Chapter 7
Farewells
Kiyoko stepped into the chambers of her sister and Helios, flanked by Sailor Mars and Sailor Pluto. In a sense she felt like she was already going into battle. There was something amiss. The only people in the room were the royal couple and the other Outer Senshi. All eyes fell Kiyoko and she swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat….
"This is unnecessary! Why are you being so insistent Chibi-Usa?" Kiyoko looked at her sister crossly, feeling like a child who couldn't be trusted to take care of herself. She faltered there, realizing how informally she'd addressed her sister, the queen, in front of others and hoped she wasn't mad. Serenity looked sharply at her younger sister who was shifting uncomfortably, "I'm so insistent because you are my little sister Kiyo-chan." No one had called Kiyoko that in a century, not even Haruka.
Serenity had always had this effect on Kiyoko, making the powerful Priestess feel six, despite being centuries old. She began pacing, the way she did when she was lost in thought. Her sister was insisting on sending escorts with her. The Asteroids were out of the question. Crystal Tokyo needed the Inner Senshi. That left the Outer Senshi. However, Sailor Saturn wasn't a good choice for fear of the worst outcome from all of this. But why couldn't Pluto go? The stoic Guardian of Time was a stern pillar to most everyone else, but not her. If the choice were hers she'd want it to be Setsuna, the one who'd called the Starlights noble once upon a time.
Then it occurred to her, Serenity would be able to keep a watch on Kiyoko from a distance through her… looking for shifts in the time continuum. But it didn't make accepting who that left any easier. Neptune, Michiru, would be one thing. But all of the ill will and baggage Haruka carried pertaining to the Starlights, Seiya specifically, would make this journey so much more taxing. Regardless of her feelings though, she knew she couldn't win this argument, too much logic to the choices.
She stopped and pivoted to face her sister and brother-in-law. Helios' hand was on Serenity's shoulder, signaling her to wait for Kiyoko to think. He knew she'd come to the conclusions she had. For someone who couldn't read thoughts, he certainly seemed like he could. She pitched her voice low, "Alright, I concede. It is the best decision." Then she turned to Haruka, "I will be informing the Starlights." Haruka looked disappointed but said, "Fine. When do we leave?" That answer felt obvious to Kiyoko, so she said it as such, "At first light of course."
She dismissed herself from the room and went to inform the Starlights, wanting to get through it quickly so she could spend a few hours with her sister prior to beginning their journey through space….
Well, this is going about as expected, Kiyoko thought to herself when Starfighter, Seiya, began her stream of objections to Kiyoko's escorts. "They hate us, how will that help? Don't they trust us to protect you? We don't need them, especially Uranus," Seiya almost shouted. Kiyoko looked her directly in the eye, "This is not up for discussion. My sister has ordered it, that's all there is to it. And Haruka isn't the only holding a grudge. I suggest that you spend the next few hours before our departure readying for the long journey through space. In order to conserve our powers and the power of the Golden Crystal we will be traveling by spaceship. And before you start, our ships will get us there just as quickly as you traveled here. So prepare for the three day journey. I am going to say my farewells to my sister." Kiyoko cut off whatever else that may have been said by leaving the room.
Kiyoko returned to the royal chambers to find her sister sitting along by a window. She looked at Kiyoko and Kiyoko saw not the Queen of Earth, but her big sister already missing her. With a smile she went to sit beside Chibi-Usa, taking her hands and squeezing them tightly.
The two of them sat and reminisced about their childhood. About when Kiyoko would sneak into Chibi-Usa's chambers and take her tiara, or her shoes, or any number of things trying to imitate her older sister. And of course they touched on the time Kiyoko burned Chibi-Usa's favorite dress. "I was so mad at you! I spent hours looking for you," Chibi-Usa laughed as Kiyoko hadn't heard her laugh in years, possibly a decade. It made Kiyoko so happy, "You should have known to look in the temple. It was always my safe place!" "You still owe me a dress for that," Chibi-Usa chuckled and hugged her sister. This continued until Helios entered the room and they realized first light was upon them, "It's time." A swell of sadness crashed into Kiyoko. She was really leaving, "I guess it is." She and Serenity stood together, a mirror of royal grace that made Helios smile. But suddenly Kiyoko ran toward him, practically knocking him over as she hugged her brother-in-law, "I'll miss you Helios!" He said nothing, hugging her tightly. The child pulsating with magic that he'd watched into the world had somehow grown into a strong beacon of light in the blink of an eye. Everyone always compared Kiyoko to her father, and in many ways she was just like him, but this radiance…. That was all her mother. Serenity approached them and they made their way to the departure pad, to the place that would begin Kiyoko's journey into a new future. One even she couldn't predict.
Uranus and Neptune were preparing the ship. Uranus was the best pilot Crystal Tokyo had. The Starlights stood, waiting, still seeming unhappy with things.
When the royal family reached the ship Uranus and Neptune bowed, "We just finished preparing the ship your majesty. We can board anytime now," Uranus informed them. Her words made Serenity clutch Kiyoko's hand tighter. Kiyoko looked at her sister tenderly, "I'll be alright. But you have to let go." Serenity's vision shifted downward to their hands as if she hadn't realized how tightly she was holding. Giving her sister one last smile she let go and stepped back, taking Helios' hand instead. By the look on Helios' face, Kiyoko knew her grip remained intense.
Kiyoko took another step forward. She wished she could say goodbye to the other Senshi, however they all had duties they were attending to. That was the way it was, saddening though it might be. Uranus and Neptune took up each side of her. With a harshness in her voice Haruka addressed the Starlights, "Follow us. And don't get in the way." Kiyoko shook her head and leaned to Haruka, whispering, "Please behave Papa." Michiru clearly heard by the chuckle that escaped her lips.
And so everyone boarded the ship. Haruka and Michiru took up their positions in the cockpit, already armed with the coordinates of their destination. The ship wasn't large. They wanted to stay under the radar after all. There was a small seating and galley area, a bathroom, and two sleeping areas. Kiyoko slipped into one of the sleeping quarters, hoping to meditate. She was soon disturbed by a knock at the door. "May I come in?" the voice belonged to Seiya. She got up from her meditation and responded, "Yes, of course." The door closed behind Seiya, "Can you answer a question for me?" "I'll try," the confusion in Seiya's voice made her uncertain as well. Seiya looked at the ground and spoke softly, "Why are you still inside my head? It hasn't stopped since you touched my hand." Kiyoko didn't answer…. Mostly because she had no clue…..