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Earth
Victor Quinn sighed as he watched the house he had followed some of the kids to. He wasn't sure who the man he had seen with the girl was, but he knew that the older girl was Yaten's daughter, while the younger was Seiya's. He glanced down at his notes and frowned. "New kid shows up that looks almost like Seiya's double, but there's no record of a son."
"Isn't that the kid that's supposed to be dead?" the cameraman, Guillame, asked. The young French Canadian had moved to California a few years ago, but had only started working with Quinn two months before. He was already looking for a new job.
"Hmm? I think you're right. That Mrs. Wakagi said something about Seiya's wife and son dying." Victor flipped to a clean page in his notebook and started jotting stuff down when the cameraman jumped. "This is California, kid ... you've got to learn to get used to gunshots."
Guillame glared at the reporter. "That wasn't a gunshot. It looks like there's some kind of electrical storm a few miles away from here."
Turning to the direction the younger man was pointing, Victor frowned. "It's just a st-" His cell phone started ringing and he grabbed it. "Quinn. What? Are you sure? Yeah, we're just a few miles away."
"What's going on?" Guillame asked, starting the car as Victor hung up the phone.
"That electrical storm of yours ... is a fight between two of the 'Angels'."
Gaea
The Goddesses were more determined than ever to find Cronos. Until now, she had been little more than a thorn in their sides, spreading lies and making people afraid of them. But, if she was trying to turn a new generation of children to her side ...
"Shirou, keep the girls back as far as you can. Without Kaish, it's only going to be four of us working directly with the Goddesses. And don't let Haru-chan or Hota-chan do anything stupid, either," Taiki replied. She was trying to make sure that everything they had brought with them was ready to go. If Mercury was right, today was the day when they put an end to Cronos, once and for all.
Kageshirou nodded, glancing up from the bag of supplies she was packing. "Why won't Aunt Kaish be fighting with you?"
Taiki sighed, glancing over her shoulder at her oldest child. "Because Kaish is ... sick. Apparently, there's something in this world that has had an ... effect on her. She's staying here with the twins and Zoi. So is Kunzite. You'll be in charge of-"
"I know. 'Tomi, Sarah-chan, Devii and the Earth Senshi. At least you'll have Zavi to help you." Kageshirou smirked slightly and leaned in close to her 'mother'. "So ... what's really wrong with Aunt Kaish?"
Taiki frowned as she lifted the bag to her shoulder. "Mind your own business." She walked through to the next room, where all of the StarLights and their friends had gathered their things. She dumped the bag beside one she recognized as Seiya's, then turned to see Elara (this dimension's Jupiter), talking to Kaish. Smiling a little, the redhead went back into the room she had come from. "Just leave your bag there, I'll take it through when 'Tomi brings her stuff in."
"Good luck getting her to finish packing. The twins keep trying to help." Seiya grinned as she carried the two six-year olds into the room.
Taiki chuckled at the look on the other woman's face. "Need some help?"
Seiya shook her head as she put both girls on their feet. "Just wondering how in the name of Kinmoku I ever managed to do that with a two-year old underfoot." She smiled slightly as the two girls moved to 'help' Kageshirou pack.
Taiki placed a hand on her arm and smiled slightly. "If I remember correctly, you made Enishi carry him," she replied. She pulled the shorter woman into a hug. "I guess now you'll have to say you've got triplets. Though, I'm not sure they'll be looking forward to even more Earth schooling."
Seiya chuckled a little as she returned the hug. "No, I don't think they will. Mercury-san said she doesn't know if it will wear off or ... if they have to grow up again."
"At least this time we know who they are and we can help them before they shut everyone out."
"But they don't even remember Rei ... and how can I tell them about ..." Seiya sighed, pulling back from the hug. "This settles it ... I have to move out. I ... can't deal with Usagi-chan and having to tell them about Urani, too."
"Then do it. As soon as we get back. You can move into the other house until you find one you like. We'll have the Senshi take a look at the girls and see if they can ... reverse what Cronos did. If they can't ... you'll have three little girls, that don't need to be trained as warriors. That don't have to know what it's like to live in war." Taiki smiled a little. "I'm almost envious. Not that I particularly want either of my kids to shrink any time soon."
Seiya chuckled. "I think Tavek would be most displeased if Shirou shrank," she replied, grinning at the younger redhead as she tried to grab her clothes away from the twins. "Think we should help?"
"Absolutely not." Taiki hooked her arm with Seiya's and left the room through the door that led out to the hall. "So, what happened between you and Mina-chan last night?"
Seiya blushed. "Wh-What do you mean, Taiki?"
Taiki smirked at the darker woman. "I just meant that Kou said the two of you were in the Throne Room talking for a long time. So ... what DID happen between the two of you?"
The darker-haired woman blushed deeper. "Nothing."
"Kou, that red tint tells me something a little more substantial than that happened," the redhead replied in their native language.
"It was ... I'm sure it was just ..."
Taiki stopped, pulling on the other woman's arm slightly to make her face her. "Seiya ... what happened?"
Seiya sighed, refusing to look at the redhead. "She kissed me."
"And?"
"And ... she said I didn't have to be alone."
"She's right." Taiki smiled at the other woman as they started walking again. "Enishi is gone, Seiya. You can move on with your life."
"Wemi's been gone longer. What about you?"
"I know that I have someone that loves me. The only problem is, she's married. And even if she hates her husband, she is still loyal to him," Taiki replied, smiling sadly.
"But she would much rather be with you. If you would just give her a reason to leave him-"
Taiki frowned. "Quit changing the subject. This isn't about Kakyuu and I, it's about you and Mina-chan."
"There is no me and Mina-chan."
"Do you want there to be?" Taiki smiled at the other woman as they walked into the Throne Room. Sitting in the middle of the room was the blonde in question and her double. The redhead saw both blondes smile when they entered and leaned closer to her companion. "Dating a 'Love Goddess' wouldn't be so bad, would it?"
Seiya shook her head, glad they were talking in their native language as the blonde Senshi stood and started toward them. "No, but I doubt 'dating' is what she's got in mind." She smiled at the blonde and switched to Japanese. "Ready to put an end to this? The Cronos / Beryl thing."
Minako nodded, returning the smile. "More than ready. So, what were the two of you talking about? It seemed like a pretty intense discussion."
"We were just talking about what to do when we get home. Even at just three weeks, we've already missed two shows. We're going to have a lot of explaining to do," Taiki replied, grinning.
"I think Haru-chan said something about Kakyuu-hime had come up with a cover story, but she wouldn't say what it was exactly," Minako replied. "Something about the three of you and the kids having to go to Africa."
Taiki shrugged. "I'm sure if she talks to those idiots in suits, that they'll come up with something."
"Be nice. Setsuna-chan is married to one of those 'idiots'," Minako replied.
Seiya chuckled slightly. "Another reason to move."
Earth
Pluto dodged the attack from the Jupiter look-alike and smirked. "What's the matter? Not so powerful without your sister?"
Ymede glared at the green-haired woman. "Shut up, you annoying little brat!" She was preparing to fire off another attack when snow began falling fast and heavy. "What the-?! Snow!?"
"You were expecting something else? Sorry to disappoint." Kai glared down at the brown-haired woman from the top of a nearby building. "Tell me where my sister is ... and I'll tell you where yours is."
"I know where my sister is. THUNDER DRA-"
"STAR SENSITIVE INFERNO!!" StarHealer smirked slightly as the attack knocked the brunette face first into a nearby snow bank. "Damn. These two are lightweights."
"Glad you think so," Pluto replied, slumping against her Time Key. Her fuku changed to ribbons as the mother of one slumped to the ground. She felt arms around her waist and looked up into the face of Usami. "P-Princess ... the other-"
Usami smiled a little at the older woman. "Don't worry, Pluto. She isn't going anywhere, thanks to Kai." She started checking her for injuries, then glanced to her companions. "I'm taking her straight to Pan. Can you two handle taking that one to where we stored her sister?"
"Um, I doubt I could. Still haven't figured out the whole 'teleportation' thing yet," StarHealer replied.
"Then maybe we can help. Especially since you've seen fit to use my ship as a prison ship without me knowing." Tavek smirked at the four women. "Go on, 'Sami. We'll take care of things here."
The Commander waited until she was gone before glancing over to where Cyril was restraining the unconscious woman. "Get her to Xan before she wakes up. Last thing we need is something happening to someone who may or may not be family." He shivered slightly and glanced up at Kai. "You know, you can stop with the snow now. The fight's over."
"I can't stop it. I didn't start this snowstorm." Kai teleported to the ground beside Tavek and frowned. "But my storm apparently started a chain reaction. We've got another blizzard coming down."
Gaea
"You really do look like your mom like that."
"I look like my mom no matter what form I'm in," Kageshirou replied. She leaned against the wall next to her cousin and smirked. They were waiting for a few last minute stragglers before setting off to find Cronos. Now that they had a better idea of what they were looking for, Mercury had been able to tweak the scanners to look for blood similar to Kunzite's. There were four matches, two inside the palace ... and two on one of the small islands not far from the city. "Speaking of mothers ... what's up with yours?"
Xavier chuckled slightly. "Can't tell you. And before you ask, yes, I know what's wrong, but I have been sworn to secrecy. And no, Devii doesn't know."
Kageshirou frowned. "But your mom doesn't get sick. None of the StarLights do. The only time I've ever seen one of them sick is when ... Krie. Is she ... nevermind, sworn to secrecy." The redhead laughed at the look on her cousin's face. "Oh man ... 'kaa-san is going to ... but who-"
"Guess. Who has she been spending most of her time with? At least she has since I got here." Xavier turned to look at where her mother was standing with her sister and a few of the Goddesses. She smiled when she saw the Goddess closest to her mother link arms with her. "This is definitely going to make things interesting at home."
Tsuki stared at the crystal's surface for a long time. "Why ... why is she in this?"
Aevor sighed slightly. "We do not have the resources of the palace, nor do we have a healer. What we do have are these chambers. They have saved all of our lives more than once." He brushed his fingers over one of the neighboring crystals and sighed again. "When Mi-ko was found, we thought she was okay. Even mother Cronos said she was fine, but then she started getting sicker and sicker. We had no choice but to put her in here."
Tsuki found herself fighting back tears as she looked down at the face of her cousin. If Mi-ko had gotten sick ... what had happened to the others? What had happened to the man she had just realized was her real father? "You said ... you said there were others with her ... where are they?"
"They are unharmed, so they are staying on the surface of the island. Mother Cronos is training them to help us free your other friends."
"I want to see them."
Aevor nodded, motioning for the young redhead to follow him. He saw her three companions staring at the crystal in much the same state of shock she had been. As he glanced over his shoulder, he could barely repress a shudder at seeing the young gray-haired girl trapped in the crystal. Or maybe it was a reaction to the claw marks on her face from where she had tried to rip her own skin off when she said her blood was burning. The spell Cronos had used to dispel the after effects of the portal had gone wrong. She had expected the girl to be like the blonde, but she wasn't. And it had nearly killed her.
Nephrite looked up from his perch on the rocks as Aevor stepped out of the caves followed by four women he had never seen before. "Damn ... I thought we had met all of them already."
Jadeite nodded idly, glancing over to the newcomers. "So did I." He glanced over to where Gaia was talking to Cronos and frowned. "However, I don't think these are more of them."
Cronos looked at the newcomers and stepped toward the blue-haired man. "Aevor."
"The energy spike the girls sensed was apparently another portal. These are Mi-ko's friends," Aevor replied, motioning to the four women.
Cronos' eyes widened. "More of them? They're not from the Dark Kingdom, are they?"
Kinmoku frowned slightly. "We are from the Tankei Kingdom, seat of the Kinmoku Empire."
"Tankei? Kinmoku? I do not know these names." Cronos looked over to the two men sitting on the rocks and from the looks on their faces, concluded that they didn't know who these women were any more than she did. She motioned Aevor closer and spoke with him for several long moments, all while keeping an eye on the four women. Three were watching her, while the redhead was watching the men on the rocks.
Tsuki stared at the two men for several moments before Orion's hand on her arm startled her back to the green-haired woman who was now sitting on an outdoor swing. They had emerged from the caves onto a relatively flat mountain top with trees on the side where Cronos and Gaia were. Rocks overlooked a sheer dropoff that the Shitennou were perched on. Directly across from the cave's entrance was a winding pathway, leading up to a large crystal spire. As Tsuki turned her attention back to Cronos, she noticed the other woman was giving her an odd look. "Did I miss something?"
Kinmoku shook her head. "No, but she's been staring at you ever since she saw us. She's making me nervous," she replied quietly.
Aura glanced at the two men on the rocks, then gasped. "I know who those two are."
Tsuki glanced between Kinmoku and Aura, slightly confused by the overlapping dialogue. "Just relax, Nami. We'll be fine," she replied in her native language, then switched to English to say to Aura, "You know who who is?"
"Those two," Aura replied, tilting her head toward the rocks. "They're Shitennou ... Beryl's Generals." She frowned when the name didn't get a reaction from any of her companions. "They're enemies."
