Lights of Change (Part 4)
By: Minako Kou and Makoto Kou
Date started:  January 15, 1998
Date finished: January 22, 1998
Inspirational music: "Starlights Transformation Theme," "Route Venus," "Nagareboshi he," and "Ginga Isshinbun Chigai na Kata Omoi," "Todokanu Omoi"

Chapter 1
	"Welcome back!"  Mako exclaimed as she walked out of the Kou's house.
	"Hiya!  How have you been?"  Minako walked up to Makoto and gave her a hug.
	"Oh!  Never better. Look!"  She held out her left hand, which proudly displayed a beautiful 5 CRT wedding ring.
	"Oh, Mako!  It's beautiful, but look at this!"  Then Mina held out her hand.  On it was a 7 CRT diamond.
	"You're just always trying to show me up, huh?"
	"You know me.  Gotta be the best at everything!"
	Yaten walked up and put his arms around Mako.  "Not  everything," he said.
	Seiya walked up and said, "Yaten, that's a matter of opinion."
Hina and Tenshi walked up.  "So, Mina and Seiya, how was the wedding?"  Hina asked.
"Take any pictures?"  Tenshi asked.
"Great and no.  Everything is engraved in my head though!"  Mina said.
"MAKO!  Is that a ring on your finger?"  Seiya asked incredulous.  He never would've thought that his brother would actually propose.  Mako probably had to drag him into it.
"Yea!  Yaten demanded that we get married, so after a small fight, I agreed."
"Small fight?"  Hina started.  "You nailed Jeremy with a plate!  He still lapses sometimes."
"You didn't!"  Seiya said.
"It was intended for Yaten..."  She said weakly.
"I suppose this means we owe Taiki more dishes,"  Mina said.
"Actually,"  Taiki said as he entered their field of vision.  "I already had Mako glue it back together, before she left for her wedding."
"Where did you go Mako?"  Mina asked.
"Actually, we got married right here in Tokyo. We had a small ceremony. Tenshi, Taiki, Hina, Jeremy and the girls were all there." She smiled. "I wish you could have been there."
"I wish you could have been at mine too, Mako!"
Everyone was smiling.
Seiya looked at Yaten. "I didn't think you had the guts to propose to her."
"Well it seems I'm just full of surprises." Yaten said.
Mako chimed in. "I would hardly call that a proposal."
Yaten turned. "You agreed to it didn't you?"
"So?"
"If you didn't like my proposal then why'd you agree?"
"You didn't propose! You demanded we get married!"
"So?"
Yaten and Mako laughed.

"Well, well.  Yaten has his own personal jet,"  Seiya interrupted.  "I would've thought he would have whisked you off some distant corner of the world, Mako."
"Well, actually, he did.  But it was for our honeymoon instead."
"So... where did you go?"  Mina was just dying to know.
"We went to Greece!" Mako exclaimed. "I'd always wanted to go there. It was so nice. So how was Scotland?" 
"Well, we didn't really get to do much sightseeing...but the forest was beautiful!"
Mako and Yaten exchanged a glance. "Yea well, we had a nice view from the window anyway." Mako said.
Hina coughed.
Mako and Mina jumped.
Mina needed to change the subject. "Where are Ai and Ashita?"
Mako suddenly looked serious.  "I don't know.  When I got back, a day ago, I asked the same about Kirei."  She looked long and hard at Hina and Tenshi.  "but nobody could give me a straight answer.  I haven't seen any of them since I returned."
Mina suddenly panicked.  "What are we going to do?  They came back to help us, and now they need our help.  If they were taken by the enemy, we can't face the enemy!"
Sailor Cosmos suddenly appeared. "They were taken by the enemy.  We knew that you were supposed to marry during this previous week, but because the Neo-Starlights were not here in our past, we could not guess the consequences to them.  They were not sure how much the past would change if you chose not to marry at this time, therefore they opted to tell you about it."
"So, because we weren't here, they were taken?"  Mina asked.  She looked faint. 
"Yes, but not directly.  In our past, the youma went through and ravaged Tokyo while you were gone.  It was devastated when you finally returned.  You also took longer in coming back.  I can only assume that it was different this time because you wanted to see your daughters."
Mako and Mina looked at the ground and blushed.  Both Seiya and Yaten were thinking about how their honeymoons could've been longer.
"But because they were here, they thought they could stop the youma.  Now, their enemies, the New Moon Senshi, headed by Sailor Shadowhawk, went directly to Kusso.  It's likely that because they knew about the past, about your leaving, and about the Neo-Starlights being here, that they sent a stronger youma.  This youma was not intent on destruction, but rather capture."
Both Mina and Mako gasped.  They hardly knew their daughters and already they were gone!  They started to cry. Seiya and Yaten held them.
 Mina felt a terrible yearning for her daughters. She wanted them back.  
It was worse for Mako. One daughter was captured, the other was the one who got her captured. Millions of questions ran through her head. How could this happen? Why did this happen? What would it have been like if it all went like it was supposed to? Now what do we do?

Chapter 2
In the lions den.  I really feel like a caged animal.  It doesn't help, with Ashita crying over in the corner.  Kirei looked around the room.  It was dark, damp, and felt like it was thirty feet under ground.  The walls felt like the walls of a cave, but not a natural cave.  She wished to god that she had enough light that her eyes could adjust to her surroundings, but there was nothing.  She could see nothing.  It's like I'm blind!  I can't stand be helpless.  Salla!  I'll get you for doing this to me!  Is this how father felt without his powers?
There was a clicking noise. A blinding light. Kirei heard a voice. It was Salla's voice!
"Well, well sister. Looks like it's bad down in there."
"SALLA! Get me out!!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that."
"But why are you doing this?  You're my sister!"
"Since when have we be real 'sisterly'?"
Kirei failed to answer.  Suddenly Ai's voice rang out.
"Lover Star Power, Make Up!"
Nothing happened.
"Dear, stupid, cousin,"  Salla sounded sarcastic beyond belief.  "Did you really think that I would allow you to change form.  Believe me I know your forbidden attack.  I also know how devastating it is."
"But... but... nobody knows my attack!  How can that be?!"  Ai looked really confused.
Ashita finally came to herself.  "How can you prevent her from changing?"
"I can do anything I want.  And it's not just her; it's all of you!"  Then Salla's laugh rang out through the cavern.  The light slowly went away.

Mina got a cold chill.  Suddenly she sensed part of her daughters' problem.
"They can't change!"  She interrupted the present conversation.  Everyone was trying to figure out a way to help the Neo-Starlights.  They looked up at her.
"What?"  Yaten asked.
"They can't change into the Neo-Starlights.  They are stuck in their natural form.  They can't do anything!  Their helpless!"
"Mina, how do you know this?" Seiya asked.
"I-I don't know how I know; I just know!"
"What can we do now?" Mako asked.  She and Mina started crying again.
"We have to find them, now."  Yaten said.
"We're going after this Kusso guy.  He won't get away with this!"
"Seiya,"  Sailor Cosmos interrupted.  "That's exactly what he wants.  Salla knew how close you must have grown.  They are bait."

Chapter 3
The Full Moon Senshi sat in a large circle.  Salla, being Neo-Sailor Jupiter, Shadowhawk, was taking control.  Jupiter was always known to be the strongest of the inner senshi.  The others followed her willingly, but they feared her too.
"Neo-Sailor Moon, Planetdestroyer."  Shadowhawk was introducing the Neo-Sailor Senshi of the New Moon to Kusso.  Up until now, they had not met Kusso; they had only been supported by his minions.
The girl that Shadowhawk had named stepped forward and winked evilly.  She looked just like Sailor Moon, but her odango were spiked.  In place of the red on her fuku, she had the color yellow.
Shadowhawk moved onto the next.  "Neo-Sailor Venus, Starkiller."
Starkiller wore a red headband, had orange and purple colors on her fuku, and her shoes laced up further than Mina's.
The next two were Sailor Comet and Sailor Ice.  When these two were introduced it was obvious that there were two sets of twins.  Starkiller and Planetdestroyer were Usagi and Mamoru's first twins.  Comet and Ice were the second set.
Comet was Neo-Sailor Mars.  Her colors were light blue, fuchsia, and dark purple.  Ice was Neo-Sailor Mercury and her colors were blue and white.  She carried Ice Glaives. 
All five of the New Moon Senshi had blacks leotards as negatives of the original Senshi's.  As they stood around in a half circle, each eyed Kusso like they knew what fun they could have here.  They all stood in poses that demonstrated their attributes.  
Kusso was an evil prince, from a distant corner of the universe.  His plan was to take over the Universe by eliminating ALL Sailor Senshi.  Except for the New Moon Senshi, he planned to kill them and use their life force to enslave Earth, thereby enslaving the rest of the universe.  But because the New Moon Senshi gave their force willingly, he did not have to kill them.  
They were too willing.  They thought he was a handsome man, and they would do anything he asked, on top of surrender their energy to his designs, because they planned to help him rule his universe.
Kusso had long white hair.  Half of it was swept back and tied at the base of the neck.  He wore a dark green cape over a white, long-sleeved dress shirt and black trousers.  He was a tall man with gentle and graceful movements.  His fingers were long, and his hands were gloved.
Kusso stood up from his thrown and walked over to each of the girls in turn.  He bowed beautifully before each and kissed the hand of only Shadowhawk.  All five of them looked as if they would swoon.  Only Shadowhawk remembered herself and made herself look serious.
Why did he do that?  I mean, sure he's attractive, but was that supposed to be out of respect because I'm the leader of the New Moon Senshi or what?  He stepped way over the boundary.  He made me lose part of my composure!  She practically whined out loud.  When it came to Shadowhawk's standing before her senshi, she did not accept anything but a pedestal. 
"Shadowhawk?"  Kusso started.  He was still kneeling with one hand holding hers.  His beautiful eyes stared directly into hers.
She suddenly didn't know how to respond.  Perhaps she could put him in his place with a little disrespect... then again, she didn't want to be killed.  Maybe the complacent attitude was best.  
"Yes, M'lord?"  Then she respectfully averted her gaze.
"Beautiful Shadowhawk, will you be my queen?"

Mako gasped.  She couldn't believe what Sailor Cosmos was suggesting!
"But... How can we pull something like that off?!"  Yaten exclaimed.  Everyone thought about how he voiced their thoughts exactly.
"Cosmos, I don't like it.  They're our daughters,"  Seiya said.  "We cannot place them in jeopardy this way!"
"I have told you what you must do to get your daughters back without any of them dying, because if one dies, all dies, except Mamoru and Usagi's children.  Therefore, if you want them alive and for Earth to be saved, this is what you must do."

All the New Moon Senshi gasped.  They did not expect for this to happen.  They new that in their future, Kusso was married, but the Queen was old and hidden away.  It often seemed that she was the person running everything behind the scenes, though.  Perhaps, they never met their Queen before because it was Shadowhawk...
"I... I..."  Shadowhawk felt herself losing ground again.  How dare he do this?!  Take me off guard in front of my Senshi, will he?  I'll get him for this one day!  I'll make his head spin so fast he won't know what hit him.
"Will you at least answer me before the morrow?"  He looked into her eyes once again.  This time Shadowhawk could see it.  He had a glint in his eyes that told her he knew exactly how this was affecting her.  He knew that the only way to completely gain her power was to make her his, forever.  This meant that she would never disobey him, and that her Senshi would follow.  But what he didn't know was that Shadowhawk had plans of her own, for him and the universe.

Chapter 4
Cosmos had told them that they could not attack first.  It was driving Seiya and Yaten nuts.  They could not sit around here and wait for some youma to cause a lot of trouble.  They wanted to go after Kusso, right now!  But Sailor Cosmos said that it would be suicide.  Kusso was just lying in wait for them.  They needed to throw him off guard and make him wonder what they were up to.
"But Seiya, what are they doing to our daughters?!"  Mina cried.  Sailor Cosmos had just looked at her with pity.
Later she explained the answer to Seiya and Yaten.  She didn't think that their wives could handle the explanation in their current mental state.
"The Neo-Starlights are like you.  They cannot be separated.  That link is stronger since two of them are twins.  But there is also another link to the group.  That's Sailor Shadowhawk.  She is Star Shaker's twin; therefore they cannot be separated either.  Without the other each would die.  Then the other two Starlights would die also.  
"Now, the way we know that they will not be harmed is this: if Shadowhawk kills them, any of them, she will die too.  Her New Moon Senshi will not, though.  That was why I didn't bring them back.  But in the future, Shadowhawk worked with Kusso, rather closely.  He gave her enough energy to bring the New Moon Senshi back as well.  The only reason why she stuck around as long as she did was that she had to wait.  If she had brought them any sooner, I could've prevented it.  
"The New Moon Senshi won't die without her, they just lose their ability to fight effectively without her guidance.  These two sets of twins cannot be separated either.  They're both Mamoru and Usagi's children.  Therefore there is a bond between them akin to that of the Neo-Starlights.  Shadowhawk's power is relative to the New Moon Senshi's.  She has no power without the entire group, but she uses them with promises of greater power one day to get what they have.  She can actually multiply this power after she gets it, so that they others can fight effectively.
"This is why we have to attack the New Moon Senshi first.  We take them out and Salla loses her power.  She does not die.  We cannot kill her at all.  If we do, her sister dies, and then the Neo-Starlights die."
"But what about Mamoru and Usagi's children?  We can't kill them..." Seiya said weakly.
"We have to.  They don't even know them yet, so they won't prevent you.  But they have others, so in the future they won't be as devastated as you think.  These children are evil."  Sailor Cosmos answered.

Chapter 5
"Oh,"  Usagi said to Seiya.
"He's explaining everything to her."  Mina told Mako, who had just walked into the room.
Seiya looked over at Mako and continued.  "That's why were aren't going to let you and Mamoru fight.  We need you as bait.  According to Sailor Cosmos, your children still care for you very much.  With you being so pregnant," Mina noticed him look wistfully at her round belly, "we can't have you doing anything anyway."
"But why as bait?"  Mamoru asked.  
Yaten opted to answer this one.  "Because we think it will throw them off guard to see you.  That's when we hit them with everything we got.  We will also have Mako as bait for Shadowhawk because otherwise the New Moon Senshi will not allow themselves to be distracted."
"What do you mean, 'hit them with everything we got'?"  Mamoru asked.
"Uh, Mamo-chan?  Maybe I should tell you this one, in another room,"  Mina said.

"What's this all about?"
"Well, you see... uh, hum.  We will be forced to kill the New Moon Senshi, in order to save the planet."  Mina explained.
"But... they're our daughters!"
"Actually, only yours and Usagi's.  If we kill Shadowhawk, it will kill her twin, and therefore the Neo-Starlights, and we need them to defeat Kusso."
"But won't Shadowhawk still be there?"
"Um, I believe that Cosmos said that without the New Moon Senshi she has no power.  But, uh, Cosmos said that you guys have more children than the two sets of twins.  She also said that you never get to close to these ones because they're evil."
"So that's supposed to make me feel better?!"
"Actually no.  But at least your first child isn't really one of them!"  Mina tried to look on the bright side but was failing miserably.
"Look, Mamo-chan, we know what this is doing to you.  What is it going to do to Usagi though?  That's the problem.  Our main goal is to save the planet, and have Usagi understand our motives for everything we do.  Because she cannot help us in this fight without putting herself and her unborn child at too much of a risk, it means we lose a great amount energy for this fight.  We still need her help where we can get it, and yours too.  It also means that we need to do exactly what we can to save Earth and the Universe.  But to do this, Sailor Cosmos tells us that the way out with the least casualties and continued victory is the death of your daughters."
Mina hated this.  She was about to cry and Mamoru just stared at her in disbelief.  Sailor Cosmos walked into the room.  Mina stifled her sobs.  She hated the fact that anyone had to die.
"Love of Everything,"  She said the translation of Mina's name.  Suddenly Mina was confused.
"I understand what you're saying now, Mina.  You really do care."
Mina was shocked.  It was hard to believe that so few words could do so much good.
"I'll talk to him now, Mina,"  Sailor Cosmos directed her out of the room.

"Kusso, I plan to get you back for this."
Kusso looked up from his war plans.  "Oh, really.  And uh, what did I do?"  he asked sarcastically.  He smiled wickedly, and something flashed through his eyes that put just a little bit a fear into Salla.  She was about to back off, when she remembered who she was.
"You will never pull what you pulled out there today, again!"  She yelled at him.  She stared him down.  He looked away.
"I'm lonely.  You're a beautiful young woman.  We both have a lot of power.  It just seemed that there would be so much to gain by this union. Can you really tell me that it wouldn't be profitable," he looked up again, "for both of us?"
Salla was suddenly taken aback.  She really hadn't been thinking about the long term.  She was only thinking about the power she was getting from the New Moon Senshi.  Will this union mean that I won't need those bumbling idiots?

"There is going to be a shift in the balance..."  Sailor Cosmos said.

Chapter 6
"Top Ramen!"
Everyone stared at Mina. What was she talking about.
"Please explain."  Seiya said.
"Well, we've been sitting here brainstorming and working out stuff for our battle.  We haven't eaten in hours!  I wanted some Top Ramen-with pickles!"
Everyone blinked.  What?  Did anyone hear her right?  They all thought they were hallucinating.  Then suddenly Mako got a funny look on her face.
"You know, that actually sounds good!"  She exclaimed.  Everyone made disgusted faces.
"What are you two-pregnant?"  Setsuna asked sarcastically.  The meal did actually sound like something only somebody who was pregnant could like.  After Setsuna spoke, Mako realized what the implications were.  Then she sat long and hard and thought about that.
Mina came back a week ago from her honeymoon.  One month ago was the first time that Yaten and I were together.  The children said that it would be at around this time period and that we were only one month apart.  It is very possible that I got pregnant on one of my first nights with Yaten.  And Mina could've gotten pregnant recently...
Suddenly both Mako and Mina looked scared.  Was it possible that they wouldn't be able to help in the fight because they were now pregnant like Usagi?
Seiya, seeing the look on his new wife's face, was able to sense what she was thinking.  "No, Mina.  If you two really want to help with this, we will allow it.  After all it's not like we can stop it, right?  Besides, we need all the help we can get."
Usagi heard this and almost started to cry.  It made Mina feel bad.  But then Mamo-chan explained to her.  "We need your help too, but in a different way.  Besides you're so pregnant that we worry about you as well as the baby."
"Thank you Mamo-chan."

"So what are you saying... that you think you could love me?"  Salla almost wanted to believe.  
"Ha!"  Kusso shouted.  "Do you think I could ever love someone who's become as hateful as you?  No.  ALL I'm saying is that we both need large amounts of energy to gain our goals.  This is the way to do it."
"So this is to be a marriage of convenience and nothing more?"  Salla thought she sounded like an old cliché.  But she needed to know.
"Exactly!"  He suddenly sounded much nicer than before.  "I see that you understand me finally."
"You... you... uh!"  She ran out of the room.  Kusso just watched her go.  He loved to see her frustrated.  He knew he would see her as such for many years too.

"Salla!  Salla!  Please, let us out of here!"  Kirei continued to yell.
"Why the... why does it have to be so dark in here?"  Ai was about to scream, but not in the way that Kirei was.  "Kirei!  You can yell until you're blue in the face, and it will still do no good!"
"Shut up, Ai!  I know my sister.  She can't hold out for very long!  Salla!"
"Maybe she's not holding out."  Kirei looked in the direction of Ashita's voice, but could see nothing.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean, maybe she put us down here and walked of, so she could think we were happy and content.  She doesn't have to hear us and pine over us if she's gone."  Ashita finished.
Kirei looked like she was seeing red, or would have if anybody could see anything.  Right then, they were all blinded by the light from overhead.  
"Salla!"
"Yes, dear sister?"  Ai just hated Salla.
"Please, let us out!  You can't do this!"
"Oh?  But I'm afraid I already have."
Ai decided to interrupt.  "Salla?  It's Ai.  Look I know we never really got along that well, but it's cold.  Could you please give us our clothes back?  Even our Starlights fuku are warmer than this!"
"I'm sorry.  You see, we have not yet found your Star Lockets.  Since I know that you need those to transform, I need to take them from you.  In the event that you do still have them, I have made it so that you cannot use them effectively.  That is why you didn't transform early."
"She just sounds so diabolically evil," Ashita said sarcastically.
"I refuse to believe that there is something that can prevent us from transformation!"  Ai shouted.
"Well then, if you have you Star Locket, by all means, prove me wrong."
Everyone just sat there.  Ai didn't move.  She didn't want to give away the answer to Salla's speculation.  In all actuality, Ai knew exactly why her Star Locket wouldn't work if she had it down here.
The Star Lockets of the Neo-Starlights required direct light.  Without that light, the Locket could not be activated.  She knew that Salla knew this as well.  That's why earlier, when even the light was on them it did not work, because Ai messed up on purpose.  She hoped to make Salla think that her plan was working and that they no longer had their lockets.
As soon as she is about to leave, I'll transform, before I lose the light.  Ai then watched  as her cousins argued even more.  She sat and waited planning her moment to strike...
Now!  "Lover Star Power, Make Up!"

"Mina you must rest!"  Setsuna tried to get her to sleep, but she had a fever and kept having nightmares.
"No!  I must help them!  They are in danger!"
"Who's in danger, Mina?  Mina!  Stay right where you are Mina!"  Setsuna tried to hold her on the bed, but she managed to struggle free.
Mina ran across the large bedroom that she and Seiya now shared.  She was about to make it out the door when she suddenly ran into someone.
"You idiot!  Get out of my way!  Oh.  Sorry, Seiya."  Mina passed out again.
After Seiya and Setsuna got her back on the bed, they called in Sailor Cosmos to talk to her.
"Mako's going through the same thing.  Prophetic seeming dreams and extremely high temperatures.  It is possible that since they are pregnant with their daughters, who are in trouble, that they have developed this ability."
"But what can we do about it?" Seiya asked.  He was really worried about Mina, the twins and their full-grown "daughters."  He didn't know what to do anymore.
"Just wait.  If the girls get out of their present situation alright, then Mina and Mako will be alright."
This still didn't comfort Seiya much, but he spoke anyway.  "Thank you."

"What the...?!"  How the ... did she transform?!
"The light of love cast into darkness, Sailor Star Lover, Stage On!"
When Salla was so shocked that she actually stood where she was unmoving, Ashita and Kirei took advantage of the remaining light.
"Shaker Star Power, Make Up!"
"Mover Star Power, Make Up!"
"What..?!  Stop that!"  Salla pointlessly protested.
"The passive movement of light through darkness, Sailor Star Mover, Stage On!"
"A ray of light amidst darkness, Sailor Star Shaker, Stage On!"
"No!"  Salla's scream rang out through the cavern.
"You asked for it, Salla."  Ai spoke, she was ready to use her secret attack, despite it's possible dangers.
"No, please!  Don't do anything!  I swear, I'll let you out now!"  Kirei heard the desperation in her sister's voice, and didn't quite  trust her.
"Okay, then let us out Salla."
"That's um... going to be a little difficult.  You see we had to lower you into there with special tools, and the same tools cannot be used to pull you out.  I have to find a way to get you out first."
"Then why don't you go and do that while we wait.  We'll just sit here and wait."
"Ai, thank you so much for not using your secret attack.  I, I... I really appreciate it."
Then Salla ran off.  She left the light streaming in.  Ai's' eyes were finally adjusting after days of darkness.
"That idiot.  I know she's not going to let us out.  She just ran to tell Kusso that we outsmarted her.  I hope she gets in big trouble for this one."  Her sister stated.
"Think I should use my secret attack when she gets back?  I mean, I know we'd still be stuck down here, and we may even be the only ones it affects, but whatever will help right?"  Ai was just throwing out suggestions because everyone else just stood there while their moment to act was passing.
"What is your--"
"Candle Flash, Attack!"  Ai and Ashita stood aghast as a hole was burnt into the nearby rock face.  Kirei then fell to the ground.  Ashita slowly picked her up and headed into the tunnel.
Ai just stood there shocked.  Suddenly she heard someone screaming and yelling to Kusso.  She knew the voice to be Salla's.  Ai then yelled to Ashita to move as fast as possible.  Ai needed to cover their path out.
"Koi Ginga Blast!"  A beam of light came from her hand and turned into glowing hearts.  They flew up to strike the top of the tunnel once she was inside.  Salla's screams were muffled.
Once again, Ai could see nothing.  She managed to catch up to her sister.
"How is Star Shaker?"
"She's passed out.  Apparently her secret attack, which she has never used before takes a lot of energy."
"Do you know why?"
"Well, I happen to know that with mine, it is the same way.  I will always lose consciousness.  Is it that way with yours?"
"Well," Ai hesitated.  "Yes.  My attack knocks everyone out."
Ashita stopped.  "Huh?"
"I think that is why our secret attacks are forbidden.  Although they are very effective, we always put ourselves at risk.  Mine puts everyone in range at risk.  It will always be a matter of who awakens first."
"So that's what Salla knew."
"No.  She did not know.  There is no possible way that she knew.  She was just bluffing to see if I would tell her.  No, I know that she didn't because  no one else knows."
They kept walking until they felt that they needed to rest.  Their eyes were able to adjust to the light, so they knew that there was a way out, or a natural light source somewhere.  
They sat and rested and tried to assess the damage to Kirei.

"Things have changed.  We must go quickly!"  Sailor Cosmos grabbed the Sailor Starlights.  They wanted to stay because the girls were getting better, but she whisked them away.

"Ai, what are we going to do?" Ashita said after a long silence.
"I don't know sis.  Maybe we should start moving again, sometime soon.  I mean, we don't want to get caught."
Ashita sat and thought.  What could they do?  It would be too hard to continuously move with Kirei unconscious.  She wasn't sure that she could go much further with all the mistreatment over the last week and a half.
Kirei moaned.  Ai looked worriedly at her.  She didn't know how they were going to get out of this.  They had no idea where this tunnel went to.  What would they do?

"Cosmos!  Where are we going?"  Sailor Star Fighter yelled as he was pulled by her into a different dimension.
"Come along now," was all she said.

Ai sat and thought.  It seemed that she had been doing this for hours.  Why did all this happen?  She knew why.  Because they came to the past, they had to face different consequences than before.
Suddenly there was a rumbling in the near by stone wall.  Ai jumped up with Kirei in her arms and Ashita followed.  Ai thought that they had been found.
She swore, "...they found us!"
Then they were blinded by the bright light.  Ai was ready to throw Kirei to her sister and use her forbidden attack, if that would give them any chance, but instead she just stood there.  She didn't feel the urgency she had a moment ago.
Then Ashita realized how little sleep and nourishment she had received in the capture of her cousin.  She looked over to Ai, who also seemed to be weakening.  They both collapsed to their knees and Kirei fell to the ground.  Before they could find out who had come for them, they both lay on the floor unconscious.

Chapter 7
"Oh!  Are they going to be alright?"  Mina asked as she saw Cosmos return with all six Starlights.  The three she had known carried the Neo-Starlights.  
Right then Mako walked into the room.  She gasped and threw dinner up into the air.  It almost fell to the floor, but Jeremy, who entered behind her, managed to catch it.  She ran over to Yaten who held Kirei.
"Oh, Yaten!  Is she okay?  What can I do for her?"
Mina walked over to Seiya, who was carrying Ai, and looked into her daughter's face.  Ai looked strained.  There were dark circles under her eyes and she looked like she hadn't eaten anything in a few days.
"Ai?  Honey, can you hear me?"  She moaned but did not awaken.  She went with Seiya and Taiki as they carried the twins up to a bedroom.
"Where should we take her, Yaten?"  Mako wanted to administer so form of treatment to her daughter.  She just wasn't sure what was needed.  Suddenly everything went blurry.  Mako couldn't see Yaten's face.  It wasn't until her shirt front felt wet that she realized that she was crying for her daughter.  She put her hand to Yaten's cheek because she couldn't see, and noticed that he was crying too.

"No!!!"  What am I going to do?!  I'm dead.  I've failed.  I'll kill her for doing this to me!  This is so unfair!
"What are you yelling about?"  Salla spun around to see Kusso standing in her doorway.
"How dare you enter my chambers without permission?!  I want you to leave right now!"
"Considering the fact that you are staying in my place, these are not your chambers."  Kusso spoke in an offhand way, while he entered further.
Oh!  He can't find out what happened.  It was my job to keep my sister and cousins, and I lost a lot of precious energy.  "What do you want?"  It wasn't a question really, but more of a demand.
"Really, darling.  I think you promised to answer me awhile ago.  But I have been patient with you.  I need an answer."
Salla was confused.  Why does he have to ask about this now?  She just stood there as he walked forward and made himself a drink from her bar.
"Uh, I think there is something you should know before you continue to ask me to marry you."  Maybe this will get him off my back.  "I, uh... lost my..."
"What was that?  You trailed off."
"...my sister and cousins."
"Oh."
"I guess you don't want to marry me now."
"No.  I already knew.  I just wanted to see if you would tell me."  He relaxed comfortable on her chase lounge.
Salla just stared at him dumfounded.  He knew all along?  He...
"You bastard!"  She screamed.  She ran across the room at him.  She was about to claw out his eyes, when he stood up.  Salla tripped over the chase lounge and landed on her face.
Kusso stared at her as she got up.  He started to laugh.  This just made her even more mad.  She looked as if she were about ready to rush him again, when she suddenly got a wicked smile on her face.
I know just the way to make him miserable for the rest of his life.  "Okay.  I'll marry you."
Kusso didn't even stop laughing.  She knew that he had heard her and was glad she answered him, but he just kept laughing as he left the room.

Cosmos walked into the room they put the twins in.  She looked at Seiya and Mina.  They looked distraught.  They may not have known their daughters for long, but they did love them.  Ai and Ashita had both regained consciousness, but Kirei was still passed out in the next room.
Mina gave her daughters as much food as their stomachs could handle.  They smiled wanly up at her.  Cosmos knew that they were reminded of when they were young and sick.  All they ever had to do was tell their mother and they got all the attention in the world that mattered to them.  Cosmos could remember many nights sitting up with Mina and Seiya or Mako and Yaten because of the girls getting sick or hurt.  She felt as if they were her daughters too.
Sailor Cosmos went over to the girls and said a few encouraging words.  She then took her leave to go check on Kirei.

"Oh, Yaten.  What are we going to do?  I'm not used to being a mother, and suddenly I have a full grown daughter to take care of.  I love her so much, but I'm not ready for this!"
"It's okay Mako-chan.  She's going to be fine.  They'll all be fine."
"Yaten!  You say all, as if there are no more than the Neo-Starlights, but we have another daughter out there, who did this to this one here!"
"No,"  Both Yaten and Mako looked up in surprise.  "Salla did not do this.  Kirei used her forbidden attack.  Up until the point of its usage, no one knew about her attack.  It is the 'Candle Flash Attack.'  It burns holes into things; wherever she directs it.  As for all the Neo-Starlights, she has two attacks.  They each have one that they use all the time, and then their forbidden or secret attacks."
"What does that have to do with Kirei's present condition?"
"If you'll allow me to finish, Yaten.  Their forbidden attacks are forbidden because it always puts themselves at great risk.  Just as Kirei was knocked unconscious by her own attack, so will the other two be."
"What are Ai and Ashita's attacks?"  Yaten asked.
"I don't know.  Only they know.  We just know that because they have dual Sailor Senshi heritage they have a minor and major attacks."
"So what can we do to help Kirei?"  Mako questioned.
"Hope she wakes up."

Chapter 8
Kusso sat on his thrown and thought about the earlier events.  He chuckled to himself.  Salla waked into the throne room and he straightened himself up.  She was followed by the other New Moon Senshi.  Kusso stared as they all entered and formed a semi-circle across his thrown room.  Salla stepped forward with a grave look on her face.
"Kusso, because my sister and cousins have escaped, the Sailor Senshi will be after us.  Their attack is imminent and they will attack first.  We should consolidate our power and get married now."
Kusso sat there for a moment looking into her eyes to see if she was serious.  In a moment he was up from the thrown, across the room, and sending Salla flailing so fast, none of the New Moon Senshi were sure they had seen it.  
Salla sat on the floor by the far wall.  She looked up at Kusso with a hateful look on her face.  She put the back of her right hand to that side of her mouth.  Her glove came away with a smudge of blood.
"You son of a..."
"Salla, shut up!  You never tell me what I need to do, nor do you ever, EVER! Predict the moves of our enemies as if they were predictable!  They could just as well decide that you plan to go after your sister and recover her.  If they do they will sit at home until you come begging for forgiveness!  Which, by the way, is exactly what you are going to do."  He turned around and walked back to his thrown.  When he sat down Salla almost blasted him with her secret attack.
Then she stopped at thought better of it.  Why did he want her to go home?  Could it be that he had actually grown tired of her?
It was not Salla who voiced this thought, but rather her best scout, Starkiller.   Kusso stared at her for a moment then looked back toward Salla who still sat by the far wall.
"No.  Of course not.  My plan is this:  what mother can resist a redemptive daughter, despite what others tell her she should know is not true?"
Everyone sat there for a moment, not quite comprehending what he had said.  Then Salla realized what he was asking of her.  A stricken look came to her face, he just couldn't demand that of her!  No, she wouldn't!
"Kusso, she's my mother!  The mother I grew up without-"
"Which is exactly why it won't be as difficult as you think."
"I will not deceive my mother!"
Kusso just smiled at her, then a wicked grin came to his face.  "Salla, have you ever thought about this entire thing?  What if in the end, you have to be the one to go up against your mother.  And it has to be a fight to the finish, for the entire galaxy, to the death."
The way Kusso spoke these words made him seem harsh and tyrannical.  She could not believe that she would ever have to go up against her mother in that way.  She probably wouldn't be able to do it.
"Now," Kusso began again.  "who do you think would win that fight?  You spent a lot more of your life with her than she's spent with you.  She only just got pregnant!  Do you really think she pines over you as much as she does your sister?  She's at least been with your sister for some time.  But you!  You skipped out on her, right when she first met you!  She cares nothing for you!  She would kill you in a heartbeat!"
It was then that Salla saw the tragic flaw in his argument.  "That's where you are wrong!" She screamed.  "I will not be killed by her, because there is no doubt in my mind that the all powerful Sailor Cosmos already explained to her that I cannot be killed.  If she were to do so, it would kill her precious Kirei and the other Neo-Starlights as well!  She would never risk that because not only would she not forgive herself but Mina would never forgive her either!"
Kusso just sat and stared.  "Salla, Salla, Salla.  Don't you ever brush up on your history?  Your mother and your aunt both sacrificed their lives to save your father and uncles from that incompetent Galaxia.  She knows what must be sacrificed in order to save the universe.  If she thought it were possible to win without the Neo-Starlights and it were necessary to sacrifice their lives, she would.  So would the Starlights.  So would every one of them, including your sister!"
"Well, then if you know everything, what do I do oh Great and Powerful One?"  She asked him very sarcastically.
"You will do as I have directed.  Tomorrow, you will go to the house of your mother and wait for her arrival.  When she arrives, you will play the role of the penitent daughter and beg for her forgiveness.  You will tell her how wrong you were and that I'm such a horrible man-"
"That's not hard to pretend!"  Salla threw in.
He continued as if he didn't notice.  "...so that she will accept you back into the order of things.  You will then get her to grow close to you, so she will not be able to fight you, if need be.
"Oh, and we will get married before you go."  He said as he arose from his throne and left the room.
The New Moon Senshi just stood and stared as he left.

Mako was walking around the garden with Mina.
"So, do you think we should sell our apartment?"  Mako needed Mina's opinion, it was after all half her apartment too.
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, Yaten and I were discussing it last night.  We think that it would just be ridiculous to continue to pay for it if we're going to be living here."
"Makes sense.  Should we go over there today to see how much we might get for it?"
"Sure, but you needn't come.  I can do it myself."
"If that's what you want Mako.  I guess we can clean the place out next week."

Salla looked at the wide band anklet on her right ankle.  It was Kusso's wedding gift to her.  It couldn't be removed.  How would she explain this to her mother?  Maybe she could say that it was his power over her, so they would try to remove it for her.  Who knows what consequences that would have though.
Salla fell asleep on the couch of her mother's apartment.  Kusso promised her that she would be here today.  She did want to see her beautiful mother again...

Mako walked through the door to her old apartment.  It seemed so long since she had been here.  She turned on the light and started looking around.  She never looked at anything that belonged to her and Mina, only everything going with the apartment.  She needed to know what the asking price should be before she even talked to anybody.  She could probably get a pretty nice little bundle for the place...
Mako finished her assessment.  It wasn't quite as good as she had thought.  It had been a while since she had been here, so it was obvious that some things needed much repair.  She walked over to the couch to rest for a moment before going back home.
Odd to think that way, now that she was in her old home.  But really the Kou's house really was her home now.  She began to sit-
Who was in her apartment?!  She slowly stood back up, after practically sitting on the person.  Slowly she turned around... why, it was Kirei!  Why was she asleep on her couch?
"Kirei, Kirei!  Wake up!"  Mako nudged the sleeping girl.
"Huh?"  Salla looked up, round eyes wide.  "Mother!  Oh, mother!  You don't know what I've had to endure all this time!  I didn't want to do those things, really I didn't!"
"What?  Slow down, honey, and explain it to me!"  Mako hadn't even realized yet that this was not the daughter she knew.
"I didn't want to take the Neo-Starlights prisoner, I swear I didn't!  Kusso made me do it!  He also put this thing around my ankle, to give him power over me!"  She began to cry on her mother's shoulder.
Mako went numb inside.  One of her daughters was nearly killed because the other was heartless, cruel, and sadistic.  And now the bad one was playing on her motherly instincts, so she could get sympathy.  This is what Mako would've realized, had she not begun to believe Salla's story.
"It's okay, honey."  She soothed.  "We'll take you back to your father, and then you can tell us the whole story.  Okay?"
Salla hugged her mother and looked into the mirror on the wall across the room.  Her eyes reminded her of something she couldn't place.  She didn't understand how she was able to do this to +her mother... then the wickedly smiling image of Kusso appeared superimposed on her eyes.  It was then that she realized what the anklet was for.