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Earth - September 2011
After the 'Warrior's Council' ended, the five Sol Senshi and younger four of the Kinmokunai witnesses were escorted back to the mansion by members of the Royal Guard. The other members of the Council would be following once Meiya was safely imprisoned in one of the Guard Ships. Since he now knew the identities of a new generation of StarLights, there was no choice, but to leave them on Kakyuu's flagship until they were sure things were under control. That meant that their families on Earth were in danger. At Kakyuu's request, all the Sol Senshi, their families, Nami and her father, the Shitennou, the children of the StarLights and even Jinia's mother and brother were inside the mansion, with Royal Guard members posted inside and out.
Because of all the extra people, finding a calm place to think was nearly impossible, but Sarah managed to find one empty room. The room once shared by the older Kinmokunai teenagers was now used only to store the belongings of the twins and Seiya. Kai and Mi-ko had moved out a long time ago and shortly after Taiki returned, he and Kakyuu moved out of the mansion with all of their kids. There were no Kinmokunai left living in the house on a regular basis and even though it was a little cramped, no one dared even suggest moving the twins' things. Seiya's had only been moved when the younger Rei had been found sleeping in the singer's bed and holding the small box Shi had had hidden under her pillow.
Sarah glanced around the bedroom and sighed. She often found herself coming in here and sitting on one of the beds, trying to find some way to reach the young woman she had found out was her sister. She walked over to the blonde's bed and sat down, watching as the sky slowly began to darken outside the window. "Looks like I didn't keep my promise, huh? I told mom she'd get a chance to tell you. And I told you that I wouldn't just let you slip away ... but I couldn't keep either of those promises."
Sighing again, the strawberry blonde lay down on the bed. There was a noise next to her head and she glanced over to see she had partially lain on the letter the other blonde had tried to give her. She remembered tossing it on to the bed, thinking that there would never be a reason she'd have to read it. Picking up the envelope, she saw her name hastily scrawled on the outside. "You really didn't want to give this to me, did you?"
Turning the envelope over, she realized it wasn't sealed. She opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. A second, smaller piece of paper fell out of the first as she unfolded it. Glancing at the smaller note, she frowned.
Yes, I know who I really am. I always have.
Sarah wasn't sure if the blonde meant she knew she was half-human or if she meant she knew she was a Shitennou reincarnated. Figuring she'd never understand the slightly older girl, she placed the note on the bed beside the envelope and unfolded the letter. She stared at the letter in her hands for a long time. It basically asked her to take care of Seiya and Rei-chan, but the written words on the page were not nearly as powerful as the small fragments of emotion she was feeling. She suddenly understood the second note. Shi had always known she was Zoisite. That was why she was so scared around them. Shi, and apparently Miyo, had been terrified of the Sol Senshi learning who they were. They feared that their betrayal from the past and their actions under Beryl would keep them from being accepted for who they were in this life.
The strawberry blonde replaced the letter in the envelope and sighed. She knew the older Senshi wouldn't treat the Shitennou any different from the other kids, but also that it wouldn't be easy to make the alien twins understand that. She glanced from the letter in her hands to the door, debating whether or not to show it to her mother, when she heard yelling echoing up the stairs. Frowning, she clutched the letter in her hands and left the room to see what the commotion was.
"You don't have any control over it! They're not your kids!"
"I know that! But I still think it would be best for them!"
"Please, stop yelling, both of you."
Minako glared at the blonde in the wheelchair, then turned to the other woman that had spoken. "Jin-chan, are the children happy where they are?"
Jinia sighed a little and nodded. "Yes, they are. There is no need to move them back in here."
"But this is their home."
Minako turned her glare back to the other blonde. "No, Usagi, it isn't. This has never been home to the boys, or even to Rei. The only reason they're here now is because Kakyuu-san was worried for their safety."
Usagi glared right back at Minako. "I'm worried for their safety as well. And I think they'll be better off moving back in here." She turned to look at Jinia and saw the other woman frowning. "You all would be, even your mother. Plus there would be plenty of people to help you take care of the babies."
"I have plenty of help." Jinia's frown turned into a glare as she stood from her spot on the couch. "And I think that the children are just fine where they are. Like it or not, Usagi-san, they are NOT moving back in here."
"But Jinia-chan-"
"Enough." Minako ran one hand through her hair, then glanced to the doorway where the other Senshi had come to see what was happening. "I've had enough. I'm not putting up with ... this anymore." She turned back to Usagi, seeing the other blonde watching her carefully, and knew she was trying to read her. Thanks to a few little tricks she had picked up on Gaea, she was now completely unreadable to the other woman. "I'm leaving."
"You can't leave. Kakyuu-san asked us to wait until we got word that-"
"No! Usagi, that isn't what I meant! I meant, I'm leaving, as in, Moving. Out. Of Here. I'm sick of bending to your will and watching everyone else do the same. Enough is enough."
Usagi watched Minako for several long moments, then sighed. "Where will you go? This is your step-father's house, after all."
Minako nodded slightly. "I know it is, but that doesn't mean I'm spending one more night under this roof. You don't have to worry about where I'm going. Me AND my children will be just fine, without you." She turned and left the room, glaring at the other Senshi when they tried to stop her.
Jinia watched Minako leave, then looked at Usagi. "As soon as we hear from Kakyuu-hime, we will be leaving this house as well. And neither I nor the children, will ever be returning." She followed after Minako, and was grateful the Senshi didn't try to stop her. She heard Setsuna talking to the wheelchair-bound blonde as she reached the stairs. "Mina-chan."
Minako spun, ready to snap at whoever had called to her, but relaxed when she saw Jinia. "Yes, Jin-chan?"
Jinia smiled a little as she climbed the stairs to join the blonde. "You and the children are pefectly welcome to stay with us until you find a place. As long as you don't mind close quarters."
Minako smiled, allowing herself to relax a little more. "You have seen how many people get packed in here at the holidays right? Close quarters I'm used to." She hooked her arm with Jinia's and continued up the stairs, passing by Sarah on the landing. "You had better check on your mother, Chibi-Usa-chan. She seemed rather upset about something."
Sarah watched the two women until they disappeared into one of the hallways, then walked downstairs. She saw her mother crying and the other Senshi all standing around her. Deciding the letter could wait, she tucked it into her pocket and moved to kneel next to her mother's chair.
Minako was busy packing her younger children's clothes when the nursery door opened and Michiru walked in. "So they sent you to 'talk some sense into' me?"
Michiru sighed, shaking her head and moving to check on the sleeping babies. "No. Usagi-chan asked us to leave both you and Jinia-chan alone. If this is what you want ..." She sighed again, turning to face the blonde. "Why are you doing this, Mina-chan?"
"Because it needs to be done." Minako paused in her packing to look at the teal-haired woman. "It's something I realized when I was on Gaea. Usagi doesn't want to rule, right? But here she is, ruling this house with an iron fist. The only reason we stayed in America is because of her. The only reason we have kids by Mamoru is because of her. The reason we keep coming back here is her. The reason the Kinmoku are even here is Her. She says that she doesn't want to rule, but she already does. She rules us. Most of us are afraid to do anything without asking her advice first. The children don't dare step out of line because of her. And the Kinmoku don't blink without her permission. Hell, even the President of this country comes to Her for advice."
Michiru opened her mouth to protest, but began to realize that the blonde was right. Usagi did rule. Not only the mansion, but their lives. Any time she called, they were expected to drop everything and come running. That was why they had lost Mamoru and the others and it was why Haruka was missing and feared dead. "Where will you go?"
Minako turned back to her packing. "Jin-chan said we could stay with her tonight. She said a few days, but ... with all the kids ... I'll talk to Kaa-chan and see if we can go stay with her a few days. Ishi will just have to take a few days off from school until I know where we're going to end up." She glanced up as the teal-haired woman began helping her fold clothes. "She won't be happy about this, you know?"
"I know. But you're right. Even she has said that the best of friends need time apart. Maybe we have all been together too long. I think ... I think I'll go home soon. Roland is still gone. Without Haruka there, he doesn't see much reason to even be there. I'll ask the Shitennou if they want to go with me. Get them away from here and her. Let them see what France is like."
Minako nodded, watching the other woman for a long moment. "Michiru-chan ... are you ...?"
Michiru smiled sadly. "I really miss Haruka."
"I'm really beginning to worry, Taiki."
"They're fine. We would have heard something if things went wrong."
Kakyuu sighed, glancing over at the computer display next to her chair. "But we haven't heard anything. Nothing at all. Not even a random transmission from Meiya's ship."
Taiki frowned slightly, turning his attention to the display as well. "He probably disabled the computers, thinking that would buy him more time." He glanced at Kakyuu and noticed the look of worry on her face. "If it will make you feel better, I'll send Guards to the ship to check things out."
"What will make me feel better is if you take the Guards to the ship." Kakyuu frowned, her eyes still fixed on the display. "I know I asked you to stay behind because I was afraid of what Meiya would do to you, but ... I would feel better knowing you were looking after our son."
Taiki motioned to one of the bridge crew and a message was sent to the Guard units. He glanced back at Kakyuu. "Do you think ... I would never ask if the others were here-"
"Take Tsuki and Urani, but leave them on the Av'Nai. I don't want them in any more danger than is necessary. And send Hikari to the bridge."
Nodding, Taiki transformed into StarMaker and left the bridge. Kakyuu continued to frown at the display as a tear rolled down her cheek. 'Please be careful, Kou.'
Leaving the two younger StarLights on the Av'Nai and picking up a few more Guards, StarMaker teleported to Engine Room. Almost as soon as the Guards began appearing, she started barking orders. "You three, get that computer back up and running. I want communication restored to the Flagship yesterday. The rest of you with me. We're looking for the Prince and his crew, anyone else had better have a damned good excuse for being where they are."
As StarMaker led the group away from the Engine Room, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Even at full stop, there should be an endless cacophony of noises coming from the ship, but this one was silent. That did not bode well for her son, or his companions. Pushing down her own fears, she split the Guards behind her into smaller groups, motioning them off whenver she reached a junction. As they neared the Galley, she glanced back to the four Guards that were left.
"Lady StarMaker, we have a problem. The comms are fried, there is no way to fix them. We did get the computer back online, but ... it seems that Meiya has had Hrrrrunai dampeners installed throughout the ship."
"What? That means ... 'Shirou can't fight back."
The sound of energy weapons discharging brought them all back to reality as one of the Galley doors opened and an injured Hrrrrunai Military officer stumbled out. As soon as he saw StarMaker, he raised his weapon. All four of the Guards around the redhead fired and the officer fell to the deck. The doors opened again, moments later and Noi aimed at the Guards.
"Don't fire!" StarMaker made her Guards lower their weapons, watching Noi do the same as soon as he saw her. She ran over to him, noticing for the first time that he was injured. "Noi, what happened?"
Noi shook his head slightly. "As far as we can tell, the Hrrrrunai and the Guards had a shoot-out in the Galley, killing most of them. That one and a few others were scattered through the ship, waiting for us." He frowned as he glanced back at the doors. "Lord- ... Meiya is dead, killed by one of ours after he ... "
"After he ... what, Noi?" StarMaker frowned at the look on the younger Guard's face and keyed open the door beside her. Tavek lay a few feet away with both Zan and Mahret doing everything they could to keep him alive. Meiya and one of the Hseti were lying across the bodies of various Kinmoku and Hrrrr, with Van, the half-Vexan/half-Orion that had arrived with Urani, standing over them, a bloody sword in his hand. The other Hseti was kneeling beside two more figures, one tiny and one in black. The Hesti and Van looked up when the door opened, weapons poised to attack. "What happened?"
Van lowered his weapon when he saw StarMaker. "Meiya attacked the Prince and this guy," he pointed to the dead Hseti, "tried to stop me."
"'Shirou-"
The Hseti moved back slightly and Maker saw the younger woman lying on the floor, unconscious, but alive. There was a trail of blood down the side of her face, but that looked to be the worst of her injuries. Glancing to the side, the older redhead saw one of the two doctors shake her head. Cursing softly, StarMaker did the one thing she had hoped she wouldn't have to do. 'Urani, if you can hear me, tell Tsuki we need her here, now.'
