Storyline Name: BSSM: Cardcaptor Chibi Moon
Creator(s): Meganekko (with a big, special thanks to Sailor Mercury/Aurae!)
Forum: Crystal Tokyo Free Form
Advanced or Relaxed: Advanced
Plot Summary:
BSSM: CCCM takes place in the thirtieth century in Crystal Tokyo. Chibiusa and the Sailor Quartet are almost full-fledged senshi, though they still need a little more training. Craving a sense of normalcy, like she had had when she traveled to the past, Chibiusa has secretly enrolled into Juuban High School, and has persuaded Hotaru and the Sailor Quartet to join her. Hotaru agrees, but only to keep the Quartet from putting any (other) wild ideas into Chibiusa's head. The Sailor Quartet quickly and eagerly agree to join her, curious as to what it would be like to be normal teenagers.

On their first day of school, unbeknownst to the girls, a new enemy appeared! Simply known as the Card Master, he has proven to be unlike any enemy the senshi have faced before. The Card Master has proven himself to be skilled and a remarkable tactician. He first captured the Outer Senshi, the first line of defense to the earth and royal family. He did something no one thought could be done: he extracted and then converted their star seeds into cards, cards purely based on their spheres of power—Senshi Cards.

This sudden attack was a staggering blow to the protectors of Earth. The Inner Senshi, warning the Princess and her guardians not to wander off again, went next to confront this new threat. Chibiusa and the Quartet, all having important tests that day, went anyway. The Inner Senshi were reported as captured by the enemy. The King and Queen were left to defend themselves. The cats did what they could, but were easily capture by the enemy, along with the King and Queen.

Chibiusa and the Quartet returned to the Crystal Palace to find it empty. They were devastated. They had underestimated the enemy and now they had to face the fact that, had they been there, things might have turned out differently.

The Card Master attacked again that night, capturing the Sailor Quartet. Chibi Moon is the last remaining senshi. Now the last hope, Chibi Moon must rescue everyone she's lost to the Card Master. Fortunately, Diana was safely hidden away by Luna and Artemis before the attack and they entrusted her with some new gear that might help Chibi Moon (and the Sailor Quartet, once she rescues them!) succeed in their mission.

Will Chibi Moon be able to rescue the Quartet? Will they then be able to collect all the Senshi Cards and defeat the Card Master? Stay tuned!

Details on any necessary information:
The Cardcaptors
Chibi Moon - Moonlight
Diana* - Guidance

*the guide or “Kero” of the story; not a senshi (though she will have an affinity with the Cats card)

The Sailor Quartet
Ceres - Flowers
Pallas - Precipitation
Juno - Vitality
Vesta - Embers

The Cards (NPC)
The Peaceful
## Pluto - Space-time
## Serenity - Light, purity

The Cunning
01 Cats (Luna & Artemis) - Guidance, magic
## Endymion - Dreams, restoration
02 Mercury - Water, knowledge
## Neptune - Deep waters, reflection
## Venus - Love, beauty

The Violent
## Mars - Fire, passion
## Jupiter - Thunder, protection
## Saturn - Ruin, silence
## Uranus - Sky, flight

The Enemy (NPC)
The Card Master is a renowned tarot card reader, who was reborn, like Usagi, Mamoru, and the Sailor Senshi, after the fall of the Silver Millennium. He had foretold the Fall of the Silver Millennium, but the Queen disregarded his warnings. When he awoke on Earth, he tried to tell the reborn Princess about Queen Nehellania, but once again he was ignored. This instilled a Seed of Bitterness in the card reader – enough for Chaos to plant her own Seed of Chaos in his heart. The Seed has slept until the right time.

Restrictions: Interested RPers will be able to pick up one of the Sailor Quartet after they've been rescued~ Also willing to consider maybe a male hero of some kind *cough*Helios*cough* if someone is interested.

OOC Thread: BSSM: Cardcaptor Chibi Moon OOC Thread

Member to Character List:
Sailor Chibi Moon → Sailor Mercury (Aurae)
Diana → Meganekko

DIANA

Diana stood in the control room of the Crystal Palace. Silence hummed around her—a painful reminder to her that no one was left. How could an enemy be so strong? Never before had an enemy defeated everyone so easily. What had he done? How has he managed it? Diana bitterly wished now that her parents hadn't stuffed her a small hideaway behind one of the panels in the control room.

She clenched her teeth, closing her eyes tight, as her head dropped in defeat. “Mama. Papa,” the young cat whimpered. She opened her eyes again and started at the key-like charm at her feet. Her parents had given it to her as they stowed her away. “Get this to Chibiusa and the others!” they had told her in urgent, hushed voices. Small Lady and the Quartet had been their only hope, but now they had been captured, too!

Diana hadn't seen it herself, but she had heard it. The Card Master had returned—or maybe hid away somewhere in the palace—and attacked the girls shortly after they returned home.

“Mama, Papa, what am I to do?”

OOC:

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

Sailor Chibi Moon slammed her fist into the floor. There were no more tears to cry, but the dried trails of salt stained her cheeks. Her knees ached against the cold crystal surface. Her head hung forward, her back hunched over. She was exhausted from the fight, but it had been for nothing. The enemy had been forced to withdraw, but she had lost. She couldn't keep track of how long she had been there, like this, reliving every moment. Her mind kept replaying the terrible scene over and over, forcing her to watch the abduction of her friends and fellow sailor soldiers while she was powerless to stop it. That mysterious man who called himself "The Card Master"... he was mocking her even as he disappeared.

Sailor Ceres' screams still echoed in her mind.

The previous days layered disaster on disaster. Most of it, like so many times before, was all her fault. If she hadn't gone to school that day, perhaps she could have prevented the awful situation that she and the Quartet returned home to. Perhaps... If she had only listened and been more careful... Mama and Papa... The sob lodged somewhere deep her chest, choking her—squeezing everything around her heart tighter and tighter.

All of her friends and family... they were gone. She was all alone.

It was hopeless.

The strands of disheveled pink hair hung down in her downcast face. One of her trademark buns was askew, the feathered ornament nearly falling out. Her sailor uniform was torn and damaged. The heel on one of her boots had cracked. Her back bow had been shredded to pieces. Her outfit looked the way that she felt: defeated, drained, and deficient.

But then she heard something: a voice—soft and mournful—echoing through the crystalline halls.

Instantly, her head whipped up, the ruby eyes searching. A mix of panic and incredulity reflected there. She knew that voice. She knew it very well. Did that mean... Did that mean someone was still here? Someone was still safe?

"Diana?" she called, tentatively. Her voice sounded hoarse and cracked from the yelling and sobbing of the too-recent battle. "Diana, is that you?"

Maybe... maybe there was hope...

DIANA

Diana quieted at the sound of a familiar voice. Small Lady! She wanted to answer, but she found that her voice was caught in her throat. It was indistinguishable to her whether she was afraid or overjoyed about hearing her mistress’s choice. But whatever the feeling, the cat found herself running towards the voice, the bell on her collar jingling as she ran.

The quiet padding of for paws turned into the tapping of two shoed feet. The cat has hardly noticed the change, somehow gracefully managing, in all her hurry, to adjust thoughtlessly to the sudden change in her form. Whether or not the sound would alarm the defeated soldier didn't matter, for the morphed cat already stood at the entryway of the room where the princess was.

“Small Lady!” Diana's voice was mixed between a cry of joy and disbelief. She was here! She was safe!

The lilac-haired girl raced towards the pink-haired one. “I thought he had taken you!” the cat-girl cried before wrapping her arms around the princess in a tight hug.

“I'm so glad to see you're safe! The others—were they—are they… gone?”

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

When Diana answered back, Sailor Chibi Moon felt a surge of emotion that she had thought she would never feel again. The hope surged through her, fluttering away her fears and discouragement like dry leaves scattered by a brisk breeze. She stood up, limping slightly on the leg with the damaged shoe, and turned just in time to feel arms encircle her shoulders. She hadn't even known it, but right now her guardian and friend's human form was exactly what she needed for comfort. Petting a kitten soothed the worried heart, but it couldn't quite compete with the embrace of a friend.

"Diana!" she gasped. It almost came out in a sob. "I'm so happy that you're okay!"

She clutched at her lavender-themed friend when the next question followed. The memory of all that she had been through was horrifying, but she couldn't let it distract her. She shivered slightly, feeling slightly colder as she watched those terrible events unfold again. He acted so quickly. He breached the now-defenseless Crystal Palace, unable to maintain any barrier now that her dear mother and that essential Silver Crystal were gone. Chibi Moon's team fought hard, alongside her, doing their very best to force him back. Yet one by one, they were ensnared in his powers. That strange magic he used... it was unlike the dark energy the team had encountered before. They just couldn't win.

With all the power she could summon from her Pink Moon Crystal, somehow Sailor Chibi Moon managed to force the Card Master to retreat... but it was already too late. She clenched her fists as she thought of them, her eyes aching although they were unable to cry: the terror on Sailor Pallas's face as the girl's eyes met hers; the anger in Vesta's screams as she wildly tried to fight back; the shock she saw twitch through Sailor Juno's body as the young woman stepped into one of the magic circles; and the desperation from Sailor Ceres as the soldier realized she could not protect the others. Sailor Chibi Moon was their princess and leader—she had faced so many terrible situations before. How could she have failed her dear friends?

Her body trembled with the sob she couldn't cry.

"Oh, Diana, what are we going to do? He took them. He took everyone. I can't... I don't know how to stop him..."

DIANA

Diana had forgotten about the key that her parents had entrusted to her. She, like Chibiusa, was enveloped by the sense of loss and defeat. Never had they been so utterly defenseless; never had they meet such a powerful adversary. He seemed unbeatable, especially now. Diana's princess seemed so utterly dejected. How painful it must have been for Chibiusa to see her team taken, to find her family and friends gone.

Diana looked downward for a moment, her arms still wrapped around her companion. Diana could feel the poor girl's body trembling in her embrace. “What are we going to do?” Chibiusa had asked. “I don't know how to stop him…” Then Diana remembered.

“The key!” she gasped, releasing her friend from her arms, but still keeping her hands at her friend's waist to keep the senshi from collapsing.

“Small Lady, sit down,” the cat-girl instructed, gently assisting her. “I forgot something back in the control room, and I must go get it. Mama and Papa entrusted it to me! They said it will help us.”

After her friend was seated back on the floor, Diana dashed away, disappearing down the corridor and rushed into the control room. The small charm-like key still lay on the floor where Diana had left. The guardian breathed a sigh of relief, gingerly picking it up, holding it tight in her hand. With her free hand she grabbed the medi-kit near one of the control panels and darted back down the hall.

Diana returned to Chibiusa, sitting down across from her. “This is what Mama and Papa gave to me,” the young advisor said, opening her palm and presenting the Key to Chibiusa.

Diana's pink eyes shimmered with hope, though she had no idea what it was supposed to do. Fortunately, there was a small pink bag attached to it, and inside was a chip. Diana carefully untied the bag from the Key and opened it. She studied the chip for a moment.

“Small Lady, do you have your phone?” The Pink Ladies, as Chibiusa and her team were often called, had specialized phones that Luna, Artemis, and Sailor Mercury had designed to function as communicators and miniaturized supercomputers.

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

She didn't quite hear the words that the kitten excitedly exclaimed. In the whirlwind that ensued, Chibi Moon vaguely followed Diana's order to sit down—there was little she could have done to remain standing at that point. The teenage form slowly slid to the ground, her gaze distant and vacant, unable to focus on the palace around her. At least she wasn't completely alone; there was some comfort in seeing Diana's voice and feeling the other girl's embrace. Yet it wasn't enough to turn the princess and soldier's mind from the horrors of her week. How could it be?

Her brain somewhat registered that Diana had mentioned "key" when the other young woman uncurled her fingers. Sailor Chibi Moon expected to see a Time Key there. After all, that was the type of key that had helped her in the past.

Even Pluto was gone, this time...

But, that was strange. This wasn't a Time Key—unless it was one that Chibi Moon had never seen before. Her ruby eyes narrowed as she focused on it, looking at the details of the thing. No, this was unfamiliar. This was entirely something new, strange, and different. At this point, she wasn't sure what to make of it.

At Diana's request for her phone, Chibi Moon fumbled the thing out from where it had been safely stowed and awkwardly handed it over, still mute. She wasn't sure what Diana was planning. The chip and the determined gaze of the girl's bright eyes held some interest, but the pink-haired and battle-worn young woman could only handle so much right now.

DIANA

Diana was focused. She knew her companion was battle-worn and exhausted, but the information on the chip was vital. Her tail twitched, betraying her calm appearance and telling of her anxiety. The cat took the soldier's phone and inserted the chip. Data began to quickly download into the Diana app—an application specifically designed for the new young group of sailor soldiers.

“OK!” she chirped triumphantly once the download was completed. Her voice sounded much louder than she had expected in the empty halls of the palace. Her ears feel back for a moment, the unfamiliar quiet ebbing around them.

“Here, Small Lady,” Diana said, handing the phone back to Chibiusa. “Open the data file there. I'll address your wounds.”

The cat girl grabbed the medi-kit next to her. Opening it, she pulled out some bandages, cotton swabs, salve, and cleaning solution. She winced slightly at the cleaning solution. It was the kind that has a tendency to sting as it cleaned.

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

She still felt numb, the weariness of the battle she had faced slowly creeping closer, threatening to drag her down. She couldn't even feel the sting of the antiseptic used on the numerous cuts and scrapes from battle. Sailor Chibi Moon felt on the verge of losing consciousness; she could not have been more drained after all that had happened. Having learned from her mother, the legendary Sailor Moon and now Neo Queen Serenity, she fought with no reserve, always giving ever iota of her energy to save everyone. It didn't matter what she sacrificed—the love of her friends and family would restore her in the end.

How empty she felt when it failed.

The ruby eyes seemed dimmed from the usual light that sparkled there. She could barely focus on the screen of her phone. Her thumb fumbled for the app, accessing the data file as Diana had instructed. A long scroll of words filled the screen, kanji and katakana mixing in a way that seemed, to her, to be only a jumble.

The only word she recognized was "key".

"What does it say, Diana?" she asked, turning the screen towards the currently-human kitten.

DIANA

Remembering the Key had restored Diana's zeal and honed her focus. She had been too focused on the new mission at hand that she forgot to consider her friend. It wasn't until Diana noticed that the senshi didn't react to the antiseptic that she realized how exhausted Chibiusa really was. Diana bit her lip as she watched Chibiusa stare at her phone's screen with half-dead eyes. 

When Chibiusa handed Diana the phone, the cat-girl took it gently into her hands. She wanted to apologize for pushing Chibiusa, but she didn't think Chibiusa would really understand what Diana was even apologizing for. 

“Maybe we should let you get some rest first,” the cat suggested after a moment of silence. “You're exhausted, Small Lady,” she added with sad eyes.

“It might be the best for both of us. It'll give me time to review the information Mama and Papa gathered. Then I can brief you when you're feeling better,” she continued more brightly.

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

Even rest sounded foreign and strange. How could she bear to shut her eyes or snuggle cozily in her bed with the palace in shambles, empty of the laughter and love that usually filled those glass walls? Some part of her ached to awaken to a new day where none of this was true—where everything was fine and no battles had been lost—but her optimistic streak more closely aligned with that of her father, not her mother. Her mind, taxed as it was, could not silence a reminder that such a morning was not possible.

Diana mentioned she would brief Chibi Moon "when you're feeling better". That seemed like an impossibility as well: "feeling better". So much had been lost.

But this was not the first time she had been alone in this Crystal Palace. Memories of the Black Moon bubbled to the surface of her mind; things she thought were long forgotten. In those times, just as now, it had been only herself and Diana in the echoing corridors. At that time, however, the Queen and others still slept within the castle itself. Of course, the pink-haired youth herself was so much younger and different then.

But you made it even then. And you are stronger now.

Sailor Chibi Moon's head turned suddenly, the curled pigtails whipping through the air, almost thinking that she heard her mother's voice rather than remembered it. There was no one there. She knew that, even as she searched for a sign. Yet in this moment she felt a slight warmth conjured up by that memory of a loving voice. Mama would never give up. If only for that reason, Chibi Moon had to keep moving forward.

"Okay, Diana," she said softly, the words choked and dry. "Let's... rest."

DIANA

Diana was grateful that the princess had conceded to her suggestion and allowed herself to rest. Whether Chibiusa had planned it or not, the battered girl had slept well into the afternoon of the following day. Diana fretted briefly of Chibiusa's dismay about the hour, but realistically the girl needed it. 

Diana was grateful, too, for the time to study the information that her parents had gathered regarding the enemy and his abilities – also the weapon that they had crafted to aid the senshi-in-training in their battle against this new enemy. There was so much information and so many notes—and some were geared especially towards Diana. The data file wasn't as clean as her parents’ typical schematics on enemies, but Diana could only imagine that they were pressed for time, fearing the enemy's next attack. 

The idea that even her parents were afraid sent an involuntary shiver down Diana's spine. They were so good at masking their panic and keeping their wits about them, even in the midst of battle. Seeing their notes, raw as they were, gave Diana a glimpse of a side of her parents that she never believed existed in them. 

She was glad Chibiusa hadn't read the data file. What sort of worry would it have instilled in the princess had her mind been able to process all of this? She already had enough on her mind. The fret of her own failure. 

Diana had extracted a certain section of the data and had it up on the projection unit. It was the information regarding the Restoration Key, which was some of the vital information that they needed. Diana worked busily on reorganizing the other data about the Card Master so that it would be presentable to the princess once she woke.

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

The sunlight that glinted through the windows, streaming into the room and shining on her face, seemed inappropriate for the day. Chibi Usa blinked as she sat up, her eyes adjusting after hours of fitful sleep. It should have been dark and stormy, setting the sombre tone for the aching sense of loss that gaped in her heart. That the sun would shine and birds would chirp should not have been possible, but it was. Her bedroom looked exactly the same as ever, hardly an item shifted or displaced despite the intensity of the mysterious foe's attack the day prior. It was only the unnatural silence in the corridor—that quiet insulating the entire palace—that sent shivers down her arms and reminded her of what was real.

A moment of panic spiked through her when she realized that Diana was not with her. As she walked towards the door, Chibi Usa pulled on the nearest sweater she could lay her hands on, shivering if only from her own feelings of dread.

"Diana?" she called into the hallway, still devoid of the usual hustle and bustle. Whatever had happened during the capture of her parents and their court had removed all other life from the palace as well. There would normally be staff of all sorts ensuring that the large building served all its functions as home and reception venue, but she hadn't seen a single other person since returning back to with the Quartet and seeing the destruction.

"Diana?" she continued, reaching for her communicator only to realize that she had last handed her phone to the kitten the night prior. She quickened her pace down the halls. "Diana, where are you?"

DIANA

Diana had debated staying with Chibiusa while she slept, but she thought that she would ultimately be a disturbance. And with all she wanted to do, the control room was the best place for her to be. She hadn't anticipated the panic it might cause her friend when she awoke in room alone. 

Diana hadn't heard the princess's call at first. She was to absorbed in her work, but then she heard Chibiusa's voice the serving time she called. 

“I am in the control room, Small Lady!” Diana called, rising from her seat. She ran to the control room entryway, poked her head out, and waved to the pink-haired girl coming down the hall.

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

That awful fear melted away before it could solidify the tightness around her heart. She wasn't completely abandoned—Diana was still here. Still, only seeing the familiar head of lavender-gray hair peeking through the doorway finally convinced her that it wasn't some kind of horrible mistake or yet another tragedy layered on the others. At the very least, Diana was still here.

Luna might have been a maternal figure to her own mother, as Chibi Usa had witnessed during her time in the 20th century, but her relationship with Diana wasn't quite the same. Yes, the lithe feline was her "guardian cat" just as Luna was for Sailor Moon and Artemis was for Sailor Venus... but in so many ways they were more like sisters. They grew up together, after all. Chibi Usa provided as much guidance for Diana as the kitten did for her—but they balanced each other out. They worked as a team. They provided support in different ways, because they were friends who knew each other so well.

Even the control room was too quiet. It felt strange to not see Artemis nod to acknowledge that she had stepped in and not hear Luna voicing calculations or directing the vast churning digital entity of the system. She kept her focus on Diana instead, pulling the sweater closer around her body.

"Good morning," she greeted, unsure of what time it actually was. "So... what have you learned so far?"

DIANA

Diana made way for the princess to enter the control room. She smiled brightly at her friend and fell in step beside her as they walked back towards Diana's makeshift work station. The control room was still rather worse for wear, but Diana had managed to get some of the equipment working, like the holographic projector and one of the mainframe computers. Unfortunately, it proved to be a little glitchy, so Diana had to work entirely off of Chibiusa's phone. 

Working on the phone want as challenging to Diana as it would have been for her parents. The young cat had grown up around these smaller supercomputers, unlike her parents, who were accustomed to larger keyboards and monitors (though they weren't so bad with tablets).

“Well, I haven't learned much about the enemy,” Diana began, somewhat disheartened. “My parents were calling him the Card Master after his first attack on the outer senshi. He’s able to turn people into Cards and capture their powers.

“But my parents found something that might be able to help us: the Key of Restoration – that little charm I handed to you”—Diana pointed to the holographic projector—“It will help you catch and gather the ‘Senshi Cards’, but it's unlike any weapon you've handled before. You have to make a contract with it.” Diana paused to allow the information to sink in.

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

Her heart sank to hear the initial reply from Diana, but as her friend continued to speak Chibi Usa learned more than she had known before. Their enemy had a name—Card Master. The awful things that Diana mentioned seemed to at least indicate that their family and friends were probably alive. That was much better than the alternative; just the thought of it made her repress a shudder and wrap her arms tighter around herself.

Capturing their powers... did that mean she'd have to fight against them, as her mother had when Galaxia did something similar? She hoped that would not be the case. Facing the warped, brainwashed versions of those you love, forced to harm them... Chibi Usa shook her head. She couldn't think about that right now.

Then Diana mentioned hope, and the princess leaned in, longing for some good news amidst all of this.

A... contract? What did that even mean? Her brow furrowed, thinking back to the weapons that both she and her mother had used before. Had this happened before?

"Okay," she said, almost immediately. Whatever it was, if Luna and Artemis had entrusted it to Diana, it couldn't be bad. And she had to do whatever she could to get everyone back. This was not the time to hesitate.

DIANA

Diana could see her friend's dismay as she explained about the Card Master and his abilities. It certainly wasn't an encouraging start—and the fact that the Key required a contract was even more worrisome. But whether it worried Chibiusa or not, she agreed to it without a second thought.

Small Lady is so brave! the cat-girl admired silently, though she felt some reservations herself. But if Mama and Papa are confident about it, she reasoned.

“According to Mama and Papa’s research, the Key should help you harness the Senshi Cards’ powers, so that the Cards will fight for you,” the lavender-haired girl explained as she pulled up the Contract that her parents had recorded on the file.

“Are you ready?” she asked, feeling a little anxious.

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

If Chibi Usa could have heard Diana's internal commentary, she would have disagreed. She didn't think of herself as brave—particularly not when she had so many role models to compare herself to, all of whom the pink-haired princess and soldier considered far more valiant than she could ever be. She just tried to do what she could, because she had to... because she had tried running away before, a long time ago, and it didn't solve anything.

Besides, her trust in Luna and Artemis was unshakeable. The two cats provided guidance for her beloved mother and the leader of the guardians. Chibi Usa would have followed any instructions or recommendations that they left behind, no matter how confusing or strange, because she knew that they wanted her to be safe and victorious. This mentorship was their legacy.

She moved to nod in response to Diana's question, but something zoomed in from the corner of her eye. Chibi Usa recoiled with the learned reflexes of a trained fighter, the adrenaline that had fueled her the day before returning in a rush to sing in her veins. In an instant the formerly-dark screens in the Control Room lit up, blaring static in both audio and visual mediums. Chibi Usa moved forward to shield Diana, blocking the lavender-haired girl with her body.

Was it... the Card Master?

Her blood ran cold at the very thought. She gritted her teeth, bracing herself against the strange energy that seemed to mount dramatically in the room. No matter what, she wasn't going to let him take her friend. Not this time. Not after everything else that he had taken. Her eyes scanned the area, but she didn't see him yet. Only that brilliant blur, somehow both dark and light, that jumped from point to point.

DIANA

Diana often wondered if she would ever be as regarded as her parents were. She wondered if others would ever be as confident in her as they were in her parents. Diana knew that her parents had faced their challenges and that she would face her own, but being the daughter of such well-esteemed guardians often times left a heavy weight on her shoulders. Her own self-consciousness usually caused her to turn her mind to Chibiusa, and how she felt. The two never really talked about Diana's insecurities, but Diana knew all of Chibiusa's.

But this was certainly not the time to be feeling insecure about her abilities as a guardian. Chibiusa needed her counsel and guidance more than ever in order to save their family and friends.

Mama, Papa, please help me to remember all that you've taught me—all that I've learned from you! the young guardian prayed as she readied herself to read the Contract to Chibiusa.

Just as she drew her breath to begin, a movement from the corner of her eye distracted her. Chibiusa quickly moved in front of her, standing defensively. “It's not the Card Master,” Diana whispered quietly but urgently to her friend.

The two girls intently watched for the thing that was looming in the room. It was so fast! She gasped as it moved. “It's a Card!”

But was it really just one? Diana thought she had seen two figures. It was strange; they moved in perfect unison, but there were definitely two—one white and one black.

“Small Lady, it's my parents! That's Mama and Papa!

“We need you to make the Contract with the Key!” she said with urgency. “You need to capture their Card!”

Diana didn't hesitate to begin reading the Contract from Chibiusa's phone:

“Key of Restoration,”—the Key began to glow in response to being addressed—“this girl will carry out the sacred duty! Her name is Small Lady. I command you to bestow your aid unto her”—the Key grew, becoming a large wand—“Small Lady, take the wand! I, Diana, name Small Lady—Cardcaptor!”

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

Her eyes widened to see the small golden trinket shimmer with power, floating in what seemed like a sphere of energy as Diana began to read those strange words. Chibi Usa gasped as it changed, elongating as it grew in size, becoming more than just a small key like that of a jewelry box, but a wand that glimmered with unfamiliar power. She could sense that energy radiating from it, resonating somehow within the Pink Moon Crystal within her own heart. It called to her.

Chibi Usa reached out as if in a trance. Her fingers closed around the smooth handle of the weapon before Diana's final words, just after her friend and advisor commanded that she take possession of the thing. As soon as it was firmly in her hand, she felt the power from it flow through her entire body. In a flash of dazzling pink light, she was no longer simply herself as Chibi Usa. She had transformed into Sailor Chibi Moon without even summoning her transforming phrase. What kind of magic was this?

Sailor Chibi Moon gaped at the wand, but there was no time to continue to admire it. She had work to do. She felt that sensation tugging at her heart, urging her to do what needed to be done. When she spun around, the pleats of her pink skirt fluttering in an arc behind her, Chibi Moon observed what Diana had mentioned. Yes, there were two: one black, one white—both perfectly operating in unison.

The card seemed to notice her attention—it darted towards her, and she realized almost too late that it was only the black half. She barely turned in time to see the white, which slammed between her shoulder blades, throwing her body forward. Chibi Moon awkwardly caught herself on her forearms, nearly losing her grip on the wand. She gasped, shoving herself back up. The ruby eyes searched desperately to spot the card's form again.

They were fast. She would have to both think and move fast if she was going to defeat them.

Sailor Chibi Moon felt that unsettling sensation rise in her throat at the thought of defeating those who had always filled maternal and paternal roles. But this... She had no choice. This would help them somehow, wouldn't it? It would help bring them back. Isn't that what Diana had said? She would just have to believe in it for now.

They were all over the room again, smashing into the instrumentation panels of the Control Room. If she didn't do something soon... Wait, were they... activating something?

"Diana!" she called. "What are they doing? Can you stop it? I'll try to stop them!"

She took a deep breath and lunged forward, just slightly missing in her attempt to block another move from the blur that zipped around the place. Darn it! Next time, she'd have to adjust her aim!

DIANA

The young advisor was just as surprised by Chibiusa's transformation as the new Cardcaptor was. The magic radiating from the Key was completely different from the magic that any of the Sailor Senshi possessed before. Maybe it was because the Key had its own magic. The Sailor Senshi's magical capabilities often relied on their own abilities and stamina. The Key had a power all of its own—one that didn't rely on its bearer. The Key would make its bearer capable.

The sudden movement of the Shadows of her parents snapped Diana out of her daze. “Small Lady, behind you!” But her warning came too late. Artemis's Shadow crashed into Sailor Chibi Moon's back. Chibi Moon quickly recovered, but Diana felt helpless. What could she do? The Card seemed fixed on Chibi Moon and was ignoring her completely. It must be the effect of the Key, Diana concluded. The Card must find its power threatening.

Chibi Moon drew Diana's attention to the Card's seemingly random movements. “They're trying to overload the system!” Diana gasped before rushing over to the control panel. The only problem was the monitors on the control panel weren't working! Diana began to panic a little. What do I do? What do I do?! she wanted to scream. But then her eyes feel on the large power cable. “Small Lady, I'm going to cut the power!” she announced decidedly. It was a great risk as it would power down the entire palace, but the back-up generator should kick in after the plug was pulled.

Still, Diana didn't pull the plug on the panel just yet. She wanted to give Chibi Moon a chance to capture the Card before it was absolutely necessary to turn off the system.

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

She was about to turn around and call to Diana that yes, she should pull the plug on the system—what more did they have to lose with everyone gone?—but the rapidly-moving black entity of the cats pair avoided her peripheral vision and knocked her to the side. Chibi Moon struggled to catch her footing and obtain visual contact of her current attackers once more. Meanwhile, the manipulated beings that had once been faithful and helpful Luna and Artemis rejoined, smashed against another area of the room, and then ricocheted out of the open doorway.

Sailor Chibi Moon skidded as she swung herself around that same door frame, ruby eyes scanning to follow the quickly-moving streak. There! The heels of her white boots pounded against the crystalline floor as she struggled to keep up. She kept a tight grip on the wand in her hand. She had to use its power, and soon, to stop this thing!

At least she was transformed, and Diana was in the control room. Maybe they could work together this way. Not all of the system was properly functional after the terrible battles that had raged here, but some of it would be okay. And they hadn't pulled the plug and switched to auxiliary power just yet.

"Diana? Can you see them? Their path? Can you tell me where they're going? Maybe I can cut them off!"

They were so distant now, a silent streak of black and white that zoomed ahead of her. She had to catch them!

DIANA

“Small Lady!” Diana watched as the black cat, once recognized as her mother, shoved Sailor Chibi Moon to the side. Diana watched as the hazy, black form bounded off the princess and reunited with its partner before disappearing out into the hall. Chibi Moon quickly followed after them.

“Be careful!” Diana called after Chibi Moon.

Chibi Moon soon came in over the communicator and Diana quickly worked to see if one of the screens would uplink to the surveillance cameras inside the palace.

“Yes! They're heading towards the throne room!” the cat-girl answered. She pulled up a schematic of possible routes, but the only one that made sense—

“I think they're planning on leaving the palace!” Diana cried. “Small Lady, this Card is clever, like Mama and Papa—you saw what it did to the control room—you can't let it get away!”

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

Diana was right, and she knew that. She had to stop this thing before it could escape. Luna and Artemis were not themselves—they were being manipulated to act as her enemy. She didn't want to fight them, these two who had filled a variety of mentor and parental roles for her, but she had to stop them.

Her mind raced as she ran, trying to focus on what she could see and what Diana reported. Sailor Chibi Moon slid around another corner, barely managing to stay in sight of the almost impossibly fast streak she chased. She would never catch up if she continued to follow this way. She had to try something... although if she was wrong, she could lose the opportunity to halt them at all. Chibi Moon just wasn't fast enough, or smart enough. She didn't have her team or anyone else. She could never manage to do this on her own.

No.

She shook her head, trying to clear the doubts like cobwebs. She wasn't alone. She had Diana by her side. She could do this!

Chibi Moon broke off suddenly, running through a different corridor. She kicked her way through doors and scampered through rooms. She knew this palace better than anyone else. It had been her home and refuge for all those years. No one else could cross it as quickly or as stealthily as she could.

She took a deep breath, hoping to steady her nerves, preparing herself for what would happen when she burst through the next door. The staff in her hand had grown warmer as she ran, as if it was gathering its own energy. This small sign fanned the small spark of hope in the pink-haired sailor soldier's heart.

Sailor Chibi Moon leaped forward, swinging the wand in an arc over her head. She barely noticed the glow of the magic circle appearing below her feet, intertwined crescent moons and hearts strobing with light. The illumination that flared outward caught the black and white thing by surprise, surrounding it. It halted, frozen there, the faint outline of two felines flickering like static. Chibi Moon's ruby eyes glinted with concentration. Somehow, she knew the right words for this:

"Return to your true nature!"

A strange glowing rectangle was visible now, just in front of the ghostly shapes that had once been Luna and Artemis.

"Cats Card!"

The wind that kicked up around her threatened to knock her backwards, but she held her ground with determination. Her hands tightened around the shaft of the wand, feeling the power surge through her. In her heart she prayed to her own Pink Moon Crystal, desiring to combine her own powers with this new weapon. She wasn't going to give up. She was going to save Luna, Artemis, and everyone else! She would not lose!

And then something fluttered before her, roughly the size of a postcard. Sailor Chibi Moon reached up for her, not even noticing that the magic circle was gone. When she grasped the rectangular object, it was decorated with beautiful artwork using a limited colour palette, depicting two cats almost in a yin and yang position. Across the bottom was a single word: cats.

DIANA

Diana watched Sailor Chibi Moon’s battle against the Cats with intensity. Her eyes were glued to the monitor as Chibiusa chased down and intercepted the Card. Pink eyes watched in awe as the princess captured the Card, holding her ground as a strong wind whipped around her.

“WOOHOO!” The exclamation was out of Diana's mouth before she could even think of what she said. The sound echoed through the halls—no doubt Small Lady heard her shout of victory—and the cat-girl couldn't help but blush. Shaking off her embarrassment, Diana left the control room, following the path that Chibiusa took to the throne room. Chibiusa may have known the palace best, but Diana wasn't far behind in her knowledge. In fact, she was she sure she knew of certain hideaways that even the princess didn't know of.

“You did it, Small Lady!” the purple-clad girl cheered as she entered the throne room.

She was smiling at first, but the smile faded when she saw the Card. She had hoped that her parents might return to their former selves, but that wasn't what had happened. Diana stared at the image of the two cats nestled together on the Card.

“I guess capturing the Card doesn't free them,” she said softly. Despite the same she felt, the gears in her mind were turning, trying to solve the mystery.

“We should probably find somewhere we can safely keep the Cards you're collecting. It might be a good idea to put your name on them, too—just in case,” Diana suggested.

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

Sailor Chibi Moon took a moment to catch her breath, still staring at the object in her white-gloved hand when Diana entered, almost cheering. (She had most certainly heard the triumphant cry from her friend and advisor only moments prior.) Like the other girl, she had rather hoped that this unknown magic would restore Luna and Artemis to their genuine selves. But perhaps this was why the incantation had been so specific: "true nature", not "true form" or "true self" or anything else like that. She didn't really understand much about these strange cards, but the depictions of the cats she observed on this "Cats Card" looked something more like what she expected of those as wise and gentle as the guardian duo.

"What do you mean, put my name on it?" she asked Diana, furrowing her brow. It didn't have a little field asking for her name. Would she even be able to write on it with pen or pencil? Wasn't this a magical item? Wouldn't that damage it?

"So what do I...? What do we do with it, now that it's not...?"

She didn't necessarily expect Diana to have all the answers, but she couldn't stop herself from asking the questions. It felt unnatural and uncomfortable to talk about these beloved family members as an object instead of living beings. Chibi Moon wished that they were here, to help her. To provide encouragement in this strange quest.

Almost in response, the card in her hand grew slightly warmer. The deep ruby eyes widened and blinked twice, almost doubting that she felt it—but no, she definitely did feel a warmth there. What could that mean?

DIANA

Diana didn't know why she had suggested for Chibiusa to write her name on the Card; the thought just popped into her mind. It seemed strange, but it also made sense somehow.

“I think writing your name on them will protect the Cards from the Card Master. He won't be able to use them if your name is written on them,” she explained, a strange feeling coming over her. It was as if she was simply relating her parents’ inductions.

Her pink eyes fell on the Cats Card. She felt an energy resonating from it. It was a soothing energy, one of comfort and guidance. Her fingers brushed the Card that the young senshi still held in her hand. “It's warm!” the young advisor gasped, her eyes wide.

Mama, Papa, are you still trying to guide us, even trapped as you are? the cat-girl wondered silently.

“Maybe try using the Pink Moon Crystal,” she suggested suddenly, her hand falling from the Card. “Yes! The Pink Moon Crystal is unique to only you! Maybe it can create a ‘signature’ on the Card that will protect it from the Card Master.” Her pink eyes danced brightly at the thought. If it worked…

CHIBI USA / SAILOR CHIBI MOON / SMALL LADY

Focus on the Pink Moon Crystal? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to think about what Diana had said. If her lavender-haired companion was correct, she needed to find a way to put her name or signature on the cards—something to protect them from the Card Master. As she channeled her concentration towards her inner self, listening to the low thrum of her heartbeat, she could feel the glow of her crystal in the innermost center of her heart. Could she direct that energy outward, somehow?

She didn't notice that the staff in her hand was changing, shifting somehow. It glowed with a bright pink aura—the exact colour of Sailor Chibi Moon's energy—and the outline shimmered with dazzling light. It was growing smaller now, the shape less ornate as wings collapsed upon themselves and folded into smaller elements. Eventually the transformation caught her attention, and she opened her eyes just in time to see the wand finish its magic trick: it was a pen!

Chibi Moon moved the pen towards the Cats Card almost automatically, as if she wasn't even the one controlling it. She paused for a moment before carefully touching the tip of the pen to the bottom of the card, just below the ribbon-shaped design element on which the word "Cats" was visible. As it made contact, the card began to glow with the same pink light as the pen. She hesitated for only a moment, then steadied herself and moved on, carefully writing "Chibi Usa" across the bottom. The "ink" glittered brightly, undeniably magic.

As that glow slowly faded, taking on the appearance of pink metallic ink, she suddenly had an idea.

The Card Master used the cards—isn't that what Diana said?

If that was the case... could Sailor Chibi Moon use them now?

"Diana... What do you think this card.. does?"

DIANA

The lavender-haired girl was silent as her friend concentrated. When the new wand began to glow, Diana watched in awe as the wand transformed into a pen. The magic of this Key! she marveled silently. It was unlike anything she had seen before. Although the Silver and Pink Moon Crystals were powerful, they received their energies from the Queen and Princess. This Key… it had its own power—all its own and only its own. It didn't rely on Chibiusa.

Diana's eyes were wide as the Key had transformed itself into a pen. Diana, honestly, hadn't expected the Key to do anything. Diana had simply thought that the Crystal would somehow imprint a signature on the Card, not cause the Key to transform.

She watched as her mentee and friend signed the Card, a glittery pink signature shimmered on it. It was amazing!

Diana was so enraptured, so curious about the abilities of the Cards and Key, she almost didn't hear Chibiusa's question. But she snapped back, looking at the princess and then the Card.

“Well,” she began after a minute's pause. “Mama and Papa were advisors, so… maybe this Card can help guide us!” The cat-turned-girl beamed at the thought. How wonderful if this Card could help them like Mama and Papa! But how exactly, Diana didn't know.

“Maybe we could try analyzing the Card to learn more,” she suggested.