Chapter Text
The ebony feline strode proudly towards dais. Once she’d reached its foot she gave a low, respectful bow.
“You’re Highness. I am honoured to be entering your service.”
“As am I to receive your service, Luna.” Queen Serenity’s voice was silky and gentle as moonlight. “At ease now.”
Luna raised her head and sat up while trying her best to maintain regal demeanour. Her efforts however, paled in comparison to the natural majesty of the Silver Queen before her.
“Luna, the Planet Mau has only ever sent its very best to serve in my court, has it not?”
“Indeed, your Highness.” Luna gave a small nod, hiding just how emphatic she felt.
“You, as I recall, were among the finest on your home world.”
Luna controlled her desire to blush. “Your Highness flatters me.”
“Luna, it is no mere flattery. Both you and Artemis distinguished yourselves on your home planet. Your evaluation scores were the highest in the history of Mau.”
Luna bowed her head again. “I was merely doing my best, your Highness.”
“Quite so. But your skill and aptitude have marked you out for a very…special assignment.”
Luna could hardly believe her ears. Could... Could this be it? Work in the royal court was the greatest ambition of every citizen of Planet Mau. And the highest office of all was that of the Queen’s royal advisor.
“Oh? Something special, your Highness?” Luna’s measured tone an complete composure impressed even herself.
The Queen gave an elegant nod.
“Yes. Luna, I want you...”
Pointed black ears slowly moved forwards, eagerly anticipating the argent monarch’s next words.
“...to be the Royal Advisor…”
Luna’s heart leapt!
“…to the Princess.”
Luna blinked, her mind totally blank even as Queen Serenity pressed on.
“Of course, Royal Advisor is simply the overarching title for your duties Luna. You shall be her keeper, her tutor, and her protector.”
Eventually Luna's mental faculties whirred back to life. “But... The Senshi-”
“The Senshi are her bodyguards. But they cannot train her mind, impart wisdom as she grows up, nor can they instruct her to be the best Princess, and Queen, she can possibly be. I shall of course take a hand in all that, but circumstances inevitably make it difficult for me to spend as much time with the Princess as would be ideal. In my absence the Princess’ wellbeing falls onto you.”
Luna felt a cold shiver run through her furry body. “Wh-What about Artemis?”
The Queen gave the tiniest of tiny laughs. “Artemis shall aid you in the management of the Princess’ bodyguards.”
“M-m-managing her bodyguards?”
“Of course. If you are to be in charge of the Princess then you will need to co-ordinate the Sailor Senshi too. Their own mentoring is almost of equal importance. But, capable as you are, even your great abilities could not perform such a task alone. Hence, Artemis shall aid you in that part of your duties. Nevertheless, the bulk of this job is best suited to you. And you alone.”
Luna was speechless.
"Oh, Luna,” the Queen sighed, fixing the feline with a look of admiration. “Your stoic dedication is truly an example to us all.”
“W-Wh-When does my mandate begin Highness,” Luna asked, her words coming out almost mechanically.
“Immediately. And it shall end only when Serenity has matured enough that your guidance is no longer required.”
Luna felt sick. That could take decades! Centuries even!
“Of course, I shall give you dispensation to retire should you pass away before then.”
The Queen’s joke aside, death seemed all too tempting to Luna right now.
“Now, I shall leave you to get better acquainted with your new charge.”
The Queen gave an elegant nod to some guards who proceeded to usher Luna to the Princess’s chambers. Luna braced herself and tried to appear calm and together. Nevertheless, she couldn’t quite suppress gulping as she actually entered the chambers.
Deciding that bravado was the best course of action, Luna held her head up proudly, puffed her chest out and began to speak.
“Greetings your Majesty. I am Luna. I have been assigned as your new Royal Advisor. Together we shall embark on a long and rewarding journey that will someday see you seated on your mother’s….throne…”
Luna deflated as she actually took in the chamber. In particular the blonde bun-headed teen softly snoring away at a table littered with crayons and childish drawings. Jaw slightly agape, Luna stealthily approached the sleeping girl, unsure how to proceed.
She decided for the time being to let her rest, in no small part as it'd give her a chance to get over the shock of her new assignment. Whilst the Princess was the darling of the Moon Kingdom, there was a persistent rumour that she was somewhat...scatterbrained. And yet, Luna was supposed to mould this girl into a queen? Then again, Luna mused, observing the softly snoring teen, perhaps it might not be that troublesome. Especially, if the Princess remained as fond of rest as she was currently.
Luna rolled her eyes. Like she would ever be that lucky.
“WAKE UP USAGI!”
The blonde bun-headed girl jerked to attention, her book falling from its propped up position.
“Luna! I was just... just resting my eyes for a moment.”
“You already ‘rested your eyes’ half the day at school! How many times do I have to tell you? Studying is a vital part of being a Sailor Senshi. Your mind must be as honed as...”
Usagi munched down a pork bun from the stack she had placed on her desk.
“... your body,” sighed Luna.
“Gvmeabrekluna.” Usagi made sure to finish her mouthful before continuing. “I’m totally exhausted from school and defending the city all on my own.”
“Ha!” Scoffed Luna. “I haven’t known you too long, but from what I’ve seen you were a slacker long before I came along. Now,” she patted the book that was now lying open flat on the desk. “Get back to wo-”
Luna’s eyes narrowed. She had spotted Usagi’s own orbs widen in fear. A shrewd look crossed her feline features and she looked down at the textbook. Or, to be more accurate, the text book and the manga concealed within it.
Usagi let out a slightly nervous laugh. “I, er... I was taking a break...”
Luna released a groan from the depths of her soul.
For the umpteenth time since she had begun mentoring Sailor Moon she reminded herself of her one faint ray of hope. That this was only temporary. It couldn't be long before they found the other Sailor Senshi and their Princess. Once they did, the Senshi would look out for their own and she could refocus her energies upon guiding the Princess.
Soon enough, Usagi would no longer be her responsibility.
Luna let out a deep, satisfied sigh, as she began to doze off in earnest.
She had done it. It had been long. It had been arduous. It had definitely been frustrating. But it was, at last, all over. Her duty had been fulfilled.
Her charge was safe. The others were safe. And evil had been forever vanquished.
And with the world safe once more, Usagi and girls were free to enjoy their normal lives in blissful ignorance. Which, in turn, meant Luna could enjoy her well-earned retir-
A strange blinding bright light flared through the window forcing Luna awake! A moment later she unceremoniously fell off the bed as a dreary-eyed Usagi sat up.
“What? Is it already morning?” She mumbled.
The blonde bun-head was far more alert when a tremor rocked the entire neighbourhood.
“It’s an earthquake!”
As her charge hid under the bed covers Luna stared out the window, a nervous sweat starting to break out over her brow. The sensation only intensified when she and Artemis discovered the huge crater at the centre of Juban.
Luna walked into the dining area to find ‘Usagi’ sitting at the table with a book propped up in front of her.
Raising a skeptical eyebrow, Luna stalked around the table to get a better look. To her surprise, ‘Usagi’ was wide awake and making steady progress with her work, without a single page of manga in sight. Luna’s attention was diverted when Ikuko entered the room carrying a plate of pork buns.
“I bought you a snack.”
“Oh, thanks a lot. But I think I’ll wait until after I’ve finished this math homework.”
Luna was impressed but maintained a stoic demeanor. Ikuko however was far less restrained.
“That’s very responsible of you, Usagi.”
The young lady beamed at Ikuko. “Thanks! Oh, but would you mind calling me ‘Chibi-Usa’ from now on Ikuko-Mama?”
A look of curiosity crossed Ikuko’s face. “If that’s what you want dear, but I thought you didn’t like that name?”
Chibi-Usa let out a dreamy sigh. “Well, I didn’t at first, but then Mamo-chan said he thought it was cute.”
As the girl’s eyes positively sparkled, Luna was hit with a sudden sense of déjà vu. However, before she could dwell on this further her attention was rudely interrupted by something eerily resembling a hurricane.
“What was that!”
Usagi the elder stormed into the dining room and got right into Chibi-Usa's face.
“Only I get to call him Mamo-chan! Got that!?”
“Hmpf,” Chibi-Usa turned away and adopted a serene and superior look. “I don’t see why? After all, he dumped you, didn't he?”
As Usagi burst into tears Ikuko placed her head in her hand and began muttering under her breath. Luna however, was more restrained, merely closing her eyes and praying for strength.
“Congratulations Mako!”
Streamers flew through the air as the four girls let off their party poppers.
“We’re so glad you’re back from your training,” said Minako.
“You look great! Real strong you know,” added Rei.
“Absolutely,” followed up Ami. “But once we’re done with your welcome home cake we should really get back to cramming for the high school entrance exams.”
Mako waved a hand at Ami. “Aw, c’mon Ami. It’s my first night back, can’t we take it easy just for tonight?”
“Well... I suppose we could just study for about an hour and then-”
“Ami!”
The blunette abruptly hushed up, her body stiffening under the glare from Luna’s crimson irises.
“I never thought I’d see the day where even you would begin to slip in your studies.”
Ami’s shoulders slumped.
“All of you are a bad influence on her, and on each other!”
The other three girls similarly slumped.
“I know you are all under a lot of pressure right now, what with our new enemies and those other two Senshi out there. But the upcoming exams are important. You can’t let that pressure get to you and start looking for excuses to slack off.”
A fire flared in Rei’s eyes. “We don’t look for excuses Luna!”
Luna shot Rei an utterly withering look. “Last week you all decided to take the night off because you’re Grandfather had sold a lot of charms that day.”
“He... We... Business has been slow recently.”
“And the week before that I seem to recall someone suggested you all try studying somewhere else for a change.”
“Yeah,” piped up Minako. “What’s wrong with that? A change of scenery can help concentration.”
“ But not in a karaoke booth!”
Minako winced, Luna’s words cutting deeper than her claws ever could have.
The ebony feline took a steadying breath. “Listen to me girls. I know you’re young and have already lived through things most adults could never dream of. But you are all still just teenagers. You need to study hard and prepare for the future. Whether that future is Crystal Tokyo or something else you still need to work towards it.”
Makoto gave a small nod. “Luna’s right. This was a bad idea. We’re letting our nerves get the better of us.”
The other girls muttered their agreement.
“I know I might sound harsh, but if that’s what it takes to help you all grow up then I'm prepared to be the bad guy.”
There was a moment of silence before Ami finally spoke. “Thank you Luna. We really do value your guidance. And... I think sometimes we need a ‘hard hand’-”
“Or paw,” interrupted Minako.
“Or paw,” corrected Ami, “To keep us on track.”
Ami was interrupted again, albeit this time by a crashing noise from outside. A split second later the door slid open and Usagi stumbled inside.
“Soooooooooorry I’m soooooooooo late! Me and Naru had to celebrate Umino getting a high test score!”
“Doesn’t he normally get 97%,” asked a confused Makoto.
“Yeah, but today he scored a 98!”
“Whoa!” exclaimed Minako.
“So did you take him out somewhere?” Asked Ami.
“...What? No. I told you. Me and Naru- ”
“Idiot! You can’t celebrate someone’s success without them being there!” yelled Rei.
Ami nodded. “ I think I read somewhere that that’s bad luck.”
“Oh no, poor Umino!” exclaimed Makoto. “What if his bad luck affects his performance in the entrance exams?”
“It won’t!” proclaimed Minako standing up straight, a fire burning in her eyes. “We Sailor Senshi will not permit such a thing. In the name of love and justice grab that welcome home cake! Makoto, you’ll have to change the icing en route. We’re going to find Umino, celebrate properly, and protect his academic future!”
Minako’s drive rippled through the room and soon enough the Senshi had made haste for the exit.
As they left Luna dimly detected Usagi speaking from outside. “You guys didn’t need to get me a cake. I don’t even live at the shrine after all.”
Luna never heard Rei rip into Usagi. She was too busy screaming into one of the discarded pillows.
Luna trotted down the street, albeit at a slower pace than usual. After all, she didn’t want to be too far ahead of the grey kitten following her, especially not with so many cars zooming by.
“The future is nice and all, but it sure was boring without Small Lady around to play with.”
“Uh huh.”
Luna wasn’t tuning Diana out, not really. But between the surrealness of meeting her future daughter (with Artemis!) and the kitten being a chatterbox it was starting to get a little overwhelming for her.
“The Senshi did their best to try and make time for me. They said I was no bother because playing with me was a little like still having Small Lady around.”
“Mmmmhmmm.”
A motorcycle roared past them.
“At first I was a little offended by that, but eventually I got over it. I mean, it would be pretty selfish to stay annoyed at legendary heroes like them, right?”
“You’re not wrong.”
A huge truck trundled down the road.
“The King and Queen tried to help out too. I wasn’t offended by them of course. It’s only natural they’d miss their daughter.”
“Of course.”
The driver of the blue car honked their horn at them as he neared.
“So I came to their chambers to play every day, until you, I mean the future you, told me to stop because I was a distraction.”
“Yes, I suppose I can see how that might distract the King and Queen.”
“Oh, I guess you’re right Mama! I never thought of that because you only mentioned I was distracting you.”
“Right, right. You were... Wait.”
Luna came to a complete halt.
“What do you mean you were distracting me? What was I doing with the King and Queen?”
Diana looked confused. “Counselling them. That is the job of the grand vizier.”
A cold dread passed through Luna and she was suddenly very tempted to hurl herself into the traffic.
Luna patted Artemis on the shoulder as the snowy tom bawled his eyes out.
“There, there. It’s not like we’ll never see her again.”
“Luna! That won’t be for a thousand years! ”
“Look,” began Luna, trying to maintain a consoling tone to her voice. “However hard it might be to say goodbye to Diana, we have to remember she’s still just a child.”
Artemis sniffled. “Wh-what’s that got to do with anything?”
“What I mean is, she’s still young, impressionable. Do you really want to traumatize the poor girl by wailing and blubbering like you are now? Do you really want her to think of her big strong Papa like that?”
Artemis’ sniffled again. “No. No I don’t.”
Luna gave him a serene nod. “Right. So come on. Let’s give Diana what she deserves. Let’s send her off with a smile.”
Artemis began to gradually pull himself together. Luna remained outwardly even tempered. Inwardly though, she was rather pleased with herself.
She made a mental note to remember her own advice in case Usagi ever broke down like Artemis. So far, she’d been remarkably good about Chibi-Usa's impending departure.
But Luna knew her charge too well. Sooner or later, whether it was about Chibi-Usa or something else, her emotions would get the better of her. And when that time came, Luna would know exactly what to say.
Luna opened her eyes as the bedroom door clicked open. Usagi entered, eyes downward, her body language slumped. Then she spotted Luna.
“ Oh! Hiya Luna!” She straightened up and a bright smile materialized upon her face
Luna’s mouth formed into a small frown. “Hello Usagi.”
“Great day I hope!”
“...Nothing special. We haven’t got anything new about the Phages or the Starlights.”
Usagi pouted. "Awwwwww, that’s too bad. Oh, well! Guess all I can do for now is push on with my homework right?”
Luna’s frown widened.
“That’s not like you Usagi.”
“Well, you said it yourself Luna. I’ve matured a lot since we first met.” Usagi’s gaze fell as she began removing and organizing her textbooks. “I’m a high schooler now. I’ve got responsibilities to live up to. I’ve got to prepare for life as an adult! For my future with...”
An icy chill passed through Luna. Towards the end of her sentence Luna had noticed Usagi’s left hand twitching, the light glinting off the ring upon her finger.
“...For my future... Isn’t that what you always wanted me to do?”
Luna locked eyes with her charge. “...Yes... I suppose I did...”
Usagi let out a laugh. “Well then, scoot over would ya, I need to crack open these books!”
Luna jumped off the desk and made for the door. On her way out she noticed the stiff smile on Usagi’s face.
Guilt hit her like a freight train. She had told her. She had told Usagi to see Mamoru off with a smile. Could it be that her charge was taking her advice too far?
Or maybe Luna was just growing paranoid in her old age. She doubted it though. She’d watched each and every step Usagi had struggled and stumbled with for the last two years. She knew her. And she knew something was definitely wrong with her.
And yet... she also sensed it was something beyond her control. Beyond her magic. Beyond her guidance.
And that meant, for all her time, and all her efforts, Luna might have ultimately failed her life’s mission...
Bells. Trumpets. Cheers.
The triumphant cacophony resounded throughout the entire castle, the entire city, maybe even the entire world.
Sailors Mercury and Jupiter began another round of applause. Sailor Mars wiped tears from her eyes. Sailor Venus popped open the umpteenth champagne bottle, pouring generous portions to everyone she could.
From their glittering platform, Mamoru and Usagi waved at the crowds, their smiles brighter than the crystalline city all around them.
Luna was observing this all from a far back and isolated position, having decided to take a small break before rejoining the coronation celebrations. Despite her rest, her gaze was naturally attracted to the platform, and the resplendent girl... the regal woman at its forefront.
A small, proud, sad smile began to form on her face.
It was swiftly wiped however when a familiar voice echoed within her mind. It was silky and gentle as moonlight.
“Good job Luna.”