Little lost rabbit by Ikuko.
This is Sailor Moon funfic, immidiately after the last episode.
Sailor Moon does not belong to me. Too bad.
Rated G to PG. Sorry, no nudity.

Prologe, Ikuko narrative.


Many years have past already since the events I am going to tell you about. Back
then I had no idea what was going on and how much I, my family and most of all,
my little girl are involved in the matters that fascinated the entire world. I
always tried to be a good mother, and when my very right to rise my child was
suddenly questioned, it changed all our lives forever. I was keeping all in my
memory for so long, now I feel obligated to write it down. I am only a mortal
being, and even though my daughter enormously extended my life and youth with
her powers, the day will come for me to share the fate of all humans. So here is
my truthful narrative of the events:

It all started in a very ordinary way. At least as ordinary as it could be
after all the strange things that happened that year: first, terrible forces
invaded the Earth, someone named Galaxia leaded them into destruction of all
life on the planet. It looked like the Dooms day had finally came, and the most
awful thing was that no one new what to do. Sailor Scouts fought the evil
forces, but without much success. All the hope was lost, and along with the
hope some barriers in the people memory started to crumple down. We recalled
similar tragedy, though in smaller scale, happened some two or three years ago,
when Sailor scout triumphed over another evil, and later another, and another...
It looked like we all are in great debt of the strange young girls who no one
took seriously. They had powers beyond imaginable, and have saved our planet
again and again, never asking for anything, and somehow we kept forgetting it
every time. But now it seemed too late for thanks. They fell one by one, the end
was approaching fast.

Then, one day, it was all over, and life suddenly came back to normal. People
that we knew to be killed came back somehow, bewildered but safe. Obviously,
the battle was won, but how and by who remained unknown. And once again, the
memory blocks began to form in our minds. The entire story felt like it was seen
in a weird dream, something that never happened. People avoided talking about it
because it made so little sense. Those who have been killed and came back did
not want to recollect terrible experience; matters of to-day took over people
thoughts. But still, in the far corner of the mind the odd memory kept nagging
us.
So, as I said, it was an ordinary morning. You know the routine: get up,
go wake up Usagi. Start the breakfast, go wake up Usagi. Tell Shingo and Kenji
to get up; go wake up Usagi. Prepare lunch for everybody; go wake up Usagi. Have
breakfast with husband and son; go wake up Usagi. And so on until the well known
in the neighborhood scream: 'Aaaahh! I am so late!!!". And then an inevitable
blond tornado zooms downstairs, grabs the toast and lunch bag, gives me a kiss
that smells half-rinsed toothpaste, and disappears behind the door. That time we
did not hear the sound of the collision with some innocent pedestrian on the
street, but then again, lately pedestrians tend to avoid our neighborhood in the
mornings. Not that I blame them.
Later, when Shingo went to school, Kenji and I had a quiet cup of coffee
together. I love those mornings when he has some photo assignment in town:
he does not have to rush to the office and some times stays with me for a little
while until the time of the meeting. So after his coffee and paper he turned on
the TV, to check out the news. You know, if something is hot today, his boss
will want the photos, assignment or no assignment.
The guy on the screen was simply bubbling with the excitement. At first we
could not figure out what all the commotion was all about, but eventually we
gathered that the military radars had just received first in the history clear
message from the space. Scientists were checking it in case if it was a fraud,
but there was little doubt that the communication was genuine. It declared that
a spacecraft was coming with a peaceful mission of gratitude. The questions were
it was from, who was abroad and what the gratitude was for remained open. There
was a confirmation from the observatory that the radar picked up the artificial
object approaching the Earth somewhere near the orbit of Pluto. The United
Nations called a summit to prepare for the opening of the first in the history
interplanetary diplomatic relationships. President of United States held a
conference about the perspectives of trade and scientific exchange with the
other civilization. Miss Universe ordered a new wardrobe to meet the aliens in
full glory. Pope blesses the guests. Major news agencies where fighting for the
exclusive right of the interview. Arab countries claimed that only the adept of
the true religion could be worthy of representing the Earth. Microsoft released
a new computer program that was supposed to assist in translation of whatever
language aliens speak to whichever the user prefers. An unknown before sect in
Wyoming committed group suicide in order to be transferred to the better world
of the other civilization. Oil price on the market went down for some reason.
The gratitude bit seemed to be missed entirely.
That was news indeed. Kenji phoned immediately to cancel the appointment,
and left to observatory hoping to get pictures of the spaceship. Before leaving,
he told me that he might be back real late, he will do everything in his power
to get into the team of photographers on the first meeting with the guests. Oh,
well. Another day in the reporter's family. But why did I have this feeling that
it concerns my family? My little girl? Somehow whenever things like this
happen, my girl looks concerned, disappears from home for a long time and looks
real tired afterwards. You see, may be the love for my child is blinding me, but
I was pretty sure even at that time, that my little one is a very special girl.
She did not tell me much about her life, but I knew what a good kid she really
was. Well, I can not tell that I knew the while truth then, but I did have my
suspicions. She was always so kind and loving, that people used to come to her
with all the trouble they had. That would be quite ordinary, except for one
thing: it did help. Sailor scouts stood up to protect everybody who was in
trouble, if only my girl knew about it. So of course, I thought about a
possibility of her knowing them. How well she really knew them was beyond my
imagination. But still, do not you think it makes a girl special? To be familiar
with such celebrities and never tell anybody, not even her mother? And now,
those aliens. The word "gratitude" stuck in my head. It was obvious, that people
of the Earth did not do anything for them. Then, who did? Was it possible that
it was another mission of the young girls in ridiculously short skirts? I was
rather upset for some reason. I tried to occupy myself with the household duties
as much as possible to get rid of all the thoughts that were bothering me.
Later, when, bye and by, kids came home and brought laughter and noise with them
I felt much better.
Several days passed before any more important news came about the
approaching ship. Now everybody talked about it and only it. It finally landed
somewhere in Sahara desert, in the place that was hard to get to. Nevertheless,
the delegation of the high UN officials and ever-annoying press representatives
arrived within the hour to great them. Kenji had great trouble getting a ticket
to a flight to Africa. When he's got there it was almost all over. He was able
to snap a few pictures of the aliens, who were very human-like in appearance, if
not for minor details like skin color and such. But getting an interview was
another story. Neither aliens nor earth officials wanted to give any statements.
There were neither diplomatic talks nor hostile actions. Rumors were that aliens
simply refused to deal with Earth representatives and demanded to talk to Earth
Royalty. Diplomats replied that there are many independent countries on the
planet, each ruled by it's own government, and most of them are democratic. Some
monarchies do exist, but their power is limited. Aliens are welcome to meet with
any of them.
Well, this was not going anywhere either. Sides did not understand each
other at all. Guests wanted to see someone who is an "avatar" of the planet.
Locals did not know such person. Aliens did their best to explain that they want
to see someone immortal, who is sustaining the life on the planet. That agitated
all the religious leaders. But guests obviously meant not some divine entity,
but a real person. That caused even greater confusion.
This last piece of information we've got from the evening news. Official
sources did not yet confirm it, but it was considered trustworthy. Interesting
enough, immediately after the news were broadcasted, the phone rung. I picked
up, and there was Usagi's boyfriend, the guy named Mamoru. I called Usagi to the
phone, and in a fraction of a second she was next to me downstairs and picked up
the receiver. This girl! It takes an hour to wake her up in the morning, but
when HE calls, she will be out on the date before ends of her pigtails leave the
room. They talked for a long time, and I had an impression that the news were
the main topic of the conversation.
Now, I have to tell you about that guy, Mamoru. He is quite an
extraordinary figure himself. I already knew that he was a student of the
prestige University, went to Harvard last year, that he had no family and that
he really, really cares for my little girl. Many had been wondering about their
relationship. Kenji himself used to become nervous whenever he saw them
together. Even I, who always liked him, was not at ease around this young man.
There is something about him. There is a steel lining in his honest blue eyes,
and behind his always perfectly polite manners and modest appearance, I felt a
tremendous strength, incomparable to anyone's, except, may be... for my own
daughter. Yes, perhaps this is the only thing that they have in common. In every
other respect they are as different as they can be. All for the better. How many
of my fellow moms can boast that their daughter has a responsible boyfriend?
Usagi would be the last girl that I would thing as a girlfriend of a young man
like him. I would expect somebody ehh... let's say, more mature. But it warms my
heart to see how this ever-serious elite-college-guy looks at my little girl,
how stoically he withstands her childish antics, catches her during her klutz-
attacks and melts into a puddle when she smiles at him. Yep, this girl has her
boyfriend around her pinky, no doubt about it.

I said a boyfriend. Well, it is not quite true. Not any more, at least. I
have seen a ring on her finger and I am pretty sure that he gave it to her. She
did not tell me anything and did not show me the ring, but she does ware it to
bed when she think no one will see it. But I did see it when I went at night,
when she was asleep to check on her and give her a kiss. Ask any mom, the best
way to enjoy your teenage kids is when they are sound asleep, with all the
troubles and pranks forgotten till morning. When they are all soft and warm, and
the hair smells just as it used to when they were babies. Even if they do hide
hands with engagement rings under the pillows.

Oh, yes. I was telling you about Usagi talking to her fiancée on the
phone. Her tone was rather business like, not at all the one you would expect
from a sixteen years old girl having a romantic chit-chat. She was listening to
whatever he was telling her with the frown, like it was not good news. From time
to time she was making small remarks showing her attention and understanding,
and sometime commenting on someone's well-intended stupidity that will "blow up
the cover", but otherwise she did not talk much. At that time I had no idea what
was doing on, except for the very end of their conversation. Usagi blushed
violently all of a sudden and seemed very pleased. Good, because I was beginning
to think that something is seriously wrong with kids today. Sure enough, soon
after she hang up, she lifted the receiver again, phoned Ray and drove the
conversation to the sleep-over. Now, there is no mother alive who would suppose
even for a second that her little girl in this situation is going to spend the
night in the Hikawa shrine, chatting about boys and applying nail polish. The
trouble with me was that I did not suppose that my little girl would spend the
night with her boyfriend in the safety of his bed either. Something in her face
told me that the matters are getting somewhat unpleasant.

In a few minutes she's got her bag together, chirped her good bye and was
out of the door. Well, if there is something on the news so important to my
girl, the news we will keep watching.
To my disappointment, there was nothing interesting for a while. A little
bit of weather, a little bit of business. But the hottest thing for today could
not been left for long. News from Sahara were back on all channels. The
situation changed a little bit. Aliens still did not recognize any authority
from the Earth, but their behavior had changed. It seemed that they were
expecting something. Half an hour was spend in impatient waiting. The reporter
was trying to entertain the multi-million auditory retelling the boring details
of the spaceship landing, habits of the aliens and who is who in the Earth
diplomatic mission. But then the show had started.

In a flash of bright light a strange group appeared between the Earth
delegation and the space ship. As a wife of photo reporter I could not fail to
appreciate the skill of the camera man: he needed no time flat to react, adjust
the lens and had got everything on the film just in time. Seven all too familiar
figures of sailor scouts holding hands in a circle around a very formally
dressed couple stood on the hot sand. The reporter exploded with rushed words.
He immediately identified them as Sailor Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Uranus,
Neptune and Pluto. Sailor Saturn was not there and neither was Sailor Moon. The
effect the group had on the aliens was really interesting. They stood awestruck,
as it was something they did not expect. Finally, they collected themselves
enough to address the newcomers with a very respectful greeting. They expressed
their surprise on being honored by a presence of so many avatars at once (Hi,
Ken ^_^), then addressed to the man in the black armor as their noble host.
Aliens introduced themselves as nobles of the court of the Avatar of the nearby
star, sent with the diplomatic mission to the Solar system. After paying
respects to the man in armor they turned their attention to the lady in the white
frothy gown and bowed to her feet (looked like it scared her to the death too).
It sounded that the main reason of their arrival was to tell her how grateful they
are for her saving them and restoring their world. They were also very proud to be
the first ones among the other delegations from the worlds saved by the Princess,
as they called her. The poor Princess seemed very shy and confused. The armor-clad
man comforted her as well as he could, but it was obvious that he himself did not
like the information about other delegations coming one little bit.

By that time reporters recovered enough to bombard the newcomers and
aliens with questions. For a second I saw Kenji, trying to get a good picture of
the Princess. She saw him too, I think. Anyway, she was not very happy. She
turned to her companion in panic. The man in black armor shot a short order to
Sailor Mercury. The blue-hair scout twisted in a graceful little dance of hers,
and everything: alien ship, aliens, Sailor Scouts, the Princess and the man in
the armor were covered with the dense fog. Voices of other scouts rose through
the fog, and something that looked like a force field dome covered the area,
enclosing the gray frosty cloud. Desperate reporters tried to fight their way
inside, but to no avail. The force field was unpenetrable, and the fog blocked
every kind of light. So that was about all the news for the afternoon, but
reporters just could not let it go. Earth political leaders were much offended
by the way the aliens slighted them. So they talked and talked, while the fog
hid the main actors of the comedy. Kenji phoned me later that night to tell me
that he is all-right (I was worried for his blood pressure under the double
stress of the work and the heat of the desert). He was very exited, a little
tired and hoped for the promotion for the great pictures he took. I was tired
myself, and having no hope to hear anything significant for a few hours, just
collapsed in the bed.

Early in the morning I was back glued to the TV screen. There was some
development. It was night in Africa, but before dusk the fog under the dome have
dissolved. The lonely spaceship was standing under the force field, flooded with
the light of the projectors of the most stubborn reporters. It was assumed that
the whole company entered the spaceship for a discussion. Earth officials
swallowed the offence for a time being and were waiting for the statement by the
end of the talks.
It looked like I turned on the TV just in time. The opening appeared on
the side of the spaceship and the man in armor stepped forward, followed by
sailor scouts and aliens. The Princess was clinging to his arm, pale but
determined. Aliens seemed to be in a good mood though.

Finally, the delegates from different countries got their attention. The
man in the armor addressed them, still from behind the force field. He called
himself Prince Endymion of the Earth, and his companion Princess Serenity of the
Moon. "Our guests" he said "proposed to establish diplomatic relationship
between Solar System and their world. We are unable to choose one Earth
country for the appropriate location for their Embassy on the Earth, without
being unfair to the other countries. Therefore, The Moon Princess offered her
hospitality nearby in one of her palace buildings on the Moon, which was lately
restored. The diplomatic missions of the other worlds that are expected to
arrive shortly will be also located there. As a token of her respect to the
United Nation Her Highness also invites the delegation of this organization to
the moon kingdom as observers. In order to make arrival to the Moon palace
easier, the spell protecting it from being visible from the space will be lifted
in an hour. Our guests are leaving to the moon immediately. Moon princess will
expect the delegation from Earth at any time convenient". Meanwhile, the aliens
withdrew to the spaceship. The sailor scouts surrounded the prince and the
princess. As soon as the spaceship lifted above the ground, sailor scouts
whispered something, and the force field collapsed, opening the way for a
spaceship to the sky. A second later sailor scouts themselves disappeared in a
flash of light, taking the prince and princess with them and leaving absolutely
dazed earthlings in the vast, slowly cooling sands of the night desert.

Well, now it was all over. Apparently, the mysterious company was not going to
return to Sahara any time soon. Officials started to depart first, the press
followed them. But the TV stations around the world were still rumbling about
the events. True enough, they had an addition to the story unfolded in the
desert. Many observatories aimed their telescopes to the Moon to search it's
surface again and again. Exactly an hour after the prince made his statement the
shimmer appeared in the area of the Sea of Serenity. It faded, revealing a
magnificent city, visible even in average amateur telescope. That was a happy
day indeed for every store owner that kept any kind of optical equipment.
Ever-despised star-gazing school geeks became unbelievably popular in a matter
of hours, as long as they had a telescope. Photographs and even maps of Moon
Kingdom were available on every corner. Tabloids printed confessions of at
least half a dozen women of "I have a baby by the Earth Prince" kind. The dress
of the Princess seemed to set a new trend in the fashion world. Countries were
fighting for the places in diplomatic and press mission on the Moon. News
agencies were making so much money that Kenji had got his promotion after all.
He even applied for a photo representative in the press delegation, but of course
was turned down. For some reason it made Usagi very happy.

____________

End of prologue.
Only constructive criticism will be accepted, keep your flames for yourself.