip her roots. The branches over her head swayed gently and An thought she could hear the tinkle of laughter.

"This is what you need Mother," she told the ancient tree, leaning back into the hollow between her roots. "This light and air and water. It will make you stronger. I can feel it."

::I am already stronger, my Child.::

An started, then turned her gaze up into the branches. "Mother," she whispered. "I wasn't sure if it was real. I almost thought I imagined you speaking to me."

::No. I have been speaking to you the whole time, my Child. My love doesn't end because you disobey.::

"But we've been awful," An whispered. "We don't deserve your love."

::And that, my Child, is your lesson. My love isn't dependent on how you act, or what you accomplish. It is unconditional. I will love you no matter where you go, or what you do. That does not mean I can allow your misbehavior to continue however.::

"How can I fix things?" An asked, looking up into the shifting branches.

::Find the one called Sailor Moon. I have spoken to her in her dreams. She knows of my need and will come to help me.::

"Why would she do that after what Ail tried to do?"

A tinkling sound of laughter filled her head. ::Have you learned nothing of Sailor Moon or her companions? Love gives them their power. Pure love, without borders or conditions. The love of the Senshi for their Princess, the love of the Princess for her Prince, the love of the Prince for his planet, and their combined love for the people of the Solar System. Already Sailor Moon has come to my aid, and several times she and her companions have offered their help. Go to them and ask for their help.::

"What of Ail, Mother? He doesn't want their help."

::He will learn,:: Mother whispered into her mind. ::Now it is time to return. He is awake and searching for us. His worry grows by the minute. I will be fine until you bring me into the sunlight again.::

"Stay strong Mother," An whispered. Then she stood and closed the hidden dimension before teleporting back to the apartment they had taken over.

"Where have you been?" Ail yelled, the moment he saw her. "Why did you take the tree away?"

"Wake up," Usagi said, shaking Minako's shoulder.

"Hmm?" Minako blinked up at her friend. "What's going on?" she asked.

"It's time to heal your parents," Usagi told her.

"Now?" Minako glanced at the clock by her bed. "It's only five-thirty in the morning."

Usagi giggled. "I know. Come on. Kunzite and Mamo-chan are waiting already."

"What time is it in London?" Minako asked.

"I think around nine-thirty," Usagi told her. "Mamo-chan figured it would be the best time. You said your parents tend to go to bed early."

"They do," Minako said, then covered her mouth as a yawn escaped. It really was early.

Usagi pulled the blanket off her and threw it on the end of the bed. "Come on. Chibi-Usa isn't feeling good this morning and my mom is covering for Nozomi at OSA-P. I have to get this done and get back in time to watch her."

"She's sick?" Minako asked.

"Hai. Not sure what she has. Mom says it's probably the flu. Apparently it's been going around."

"Whatever it is, I hope she feels better," Minako answered, trying to throw her clothes on as she spoke. Her head got caught in her sleeve and a laughing Usagi had to help her fix her shirt. "Ugh," she muttered. "You'd better not tell Kunzite."

"I won't," Usagi promised. "How is it going with him?"

"Good, I think," Minako answered, yawning. "He's a bit slower to push me for things in this life, but that's probably a good thing. I don't want to get too far until I'm sure we're both ready."

"Good idea," Usagi answered. "Plus, it would be nice if your parents got a chance to know their future son-in-law."

"Do you think they'll move back to Japan? Or will they try to force me to move back to England?"

"I don't know. Probably they will ask you to move back with them, but if that happens I think you may need to have the talk with them. Tell them who you really are."

Minako sighed. She had been afraid of that. How could you tell your parents you had been a warrior for well over a year? She couldn't imagine what they would think. She did the clasps on her shoes and stood, looking into the mirror to make sure she was ready.

"Let's go," she said.

After following Usagi out of her bedroom and into the living room, Minako smiled at Kunzite, who was waiting next to Mamoru, and reached for his hand. "Morning," she said, feeling happier because he was close.

"Good morning," he answered, bending to give her a chaste kiss. His lips were always so soft and he tasted like coffee and caramel. She wanted to kiss him forever, but pulled back, more than aware they weren't quite ready for that yet. "Are you ready to go?"

"We've been up over an hour," Mamoru answered for him. "He's been chomping at the bit."

"The early bird hits worms," Minako said with a shrug.

Usagi giggled. "The early bird gets the worm," she corrected.

They all grabbed hands and Kunzite led the teleport. In the blink of an eye Minako found herself in the house in London, standing in the kitchen. She could hear the television in the next room and put a finger over her mouth to tell the others.

Usagi closed her eyes and touched her brooch. Pink light covered her with sparkles as her clothing disappeared replaced by her fuku. The Moon Wand appeared in her hand and Sailor Moon tiptoed to the swinging door and opened it an inch. "Moonlit Lullaby," she whispered.

They walked together into the living room. Minako's father was sleeping, slid sideways in his recliner. Her mother was lying on the couch, looking as though she had been sleeping long before the spell. As she watched, Sailor Moon approached her parents and held up the Moon Wand again.

"Moon Healing Escalation!" she said, with force.

Shock coursed through Minako as she watched swirls of dark light flow out of her parents. Her mother's hair seemed to grow more full and thick and color seeped into her cheeks. Her father's blonde hair seemed to thicken as well and the hollowed cheeks disappeared, replaced by the rounded ones she had always known. As they continued watching, Minako could tell they were both gaining health and weight in front of their eyes.

"I knew it," she whispered. Part of her hadn't believed it was true, but seeing her parents changing forms made everything clear. They had been cursed. She wondered just how different everything would be when they woke up.

"Come on," Kunzite said softly. "We should let them sleep for now. I'm sure they'll call you when they wake up."

"I can't believe we're doing this," hissed Berthier, looking anything but cool. "The last thing we need to do is attend school. It will cut into our search time."

Petz sighed. "I know that, but if Dimande's calculations are right, Sailor Moon was a teenager in this time. So, we look for teenagers with blonde hair and find out who their friends are."

"I still think this is a waste of time," Berthier announced. "How are we ever going to fit in at a high school? What are we supposed to do to blend in? We know nothing of the time period. And what if we accidentally kill our ancestors? We could wipe ourselves from existence."

"You're thinking too much," Koan said, putting a bundle of clothing into Berthier's hands. "We are just four sisters and their protective older brother, going to school."

"Is it even the right one?" Calaveras asked, for once siding with Berthier. "I mean, there are dozens of schools in the area."

"We've calculated the most likely school based on response time," Petz told them. "I did the math myself. This public high school is also close to the middle school where several attacks occurred. If we're right about their ages, the high school is the place to be."

"Come on," Koan urged. "Let's just get dressed. You know she's probably right."

Berthier sighed and slipped into her new school uniform. It consisted of a dark blue skirt and a white long-sleeved top with a blue collar, a tiny red stripe along the edge. It had a dark blue bow just under the collar. It actually suited Berthier's coloring, for which she was grateful. Still, she felt like a little kid in the uniform.

"How do I look?" Calaveras asked, pretending to swagger. She broke into a fit of giggles. "I swear, the uniforms they wore in this time make me feel like a little girl. We're nearly adults." She shook her head and walked to the side of the room where several bags in different forms lay. "Oh, look at this purse," she moaned, holding up a little navy blue purse with golden studs that looked like hearts. "I love this."

"Makeup," Petz reminded them.

Berthier grinned. That made everything better. The four sisters had always adored wearing makeup. It had been one of the few things that always bonded them in younger years. "This is sort of exciting," she admitted. She reached down and picked up a little black satchel. It had a few blank notebooks and about a dozen pens and pencils inside. "We get to play pretend, like when we were kids."

"That's a good way to look at it," Koan answered, already looking over her vanity. "Should I go with blue eye-shadow, since the uniforms are blue?" she asked.

Chibi-Usa didn't want to go to school. She felt wrong, but didn't know how to explain it. Her body felt too hot and her head hurt. Her tummy ached and she thought she might throw up. She didn't like to throw up.

Mommy came into the room and put her wrist on Chibi-Usa's forehead. "You have a fever," she said, adjusting the covers. "You can't go to school."

That was a relief. She didn't think she could make it. Ikuko-mama would take care of her then and she would stay home and go back to sleep. She liked being with Ikuko-mama. She had all the best stories. The past week had been very fun. Ikuko-mama had watched her after school every day and they had gone to fun places together.

"I'm going to stay home with you today," Usagi said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "My mom has to help Naru's mother for the day, but I am going to stay here with you."

"Really?" Chibi-Usa asked. Her mommy usually had to go to school too.

"Really. Now scoot over munchkin. I'm going to tell you a story." Usagi reached out and picked Chibi-Usa up, then slid into the bed and settled her on her lap. "Have you ever heard the tale of Momotarō?"

"Uh huh," Chibi-Usa whispered, snuggling closer. "Please tell it again," she whispered, her eyes closing.

"Well, a long time ago there was a couple who couldn't have children. The wife was down at the river, washing her clothing, when she saw a peach bobbing along on the water. Since she was hungry and had nothing to eat, the woman picked up the peach and put it in her basket with her washing. When her chores were done she carried it home. When it was time for dinner, the woman took the peach to her husband and asked him to help her open it..."

Chibi-Usa remembered the tale. Momotarō had been inside the peach and had told the couple he had been sent by the gods to be their child. Sleep took her and Chibi-Usa grinned as she watched sunlight sparkle over the water and saw a peach floating down the river towards an older woman.

As she was drifting off to sleep, Chibi-Usa thought she heard her daddy's voice, but she felt so tired and her eyelids were so heavy she just couldn't open them up. Snuggling closer to Mommy, Chibi-Usa drifted away into dreams.

"What are we looking for?" Sailor Jupiter asked, standing in the massive cavernous room that had once been the throne room for Beryl.

"Usagi said to look for a stone," Mercury reminded her. "I think we should start there." She pointed to a pile of dust on the throne.

"Eww," Jupiter shuddered. "You mean you want to reach into that? It's what's left of Beryl." A breeze pushed into the room as the massive doors swung open. As she watched, the pile of dust was blown onto the floor. All that remained was the Beryl Crystal, sitting where Beryl had once been.

"She was right," Mercury whispered. "The Crystal didn't disappear. Do you really think Usagi can save her, like she did the Shitennou?"

"I have no idea," Jupiter answered, shaking her head. She watched Ami walk to the throne and pick up the lonely Crystal. Another shudder ran through her. "I guess that depends on whether she really was brainwashed."

"I remember a little girl with serious eyes and bruises on her back. I tried to tell my mother she was being abused, but she told me it was part of the prophecy and there was nothing to be done." Ami looked serious and sad.

"Wait, people knew she was being abused and did nothing?" Jupiter asked, fury seething through her. "Then it isn't her fault at all. It's theirs!"

"Is it possible the Silver Millennium could have been saved if someone had just helped her?" Mercury asked. "Or would events have changed, leading to another person to wake Metalia?"

"We won't ever know," Jupiter said. That fact alone brought her up short. For so long she had been filled with anger and even hatred towards Beryl, but what if all of it could have been prevented by one person stepping in and saving her?

"We still have work to do," Ami whispered. "The guys have probably found out if there are any Youma left by now. We need to hurry if we want to get to school on time."

Rubeus stared down at himself, shaking his head. The dark blue uniform top buttoned up to the neck, which was oddly uncomfortable. He could hear the Ayakashi sisters giggling in their chamber and wondered what was so funny about getting ready for school. None of them had been to school in years. He vaguely remembered it, a place where hundreds of young people gathered together and were taught by those who had already experienced life.

What would they teach in this time? He shook his head, adjusted his collar, and made his way out of his chamber. The last thing they needed was for him to become as excited as they were. It was his job to make sure their transition went well.

A moment later Rubeus was kneeling in front of Dimande, who was glaring at Esmeraude and Saphir. He didn't want to get involved in that. He had his own mission to accomplish. He couldn't fail, or let the others fail. They had to accomplish what they set out to do or Wiseman would snuff them from existence. They would not be forgiven for failures.

"Are you ready?" Dimande asked.

It took a second for Rubeus to realize he was being addressed. He nodded. "We are all ready," he told the prince. "We will blend in with the students and attempt to locate the Senshi."

"Remember," Esmeraude said, looking very serious. "No harm is to come to any of them. Find a way to take them when they are at their weakest. We will take care of the attacks on the city. We won't tell you when or where. You must appear as surprised as any of the others."

"Hai," Rubeus said, fist over his heart as he knelt before Prince Dimande. "We will return your prize," he promised.

"See that you do. And Rubeus? Don't take too long."

"Zoicite, look at this," Nephrite said, hurrying into a room he remembered well. It was where they had once created Youma. On the far side of the room was a portal that led into the normal world, just outside the Azabu district. It had remained open somehow.

"I thought this whole area would have been destroyed," Zoicite told him. "I can't believe it's still here."

"I can't either," Nephrite responded. "Come on, let's get this closed and destroy the creation pits."

For the next ten minutes, Zoicite and Nephrite systematically destroyed anything in the chamber that could be used to create a Youma. When they had finished, both men were panting and covered in rock dust.

"Where to next?" Nephrite asked.

Zoicite lifted his new mini-computer and checked the readings again. "We're getting closer to those points of energy."

"Do you really think the other generals are still alive?" Nephrite asked, unsure what they would find.

"I have to believe it. And if we can find them, we can get Usagi and Mamoru down here to save them." Zoicite looked determined. "Let's teleport closer."

"We don't know what's down there with them," Nephrite hissed, but it was too late. Zoicite had taken his arm and in half the beat of a heart they were in near total darkness. A purple glow came from around a corner and he crept towards it, one hand on Zoicite's shoulder to stop him from rushing blindly into danger.

When they turned the corner and saw the six chambers Nephrite gasped. Standing in front of them was a tall Youma with black hair and some sort of jewel on his forehead. He was peering into one of the chambers. Internally he swore. They were now face to face with a Youma and had no back-up. He was sure it would be their end.

"How is she?" Mamoru asked, peering into Usagi's bedroom.

"I'm pretty sure she has a fever. My mom showed me how to give her medicine, but I feel..." Usagi's voice drifted off for a moment and she closed her eyes tight. "Helpless. I feel helpless."

"I don't think it's anything too serious," Mamoru reassured her. He stepped further into the room and touched the little girl's red cheeks. "She does have a fever, but kids seem to recover quickly when they get sick."

"I hope so. I hate seeing her like this." Usagi rubbed her cheek against the bubble-gum pink hair. "Are you staying?"

"Hai. I spoke to your mom just before she left and she gave me the medicine and showed me how much to use."

"I don't understand why she's suddenly sick. According to the records Ami was able to pull from Luna-P, she's already been vaccinated against most of the illnesses children had in our time."

Mamoru shrugged. "They can't protect against all of them. It's not like there is only one strain of flu each year. I guess no one thought she would be traveling in time."

"That makes no sense," Usagi argued. "If she is from our future, then we would already know she would travel into the past. That's why she was vaccinated against so many sicknesses."

"So you think this sickness is something new?" Mamoru asked. "I hadn't considered that."

"What if it is those people. Those bad people from the future that she talks about? What if he is coming?" Usagi shuddered.

Climbing into the bed next to her, Mamoru wrapped an arm around her back, then rested his free hand on Chibi-Usa's foot, which was now on his knee. "Whatever happens, we will fix it together," he reminded her.

"Okay," Usagi whispered. She bent and kissed Chibi-Usa's forehead. "Get better soon, my love," she whispered.

Ail paced back and forth across the apartment, glaring at An as she got ready for school. The tree was safely in it's alternate dimension again, and he could see the change for himself, but that didn't change the fact that she had taken it and gone somewhere without telling him.

"What did you think you were doing?" he asked.

An snorted, then became Natsume and hurried into her uniform as she spoke. "I was following a lead, and as you can see, it worked. Mother is much better."

"Mother?" he snarled. "What do you mean, Mother?"

Natsume jumped onto the empty kitchen counter and sighed. "Ail, Mother is our creator. She has a voice of her own and has been trying to speak to us for a very long time. Our anger and determination to do things our own way have kept her silent for years. But now we have a chance to save her."

"I don't understand," he said, frowning at her as he changed into Seijoru. He checked to make sure all his things were together and ready for the day. He still wasn't sure it was a smart idea for either of them to go back to the high school. Not after his failed attempt at revenge.

"Mother says we come from a planet very similar to this one. She grew better in the sunlight, and as soon as her roots touched water she became stronger. I am convinced that is what she needs to survive. And we don't need to steal energy to make that happen. We only need to speak to her. Mother thrives on love energy. That sort of energy is more powerful than any other kind. She says Sailor Moon can heal her completely."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure. Mother says she is unconditional love."

"What does that mean?"

"Love without strings," Natsume said, shrugging her shoulders. "I guess it means even of you do horrible things, Sailor Moon can find a way to love you."

"So we have to ask her for help? After I tried to..." his voice trailed off. He didn't know what to think. He wanted to help the tree, but he was still furious with Usagi. And if she was Sailor Moon, why would she do anything to help him?