Wavering Destiny

Chapter 23: Crisis

Everyone stared at her in surprise. In the middle of their heated discussion, none of them had expected Hotaru to appear in the doorway.

Hotaru clutched the basket in her hands. "Sorry," she apologized, looking down at the floor. "I didn't think anyone was home, so I let myself in." Her gaze moved nervously between them. "Is this...a bad time?"

Michiru was sitting on the sofa with her legs crossed, Setsuna sat in the chair nearby, and Haruka stood against the wall with her arms folded in front of her chest. For a moment, no one answered.

They exchanged glances, probably debating whether or not to tell her.

Setsuna finally spoke. "She is part of this too. She has the right to know."

Haruka's jaw tightened, but she gave a short nod. Michiru nodded as well, though she still looked uneasy.

Hotaru crossed the room and seated herself beside Michiru on the sofa. Tension seemed to hang in the air, heavy. She set the picnic basket of cookies on the floor by her feet and folded her hands in her lap.

"What's going on?" she asked again.

Haruka sighed and brought her fingers to her forehead. Her voice came out strained. "Something has happened with the future."

Hotaru blinked. She was secretly relieved they had not been arguing about her, as silly as that seemed. But maybe that would have been better.

"The...future?" she repeated.

"Hotaru," Michiru began, looking uncomfortable, "you remember the Starlights? How close Fighter was to Sailor Moon?"

What did that have to do with anything? Hotaru pursed her lips as she recalled the Starlights. She had not known them very well, but it was hard to miss the way Seiya looked at Usagi.

"Yes," Hotaru said. "We made them stay away from each other after we found out who they really were. But they still found ways to see each other."

"That's one way of putting it," Haruka muttered.

Michiru gave her a look before turning back to Hotaru. "Last week, Sailor Moon and the others went to the Starlights' planet."

"Their planet?" Hotaru asked, sitting up a little straighter. "Why? Was something wrong?"

"No," Michiru said. "At least, I do not think so. It seemed as though they were only visiting. But they kept it from us, and now..." She trailed off.

Hotaru looked from Michiru to Setsuna. "Now what?"

Michiru chose her words carefully. "From what we can tell, Usagi and Seiya have gotten closer during their visit."

Hotaru sat very still. She couldn't imagine their princess with anyone other than Mamoru. That was how it had always been, wasn't it? Usagi and Mamoru. The Moon Princess and the Earth Prince.

But then she remembered something.

Back during the battle with Galaxia, she had asked Sailor Star Fighter if she loved Sailor Moon. Fighter had said yes. At the time, Saturn had thought it was painfully obvious. She just hadn't realized Sailor Moon might feel something too.

"That's..." Hotaru started, but the words didn't come.

Haruka's fist hit the wall, rattling the picture frames above her.

"Seiya," Haruka muttered, her voice low. "Of course."

"Haruka," Michiru warned softly.

"What? You saw the way she was with Usagi last year. Always pushing closer, always acting like rules didn't apply. I never trusted her."