Explanations

Kiyoko thought Seiya might terminate the communication, but she didn't. As Seiya spoke her voice raised in pitch slightly, "How could you kiss her? What has come over you Kiyoko?"

Chewing on her lip, Kiyoko finally responded, "I am sorry. It's like I said, it was the only way I could think of focusing the magic. It WAS NOT romantic at all! Please believe me Seiya. You know my heart!"

Her eyes were so pleading, Seiya believed her, but she was still angry, "I believe you. However, if you were in such a state even you can't know what it was like for her. And speaking as someone who's kissed you for years, it's an unbelievably incredible experience. I bet she just loved it!" She was so full of anger, it had to go somewhere.

Unable to believe her ears, Kiyoko replied, "It wasn't romantic for her either. She is as devoted to Michiru as I am to you! Please calm down Seiya." She wished she could touch her beloved Seiya so badly in that moment.

The red in Seiya's face subsided a little, "So where is she now? Is she afraid to face me?" She wanted to let this go, but it just irritated her all over…. Haruka of all people….

Sighing, Kiyoko shook her head, "No, Seiya. Last I knew she was still sleeping off the onslaught of the amount of magic she'd absorbed." She was starting to get a bit exasperated with Seiya's fixation on Haruka, "My love, my heart belongs to you and no one else. I want to marry you and no one else. Can you please focus on that? I think we should talk about the resurrection spell. I know you said that you would contact me, but…." Kiyoko trailed off, hoping that Seiya would let go of the kiss and that it wouldn't cloud her judgement.

Seiya tried to do as her fiancée asked. She tried to push her anger over Haruka aside and focus, "Alright. Yes, I have thought about it. It seems like until now it was the only thing I could think about. I thought about everything you said, what you told me Yaten said. And as much as it fills me with fear, if you decide to do this, I won't stop you. I will stand by you, even if it's from across the galaxy, my fairy Queen."

Kiyoko smiled a tiny smile, still feeling badly about kissing Haruka, but happy that Seiya would support her, "So you like the wings? I haven't tried to see if I can get rid of them." She made them flutter playfully, still trying to distract Seiya from the anger she knew still existed under the surface.

Returning her beloved's smile, "They're gorgeous. But what isn't on you? If you like them, keep them. I'm sure they'd make things interesting." She even managed a wink. Seiya knew it was important to show Kiyoko her love, which was what was important right now…. Not that damn kiss….

Kiyoko's smiled grew, "I love you so much. So…. How is Ruka's forest coming?" Seiya laughed and the two of them spoke for a while longer. Finally Kiyoko decided she needed to deal with things here, "I think it's time I go. After I returned to Earth I was also exhausted and you're the first person I've really spoken too, aside from Yaten who is waiting for me." Seiya understood and bid Kiyoko farewell lovingly. She was still angry about so much, but it would ruin her future with Kiyoko if she continued to let it control her. Hopefully she wouldn't lose that future.

When Kiyoko left the communications room she found Ami waiting. Yaten was gone. Confused, Kiyoko looked at Ami. Ami bowed, "I told her that I would wait, that I would keep an eye on you. Sailor PallaPalla is on her way here to relieve me. She should actually be here any minute. Could you and I discuss the resurrection of the Shitenou?"

Kiyoko was a bit uncertain, uncertain of where Ami's opinion would lie on the matter. But she'd promised everyone the opportunity to speak, and this was as personal for her as it was the other inner Senshi. She nodded. As soon as Ami was relieved the two of them began walking, Kiyoko letting Ami lead the way.

*Haruka*

Haruka woke alone in Kiyoko's bed. She was disoriented until everything came flooding back to her. Looking over at the empty half of the bed, she wondered where Kiyoko went and a jolt of protective panic ran through her, then she remembered she'd planned to contact Seiya. Haruka drug herself from the bed, putting her boots back on. She also had someone she had to see immediately, her partner, the love of her life, Michiru. Desperately, Haruka prayed that she would understand.

Haruka quickly made her way to the chambers she shared with Michiru, hoping she was there. When she opened the door she saw Michiru seated on a bench at a bay window, looking up at the early afternoon sun. She looked so amazing with the way the sun hit her face.

Michiru looked away from the window and at Haruka, "Welcome back. So, what happened up there?" She patted the empty space on the bench next to her.

Haruka walked over to her and sat down, but she couldn't look Michiru in the eye so she looked out the window. Haruka spoke quietly, "We talked. She cried for a long time. She's felt so alone in all of this. And then she showed me…. I don't know… Everything…. Everything through her eyes… She's even more powerful than any of us have given her credit for. I think we were wrong to object. We should trust her."

Michiru blinked, "She showed you? How?" She was confused, knowing that Kiyoko normally conveyed things through touch, by Haruka's body language and sudden change of heart. Haruka would never jeopardize Kiyoko.

Anxiously Haruka looked at Michiru, she knew she had to, "A kiss…. A magical kiss…. When she kissed me it was like the entirety of her existence crashed into me." She waited for Michiru's anger.

Instead Michiru's tone was teasing, "1,200 years and you're still trying to win over the princesses we serve. First Usagi and now Kiyoko. Was she a good kisser?" She smiled and put her hand on Haruka's to show her that she wasn't serious.

However, Haruka was so flustered at the idea of it she turned red, "It wasn't romantic Michi! What do I have to do to prove it to you?"

This was actually very amusing to Michiru, mostly because she knew Haruka was telling the truth and because it wasn't often she had the upper hand. She stood up, Haruka standing with her, "I can think of a few things." With that she led Haruka to their bed.

*Haruka*

Ami led Kiyoko to a small aquarium in the castle. She knew that she was one of the few who came here. The two of them sat on a bench in front of a huge tank of tropical fish, their colors so bright and vivid. Kiyoko didn't say anything and waited for Ami to gather her thoughts. After a while Ami spoke, "How dangerous is it, honestly? Please."

It wasn't surprising that Ami would want to know the level of risk. But Kiyoko didn't have a statistic or number for her. She looked at her, "It's very complex, as I told everyone. But, despite the fears of many, I believe that Serenity and I can do it, even more so now."

Pursing her lips, Ami replied, "Yes, your power seems to be increasing. I wonder why that is." She seemed to be inspecting Kiyoko's wings with her eyes.

"I'm not sure Ami, but I believe it IS increasing. May I ask you a personal question?" She knew Ami was a private person, always had been. Ami told her to go on and so Kiyoko did, "Do you miss Zoicite? Is that why you bury yourself in… well, everything."

Looking at the fish, Amy responded thoughtfully, "I do miss him. And yes I suppose that is a factor. But it's also simply who I am." She was quiet for a bit and so was Kiyoko. Then Ami looked at her and said, "Rei told me about the conversation the two of you had. I think we're all afraid to hope. However, I also think it's cruel to leave them as they are. So, I will support you. When the time comes, I will stand by you. Not for myself, but to help them. It's our duty to help them."

Kiyoko was surprised, she smiled at Ami, "Thank you. Thank you so much Ami. Do you need to get back?" She wanted to spend more time with her, but didn't want her to feel forced.

Ami actually smiled back at her, "No. PallaPalla will be alright. Could we stay just a bit longer? I'd like you to talk me through the spell if you would…. And I have just missed your company." Surprised, Kiyoko agreed and the two of them spent some time going through the details of the spell and just catching up. The scientific and methodical approach that Ami took to understanding everything