Arashi Seishino
She was the first Rakugosha, expelled by Queen Serenity IV
millennia ago for refusing the call to duty
as a senshi serving the Moon Family. The Imperium Silver Crystal
was used on her to forever mark her power and her fuku as
Rakugosha by turning her bows black. Her majesty's excuse for
turning out even a disobedient senshi? "The power of
Illusion is an evil power. I do this for the good of the System."
She wasn't the last, this senshi in silver, not by far. Other
Moon queens picked up the trend and
banished their own "evil" senshi. So the senshi of
metal, lava, dark fire, emotion, insanity, and the dark Moon were
Rakugosha. Then the call to arms came during the reign of Queen
Serenity IX, Metallia was attacking and all senshi were needed.
The Rakugosha ignored the summonses. They wouldn't have made it
in time anyway.
The Rakugosha had locked themselves away in the Senshi Nebula in
the galaxy Kokuryuu while their
leader attended to her own duties as a senshi.
Pluto knew all this and she knew that even if they had been close
enough to help they wouldn't have
come. But still, she also had duties to maintain and guarding the
Gate of Time always came first and her close bond with the leader
of the Rakugosha could not be denied.
"Komban wa, Morpheus." Pluto said as her old friend
stopped in front of her.
"Is it?" Morpheus asked airily. "Well then, good
evening to you as well, Pluto."
"How is life in the Nebula?"
"Exhausting. Kibun is ever on the verge of a breakdown, Tot
is encouraging her, Foji is constantly
pounding on her forge, Koko is so perky I could at times shove
her into said forge, Hizashi and Megumi are sulking, Abyss has
come to visit, and I have to train a new gaki senshi from
Andromeda called Shido Hoshi." All this was said with a hint
of humor to a steady soprano inflection tinted with an ancient
accent. "How are you?"
"Actually this is the first time I've returned to the Gate
of Time in a while. Chaos was threatening Earth
and Serenity-hime needed me to aid the senshi." Pluto
noticed the minute hardening of her friend's face. "Your
friends, the Starlights, were there also."
"Really?" Morpheus' face softened again and her eyes
turned slightly wistful as she thought of her three
former students. "How were they? Are they all right? How was"
Morpheus broke off, taking control of her emotion and not letting
her feelings for a certain Starlight through.
"Top form, I must admit. They fought with honor and courage.
And Healer is fine. She didn't so much
as look affectionately at any female there except Luna, Serenity-hime's
cat guardian."
Morpheus' eyes widened and a faint blush tinged her cheeks.
"How did you know?" she asked with
trepidation hoping her feelings for the littlest Starlight
weren't obvious."
"Mou, Akumu-chan, I've known you for how many millennia, I
can tell when you're in love."
"Hai, I am. Demo, what good is it to love her when she
doesn't love me back?"
"I'd ask her yourself the next time you see her. Her answer
may surprise you. The Starlights will be
visiting their friends on Earth for a time a fortnight hence.
Perhaps it is time for the Rakugosha to take a vacation as well."
"Yes, we have never had one. Perhaps it is time to finally
see Earth. I will inform the senshi of my
decision at once and make arrangements with the Senshi Kouyou to
either accompany us or stay at the Nebula."
Pluto smiled to herself. She had never been much of a matchmaker
but her friend had been so lonely for
so long. Akumu deserved this. Pluto knew that Akumu had loved and
lost a long time ago and that loss had been what prompted her to
defect from the other senshi.
"I have a house in Tokyo you can use. It's under the name of
Meiou Setsuna and is in the Juuban district.
I'll inform Haruka and Michiru the Rakugosha will be coming."
"Haruka and Michiru?" Akumu asked.
"Hai, Sailors Uranus and Neptune."
"Ah, it's about time I've met one of my nieces. Training
with Father took up centuries and by the time
we finished I was very nearly an outlaw by royal decree. A family
reunion has been out of the question for the longest time and it
will be nice to see my imouto's bloodline continued."
On that note, Akumu faded out of Limbo with a distracted "Ja
na." To Pluto.
the love you deserve."