Chapter Thirty-Eight - Next In Line

"All right, Usa," Aiyana said, aiming a stare straight at the younger princess.  "I need to talk to our father."

Usa looked up from her bed towards Aiyana with a haunted look, eyes hollow and red from crying.  "What?" she asked softly.

Aiyana exhaled.  Usa's voice held no malice toward her – it hold nothing besides dejection.  "I need to speak with King Endymion," she said, more quietly.  "It's very important.  I need for him to know what's going on here, and more importantly, I need to know where he's staying."

Usa unfolded from her half-fetal position and turned to face Aiyana more fully.  But she said nothing, only gave the older girl a blank stare.

"Please, Usa," Aiyana pleaded gently, bending to kneel by the younger girl's bed in order to be closer to her.  "I need this.  If we don't find a way to get some help soon, or stop the Omega, they're going to kill us all and ruin this planet.  I don't know what they're planning on doing, but the Zeta have got the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou and they're going to—"

"Wait."  Usa held up a hand to stop Aiyana's flow of words.  "I know what's going on.  Sort of.  That's not why I was quiet.  I was thinking."

Aiyana clamped her mouth shut.

"It's not that I don't trust you again..."  Usa shook her head.  "You saved my life in the throne room!  You risked your own life!  If they hadn't thought you were useful, they would've killed you.  I suppose you could almost say it was a stroke of luck that you were the king's daughter...my half-sister...otherwise we might both be dead by now."  She shrugged.  "I still don't know why they didn't just kill me.  They don't have any use for me!"

"They probably want to validate my claim and take blood samples, or keep you in case some of your magic or knowledge proves useful to them," Aiyana replied helpfully.

"Whatever," Usa answered.  "They should've just killed me."
"Don't say that!"  Aiyana jumped up and quieted her tone in case any of the Psi or Epsilon were wandering around on their rounds.  It was late and most of the palace was asleep, and the guard at Usa's door had been relaxed in favor of the inexperienced Thirty-Eighth Epsilon and a strong magical barrier around the door.

Aiyana's room, on the other hand, had been guarded by the Fourth and Fifth Epsilon with sophisticated weapons and a strong magical barrier.  The barrier had been difficult to break without alerting the Epsilon's attention, especially since the Zeta had been intelligent and developed one that countered Aiyana's powers.  Overcoming the Epsilon and taking one of their weapons had been easy in comparison, especially since Aiyana hadn't exactly taken the time to develop her powers.

Usa smiled a little at Aiyana's apprehension.

"They're most likely at one of the Senshi's homes," she answered.  "I don't know which one they'd go to."

"I think...Endymion told me to get you to the Kogusunasus' home afterward...where is the Kogusunasus'?"

Usa opened her mouth to answer when her attention was attracted by something else.  "You said you wanted to communicate with my dad," she said.  "Why don't you just use that?"

Aiyana glanced at where Usa was pointing.  Raising her arm, she realized the younger girl was indicated the purple watch strapped onto her wrist.  "This?"

"Yes," she said.  "It's—" Usa halted.  It was—"

"What?"

"It was Hotaru Tomoe, Sailor Saturn's."

Aiyana looked back down at the watch while Usa's eyes widened over her.

"Is...is Hotaru Tomoe your mother?"

Aiyana looked back up at Usa.  "Why do you ask?"

"My father or mother had to have told you where to find those things.  They keep all disappeared Senshi's items, although none of the Senshi have ever disappeared for them to keep it, except for Sailor Pluto at various times.  Anyway, the only reason they would've given it to you is if – if you were next in line."

Suddenly the girl took on a troubled look.  "Is Hotaru – is she – all right?"

Aiyana sighed.  "You knew her?"

"Yes!  She was my best friend!"

Aiyana raised an eyebrow.

"Really," she continued.  "Hotaru...because of her power, her age changed often.  But when I first met her – a thousand years in the past – she was around my age, maybe a little older.  She didn't have many friends at the time – as a matter of fact, she didn't have any.  I was her first.  And she was my first real friend – around my age, I mean.  The Sailor Senshi were my friends, but I need a playmate around my age.  And that was Sailor Saturn, Hotaru.

"We didn't know she was Sailor Saturn in the beginning, but then she started acquiring strange powers.  And everyone feared her.  She was the one with the power to end the world!  Neptune and Uranus were trying to destroy her for a while!"

Aiyana frowned, confused.  She remembered the force of Haruka and Michiru's feelings towards Hotaru.  Why would they try to kill her?

"I thought Kaioh-san and Tenoh-san were Hotaru's caretakers."

"Oh, they were.  After they realized that Sailor Saturn – the Sovereign of Silence, they called her, the anti-Messiah – after they realized that she was on our side, they took care of her.  An ancient force tried to destroy the world and weakened all of the Senshi, including Sailor Moon.  The only one strong enough to stop it at the time was Sailor Saturn – she jumped into the force, fighting it from within.  Sailor Moon summoned her strength and went into it too, and the two fought together.  Sailor Saturn's power destroyed it and Sailor Moon's power brought her back to life."

Death and rebirth, Aiyana thought.

"Anyway, after that, Saturn was reborn as a baby.  She had to age quickly again for another battle, but that's another story.  But when she was around my age, she was my best friend.  After that last battle, she stayed her same age, becoming my friend again.  But then she aged – very quickly!  She grew to be between my mother and the Outers' ages.  And she was very strong.  That was right before the Cold Sleep – or something.  I don't know much about those fights..."

Usa fell silent.

"She's dead, isn't she?"

Aiyana looked down, then swallowed.  "Yes," she answered.  "She...passed her powers to me.  Then died.  That's why your father gave me her things."

"Oh."  Usa stayed silent for a moment.  "But you have her things...and her spirit within you."  She brightened.  "That's what she said...wait!"

Usa jumped up.  "The old prophecy.  It said...the Sailor Senshi would never die, would live forever, would never pass on their power.  Why...how did she die?  And how did you get the power?"

Aiyana sighed.  "It all changed when your mom reversed the curse on the Senshi.  Now that they can produce offspring, their power will pass to them."

Usa's mouth took the shape of a small O.

"That's why I need to go speak to the Senshi – any one of them, all of them if possible.  Usa, what were you going to tell me about this watch?"

The younger princess slowly came back to Earth, her eyes refocusing on the band around Aiyana's arm.  "It's not a watch...it's a wrist communicator."

Aiyana's mouth dropped open.  "What?!"

"Yes!  And my mother takes her communicator everywhere.  So she probably has it!  That's a good way for you to reconnect with Dad."

"How does it work?  Quickly now!"

Usa crouched by Aiyana's side and flipped open the top of the wrist communicator.  "See?  These buttons all produce a direct connection to any one of the Senshi's communicators.  The blue is for Mercury, the green for Jupiter, the aqua for Neptune and so on."  She smiled.  "This pink button, this is for my mother's communicator.  Press it and –"  She pressed it, and the communicator emitted a fuzzy noise.  "—voila!  Instant connection."

***

Serenity reached into the side pocket of her slacks.  There was a strange buzzing there, and she wondered –

"My communicator?"  She studied the small instrument, puzzled.  The purple button was blinking.

"Saturn!"  Quickly, she punched the button, then called for her husband.  "Mamoru!  Come here!  Aiyana's trying to contact us!"

The king came running, along with almost everyone else in the house.  Sanetoki and Minako headed the crew, with Izumi close behind.  Poor Sadayoshi was hobbling on his crutches with the support of Masaya, who was also holding a fussy Mikomi.  Hitomi brought up the rear, more curious about what was causing the hubbub of the house than knowledgeable about the circumstances, and twelve-year-old Tenrei Kogusunasu trailed her.

"Oh," the king breathed.  "Are they all right?  Where are they?  On their way?  Did the aliens harm them?"

"I don't know," Serenity responded. "I didn't even get a picture yet...ah!  Here!"  In the small circular display appeared two faces.

"Aiyana!" Masaya cried.

"Masaya," Aiyana said, smiling brightly.  It felt like a long time since she had seen Masaya.

"Are you two all right?" the king shouted.

"Relatively," Aiyana answered.

"We're fine, Daddy!" Usa piped at the same time.

"Good," the king said, relieved.

"Where are you girls?" Serenity asked.

"Still in the palace, in my room," Usa answered.

"Unfortunately, the palace guard block a direct route out," Aiyana answered.  "I was contacting you for the very reason.  I need to know exactly where you are staying."

"We're at my house," Sanetoki offered.  The four other adults had crowded around Serenity and Mamoru in an effort to get more information about the situation.  "Rei Kogusunasu's.  You know where that is?"

"No, but I'm sure Usa does."

"Of course I do."

"Why do you need to know where we are if you can't get out?" Minako asked suspiciously.

"Because I might be able to find a way out," Aiyana answered irritably.  "I really don't need an interrogation right now.  I just need explicit directions."

"She's all right, Aunt Minako," Usa intervened.  "She saved my life – twice!"

When Endymion and Serenity gasped, Aiyana quickly reassured them once again that both girls were quite all right, shooting a dirty look at Usa.

"Look, Usa can give you explicit directions to the Kogusunasu's.  What do you plan on doing once you get here?"

"I need to talk...to the queen.  And the Sailor Senshi.  Are they all over there, too?"

"Just the queen and Sailor Venus – Minako," King Endymion answered.  "Rei is still in the hospital – she was banged up rather violently on a battle between our ships and the Omega's.  And Ami and Mako were evacuating areas close to the palace, although I'm pretty sure they're probably finished and at Ami's home.  We could get them over here."
"Safely?"

"Yes."

"Maybe you should do that," said Aiyana.  "Because what...never mind."

"What do you have to tell us, Aiyana?" Serenity asked fearfully.

"I'll tell you everything you need to know when I get there," Aiyana said.  "Everything.  But it's very important that I discuss something with you!"

"All right," King Endymion said.  "We'll contact the other two Senshi; you just hurry along and get yourself here.  Please be safe, girls."

"Daddy, I'm not coming."

"What?"  Aiyana sounded just as surprised as the adults at the other end of the connection.

"I'm much smaller and slower than Aiyana, and I don't fight as well.  I'd only slow her down – she has to make it on foot, through woods and stuff!  Plus, if we were to get caught, she'd have to defend herself and me.  This way she only has to defend herself, and she could run off and make decisions without having to worry about my safety."  Usa smiled.  "I already got her in trouble several times before because of what I did.  Now she only has to worry about herself."

Serenity smiled.  "Good judgment call, Chibiusa-chan," she said softly.

"All right," said Aiyana, turning to Usa.  "You'll stay here, then, and I'll make my way to the Kogusunasus' on your direction."
"Usa, listen," Serenity said, pressing closer to the communicator.  "It's very important that you follow Aiyana's directions.  Do everything she tells you to do, no balking!  And when she's gone, the aliens are your commanders.  If they tell you to do something, obey them!  Don't be defiant!"

"Actually," said Aiyana, smiling a bit, "it may be in Usa's interests to maintain her natural level of defiance.  It will seem strange if she switches from hotheaded to deferential, and it may result in me being detected earlier than necessary – although I doubt that I'll be gone long before they discover I've disappeared."

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Sorry for the delay!  First I had a horrible case of writer's block, then I got punished from the computer (@.@ parents), and then I went on vacation.  Not a good combination.  Hopefully I'm back on the ball!  Thanks for your patience, and hopefully the next chapter will be better than this one.  I didn't particularly like it, and I may edit it later, but I needed something to get myself moving again.