Three: Kakyuu

Usagi looked up as Seiya came into the room. "You said there was a message for me?" he asked.

The blonde woman nodded and motioned toward the couch. Kakyuu and a teenage girl, blonde, with her hair pulled up on either side of her head and close to the same age as Sarah looked up at him. "Dad," the girl replied. She ran over to Seiya and hugged him. "It�s Miyo! She�s gone! We can�t find her anywhere."

Seiya seemed surprised for a moment. He looked at Kakyuu and then Usagi and then back to his princess. "What happened, highness?"

Kakyuu sighed and looked at her hands. "After you came to Earth a few days ago, Yaten arrived on our ship. You know he had been planning on bringing his family to Earth for some time. They set off for Earth, but made a detour to your ship first," she replied. She glanced at the blonde in the wheelchair and then at Seiya. "We think Miyo must have gotten on board then and gone with them."

"Well, that�s simple. We�ll just find where Yaten landed and go get her," Seiya replied.

The blonde teenager shook her head and looked up at her father. "It�s not that simple, dad. Uncle Yaten�s ship exploded as it entered the atmosphere," she replied in Kinmoku. "We haven�t heard from him or anyone on board since."

Seiya looked from his younger daughter to Kakyuu. "When did this happen?"

"Two days ago. We didn�t know about Miyo until this morning," the redhead replied in Japanese. "We came straight here to find you."

"I spoke to Ami yesterday afternoon. Yaten�s ship crashed not far from where she and her mother are working," Usagi replied. "She didn�t mention a child on the ship, except for a little boy."

The blonde teenager turned to Usagi. "She may have thought she was one of the crew. My sister doesn�t look like a child," she replied. "Did she mention what happened to the little boy?"

Usagi glanced at the three aliens for several moments before shaking her head. "I�m afraid he was killed in the crash," she replied. "That�s all Ami told me. If you want to find out exactly what happened, I suggest you go to Africa."

The teenager nodded stiffly and transformed into something similar to StarFighter. "Then that�s what I�ll do," she replied.

Seiya placed a hand on his daughter�s shoulder and turned her to face him. "Shi, stay here. If your sister is hurt, I will bring her home," he replied. "For once, please do what I ask?"

Shi nodded hesitantly and watched her father leave. She then turned back to Kakyuu. "What do we do now?" she asked.

"You are welcome to stay here until he returns," Usagi replied. She glanced at the dethroned princess. "There is obviously a lot that Seiya has neglected to mention."

Kakyuu nodded slightly. "You mean the children? Well, that�s a long story, I�m afraid..."

"I have nothing to do for a few hours," Usagi replied. She glanced up as Shi, now back in her normal form, walked past her to sit with Kakyuu once more. "And you know you can tell me anything, Princess."

"Well that is the first thing I have to tell you. It�s just Kakyuu now. Kinmoku, our Kinmoku, is no more," the redhead replied. "It�s still there, but it belongs to the Hrrrrunai now. You may have noticed that Shi is too old to have been born in the time that has passed on this world. For us, over twenty years have passed since we were here."

"Twenty years? But it has been only twelve," Usagi replied.

Kakyuu nodded slightly. "For you, Usagi. Or, at least, for this world. Kinmoku exists in a different time, almost like a ... bubble. Our time does not flow as yours does. When we went home after Galaxia nearly destroyed our planet, we discovered something very unusual about it. It had regenerated itself. Our people were alive again, or, rather their descendants. We could once more live as we had before �The Ultimate Soldier�. At least that�s what we thought."

The former princess recounted how other peoples had come to settle on Kinmoku, soon outnumbering the survivors and the descendents of the survivors, the conflicts between her people and the settlers, and the struggles between different groups of settlers and their interstellar sponsors. "Finally the Hrrrr empire took over. Because of the accelerated time on our world, it was a very useful asset to them. At first we fared well under them�they favored our people over the other settlers, who were from stronger opponents of theirs. They even relocated most of them to other worlds in their empire. They intermarried with our nobility�My spouse and the partners of all the Lights are Hrrrrunai, or part-Hrrrrunai."

"But then the Hrrrrunai began arriving in greater and greater numbers, exploiting our world as never before, pushing our common people aside. More and more began to resist. At first I tried to keep the peace, but the reprisals of the Hrrrr Governors were barbaric. I left my spouse to lead the resistance."

"But we could not overcome the Hrrrr forces, not without destroying ourselves as well. So I tried to make peace. But that was not enough for them . . . they wanted vengeance, at the cost of the last of their honor."

Kakyuu could not help but add, "Sovereign, will you not fight with us to bring us justice?"

Usagi gently shook her head. "No. I have asked my President to find homes for your people. But as I told Seiya, your ambassador, this is not our war. Let it end, Kakyuu-hime. Has it not sent enough to the world of death already? Kinmokunai and Hrrrrunai alike?"

Shi glared at Usagi. "I thought you were my father�s friend? Why do you now refuse to help us when he and my uncles helped you save your own world?"

"Shi!"

"No! I want an answer! My father�s people risked their lives to come here. All because he spoke of this great queen who would be able to help them regain their world. They trusted him because he trusted you! The least you could do is tell me why you refuse to help the man who loves you more than his own children!" Shi glared at Usagi for several minutes before tears started falling down her cheeks. She turned away angrily and then ran from the house, nearly knocking over Sarah, who had been standing in the doorway, on her way out.

Kakyuu looked like she was about to follow her for a moment before turning to Usagi. "I apologize for my niece�s behavior. She hasn�t dealt with her mother�s actions very well," she replied.

Usagi nodded slightly. "I could see her thoughts. She is more hurt than angry," she replied. She held her head in her hands a moment before turning to the doorway. "Follow her Sarah. She will get lost very easily."

Sarah nodded slightly and left the house. Kakyuu turned back to Usagi as she left. "Your daughter will not be able to find her. Whenever Shi wants to vanish, she can," she replied.

Usagi nodded slightly. "All Sarah has to do is follow her thoughts. She�ll have no trouble finding her."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah concentrated for a moment before following the strange thoughts she had read as the other girl had run past her. She glanced at the reporters outside the gate for a moment before realizing the other girl couldn�t have gone that way. She saw something out of the corner of her eye and turned. The mysterious blonde had retreated to the side of the house, and was peering around the corner. <Mom�s right. She�s more frightened than angry,> thought Sarah, close enough for her power to feel Shi�s mind. She has good reason to be frightened, though. Pleione had pinned her to the wall and slid her up far enough so that her feet were dangling. Sarah shook her head, taking it in, before saying, "Let her go, Pelly. Her dad is a friend of our moms."

Pleione set Shi down, but she did not apologize. Sarah was dying to know what Shi had said or done to set off Pleione�usually slow to anger, but very bad news once she got there!

Shi turned to the girl she had almost knocked down and glared slightly. "I don�t need you to fight my battles for me," she said in Japanese�very strangely accented Japanese, with a nuances that Sarah did not recognize.

Pleione looked at Sarah. "This brat�s a friend of our mothers?"

"Yes, Pelly. Shi, this is Pleione. We�ve been friends since we were babies."

"What do I care who you are?" Shi asked. "And why don�t you and your mother stay out of my head?"

Sarah fought down a momentary urge to blast this prickly girl enough to teach her some manners. Turning away for a moment, she noticed that there was one camera team in view, advancing up the side street, and they were obviously focusing on their dispute. "Look, can we at least go inside and talk? We don�t need you to cause a spectacle on the six o�clock news."

Shi looked confused for a moment. "I have no idea what you�re talking about. And I am most certainly not going anywhere with you," she replied.

"Shi! Akunatan s�ssa iki! Kano!!" A tall young woman emerged coming from the house. She was speaking in a language Sarah had never heard. She looked a little peculiar with her long black hair braided on either side of her head down to her waist and the rest of her hair hanging loose to her knees. "You should be ashamed for what you said to your father�s friend."

Shi turned to the new girl and looked as if she wanted to scream at her. Only dignity and 14 years worth of court mannerisms kept her from doing just that. She bowed slightly to the girl and mouthed a tight-lipped apology to Sarah before running back into the house.

Sarah looked at the new girl in shock. "What did you say to her?"

"I told her to apologize. Just be glad her father drilled enough discipline into her that she didn�t start a fight," the newest girl replied in English. She smiled slightly and walked over to Sarah. "Shi is just a little high-strung. And after finding out what happened to her sister, I can�t blame her for being angry. My name is Usami, by the way. Usami Kumiko Aotani."

"Sarah Ami Usagi Uer," she replied. Unsure whether Japanese or American manners were appropriate, she bowed slightly to the other girl and then extended her hand.

"I�m afraid I am not familiar with your customs," Usami replied, looking at her hand. She returned the bow and then slowly placed her hand next to Sarah�s. "We are not from ... America?"

"I would have never guessed," Sarah replied sardonically, grabbing Usami�s hand and shaking it. She smiled at Usami and motioned for her to follow her into the backyard. "We can avoid the cameras this way."

Usami followed the blonde, but glanced back over her shoulder. "Cameras?" she remarked, before she her translator kicked in. "Oh, audiovisual sensors. Do all of your people know about us already?"

"No, they are here watching us. I wonder if the Reverend is going to pay us another visit."

"Reverend?"

"One of our holy men. Well, some people believe he�s a holy man." Sarah began explaining about the Younts and Auntie Mako and her children, and soon quite forgot that she was supposed to be watching Shi . . .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah�s suspicion that the Reverend Johnny Lee Swainson would make an appearance turned out to be wrong; the celebrity turned out to be a Country and Western singer who was a member of the New Gospel Church. Once she had sung a few songs and had a few interviews, the camera vans packed up and drove away. It was growing dark, though there was enough heat left from the warm November day to make the back porch pleasant.

"�Tomi is the only one that ever had time for a �normal� life," Usami replied.

"�Tomi�?" Sarah asked. She glanced up as she noticed Naru pull into the driveway with a van full of kids.

Usami nodded. "Tanetomi. Uncle Taiki�s eldest daughter," she replied. "She�s only 14, but she spent more time actually getting to know people than we did. Her father wasn�t as strict when it came to courtly manners."

Sarah nodded and then noticed Minako peeking out of the back door and motioning them inside. She led Usami in and then looked to the older blonde. "What�s up?"

Minako smiled at the two teenagers for several moments before hugging Usami. "We just heard from your Uncle Seiya. Miyo won�t be able to travel for a few days, but once she can, they�ll be coming back here," she replied. "So will Yaten and our friend Ami and her children. I think he said the others were going back to Kakyuu�s ship."

"Then I should probably go speak with mother about returning as well. I do not think your friend, Chiba-san, wants Shi here any longer than necessary," Usami replied.

Minako smiled slightly and shook her head. "She understands what she is going through. And besides, she�s already invited all of you to stay, even your little siblings," she replied. "And I am especially interested in meeting Taiki�s daughter. Kakyuu says she has neon blue hair?"

Usami giggled slightly and nodded. "I�m not familiar with the term, but it sounds like something okasan would say. Tanetomi�s hair is a very unusual shade of blue. Even lighter than her mother�s," she replied. She bowed slightly to the older blonde and smiled. "I must go speak with my mother. It was nice meeting you, Aino-san."

"How did she know your name? For that matter, why was I talking to her?" Sarah asked after the other girl had left.

Minako chuckled slightly. "Because she has some of the same abilities as Ishtar. She can make people like her. At least that�s what her mother said," she replied. "I guess it comes in quite handy when dealing with diplomats. As for my name, I guess Kakyuu told her about us."

Sarah nodded slightly and turned to face her aunt. "She said the other one�s sister got hurt. Do you know what happened?"

Minako shook her head. "Why don�t you go ask her? She seems to have calmed down now," she replied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minako and Sarah walked into the main room as Usami and Shi teleported out of the house. "Where are they going?" she asked in English.

Usagi smiled slightly. "They�re going back to Kakyuu�s ship to get the other children," she replied in Japanese. "It will be good for them to be around kids their own age for awhile. As a matter of fact, I was just talking to Kakyuu about enrolling the older girls in Sarah�s school."

"Since we can not return home, I have decided we will try to live here. Most of our fleet is months away still. Usagi-san has agreed to help us bring our people to Earth a few at a time, so that it does not attract undo attention," Kakyuu replied. "From what I have heard, you have all had far too much of that recently."

Minako nodded and sat next to the recently ousted princess. "Definitely. Anyway, I think it would be a great idea to put the kids in school together," she replied. "How many of them are there?"

"Ten," Kakyuu replied, then shook her head. "But only nine are left."

"Why don�t you tell us all their names? I have lost track of who�s who already," Usagi replied, smiling slightly. It was actually a small lie; she really wanted Kakyuu to repeat the names for the benefit of the others.

Kakyuu nodded slightly. "Kageshirou, my oldest, is 16. Usami, is the oldest girl at 15. The twins, Shi and Miyo are next, they�re four months younger than Usami at 14. Then there�s Tanetomi, she�s the one with blue hair. Quite unmistakable. After her is my second son, Ikki, he�s 13. Tsuki is 10, and so is my other son, Xavier. Dana is 4, as was Yo-ichi," she replied sadly. "So it will just be Usami, Shi, �Tomi, Ikki, Tsuki, Xavier and Dana until Seiya comes back. Kageshirou will remain with the fleet for now."

"And who belongs to who?" Minako asked as several children came running into the room, including her twins.

Kakyuu smiled slightly. "I�ll explain later. Why don�t you tell me about your little ones?"

Usagi noticed the redhead�s reluctance to talk about the children, especially the ones that weren�t with them. She half-listened as Minako explained who was who and how old they were.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Victor Quinn asked the camerawoman if she had gotten the scene between the four blondes at the side of the house. "From Warfield�s own reports, I know two of them are the late Dr. Chiba�s kids, but who was the one in pig-tails? I don�t remember having seen her before. And what was the deal with the other one, the one with the braids? She came out and totally took over the situation," he replied. He looked over the footage and noticed that the mysterious dark-haired girl had glanced their way once. He also remembered that was right before the batteries had died.

"These things have got to be defective. I mean, they�re brand new and they go dead less than fifteen minutes after I turn the camera on," the camerawoman replied. She chucked the dead batteries into the garbage can of the editing room and sighed. "I can�t even get them to charge back up."

Quinn shook his head. "Forget the batteries. Who are these new kids? More of Dr. Chiba�s love children?"

"Why don�t you just give them a break? He�s been dead for months. What does it matter if he had more children? Sheesh, Quinn, you�re getting to be as bad as Warfield."

"His death was never fully explained. What if his wife finally got tired of him fooling around with all of her friends and did him in? She may be in a wheelchair, but she�s no innocent," Quinn replied.

The camerawoman rolled her eyes and left the room.

Quinn shrugged, and resumed watching the videos, hoping to find something he�d missed before. There didn�t seem to be anything, although something still bothered him.

Eventually there was a knock on the door and one of the assistant producers walked in. "The news director said I would find you here."

"Congratulations for following directions correctly. Do you have anything useful to tell me?" Quinn was a man who got right to the point, and he didn�t have much patience with small talk.

"We found out who your mystery man is."

"Which one?"

"The who was sighted three days ago. Apparently, he�s a has-been singer from Tokyo," he replied. He handed the reporter a folder and turned to leave. "And get this, he�s been missing for over twelve years."

"Really? �Missing man returns from the dead to comfort a grieving widow,� huh? Thanks, kid." The reporter opened the folder and started flipping through the pictures. He came across one of the Three Lights from a commercial they had done almost a year before their disappearance. He froze the tape at a picture of the mysterious new girls at the Alvarson mansion and looked at the photo in his hand. After a few moments, he shook his head and put the picture back down. "Even Warfield couldn�t make that believable."