By Design

Cautiously Kiyoko sat down and Yaten followed suit. Kiyoko pursed her lips, "Why the sudden interest Serenity?" She knew she was treading on thin ice with the question, but she had to ask.

Serenity exhaled, "Well, part of it comes from this business concerning the Shitenou. But the other part….." She trailed off unsure if she could tell her sister how she was feeling.

It seemed Yaten's blunt nature would never change. She addressed Serenity, "Please excuse me if I'm out of line here Queen Serenity, but would it be that you're envious of the things Kiyoko is able to do and the things your father entrusted her with, instead of you?" Serenity didn't answer, but the blush in her face did.

Shock and irony struck Kiyoko because when she was younger she'd been jealous of her sister's grace and charm, of her love with Helios, and of her role as an official Senshi. Kiyoko knew she was powerful and special, but she spent her life surrounded by Senshi knowing she'd never be one. And she would always be jealous that her sister got to spend over a millennia with their father and she was only given a century. Finally she spoke, "You're envious of me? Growing up I was always envious of you."

Serenity's face mirrored the shock that Kiyoko felt, "YOU were jealous of ME? The child born of pure magic and the precious gift of the golden crystal? The child that didn't take hundreds of years to mature and grew up with a grace and refinement that attracted many suitors as well as the admiration of all of the Senshi? The one who, despite not being an official Senshi, was treated by the older Senshi more like one of them than I was?"

Unable to help herself, Kiyoko laughed, "It seems we were jealous of each other. And I'm sorry for anything I did that contributed to that." She smiled and placed a hand over her sister's, trying to make peace.

Serenity was still jealous, but knew that a time like this wasn't the time to let that take priority. She smiled back, "We make quite a pair, don't we? But I do have to ask…. Why DID you wait so long to come see me?"

Taking a deep breath, Kiyoko admitted, "I was afraid to come see you. You were so angry with me. And I knew that my excursion to the old Moon Kingdom had likely made that worse. I felt like I had to garner some support from the others before I could come and face my big sister."

Nodding, Serenity replied, "I was angry, still am in some ways. But I was more hurt by the fact that you were talking to everyone except me, or that is how it felt at least." She sighed, "And it is frustrating that no matter who hard I try I can't make heads or tails of this. Helios tried to help me for a while, but I eventually sent him away."

The tiniest laugh escaped Kiyoko's lips, "I could show you if you want." She waited as her sister registered what she was saying.

She shook her head fiercely, "I think you've done enough of that lately! Besides, I don't want to kiss my sister!" The two of them laughed together at that. Serenity continued, "You know, I think everyone is talking more about that than the resurrection at this point. One the castle staff even claimed that she saw Haruka sneak into your room last night." Now it was Kiyoko's turn to blush. Serenity spoke, "Kiyoko!"

Scrambling, Kiyoko responded, "I couldn't sleep and she could sense it. Nothing happened, she just slept in the bed so that I wasn't alone. Michiru knew all about it. Yaten was there too!" She shot Yaten a sympathetic look.

Serenity's gaze turned on her. Yaten cleared her throat, "She speaks the truth you're Highness." Though her face made it clear that this wasn't a conversation she wished to be a part of.

With a sigh, Serenity relented, "Alright. I believe you. But if I heard it than you know mother did. And she is on the war path about this, so be careful."

Resignation to the wrath she may face ran over Kiyoko. But she tried to focus, "Tell me what you want to know, at least about the resurrection spell for the Shitenou and I will try and help you understand."

Serenity looked down at the spell book she had and then back at Kiyoko, "With the lack of progress I've made here…. You'd better start at the beginning."

With that Kiyoko began, "The beginning…. Alright. Let's start with why we need both crystals. I know you're aware it has to do with the amount of power involved. But the reason we need that much power is the way that they died. It bound their spirits and star seeds extremely tightly to each of their stones. My theory was that this was for two reasons. One, because they didn't want to leave the master they'd just rediscovered, and two because of the evil from the Dark Kingdom. As if it wanted to keep them from being reincarnated and finding happiness as a final punishment."

Serenity's brow creased, "I hadn't considered that. That is terrible. So, it'd be like undoing two things at once, hence the need for both crystals." She felt as if she were beginning to understand.

Kiyoko nodded at her sister, "Exactly. The spell is designed to unravel the evil that's binding the spirits and their star seeds, while reviving them before the seeds are lost to the cauldron. That allows them to retain their memories and who they are." She clasped Serenity's hand firmer, "I believe our best chance is for me to concentrate my work on unraveling the binding while you focus of reviving them."

Serenity nodded, "Is that because the silver crystal has been used to revive people in the past? Or is it because unraveling the binding will be more difficult?" Her face begging Kiyoko for an honest answer.

So she gave one, "Both actually. We know that the silver crystal has the power to revive more than one person. In addition, I expect unbinding them will be the trickier part." She hoped her sister could see the confidence she had about doing this.

The two of them spent the rest of the morning working on helping Serenity understand as much as she could about the spell in general. Though there was one detail that Kiyoko hadn't told anyone and refused to do so until they'd decided to actually do it. The spell couldn't be performed just anywhere. They had to go back to the site of the old Dark Kingdom, to where they'd died.

Finally Serenity looked at her sister and smiled, "Thank you Kiyoko. Explaining this to me really helps. If it is decided that we will do this, when are you going to want to perform the spell?"

Thinking a moment, Kiyoko responded, "Tomorrow at noon, when the sun is at its apex." She thought this would be their best opportunity in that desolate place, though she didn't say that aloud.

Serenity replied, "Well, I think you should go and see Rei. I know she was conflicted. And it might help you avoid mother until it's time to meet this evening." The two sisters laughed together again. They stood and hugged before parting ways. Yaten asked if she could continue to accompany Kiyoko as she went to the temple to see Rei. She hadn't left it since their talk of hope. Kiyoko agreed and they headed out. Serenity looked after them, knowing her sister had left something out, wondering what she would say when the time came.

4 Page