Title: Araiia's Return Part Seven
Author: Ausaziko, your pal from the world of fanfics
E-mail: BijinBunny@aol.com
And if that doesn't work: Usaziko@hotmail.com
Rating: PG

Author's Notes: Hey, everybody! I'm sorry I haven't written in so long...
tests, schedules, volunteer work... you know, the typical
eighth-grade-year-end stuff. Any-hoo-hoo-dilly, Let's get on with the story!
I guess you could say this is actually where you find out more about the
mercurial (that's *not* a play on Mercury - it means that a person is quick
in changing their emotions) 12-year-old our Araiia is. Respectfully, this
particular part of the story gives you a little hit of first-person
perspective. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I know my calculus! It says Sailor! Plus sign! Moon! Equals sign!
Naoko's! Of course, Sailor Moon's not mine, and niether is that crazy song.
^_^

***

The former Sailor Soldiers, who had been accompanied to the temple by Darien,
sat in a circle around the fire. I glanced around the room.

'All familiar faces... wow...' my mind trailed as I stared at the pendant in my
hands. It had materialized shortly after my detransformation.

"Would somebody *please* start explaining?" Rei finally exploded. "I can't
take this silence!"

Tears welled up in my eyes as one of my homesickness pangs arose again. "You
know what, Rei?" I said shakily, my eyes seemingly boring a hole into that
waterdrop pendant.

"What?!" Rei screamed at me, looking as though she regretted it as soon as
she saw my face. I slowly looked up, the tears finally spilling over.

"Your daughter is just like you." I smiled weakly and looked at everyone
else.  "I guess we should get started."

Lita and Mina, on either side of me, draped their arms over my shoulder.
"Whatever it is you want, girl, we can probably help you out... since you're
one of us," Lita assured me.

"Yeah," Mina chimed in. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." My blue pools
widened in astonishment.

"MiMi... you got it right!" Mina stared at me in disbelief. "You know my
nickname," she stated flatly.

"Yeah, I remember it from... okay, now we really have to get started." I took a
deep breath before starting. "I just want to clarify a few things here first.
Serena," I glanced toward the blond, "your identities are as follows..." I
closed my eyes for a brief second.

"Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity, and Neo Queen Serenity?" Serena nodded
slowly. I continued, "Darien, you're Tuxedo Mask, Prince Endymion, and... um...
oh yeah, King Endymion. Silly of me to forget. And each of you Four
Guardians, or inner soldiers as we called you guys back home, are Sailor
Soldiers and princesses of your respective planets: Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and
Mercury. Am I correct?"

Nods all around. The room was completely silent.

I sighed. "You guys, I can't explain this to you if you don't loosen up. Like
you, Darien. I'm not blaming it on you, but as soon as I asked for your help,
you tightened up and played dumb," I pointed out. I closed my eyes once again
in an attempt to calm myself down. "If we're going to have this talk, we
can't keep secrets from each other and we can't lie. Got it?"

*******************************************************************

Darien stared at the young girl in disbelief. 'How could someone as young as
her be so wise? She's got more guts than me...'

Ami was shocked. She hadn't said a word since they all had detransformed. 'I
know her... she IS my daughter. Araiia Mizuno, the Princess of Mercury after I
had become queen. And her father... that skunk!' Ami shook her head quickly,
trying to clear her mind of that thought. She couldn't think of him... he had
ruined her life...

"I was sent here by Sailor Soldier Pluto, guardian of all time and space, to
see if you knew me, and also to train you."

"Train US?!" Rei exploded one more time. Araiia glanced at her.

"Cool it, pyro," she said smoothly. "Darien, I know that you saw my sigil in
the car, which is why I tried to leave so quickly. Serena, I'm not trying to
make a move on your husband by staying with him. He offered just so he could
study me and see if you all sensed what he did when he first met me. So I'm
like his little sister now. Everybody got that so far?" Araiia finally took
the time to breathe.

"Before you ask any questions, I know you inners have had doubts about your
futures. You knew how Serena's future was going to go, how her children were
going to turn out. Mina, Lita, Rei, you all have daughters too. I've been
able to communicate with them in my mind, but I can't transport them here
now. Ever since I've been trying to get here from Omiya, my energy level
isn't too good. But it helps that I could change minds to get a few free
meals after I ran out of money." She smiled.

"What's my daughter's name?" Lita asked curiously.

"Perja. She's so pretty too, looks just like you. And LOVES to cook. Just
desserts though. And let me tell you, she's GREAT at it!" Araiia babbled, her
mouth watering at the thought of one of Perja's delicious cream pies. 'Oh,
yeah...'

She snapped back to reality. "Mina, your daughter's name is Denni, and she
just recently put an orange streak in her hair... we're trying to convince her
that it looks weird with blond. And Rei, your daughter's name is Najla," she
continued.

"Araiia Mizuno..." Ami spoke for the first time since the battle. "Wait, I've
got to have proof." She dug out her mini palmtop data computer and flipped up
the cover in one swift move. Furrowing her eyebrows, she studied her daughter
and tapped a few choice keys into the small machine.

"DNA matches, features match..."

"Hey, Mom, can you use that thing as a lie detector too?" Araiia asked
casually.

Ami sat upright, not used to being called Mom. "Um, no..."

"Can you at least use it to detect future attacks? Or give people special
abilities for a limited amount of time?"

"The first one I can do... sometimes." Ami briefly remembered the time the
NegaVerse tried to steal energy from a few elementary school kids.

"You need an upgrade. Can I see?" Araiia took the computer in her hands and
did a quick once-over of everything on the data computer. Sensing eyes on her
neck, she whirled around, spotting Rei and her deathly glare.

"Hold on, Ami," Araiia said, floating over to Rei. She bravely looked the
young miko (AN: remember, in the manga, it said a young priestess like Rei is
called a miko in Japanese!) in the eye and began to speak.

"Rei, I really don't want to be on bad terms with you. Najla's one of my best
friends, and it'd really piss her off if her mom didn't like me, plus I
really want to get to know you. We actually have a lot in common," she added.

Rei softened a little bit. "I'm listening."

"Well, I can read fire too, but not as well as Najla can. My specialties are
water and
ice, obviously," Araiia said, motioning to Ami. She continued to look around
the room at Serena and Darien happily cuddling together, and Mina and Lita
chattering away while Ami was smiling with them. "Believe it or not, I was
trained by the soldiers Neptune and Uranus."

Rei was impressed. She raised her eyebrows. "You must be very talented then.
It makes me curious how you have all these advanced powers... and you came to
train US?"

"Yes," Araiia replied, nodding. "The only reason I have advanced powers and
the ability to handle magic... well, that's because my friends and I are the
next generation of Sailor Soldiers. Rei," she said, turning to face the
concerned brunette, "we have to be prepared for whatever's going to hit us.
There *is* a NegaVerse in addition to a Black Moon family in the future, and
they're working together to kill us all. What would have happened, Rei, if I
hadn't shown up tonight? You guys would all be dead. And of course without
our mothers, none of us *new* Sailor Soldiers would survive. That's why we
need you. Beryl's daughter, Bianka, is also teaming up with the Black Moon
Family of the next generation too."

All activity in the room had ceased as everyone hung on the the young
blue-haired beauty's every word.

'She's right,' Darien thought. He continued to listen along with everyone
else, unknown to Araiia.

"I also came back to find out exactly who I am. Ever since I was reborn, I
knew I was different. These tattoos," she pointed to her arm, "are
birthmarks. I was born with them. I had no idea who I was, my only clues
being what I knew about my past and what I knew about my future. My earth
mother had died. Her last words to me were 'respect your individuality and
follow your heart, Raia..."

Serena cleared her throat and looked at the clock. "Only 7:30? I thought it'd
be like... 10 or 11 or something," she said absently.

"Well, I'm going to go," Araiia said. She turned to Darien and gave him a
slight smile. "I'll wait for you at the pad while you guys stay here and
gossip about me."

Lita stood up and raised her fist in the air. "I declare a sleepover!" she
half-shouted, which roused cheers from the girls. Darien gave Serena a quick
kiss and stood up.

"Which means," he added, "that I would be the one leaving."

"It's gotta be at my place, so we're all leaving," Lita pointed out quickly.
Then she started planning. "Mina, since your stuff is already at my place
anyways, you come with me. Rei, you start getting ready now, and Darien, you
take Serena and..."

"Raia," Araiia cut in.

"... home so they can get their stuff," Lita finished.

"Um, Lita, I don't think I already pointed out that... um... I don't carry a
bag. I use magic...?"

"Oh. Well then, come with me."

"Uh-kay," Araiia shrugged. See ya, Darien!"

Ending Notes: So how was it? I trust all my faithful e-mailers will tell me.
It's okay. You don't *have* to say you liked it. Araiia was sent to Serena's
time to train her fellow Sailor Soldiers and possibly build up some of her
traits inside them, but... guess you'll have to wait for that one. ::blows a
kiss:: Hee hee!

Arigato for reading, and neva act your age!

Ziko-chan