"I'm not the princess of anything. My name is Hino Mika," Mika stuttered.
Mars shook her head. "You are Princess Serenity, sweetheart. Where do you think that mark on your head and that blast of power came from?"
Mika's head jerked up when Mars said sweetheart. It wasn't the word as much as they way she said it that caused Mika to pause. "Oh my god, Mom?" she cried. There was no doubt on closer inspection. Looking at Venus, she whispered, "Aunt Minako? It's not possible."
Aiko and Hoshi just stood and stared. This was a lot to take in at once. Their friend was the lost princess! Everyone knew the story. After the death of the king and queen, the princess was hidden by the senshi so the enemy couldn't find her.
"So you recognize us, Princess," Venus said.
"Please don't call me princess. I can't be the princess," Mika cried, sitting down on the ground. Tears rolled down her cheeks. This was too much for her.
Mars undid the transformation, and walked toward her adopted daughter. "But sweetheart, you are. When your parents died, you were the only thing standing between the enemy and the throne. We had to hide you. I volunteered to raise you. I love you baby. Please don't cry."
Mika looked at the woman in front of her. "Get away from me," she hissed. "You lied to me all these years then. I don't even know who you are or who I am anymore." Mika jumped to her feet and ran off. She just wanted to be alone.
"Mika," Rei cried. She was crying now too.
"Rei," Minako whispered. "It'll be okay. She'll understand. We knew it would be hard for her to grasp."
"We can't let her run off by herself," Rei said firmly, her professional manner re-exerting itself. "The enemy knows where she is now. She's completely exposed."
"I'll go after Mika and you watch these two. We don't need word getting out about all this," Venus said. Seeing the expression on her friend's face, she added, "You'll only make it worse if you go after her. She'll understand, but right now she doesn't. Give her some time."
Aiko and Hoshi had been watching in silent shock, but now Hoshi spoke up. "You don't need to keep an eye on us. We'd never do anything to hurt Mika." He paused, "Or Princess Serenity I guess. I don't understand this."
Mars sighed. "Sit and I'll explain." She turned to Venus, "You'll take good care of her?"
"You know I will, Mars," Venus said, taking off after Mika.
Mika ran as fast as she could go. She didn't know where she was going, but she had to get away. And to think that she had been upset about detention. Finally she couldn't run anymore, and Mika collapsed to the ground in tears. "I'm a princess," she whispered. "It's not possible."
"But its true, Mika," Venus said, walking up behind her.
"I told you I wanted to be alone. I never want to see you or that sneak that I called mother again," Mika cried.
Venus sighed. "Please don't think harshly of Mars. She loves you. We all do. We couldn't tell you. What if your secret had gotten out." Venus sat down beside Mika. "Tell me dear, have you been happy?"
"Yes, I have been," Mika admitted.
"Do you think you would have been if you had known what had happened? If you had known that you were on the run?" Venus asked.
"Probably not," Mika agreed.
"Partly we decided not to tell you for fear that it would get out that you were the princess, but the other part was that we wanted you to grow up normal. Living in fear would not have made your life good. We always had your well-being in the front of our minds concerning all decisions. Your mother..." Venus was interrupted by Mika's shout.
"If what you say is true then she's not my mother," Mika said.
"What is a mother? I've always thought of a mother as a person who loves you and is always there for you. A person who would do anything for you," Venus said. "Serenity was a wonderful person, but she is really only your mother biologically. Rei has always been there for you and please believe me when I say that she loves you more than words can explain."
Mika looked up at the senshi of love, truly touched by her words. "I said all those horrible things to Mom. She deserves better."
"Believe me, she understands your frustration princess. She just wants to see you happy again," Venus said, hugging the girl. "We all want to see you be happy again."
"So I really am Princess Serenity?" Mika asked.
"You are," Venus confirmed, brushing Mika's bangs to the side and uncovering the symbol of the moon that still glowed on her head.
"It's funny. I don't feel like a princess," Mika said. "I just feel like me, Hino Mika."
"Well you are one and the same. You're both the princess and Mika. You don't have to choose," Venus said kindly. "It's funny dear because you sound a bit like Serenity when she found out she was the moon princess. She said she just wanted to be Usagi, but she learned as you will that you don't have to sacrifice one for the other. Are you okay now?"
Mika whipped her eyes. "I guess so. I do have a question though. How do I get rid of this moon on my head?"
Venus laughed. "It'll fade now that the danger has passed and you are calm again. The symbol come out in response to strong emotions."
As Venus spoke, the symbol began to fade away. "I guess we should go back now," Mika said. "Time to learn how to be a princess."
"Come on dear. The others will be worried," Venus said rising.
"Aunt Minako," Mika said quietly.
"Yes, dear?" Venus turned to the young princess.
"Thank you," Mika whispered.
Venus hugged Mika again and they made their way back to the others.
