A/N: This is my looooongest story ever! Can you believe it! But don't worry folks, it ain't over yet ;)

Chapter Thirty Six: Chasin' After You

Maker and Fighter were not traveling among the stars for long before they caught a glimpse of a green shooting star. They pressed onwards, desperate to catch up with their comrade, and eventually, their princess.

Maker kept her mind clear. All that mattered was catching up and protecting their princess.

Fighter on the other hand...her mind was a whirlwind.

She felt like she was in some strange dream. Did all those things really happen? Was she really chasing across the galaxy after her princess?

Was their home..really gone? Was everyone truly dead?

...Did she kill Destroyer?

No matter how much Fighter wished none of those things happened, she knew in her heart they had. It wasn't her fault Destroyer was a traitor. But it was her fault Kinmoku fell so easily. It was her fault the four of them were now wandering stars, waiting for their doom.

Was that it? Were they really just waiting for Galaxia and her minions to find and destroy them? She hoped not. Fighter needed something to believe in, anything! There was no hope for their home now, she was almost certain of it, though she would not allow her comrades to know she felt this way.

Fighter didn't know how long they were traveling like that. She didn't feel tired, or hungry..or anything. Just numb. Suddenly it seemed they had caught up with their comrade, Healer. She was on a planet, for some odd reason or other. Maker and Fighter agreed to see what was up.

Once on the planet, they managed to meet up with her quickly.

"I'm glad you guys caught up. I can feel her...Galaxia...she's coming soon. We have to stop her from reaching our princess." Healer said wearily. Fighter nodded in agreement.

"We will fight." Fighter confirmed, looking about. "But for now, let's rest. We'll be no use as tired as we are." Maker and Healer agreed silently, and they laid out on the ground. The Starlights didn't even care if we were found by the indigenous species. What could they possibly to do Sailor Senshi?

Fighter did not know how long they slept like that, in that deep slumber that was their depression. They had lost everything. All they had now was each other.. and their will to fight.

When the lights woke up, everything was utter chaos. Sitting up, Fighter saw a phage run by, chasing one of the higher lifeforms of this odd planet. She quickly shook the others awake and they mentally prepared ourselves for battle. This planet, it was losing already. It had no guardians, the lifeforms were still primitive.

Why attack it? Did Galaxia come here looking for us?

Was this destruction...our fault?

"Over there!" Healer yelled suddenly, pointing out an anima-mate. The more of them they took down, the better off they'd be, right?

Less of them to chase down our princess..

Princess..I hope you're safe.

The Starlights called out their attacks, killing many phages, and a couple of the anima-mates. The stronger ones escaped their grasp. Galaxia never showed. Fighter wasn't sure if she should be worried or relieved.

Soon they were off again, chasing after the faint trail of their princess. She was so far away now. She obviously hadn't stopped. Fighter couldn't figure out why for the life of her. Wasn't she injured? What was she looking for? Was she just running? Fighter hoped she knew where she was going, what she wanted to do. Time quickly became nonexistence to them.

They'd stop on various planets, taking our needed rest. How the princess kept it up was beyond any of them. Usually by the time they awoke the planet was being destroyed. Planets were being destroyed within a day. Fighter never thought so much destruction was even possible. These minions of Galaxia, the anima-mates, they are vicious killers.

And so...we must be heartless, cold warriors to survive.

Survival..I never thought it was something I'd have to struggle so hard to achieve.

"Fighter.." Maker said gently, shaking her away from her depressing thoughts.

"Hm?"

I looked at her now, carefully examining her tired features. It was the first I had looked, or even thought of her this way since before our home was attacked. She had Healer, didn't she? And yet..they did not even seem close. In fact, I seemed closer to the two of them than they seemed to each other. What was going on?

Her lavender eyes held such a deep sadness and despair.. I..I wish I could take it away, but I know I cannot. How do you erase the pain of losing everything you've ever loved, everything you've ever known? How do you numb the ache of knowing you had nowhere to return to? The doubt that rises as you search and search, but only find the faintest trail of your princess? Or the hopelessness you feel, when yet another planet succumbs to Galaxia's insatiable bloodlust.

"We..we should get moving." She said finally, standing up.

Liar.

She was going to say something. But she didn't. Why? Why can't she just tell me? Who knows when our last day will be. Maybe mine would be tonight. It'd be nice to rest forever..but I know I mustn't. They depend on me too much.

It was then I realized something. I had not dreamed since our home was destroyed. All I had for hope, was the fading memories with my friends, and what I had dreamt about in our past lives. Those precious few moments..they were becoming so distant to me..I began to wonder...had they really happened to me? Or was it just a dream, like this miserable situation had to be? There was no way this was real. Who could possibly be so powerful as to take out a planet in a day?

"Watch out!" Maker screamed. I glanced back briefly, to see Maker knock Healer to the ground as a star seed stealing attack whizzed over head, crashing into a building. I watched them for a moment, I saw the concern and worry etched on Maker's face. Then it changed, ever so slightly. I saw it, that soft expression in Maker's eyes as she asked Healer if she was alright. The same expression I knew I had as I watched Maker, wishing that look was for me.

Healer stared at Maker. Why had she jumped at her so suddenly, to protect her? What if Maker had ended up being hurt? Healer felt it then, love...

Does...Maker love me?

Fighter turned sharply, to face the anima-mate that had attempted to hurt her friends.

"STAR SERIOUS LASER!"

The anima mate narrowly dodged her attack, disappearing in a tall rectangular box with strange writing on it. It would seem to be a popular method of escape for this enemy. Fighter ran to her friends.

"Are you two ok?"

"Hai.." Maker said, standing up slowly, offering Healer her hand. The smaller light smiled ever so slightly, placing her dainty hand with in Maker's, allowing herself to be pulled up.

Sharp pain in the chest over came Fighter. Shecouldn't do this anymore. She couldn't love her. She wouldn't love her. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be in this life. And as she turned away from them, taking off as a shooting star once more, she said goodbye to her love for her cold comrade.

Healer was stunned a bit at the sudden sadness she felt from her leader. What..was wrong? This intense sadness, she had hardly ever experienced someone feeling this way before..it was like...a bittersweet goodbye..

Maker watched, a bit confused as her leader took off suddenly, without any warning. She and Healer became rays of light as well, following their leader.

She wasn't sure just what had come over her when she saw that attack approaching her comrade. She knew she didn't want to lose a friend..but there was something more.

Memory replaced reality. It was as if she was seeing Fighter being attacked again. She couldn't hold herself back. She couldn't feel that biting pain again, that pain of watching her leader fading slowly within her arms. As she slowly recovered from knocking her friend to the ground, she thought of her...Fighter..

She was so glad her leader lived that day. If Healer hadn't come in just then...it'd be the two of them. Chasing after their princess. Could she even do it without Fighter? Was it even possible?

Would they have even made it off of Kinmoku?

Maker decided then; once their mission was complete, she would confess how she felt to Fighter. This was perhaps the most traumatic thing the three of them had ever gone through. It was beginning to teach Maker many things...namely..you don't know what you have til it's gone. Oh how she would have regretted everything had her leader faded out that day!

Never telling her about her true feelings, how she wanted to kiss and hold her. How she wanted to do silly, romantic things with her on Lover's day. All these chances never taken..she was beginning to regret it already. But for now she couldn't dwell on these things. She had her mission, she had to find her princess.

They soon found themselves in a strange system, with nine planets orbiting one very large star. They could feel their princess' warmth... they were getting close to her! They moved as fast as they could, desperate to meet up with her once again. The sparkling trail landed on the third planet of the system, which Maker identified as being named "Earth".

Upon landing, the Starlights looked about. Tall buildings were everywhere, and there were people busying themselves in the streets. In a way, it reminded them of Kinmoku...these people..were more like themselves than any they had ever seen. Realizing their fuku's would definitely draw attention, the three de-transformed and began to walk down the street. Their princess couldn't have gone far.

Fighter paused as she saw her reflection in the window. It unnerved her a little, really. It was the first time she had seen herself in a very, very, long time.

Since home was destroyed...

She was much taller now, and a bit leaner too, and she noticed that her chest was finally the appropriate size to fill her fuku. She had grown up.

Just how long were we out searching for?

Fighter noticed the other two looking at their reflections as well. They had all changed so much..in their eyes was that sad, hopeless, lost look. Here they were, on a strange planet, breathing in disgusting air, looking for their lost princess. They hadn't much time, they knew that much. Galaxia would come soon, if she wasn't already staking the place out.

"Come on.." Fighter encouraged, tugging gently at Healer's wrist.

The three continued on down the street, wondering what was to become of them, all the while knowing deep down that this planet would change them, irrevocably, forever.

A/N: Okay, I know this chapter was bit..odd. Basically, I wanted to go into a bit more into detail about the starlights' journey to Earth than the anime or manga did..without it being lengthy and boring. So it was essentially a summary highlighting a couple of the more important moments.

Yes, I truly believe it took the starlights years to reach Earth. Why? They were constantly stopping to fight Galaxia's minions for one.

Ontop of that, in one scene, where Taiki laughs because of Usagi, Seiya and Yaten comment it was the first they had seen him laugh in years. One would assume Taiki was quite joyous while their home was still good and healthy.

For two, they were following their princess. In the manga, anime and musicals, Kakyuu admits that what she was searching for was the Kibou no Hikari. Meaning, Kakyuu didn't know where it was, so she was going slower than she would if she was just traveling. Plus she was injured.

Why did I have Kakyuu become injured? Well ladies and gents, if you remember correctly, in the anime Kakyuu was hidden in an incense burner and found by Chibi Chibi because she was injured and needed to rest. So I just went along with that theme.

But don't worry, we have plenty of time before this story catches up with the Sailor Stars arc, because well...these ladies have to figure out how to become male, don't they? :) (laughing evilly)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will stick around for the rest of the story! Don't forget, review!