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saiilorstars · 1 year ago

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Ch.12: Reign's Secret

Story Masterlist

Fandom: Sailor Moon (Crystal)

Rewrite of season 2, AU-ish in that there’s new OCs and the fusion of plots from the manga, crystal and the og series

Pairings: Eventual OFC x OMC, Usagi x Mamoru

Taglist: @ocappreciationtag @arrthurpendragon @anotherunreadblog @maaaaarveeeeel @stareyedplanet @foxesandmagic @kmc1989

"If you really didn't want to be caught, you should have hidden better." Princess Reign was facing Prince Endymion and the Moon Princess, Serenity, in the gardens of the Earth Palace. Though both were prevented from seeing her face, she was smirking quite widely at the two.

Princess Serenity was scared half to death by the appearance of the strange woman. "Who is she?" she asked Endymion beside her.

"Reign...you cannot tell anyone about this..." Endymion was more pre-occupied with their secrecy being blown than the actual fact neither woman had been introduced to each other.

Behind the enchantment, Reign smiled. "You really have to hide this better. Next time it could be one of your Generals that finds you two."

"Reign..."

The Shadow Princess walked a bit past them, her long purple gown trailing after her. Silently, she raised a perfectly kept hand and both Serenity and Endymion watched as a silver and purple light emitted into the air.

"What are you doing?" Serenity curiously asked.

"I'm doing something useful with my abilities. Mother never really gave me the opportunity to practice," Reign stepped back and turned to the pair. "This is a barrier I've created. It's a one way barrier. You can't see from outside but you can see from inside. I hope it becomes useful for you two."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I know a thing or two about imposed rules," Reign responded with mighty sadness in her voice. "Our parents decided things for us when we were children but I feel like...we should have a voice ourselves. Even though I'm not a child anymore, I know what it's like. But Endymion, if you want me to keep quiet, I do want to ask your Generals to teach me how to wield a sword. It looks like fun."

"I should have known you'd ask something like that in return." And yet Endymion did not sound upset over it. Most women on Earth wouldn't even think about touching a sword, after all.

"I will take that as a 'yes, of course Reign. Anything for you, my friend'." Reign chuckled and waved the two off with a hand.

The recent memory Mamoru had was shared with Usagi at once. It was their deal - between them - to share anything they remembered related to Princess Reign and Shadow with each other. Last night, Mamoru had finally begun to remember more about Reign and he was a little relieved to discover he hadn't kept Reign a secret from Usagi - then Serenity.

"It's weird, because I can't remember that yet," Usagi sighed as they walked towards their favorite park of the city.

"But this further implies that there was some sort of acknowledgment between the Moon Kingdom and the Shadow Kingdom by parts of mothers and daughters," Mamoru remarked.

"Jot that down for one of Azula's many theories," Usagi playfully rolled her eyes. "Can you believe she's making an entire list of theories concerning Reign and her planet?"

"Uh, yeah..." Mamoru stopped walking just by the park fountain and turned to the one bench across them. He pointed at it and Usagi followed his finger to the bench where a familiar red-haired girl sat, engulfed in a notepad.

"Azula?" she called.

"Hm?" Azula looked up with wide eyes from her writing and smiled at the sight of her friends. "Hey guys!" she uncrossed her legs to get up and slung her red bag over her neck before running towards them.

"Were you making another theory list?" Usagi wondered and eyed the notebook in Azula's left hand.

"You bet your ass I was!" Azula waved the journal. "It's how I think, and there's a lot to think about. I mean, if Reign was a Sailor Guardian then will she awaken quicker? And can you imagine what her abilities would be like?"

"I imagine they're dark," Mamoru offered with a tilt of his head.

"That makes sense," Azula quickly jotted the idea down on the page. "Shadow does imply darkness" — she spoke as she wrote — "and it—"

"And I remembered her using some of her powers," Mamoru finished for her.

Azula whipped her head up with a questionable look. "You did what now?"

"Apparently, Reign can create barriers of some sort..." Usagi explained but was subjected to an even more confused look from Azula. "Also, I may or may not have known her in our other lives."

"So there was contact between your people and the Shadow people!" Azula beamed. "More theories!"

Usagi watched her friend go ecstatic with rambles of new possible theories 'We hadn't thought of' until a strange noise interrupted Azula. Something dropped and bounced off Mamoru's head before reaching the ground.

"Ow!"

When Usagi and Azula looked up, there were two very different reactions. Usagi was in awe at what was in the sky while Azula was furious.

"You have got to be kidding me!" She looked at Usagi and Mamori with a flat face just before something crashed over her and knocked her flat on the ground.

Both Mamoru and Usagi gaped as a pink-haired girl raised her head from Azula's chest.

"You can't do this!" Azula basically shouted at the sky. "I'm a human being, dammit, not a frickin bouncy house! Usagi, Mamoru, don't just stand there like a couple of idiots, get her off me!"

The pink-haired girl whipped her head in Usagi's direction. When she did, her big hair accidentally smacked Azula on the face. She growled until she saw the familiar hair style on the child.

"Hey, Usagi, she has the same hairstyle as you."

Usagi saw that too and scowled. "What a copycat!" This did not please the little girl.

"I'm not a copycat!" she screeched.

"Listen I don't care what the hell you are, I just need you to get off me!" Azula was an inch away from simply pushing the girl to the ground. This one didn't seem at all regretful of her entrance unlike Reyna.

"Who the hell are you!?" Usagi didn't hesitate to demand. One hand of hers was touching her hair.

"I'm Tsukino Usagi," the child introduced herself but in an irritated manner. Usagi nearly lost it then.

"Why do you have my name!?"

While Azula was confused as well, she was focusing on just one thing right now: the fact children saw her as a landing spot. "Well, Chibi-usa, if you don't get off me in the next minute I am going to—" Something clicked in front of Azula's forehead that made her freeze.

The girl, now nicknamed Chibiusa apparently, had pulled a gun out of nowhere and was holding it steadily in her hand. "Be quiet," she ordered so plainly it was like a regular thing was being done. With one swift movement she redirected the gun in Usagi's direction.

The three teenagers couldn't move from their shock.

"If you're Tsukino Usagi, then you have to have the Legendary Silver Crystal," Chibiusa narrowed her eyes on the blonde. "Hand it over!" Usagi looked like she was going to pass out any second now. Chibiusa did not falter. "I said hand it over!"

"Oh hell no!" Azula twisted her body over and thus threw Chibiusa to the ground.

The pistol fell to the ground and rang as it 'fired'. The noise was enough to throw Usagi off by thinking that a bullet had gotten her. She fell back on the ground, eyes wide and glued on the gun...and then she realized that instead of a bullet, the gun had sprouted flowers.

"Kid, you're in a lot of trouble!" Azula hovered over Chibiusa. This left her mighty vulnerable when Chibiusa kicked her straight in the stomach. Azula shrieked and fell flat on her back beside Chibiusa. Chibiusa jumped on her feet and ran off at the first chance.

"Who the hell does that little girl think she is!?" Usagi screamed after the girl as she got up.

"Usagi!" Mamoru gestured to their friend currently on the ground groaning in pain.

"Right, sorry!" Usagi said and the two went to check on Azula. "Azula, are you okay!?"

"A little girl fell on me, pulled a gun on me, then kicked me in the stomach," Azula reviewed the happenings as she was helped up. "How do you think I'm feeling?"

Usago sheepishly smiled in response. "Sorry."

"Sorry she almost shot you," Azula said a moment later.

"That girl mentioned the Silver Crystal..." Mamoru was in the middle of thinking. He and Usagi pulled Azula up to her feet. "And she looked like she knew you, Usagi."

"Well we could have known that by the fact they share the same name," Azula rubbed her stomach in circles. "Usagi, you don't know her?"

Usagi huffed. "I would remember her!"

"We should find her nonetheless," Mamoru declared and already looked around for the girl.

"Yes," agreed Azula, "And then bill her for my medical expenses."

The three went around the park looking together for Chibiusa. Since the park wasn't that big they didn't have to search very long. Usagi spotted the girl sitting in one of the swings on her own.

"She looks so lost," Mamoru remarked thoughtfully but was subjected by two very crossed girls beside him. He ignored them in favor of making talk with Chibiusa. "Hey, Chibiusa, are you lost?" Chibiusa's head snapped up and she shifted on her swing to see the three coming towards her. She looked ready to jump off and run again. "If you're lost, we can help you," Mamoru insisted. "We helped another little girl get back home so I'm sure we can do the same for you."

Chibiusa's face softened and for one moment she looked like a scared little girl. Mamoru extended a hand towards her and even though she doubted him for a second, Chibiusa took it. As soon as their hands touched, Mamoru saw a rush of images in his mind.

A crystallized palace under a terrible dark sky; something glowed at its center in the air; a familiar girl cried 'Mommy'!'.

"Mamo-chan, she might pull a real gun this time," Usagi muttered from behind him, unknowingly snapping him out of the weird trance of images.

"I don't know, she seems pretty normal..." he based his his judgement on the still girl in his arms.

Azula had something to say about that. "That's what you said about Reyna and where did that get us? Oh, right, with some freaky future Sailor Guardian."

"Reyna..." Chibiusa suddenly said with such sadness that it made all three stop and stare.

"Did she just say Reyna...?" Usagi whispered.

"Mhm," Azula nodded, her eyes narrowing suspiciously on the girl.

"Do you happen to know Reyna?" Mamoru saw no danger in asking. "Small girl, ginger hair, green eyes?"

"Attitude, kind of annoying, not that good of a drawer?" added Azula. Chibiusa shot her a small glare and refused to answer. Azula raised an eyebrow at her and shook her head. "You know what? I'm not doing this again. You" — she pointed to Usagi and Mamoru — "can deal with the falling kid this time. I'm out."

"Azula—"

"Nope. I got theories to work on," Azula motioned to her partially dirty notebook now. "Good luck." She gave a wave with her hand and started leaving as fast as possible before any other kids decided to drop from the sky on her.

~0~

The next day, Azula was presenting her theories to Meroko and Asteria in the Crown Fruit cafe. The two sisters sat across from Azula who was flanked by Ami and Minako. Rei and Makoto were in the process of ordering something from the display glass up front.

"Is it possible that if she's a Sailor Guardian too that we could just trigger her awakening?"

"We are not trying to find a Sailor Guardian, we are trying to find our Princess," Asteria responded with the usual coldness and snappiness she wore.

"But this would make it easier, genius," Azula snapped back. "Just like you were triggered we could do the same for Reign and your other comrades."

"Azula, Reign wasn't allowed to practice," Meroko disclosed what Asteria wouldn't. She ignored Asteria's disapproving stare and continued to explain. "She was in constant danger. We couldn't allow her to show off that she was a Sailor Guardian."

"So you never let her train?" Minako gaped. "That's horrible!"

"No, it was a precaution," Asteria corrected, affronted.

"But not allowing her to fully grasp her powers was a bigger danger!"

"She didn't need to practice because she had Guardians around her!"

"And that worked out how well, again?" Azula asked calmly. She almost smirked when Asteria huffed.

"I need a drink." Asteria slid out of the booth and walked to the counter.

"Your sister doesn't like hearing the truth much, does she?" Azula went back to the theories on the table.

"It's hard knowing that we failed," Meroko spoke quietly.

"But this the chance to get her back so we shouldn't think about what you didn't do," Ami spoke up after reading off a paper.

"Hey, it's Usagi," Minako pointed at the blonde who walked in with a face of dread. "I wonder what's wrong?"

"Oh, I might know," Azula smirked and started gathering the papers on the table. As she suspected, Usagi was upset and frustrated over Chibiusa who had somehow gained a place at Usagi's house and even became one of the members of her family — literally.

"Isn't that what Reyna did too?" Rei asked before sipping from her milkshake.

"Yup," Azula closed the folder in front of her. "As far as my Dad and Keiko knew, Reyna was my little sister. She, like, brainwashed them or something."

"That's exactly what Chibiusa did!" Usagi groaned.

"Do you think they're from the same place?" Makoto wondered with a finger against her chin.

"Or related?" added Minako.

"Could be," Ami thought about it for a moment. "If they exhibit similar behavioral patterns as well as similar abilities, then..."

"Well, unlike Reyna, Chibiusa doesn't do a lot of talking," sighed Usagi. "I asked her questions last night but instead I got in trouble for picking on her."

"She is just a child, after all," Meroko inputted. "We have to be cautious."

"A child is still capable of being an enemy," Asteria remarked as she returned to the table with a milkshake in hand — she discovered blueberry milkshakes — and sat back down in her spot. "Don't let age fool you. If the child has intentions, and they're dark, she will carry them out and use her biggest advantages against her enemies."

"For once I agree with Frost over here," Usagi sighed and rested a hand on her cheek. "Chibiusa is hiding something. I know she is."

"So was I when it came to Reyna and it turned out she was from the future," Azula reminded her. "Asteria makes some sense. Just because these are children, doesn't mean they don't hold information that could hurt us."

"I think we're forgetting that Reyna was guarded and protected by the future version of Sailor Circe," Meroko pointed out, making her stance on these kids more than clear. "And if Chibiusa is from the same time and place, who's to say she didn't fall under the same protection from a different Sailor Guardian?"

"I swear to God, children complicate everything. It's why I'm not having any," Azula promised as she got up to go order something.

"That's what you said about never having a boyfriend and you've had two," Minako remarked.

"Shut up," Azula pointed and walked off.

Usagi didn't want to bother about Chibiusa for a while and so she focused on their other, bigger problem instead. "So, what's new with Reign?"

"Azula was showing us the theories she came up with," Ami was happy to help with moving subjects. She pushed the manila folder - left behind by Azula - so that Usagi could take a look. "They're interesting and possibly useful."

"Wow, Azula got straight to work," Usagi's eyes widened a bit at the notes scribbled in front of her.

"Which is more than can be said for you," Asteria didn't fail to remark. "It's a shame, really, that the Moon Princess turns out to be less useful than a human."

Usagi growled and gripped the papers in her hands. Meroko sighed from her seat and turned to to her sister. "Asteria, why don't you go home? I know you were having trouble with that Calculus homework Nano gave us today."

"Whatever," Asteria rolled her eyes. She took a sip from her milkshake and got out from the booth.

"I know she's your sister but does she have to be so rude?" Usagi didn't notice she was still gripping the papers in her hands. "I have a lot to deal with and I don't have to take such rudeness from her!"

"Usagi, I swear to God, you better not rip my notes," Azula startled the blonde behind her chair.

"Ah!" Usagi quickly let go of the papers when she realized how white her fingers were. "Sorry," she apologized and gathered up the papers. "Asteria just got to me."

"Tune her out," Azula took a seat beside Again and Makoto, smiling sneakily. "That's what I've learned to do."

"Alright, enough," Meroko understood her sister had a harder personality but it didn't mean she liked people talking about her. "So the theory about triggering Reign's awakening - it's a good idea but Reign never truly practiced her powers. If anything, we should be looking at the things that she most cared about."

"Like what?" asked Minako.

"The Shadow Dominion, of course," Meroko shrugged.

"You really think that's what Reign loved most?" Makoto raised an eyebrow, her face spelling utter doubt.

"It has to be. It was her main responsibility."

"Responsibilities aren't always loved, you know," Azula mumbled and sucked on her straw.

"Perhaps we could make a list?" Ami suggested.

"Yeah, fine," Meroko shrugged.

"Waiting a second," Rei tilted her head. "How long did Reign live with the human Kingdom? Because if it was long, then it's possible maybe Mamoru or even Usagi can add new things to the list."

"I doubt it," Meroko shook her head but Usagi agreed with Rei.

"Mamoru remembered Reign calling him her friend. You said she didn't have friends!"

"Well, she was locked in the palace—"

"Exactly, so maybe Mamo-chan actually knows more than you," Usagi dared to believe. "Friends confide in each other."

"You're implying he was closer to our Princess than we were," Meroko frowned, looking much like Asteria had most of the afternoon. "That's ridiculous."

"I don't think so," Rei said casually and ignored Meroko's short glare. "If she was locked away by her own guardians and treated as just the princess, then I can see Reign confiding in someone else besides than you four."

"Before you literally explode—" Azula shot Meroko a concerned glance since the brunette was going red in the face, "—how's about you and Asteria make that list about Reign and Mamoru can make his? Plain and simple. We all want the same thing after all which is to find Reign before Senka does."

"Fine," Meroko leaned back in her seat. "But you're not gonna have anything better than what Asteria and I are gonna have."

"Wow," Azula snorted, "Spoken like a true, mature Sailor Scout."

"Oh, shut up!"

~0~

"You want me to...what now?" Mamoru stared at the empty notepad in front of him that Usagi had placed for him.

Usagi groaned and went back to explain their new plan they had made in the café shop. "We need to show them that Reign confided in you more than her Scouts."

"And you're okay with that?" because Mamoru was in reality surprised Usagi hadn't thrown a jealousy fit over this other Princess.

Usagi crossed her arms and thought about it herself for a second. "Well, it's not exactly in my favorites right now but I hate Asteria more."

"She's...a complicated one..." Mamoru agreed. "Even in the past Reign would complain about that."

Usagi blinked and got on the couch with him. "Really?"

"Yeah. I remembered something about that last night. She told me about her guardians, every single one. Sailor Hemera was the Scout she seemed closest too but...I don't know, then Reign sometimes felt like she couldn't trust in Hemera because of the duties separating them."

"How awful," Usagi said. Perhaps this was another reason why she wasn't as jealous as everyone thought she'd be. Princess Reign had not expressed any affectionate feelings for Endymion in the past. If anything, it looked like Reign searched for a friend. "I remember I was still really good friends with everyone in Silver Millennium. Sure, the girls knew they had duties but we were still actual friends."

"I guess it was just too formal with them," Mamoru shrugged. He thought about his Generals and recalled that while being slightly more formal than Usagi's court, there was still a type of friendship between them. "So...you want me to prove that Reign confided in me more than her actual Scouts?"

Usagi clapped her hands together with a beaming smile. "You would be the best boyfriend!"

~0~

Under a gloomy sky, Azula walked into the local elementary school intending on finding her sister, Keiko, who worked in the office as a secretary. She pulled her green coat closer to her when she started feeling more of the chilly wind that just screamed rain was coming. She was sure she'd heard some distant thunder crackling in the sky on her way from the café. She hoped it wouldn't rain at least until Keiko and she got back home.

Azula pushed open the metal gate of the school's entrance and started down the cobblestone pathway. She came to an abrupt stop when she spotted a familiar pink-haired girl lonesomely sitting on a blue bench. Azula glanced around for anyone of Usagi's family before turning directions.

"Chibiusa?" she called. Chibiusa looked up from her lap and Azula was witness to a plain sad face. "I guess you got yourself integrated into Usagi's family but didn't remember you'd be going to school, huh? Not the bargain you were looking for, I imagine."

Chibiusa's thin eyebrows knitted together in mild annoyance. "Do you know if Usagi is coming for me?"

Azula was sure Usagi was with Mamoru probably coming up with that list they'd settled on earlier. "Um, was she supposed to pick you up?"

Chibiusa gave a shrug of her shoulders. "I don't know. I think so. But she probably forgot."

"Give her credit. Yesterday, she didn't have a 'cousin' who lived with her," Azula gave the girl a significant look. "You may have hypnotized her family but you're not getting away with having Usagi too."

The sound of thunder cracking hard made Chibiusa jump from the bench, her fingers becoming white as they gripped onto her backpack's straps. Azula observed the obvious fear in the girl with silence.

"Afraid of thunder?"

Chibiusa nodded her head.

"It's not that bad. There's only like a one in a billion chance of you getting struck by lightning," Azula stopped when Chibiusa did another gasp. "I...am not good with kids, even time-travelling kids."

"You know...?" Chibiusa stiffened and Azula noticed how Chibiusa's hand reached up to a silver necklace around her neck. It held a familiar silver key with a heart shaped handle, along with a silver crystal Azula couldn't quite see.

"I was 98% sure but you just confirmed it so thanks for that," Azula could not help herself and flashed Chibiusa a smug smile.

Chibiusa, in all her childish faces, stomped her foot and moved towards Azula. Her attempt to seem threatening was rudely interrupted by another round of thunder in the sky. She jumped and instead ended up falling on Azula who abruptly caught her.

"Seriously?" Azula laughed as she was forced a couple steps back from the force. "I'm just gonna have to carry a sign on me that says 'not a cushion'.'

Chibiusa didn't pay attention. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her arms were gripping Azula's waist. It was then that Azula felt her shaking. It was hard being detached when the girl was so clearly scared.

"Hey, kid, look, it's just thunder..." Azula realized those weren't the most comforting words but what else could she say?

"Azula?" Keiko startled the two. Chibiusa turned sideways to see the taller adult woman. "Who's this?"

"Uuh... Usagi's cousin..." Azula warned Chibiusa not to try anything on her sister, especially that hypnosis trick of hers.

"Adorable," Keiko smiled at Chibiusa then looked to Azula. "Dad says he's gonna wait for us at the restaurant so we should hurry up."

"Um..." Azula had planned on coming to the school with a good excuse on why she couldn't have dinner with her father and sister but with Chibiusa she'd forgotten to make one up. Luckily, Azula thought fast on her feet. "I can't. Usagi's family had an emergency and they asked if I could babysit Chibiusa."

"What?" Chibiusa frowned up at Azula but the red-haired girl went 'shhh' in her direction.

"Oh, what happened?" Keiko quickly looked to Chibiusa for the explanation.

"Usagi, that clutz," Azula chuckled. "Tripped on her own feet." That excuse made Chibiusa smile. "Nothing serious but I still have to look after Chibiusa."

"Alright then," Keiko nodded, completely understanding. "Well I'm gonna leave you by the apartment since it looks ready to rain at any moment now. Let's go."

Chibiusa tried speaking up even as Azula pulled her with them. "But Usagi was—"

"If you stay quiet and play along you can have my chocolate stash," Azula whispered. "Future kids still like chocolate, right?"

The great smirk on Chibiusa's face said it all.

~0~

"Are you sure you can do that? Or want to do that?" Usagi couldn't help make the face she was after hearing Azula say she would be taking care of Chibiusa for the night....and also being told to say she'd been in the hospital if anyone asked.

"Look, it's better than being forced to have a fake fancy dinner with my Dad and Keiko. You and Mamoru just focus on getting that list done for tomorrow. I'll call you guys later! Bye!" Azula hung up on the call.

Usagi placed the phone back in its holder and turned back to Mamoru. "So somehow Chibiusa found a way to nestle into Azula's home. I'm telling you that girl - Mamo-chan?" she noticed that her words weren't exactly registering with him. He was just...staring into space.

Two swords clanged when they touched sides. Reign had a smug face behind her enchantment as she pushed her sword ahead, its tip missing Endymion's face by inches.

"I told you I was good," she said, mildly breathless.

"You are unorthodox," Endymion remarked, though he was no longer surprised.

With a laugh, Reign pulled back her sword and used it only to point at him. "This coming from the Earth Prince secretly meeting with a Moon Princess while also housing the secret Shadow Princess. Yeah, I'm the unorthodox person here."

"Easy there, Reign, I could give the orders to my Generals to cease practice with you..."

Reign laughed again. "Sure. But you won't."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm your friend and friends don't do that to each other. That's what Serenity says."

Endymion paused, confused for a second. "What - you've talked to Serenity? When!?"

Reign innocently fixed her hair behind her shoulders. "She doesn't always come to see you."

This time Endymion laughed. Reign took her chance to begin sword fighting again. She yielded her sword and went in again, but of course her lack of experience made it easier for Endymion to catch her off guard. His sword clanged as it hit hers but it then swiftly moved underneath and with his force he pushed her backwards. Reign fell on the ground with a slash on her left arm.

"Reign!" Endymion panicked and dropped his sword. He quickly went to help the Princess who was laughing at the incident. "Reign, you're hurt—"

"It's okay, watch," Reign had pushed his hands from her and gestured him to watch the cut on his arm.

Little by little, the cut on her arm began to seal away as if it had never been there in the first place. Endymion was in shock but Reign was quite used to it.

"She could heal herself," Mamoru remembered and quickly jotted it down. "She had super healing abilities!"

Beside him, Usagi asked for an explanation of what he saw.

~0~

Azula and Chibiusa ate take-out together in Azula's family's apartment. It was silent except for the crunching and mushing of their food. After Chibiusa finished, she made a clearing of her throat that, on the first time, Azula didn't understand its meaning. When Chibiusa cleared her throat a second time she motioned to her mouth. "Chocolate?"

"Oh," Azula got out from her chair and went to the kitchen cabinets. "You can't tell anyone, alright?" she warned Chibiusa as she took out a jar with 'keratin vitamins' printed on its front side.

"What's Keratin?" Chibiusa leaned over the table and squinted her eyes to get a better look. "And where's my chocolate?"

Azula pulled the lid off and surprised Chibiusa by pulling out a chocolate bar. "Right here, kid." She walked back to the table and set the jar down on the table. She slid the chocolate bar to Chibiusa and watched in amusement as Chibiusa practically stuck her face into the jar. "Yeah, my Dad's pretty big on sweets and he limits them so I had to come up with smart ways to eat some. Keratin vitamins is for your hair but I just stick my candy in there. He'll never look into it."

Chibiusa laughed as she took a seat again. "That's sneaky."

"But smart," Azula tool the jar back to the kitchen, but not before taking out a chocolate bar for herself.

"You don't get along with your parents either, huh?"

The question made Azula stop just as she opened the cabinet to return the jar. "Um...I mean..." she slowly placed the bar on the shelf and closed the cabinet door. "I love my Dad, I do, and I know he loves me too, but...most of the time we don't see eye to eye." She came back to the table and took a seat in the chair next to Chibiusa. "I mean, he's a businessman and he has ideas for me that I don't quite...agree with."

"Like what?" Chibiusa busied herself by unwrapping the chocolate bar.

"Well, he wants me to take over the business he has with the Furuhatas when I grow up. We're part owners of the arcade and the cafe the girls and I go to. Keiko's already in training but that's still just an intern. It's why she works at your school still. I don't really see myself as a business woman."

"What do you want to be?"

"I want to do research," Azula began smiling without realizing it. Chibiusa quietly ate her chocolate and really stared at Azula. "Specifically, space research. Ever since the Sailor Scouts arrived, I'm really interested in knowing what else is out there in the galaxies."

Chibiusa dared, for a second, to believe that perhaps Azula had the Legendary Silver Crystal but the idea lasted for a millisecond because of new, stronger thunder crashing down on the city. She jumped in her chair and quickly went to hide under the table.

"Kid, come on out of there," Azula backed her chair a bit to see Chibiusa. "It's really just thunder. Look, come out," she held a hand out and because more thunder cracked Chibiusa latched onto it like her life depended on it. "There's this game that my Mom used to play with me when I was small and there were thunderstorms."

"You were afraid too?" Chibiusa spoke softly.

Azula smiled. "Yeah, once upon a time until I figured out the odds were with me. But see, all you have to do is count is to ten."

"And then the thunder is supposed to sound farther away," Chibiusa finished as she understood perfectly how the game was meant to go.

"Oh?" Azula raised an eyebrow, "So you know the game?"

Chibiusa nodded, her voice quieting down. The sadness and plain fear Chibiusa wore made Azula falter for a moment. It reminded her that while mysterious, Chibiusa was still just a child...and she was a child who was afraid of the dark.

"Chibiusa, where are your parents?" Azula asked with all honesty, and Chibiusa knew it. It was not a demand, it was not to gather information. Azula simply wanted to know how parents could leave Chibiusa on her own like this. "I know Reyna traveled back here without her parents' consent—"

"Reyna's okay, alright?" Chibiusa had cut her off rather defensively which caught Azula off guard. "She's fine!" she ran off into Azula's room and closed the door.

"Why do they always go into my room?" Azula mumbled and sighed.

~0~

"It's the Shadow Crystal that allows me to heal rapidly," Princess Reign explained while she and Endymion took a walk in the palace's gardens. "It grants me all these abilities that I secretly use."

"Secretly?" Endymion caught on fast.

"My mother disapproves of my usage of the crystal."

"But I didn't see the Shadow Crystal when you healed yourself..."

Reign came to a slow stop and faced Endymion with an indescribable expression. "You have been my friend for a while now, my only friend actually besides Serenity, and so I feel like I can trust you. The Shadow Crystal is inside me. I guard it with every fiber of my being."

"That sounds...like a true burden," Endymion knew that it had to be part of the reason why Reign always carried herself with such dread and caution.

"It's part of it," Reign agreed. "The Crystal's main power is what can drive people against me."

"You say it like it's already happened...."

"We call it the tale of the Forbidden Soldier," Reign bit her lip. Apparently even the name made her nervous. "And then a powerful force heard about my power. It was why we fled to safety. It destroyed our planet and nearly our entire people."

Usagi wasn't sure what Mamoru was seeing but she did know it had to be a lot judging by how fast he scribbling down each time he got out of his trance.

~ 0 ~

Azula slowly unlocked her bedroom door as quietly as possible. She suspected Chibiusa was fast asleep since there'd been no noise for quite a while now. Azula poked her head inside and, sure enough, spotted Chibiusa on her bed quite asleep. The pink-haired girl was clutching that ball of hers she named 'LunaP'.

"Knew it," Azula barely got to say when she noticed Chibiusa's face was scrunched up like she was having a nightmare. "Chibiusa?"

"No, no, I'm so sorry - Reyna! It's my fault I-I - NO!"

Azula felt something weird in the pit of her stomach when she heard Reyna's name. Chibiusa sounded terrified, and the way she had said Reyna's name implied true guilt and despondency. "What happened?"

She ran out of the room and went straight for her phone in the living room. She dialed Usagi's number fast and could barely contain herself when the line was picked on. Azula explained what had happened with Chibiusa and how she'd heard Chibiusa's dream word.

"She knows Reyna for sure. And I think something may have happened to her!" Azula ran a hand through her hair, "And it's bad."

"We'll figure that out, I promise," Usagi reassured from the end of the line. "I knew that Chibiusa was hiding something. I just knew it!"

"Yeah, but how are we gonna make Chibiusa tell us what she knows?"

"We'll figure out a way, I promise. Look, if it helps you in any way, Mamo-chan found something incredible or...he remembered it, I guess, about Reign. Something super important, secret... something that none of her Scouts knew."

"What is it?" Azula curiously asked and attentively listened to what Usagi had to say. When it was done, Azula's face practically fell of shock

~0~

Meroko and Asteria both sat in one side of a booth with arms crossed and straight faces. One note pad stood between them on the table.

"You think you know Reign more than we do?" Asteria demanded, clearly still not buying such a thing.

Mamoru, Usagi and Azula all sat on the other side of the booth, each completely matching with their smug smirks. Beside the booth were the rest of the girls anxiously waiting to see the results of this little competition.

"Yes, completely," Mamoru nodded and the fact that he seemed so certain, even kind of smug, made Meroko weary.

"Welli?" Asteria motioned to see the notepad.

"Oh, what I know should never be written down anywhere," Mamoru said quietly, "It should barely even be talked about."

This time, both Meroko and Asteria glanced at each other with the same confusion.

"Um, okay," Meroko said slowly, "Can...can we just know what it is already?"

"Now," Asteria demanded.

Mamoru smirked. "I know the way into the Shadow Dominion."

The statement made both sisters freeze. Neither of them knew the way to the infamous realm. Reign had never told them such a secret. In fact, they were sure that it had to be forbidden to even talk about it. It made no sense that someone like Mamoru would know the way.

And yet, Mamoru went on like he hadn't just uttered the most important statement in their lives. He knew that whatever the two sisters had written down on their notepads about Reign would never top the information that he knew. "It's the reason why Reign was reincarnated in the first place. Without her in existence, the Gates of the Shadow Dominion can't keep hold. Why? Because the way to the Shadow Dominion is through Reign herself. She wasn't just a person, she was a portal."

#ocappreciation #allaboutocs #ochub #fd: sailor moon #sailor moon #sailor moon crystal #sailor moon fics #sailor moon imagines #sailor moon ocs #sailormoonocs #sailor moon crystal fics #sailor moon crystal imagines #oc: azula keena #fic: reign from the shadows

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