Paradox

I know that I know nothing

However, none of the three had any idea that Kinmoku operated on a completely different sense of time than Earth. There, not just 16 months had passed, but a little over 16 years, during which Bunny and her friends had experienced significant changes.

Since the last major battle against Galaxia, there had been peace on Earth, at least concerning monsters and demons. During this peaceful time, Bunny and her friends had gradually matured and moved on to new phases of life. Bunny, who had always dreamed of a rosy future, married her true love Mamoru right after graduating from school. Their daughter, Chibiusa, quickly followed. The little girl had grown into a determined teenager who knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it.

Unfortunately, Bunny's marriage didn't turn out to be the fairy tale she had always dreamed of. The harsh reality of everyday life showed its claws relentlessly. Mamoru now worked as a doctor, often at the clinic and pulling endless shifts to care for his patients. Meanwhile, Bunny increasingly felt lonely and misunderstood, trapped in a golden cage of her own expectations. The days once filled with love and romance had turned into a monotonous routine of obligations and loneliness.

They had tried for a long time to save their relationship. Shared time together, couples therapy, and countless well-meaning advice from friends and family—nothing seemed to help. The constant arguments and growing alienation had taken a toll on both of them. Finally, they realized they couldn't continue. In one last, mature act of affection, they decided to part ways amicably, especially for Chibiusa's sake.

Chibiusa herself needed some time to adjust to her parents' separation and the new circumstances of her life. The family life she knew had shattered, but with time, she discovered her own strength and learned to use the new situation to her advantage. Skillfully, she played her parents against each other to achieve her own goals and used the new dynamics to assert her will.

Just like today.

"Mama, are you taking me to school today? It looks like it's going to rain," Chibiusa called out into the hallway, deliberately taking her time getting ready. She knew she could persuade her mother to take her.

"No, Chibiusa, I'm already running late myself, and besides, you have an umbrella," Bunny called back, rushing through the kitchen. Her daughter's eyes reflected a mixture of annoyance and cunning as she adjusted her odangos and took a final look in the mirror before entering the kitchen as well.

"Oh come on. Papa always drives me when it looks like rain," she said, putting on a sympathetic look. But her mother remained undeterred and walked past her.

"I said no. I should have left five minutes ago. Damn it, where is that stupid key again?" Frustration was evident in Bunny's voice, and the morning stress momentarily caused her to lose her composure.

The teenager sighed and skillfully retrieved the car key from under a stack of newspapers.

"Do you mean this one? Maybe you can make a small detour to school now? I've saved you at least 20 minutes of searching," she said triumphantly, swinging the key on her finger. Bunny, slightly annoyed by now, hastily took the key from her daughter and looked at her seriously.

"Alright, but only if you're ready right now. I can't wait any longer... and before you ask, I'm not picking you up later," she finally relented.

Chibiusa, knowing she had won, grabbed her school bag and headed for the door.

"I'm ready... and you don't have to pick me up, Papa said he would do it later," she chirped happily, heading straight for the small car.

Bunny sighed deeply as she watched her daughter leave. The morning was just another reminder of how much her life had changed. Whether for better or worse, she couldn't say for sure, but her daughter was the best thing that had ever happened to her. At least in that regard, she was certain, even though the teenager often frazzled her last nerves.