Author's notes:

Hello again! Thank you for your support once again, I've so enjoyed the comments and feedback! I know everyone's keen for me to unite the Sol senshi and the Starlights, but please have patience…it's coming, I promise!

I just wanted to mention something as a warning in case I do offend anyone-there is (and possibly will continue to be) some internal dialogue regarding the genders of the Starlights from Rini's perspective, in which she openly wonders which pronoun she should be using. While I know I could be using certain pronouns (such as 'they', etc.), I felt it was more in character that Rini make that decision for herself, and I also don't honestly think she would be aware of any other pronoun options. As a blanket rule, all characters in this story will refer to the Starlights' genders based on their most recent interaction with them and pronouns will be altered accordingly.

Also, if you haven't already, make sure to check out the important notes from the Prologue. Enjoy!

Chapter Six

The air was crisp and cool in her lungs and her breath weaved through the atmosphere like mist, catching the light that was thrown from her chest. The crystalline walls shone like a mirrored madhouse, dark and ghostly silent, and she wrapped her arms around her middle with a shudder.

"Hello?"

The sound of her voice didn't echo; it simply rang out into the eerie replica of her future home and stopped dead. The long hall carried on endlessly as she moved in silence, wondering why there were no doors, no photos, no nothing—just an high icy roofline, curving to the black night sky. "Is anybody here?"

There was no reply.

She felt loneliness begin to creep up her spine as she pressed ahead, certain it was Rini, or perhaps Mamoru, that she was searching for. This was their home—they should have been there, waiting for her…

"Rini? Mamo?"

The glistening walls began to grow smaller, closing in narrowly as she moved until she came to a dead end. Before her, an antique mirror rested, coated with thick dust and cobwebs. She ran her hand across it, expecting to see herself, or perhaps the image of the woman she was to become, but she had no reflection.

"What on earth…?"

The mirror showed nothing but a murky, morphing reality of the world behind her—crystal glimpses mixed with that of her present home. The reflection swirled about uncertainly before turning black, and never did it show her face. She held her hands out before her, wondering if she were a ghost in this haunted existence, but she was still there—just as she had been, before she'd started to dream.

Usagi awoke huddled tight to a warm chest, her cold, wet body shivering in closer to the embrace. Something was draped over her to shield her from the wind that was hitting her face, and a gentle vibration beneath her body suggested that they were moving. She forced her eyes open, and everything spun, her head throbbing. "Where am I…?"

"It's alright, Usagi," she heard Setsuna say, running a hand over her hair. Her vision began to focus, and she realised the time guardian had her wound up in her arms, and that they were indeed in a car. "Just rest."

"Is she awake?" Haruka asked from the driver's seat, and Usagi strained to turn and look at her. "Kitten, please rest."

Panic began to set in, and she felt her breath start to catch in her chest, tears burning her eyes. "What happened? Please, is everyone okay…?"

"Everyone's fine," Michiru said, reaching back from the front seat to stroke her cheek. "It's okay."

She sniffed and nodded, relaxing back into Setsuna's lap. Tears escaped her eyes to scold her cheeks and her body shook. "I couldn't transform," she said, anxiety taking a hold of her fiercely. "I couldn't…"

"Shh…"

She drew a hand up to clutch at her brooch, grasping so tightly that it hurt. What has happened to me?

The car came to a stop, and Setsuna gently helped her upright. "Slowly, Usagi."

"She's not walking," Haruka said firmly as she got out, reaching straight over the side of the convertible car and scooping her up effortlessly. "Let's get you inside."

Usagi leant into her heavily as they walked up the path to the outer soldiers' home, her consciousness drifting in and out. "Where are the others?" She managed to mumble, as Haruka carried her inside and up the stairs toward the guest bedroom.

"Back at school," Haruka said, lowering her gently onto the low bed and removing the coat that had been draped over her. "We decided that was best."

The tall soldier moved toward the set of drawers across the room and pulled out a pair of spare pyjamas. She returned and knelt down beside her, brushing her hair away from her face. "Your uniform is soaking wet," she said, placing the bundle on the bed next to her. "I can get Michiru to help you."

Haruka stood to leave, but Usagi grabbed her wrist. "It's fine, Haruka, really," she said sincerely, and used all of her strength to awkwardly shimmy her sodden skirt down over her hips, kicking her shoes off as she went. "Just pass me the shirt..."

Haruka handed it to her, and quietly helped her detangle herself from her blouse as she tugged it over her head. Usagi slipped her arms into the oversized shirt and felt her head spin, exhaustion overcoming her. Haruka eyed her worriedly. "Lie back," she said, and Usagi did so, sinking into the pillow. Haruka fastened the remaining buttons on her shirt, quirking an eyebrow at Usagi as her gaze flew briefly over her bra. "Bunny rabbits, really?"

Usagi stared at her, her cheeks flushing as a wave of emotion struck her. She didn't have the energy to deal with these confusing feelings; she was so distraught over what had happened, and worried for the safety of those she hadn't been able to save—it really was all too much. She burst into tears.

"Oh no, please don't cry," Haruka said hurriedly, and Usagi felt the bed dip as she sat on the edge. "Sorry—that was a bad time for a joke…I was just trying to cheer you up…"

Usagi covered her face with her hands, embarrassed to be crying in front of Haruka. "N-no," she hiccupped, "it was f-funny, I'm just—and I c-cant—" She let out a loud sob, reproaching herself for being so weak. "S-sorry…"

Haruka let out a long sigh and gently pulled her arms away from her face. She gave her a sympathetic smile. "You're exhausted," she said. "You have to rest now, Princess."

Usagi cringed at the title. "Don't call me that," she said. "I am nobody's princess, especially now that I can't even transform—how can I help anyone, how can I—"

"Usagi," Haruka said firmly, doing her very best to calm her down, "it's alright—we will figure this out."

"But what about before we figure it out, Haruka?" She said dejectedly. "What about all the people I couldn't save today—next time—"

"Next time, we will look after it, just as we did today," Haruka said, squeezing her shoulder comfortingly. "Your guardians don't rely solely on you, you know."

Usagi sniffed and sat up to look at her. "So nobody was killed? You defeated the enemy and you saved that man? And the girl?"

Haruka gave her a tight smile and nodded. "Sure did."

"I've got a hot cup of tea for you Usagi," Michiru's voice rang, as she approached with a steaming cup on a dainty saucer. "Are you hungry at all?"

"No, thank you," Usagi said, taking the hot drink from her gratefully. The calming aroma filling her nostrils and she took a long breath, crossing her legs beneath her. Hotaru and Setsuna appeared in the doorway and Usagi beckoned them in. "Please come in, it's okay..."

Hotaru took a seat at the end of the bed. "How are you feeling, Usa?"

"I'm alright," she said softly. She looked between the four warriors. "What do you think happened?"

"It's hard to say," Michiru said, folding her arms over her chest. "It was as though your transformation was blocked somehow—your crystal's power was certainly present, but rather than turning you into Sailor Moon, it exhausted your energy instead."

Usagi frowned, shaking her head. "I don't understand…"

"I wonder, perhaps, if this is a temporary state until you are granted another elevation of your powers," Hotaru suggested. "When I was awoken, I had a premonition of your rise to Eternal Sailor Moon and our combined energies were able to aid that transition, and ultimately, you completed this yourself in the face of losing both Mamoru and Rini." She chewed her lip, her certainty faltering. "But now that we have all lost our sight of the future, it is difficult to predict the circumstances that may drive the next phase."

Usagi cast her eye out the window, setting her gaze on the mountainous view and lush green trees surrounding the outer guardians' secluded home. Perhaps Hotaru was right—perhaps it would take great threat to allow her to become Sailor Moon once more, in whatever form her destiny had laid out for her. In spite of this, a thought niggled at the back of her mind: but I already feel like I'm Sailor Moon, all the time…

Michiru hummed in agreement. "That is the most likely explanation," she said. "I will keep an eye on my mirror—"

"Before her ascension, Neo Queen Serenity's strongest form was Eternal Sailor Moon," Setsuna interrupted quietly from her spot against the wall. "There was no further transition."

Haruka's eyes were wide. "Does that mean…?"

Setsuna shook her head, her eyes narrowed with frustration. "She was twenty-two years old when she reawakened and cleansed the Earth—you haven't even turned eighteen," she said. "We don't even know if Crystal Tokyo is still the future—everything is different."

The words left Usagi cold and the cup and saucer in her hands shook. Haruka reached out to settle them, taking the drink from her. "It's alright," she said soothingly.

"It's not," she said through ground teeth. She looked up at Setsuna desperately. "If all of this is so different from how it was supposed to happen, then what does that mean for Rini?"

A thick silence settled as Setsuna's garnet eyes stared back at her. "I'm sorry, Usagi, but you know I can't answer that," she said solemnly. "If Rini is meant to be, then she will be."

If she is meant to be…

"Setsuna is right," Hotaru said, moving closer to Usagi and grabbing her hand. "The path may be different, but you have to trust your future." She gave her a warm smile. "We will see Rini again, don't worry."

Usagi knew that everything her guardians told her were only words, but what more did she have? The weight of her future and the uncertainty of how it was to unfold could crush her, or she could look after the present as she knew it. She took a deep, shaky breath, and looked around at the outer scouts. "You're right," she said. "So, what do we do now?"

Haruka sat a little taller, the trace of a proud smile on her lips. "Well, you need to rest," she said. "Once you've recovered, we will do our best to establish what power you do still have, and tweak our training accordingly."

"You mean I don't have to sit out?" Usagi said, surprised.

"We'll see," Haruka said as she stood to leave. "Come, kitten needs to rest."

Hotaru scrambled up beside Usagi and threw her arms around her in a hug. "Everything will be alright," she whispered in her ear, and Usagi squeezed her tightly in return.

The four senshi filed out, and Usagi had a sudden thought. "Setsuna?"

Setsuna looked back over her shoulder as she pulled the door to. "Hm?"

Usagi fidgeted with the woollen blanket pooled in her lap, suddenly uncomfortable. "You didn't…tell Mamoru about today, did you?"

"Not yet," she said quietly, and then looked at her closely. "Do you want me to?"

"No," Usagi replied. "For now, I just need to do this on my own."

Haruka could feel a stare burning into her back as she poured herself a cup of black coffee. She turned around, leaning her hips against the granite bench. "What is it, Michiru?"

Michiru's expression was serious as she narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend. "You didn't tell her."

She sighed and reached across the counter for the sugar, lumping in a heaped teaspoon. "She doesn't need to know."

"That isn't fair, Haruka," Michiru said, shaking her head. "She has a right to know—"

"Know what?" She replied coolly, tossing the teaspoon into the sink with a clang. "That the enemy disintegrated that maninto nothing, all because of—"

"Ruka…" Michiru approached her, stealing the coffee from her hands and placing it down. She gripped her wrists as she tried to shake her off. "This is not your fault."

Haruka stared over Michiru's shoulder through the strands of hair that had fallen into her eyes, refusing to look at her. "No, it's not," she said lowly. "It's our fault. We should have been able to save him without her, we should have—"

"Stop," Michiru trailed her hands up to cup her cheeks, forcing her to meet her eye. "Just stop."

Haruka stared at her and ground her teeth, anger gnawing at her throat. "We can't tell her, Michi," she said thickly. "She may have pulled herself together but she was a wreck before that. I'm afraid it will break her."

"It didn't break the other girls—they are strong; they understand that we can't save everyone," Michiru said, and looked at her compassionately. "This is life and these are the sacrifices we have to make." She tilted Haruka's head back up as she tried to look down. "You can't shield her from everything."

Haruka let out a long breath and reached up to stroke her thumb over Michiru's lower lip. "I know," she said quietly. "But for now, she doesn't need to know what happened, okay?"

Michiru gave her a reproving look but nodded all the same. "For now."

"Princess, there has to be something you can do—whatever is going on with Sailor Moon is affecting him significantly; it's compromising his ability to perform as a senshi, to protect you—"

"And he's a goddamn mess when it happens—he's hopeless—he can hardly stand! The other day—"

Seiya groaned from his position on Kakyuu's bed, where he had been dumped before his fellow senshi had bombarded the princess with their concerns. He ran a hand over his face as his head thumped—he had been holding so tightly to Odango's weak energy that he could barely think straight. Once again, he had felt her energy being stolen from her in one sharp twinge, and then returned twice as powerfully. It made absolutely no sense. "I can hear you, you know," he barked at them, mustering all of his strength to swing his legs over the edge of the soft sheets. He needed to move, needed to get out—needed to speak to the pink-haired girl so like Odango that had shot an electric surge between them only moments ago.

The group fell silent, watching him from across the room. Taiki shook her head at Kakyuu. "This is ridiculous, Princess," she said. "He can't possibly go on like this."

"No, he can't," Kakyuu spoke, for the first time since their arrival. She moved across to the bed and knelt before him, just as she had done days earlier. "There's really only one solution, and it has come at the perfect time."

He looked into her lovely warm eyes, his heart wrenching at the suggestion he knew was coming. "Princess…"

"You need to know what's going on, and they need a way home," she said to him, taking his hands in her own. She leant forward and whispered: "Perhaps if you see her, you will be able to understand." Standing, she turned to the other Starlights. "Tomorrow, the three of you will depart for Earth, to accompany our guests home."

"Princess—"

"I expect that our recruits will be as ready as they can be," she said, ignoring their objections. "I have complete faith in their trainers."

Yaten let out a shaky breath, eyes glassy. "Princess, please—we don't want to leave you—"

"But you must, Healer," Kakyuu said, her expression softening. She glided across to them, giving them both a gentle smile. "You have been faithful to me for so many years, and I wish to do the same for you."

Taiki shook her head fervently. "You owe us nothing—there is nothing we want more than to be here."

"Oh?" She laughed softly. "Maker, your hearts no longer solely belong to Kinmoku. They haven't done since the moment your feet landed on Earth."

Seiya looked down at the floor, the thought of abandoning his princess and his planet all over again leaving him feeling ill. "This isn't just about getting them back home to Earth, is it?" He asked after a moment, looking up at her, his throat tight with emotion. "Kakyuu, what do you know that we don't?"

Her eyes tracked downward and a sad smile crossed her features. "I know that you have to do this," she said. "All three of you."

There was silence as Seiya looked to Taiki, who gave him a slow nod, and Yaten, who looked away as thick teardrops fell from her vibrant eyes. They were in agreement. "Alright," he said. "We'll go."

"As soon as we're done, we'll be back," Yaten burst, her voice breaking. "As soon as we're done!"

Kakyuu chuckled at her, raising her satin sleeve to sop up Yaten's wet cheeks tenderly. "There will be no rush," she said. "If the Sol senshi need you, stay by their side—we owe them that. And," she hushed Yaten as she began to protest, "enjoy their company. I know that you will."

Taiki bowed her head respectfully to their princess. "It will never compare to the wonderful company we keep with you, Princess."

Kakyuu smiled at her and gazed around at her three soldiers. "You three," she said thoughtfully. "My dearest friends."

Seiya swallowed the knot in his throat and swiped at the tear that had escaped down his nose. Princess for princess…

"Now, it's about time you see that our guests are looked after," Kakyuu said, never one for wallowing in sadness. She gathered her heavy dress and lifted it off the ground as she headed for the door, drawing up an eyebrow at Yaten as she passed her by. "I trust that you are making them welcome…"

Yaten rolled her reddened eyes and sniffed. "Yes, Princess…"

The princess moved to leave and Seiya spoke quickly. "There's something else, Princess," he said. "Yesterday, something happened to me…a new power, we think."

To his surprise, she smiled back over her shoulder. "That doesn't surprise me," she replied, and locked eyes with him. "Embrace it, Seiya."

Usagi yawned as she trudged down the hallway of the outer Sailor soldiers' home, her eyes heavy with sleep. She rubbed at them, wishing they would catch up to the rest of her body—she had woken feeling more refreshed than she had in weeks. The smell of pizza had lured her out of the bedroom, along with the ruckus of girls in the living room.

"You guys are noisy," she grumbled as she rounded the corner, looking at her friends as they laid out pizza boxes across the coffee table and any available surface. "But you brought pizza, so I'll forgive you."

Rei grinned at her, holding a box out in each hand. "Haruka invited us over," she said. "When does that ever happen?"

"Hey!" She heard Haruka scold, appearing with a stack of plates. "I invite you over…sometimes…"

"Come and sit, Usagi," Ami said, manoeuvring around her friends to usher Usagi over to the couch. She rubbed her back comfortingly once she was seated. "How are you feeling?"

She looked around at the delicious food. "Fine, now," she said with a smile, and reached for a slice. "I've never slept so well…"

Michiru giggled at her from the kitchen as she organised drinks. "Good sleep and a good appetite," she said. "That sounds promising."

She felt Haruka bop her on the head as she passed her. "Could have put some pants on, though."

Usagi ignored her, looking at her bare legs—the shirt covered her to nearly her knees, she was so short. "But, pizza," she said through a mouthful.

"We're sorry we weren't there when you woke, Usa," Makoto said, sitting cross-legged around the coffee table next to Hotaru. "We agreed it would be best to get back to class, rather than raise any more unneeded attention."

Minako nodded, helping herself to a slice of pizza. "Plus, there's no way you would have rested if we'd all been with you," she said with a wink. "We're too much of a distraction!"

"That's okay," Usagi replied, demolishing her piece and moving on to a second. She felt ravenous. "These guys looked after me and—hey, where's Setsuna?"

Michiru passed her a glass of lemonade and took a seat adjacent to her. "She had some things to get finished at the lab—she has a report due Monday."

"Oh, okay," Usagi said. She fiddled with the crust of her pizza slice. "I hope I didn't put you all out today, when you came to help…"

"Don't start," Haruka warned, raising her eyebrows at her. "We agreed: no more crying."

Usagi scoffed at her. "No we didn't!"

"Alright, we didn't—but I'm instating that rule now," Haruka said, sinking low into the couch. "I cannot deal with any more crying girls…"

She was rewarded with a balled up serviette being tossed at her head, which she dodged easily. "Watch it, Haruka, or you'll have a bunch of blubbering teenagers on your hands," Minako said with a smirk. "Usagi has had a hard day—she can cry all she wants."

"Thanks, Mina," Usagi laughed. "But I'm okay, I feel strong." She hoed into another slice of pizza contentedly. "I know we can figure this out."

"You bet we can," Makoto said supportively, giving her a thumbs-up. "I'll teach you my best moves, Usa!"

Rei snickered at the comment. "Good luck with that…"

More crumpled napkins went flying across the living room and Usagi giggled at her friends' antics. This was why she pushed forward: for the beautiful bonds she had formed with the people she loved. "Thank you all for being there for me today," she said suddenly, interrupting their fun. "Well, for me, and for all the people you saved. It means the world to me."

The group quietened at her words. "Of course, Usagi," Minako said finally. "This is our home—we fight together."

Haruka nodded. "That's right."

"And even if I can't transform into Sailor Moon right now, I can still help out," she continued, desperate to communicate to her team that she could do this—she knew she could. She gave them a big smile. "I can be the bait!"

Rei grinned slyly. "Oh, so no different from usual then."

"Rei!"

"We do need a new plan of attack now that our circumstances have changed," Haruka said seriously. She looked at Usagi. "And I'm afraid you can't afford to be on your own at a time like this, kitten."

Usagi frowned at her. "Haruka, I'll be fine—"

"She's right," Makoto interrupted, nodding in agreement. "Usagi, this enemy is aggressive and unpredictable—you have to understand."

Looking down into her lap, Usagi pursed her lips. She did understand, but it was just like what had happened years earlier when Chaos' minions had discovered her true identity, and she couldn't stand to be smothered like that, not again. "I do understand," she said patiently. "But I can look after myself." She locked eyes with Haruka. "You said it yourself just the other day."

"I said you could with more training," Haruka corrected. "Right at this moment, you're not ready—"

"I am," Usagi said strongly. She hesitated, considering the myriad of strangethings that had been happening to her of late—the dreams, the new power she wielded, the strength she felt. How much could she tell them, and would it really help them see that she was capable? "I have never felt stronger."

Michiru's deep eyes watched her closely, tilting her head as she sensed something. "What has changed?"

Usagi took a deep breath. "The other day at the race track, when I helped that woman…" She started, chewing at her lip as she tried to come up with the right words. "That power…it didn't come from my tier, or my locket, or any other thingamabob that I had in my possession as Sailor Moon," she said, and then looked around at them all, her half-eaten slice of pizza forgotten. Her hand instinctively rose to her chest, and she settled a fist against her sternum. "It came from here."

"Your Silver Crystal is very powerful, Usagi," Hotaru said. "We've seen that time and time again."

Usagi shook her head. "No," she said. "I know that…but it felt different, like it was truly me—not just another power." She felt heat radiate from her breastbone into her hand as if on cue. The sensation made her smile. "I can still feel it."

The scouts said nothing, still as they watched her intently. "I need to find out whether I can use it, and I can't do that if you won't allow me to fight," she said after a moment. "You have to trust me."

Rini craned her neck down the long hallway, watching for signs of movement from the princess' chamber where the three senshi had disappeared hours earlier. "What is taking so long?" She demanded, folding her arms across her chest impatiently. She looked at Helios. "Do you think he's okay…?"

Helios' amber eyes followed her as she did laps of the living space anxiously. "I'm sure he's fine," he said. "But you, on the other hand, are going to wear yourself out if you don't stop pacing."

"Well there's nothing else to do!" She burst, tossing her hands up in frustration. "He just looked really weak all of a sudden, and then when I tried to help him I think I made it worse, and they've been ages and—"

A gentle hand caught her wrist and stopped her, right alongside the grand piano she had sat earlier that day. "Princess," Helios said serenely, and she internally cursed him for lacing her title with such tenderness. "You need to calm down…"

She looked up at him darkly. "Don't call me that…"

A smirk tugged at his lips and he bowed his head in apology. "Rini," he corrected, "you need not worry—I'm sure the princess is looking after him as we speak."

She said nothing, instead casting her eye out to sea that was shrouded with nighttime cloud. The storm that had danced on the horizon had made its way inland, bringing with it forceful winds and booming thunder. White lightning struck the ground outside the palace, bolt after bolt, electrifying the wet rock, and she couldn't help but think about the power that had shot between herself and Seiya when she tried to assist him. "What was that?" She asked aloud, shaking her head slowly. "Nothing like that has ever happened before…"

"I don't know," Helios said, knowing precisely what she was referring to without question. "But we've no idea of your powers now that you are no longer a child—perhaps it was some kind of protective mechanism. It is difficult to say."

She sighed. "This is all so stupid," she whined, and immediately reddened at her inability to control her temper. "Sorry…"

Helios chuckled at her. "Please don't ever apologise for your fire," he said. "That's the spirit of the young girl I grew to know."

She opened her mouth to reply, wanting so desperately to talk about the time they had spent getting to know one another in the twentieth century, when the creak of the door stopped her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Seiya's voice came as he and the other sailor soldiers entered the room. He winked at her, looking far better than he had when she'd last laid eyes on him. "Anything for a bit of attention, you know."

Healer—or Yaten, as Seiya had called her earlier—snorted in response. "No kidding…"

Rini rushed over to him, coming to a wary halt a few feet away—what if she zapped him again? "Are you okay?"

He gave her a cocky smirk and strode past to the couch, throwing himself onto it. "I will be, so long as you don't go electrocuting me again…"

She flushed. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you—"

"No, no," he said, waving her off. "Not at all. That just happens to me, sometimes."

"It's nothing that the princess couldn't fix," Maker spoke, and stepped toward Rini. She held out her hand. "I'm Taiki, by the way, but you can call me Maker if you'd prefer. I'm sorry that we didn't get off to the best start."

Rini took her hand gingerly, fearing that she'd create the same bolt of electricity when she did so, but nothing happened. "That's alright."

Taiki elbowed Yaten in the ribs, hard, and the petite senshi scowled, arms folded over her chest. "Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, and finally looked Rini in the eye. "I'm Yaten. Sorry about before—but you do need to watch it…"

"Yaten…" Seiya growled at her.

"What? I apologised, jeez…"

Helios moved across from the window and took a seat on the couch alongside Seiya. "I suppose your training is over for the day now, given the weather."

"Yep," Seiya sighed, and Rini bit back a smile at his mock disappointment. "What a shame…"

She moved to join them, happy to sit on the polished concrete floor with Chibi, who had managed to get a hold of a set of wooden drumsticks and was battering them against the floor. Rini giggled at her and tried to steal them away, but Chibi went tearing off around the room instead.

"That's alright, though," Taiki said, and when Rini looked up she realised that the tall warrior had detransformed. She gazed in awe at her androgynous beauty, and wondered briefly whether she really should be referring to her as a woman—because, in all honesty, she wasn't quite sure. "We wanted to speak with you anyway."

Rini began to feel uncomfortable and glanced at Helios. "Okay…"

Taiki sat in the armchair and crossed one long leg over the other. "As has now become apparent, it's important to us that you know that we are aware of the Sol warriors' true identities," she said. "During our time on Earth, we had no choice but to reveal ourselves to them, and they did the same in return."

"Healer—Yaten said you guys went to school together," Rini said, curious to find out more. "Is that how you met?"

Taiki nodded. "We had some…difficulty initially, once they knew of our true identities," she replied. "They considered us invaders of their solar system and were distrusting of our intentions on their planet."

Rini frowned. "That doesn't sound like Usagi…"

"That's because it wasn't," Seiya said with a chuckle. "She wanted to form an alliance—it was Tenou and the outer senshi that were the problem…"

"Oh," Rini said, smirking. "That does sound like Haruka…"

"They came around, in the end, when we fought together against our enemy," Taiki said. She glanced over at Seiya, her expression unreadable. "We may have had our differences, but we consider the Sol senshi some of our dearest friends." Taiki locked eyes with Rini. "We owe them a great debt."

"Which is why," Seiya continued, sitting forward to rest his forearms on his knees. "We're going to help you get back to Earth."

Rini looked, wide-eyed, between the two guardians. "Really?"

Chibi, who had been buzzing about the room distractedly the entire time, came to a screeching halt. She tilted her head, her fuchsia pigtails bobbing. "Earth!" She said, her smile wide as she giggled. "Earth!"

Seiya looked over his shoulder, grinning at her. "That's right, Chibi, Earth," he said. "I'll bet you're excited to see Odango again, hey?"

Odango.

Rini's breath caught in her throat as an onslaught of fresh memories slammed into her. A citrus scent, a husky hum. A tail of long hair. Chibi Odango…

I know you, she thought, staring at the familiar, beautiful guardian in a trance. How is that possible?

"She's not the only one," Yaten said from across the room, where she was seated grumpily at the dining table.

Chibi turned to look at Yaten, her smile turning cheeky, and rushed over to her. She clutched at the senshi's bare legs in an invitation to stand, grabbing at her gloved hands. "Chibi! Chibi!"

Seiya cocked an eyebrow at her as Yaten tried to calm the excited child. "I think she'd like you to join us…"

"I'm just fine over here," Yaten said, doing her very best to seem aloof. The façade was somewhat ruined as she reached down and scooped Chibi up, sitting her awkwardly on her lap. She glared at Seiya's chuckle. "What?"

Seiya looked around at Rini—who was still staring at him—and shook his head with a smile. "Nothing…"

"Rini," Taiki said, catching her attention and interrupting their banter, "while we're willing to help you get back to Earth, it's important that we know more about you." She looked at her levelly. "Seiya told us that you and Usagi are family—could you tell us what your relationship to her is?"

Rini exchanged a look with Helios. "We're…cousins," she said, falling into the old lie easily. "Mother's side."

"And where does he fit in to all of this?" Yaten asked, inclining her head toward Helios as she jigged Chibi on her lap.

"He is my friend," Rini said acidly, not appreciating the rude tone.

"Your friend, with a golden horn on his head," Yaten replied flatly. She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Right."

Helios, who had been quiet throughout the entire conversation, looked over at her calmly. "I guard a dimension of Earth that is unseen by the human eye," he said, and Rini was once again taken by his eloquence and grace. "I'm afraid I cannot tell you any more than that."

"That's alright," Seiya said, giving him a smile. "We all have our secrets."

Taiki nodded. "The Sol senshi will soon tell us if you're not to be trusted."

"He can be," Rini said quickly. She shot him a shy smile. "I trust him with my life."

Yaten groaned, rolling her eyes. "Ugh, teenage romance…"

Rini flushed red to the tips of her ears. "Hey, we're not—I'm not—"

"Yeah, yeah," Yaten replied, standing up and depositing Chibi onto Seiya's lap. "Your turn, bucko…"

Seiya took the child and then looked between Rini and Helios. A smirk formed across his lips but he said nothing, making Rini's blush deepen horridly.

"The plan is to leave tomorrow at daybreak," Taiki announced, rising to follow Yaten. "We will all need our strength, so I suggest you get a good night's rest."

The thought of being reunited with Usagi and her other friends filled her with so much excitement and happiness she felt giddy, but a question nagged at her: what about the present time that I came from?

As the two guardians moved to retire to their chambers, Rini caught herself and called out to them: "Taiki, Yaten," she said, and they looked back at her expectantly. She gave them a small smile. "Thank you."

They left, leaving just the four of them alone. The room had darkened as night fell, the only illumination a few warm lights about the space and the swirling light show in the ceiling above them. Rini peered outside through the rain-streaked window and her brow furrowed. "You don't have a moon," she observed, looking over at Seiya.

He glanced up from where he was stroking a sleepy Chibi's hair. "No," he said softly, his expression strangely sad. "We don't."

Rini hummed thoughtfully. "That's okay," she said happily. "You can share ours, back on Earth!"

"You know what," he said, a smile creeping onto his handsome face, "I might just take you up on that offer."

"Hello, Mamoru?"

Setsuna could almost see that warm smile and those gentle blue eyes as he spoke on the line, and the grip of her worry fell away swiftly. "Setsuna, how nice of you to call."

She took a seat at her lab bench for the first time in hours, glad she had made the decision to call him. "I wanted to make sure you arrived safely," she said. "After last time, we couldn't afford to have you MIA…"

He laughed quietly. "I'm just fine," he said, and she heard him stifle a yawn. "Jetlagged, but otherwise well."

"That's good," she murmured, suddenly feeling uneasy—there were so few silences between them when they spoke, and when there were, they felt comfortable and right. This silence felt heavy with tension and unspoken words—what they were, she wasn't exactly sure.

"Is everything alright, Setsuna?"

She hesitated, wrapping the phone cord around her finger. "Everything's fine," she said. I just needed to hear your voice.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said, and after a moment: "It's good to hear from you."

She bit her lip. "Yes, you too," she said. "Is everything going well so far?"

"No real problems just yet," he said lightly. "How is Usako?"

Setsuna thought back to her conversation with Usagi earlier that day. Mamoru had a right to know what had happened—it compromised her safety significantly—but Usagi had requested she keep it from him, for the time being. "She's doing well," she lied. "You'd hardly even know she was missing you."

He hummed thoughtfully, and then chuckled. "Well, as long as someone is…"

I am, Setsuna thought, and immediately squeezed her eyes closed, banishing the sentiment away. She couldn't do this—she couldn't hold on to these feelings. But they are true…and they are dangerous.

Daybreak came faster than Seiya thought possible.

She stood tall at the very edge of the sheer cliff face, the thick, hot air kissing her fuku and whipping about her long ponytail. The ocean was calm in the half-light, with no waves breaking against the rocky shores. She stared out over the indigo skyline, where her sun was breaking at the edge of the water, casting out its red brilliance across their battered land. She was ready to leave this place. She was ready to go home.