Author's notes:

Hello again! Thanks for your patience on this one, I know I said I'd update more frequently but life loves to get in the way. I hope you enjoy this next instalment, I have been looking forward to writing this for some time. Be sure to check out the music recommendation below and the end notes. And as always, make sure to check out the important notes from the Prologue if you haven't already. Enjoy!

Music rec – They Weren't There by Missy Higgins (highly recommended, see end notes for more information)

Chapter Sixteen

She could see herself walking through a firestorm.

Flames blistered her bare, blackened feet and licked her flesh in a fiery wind. The blaze danced high into the smoky sky, erasing all view of the starless night, closing in on her like a furnace. It lapped at a crumbling city, dissolving her surroundings to dust, and as she walked, she waited for the blinding burn that would surely come.

It didn't.

She continued to walk, her eyes cold and her expression steeled. Sweat pouring from reddened skin and fists curled in rage. Pigtails singed and limbs bruised. She could see it all, as a bystander, a voyeur. An enemy.

Who am I, if I'm not the girl I've always known?

The fire roared, hot and thick in the air, but she only walked taller. The strength in her lean muscles drew her taut, prepared for battle in a warrior's form. She moved with a poise so resilient it terrified her—a grace so haunting it chilled her to the bone.

Who was she, if she wasn't the girl she'd always known?

She tried to scream at herself, to beg herself to stop whatever senseless mission she wished to endeavour. She tried, but her cries were silent amongst the world of swirling hellfire.

"Who are you, if you're not the girl you've always known?!"

She watched her body stop at her final call, icy eyes glazing over and a tremble wracking her. The firestorm persisted all around her, igniting the ground in cracked red and embers fell from above. Her eyes drifted closed and hot tears spilled onto expressionless cheeks as four small slices slowly carved into her forehead, one on top of the other, in a perfect star shape. An eight-pointed star that wept fresh blood.

"You know who you are, Guardian."

"So let me get this straight—you grabbed Tenou by the scruff, told her she'd betrayed Usagi, and that she was weak?" Yaten summarised, letting out a low whistle of approval. "You got a death wish or something, Seiya?"

Seiya tutted and swished his ponytail long down his back cockily. "You know I can kick her ass any day."

"Not from what we saw in the stands," Makoto said with a grin. "You left out the part where she dropped you on your butt."

Yaten snorted with laugher, deftly catching the soccer ball Seiya had tossed at her playfully. "Now why does that not surprise me…"

"Shut up, Yaten…"

The group sat along the grassy edge of the stream that cut through the grounds of Hikawa Shrine, feet dangling in the refreshing water and faces upturned to the hot sunlight. The members of the Three Lights had a rare afternoon off, and it had taken very little to convince the trio to spend some relaxation time with their friends.

"You really shouldn't antagonise her, Seiya," Taiki scolded. The Starlight sat close alongside Ami, their fingers neatly laced in the space between them.

"I wasn't antagonising her, Taiki, I was telling her what she needed to hear," Seiya replied. "Besides, it got an apology out of her, didn't it, Odango?"

Usagi stumbled along the waterline as she chased an excited Chibi Chibi, who was collecting pebbles and flowers and handing them around to each person kindly. "Yes—but Seiya, I don't like it when the two of you fight," she replied with a sigh. "I just wish the two of you would get along—you would make great friends—"

Seiya laughed. "That is never going to happen."

"Not with that attitude it won't—Chibi Chibi, not in the mud—"

"Your mother did tell you to bring her a spare change of clothes, Usagi," Luna hummed, from where she was curled up on Rei's lap. "But as usual you didn't listen…"

Just as Chibi Chibi was about to topple into the shallow creek, Rini scooped the toddler up, unfazed by the muck that then coated her clothing. "She never listens…"

"Hey, I heard that you brat—whoa!"

Seiya chuckled as the blonde slipped on the rocks and landed straight in the shallows, pouting as she sat in the trickling water. She fumbled as she stood up, her short white sundress clinging to the swell of her hips and the curve of her bottom. "Ugh, I'm soaked…"

Seiya bit his lip, hard, and tried to ignore the creamy fabric of her underwear that was suddenly evident beneath her dress.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Sei-ya," Yaten murmured with a smirk, and Seiya simply glared at her.

"You are such a klutz, Usa!" Minako said, offering her a hand to tug her away from the slippery edge.

"I didn't mean to…"

Chibi Chibi began to whine in Rini's embrace, wriggling to escape and tear across the grass. She came to halt in front of Seiya, a cheeky glint in her eyes as she giggled. "Play, play!"

Seiya held out his palms to the girl. "I don't have anything to play for you, Chibi."

"Play!" She repeated, taking the opportunity to throw herself into his open arms. He chuckled at the child as she nuzzled into him, a dead weight against his chest.

"Someone's tired," Rei remarked with a smile.

Chibi Chibi settled heavily and began to hum into the crook of his shoulder. The sound instantly ricocheted through him, a strong vibration that drilled down into his bones. The tune was familiar, one of their own songs, and he gently hummed back. "No kidding," he agreed as he finished.

Suddenly he could feel eyes on him, and looked up to spot Usagi gazing at him intently from where she sat squeezing the last droplets of water from each pigtail. She blinked at him, cheeks pink, and quickly looked away. Strange…

"Those curls seem to get unrulier by the day," Makoto said, breaking Seiya from his thoughts.

He looked down at the bundle in his arms and gently smoothed the magenta tendrils that sprouted from one heart-shaped bun. The deep pink tone made his chest constrict, and suddenly he could see himself as a small child, burrowed into his mother's bosom. "They do," he agreed.

"It's fascinating how we can see such poignant similarities in those around us when our heart is longing for someone we miss," Taiki said softly.

Seiya was taken aback by the somewhat cryptic yet deep comment—it didn't matter how hard he tried, his cousins knew him too well to hide the pain that had clearly passed over his face. He ducked his head and said nothing, lips pursed in a sad smile.

"Do you miss your princess, Seiya?"

The innocent question came from Rini, whose ruby eyes were looking at him closely, concerned and a little unsure. He glanced over to Usagi, and opened his mouth to query why she hadn't told the others, but she simply gave him a small smile. "It wasn't my story to share," she said.

The other Sol senshi had gone quiet, and Seiya drew in a long breath. "Of course—we all miss our princess," he started, "but Taiki is referring to my mother." He licked his lips, as they were suddenly dry. "We all lost our families during Chaos' invasion of our planet."

Yaten let out a bitter laugh. "'Lost'?" She shook her head. "They were taken from us."

Minako had inched closer to the angry Starlight, and reached out to brush her fingertips against her arm. "Of course they were, Yaten," she said quietly. "I'm so sorry…"

"Sorry?" Yaten replied, shaking with emotion as she got to her feet and began to walk away. "You have no idea."

Minako made to go after her. "Yaten, wait—"

"Don't," she growled, spinning on her heel. She looked over at Seiya. "I'm not doing this."

Seiya stared straight back. "I'm not asking you to."

With one swish of her silvery hair, Yaten was gone. Minako stood, watching after her, face distressed. "Should I go after her? I didn't mean to upset her…"

Artemis rubbed against her legs affectionately. "Don't worry, Mina."

"It's not you," Taiki assured her. "Yaten refuses to grieve, even after all we have been through since—she doesn't want to come to terms with what happened on our home planet."

"Will you tell us what happened, Seiya?" Rei asked tentatively.

He shuffled the sleeping child in his arms, taking a moment to watch her tiny fists ball up beneath her chin and her breath deepen as she rested contentedly. "We didn't have the warning that you had here—we weren't so lucky," he began. "Kinmoku was thriving—our queen ruled a prosperous kingdom, guarded by her senshi and surrounded by a loyal population and loving family." He could see himself running through the ruddy dirt that lined the hot seaside, complaining to his mother and aunt that their royal attire was far too constrictive for playtime. They were red-faced and breathless, as their hot suns scorched their young skin and laughter echoed across the cliff face. "It was a peaceful time."

"Except for when Seiya was wreaking havoc upon the kingdom," Taiki said with a grin.

"Oi!" Seiya said, and then pulled a face when Chibi Chibi grumbled in her sleep. He lowered his voice, glaring at his cousin. "I was an angel—Kakyuu was the bad influence…"

"Hardly…"

Usagi giggled beside him and he grinned. "She was—a princess, yes, but a cheeky one at that," he said. He addressed the rest of the group, who were listening intently. "Yaten, Taiki and I are all cousins on our fathers' side, but Kakyuu is my cousin—our mothers were sisters, and my aunt was our queen."

"So Kakyuu is older than you then, given that she was next in line to the thrown?" Makoto asked.

"Yep," he said, and then winked. "She just beat me out."

"We would have been doomed if you had taken over rule of Kinmoku," Taiki joked.

Seiya rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said dramatically. He settled once more, resuming his story. "So, like you, it was our job to guard our star system, protecting the people of our planet, just as our fathers—or mothers—had done before us."

Ami nodded. "They had the power to change their genders, just like you."

"That's right," Taiki replied, giving her a smile. "But also like you, we were given one special mission—to keep Princess Kakyuu safe, at all costs. It was expected that she would take over rule of our kingdom."

"Aw, poor Seiya," Usagi teased, sticking out her tongue. "Nobody was assigned to protect you!"

Seiya smirked. "That's because I could look after myself." The comment was a somewhat of a lie—until more recent times, his abilities had been of equal power to his fellow senshi, and he had been appointed their 'leader' with the understanding that he, too, would be protected, if need be. With time, he fought the order, demanding that they treated him equally and fought side-by-side—and they did. "Kakyuu was far more important…"

He trailed off, jaw tightening as the memories of the invasion came rushing back. His mother, rosy eyes glassy as she gripped his shoulders, their home crumbling around them and family lying limp at their feet. The way she had told him desperately: 'Kakyuu, you must go to Kakyuu—she is more important than us.'

Taiki caught on to his discomfort and picked up from where he left off. "When Galaxia—Chaos—came, she brought with her the forces of many corrupted senshi, and we were outnumbered—they were not only more powerful, but ruthless in a way that we never would have anticipated."

Seiya found his voice. "We were foolish," he said.

"That's not true," Makoto said. "There was no way you could have known…"

"We should have," Seiya said. He shook off the thought. "We gathered all of our strength, but it wasn't enough. Casualties were high—especially among those most powerful." He stared intently at Chibi Chibi's long, dark eyelashes, and almost felt the deep sigh she made in her sleep in his own lungs. "Our families were targeted first, and we had to make a choice."

He wished, desperately, that he could bury the pain he felt, but when he stopped for a moment—when he allowed himself to stop for a moment—the grief was suffocating. Out of nowhere, he felt fingers skim his free hand that rested on the ground beside him, fisted into the grass so tightly that his knuckles had gone white. Usagi's gentle touch tingled his skin and calmed him in a way nothing else could as she broke his grip and threaded her fingers between his own. It felt like he was being cracked open, again, by this mystical woman who had his heart.

He wondered if she felt it, too.

"There is nothing more painful than making a choice like that—as I believe you all know for yourselves, in one way or another," Taiki said quietly, leaning in to Ami as she inched closer. "I hope to never make a choice like that again in my lifetime."

"No one should ever have to," Ami replied softly.

Nearby, Rini seemed rattled. "It's not fair," she said, emotion thick in her voice. "Why should we have to fight such a horrible evil?"

Rei gave her a sad smile. "That's life, Rini."

"It doesn't have to be," Usagi said suddenly, looking around at them all with a hope so strong it both inspired and troubled Seiya—just another beautiful innocence that could be torn down, if the enemy had its way. "We will fight for a peaceful future—one we can protect, forever."

Why did she sound so sure of that fact?

And why did Rini's gaze drop when she said those words, like it was a terrifying thought, rather than an optimistic goal?

Minako broke her distant gaze from where she had watched Yaten retreat over the hill. She nodded with a smile. "That's right," she said. "And we will help you do the same for your kingdom."

"Exactly," Usagi agreed. She caught Seiya's gaze, azure eyes unreadable. "We will do anything for you, after all you have done for us."

Suddenly he was helplessly scooping her out of Haruka's weak embrace, arms slick with her blood, heart thumping in his chest. After all I've done for you?

She squeezed his hand, a perfect fit in his own, and he felt the need to break the tension—he wouldn't cause her any more pain. "Of course you would," he quipped, a cheeky smirk on his lips. "You couldn't stand to be without me, now that I'm back…"

The others stifled a laugh and Usagi blushed, snatching her hand away. "Oh, sure…"

Makoto laid her legs out into the stream, sploshing in the water. "So are you famous idols back home like you are here?"

"In a sense," Taiki replied. "We are certainly known for our music—it forms a large part of our culture and identities among the people."

Rini nodded. "They have this whole room full of instruments in the castle on Kinmoku—some I've never even seen before!"

"Wow," Usagi said. "Can you play all of them?"

Seiya grinned. "Yep."

"You totally can't," Rini said disbelievingly. "Next time I'm there, you're going to have to prove it!"

"'Next time'?" Seiya repeated. "You planning another visit, are you, kid?"

Rini's cheeks flushed and she glared at him. "Well, you never know—I would like to, one day…"

Usagi sighed. "Me too."

Oh, Odango, Seiya thought, what I wouldn't give…

"I'll tell you what," he said, "how about you come along to the studio tomorrow afternoon, and I'll show you just how awesome I really am…"

Usagi snorted and rolled her eyes, but her fellow guardians responded with excitement.

"Really?"

"That would be so cool!"

"Can we all come?"

Taiki gave Seiya a look and then nodded. "It shouldn't be a problem."

"What do you say, Rini?" Seiya asked, as she continued to look at him with narrowed eyes. "You up for it?"

She contemplated it for a moment. "Okay," she agreed, pink pigtails bobbing as she nodded decisively. "You've got a deal."

Chibi Chibi grizzled in his arms, twisting awkwardly as she woke. "Chibi?"

"You really should get her home, Usagi," Luna chided. "You know she's a terror when she hasn't had an afternoon nap."

"She just had one!" Usagi exclaimed, watching the child rub her eyes wearily. "But I guess you're right…"

"I'll walk you home," Seiya offered. He stood, lifting Chibi Chibi up to sit on his shoulders where she giggled happily. "You coming, kid?"

"Nope," Rini replied. She got to her feet and skipped off toward the bridge. "I'm going to see Helios and Hotaru—see you tomorrow!"

"When will you be back, Rini?" Usagi called after her.

"Later!"

Usagi scowled at her and stomped ahead, giving her friends a quick wave goodbye. "Brat…"

"Are you alright, Rini?"

Rini startled from her thoughts, looking up at Hotaru, who was sitting across from her on the couch in her living room and examining her with a concerned eye. "Huh?"

"You've been quiet ever since you got here," Hotaru continued. "You're not your usual, vibrant self."

"I'm okay," she said, rubbing the back of her arm. "Just a lot on my mind…"

Helios chuckled beside her. "There's always a lot on that busy mind of yours, Rini," he said, and she felt her cheeks warm. "You know you can share anything with us, if you need to."

She sighed, gazing up at the mantle piece that held frame upon frame of lovely photographs—memories that portrayed the unique family Hotaru had fallen into. Images of Haruka chasing her down the beach, Michiru baking with her in the kitchen as she stood on tiptoe, Setsuna reading with her as she lay sprawled across her lap. The four of them together, showing a family and a friendship so content that it made Rini's heart ache.

Yet again she felt haunted by her pure lack of existence.

She stood up to grab a frame—an image of Michiru and Haruka embracing candidly as Haruka pressed a kiss to her girlfriend's forehead. "Seiya was telling us all about their lives, earlier today…about everything they've been through, back on their home planet…"

Hotaru nodded. "I can imagine they have endured significant hardship," she said gently.

She brushed the pad of her thumb across the couple, eye fixed on Michiru's blissful smile. Had she ever seen that smile cross Usagi's face, when in Mamoru's arms? She suddenly wasn't so sure. "They have," she replied.

She recalled looking out over the rocky mountains beyond the small kingdom of Kinmoku, wondering how a planet that homed alien life could have grown so baron. Now she understood.

"I remember seeing my mother, encased in crystal while she slept, and I thought she would be that way forever," Rini said. "I've fought with the scouts, I've watched my home fall apart…I've felt pain." She replaced the photo back onto the mantle. "But what they went through…watching their families be murdered…I can't even begin to imagine…"

"No one should have to endure that," Hotaru said after a moment. "But death is just another journey."

She wrapped her arms around herself and looked at the dangerous guardian. "It just isn't fair," she said, for the second time that day. "There must be something we can do—to stop these evil forces, so no one gets hurt any more."

Helios looked away and said nothing, golden eyes dark. For the first time, Rini wondered, is it only dreams that you can see—or nightmares, too?

"We are working toward such a future, Rini," Hotaru told her. "Usagi will lead us there, when the time is right."

Rini's stomach clenched uncomfortably. "But what if…" She hesitated, but she was too far-gone now. "What if Usagi doesn't want that future?"

Hotaru tilted her head. "Usagi can choose the path she wishes to take—but I believe that future is imminent."

"Yeah but what if it's not?" Rini pressed. "What if there's something…someone…that's changing all of that?"

They were quiet for a few moments and something in Hotaru's eyes softened. "Is this about Seiya's feelings toward Usagi?" she asked gently.

Rini stared back at her, eyes wide. "You knew about that?"

A wry smile passed over Hotaru's petite features. "We all knew about it, Rini," she said. "Seiya cares very deeply for our princess."

She chewed her lip. "I think Usagi cares deeply for him, too…"

Helios sat forward to look at her closely. "Rini, what's this about…?"

"I don't know!" She burst, tossing her hands into the air. "I don't understand why she doesn't want the Starlights to know who I am, and why she won't tell them the truth about Crystal Tokyo." She began to pace the room. "After everything they've been through and everything they've done for Earth, why does she want to keep it from them?"

"Perhaps she doesn't want to hurt Seiya," Hotaru suggested. "You have to understand that their relationship is…complicated."

Rini said nothing, because she already knew that. It was the very thing that stirred all the turmoil within her. I want to live, she thought, a lump forming in her throat, but I want her to be happy, too.

"You're here, Rini," Helios said knowingly. "And you're here for a reason."

She swallowed down the swell of tears. "I don't know where I'm supposed to be," she said. "Or if I'm supposed to be here at all."

Helios rose from his spot and came to stand before her. "You could say the same for me, or even for Hotaru," he countered. "Neither of us should exist beyond our sole purpose, and yet, here we are."

Hotaru nodded and exchanged a look with Helios. "Exactly."

"And I think that this—" he reached into his pocket and held out his hand, the object in his grasp stealing her breath away, "—suggests that you are exactly where you need to be."

It was her locket, stunning in its dark tones and soft golden wings. The pink heart at its core seemed brighter than ever before, glistening up at her. "How did you…?"

"I dreamt of Elysion, and found it there," he replied. "When I woke, it was right there in my hand."

She took the shining brooch from his outstretched palm. "I thought it had been destroyed," she said, shaking her head as she gazed down at it's perfect, polished edges.

"I assumed so, too," he said, and then smiled. "But someone, or something, wanted you to have it."

Hotaru watched them quietly. "You're supposed to be here, Rini," she said, and then stood, gathering their cups and leaving them be. "Have faith."

Once they were alone, Helios covered his hands over hers, enclosing the locket in their grip. "We don't know what will happen if you try to transform—reserve it only for when you absolutely need it."

She nodded. "I will."

That's what someone does, for someone they love.

She searched his face, taking in his fair complexion, the ruby gem, and those amber eyes that were so kind and honest. She remembered the first time he kissed her, to bring her back from the brink of death, and wondered if the very same thing would occur, if she were to kiss him in that moment.

So she did.

The moment she pushed up onto the tips of her toes and touched her lips to his, a burst of life coursed through her like nothing she had ever felt before. His mouth whispered against hers like a secret, and suddenly she could see images flashing behind her eyes—dreams, of Elysion; of Pegasus; of the two of them, older and wiser and more in love than they had ever imagined they could be.

When he broke away, she knew why she was there.

As they wandered side by side, Chibi Chibi towering above her on Seiya's shoulders, Usagi felt as though she were taking a tiny jump back in time, to almost two years prior—before they knew one another's true identities, and before she had grown so restless with her own.

"A little nostalgic, Odango?"

She blinked at his smug grin as they walked, surprised that he was thinking along the very same lines that she was. "Yeah," she mumbled. "I guess so…"

They were quiet a moment, and Usagi expected him to say something smart or flirtatious, but neither came. "Thank you," he said quietly instead.

She tilted her head curiously. "For what?"

"For supporting me earlier." He met her eye, vulnerability painting his face beautifully. "It's not easy for me to talk about it all."

"It was nothing, Seiya," she replied with a smile.

He shook his head. "It was more than nothing—you know that," he said. "I know you do."

She looked away, trying to ignore the lingering heat in the palm of her hand, the thud of her chest, the fire in her belly—all the things that affected her when they touched. She had dreamt of his fingertips every night since they had brushed her spine; dreamt of them trailing every inch of her skin and every time she woke in a cool sweat. Whispers, in his voice, and in her voice, tickled her ear. Stories weaved their way into her mind—of adventure, lust and, sometimes, despair. But it was nothing—it meant nothing.

It can't mean anything.

"Are you alright, Odango?" Seiya asked suddenly, breaking her from her thoughts. "You seem a little more distant than usual…"

She stole the opportunity to make light of his prodding. "What's that supposed to mean, hm? Are you saying I'm a little distant all the time?"

"No—you're just a daydreamer," he replied, and she bit her lip at the description—one she had personally pegged herself with many years ago. "But since the attack, you seem different." He slowed as they approached her home. "I'm worried about you."

She waved him off. "I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about—"

"I mean it," he stressed, gripping her wrist and tugging her to a stop. The connection between their hands hummed with energy and they both stared down at their grip. "No secrets, right?"

She wasn't sure why, but he didn't sound as confident as he once had before. "Right," she said, with the same amount of apprehension in her own voice.

"I may not have been there with you, during the attack, but I know that it was something more than the creatures we've been fighting," he continued. "The way you walked out of there, the injuries you sustained…" He cringed, anger shadowing his face. "This was so much more than what you're letting on."

Usagi bit her lip and looked down at his fingers encircling her wrist firmly. It throbbed, but not in pain—like a heartbeat. "I…"

"Tell me what you saw," he said. "Tell me what happened."

It felt like the dam wall was ready to burst, and she swallowed sharply, suddenly overwhelmed by everything she had been keeping pent up inside. "I saw Chaos," she managed finally. "In his true form…a man, he…" His face still stalked her mind, in all its disturbing, haunting beauty. "He was so cold, but so human…"

Perhaps the fear, or the intrigue, was evident in her eyes, because Seiya's sapphire eyes darkened rapidly. "You can tell me," he reassured her.

She knew she could, and now that she had begun, she was certain she couldn't stop. "He made me feel so much morepowerful, and yet so much weaker, all at the same time—like I had this…connection to him," she said. She could feel herself shaking, just the tiniest bit. "Seiya, he told me—he said that I was the threat."

He frowned. "You?" He shook his head, suddenly resolute. "It doesn't matter—he'll never get near you again. I won't let that happen—not like I did before."

"Seiya," she sighed, "you can't keep blaming yourself—"

Pain twisted on his face. "It was my fault you were hurt," he insisted. "You have no idea how painful it was to see you like that—and the rage I felt, I want to destroy him—"

"I do know, actually," she replied fiercely. "Every time Galaxia struck you down, every time you sacrificed yourself for me…it killed me." She steeled herself, hot with rampant emotions all over again. "I've been angry, too."

Those closest to her would have said she was wrong, that she didn't feel anger and didn't seek revenge, because that wasn't who she was, but Seiya simply stared back at her—like he could see all of her. "I know," he said.

She pushed away the intensity, letting out a hollow laugh. "Besides," she tried, "you know I can take care of myself."

He smiled. "You may be able to take care of yourself, princess, but I'm still going to do everything I can to protect you."

The use of her title—one of her titles—made her squirm uncomfortably. It was something he called her so rarely that it felt oddly flattering—something that never happened if someone else addressed her as such. "Fine," she relented lightly.

Her surrender brightened his mood. "Good," he said. "Now—this little devil…" He reached up to tickle a strangely quiet Chibi Chibi. "Surely by now you have some answers for me on who she is, given that you lied to me the first time…"

"I didn't exactly lie to you…" Usagi argued. "You know who she is—"

"Oh, come on," Seiya scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Okay, so she was Galaxia's star seed, but why is she back now?"

Usagi looked up at Chibi Chibi, who instantly held her arms out to her. She untangled the toddler from Seiya's shoulders and she cuddled in to her, the feeling hot against her chest. It was strange how right it felt to hold the little one; somewhat like the emotion that would wash over her when she threw her arms around Rini, or when the two shared a special moment together. She saw the resemblance so strongly between them—more so than between herself and Rini—and wondered, once again, whether she were her second child, just as she had in the beginning. But how could that be? How could she be both the former manifestation of Sailor Galaxia's star seed, and also her daughter?

"I wish I knew, Seiya," Usagi said honestly, swaying the child back and forth. "She's a little mystery."

She expected Seiya to continue probing for more information, and after a moment of silence, she glanced up to find him staring at her as she cradled Chibi Chibi, chewing his lip. "What?"

"Nothing," he said quickly.

"Tell me…"

He sighed, ruffling the tufts sticking out from beneath his backward cap. "She looks like she belongs there," he told her. "She belongs here, with you."

Rini ran ahead excitedly to the address Seiya had given them, rushing through the automatic doors with Minako and Usagi hot on her heels. "Come on you guys!"

Ami laughed at Rini's enthusiasm. "There's no rush, Rini, we're here in plenty of time—"

"Yeah, but Seiya said we could have a private tour if we got here early enough!" Usagi replied, peering around the lobby that hosted numerous posters, records and signatures of famous idols that they knew and adored. "Wow…"

"This is so cool!" Makoto exclaimed, following the others.

Minako sighed, wide-eyed. "One day Iwant to have my picture up here…"

"If you keep up that annoying attitude, I'm sure someone will give in and give you a shot," Yaten's voice came. He was leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest, shooting the blonde an amused expression.

Minako approached him, and Rini could see she was apprehensive. "Yaten—how are you feeling?"

"Fine," he replied shortly. He inclined his head done a long hallway. "Come on…"

The group followed after him, arriving at a storage room where Taiki and Seiya were preparing their equipment. Seiya was fossicking amongst a box of cables, an acoustic guitar slung over his back and a cord between his teeth. He grinned playfully and said something that sounded like: "Not as glamorous as it looks."

"Thank you all for coming," Taiki said, eye on a blushing Ami as he came to stand close alongside her.

"Thank you for inviting us," Rei replied gratefully.

Seiya took the cable from his teeth and wound it between his hand and elbow, watching Usagi as she looked around the room. "Ready for the grand tour? We've got the place all to ourselves."

"Really?" Makoto asked.

"Yep," Yaten replied. "Taiki pulled some strings, so it's just us."

Taiki led them down the hall, an arm looped around Ami's waist, beginning to explain in great detail the purpose of each recording studio, the equipment they used, and the intricate process of creating their beautiful sound. Rini trailed along behind them, rolling her eyes as Seiya stirred up Usagi, bumping her shoulder and tugging her pigtails. The Moon princess poked out her tongue in return, but he elicited a giggle from her every now and then, and Rini was reminded of how childish the Starlight could be.

"…and this booth was specifically designed to hold a grand piano—the acoustics support the rich sound perfectly…"

Rini came to a halt outside the room, gazing past the soundboard and through the glass to the glossy piano that rested in perfect order. Just like the early morning moment when she was back on Kinmoku, she felt drawn to the stunning instrument, her fingers twitching by her side with the urge to stroke the ivory keys once again. She glanced up the hallway to where the group had continued onward, and quickly darted inside.

"Maybe I could just…"

She turned the knob to sneak into the windowed booth, leaving the door ajar—she would only be a moment; only look. She gazed beneath the lid at the wooden components and straight strings, coming to take a seat before the open keys. She felt at home there, just as she had in Helios' embrace. The room was so quiet, it practically begged to be filled with its lovely sound, and before she could stop herself, her hands began to tinker over the keys tenderly.

The sound was nothing short of magical.

She knew how to do this—it came from within her, somewhere—and as her fingers danced across the keys, she took a breath and began to sing.

Seiya felt as though he were frozen in time.

Each tumbling note sent a shiver down his spine, drawing his feet back toward the source of the sound. Each striking chord made him feel weak; made him forget everything and everyone around him. Each quirk of her shoulders and curve of her fingers as he watched left him in awe.

And when he heard her voice, his racing heart seemed to almost come to a complete stop.

It was a song he had written, in the dim half-light of his bedroom on Kinmoku, and not a single soul had heard it before.

But it was exactly as he had written it.

"Seiya?"

He heard Usagi saying his name, but he wasn't listening. All he could hear was his song, played as he had intended, as raw and imperfect as the day he had composed it.

Who are you?

His surroundings became hazy and he could feel himself slipping effortlessly into his female form. She felt the pain coil within her at each lyric and note; a wound still so tender that it was agonising to touch.

How is this possible?

She watched the candy-haired girl lose herself in the melody, her husky timbre making her hair stand on end, and as the song drew to its end, she found her own voice falling from her lips to join her for those final words. Two voices, blended as one.

Silence filled the tiny room.

Usagi watched Seiya gaze at Rini, who had no idea of the onlookers that watched her breathtaking display, and knew this was it.

She couldn't say no now—she couldn't deny the truth any longer.

It was written on Seiya's face; Usagi knew this song meant something to the Starlight. A song that had been so beautifully sung by the future daughter Usagi also knew could barely hold a tune—but she pushed that thought away.

Seiya continued to stare at the glass, fully aware that Usagi lingered in the doorway, the others listening in behind her. "Who is she?" She asked finally.

Usagi swallowed, mouth dry. "Seiya, I—"

She spun on her, eyes fierce as she glared at her. "Usagi," she growled, "who is she?"

Usagi looked back at her through blurred vision, the sound of her lovely voice speaking her name for the very first time in such a cold tone ripping her in two.

"She's my daughter."

It felt physically painful to watch Seiya's eyes steel, her jaw clench. She looked down to the floor, and then back to her, voice strangled. "How?"

"She—she's not from this time," Usagi struggled. "She came here from the future, to help us—" She was ready to explain—she had to—but Seiya stormed past her and Usagi grabbed her arm. "Seiya, wait—"

Seiya tugged it away roughly. "This is a pretty damn big secret." She pushed past their friends, who watched on silently, lips bitten and gazes averted.

Usagi rushed after her. "Seiya, please—I didn't want to hurt you—" She wouldn't listen, and Usagi followed blindly, through the lobby and out into the car park where dusk had fallen. She couldn't stop the next words that leapt out of her. "I didn't want to hurt you because I know how much it hurts."

Seiya stopped abruptly, her back to her. "Why?"

This was dangerous territory—an area she didn't quite understand. Not yet. "Because it hurts me, too," Usagi whispered, throat tight.

The raven-haired senshi turned to look at her, the warm light of the sunset hitting her pained face. "Why?" She repeated. "Why does it hurt you, too?"

"Because I have no choice!" Usagi broke. "E-every choice I make can change her future—the future I am destined to save!" Her breath rattled within her. "If I make one wrong move, I'll destroy everything."

In spite of how hard she was trying, in spite of the metres between them and her hard stance, Seiya's almond eyes were glassy. "'The future you're destined to save?'"

Usagi nodded. "Something is going to happen—something that only I will be able to stop," she said. "When the time comes, I will save our planet, and this century as we know it will cease to exist." Cold, hard crystal pierced her chest, again. Again. "When we wake, Mamoru and I will rule Earth, with Rini as our heir."

Tiny cobalt bolts had begun to whir around Seiya's clenched fists, flickering in and out as her emotions grew out of control. "It all makes sense now," she said, and then shook her head with a bitter laugh. "It all makes so much sense."

"I'm so sorry, Seiya," Usagi told her. "I should have told you."

Seiya ignored her apology. "How does she know that song?" She asked. "It's my song—I wrote it, on Kinmoku, and no one has ever heard it before."

"I don't know," Usagi replied weakly. "I suppose Rini is close to you, in the future—perhaps you taught her…" She had so much she wanted to say, but the words seemed so hard to find. "Rini has come and gone from the twentieth century many times, but this time, she came from a broken future—one she can't really remember."

"That's how she got to Kinmoku," Seiya pieced together.

"Yes," Usagi said, inching closer to the warrior. "She's frightened, Seiya—she's different to the girl she was before." She tried to meet her eye, but Seiya seemed to look through her. "Setsuna was our only window to the future, but her powers have been stripped—we don't know what's happening now."

"And was it Setsuna that told you all this?" Seiya asked suddenly. "You believed her?"

Usagi narrowed her eyes at her. "It was shown to us, years ago—we had to know, to save the future—"

"So for years you have led your life according to a future you have no choice in?" Seiya had surpassed hurt—she was livid, and Usagi could see the brilliant blue begin to course up her arms. "A future that may be a complete lie?"

"I—I—"

"This is your life, and you're being expected to live it for everyone else around you!" She shook in her anger. "How could anyone do that to you? How could they stand by and support that?"

Usagi's eyes burned. "I have no choice," she said once more.

There may still have been space between them on the pavement, but Usagi could see the power build behind her sapphire eyes before she squeezed them shut. When she reopened them, she looked shattered. "This is wrong, Usagi."

"No, this is my duty," Usagi said, tears spilling over hotly. "This is who I am…"

Seiya stepped in closer, her power engulfing her in a magnetising aura. "It's not," she stressed. She reached her glowing palms out to cup her cheeks, the heat of her energy racing to her core as she locked eyes with her urgently. "You're no incarnated princess, no future queen—you're exactly who you want to be, now—in this life."

She tried desperately to ignore the way her forehead singed, her chest vibrated with energy, and the scars on her back tingled. Who am I, if I'm not the girl I've always known?

Seiya dropped her hands and stepped away. "No more secrets."

And before she could stop her, she was gone.

As a wispy pink sky bled into navy, as the hum of daytime drew to a close and the quiet of night set it, a shadow walked along the tightrope of the horizon.

He watched their perfect mistakes unfold, heard the tinker of a prophetic song. He smiled as they walked the path he needed them to—the path he was leading so magnificently.

Soon, there would be devastating balance.

Soon, Chaos would meet Cosmos.

End Notes

The song recommendation made in the authors notes (They Weren't There by Missy Higgins) is highly recommended because it is the song I envisage Rini playing/singing—just minus the Australian accent, of course…