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We returned to school the next day. I was amused to note that a hasty repair job had been done to the courtyard that Rubeus had been destroyed, but it was still painfully evident that something had happened. Most of the students in the school gave me a wide berth, which probably should have bothered me more than it did, especially when they all kept treating the Starlights exactly the same. I was pretty sure part of the problem stemmed from a little bit of jealousy. From the moment that they stepped into the school, I knew it had bothered a lot of people that Yaten, Taiki and Seiya had naturally gravitated towards my friends and me. And now that they were gone, the fact that the three of them were closing ranks around me wasn't helping.

Wherever I went that day, I was accompanied by at least one of them, even if it was just to the bathroom. It should have annoyed me and under any other circumstance it probably would have but for the moment I was glad of their attention. I couldn't forget that Rubeus was still out there and that at any second he might come back and make me regret challenging him. The Starlights could take care of themselves, of course, but I still wanted to be there. And anyway it was good to know that I was never alone. Even though I'd been so sure that our new bond would keep me from being too clingy, I still disliked being away from Seiya in particular, and when I was around her I was fond of hanging onto her arm or her clothing, just to know that she was really there. I got some extremely unpleasant looks just for that.

Bit by bit, things returned to normal, if you could really call it that. I got used to waking up in bed with one or more of the Starlights and Luna and Artemis and Chibi-Chibi around me. We'd get dressed and go to school. My grades were even starting to pick up a little bit, if only because every day when we got home Taiki insisted that the four of us sit down and do our homework right away. It was kind of like the study sessions I used to hold with the senshi. Taiki was really good at explaining things, clear and concise, and sometimes I found that I was even able to help them out once in a while: it wasn't very often, but occasionally the fact that they hadn't grown up on Earth and had the education that I did was obvious.

Rubeus didn't show his face again. I knew that was bad, probably meant he was plotting something, but at the same time I was glad for it. If he never came around again I would be all too pleased. I could have stayed exactly the way we were for the rest of my life. Oh, I knew that eventually I would have to deal with the pregnancy and telling everyone but it was so easy to push that out of my mind. I was still a ways off from showing (I hoped) and it was much easier to put my head in the sand and think that somehow it would all just work itself out.

And then we got the phone call that changed everything.

I was in bed with Taiki and Seiya, curled up in the middle of them, when Yaten answered the phone. It was extremely unusual for her to get up first. Yaten loved to sleep and she took every opportunity to stay in bed for as long as possible. But that morning she'd booked herself into a high-end spa that was known from its exclusivity and privacy, and she was planning on going there to get the full treatment. Actually she had booked us all in but I didn't think Seiya and Taiki were too keen on the idea, even though it sounded like a blast to me. I was thinking about the fact that the spa was something that Minako would have loved when the door flew open.

"Hey," she said, holding the phone in one hand. She had her other hand pressed over the mouthpiece. "Otori-san's on the phone. He says that he talked to the record company and they've agreed that Usagi-chan and Chibi-Chibi can come with us. Anywhere that we go, they go." She raised an eyebrow, still holding the phone out to the bed. "He says that any other stipulations we may have will be met under certain conditions and that all we need to do is submit them in writing for consideration within the next two days. They're hoping to have our contract re-signed by next week and begin setting up a concert for a month from today."

"That's fast," I said, a little dazed. Seiya rolled out of the bed and stood up, reaching for the phone. Yaten handed it over and then slipped into the warm spot, cuddling against me. I leaned my head on her shoulder and watched Seiya pace back and forth, listening intently and uttering the occasional sound of agreement.

Finally, she said, "We'll talk it over and call you back in an hour" and then hung up the phone. She sat down on the end of the bed and looked at us. "Well, I guess now we really have to decide. Yaten's right. Otori said that there was no problem in getting Usagi-chan and Chibi-Chibi permission to come with us." She bit her lip. "As long as we were willing to sign affidavits stating that we understood if the media started taking their presence the wrong way."

"What?" Yaten cried. "He didn't tell me that."

"It makes sense," Taiki said, reaching across me to rest a calming hand on Yaten's shoulder. "Think about it. I'm sure they're guessing that Usagi-chan is the girlfriend of one of us. It would seem like the relationship was pretty serious if she comes with us all the time. You know how people love to blow things out of proportions."

"She's right," I said. "Don't you remember, Yaten? You guys couldn't even be seen at my house without worrying about what everyone would say." I had to admit, crazy though it had been, I remembered that night with a lot of fondness. It was one of the few times that Haruka and Seiya had been under the same roof without having an outright fight! Though really, my parent's house was much too small to have ten senshi around, eleven if you counted Chibi-Chibi.

"That doesn't make it alright," Yaten grumbled.

"Regardless, we have to decide what we want to do," Seiya said. "Once we sign that contract that's it. We'll be locked in for at least for a year. Is that something we want to do right now?" She looked around at the three of us. Yaten and Taiki didn't say anything. To be honest I didn't think they knew what to say and that's what made me speak up.

"I think," I said quietly, "that you should do it. I know that the timing could be better but you guys managed to work before when we were fighting Galaxia. I don't see how this will be any different." I held up a hand to forestall the arguments I could see forming. "Hang on, just let me talk for a second, okay? You guys really love singing. I mean, there are some parts of it that you hate, like being mobbed, and I get that. But when you're on stage and it's just the three of you making music together, you glow. And that really comes out in your songs, that sense of peace and contentment. I think that if you stopped singing you would really miss it. I think that you'd regret not taking your chance when you had it. You should go for it. I don't want you to regret anything."

No one said anything for a few minutes. I hoped that they were thinking seriously about what I had said because it was the truth. The whole music thing had started as a cover for finding Princess Kakyuu but somewhere along the way it had become so much more. What I didn't say, but which I was also thinking, was that it was the perfect job for the three of them. I didn't know what else Yaten, Taiki and Seiya would be able to do. There was a lot of vital, basic stuff that they were missing, things that someone who paid enough attention might notice. Singing, however, was an innate talent that no one could take away from them and they were good at it. Singing made them all shine like a brilliant star. I didn't want them to give that up.

Finally, Seiya shifted and admitted, "I think I'd like to keep singing. As long as it doesn't interfere with protecting Odango, I don't see why we couldn't. And the contract sounds reasonable. I really don't think it will be a problem to bring you and Chibi-Chibi along with us, even if we went on tour. We can look at the contract before we sign to make sure that it's written down, and if it is then I think we should do it. But that's only if you guys agree."

"I don't mind," Taiki said quietly. "I like singing. I could do without the fans, though. And I'd like to make a requirement that we get a rest day every once in a while, and we'll have to make it a stipulation that we can leave if we have to."

Seiya nodded. "I don't think that will be a problem. That was already written into our old contract so it's not like we'll be surprising them with anything. Yaten?"

"I just don't know," Yaten burst out, rolling off of the bed and storming over to the window. She stood there for a moment, staring out at the city. "I do like singing. It's fun. And it gets us money which I can actually spend on clothing and make-up that I like this time around. But…" She trailed off and shook her head. "It just doesn't seem right. I'm sorry." Before any of us could say anything she turned and was out the door.

"Let me," I said, catching Taiki's arm when she would have gotten off of the bed. "I think I know what this is about." I got up and followed her to the door.

I found Yaten in the living room, out on the balcony. I walked out to join her. She was staring up at the sky. She said, "It's not right. We were idols before because we were trying to find Princess Kakyuu. Now we have a new mission, to protect you, and there is no point in being an idol."

"Yes there is," I said quietly, catching her hand. "Yaten, listen to me. I fight to protect this city. I fight for love, for hope, so that everyone here can grow up to follow their dreams. How can I fight for those things if I don't have any? You guys gave me hope during the battle with Galaxia. You gave me the strength to keep going, and I'm going to give you your dream now. I want you to sing. I want you to follow your dream. It doesn't mean you can't protect me or that you're somehow doing me a disservice."

Yaten lowered her head. There were tears in her eyes. I stroked her hair and added, "It's okay to have a dream, Yaten, to want to be something other than a senshi. Believe me," and I closed my eyes with a bitter smile, "no one understands that better than me."

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