Lights of Change (Part 5) By: Minako Kou and Makoto Kou Date started: January 24, 1998 Date finished: February 1, 1998 Inspirational music: "Starlights Transformation Theme," "Route Venus," "Nagareboshi he," "Ginga Isshinbun Chigai na Kata Omoi," "Mayou Naka Hotori," "Todokanu Omoi," "Ai no Megami no," "Rashiku Ikimasho," "Sailor Stars Song," and "We Believe You" Chapter 1 Everyone sat around a large table in the Kou's dining room. Everyone was there, except for the New Moon Senshi and Kusso. Salla was surprised at this. She hadn't expected everyone too come! Ching, ching, ching! Came from a struck champagne glass at the her end of the table. Her mother and father, next to her, stood to make an announcement. "Everyone, the reason we area assembled tonight is to celebrate the return of our daughter Salla!" Everyone smiled, or that is, everyone but Kirei and her cousins. They couldn't believe that everyone, especially Mako, was being sucked into this! It didn't matter how many time they told Mako about what was happening; she always said "You weren't there when she asked for help," rather sadly. This made Kirei wonder what could've been said that would change her mother so much... Salla smiled. "I'm glad to be back mother." Kirei gave Salla an evil look. She knew the truth. Salla was only doing this for her own purpose, she cared nothing for mother. "That's an interesting anklet you have there, Salla. Where'd it come from? I'd like to get one of my own..." Ai said sarcastically. Salla glared at her. Don't worry, you'll get one real soon... Seiya noticed the looks being exchanged. "Ok, so Mako, what smells so good?" "Food." Yaten put in. Mako laughed. "Good food." Everyone began laughing. The rest of the evening progressed rather pleasantly. "Seiya?" Mina looked worriedly across the room at him. "Yes, Mina?" He looked at her lying in bed. It was practically still their honeymoon, she shouldn't look this worried... "Do you think it's right? I mean, Mako and Yaten accepting Salla so fast..." Seiya had thought about this. But he knew how skeptical his brother is, Yaten would have thought of this also and done something to make sure... wouldn't he have? "Seiya, you didn't answer me, is something wrong?" "No, Mina. I was just thinking about what you had said. I'm worried too." "Taiki, there has to be some way that we can check out Salla, see if she's what she says she is," Tenshi and Taiki were thinking along the same lines as Mina and Seiya. "Hmm. I really can't think of a way, other than to let things play out..." "Hello?" Taiki turned around and saw Mina and his brother standing in the door. "Oh look, Taiki! The happy couple's come from some friendly marriage advice!" Tenshi and Taiki started laughing. Mina and Seiya looked embarrassed for a second, then interrupted. "No," Seiya said. "We've come to talk about Yaten and Mako." Tenshi suddenly looked serious. "That's what we were just discussing." Salla watched from the shadows as Seiya looked furtively around then closed Taiki's door. So the aunts and uncles want to talk about mom, dad and little old me. She started laughing. All the talking in the world isn't going to stop what I'm going to do! All three of the Neo-Starlights had been moved into the same room for sleeping arrangements, because Kirei refused to share a bed with her sister. They all sat in a triangle on the cramped bedroom's one bed. "That-" "Cool it!" "Well, she kept us looked up for almost a week and a half with little water and no food! Now she comes waltzing back into our lives, and she's a perfect little angel in the eyes of Mom and Dad! Something's up, I'm telling you." "Kirei, we all have to work together to figure this one out. I say we go talk to my parents, since yours won't listen to reason." "Ai, you know, I think you're onto something." "They're not here... maybe we should try aunt Tenshi!" "Okay," agreed Ashita. Ai walked up and knocked on their door. When it was opened, she gasped. There was her father, in Tenshi's room! Seiya realized what she must have thought and threw open the door further. It was then that Ai saw all four of the adults they wanted to talk to. "May we come in? We need to discuss something of much importance." Chapter 2 Mina walked into the kitchen. She felt so groggy. The group had been up late discussing things, and then when she and Seiya returned to their room, they didn't get much sleep. She looked at Mako who was making eggs at the stove. She was once again only wearing a shirt of Yaten's... and there was something different... Ah! It was the anklet! It looked just like the one that Salla wore. They must have gone out and bought them together. Mina called Mako's name a couple of times, and Mako didn't answer, Mina notice that she wasn't moving. Slowly and quietly, Mina rose and went over to Mako's side. She was asleep! Mako never fell asleep at the stove! When Mako wouldn't wake up, Mina ran for her husband and brothers-in-law. She wasn't able to find Yaten, but the Taiki, Seiya and her, ran back into the kitchen. Mako was still standing there, and the smell of burning eggs was beginning to permeate the house. They took the eggs off the stove, and moved Mako to the couch in the living room. "Everyone! Look for Yaten!" Seiya yelled to all the onlookers, who came from their rooms at the trio's noise. Mina went out into the garden to look. In a matter of seconds she found him. Slowly she walked up behind him... he was sitting in a lawn chair, staring into the pond. Mina was afraid of what she knew she would find. Yaten was in the same state as Mako. When Mina was helping to carry him inside, she was carrying the feet. She noticed that he also had an anklet like Salla and Mako's anklets. Only it was a little more masculine. "Where's Salla?" Mina demanded when they got inside. Everyone looked at her real weird. Especially he daughters and her niece. She looked them over. Nothing weird about them... "Did you see Salla?" Kirei looked far away as she answered, "My dear, sweet sister, has run into town." What!? Just last night, Kirei had been calling her sister all sorts of indecent things! Suddenly, she has this change of heart? What's up? Ai began to speak next, "My excellent cousin is buying some sake to go with our meal tonight..." "The beautiful Salla is going to return soon..." It was Ashita who spoke this time. "This is weird," Seiya said coming up behind her. "I know, suddenly they're acting worse than Mako and Yaten!" Said Taiki, who had also been observing. All three of the girls looked normal enough... except- ah-ha! Mina knew Ai looked different! She always wore skirts up to this point! Mina had never once seen her wear pants, and yet all three girls were wearing long pants that almost covered their shoes! "Honey, Ai? Would you come here for a second?" "Yes mother..." Slowly and in a daze she walked over and stood before her mom. "Those pants are way too long! How about if I hem them for you?" Mina bent down to lift up Ai's pant leg. Just as the light reflected from the anklet hit her eyes, Mina was thrown brutally across the room. She sat up. She looked over at Ai, who seemed to still be dazed. But later everyone said that it was Ai who threw Mina into the closest wall. Seiya came over and helped her up. "I saw it! I knew it must be that thing!" Salla walked into the room, and pretended to be distraught over her parents. "Cut the act!" Mina was upset that this little wench could do this to her own mother! The sobs choked off. "Wha-?" "I know what you are up to! It's those anklets!" Salla smiled wickedly. You're quick, aunt Mina, she thought. "But if it were the anklets then why aren't I also effected?" Salla made her voice sound strained and hurt. "Because, it's all you're doing!" "Huh? Why would I want to hurt my own mother? The anklets were just gifts! I thought they would like them... Look! I even have one for you!" She began to riffle through her purse. She pulled out a beautiful anklet. Suddenly all Mina could think off was how much she wanted to wear it... No! Mina's memory of what it had done to Mako and her daughters was enough to allow her to look away from the wickedly beautiful thing. At that moment, Jeremy and Hina walked into the room with a pair of cutters, to break the anklets. He walked over to Mako's right foot, and he was about to cut, before Salla interrupted. "I wouldn't do that if I were you..." she said. "Huh?" Jeremy stopped. "So! It is your doing!" "Yes, Mina you're right. But I wouldn't cut them off..." "Why not?" Seiya asked. "Because who knows what it would do... it could free them..." She started innocently. "...or it could kill them." She snarled. Mina gasped. She didn't want to kill her best friend! But she wanted Mako free! "Give me my anklet..." Everyone looked at Mina. What was she crazy?! "Mina what are you doing?" Seiya asked. He looked like he knew what she was about to say, and he didn't want to risk it. "Seiya, I love you. But we have to find out... now, as soon as I've put this on," she said taking it from Salla. She looked at it and felt the urge to wear it again. "... I want you to try and cut it off. When you've done this, we will know what it will do to the others." She reached up and put her hand holding the anklet against Seiya's face. He put his had over hers. Next thing Mina knew Seiya had her anklet and was putting it on. "NO!!!" He snapped the thing shut... and nothing happened. "It must be gradual," he said. Salla who watched all this almost started laughing. "They're made for specific people. But I have one for you too, if you want to give me your energy so bad!" She busted out laughing. Mina slowly took it back from Seiya. Hesitant because she now knew what it did, Mina snapped it around her ankle. Slowly, Mina lost consciousness as she heard herself speaking words of allegiance to Salla. Chapter 3 When Mina was wearing the anklet, it was like she was only a spectator in her own body. She could not stop what she was doing. The part of her mind that was herself regained consciousness, in the middle of throwing Seiya across the room. Nobody could get near her, if Mina's body thought they were going for the anklet. She hoped the others would notice this too because if her anklet was not being threatened, the body was to busy having it's energy sucked. If they would just realize this, Mina thought, then they could strap me down and remove the anklet! Mina could only watch as the pointlessly continued directly for the anklet. Every time Mina was forced to hit Seiya, she wanted to cry... Seiya was beginning to get an inkling of a feeling as to what they should do. The next time he went at Mina, he saw there were tears in her eyes. This made him stop. It was in that moment that he realized what needed to be done. Mina stood there motionless as he approached, just as she did every other time. Slowly he crept forward. Seiya threw his arms around Mina and kissed her. He notice that she still didn't move; she didn't even respond. Yes! He knew what to do. Salla watched this occur, and realized that they had figured out away to get to the anklet. She wondered if her uncle was smart enough to get the anklet off, without harming Mina, because they were skin-tight. How well Salla knew. At least hers only gathered the energy from the other anklets and sent it to Kusso; it didn't take her energy... Seiya walked over to Jeremy, Taiki, Tenshi, and Hina. He told the girls to "politely escort Salla from the premises" and the guys that they needed to "gather as much strong rope as possible." Salla left without resistance, to the disappointment of Tenshi and Hina. The men gather lengths of rope that were sure to hold even Mina's increased strength. Mina, also unresisting, was carried by Seiya to their bed and tied down. At first Taiki thought this was some weird thing he was wanting to do because she was so willing. But then Seiya had Jeremy bring the cutters. Seiya knew that Mina would not die if he could get the anklet off because of how hard Salla had tried to convince him of it earlier. But there was a problem with removing that he now saw. There was no way he could get the cutters between her skin and the anklet to cut it. The three guys just stood there perplexed. Tenshi and Hina walked into the room. They all stood there and thought. Finally Hina said: "Maybe, if we just try and take it off the way it was put on..." Seiya thought about that. Why would Salla make them think everything was so difficult, when so far, everything had been really easy? "Hina, that's so simple it just might work!" He reached down and pushed the button that unclasped the anklet. The anklet fell away and disintegrated! "Mina! Mina!" Seiya rushed to her side and tried to wake her. She lay there motionless. Suddenly tears came from her eyes. She did not move, just cried. "Bring Sailor Cosmos, quick!" Seiya yelled. "No," Mina finally moved, but very slowly. "It is not necessary. I will be okay. The others may not, because I am finding it difficult to move and they have lost more energy than me." One by one they tied everyone up and undid their anklets. The neo-Starlights were a little more sluggish than Mina, but Yaten and Mako were still unconscious. "Seiya, maybe now would be a good time to fetch Cosmos. She may know how to give them their energy back," Mina suggested. Jeremy fetched Cosmos, who then sent him to fetch the other scouts without explanation. "I need you to change forms, all of you. Change into Senshi." "Cosmos, I don't see the point to this! Mina and the Neo-Starlights are having a hard time as it is, and it requires a lot of energy to change!" Seiya protested. "Do you want Yaten and Makoto to get better? Then do as I tell you!" Everyone became quiet. Mina spoke up, "Well, what are we standing around for! Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!" Then everyone transformed. Seiya, Taiki, Tenshi, Hina, Usagi, Mamoru, Jeremy, Rei, Ami, Haruka, and Setsuna. Then Cosmos directed the group to join hands. They all stood around in a circle. Sailor Cosmos directed them to do something similar to what occurred when the Neo-Starlights gave the Starlights back their powers. This once again made Seiya recoil. He didn't want the same thing to happen, because at full strength it knocked out the Neo-Starlights... The group began to glow. Seiya noticed that the instructions Cosmos gave were not exactly the same. She had everybody concentrate on the way that Yaten and Mako used to be. Then she directed them to picture them better... slowly the color filled their cheeks again. Mina watched as they seemed to get better before her eyes. There was a large amount of energy coming from the group and flowing into the bodies of Yaten and Mako. Mako's eyes fluttered, and Yaten's hand moved. Cosmos warned those holding hands not to move from the circle until she was done. They spent about another minute transferring energy, before Cosmos allowed them to rush to Yaten and Mako's sides. Mina began to cry. She just felt so body-wracked and happy for Mako getting better, and yet sad for Mako losing Salla... "I couldn't believe her!" Mako started to cry. "I was only trying to find out if she was truthful, then she gave me that anklet and I...I..." "It's okay! We, at least I, know that it was not your fault! As soon as you saw that anklet you couldn't help it!" Mina hugged her. Yaten came over to Mako. "How you feeling, honey?" "Angry!" She yelled. "I'm going to get that girl if it's the last thing I do!" Chapter 4 "You incompetent fool! You told them the exact opposite of the truth, thereby letting them know how simple it was! Now you will have to face her to the death, or at least until you are so crippled and ugly, that you cannot help yourself to the bathroom." Salla almost started crying. Was this really what Kusso thought of her? "I ought to kill you where you stand. At least then your sister and cousins will be dead too!" Kusso paced the thrown room while he chewed her out. Salla felt like she had been punched in the stomach. This was her husband speaking to her this way! She fell to her knees and sat on the ground. Kusso stopped in the far corner and stared at her. She put her head down; her hair moved to cover her face. She started to cry. "Fine, if that's what you want-do it!" She looked him directly in the eyes. "I just don't see why you bothered to marry me first!" She looked down and continued to cry. "Mako? What did you mean when you said 'if it's the last thing' you do?" Mina asked. Her voice sounded small and scared. "Mina! Why are you worrying about a thing like that now?" Mako scolded. She tried to laugh like she had been joking earlier, but they both knew better. "Mako, I'm serious!" "Okay, so I meant that I would kill her..." She said in an off hand way. "Mako!!!! You know what that will do! That will kill Kirei and my daughters too!" Mako looked away, she had forgotten that little detail in the moment of her fury. But she wasn't about to tell Mina that! "Mina, don't you think that would be a necessary cost to win the universe? You saw how easily she came and almost captured us all... Well what if the only way to stop it from happening again, is to kill her... and our other daughters?" "Mako, I don't believe that! I will never believe that our daughters have to die to save the universe! There has to be some other way... and we'll find it too!" Seiya walked into the room. He had only heard about half of the conversation, but he didn't like where it was going. They both got really quiet when Seiya entered. They didn't know how much he heard, but they didn't think he should know. Seiya walked up to Mina and put his arms around her. He quit trying to understand them anymore. Seiya just wished that things could be as they were before the incident at Tokyo Dome two months ago. They were happy and things seemed so much easier then... Seiya was startled back into the present by Yaten's rushing into the room. He began to yell at Mako. Seiya thought he heard Yaten say that Mako couldn't use his caviar again. Seiya almost burst out laughing but Yaten glared at him. "I'll bet it's your fault! You made her go against her husband's wishes! You demanded that she use it! Didn't you? Didn't you!" Everyone stared at Yaten. He stopped, looked at what was sitting on the table for dinner, and got really embarrassed. Mako had ordered in for dinner... and there was no caviar. "Uh... I guess I'll just be going... now!" he ran out of the room so fast, no one was sure he had been there a moment earlier. The three of them stood there for a second. They looked at each other and blinked. Suddenly all three of them started laughing. Yaten popped his head back in the room. When he saw everyone laughing he felt left out, but then he realized the were laughing at him. Yaten suddenly got mad. "Hey! You cut that out! I said stop it! That's not funny..." Yaten stood there as they continued to laugh. Then he thought about what he must have looked like... Yaten began to laugh also. Chapter 5 "Look, I don't really want to kill you... I just needed to try and scare some sense into you." Salla looked up at Kusso and glared at him. He had walked over from his pacing and put his hand on her shoulder. "Is that how you comfort your wife? You didn't want to marry me did you? It was the only way to get your power. Well, I'm not going to stay with you for long, if you're not going to treat me like your wife. I'd rather be a whore... at least I'd be satisfied!" She spat. Next thing Salla knew, she was staring at the wall opposites Kusso's direction. The side of her face began to throb, it was then that she felt the pain of being slapped. Salla was so shocked that she continued to stare at the far wall. "You have no idea what it means to be me. The things I had to go through to get here would give you nightmares! You just continue to sit there and act like a little kid... I'll contact you when I think you're grown up enough to handle what I could put you through." With that Kusso left the throne room. "Mom?" Mina looked up. She was sitting in the garden knitting for the daughters she knew she was going to have. Ai approached. "What is aunt Mako going to do to Salla? We don't' think it would be necessary to do what she wants to do." Mina held out her arms to Ai. She ran forward and gripped her sitting mother about the waste, and put her head in her mothers lap, while her mother stroked her hair. Ai felt more safe then than she had felt in the last few weeks. Mina looked down at her daughter that just seem to shrink into her lap. She coaxed the young woman, and soothed the little girl. When she felt like she was cooing to her baby, she realized that this was a vision of things to come. Her daughters would be beautiful and happy, and they would always come to her when they needed her. "Honey, she knows that she can't do it. She loves you guys too much, even Salla because she's her daughter." Mina watched Ai begin to cry. It tore her up. She knew that her daughter feared death. She may try and act tough, but it is harder to accept your own death than to kill someone else when it seems justified. Your own death is even worse if it's only because somebody else was killed, and Mina could respect the irony. Mako was busy making dinner for a small group of people who didn't want to eat out. Jeremy, Hina, Yaten, Kirei and herself decided not to go out to dinner with everyone else. They were still really tired and wanted a quiet night at home. She, Yaten and Kirei were going to have dinner together in the garden. Mako wanted them to have a nice little moonlit picnic. She was preparing some delicate foods when Kirei walked into the kitchen. She walked up and kissed Mako on the cheek. "Whatcha up to Mother?" "Oh, just making us some dinner." Mako seemed to be getting into the family role rather well. "Where's father?" "He ran to town to get some wine." "Hmm, he does have a taste for that, doesn't he?" It wasn't that she didn't like her father's taste for wine, it was just that Kirei knew that after her mother's death, her father went through a period where he developed too much of a taste for it. "Well, I'm going to go take a shower before dinner. Don't start without me, okay?" "Sure thing, honey." Mako returned to her cooking. Yaten returned and they had a pleasant evening under the stars and eating Mako's fine cooking. At around ten o'clock, Mako was a little worried that the group had not returned from the restaurant, but then she figured that must have gone dancing. Mina was so enthusiastic when it came to using her knew found skill. Mako had the suspicion that it was just because she was dancing with Seiya and wanted to please him so much. Shortly after ten, Kirei decided to leave her parents to themselves. She wished them a good night and went to bed. Mako and Yaten continued to sit outside because the night was warm. They walked through the garden and stared up at the stars. "That little...!" How long am I going to have to put up with her? Kusso thought. Kusso wished that she would get killed. That would kill two birds with one stone. Not only would he get that annoying little brat out of the way, but he would get rid of the Neo-Starlights as well. But Kusso didn't really feel that way. Sometimes, he had feelings for her. Actually a lot of the time, but it was like she purposely did things to push all of his buttons! He didn't know what he was going to do with her. She was too used to running her own show. She needed more discipline. Kusso wasn't sure how he was going to handle her. The scare tactic obviously wasn't working...maybe he should give her what she wanted... love. NO! That would just give her room to walk all over him... or at least think that she could. And she couldn't, he wouldn't allow it! No... she would not be allowed to control him or any part of his operation. Not after the way she screwed up the last mission. He wasn't even sure she'd be allowed on the next mission... he'd had to come up with a pretext for that. Perhaps he could try making her believe that the New Moon Senshi were ready to handle it on their own... no. He could say that because she is his wife... no again. She'd never buy it. He'd have to come up with a pretty good excuse... Mina was walking down the streets in her old neighborhood, when she thought she saw someone wearing her fuku, but a little different. Because it was only a glance through a crack, she couldn't place the difference. Mina looked around feeling that something was afoot. "Ahhhhh!" a screamed erupted from behind her. Mina turned around just in time to see a black and orange blur. She was knocked on her back, and the groceries she'd been carrying under her arm, went flying. A young girl who looked similar to Sailor Venus, but with a black leotard, was on top of Mina. "I know who you are! I will get you one day too!" And with that she took off. Mina couldn't even register everything in time to go after her and or even watch where she went. "Hmmm. It sounds like it was Neo-Sailor Venus, Starkiller." Mina and Seiya stared at Sailor Cosmos. "Who?" Mina asked in shock. "What did she look like?" "Well, I'm not really sure I saw her at all... but she had long blonde hair like mine, but with a red headband! And she had a black leotard, with purple and orange coloring... I, I think her shoes laced up further..." "Okay, I've heard enough. That was Starkiller." "But Cosmos, what does this mean?" Seiya asked impatiently. "It means that we are on the verge of the final battle." Chapter 6 Kusso wondered how Starkiller had handled herself... "Ahhhhh!" Starkiller came running in. Kusso whipped around. His eyes were wide at this disrespect. Starkiller stopped in her tracks. Suddenly she was down in a kneeling position. "Forgive me, Kusso. I meant no disrespect." "Then why do you act in this fashion?" "I accomplished my mission sir! I scared the living-daylights out of her, then told her I was going to kill her!" She exclaimed breathlessly. She seemed very pleased with her efforts. Kusso got a wicked grin on his face. "Did you let her get a good look at you?" "Yes, sir. I did just like you told me too. I'll bet Sailor Cosmos has already identified me too!" "Good." Kusso walked across his throne room, to where his bird was perched. His bird was a beautiful golden eagle named Ski. He rubbed her head and gave her some raw meat. "That's exactly as I wanted..." Over the next week, the Senshi and Neo-Senshi spent a lot of time in training together. Mina couldn't believe how vigorous it was getting. Sailor Cosmos said it was because they would not have Sailor Moon to help them, since she was so near to term. Mako didn't see why she couldn't fight... other than the fact that she was as big as a house! "Seiya?" Mina said one night as they were getting into bed. "Do you really think that this is a good thing? I mean, all this training." Seiya popped his head out of the bathroom to look at her. He had his toothbrush in his mouth. "Mina," he attempted to say. He had to remove it and the contents of his mouth to speak with her. "I really do believe that it is necessary. It may not be nice, nor fun, but it is necessary." "But Mako and I are finding it so difficult with our increasing pregnancies." "Well, Sailor Cosmos assures me that the final battle will be soon, and that our daughters will be alright." Seiya tried to comfort her. "Sailor Cosmos, hasn't been wrong yet... And that's what really irks me! Why can't she just tell us what will win the battle against Kusso, and have us do it, if she knows so much!" "Because Mina, our hearts have to be in the battle for this planet. With out that we cannot win. If we were to know the simple way out, which I don't believe exists, then we wouldn't pour our hearts and souls into fighting for Earth." Kusso spent awhile waiting for Starkiller's reply. He wanted to know how she was doing with her mission. Couldn't that little slut at least contact him to update him on how things were going?! He meant it when the thought of her as a slut too. She had come onto him many times, after he was married. Not that he thought that was a big deal, since he and Salla weren't getting along too well...but he just didn't like Starkiller, she was a halfwit. Kusso began to wonder is she even remembered what her mission was, she probably got lost and forgot, and was now wondering the streets of Tokyo like a bumbling idiot! He began to pace. He just couldn't believe her! Suddenly Salla burst into the room. She was carrying a sheet of paper in her hand, and she looked upset. Kusso stared for a moment. Salla was wearing a beautiful flowing nightgown and robe; Kusso thought she actually looked beautiful... "Kusso, we have to do something about Michiru!" "Oh! Really? Is it really happening now?!" Mina got very excited. "Yes! Now come on; she needs our help!" Mako cried as they rushed out of the house. Seiya couldn't believe the news when he heard it! It was really starting... now of all times too! Yaten sat in the car with his brothers while they drove to help her. He just couldn't believe her impatience! Taiki wondered why his wife had to go ahead of him, and then call for him when it was almost all done. Couldn't she have let him know what was going on from the start? Now this was happening; what was he going to do? Soon all the Senshi were standing outside the new house of Usagi and Mamo-chan. They looked up at the window to the bedroom that was open. Usagi's screams of pain could be heard clear down the street. This made Seiya hesitate to enter, but Mina finally dragged him in. She was so happy to be here at this moment, but all Seiya could think of was that he had to get out-fast! "Will you be like this... when you uh..." Mina looked at Seiya when he spoke. He looked so nervous and seemed to flinch every time screams came from the upstairs. "Silly... of course I will. All women experience a lot of pain, especially during their first pregnancy." She slapped him on the arm. "Uh Mako..."Yaten started. "Huh? Yea?" Mako was trying to help Usagi, but Yaten was preventing her from getting fresh water. "When do you think you'll be done... in there?" The moment the words came out of his mouth he felt stupid. He knew he shouldn't have asked but Taiki made him do it. "Uh! Yaten! What... do you think we're going by a set schedule?!" She pushed him out of the way to get water without even answering his question. Taiki sat in the living room and heard the cries continue from upstairs. Finally they stop and were replaced by cries of a different kind. When he heard that little voice, all of his mixed feelings of the afternoon were replaced by joy and envy. Chapter 7 Usagi and Mamoru now had a beautiful little boy named Chiba Tsuyoi, or Strength of Earth. After a few weeks of Usagi's nursing, and Mamoru seeing no present threat from outside, they decided that maybe they should get a nanny so Usagi could get back to training. A few days through their grueling selection process, Mamo-chan and Usagi had found a nanny. She was a young girl, with experience because of younger siblings. She mentioned that her mother was never around due to being called away suddenly and often. She was a beautiful girl... and Usagi couldn't help but like her, there was just something familiar about her... Mina and Seiya paid Usagi a visit to give her a gift for the baby. But when they got their, Usagi wasn't home, she and Mamoru had, hesitantly, left to go on a picnic. Since the felt that Tsuyoi was still too young to come along they left him with the nanny, Hoshi. This was how the nanny told it. And Mina saw it as a chance to see what she should expect in her nanny. They were greeted at the door by a buxom young girl, who invited them in. Seiya mention that she looked like a cross between Mina and Usagi in high school. "You're not going to start chasing after her now, are ya?" Mina jabbed him in the side. Surely he knew that statement would get him into hot water! The three people sat down to some friendly chat while Hoshi made them some tea. Mina though the tea wasn't that good, but she smiled, and said she liked it anyway. But as Mina watched Hoshi, she realized it was true. She looked at lot and acted a lot like Usagi, but with fewer klutz attacks. Then her hair and attitude was a lot like Mina's; it was like she had been influenced a lot by both girls as she grew up. Mina saw how familiar she looked too. Maybe she grew up in the same neighborhood as Mina and Usagi... that hair though... the red... headband in it... it all seemed familiar, yet blurry. Suddenly Mina found herself fading out. The last thing she remembered was calling Seiya's name as she watched him fall with her. "That's weird," Mako spoke. Yaten and Kirei looked up at her. Confused looks crossed their faces. "What's weird?" They asked together. "Well, think about this. Seiya and Mina left this morning to make a quick run to Usagi and Mamoru's house, yet they haven't returned yet. Plus, have you seen Usagi or Mamoru at all this week? They've never gone that long without visiting..." "And your point would be?" Yaten said. Seemed to him that they just wanted some privacy. "Then something must be up. Come on! We're going to Usagi and Mamoru's!" Then Mako threw off her apron, and she made Kirei and Yaten put down the cards they had been playing with. She pulled them out of the house practically dragging behind her. Hoshi sat in the bedroom staring at the infant. Usagi, Mamoru, Seiya and Mina all lay in a heap on the bed. Kusso will be proud... now what to do about you big brother... shall I boil you alive ...or just strip that baby pink skin from your bones!? Suddenly there was a crash in the next room. Hoshi turned into Neo-Sailor Venus, Starkiller, and ran into the next room. She stood face to face with Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Star Healer, Sailor Star Maker, Neo-Sailor Saturn, Fire Masquerade, Neo-Sailor Neptune, and all of the Neo-Starlights. She stopped dead in her tracks. She had given herself away! I knew I should have stayed in human form! "Stop right there!" Sailor Jupiter yelled. "We're here to save our friends... and we're not going to let you hurt Tsuyoi!" yelled Sailor Star Shaker. This almost made Hoshi break. "Yea, that's right, you guys always did favor Tsuyoi! I remember how the only one who would play with me and my sisters was Salla. That's why we followed her and not you. And still you favor that brat of an Earth Prince! Well, I'm not going to put up with this anymore. Either I'll take you all out... or I'll go out trying!" She screamed and ran across the room. She hadn't even gotten her attack ready when battle cries erupted form the many scouts. "Star Sensitive Inferno!" "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" And each cry was heard from each scout by the dying girl. She felt herself begin to fade away. Ashita came running over to her. It was then Hoshi realized, she had not heard nor felt the attack of Sailor Star Mover. Ashita gathered Hoshi in her arms. Through out her life time she had wanted to be friends with this beautiful young girl. She even loved her as if they were related. She didn't want Hoshi to die because she got mixed up in stuff beyond her control. Silent tears fell from Ashita's eyes. Ashita remembered babysitting for Hoshi and her sister. She began to rock Hoshi and hum the lullaby she had always sung to her. Hoshi also began to cry. Ashita held Hoshi in her arms until she faded away in a mist of hearts. Kusso watched as Neo-Sailor Moon, Planetdestroyer, updated him on her sisters accomplishments. "Starkiller, has gathered five of them master. She has Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Venus, Sailor Star Fighter, and the future Prince of Earth." She beamed. She was very proud of her sister. Suddenly she was doubled over in pain. Kusso stood from his throne. Planetdestroyer was fading! Why? Why would this suddenly happen? She hadn't been attacked! If she suddenly dies so will her sister! I can't afford to lose my two most powerful New Moon Senshi! If Hoshi dies in the mid-wait! Kusso ran over to his viewer. He had a direct line to the house of Sailor Moon... "Noooo!!!!" Kusso yelled. He watched as Sailor Star Mover comforted the dying Starkiller. The two sisters faded simultaneously before Kusso's eyes. He couldn't believe this was happening now! Now, when they were on the brink-! Chapter 8 Mako and Yaten couldn't figure out how to wake Seiya and Mina up. Tenshi and Taiki were trying to do the same thing across town at Mamoru and Usagi's place. They just couldn't get them to wake up! They got them really close to consciousness once or twice, but the two never fully woke up. Mako just didn't know what they were going to do. Sailor Cosmos walked into the room and looked at Yaten and Mako disdainfully. "I swear! Do I have to do everything for you?" Then she pulled two little capsules out and broke them. She held each under the noses of the sleeping pair. "What are they?" Mako asked in awe as Seiya and Mina came to groggy consciousness. "Smelling salts," Sailor Cosmos then left. "So you destroyed her completely," Mina was still groggy, but she was able to understand more than the first time what happened was explained to her. "Yes. And according to Sailor Cosmos' explanation of twins amongst us, her sister, Neo-Sailor Moon, Planetdestroyer, should be dead as well. There are only two New Moon Senshi left for Salla to take power from." "That's nice Mako..." Then Mina drifted back off to sleep. Kusso yelled in frustration. He couldn't believe the idiocy of Salla's New Moon Senshi. Salla was crying at the loss. She didn't want to come out of her rooms anymore than she wanted him in there now. She blamed him for Hoshi's mission and the deaths. But Kusso couldn't help but think about what an idiot Starkiller was. Kusso needed to produce an heir soon. He was even more upset with Salla because she refused to see him, than anything else. He just wished that Starkiller had chosen a different time to die! Now he was going to have to send Comet and Ice. They were the only ones left. But they were not to be told about the deaths of their sisters. They were to think they took a vacation or something... anything to keep them working! Mina and Seiya ate a healthy breakfast, but they still didn't quite remember what happened to them. This worried Mako a little. But they would get past it. Usagi and Mamoru decided that perhaps it would be best if Usagi didn't go back into training, and better if she just stayed home with Tsuyoi. Mina and Seiya went right back to training. It seemed that their bodies were not taxed in anyway, just that they were knocked out until something could be done to them. But when Mako had realized that something was going on and gathered up everybody... well, Starkiller's plans were stopped. Mako stopped in the middle of what she was doing to think about that poor girl. And about the fact that her sister wasn't even there and she had to die as well... the she thought about the fact that they were Usagi and Mamoru's daughters... Yaten sensing what she was doing walked over to her and put his arms around her. They just stood there silently for a while. Mina noticed this in the middle of her practices. She just watched for a second, then got back to work.. She and Seiya had discussed what had been happening lately. They weren't sure what was going to happen next, or when it would happen, but they knew it worried them. They had the suspicion the wouldn't be sitting around waiting much longer. Kusso was giving orders to Ice and Comet, when Salla walked in. She had a look on her face that told Kusso he wasn't going to like what she had to say. Kusso watched as she approached his throne. She bowed then took her place in the throne beside his. For a moment he felt triumphant. He thought that Salla had come to her senses and realized her place. This thought was displaced quickly. "Do you two know what happened to your sisters?" She asked in a cold monotone voice. Both girls bowed their heads and shook them. They had been told that their sisters were away, but Salla's voice told them there was more to the story. "They were killed." Kusso glared at her. She knew that he didn't want them to know what had happened! Then her voice changed to one filled with rage. "They were brutally murdered by the original Senshi! I do not want to them to be left alive, do you here me?!" Both girls nodded. "I want you to go back to Earth and I want you to kill every single one of them!" Then her voice became dulcet. "Except for my dear sister and her cousins. I want them to be brought back here, so that I may deal with them." Both girls looked up wide-eyed. Did she really expect that they could bring them back. They wanted more than anything to avenge their sisters deaths, but to leave some of the Senshi alive was a death wish! "And to demonstrate to you what I want done, and what will happen to you if you don't do a proper job... Shadowhawk, Make Up!" Salla henshined into Neo-Sailor Jupiter, Shadowhawk, then called for the guard to "bring in the prisoner." Both girls gasped, because as far as they knew, the only prisoner was Sailor Neptune, otherwise known as Michiru. Sure enough, when the guards brought her in, it was plain that it was Michiru with a few months bad treatment. "New Moon Power is in my grasp! Evil Senshi Shadowhawk, Go!" Michiru's head snapped up. She knew what was about to happen, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. "Comet. Ice. When you two kill Sailor Uranus, I want you to tell her how her beloved died."