Point E: Concern Versus Confrontation

In a way I did hope I ran into that girl again, on the other hand something else told me to stay away from her. I was at least curious about her and that pretty much won over my train of thought. What sparked my curiosity more was why was her energy so familiar to the Princess's?

"Running away again?" Came a voice from the alley I just came from.

Surprised, I turn to see a woman with long flowing hair. I recognized her as being the one I had met by the lake. How the--? I know she wasn't there a second ago. Her figure posed neither a menacing nor pleased expression. Her arms lay crossed against her chest as her gaze locked onto mine immediately.

"Again?" I arched a brow at first not expecting that. I didn't understand why she would ask such a question. "Who said I was running away a first time?" I narrowed my eyes.

She seemed to wave off the topic completely as if she came to some sort of realization. "Never mind that, Starlight. Might I remind you that while you waste time amongst yourself you are wasting precious time for your mission?"

"Precious time? I don't recall you giving me a limit on how much time I had to do this." Now it was I who crossed my arms.

"For the likes of your benefit it should be done quickly." Her tone was getting impatient.

"Under the circumstance I think I'm doing the best I can. Which brings me to another question." Yes, so many questions; Many I that I had a feeling she especially would know the answers to. "What exactly do you want with the Princess? What are your plans for--" I couldn't finish what I wanted to say. A sudden energy forced my body to collapse to my knees. I could barely hold my head up to look at her.

"--Silence, Starlight!" She had dropped her hands to her sides and her tone was commanding.

"I think..." My voice began as I tried to collect my composure again. "I have a right to know..." At that moment my eyes reconnected with hers. I could feel her gaze harden and her eyes seemed to lightly glow, though at this point I could just be imagining things.

"You have no such right--Now go!" With anger clear in her expression, she flicked a hand in my direction causing my figure to fly back.

I forced myself to a stand. Such a simple thing was suddenly so difficult. I took a step closer to her.

"Tell me, who you are..." My breath was slightly heavy and my chest was pounding inside. "What did you do to me?"

She held out a hand forcing my figure back again. Her eyes became fully narrowed as her tone grew cold. "My patience with you wears thin." A golden energy began to emit around her form. "You are best to complete your mission without further questions. The future ambitions of the galaxy depends on your full compliance. Remember that." The energy turned into golden flames as the image of her form burned away into nothing before I could confront her further.

It was strange how calm and collected she could be one minute and then explode without warning the next. There was no way I would have made any kind of agreement with such a person, but... here I was on this witch hunt with very little information in return. Princess... I suddenly fear for your safety if I was to find you, but... I have to find you.

There was something greater going on than what that woman was letting me believe. I had to find Healer and Maker again, however, there is this force inside of me that is telling me to stay away from them--To resist what they have to say to me. The unsettling thing is my loss of control over my actions. It's almost as if I'm a puppet to some greater force that I couldn't resist.

I kept my pace steady nearing the café once more. A familiar blond with a funny hair style was seen walking out. What an odd coincidence, or was it a coincidence at all?

"Hey!" I tried to get her attention but it seemed my words got lost in the crowds of people. For some reason I couldn't stop staring at her hair. It was very unusual and looked like two dumplings on top of her head. I ran up closer and called out to her again. "Hey! ...Odango-atama!" I wasn't sure why I felt this sudden urge to call her that. It seemed like a suitable name for her, but whether she would actually respond to it was another thing.

To my surprise my call actually worked and she turned around in my direction. "Oi! My name is not Odango-atama! It's U-sa-gi, got it?" At first she seemed pretty ticked off but that quickly faded away when she realized who I was. So that was her name.

"Seiya!" Instead of hearing her voice another had called my name instead. I turned around realizing it was coming from the entrance of the café. A short male with white hair and a tall male with brown hair stood facing me with their arms crossed. Healer and Maker.

"We need to talk, Seiya." Maker began in a serious tone.

"I told you everything is fine." I narrowed my eyes slightly.

I barely had enough time to finish what I was saying before the two latched onto my arms and began dragging me away. "Hey, you two! What's this for? Where are you taking me?"

"Home." Healer cut in with a tone of annoyance.

Home? Were they talking about Kinmokusei? I drew an expression of perplexion at the thought. "What? What are you--"

"Seiya!"

Oh great, now what? I turn to the voice and immediately recognize the figure. "Oh, it's you Odango-atama." Despite now knowing her name I continued to call her, literally a 'Dumpling-Head'. Don't ask me why, but something just sort of clicked with that name.

"How can you be so care-free with such words!" The girl then turned her attention to the two beside me. Once the realization set in her expression turned to concern. "Seiya, what happened earlier?"

"Ms. Tsukino if you would, we really need to get Seiya home." Maker intervened.

"I'll come with you!" There was nothing short of pure concern in the girl's expression.

"No!" Healer harshly replied to her.

"But--Seiya is my important friend too! I can help--" Her words were in desperation.

"This is our problem. We'll take care of matters ourselves." Maker replied before they both began escorting me past her.

I looked over my shoulder at her. Our eyes connected and a feeling of pain swept through my gut. It wasn't pain from an injury, it was a different kind of pain.

I played along with my comrade's gestures for now. I had no idea what I was in store for but I could assume this wasn't going to be peaches and cream. They had looks of concern on their faces, but it was a different kind of concern from before.

They lead me to a complex a few blocks over. I wasn't sure what this strange building was but I was soon going to find out. Through one door, up a flight of stairs and down the corridor of another floor. In the distance there was another door. They opened it and escorted me inside. It was a large room with several other rooms inside. The arrangement of assorted furniture gave the appearance of some type of living quarters. Was this what they meant by home? We didn't stop there. Further ahead was a set of stairs and a another door at the top. When the other side was revealed it looked like some sort of roof-top. The door shut behind.

They stood parallel to me. It was ironic really them on one side and me on the other. They looked to each other before giving a nod. Each of them took out a small device from their pockets before holding them up in the air.

"HEALER STAR POWER MAKE UP!"

"MAKER STAR POWER MAKE UP!"

An elaborate display of energy formed before me as I shielded my eyes for a moment. When it was over there stood their true forms as they looked to me intently.

"What's this all about?" I backed away slightly narrowing my eyes at them.

"We have an unsettling suspicion about your current state." Maker had crossed her arms again as did Healer.

"Show us your true form!" Healer demanded.

"My true form?" I narrowed my eyes further. Involuntarily a smirk formed against my face as I casually brought my hand to my pocket. "As you wish." To my surprise there was something in it. Though I was surprised, I couldn't express that emotion on the outside. It was a device similar to theirs. I felt my arm raise into the air with the device as another force now controlled my every move. "FIGHTER..." I went to shout the same words as the two but something else came out instead. "GALACTICA POWER MAKE UP!"

An intense surge of power coursed through my being. It was power like I never felt before. When the display of energy subsided I stood defiantly to the two in a battle stance.

"I knew it!" Came the sound of Healer's voice.

"Heh, you two should have just left things alone. After all... We might have still been able to be friends." I smirked. I didn't want to but a being that was not my own now had complete control over my every word and every move. I involuntarily lifted a hand into the air as I felt an invisible force shoot towards their being.

Their figures fell to the floor and their eyes narrowed to me.

"For the Princess, if one of us goes..." Maker began a bit short of breath.

"The other two will go on and complete the mission." Healer completed her words as they both brought themselves to a stand.

The mission... I thought of my own mission and definitely was in question of it. I felt a surge of pain in my chest as the bracelets around my wrists began to glow. I clenched the Star Yell as I raised the device into the air.

"GALACTICA..." Energy began surging through my hand and into the device. "SERIOUS..." I felt the device surge with more and more power--Power that didn't even feel like my own. I didn't want to do it, but it wasn't my choice anymore.

Healer quickly brought up a hand clenching her Star Yell and held a defiant stance. "STAR SENSITIVE..."

"LASER!" I thrust my hand down towards the two releasing the energy.

"INFERNO!" She let lose her own surge of power and our attacks collided.

At first it seemed to be unrivaled but eventually my attack broke through hers causing it to impact upon her figure. Her body flew back as it skid across the ground a good distance away.

Maker ran to her side then looked to me. She brought up her Star Yell and began accumulating energy into it. "STAR GENTLE UTERUS!" She let lose the energy towards me.

I resisted as hard as I could to counter attack. I wanted the attack to hit me and not attack my comrades anymore. My will caused hesitation and just when I thought the attack was going to hit something else intervened.

"GALACTICA INFLATION!" A stream of dark electricity shot past me towards the two. Like nothing the attack was able to break through Maker's attack proceeding to drive into her.

Maker's body slid against the ground taking a good hit, possibly more than Healer.

I turn to the one who just attacked seeing a woman adorned in all gold. It was a Sailor Soldier's attire.

Healer and Maker glared to the woman next to me as the name "Galaxia" came bitterly from their mouths.