Ch. 3: A trial of trust?! Battle between Star Keeper and Uranus!
Kathryn awoke to find herself in a bed that wasn't hers. She glanced over to her right to
see Seiya asleep in a dining chair and across the room to see Yaten asleep on the couch.
The faint aroma of bacon filled her nose. She stood up and softly approached the door.
She opened it and then shut it when she was on the other side.
Taiki placed the eggs in a bowl and put the pan in the sink. "Awake at last, sleeping
beauty." He took the bacon form the oven and set them on a plate.
"Taiki-san. . . Why am I in you guys' apartment?" Kathryn asked softly.
"First tell -us- why your hair's pink," Taiki replied.
Kathryn spun around to see Seiya and Yaten in the doorway to the room she had just
come out of. She took a piece of her hair and yelped. "It was s'posed to turn back!" She
covered her mouth quickly.
Yaten sighed. "Now tell us the truth. Who are you?"
Kathryn bit her lip and turned to him. "Kaiou Kathryn, famous singer/songwriter," She
took a deep breath. Seeing Taiki's look of disbelief, she added, "As well as Sailor Star
Keeper. First descendent of Neptune and ruler of Kinmoku's only moon."
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Seiya asked.
The girl shrugged. "I didn't know." A few dubious looks passed over her. "I swear I
didn't!"
"We have a meeting to attend. You may as well tag along," Taiki reasoned.
Kathryn spun around and held his jacket in her hands. "No! It's supposed to be a secret!"
Taiki smiled softly. "Secrets don't last long."
Kathryn broke down into tears and collapsed against him, crying on his chest. Yaten and
Seiya exchanged glances.
"Okay, okay. We won't tell them." Seiya sighed finally.
Taiki gave a questioning look towards him.
"You won't?" Kathryn sniffled, pulling away from Taiki.
"You will." Yaten smiled.
"But they aren't supposed to know! You aren't supposed to know!" Kathryn wailed.
"You think this will last long?" Seiya asked harshly.
Kathryn frowned and lowered her head. After a minute of silence she shook her head no.
"Exactly. That's the reason you -have- to tell them," Yaten replied.
~~~~~~~~~~
Kathryn stood at the bottom of the temple steps as Taiki, Seiya and Yaten climbed them.
Yaten turned to her. "We don't have all day! C'mon!"
Kathryn whimpered. "Fine"
"There you guys are! I thought we arranged to meet at eight!" Minako exclaimed.
"It's ten, we need all the information on the new enemy-" Rei stopped.
Kathryn trotted up the stairs silently. Her head was lowered and she only half smiled when
she approached the group. "Uh... hey."
Rei frowned. "What's she doing here?"
"Well.... uhm.... you see...." Seiya stuttered.
"Spit it out!" Haruka pressured.
"I'm the lost sailor senshi from Neptune, the older descendent, I was sent away to
Kinmoku for disobeying the king. My father!" Kathryn yelled angrily.
Haruka shook her head. "No jokes, now scram, we have important business."
"I'm not joking," Kathryn declared passionately.
"Oh yeah? I don't care for jokes, Miss USA," Haruka snapped.
Kathryn thrust her hand to her side. "Keeper Star Power! Make up!"
Sailor Star Keeper now stood in Kathryn's place. Her pink hair flowing silently. The new
senshi glared at Haruka.
Now Sailor Uranus stood in Haruka's place. "I will not tolerate fakes. For all we know,
you're the enemy. You are not worthy of this group."
"A duel then. If I beat you, I'm considered an ally.... If I lose..." Star Keeper replied.
"Then you're considered an enemy. Deal," Uranus laughed.
Keeper swung her leg furiously at Uranus. Uranus, however, saw this coming and stepped
out of the way. She landed her fist in Keeper's stomach and swooped her leg under
Keeper's feet, causing the girl to trip and fall. Uranus aimed her fist for Keeper's head, but
Keeper back-saulted out of the way. Keeper rearranged the formation, now Uranus was
under her.
"You're good," Uranus grunted.
"Why thank you, it means the world to me," Keeper replied sarcastically.
Uranus brought her knee to the girl's gut. She stood up and Keeper followed her action
slowly. Keeper's hands were wrapped on her stomach. Uranus used this as and advantage
and wrapped her hands around Keeper's neck. neck. "Give up?"
Keeper struggled to break free. She kicked weakly at Uranus, but her face began to turn
colors. She tried desperately to remove the hands from her neck. "Never!"
Uranus let go of her. "Should I have held you any longer, you'd be dead. Get out of my
sight." She turned and walked back to the group, dehenshinning into Haruka as she did so.
~But, you mustn't let the other senshi know of your identity. It could be fatal to yourself.~
The voice rang clearly in Kathryn's head, as if she just a minute ago heard it for the first
time. She rested her eyes on the dirt ground and sighed. ~Why is it fatal that they know
who I am? They seem like nice people...~ She thought. "You won't hunt me down... will
you?" She asked softly. No answer. She really didn't like the way they didn't answer.
~Why would they hunt me down?! I'm not trying to do anything to them!~
Taiki placed a hand on Kathryn's shoulder. "Here, let me drive you home," He said softly.
Kathryn looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "Thank you," She whispered.
Usagi took a step forward. "Kathryn, wait!"
Kathryn glanced over her shoulder, shook her head, and walked off, leaning against Taiki.
Seiya glared at Haruka and the others and ran off after them.
"Uhm.... I'll see you guys later..." Yaten laughed nervously. He took a step backwards
then turned and ran off.
~~~~
"It's all your fault!" Kathryn wailed. "I would've been fine! I would've at least still had
some friends other than you three here!"
"We didn't know they'd react this way," Taiki tried to explain.
"Yeah! Hell you didn't know! You three joined them a year or so back! Don't you at least
remember how they treated you?!" Kathryn replied angrily.
"We treated them the same way that they did us," Yaten said.
"Well, you know what? I don't care! I didn't want to be a senshi, and I still don't want to
be! I want to go home! Back to America and forget that all this happened! Aahhh..
Dammit!" Kathryn exclaimed. Her face was bright red from being so angry and her eyes
were harsh.
"Get some sleep. We'll try and make things better, okay?" Seiya offered.
"We'll call you, promise," Yaten added quickly. Neither of the two wanted to hear her
whining anymore. To top off the hatred the outer senshi had shown the StarLights before,
now that they introduced a new senshi the tension would be reignited.
Kathryn mumbled something under her breath but nodded and smiled softly. "Of course,
I'll just rest some..." She replied and then she headed across the hall to her room.
"What do you think?" Taiki asked as he sat down at the table, taking a sip of his hot tea.
"I think she needs a temper check. We may be the only ones here she can talk to, but she
doesn't have any right to yell at us like that," Yaten commented.
"Oh she doesn't? Healer, please, tell me this: All those times you yelled, did you need to
yell?" A soft voice asked from the doorway to the bedroom.
Yaten's eyes widened. "Princess! W-we thought-"
"Exactly, you thought. Healer, please answer me. This girl could be the one to stop all this
madness! Do you remember why we came back, Healer?" Kakyuu demanded as she
entered the room. She shook her head. "Fighter? Maker? Would you care to add
anything?"
"Because our planet was destroyed," Seiya answered quietly.
Kakyuu nodded. "Because this is the only place we have to go until Kinmoku is healed."
"Princess.... A question if you may: is what this girl claims the truth?" Taiki asked softly.
Kakyuu nodded. "It is your sworn duty to protect myself and any other royalty of
Kinmoku. Until Princess Itazura can find her own guardians, you will protect her as you
do myself."
"Itazura? Is that Kathryn's princess name?" Yaten asked.
"That it is," Kakyuu replied softly. "Itazura is the adoptive name I granted her with."
"It fits her well," Seiya laughed.
Kakyuu beamed. "It does, doesn't it? Please, go talk with Itazura-hime.. She needs you
now more than ever."
The three nodded.
~~~~
~So I lied.... It's not like they wanted me around anyways,~ Kathryn thought to herself as
she stepped out of the apartment building. She quickly put her hair into a ponytail and
began running away. She was still angry, still sad. ~I don't know my way to anywhere
except for the park and school.... Dammit! I guess I'm going to the park.~
Kathryn stopped and took a deep breath as she reached the park. "It's a lovely place," she
whispered. She gasped for air. "Oh gosh, I'm getting weaker by the hour..."
"Actually, by the minute," A matter-of-factly voice corrected.
Kathryn awoke to find herself in a bed that wasn't hers. She glanced over to her right to
see Seiya asleep in a dining chair and across the room to see Yaten asleep on the couch.
The faint aroma of bacon filled her nose. She stood up and softly approached the door.
She opened it and then shut it when she was on the other side.
Taiki placed the eggs in a bowl and put the pan in the sink. "Awake at last, sleeping
beauty." He took the bacon form the oven and set them on a plate.
"Taiki-san. . . Why am I in you guys' apartment?" Kathryn asked softly.
"First tell -us- why your hair's pink," Taiki replied.
Kathryn spun around to see Seiya and Yaten in the doorway to the room she had just
come out of. She took a piece of her hair and yelped. "It was s'posed to turn back!" She
covered her mouth quickly.
Yaten sighed. "Now tell us the truth. Who are you?"
Kathryn bit her lip and turned to him. "Kaiou Kathryn, famous singer/songwriter," She
took a deep breath. Seeing Taiki's look of disbelief, she added, "As well as Sailor Star
Keeper. First descendent of Neptune and ruler of Kinmoku's only moon."
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Seiya asked.
The girl shrugged. "I didn't know." A few dubious looks passed over her. "I swear I
didn't!"
"We have a meeting to attend. You may as well tag along," Taiki reasoned.
Kathryn spun around and held his jacket in her hands. "No! It's supposed to be a secret!"
Taiki smiled softly. "Secrets don't last long."
Kathryn broke down into tears and collapsed against him, crying on his chest. Yaten and
Seiya exchanged glances.
"Okay, okay. We won't tell them." Seiya sighed finally.
Taiki gave a questioning look towards him.
"You won't?" Kathryn sniffled, pulling away from Taiki.
"You will." Yaten smiled.
"But they aren't supposed to know! You aren't supposed to know!" Kathryn wailed.
"You think this will last long?" Seiya asked harshly.
Kathryn frowned and lowered her head. After a minute of silence she shook her head no.
"Exactly. That's the reason you -have- to tell them," Yaten replied.
~~~~~~~~~~
Kathryn stood at the bottom of the temple steps as Taiki, Seiya and Yaten climbed them.
Yaten turned to her. "We don't have all day! C'mon!"
Kathryn whimpered. "Fine"
"There you guys are! I thought we arranged to meet at eight!" Minako exclaimed.
"It's ten, we need all the information on the new enemy-" Rei stopped.
Kathryn trotted up the stairs silently. Her head was lowered and she only half smiled when
she approached the group. "Uh... hey."
Rei frowned. "What's she doing here?"
"Well.... uhm.... you see...." Seiya stuttered.
"Spit it out!" Haruka pressured.
"I'm the lost sailor senshi from Neptune, the older descendent, I was sent away to
Kinmoku for disobeying the king. My father!" Kathryn yelled angrily.
Haruka shook her head. "No jokes, now scram, we have important business."
"I'm not joking," Kathryn declared passionately.
"Oh yeah? I don't care for jokes, Miss USA," Haruka snapped.
Kathryn thrust her hand to her side. "Keeper Star Power! Make up!"
Sailor Star Keeper now stood in Kathryn's place. Her pink hair flowing silently. The new
senshi glared at Haruka.
Now Sailor Uranus stood in Haruka's place. "I will not tolerate fakes. For all we know,
you're the enemy. You are not worthy of this group."
"A duel then. If I beat you, I'm considered an ally.... If I lose..." Star Keeper replied.
"Then you're considered an enemy. Deal," Uranus laughed.
Keeper swung her leg furiously at Uranus. Uranus, however, saw this coming and stepped
out of the way. She landed her fist in Keeper's stomach and swooped her leg under
Keeper's feet, causing the girl to trip and fall. Uranus aimed her fist for Keeper's head, but
Keeper back-saulted out of the way. Keeper rearranged the formation, now Uranus was
under her.
"You're good," Uranus grunted.
"Why thank you, it means the world to me," Keeper replied sarcastically.
Uranus brought her knee to the girl's gut. She stood up and Keeper followed her action
slowly. Keeper's hands were wrapped on her stomach. Uranus used this as and advantage
and wrapped her hands around Keeper's neck. neck. "Give up?"
Keeper struggled to break free. She kicked weakly at Uranus, but her face began to turn
colors. She tried desperately to remove the hands from her neck. "Never!"
Uranus let go of her. "Should I have held you any longer, you'd be dead. Get out of my
sight." She turned and walked back to the group, dehenshinning into Haruka as she did so.
~But, you mustn't let the other senshi know of your identity. It could be fatal to yourself.~
The voice rang clearly in Kathryn's head, as if she just a minute ago heard it for the first
time. She rested her eyes on the dirt ground and sighed. ~Why is it fatal that they know
who I am? They seem like nice people...~ She thought. "You won't hunt me down... will
you?" She asked softly. No answer. She really didn't like the way they didn't answer.
~Why would they hunt me down?! I'm not trying to do anything to them!~
Taiki placed a hand on Kathryn's shoulder. "Here, let me drive you home," He said softly.
Kathryn looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "Thank you," She whispered.
Usagi took a step forward. "Kathryn, wait!"
Kathryn glanced over her shoulder, shook her head, and walked off, leaning against Taiki.
Seiya glared at Haruka and the others and ran off after them.
"Uhm.... I'll see you guys later..." Yaten laughed nervously. He took a step backwards
then turned and ran off.
~~~~
"It's all your fault!" Kathryn wailed. "I would've been fine! I would've at least still had
some friends other than you three here!"
"We didn't know they'd react this way," Taiki tried to explain.
"Yeah! Hell you didn't know! You three joined them a year or so back! Don't you at least
remember how they treated you?!" Kathryn replied angrily.
"We treated them the same way that they did us," Yaten said.
"Well, you know what? I don't care! I didn't want to be a senshi, and I still don't want to
be! I want to go home! Back to America and forget that all this happened! Aahhh..
Dammit!" Kathryn exclaimed. Her face was bright red from being so angry and her eyes
were harsh.
"Get some sleep. We'll try and make things better, okay?" Seiya offered.
"We'll call you, promise," Yaten added quickly. Neither of the two wanted to hear her
whining anymore. To top off the hatred the outer senshi had shown the StarLights before,
now that they introduced a new senshi the tension would be reignited.
Kathryn mumbled something under her breath but nodded and smiled softly. "Of course,
I'll just rest some..." She replied and then she headed across the hall to her room.
"What do you think?" Taiki asked as he sat down at the table, taking a sip of his hot tea.
"I think she needs a temper check. We may be the only ones here she can talk to, but she
doesn't have any right to yell at us like that," Yaten commented.
"Oh she doesn't? Healer, please, tell me this: All those times you yelled, did you need to
yell?" A soft voice asked from the doorway to the bedroom.
Yaten's eyes widened. "Princess! W-we thought-"
"Exactly, you thought. Healer, please answer me. This girl could be the one to stop all this
madness! Do you remember why we came back, Healer?" Kakyuu demanded as she
entered the room. She shook her head. "Fighter? Maker? Would you care to add
anything?"
"Because our planet was destroyed," Seiya answered quietly.
Kakyuu nodded. "Because this is the only place we have to go until Kinmoku is healed."
"Princess.... A question if you may: is what this girl claims the truth?" Taiki asked softly.
Kakyuu nodded. "It is your sworn duty to protect myself and any other royalty of
Kinmoku. Until Princess Itazura can find her own guardians, you will protect her as you
do myself."
"Itazura? Is that Kathryn's princess name?" Yaten asked.
"That it is," Kakyuu replied softly. "Itazura is the adoptive name I granted her with."
"It fits her well," Seiya laughed.
Kakyuu beamed. "It does, doesn't it? Please, go talk with Itazura-hime.. She needs you
now more than ever."
The three nodded.
~~~~
~So I lied.... It's not like they wanted me around anyways,~ Kathryn thought to herself as
she stepped out of the apartment building. She quickly put her hair into a ponytail and
began running away. She was still angry, still sad. ~I don't know my way to anywhere
except for the park and school.... Dammit! I guess I'm going to the park.~
Kathryn stopped and took a deep breath as she reached the park. "It's a lovely place," she
whispered. She gasped for air. "Oh gosh, I'm getting weaker by the hour..."
"Actually, by the minute," A matter-of-factly voice corrected.