｢Chapter 25 ｣
"Ouhi!" The three starlight came scurrying into Kakyuu's work room. All the important people are all gathered in the room.
"Serenity, are you okay?" Fighter rushed forward, showing solicitude for Serenity.
"Mimi" Kouie called out as she hugged Fighter's leg. "Where are you? It's was just me, Mama and nee-chan, the three of us alone in the room just now. I can't find you. I was so afraid that something bad happened to you."
"Sorry, Kouie." Fighter responded as she ruffled Kouie's hair.
"Ouhi, how's the situation right now?" Fighter questioned anxiously. "Are they really near the palace?"
Kakyuu looked Yukini, giving her the permission to inform the situation to everyone who were present in the room. "They are at the borders. They had alliances from planets in all of the Zeus system. All their respective senshis are here as well."
"I - I will want to negotiate with them and see what exactly they wanted. I do not want to start the battle. A battle is going to bring so much hurt and damage to the country" Kakyuu voiced out her proposition while glancing at her starlights.
"We'll go with you, Ouhi." The starlights, Ameno and Yukini said in unison.
"I don't think I should bring such a big group over. They would thought that I am going to initiate the battle." Kakyuu reasoned.
"We shall go. Ameno and Yukini, the two of you shall stay back until we give any instructions to bring out the army guards." Fighter order. After all, Fighter is still the Leader of the Starlight.
"Yes, Fighter-sensei."
"Serenity, you shall stay here as well. It might be dangerous for you to be out at the borders."" Fighter swivelled to face Serenity, caressing Serenity's face gently as she said the words. Maker diverted her attention elsewhere when she spotted Fighter's action. 'That's normal. Remember what you have said. You don't love Fighter anymore. In that way, it's easier for the both of us.' Maker told herself.
"I - want to stay with you. Maybe I can help Kakyuu to persuade them to drop the attack. I want to be useful, that's why I am here, Fighter." Serenity argued.
"What do you think, Ouhi?" Fighter turned to Kakyuu and asked, hoping that she would be able to stop Serenity from going.
"Kakyuu, I can help, really, with my status as the ruler of the Moon Kingdom. Please let me tag along." Serenity suggested.
"If you wish to, I am glad to let so." Kakyuu answered.
"But Ouhi-" Fighter wanted to fight back the idea of allowing Serenity to go with them, but was disrupted by Kakyuu.
"Fighter, I know what are you thinking. But if that's Serenity wanted, we can't stop her from going." Kakyuu explained. "We should get going, before they start attacking in from the borders." Kakyuu ordered and walked out of her room briskly, with Fighter, Serenity and Healer following close behind her.
Maker stayed in the room for a while. She walked up to Misa, who was looking really worried and nervous. "Stay with the princess and protect her. You can do it. You are a strong girl. I will be back, I promise." Maker told Misa, caressing her head gently before rushing out of the room, chasing after the others who had left.
Fighter stole a few glances at Maker as they made their way to the border. 'How I wish I can tell her "Be safe, Be careful". But no. We have chose to put all these away, didn't we?' Fighter tear away her glance on Maker.
"So I see . . .They have sent their Queen to talk to us, and see who's that, Neo-Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. Since when is Kinmoku's business related to the Moon Kingdom?" Mori, the leader of the team retorted sarcastically as he saw the 5 of them moving closer to the borders.
Fighter moved protectively in front of Serenity, while Maker and Healer stood their stances ahead of Kakyuu. Mori took a few steps forward nearer towards them, and nearer until Fighter felt that the distance was no longer safe. "Stop where you. if you take another step forward, I shall call onto my star power." Fighter threatened.
"What what what ." Mori continued. "You are here for a peace talk to us for not starting a war on Kinmoku. Look what are you doing, trying to call on an attack. Look at the number of people you have and number I brought along, do you really think you survive and get out of here to get back ups, if we really start the battle right now?" Mori stated arrogantly, with overflowing self confident etched on his face.
"Fighter, don't be offensive." Kakyuu reprimanded. "What do you want, Mori-san?" Kakyuu continued asking. "We have been sending our messengers over for the peace policy, and none of them came back. What have you done to them? Which part of the policy are you not satisfied with? We can talk about it now."
"May I ask, Queen Kakyuu, that I closed up this distance as we talk? It's so rude for me to talk to you at such a distance." Mori requested cunningly.
"Yes you may. But I asked that my starlight to stay near." Kakyuu replied. "Maker, Healer, let the way. I'll be alright." Kakyuu whispered to Maker and Healer.
"Hai, Ouhi!" Maker and Healer responded in unison, each backing to the either side of Kakyuu and kept their eyes alert on Kakyuu.
"Serenity, stay near me." Fighter told Serenity. "Not when you have lost your ability to transform." Serenity just nodded her head in acceptance.
Mori started moving closer to Kakyuu. "Do you want to know the reason why I refused?" Mori started off as he stood in front of Kakyuu. "Because I always believed that women should never rule. Because women always puts their emotions in every decision they make, resulting each decision to be foolish." Mori pulled out a dagger from his trousers, and prepared to attack Kakyuu. What was the most easier way to win a battle? It was to bring down the leader.
Maker notice glints of light coming from the trousers of Mori. 'Reflection of the star light. Reflective surface. Danger.' Maker analysed. She ran towards Kakyuu and pulled her away from Mori just as Mori was about to plunge the dagger at Kakyuu. Maker took the place for Kakyuu. The dagger went into Maker's abdomen instead. "You screwed up." Maker insulted at Mori.
Mori backed off back to his team, while Maker kneeled onto the ground, pulling the dagger out of her. "Maker!" Healer and Fighter shouted as they scurried over to Maker. "You shouldn't have done that! You'd make the bleeding worse." Healer scolded.
"It's less painful without the knife in there, Healer." Maker argued. Healer just rolled her eyes. The intelligent senshi had decided to do something unintelligent just to reduce the pain. That made her speechless.
"Ar-e you okay?" Fighter asked quietly.
"Yes." Maker relied curtly, bitting her lower lips to fight the pain off her mind. "Serenity. Beware, she's going to be next target."
Fighter turned back, and saw the army aiming a laser beam at Serenity. "Serenity! Look out!" Fighter shouted, running over and hugged Serenity in her arms, protecting her from the laser. She expected the a burning sensation to be imprinted at her back from the attack. But nothing that she had expected happened. Fighter turned around, only to see Maker lying in front of her, barely breathing as her ribs rise and fall slowly and lightly.
"Maker!" was what Fighter has heard from Serenity. "I will end this, for the sake of everyone. I will call upon the final power of the Silver Moon Crystal." Serenity pulled herself away from Fighter, stood up and closed her eyes, focused her attention on her Crystal, then the Morions.
"This war is just ridiculous. Nothing as such should even happen. The diplomatic relations and union of The Silver Millennium and Kinmoku is suppose to build up the relationships between galaxies and planets. What we are aiming for is just love and peace for this universe. We are all born in this same universe. Doesn't matter which galaxy you are from, which planet you are born into. We are all from the same universe. The Silver Moon Crystal is a Crystal of peace and love, not for any combat purpose. You all have mistaken this point. Let me shine this light of truth and end this meaningless war!"
The light of the Silver Moon Crystal shone over all, warming up their hearts, washing away the evil thoughts, and renewed new visions into their mind. The Morions retreated, finally understanding the power of the Silver Moon Crystal. They each returned back to their respective planets, knowing that as long as the Silver Moon is in control, the universe will always be in peace. Any dark ambitions that were to overtake the Silver Moon Imperial family will not be in existent. They have truly understand what Neo-Queen Serenity have been trying to do in the past millennium, maintaining the peace and order of not just the solar system, but creating trust and relationship with other planets and galaxies.
Fighter crawled towards the fallen Senshi in front of her. "Maker?" She called out gently. Pulling Maker in her arms, Fighter brushed off the hair that has fallen onto her face. "Maker? Can you hear me? Hang on please, Maker! Everything is going to be over soon. Hang on!"
Maker struggled to open her eyes. Her eyes felt so heavy. The violet eyes find its way and fixed onto the familiar deep blue. "Fi-ghter? Yo-kat-ta . . . I'm . . . g-lad . . . th-at . . . yo-u're . . . o-kay" Maker breath out, with a slight smile on her tired, pale face. She had lost too much blood that her face was draining into white.
"Maker? Why? Why did you step out? Why did you take the attack when you're already injured? "
"It's all . . . just to . . . love you, Fighter . . . It's be. . . cause I . . . still love you" 'Just like how you wanted to protect Serenity, that's how I wanted to protect you as well, Fighter.' And Fighter felt Maker's muscles relaxed, her eye lids closed with the last tear sliding down her face gracefully, her ribs stopped moving and her heart stopped beating.
"Maker? Taiki?" Fighter shook Maker's limp body. Her tears fall and onto Maker's face. "Mou Taiki! Anta baka! Baka!" Hugging Maker, Fighter cried out. "Honto no baka, Taiki! I don't want you to love me! I don't want you to go!"
"Fighter. . ." Serenity walked to her side, kneeled beside Fighter. Looking at the lifeless Maker's body, she started sobbing. "It's all my fault. It's all my fault. I'm sorry. . . "
Kakyuu was held in hand by Healer, both grieving the fact they had lost someone important in their life. For Kakyuu, Maker had been a faithful star servant, no, confidant of hers. She's always there when Kakyuu need a second opinion, when she needs some sense after long and grueling meetings, when she need someone to talk to, every situation that can be. To her, the three starlights are a blessing that she was given. To lose either one of them was not what she wanted.
For Healer, Maker was like an elder sister to her, cared for her, showed love towards her in a Maker's way. Being an empath, she understood how Maker cared for all of them, even though she did not put it in an obvious way. Maker was always the solution of the everlasting argument between her and Fighter. Maker was all what she wants for as a family and now she lost it.
Fighter was being strong. Though her heart was shattered into millions of pieces, she had not allowed a single tear to drop. Not in front of so many people.
Kakyuu walked towards the Fighter, placed her hands on the other shoulder and whispered into her ears, "Fighter, carry her home, won't you? I guessed that's what she will want you to do."
Upon reaching the palace, Kakyuu, together with Serenity, went straight to the main hall, where the little princesses and their guardians are waiting for them. They too had to inform the planet that they are safe for now as the Morions had retreated for good, understanding the need of peace and togetherness as an universe. Fighter and Healer, on the other hand, carried Maker back to her room through the side gates of the palace as they did not want to create commotion.
"Mama!" "Mummy!" "Ouhi!" Voices of adolescences echoed down the hall as Kakyuu and Serenity walked down the hall. Serenity hugged both her daughters tightly while Kakyuu hugged Himeko with eyes fixed on Misa who was standing behind the princesses. Misa tilted her head a little, trying to see if there's any senshis coming after them. But the hall down was empty. Quiet and empty. Not like what she had expected.
"Mama, where's Mimi?" Kouie asked Serenity, as she did not see her other mother coming back.
"She's busy, Kouie. Mama promised that you will see her real soon." Serenity said, as she tried to fixed a smile on her face. She was trying to look normal but she could not. Not when something tragic had just happened.
"Mummy! I'm glad that you're safe." Himeko chipped, while looking back at her Daddy who stayed with her all the time in the Palace.
Kakyuu gave her King an assuring eye contact that she's safe and uninjured before turning towards Misa and pulled her into a hug.
"Ouhi-sama, I think it's inappropriate for me to receive that." Misa stated, pulling back a little as she felt a state of awkwardness washing over her as the Queen of Kinmoku hugged her in front of the crowd.
But Kakyuu held onto the contact between Misa and her. Tears started forming in the ruby coloured eyes and fell on Misa's shoulder. "Misa, Ouhi is really sorry. I'm sorry."
Misa looked up and into the Kakyuu's eyes. She pulled back and started running, running down the hall as fast as she could and to the west side of the palace.
Fighter laid Maker on her bed, while she kneeled at the bedside. Healer was standing behind, with trails of tears off her face. Fighter on the other hand, had her tears at the corner of her eyes. Just like the owner, the tears were stubborn. They are unwilling to fall. Fighter clenched her fist, trying to stop tears from even forming.
"Healer, is it alright to leave us alone?" Fighter hissed, hoping to be left alone in the room with the Maker she loved all this while.
Healer nodded her head, turning around to leave. As she opened the door, she said to Fighter, "I'll be at the corridor. If you need anything, just called out. I'll be here right way." With that, she walked out of the room, and closed the door behind her.
As the door closed, tears fell. Fighter could no longer control her tears. She interlocked her hands with Maker's hands. "Maker . . you're selfish. . . you left me for a world of your own again. I can't believe that you did it again. . . " Wiping off the tears with the hands, she continued. "If you had give me the chance to tell you how I was feeling in the first place, will things be the same? Remember that day? I was just about to tell you that I'll never let you go. But you have chose to let me go. That's unfair. Maker, you had never let me promise you anything. That's unfair. Why are you being unfair to yourself. Why?"
More tears were lost. Fighter buried her face in the bed that Maker was lying. She wished that she had not made the move to follow her heart, to love Maker. She wished that all these things did not happen. She wished that Maker was alive.
Healer leaned against the exterior wall of Maker's room. She felt the ache that Fighter was feeling. She was feeling for Fighter. She closed her eyes, allowing tears to make way down her face once again. 'This should not have happened. All these should not have happened. Why did they happened?'
The sound of running footsteps had interrupted Healer. She opened her eyes and saw Misa running down the hall that was leading to the starlight room.
"Oh, it's you. I remembered you. You are the personal guard of the princess. Why are you here?" Healer asked as Misa stopped in front of Maker's room door, huffing to get air into her little lungs. As she raised her hands to the door knob, Healer pulled her back. "Sorry little one. I'm not sure who you are or why you are here, but this room is out of bound for now. And you have not answered any of my questions yet."
She looked at Healer for a moment, before walking towards the door beside Maker's.
"Oi! "
"Oh sorry Healer-san. I was thinking about going back to my room. I guessed I stopped at the wrong door just now." With that, Misa opened her room door and went in.
"So she's the one who took Fighter's old room." Healer told herself.
Once Misa was in her room, Mochi ran towards her and Misa picked him up. She jogged towards the connecting door between her room and Maker's room and opened the door quietly. Her steps froze. She was not liking what she was seeing. The feeling of uneasiness just deepens. She took little small steps into Maker's room and stopped by the door as she saw Fighter's head lifted up.
Fighter felt presence of another person in the room. She removed her face from the bed and glanced towards the connecting door, only to see Misa, carrying Mochi, standing at the door. She unlocked her hands with Maker's cold hands and stood up and walked towards the door.
"You. How did you got in? How did you know that this door is unlocked? How did you get into that room in the first place? And why are you carrying Mochi? Who is your supervisor? Who are you suppose to report to?" Fighter just bombarded these questions to the poor little girl, who made no effort of making eye contact with her, let alone to answer her questions.
The last thing Fighter wanted was someone to disturb Maker, or this time she had with Maker. She wanted Misa out of the room. She grabbed Misa by her arms, ready to call Healer in to grab this girl out of the room. Misa bit Fighter's lower arm (that's where she was able to reach), causing Fighter to lose her grip on Misa.
"Mama?" Misa called out as she staggered towards the bedside.
Healer heard little commotion in the room and down the hallway.
She turned towards the hallway, only to see Kakyuu running down. "Ouhi! Why are you running? Is there any danger or something happened?"
"No. Everyone's safe and sound. Serenity is now at the throne room. Anyway, did you see Misa-chan?"
"Misa-chan? Oh, Princess personal guard? " Kakyuu nodded her head, as she was still trying to catch her breath. "She went into that room." Healer replied, pointing towards Fighter's old room.
"Thanks!" With that, Kakyuu opened the door, only to see the room empty. "Misa-chan?" Kakyuu called out, with Healer following behind her. The two of them was surprised to see the connecting door open. They walked towards the door, only to see Fighter staring at Misa, who was at the bedside.
"Mama?" Misa called out again as she climbed up the bed, placed Mochi on the bed as well, and sat beside Maker's lifeless body. She held Maker's hand, only to feel the stiffness in it. Misa had read about this from books. This is what will happen when one is dead. "Mama?" Misa shook Maker as she started crying. "Mama, I promised that I will be strong and you promised that you will come back. You lied. Mama! Wake up! MAMA!" Misa wailed.
The heart of all in the room were broken. Fighter made the step towards Misa, pulling Misa to face her. Blue met blue. Tears met tears. For a moment, Fighter felt a sense of familiarity. The eyes that were fixed on hers felt so familiar. It just felt like looking into her own eyes in the mirror. She pulled Misa off the bed and feets onto the floor.
"You promised to be strong, didn't you? Hush. . . You are not doing what you have promised Mama asked you to. Hush girl . . . " Fighter tried to calm the poor girl down, wanting to pull her into an embrace. But Misa pushed her away.
"You are not strong as well. You are not the strong Fighter that Mama had described to me all these while. So why do I have to be strong? I don't want to! You all are all liars!" Misa shouted towards Fighter with her eyes closed. She turned around, grabbed Mochi from the bed and ran out of the room.
Fighter was shocked. Healer was shocked. No one expect a girl of this age to say these stuffs.
"Fighter, can I ask you to chase after her? If Maker was to be here, Misa will always be her top priority." Kakyuu asked Fighter.
"But I . . . " Fighter tried to retaliate, but stopped. She wanted to spend time with Maker, as this would be the very last moments to be with her. She just wanted to be with Maker. Fighter made her way out of the room into the hallway, and started running.
"Maker's a mum? I can't believe it. Since when? Why did I not know anything about it. Why did not anyone mentioned about it. Ouhi, do you know about it?" Healer turned and asked.
Kakyuu nodded her head slightly. "She wanted this to be a secret."
Healer reverted her attention to the lifeless senshi lying on the bed. 'What exactly happened in that 7 years. What exactly happened between you and Fighter, Maker?' Then Healer realised, the opacity of Maker starts to decrease. "Ouhi. . . She's disappearing" Healer screamed out.
"What happened?" Kakyuu asked. When Kakyuu turned around, it was already too late. Maker was gone. She was no longer laid on the bed.
Fighter searched all places where a 6 year old would be and could not get the results that she wanted. 'She really moved on. . . She had a child, who's so much like her. The other love she had, must be such a wonderful person. Because he made her dreams come true. ' Fighter thought in her mind, heart wincing at the thought that she was not Maker's only love. Getting frustrated with the task given by Kakyuu when moments past, Fighter gave up. 'I give up! Why would I even bother looking up for that girl.'
Fighter made her way to her tree. She needed to clear her mind. She wanted to be alone. When she was approaching the tree, she saw the familiar bundle of fur lying at the foot of the tree, whimpering and whining softly. "Mochi. . ." Fighter went over and picked Mochi up, cajoling the soft fur. "She's gone Mochi. She's gone. Seven years. I've waited seven years to see her once again, only to lose her this very day as well. Mochi." Fighter started pouring out her feelings to the dog, the dog that meant so much in her relationship with Maker.
"Don't touch him. Drop him." Came a cold voice from the tree.
Fighter wiped off her tears in Mochi's fur and looked up the tree and saw the hems of violet uniform hanging at the tallest branch. 'So you are here. This is not a place a 6 year old should be.' Fighter placed Mochi back onto the ground and began to make her own way up the tree. "What are you doing up so high?" Fighter asked as she sat beside Misa, clearing off the remaining tears on her face. "Stop crying." Fighter coaxed, wanting to use her hand to wipe off the tears on Misa's face.
But Misa slapped Fighter's hand off. "Back off. I do not need your care and concern."
Fighter looked at Misa with astonishment. 'She's only 6 and she's so stubborn, acting so much like an adult.' "Your Mama, she's one beautiful women. She hates it when people cry too much. You do not want your Mama to hate you nor worried about you, don't you?" Fighter realised that baby talking to this little girl in front of her would not help in stopping her tears. So she had decided to go with reasoning, just like how she deal with Maker when they were young.
Misa wiped off her tears immediately when she had heard what Fighter had said. 'You really took my words seriously, don't you? You are just so so like Maker.' Fighter smiled softly. 'Maker do not hate people who cry too much. She just don't like it. That's her soft spot for people.' "How did you get your way up here?" Fighter asked curiously, knowing that this tree was a difficult tree to climb due to its structure and organisation.
"How did you get up here anyway as well? As you trying to test my intelligence or insult yours?" Misa shot back.
"Are you always like that?" Fighter asked, surprised at the treatment she got from Misa.
"No, just to you, because all of you are liar. All adults are liar." Misa replied bitterly. 'Mama, I want you to be back. I don't want to live alone without you. You lied. You said you will be back. You lied.'
"That's - that's all out of our control, Misa. I know you will understand in the future. Let's get back in shall we? Ouhi is getting worried about you." Fighter continued.
"No. I want to stay here longer." Misa replied stubbornly. Fighter just sat there and watch Misa. "Aren't you leaving? I want to be alone." Misa continued irritatedly.
"If that's what you want, Misa, I will leave you alone. Be careful and don't fall." Fighter advised as she made her way down the tree. Once she was at the ground, she shouted out to Misa. "Your father is such a wonderful and lucky person, because he had Maker and you. If had the chance, I would like to meet him personally." With that, Fighter left the field.
"Sorry . . . I promised Mama. I never meant to treat you in that way." Misa whispered out when Fighter started to leave, tears starting to flow down her face once more.
When Fighter entered back Maker's room, she noticed something unusual. It was different how it was when she left the room earlier on. Something was missing. Missing from the bed.
"Where's Maker?" Fighter retorted. 'Did they get me away to chase after Misa to hide Maker away from me." Fighter received no answer from the two sitting on the couch, both was sad. "Where's Maker?" Fighter asked again, clenching her fist tight to control the angry and agony building inside.
"She's gone, Fighter. She disappeared. We don't know what happened." Kakyuu stood up, placing her hand gently on Fighter's stiff shoulder, and with her the other hand, she placed something into Fighter's palm. "Keep this well."
"You're lying." Fighter hissed. "Get out. Please. Before I lose control of my temper." Fighter ordered, knowing she would hurt the two of them when her angry comes on.
"We know Fighter. We'll leave you here then." Kakyuu finished, signalled Healer to stand up and leave the room.
"Leader, I'm still here. If you want to talk, you can talk to me." Healer finished off her concern for her leader, and left the room as well.
"ARGH!" Fighter screamed out. "I shouldn't have left her just now." Fighter was getting angry at herself. 'I shouldn't have. Now, I can't see you Maker, I can't hold you. I can't feel the warmth of your body. I should have stay, so that our last moments would be longer. I should have.'"
Fighter swang her arms violently around the room, knocking down the bookshelf that was standing next to the couch. Books came crashing down on her and down onto the floor. 'Maker, do you know how much I missed you. I want you to be my side.' Fighter collapsed onto the floor, tears pouring off.
At the corner of her eyes, she saw a familiar letter cover sliding half out from a book. 'That envelope. It' the same envelope.' Fighter picked up the letter and found a small key lying beside it. 'For me? What is this? I've never seen this before.' Fighter broke the seal and pull out the letter.
'What is this?'
A/N: Okay, please do not butchered me yet. I promise, there's more to come. 2 more to go .