Disclaimer. I own none of these characters. Again, I'm doing my friend Japananimegirl a favor by editing and posting her stories for her. Please don't ask if you can use the characters as they aren't my creativity property, and she doesn't want anyone else to use them. Thank you.
"So...where are we?" Gracie asked as she admired the architecture of this castle.
Chibiusa walked towards one of the openings, possibly a window, to look out over the land and, after a minute, said, "Mariner Castle."
"Marine...Alexis must be here!" Gracie cheered in happiness.
"Um...Mariner Castle is Princess Mercury's Palace, so we'll likely find Crystal." Chibiusa corrected her redhead friend.
"Even better!" Gracie was slightly hopping up and down as she tried to contain her thirst for adventure. However, since she considered re-grouping with her friends remained essential.
Even in her sleep, Crystal could hear her two friends.
"Chibiusa? Gracie...?" Crystal tried to call out, but it was only a murmur as her whole body hurt.
"Crystal?" a woman's mature yet kind voice sounded. Crystal slowly cracked open her eyes to see a woman with black hair and green eyes in a light blue gown sprinkling water on her body, which seemed to help take the edge off the pain. As soon as the pain subsided enough, Crystal sighed in relief.
"Thank you. W-Who are you?" Crystal questioned.
"I'm Queen Aqua Sapphire." Queen Sapphire curtsied.
"It's so nice to meet you, Grandma..." Crystal whispered hoarsely as her voice was recovering too.
"I always wanted to see my granddaughter." Queen Sapphire hugged Crystal tenderly.
"And we'll never let you go again." A tall man walked and hugged Crystal too.
This man donned a yellow diver's-like suit with jewels, scales, fins, and fishbones woven in, and with the same color hair and eyes as Ami! Immediately Crystal knew this must be her grandfather! "Crystal, this is my husband, King Pisces. He's a merman from the Crystal Sea." Queen Sapphire gave Crystal a pained smile. She feared she might reject the idea as a few others had.
"You're kidding?! That's incredible!" Crystal exclaimed, her normal voice returning, and she got out of bed to hug them.
"I'm pleased to hear you accept me." King Pisces smiled.
"Why wouldn't I? My friends would kill to have such exotic parents!" Crystal continued to express how incredible this relationship was!
"Well...our relationship was anything but easy." Queen Sapphie began. Crystal knew how hard it was to get others to accept you if you were the slightest bit different. Yet, her grandparents are royalty and still get disapproving stares and mutter behind their backs because they are of different races?! Love should know no color, religion, politics, or gender!
"Crystal, where are you?!" Chibiusa and Gracie called out.
"I knew I heard their voices!" Crystal smiled, beaming.
Chibiusa and Gracie race into the chamber. But then something unexpected happened. Queen Sapphire and King Pisces grabbed Crystal tightly, yanking her back down on the bed, and would not let her go!
"What's going on?!" Chibiusa said in genuine confusion.
"We're finally back together!" Queen Sapphire screamed, wrapping her arms around Crystal.
"Nobody is going to be taking Crystal away!" King Pisces declared, getting up and drawing his sword.
Gracie drew her sword. "A thousand and one apologizes, we're not trying to take her away, but the universe NEEDS Neo-Sailor Mercury," Chibiusa begged, knowing if they returned without Crystal, Ami would not have the will to live.
"No!" Queen Sapphire cried.
"Absolutely not!" King Pisces was adamant as well.
"Grandma, Grandpa, you must let me go! I must do this! I can't stay here. It wouldn't be fair to my parents, friends, and teammates. As a Sailor Senshi, my duty, above all else, is to my princess. My life is bigger than you can imagine." Crystal tried to explain to calm her grandparents.
Amazingly, King Pisces turned to his crying wife, "Sadly, she's right. I couldn't stand causing our daughter any heartache." Then, he turns to the girls and continues, "A Sailor Senshi's duty is not something we understand as it came about after our time.
However, I agree there are things out there bigger than us, and I wouldn't dream of laying my sword on the Moon Princess or her Senshi...I can tell who you are from the way you speak."
Queen Sapphire loosened her grip on Crystal but continued to sob. Crystal got up to let King Pisces soothe his wife. Crystal did feel bad for them, but she did have a vital job to remain committed to. What could she do? Crystal moved forward, attempting to sit down and talk through this with her parents, but Queen Sapphire stopped her.
"Just go!" She commanded sharply.
Chibiusa and Gracie led Crystal away to comfort her and tell her what they had learned so far, which was not much. This did get Crystal's mind slightly off of what just happened, though, so it would be easier for her to concentrate on finding the others. Then, as the girls prepared to set off again, they heard someone running towards them!
"Crystal, wait!" It is Queen Sapphire! "You need to know about-" Crystal reached out, but she felt only Queen Sapphire's fingertips brush her's as the girls were whisked away! Crystal did not hear her grandmother's last words...
Queen Sapphire: Monica Rial (Tsubaki Nakatsukasa from Soul Eater)
King Pisces: Paul Reubens: Pee-Wee Herman.