Author's Note: this is the first chapter of part III. This concentrates on April learning about her new place in the world and all events (and characters) surrounding that.

The next day a call came for April. "Hello?" she said into the receiver.

"This is April Winslow speaking, correct?"

"Yes..."

"My name is Violet Wakefield. I am looking for bright teenagers who want to be challenged academically. You are taking advanced classes for a sophomore, correct?"

"Yes, I am."

"Wonderful. Would you be willing to participate in a study?"

"A study?"

"It is more of a survey, but the information gathered will be used in a study. Would you be willing to participate in something of this sort?"

April was silent for a moment, unsure of whether or not to accept this proposal by a total stranger. I haven't even met this woman. I have no idea if this is genuine or what. "I don't know. I have to admit that I am unsure of whether or not to accept your offer simply because I have never met you face to face."

"I apologize for that. I was unable to find you at your school yesterday."

"That may be because I was ill yesterday, and am still recovering." April frowned inwardly. Why the heck am I speaking so formally? Maybe it's because she is... wait a minute. I've never heard that accent before. I wonder where she's from?

"Ah. That would explain it. Would you feel more at ease if I met with you during your lunch on Monday?"

"That would suit me fine. Where will I find you?"

"Meet me in the counseling center. Bring your lunch with you—some of the other students took almost the entire period to finish the survey."

"All right, then. I will see you there."

"Get well soon."

"Thank you."

April heard a click as Miss Wakefield hung up.

"What was that all about, dear?" April's mother called up to her.

"Oh, just a Violet Wakefield asking about me possibly participating in a survey of advanced students. I'm meeting with her at school on Monday to decide whether I'm to take it or not."

The name struck a chord in Allison's heart. No... no... I can't lose her yet... I hope it's just someone with the same name. Her heart denied it, but her mind knew that the time was near for her adopted daughter to return to her real home.

That night at dinner both April and her father noticed that she was a bit more sober than usual. "Is something wrong, Mom?" April asked.

"Oh, no. I'm just tired."

Her father raised an eyebrow, but did not say a word. After the dishes had been cleared and the kitchen cleaned, April went upstairs to finish typing up a paper. Ryan walked up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist. "What's wrong? I know it's not because you're tired."

Allison pushed his hands away, walked into the living room, and sat down. He sat down next to her. "What is it?"

She looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "April got a call today from a Violet Wakefield."

Ryan's expression was confused for a moment, but it changed to one of stunned realization seconds later. "No... is it really..."

Allison nodded, tears threatening to spill over. "I don't want to believe it, but I'm afraid it's almost that time," she said, her voice laden with pain.

"Oh my gosh... " he groaned, hands going to his face. "So all that Elaine told us over fourteen years ago really is true."

"Yes."

"I didn't want to believe it, even then... but now that it's right upon us... I want to not believe it even more."

"I feel the same way..." That did it. Allison buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

Ryan placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and allowed his own tears to spill.

* * *

On Monday April explained to her friends that she would not be there for lunch and headed for the counseling center. Once she arrived, she looked around for a woman seated at one of the tables, for that was what she had assumed would transpire. She was unprepared for a tap on the shoulder. April whirled around to face the person, startled.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I did not mean to startle you," the blonde young woman in front of her said.

April was confused. "Who are you?"

The woman laughed. "I'm Violet Wakefield."

April raised an eyebrow. Why, she can't be more than twenty-five! I expected a woman at least ten years older than her! She must be doing some sort of college project or something... "You are?"

"Did you expect someone older than I?"

"Frankly, I did."

She laughed again. "I must not have mentioned that this is for a college project."

"No, you didn't."

"I am sorry. Come on." Miss Wakefield began to walk toward the school entrance.

The teenager hung back, unsure of what was going on. "Where are you going?"

"You mean I did not tell you that I was taking you out to lunch for this?"

"No... " I am so confused. Why would a college student take me out to lunch for a simple survey? This is really weird.

"I must have forgotten. Pressures of college life, you know," she explained with a wink. "Well, come on. And if you are at all worried of arriving back late, I have excused you already."

"Oh, all right." April followed the older woman out the front door and into her red sports car. Sheesh, who is this woman? She must be really rich to own a car like this!

Miss Wakefield drove out of the school parking lot, and five minutes later they had arrived at a small restaurant down the road from Northfield. She led April into the building, and a waiter seated them momentarily. They were shown to a secluded booth, far away from other patrons.

April was completely bewildered by this time, but quickly regained her composure and looked directly at the so-called college student. "All right, Miss Wakefield. Tell me what is going on here."

The other woman looked at her. "Good. You are shrewd."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Never mind," she replied with a dismissive shake of her head.

"You aren't a college student doing a study on bright students, are you?"

"No."

The blunt answer startled the teenage girl. "So... who are you?"

"I cannot tell you unless you promise to not reveal a single word to another living person. You cannot even tell your cat, all right?"

"How do you know I have a cat?"

The waiter walked up then, forcing April to wait for her question to be answered. "May I take your orders, ladies?"

"Yes. I will have the soup of the day, please. With a salad. And I will just have water to drink," Miss Wakefield told him with a note of authority in her voice. April took a second to appraise her tone. She's used to giving orders, isn't she? What kind of person would have that sort of authority—

Her thoughts were broken into by the waiter's voice. "And you, ma'am?"

"Oh, I'll have... I'll have the same. With a root beer, please."

"Very good." He took their menus and left.

"Back to your question, April," Miss Wakefield said. "I cannot tell you unless you promise to keep all of what I tell you a secret."

"All... right."

She took a deep breath. "You are aware that you are adopted, right?"

"Yes."

"Have your adoptive parents ever spoken to you about your real parents?"

"No."

"Your real parents are alive."

April choked on the water she had just sipped. "Wha... what?"

"Your real parents are alive," she repeated.

"Then why... why was I adopted? And how do you know this?"

She sighed. "April, before I tell you, I must tell you a few other things that I know first. To start with, I know you are Sailor Nova."

"What?"

"Sh!" She glanced around the restaurant briefly to ensure no one else had heard April's exclamation. Satisfied, she continued, "I also know you have a guardian cat, Vega, and that you also, like Sailor Moon, have, as an aide, the Protector, also known as your boyfriend, Daran Windward."

April's eyes widened, then narrowed. "How do you know all of this? Do you stalk me or something?"

"First of all, this has all been foretold in legend. Not any names or specifics, but that a girl would become a Sailor Scout known as Nova, have a guardian cat, and also have an aide known as the Protector. You are that girl."

"Legend? What legend?"

"A legend that has been in your real family for over two hundred years."

April was utterly confused. "Who is my real family, then?"

"Your parents are Geran and Serena Winslow, king and queen of Byrista."

"My parents are a... a king and queen? Then that means I'm a... princess? But... what the heck is Byrista?"

"Yes, you are Crown Princess April of the House of Winslow of Byrista. Byrista is a country in the Pacific Ocean comprised of small islands."

"I've never heard of a country in the Pacific called Byrista."

"That is because only the inhabitants of the country know of it. It is protected by a cloaking device, as well as the other three countries near it."

"A cloaking device? That sounds like Star Wars or something."

"It is."

April blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

"All that you have either seen or read about concerning that series it true. We live in what the New Republic calls the Unknown Regions. The Galactic Civil War really happened, and so did the Yuuzhan Vong infiltration, as well as all of the events in between those two."

"What... then how... "

"Some of our people left their homes and traveled into the United States to publish books that were to be known as fiction, though they were actually true. That's how you know about it."

"So how do you know all of this?"

"I am the crown princess of Yavinia, another of the countries within the cloaked sphere. The other two countries are Alendre and the Windward Islands."

"Windward Islands?"

"The family that rules there is distantly related to your boyfriend, if that is what you were wondering."

"Does he get to know all of this?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Well... because... because he cannot."

"What?"

"Anyway, the reason I am telling you all of this is because you need to return home."

"I am home... well, a few minutes away from it, that is."

Miss Wakefield shook her head. "No. You need to go to Byrista."

"Why?"

"Because that is where you were born. And, because there is a problem brewing."

"Problem?"

"Yes. Have you read the Jedi Academy trilogy?"

"Yeah... "

"Do you recall Admiral Daala?"

"Yes."

"The situation is similar, but not exactly alike. You see, April, there is a man out there, somewhere, who has somehow gained a lot of power and declared himself an admiral. His name is Edun Gitran, and his fleet is enormous. His aim is simple: to destroy the New Republic. You must come back with me, April. You are a bright young woman and would be quite an asset in the war that will surely take place against him. Your special powers will also come in handy. Besides," she added, "if you do not return, then there will be no one to rule your country once your parents die."

April was silent for a few minutes, during which the waiter came with their lunch. Without her realizing it, a sense of obligation washed over her.

I have to go, don't I? she thought with a heavy heart. There's no choice... I have to leave everything I know to go to this strange place with strange people because... because why? Because I have an obligation to the people of my country—and because I'm slightly curious about this strange place. I'll go—I won't like it, but I'll go. But I want to at least bring Vega along, so there will be at least one "person" I know there. She did not speak again until after they had begun eating. "I have one condition. My cat comes with me."

Miss Wakefield mulled over the request for a moment. "You can do that."

"All right, then. So, how do I go about leaving? I have the feeling I can't just announce to the world my newfound royal position, et cetera."

The older young woman let out the breath she had not realized she had been holding. "Since all the people you know must not know of your true identity, you must pretend to die."

"Die? Isn't that kind of drastic?"

"Yes, but it is the method you must use."

"How... how will I... pretend... to... to die?"

It took Miss Wakefield ten minutes to carefully explain the process to her.

"And that's what I'm supposed to do with the Scouts?"

"Yeah. Make them think you died in battle."

"How about everyone else?"

"Our people will take care of that."

The "our" in Violet's sentence struck April to the bone. I'm already utterly committed to this, aren't I? There's no turning back now, I guess...

"When do I do this?"

"I'll send you a letter explaining all the fine details. April, I have to admit that I am greatly relieved knowing you'll be coming home. We've been waiting for you for over fourteen years."

April was a bit taken aback at this news, but then another thought struck her. "Wait... how did I end up here, then?"

She sighed. "I'm truly sorry, but it's not my place to tell you. You'll learn that from someone you already know."

"What?"

"Trust me on that one."

The rest of the meal went by in silence. After they finished, Miss Wakefield paid the check and tipped the waiter. They left the restaurant and drove back to Northfield High. Before April got out of the car, the Yavinian princess said, "Remember: you can't tell anyone about this. Not even your best friends. All right?"

April simply nodded in reply. She grabbed her backpack and headed for her next class.

There the other three members of the "Fearsome Foursome" were already seated. April got there with seconds to spare before class began. Her teacher gave her an odd look, but then resumed taking attendance. The rest of the period went by uneventfully.

After class all three approached her. "Well, how was the survey?" Cara asked.

"It was okay," April replied.

Her tone told Cara otherwise, but she did not press the issue. She and Brian then walked away, hand in hand. Daran remained behind. April resumed walking down the hallway, but he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked gently.

She looked up into his eyes, full of concern, and said, "I... I... I wish... I could tell you... but... but I can't. I want to so badly, but I promised, and... "

His eyes narrowed slightly. "You can't tell me? Why not?"

A tear slipped down her cheek. "I don't know. I was told I couldn't tell anyone, not even my parents."

"So... so it's not just me you can't tell?"

She shook her head, unable to speak.

"That makes me feel better... yet it makes me feel worse... you know?" Man, what could be so bad or important that she can't tell anyone about this?

April nodded. Daran reached his hand up to her face and wiped away a second tear. "C'mon," he said, taking his hand in hers, "let me get you an ice cream or something. We've got some time left before the next class starts."

She smiled at him sadly and nodded again. I wish I didn't have to leave such a special guy, she thought dejectedly. He is certainly one in a million.

As the days ticked down, April tried to enjoy every minute she could spend with Daran, her friends, and her parents. She was even able to spend some time with her aunt Elaine, whom she rarely ever saw because her job took her all over the country. Then the fateful letter arrived the day before school ended.

April,

I know school gets out on Thursday the fifth. The Friday, Saturday, or Sunday after school ends try to get involved with a battle against the Negaverse, and used the death technique there. I honestly wish you didn't have to go through this, Princess. Be careful. "Violet"

April sniffed after reading the note. It's finalized, then. I'm really going to go through this. Funny, at first I was taking it like it had been a bad dream... but now I must face reality. I don't want to, though! I have to go… but I want to stay… I hate this! Why me?

She blinked, thinking she had just heard a long-suffering sigh, but figured it was just a gust of wind through her partially open window. The teenager let forth a sigh of her own and laid her head on her desk, closing her eyes and willing the depressing thoughts away.