"I never thought we'd see you again," Usagi admitted as she watched the seven girls eating, giggling once in a while. Aiko was clearly the leader, seeming very comfortable in that position, very much like her birth mother. "Our princess wanted to come, but after what happened last time we thought it best to leave her in the protection of out sister senshi on Kinmokusei." Seiya grabbed an apple out of the bowl of fruit Mamoru had provided the three women and tossed it to Yaten, adding three more as Taiki joined the juggling game. The three merrily tossed the fruit around, halting their game when Usagi stood at a sound on the balcony. She exited the room, and Seiya turned to Mamoru. "So, when are you going to marry her?" "We've decided to wait until she's ready to be queen. It would be better if Crystal Tokyo could be formed by the heir to the throne of the Moon Kingdom then expanded with the help of her husband. That way humans won't resent the Moon influence as they did in the Silver Millennium." "You know, the more I study that time period, the less I understand it. Our princess's mother was just a baby when the kingdom here fell, but you all were there. It's a little staggering, to be honest. Is it confusing to remember two lives?" Mamoru smiled, warming to the black-haired woman. He could see why she and Usagi had become such good friends while he was dead seven years earlier. "It was worse when I had no idea who I was or who I had been. When Usako saved my life with that ginzuishou and I remembered being Prince Endymion, it was like the sun came out or something. It's really hard to describe, but once I finally remembered who I was, I knew that Usako was my destiny and that what I had always felt for her was love. It is a little overwhelming at times, but I'm really glad that I'm the prince she loved a thousand years ago." "I'm glad you were dead while Galaxia was here." Seiya grinned, shaking her head. "I don't mean it like that. I mean that I'm glad you didn't abandon her and that your last thought was for her. It broke her heart when she thought you'd left her for good. When you two finally get married, I'd like to be there." "If you're alive, then all three of you and your princess are invited. I'm sure Usako wouldn't have it any other way." "We are graced with long lives, like all Senshi. We'd be honored to attend." Her sisters nodded, agreeing with Seiya's sentiment. "I don't know," Rei's voice admitted from the balcony. "We didn't notice when we left Hikawa Jinja, but now that you mention it, something is very different. We've never looked like this after transforming." "Come in and let Mamo-chan see. Luna and Artemis are on the way and they might have an explanation of sorts." Usagi returned to the room as the three Starlights stood, the four Inner Senshi on her heels, the four Outers farther back with a woman the Starlights did not recognize. When the nine Senshi entered the room just behind the princess, they stopped, staring at the visitors. In Neptune's arms, Kazeko squirmed in her blankets and turned to face the three newcomers. The Starlights hit one knee, heads bowed, transforming instantly as Sailor Moonlight stepped into the light, silver boots ringing. "The wielder of the Silver Moonlight Crystal, Sailor Moonlight," Star Fighter whispered, unable to believe her eyes. "But that is just impossible! We sensed Sailor Sol's birth and she and Moonlight cannot exist at the same time. It's in all of the ancient writings." "You know me?" Fighter raised her head, glancing at her partners as all looked up to stare at the silver Senshi. "Of course we know you, Sailor Moonlight. All of the Kingdoms know you. You were the first—well, Moonlight was the first—to ever be called into the service of a Crystal. The Silver Moonlight Crystal, the Mother Pearl, needed someone to defend Order while her brother was busy creating Chaos. Sailor Sol was second, then the rest of the Star Senshi, until even the Star Senshi were overwhelmed in the Chaos Wars between the Shadow Wars and the Sailor Wars and they needed more help." "They called the Planet Senshi," Moonlight realized, glancing at her wife, then her daughter. "The Mother Pearl told the Golden Baby Song Crystal that she was first, that she had to be first, and she called the ginzuishou. Because the ginzuishou was a great deal like her mother, like this crystal, and the Mother Pearl watched silently. Eventually, the other Planet Crystals followed, then other systems called Senshi, until the crystals from the stars realized that they weren't needed all the time. After the Chaos Wars, they just shut down." Sailor Star Maker nodded, confirming Moonlight's words. "That is what our most ancient texts claim. The Mother Pearl did not want to interfere unless she was truly needed, so she set a standard. When the carrier of her first daughter, when Sailor Sol was born, she would kill her Senshi, leave. Because after that, she was no longer needed. We have no idea that she could change her mind." "She didn't change her mind," Uranus whispered, catching herself against the wall. "It was Urakaze." "Urakaze? That Cupid from the forest?" "Yes, Jupiter. He's not a Cupid anymore, so he had enough power to teach the crystal about love. Ho didn't want two soulmates separated, and he found a way to show her what she was doing to you and Setsuna-san." A low chuckle filled the room, sending the Star Lights to their feet, backing away from the center of the room as a single tall man appeared in a showy flash of gold and red, white wings folded along his spine, ice blue eyes glaring at Uranus. "You figured me out, Haruka. Aphrodite told me that someone would. Your theory is correct. You see, the Silver Moonlight Crystal has always been the true embodiment of Order and purity, and Love is a mixture between order and chaos, belonging to neither. Chaos feels the wildest emotions, but Order has never tried. The other Crystals love and care, so I though that she deserved to as well. And I hate to see one of Asakaze's charges die." "Asakaze," Haruka and Michiru breathed, memories returning to the image of three Cupids standing in the middle of the apartment they owned when they returned from the Marine Cathedral so many years ago. "And Rikuriko. They were given Setsuna-san and Ailan-san?" Pluto crossed her arms over her chest, staff in front of her, garnet eyes glowing. "A 300 and 700 were Assigned to me? I'm a god, for pity's sake." "You knew about the Cupids, Setsuna-san?" Usagi looked around, shaking her head. "All of you knew, even Mamo-chan. Why didn't I ever meet them?" "Because Galaxia didn't kill you," Mamoru answered gently, resting his hands on Usagi's shoulders. "We met them after our Star Seeds were stolen." "I knew them long before," Pluto admitted with a nonchalant wave of her hand. "Aphrodite's son Eros and his wife Psyche had two children, a son and daughter, and the son became the first Cupid, 1 Alpha, named Kiyoshi. He and another Cupid from the Silver Millennium, Yuriko, had a son. Urakaze. I know most of the Cupids by number if not name. And I thought gods were only assigned to 200's and up." "Well, you see . . ." "I was lucky enough to be Assigned all of the Senshi," Asakaze answered as she and Rikuriko appeared in the room, neither wearing the white Cupid robes anymore. The blonde grinned as she bowed to the goddess and her wife, turning to the princess and each of her Senshi in turn, the Starlights last. "Years ago, the day you, Usagi, first ran into Mamoru, I saw something. I had no idea that you were soulmates then, but Luna told me that you were one of the legendary Sailor Senshi." "Yes, I remember you, Cupid." Luna and Artemis had appeared about the same time as Urakaze, sitting silently at their princess's feet as they listened and watched. Usagi reached down and picked up the cats, eyes never leaving the trio of winged godlings. "I asked to be Assigned all of the Senshi. They would never agree to that, of course, but they let me have you two. After the Beryl episode was over, and after that whole Black Moon thing, they agreed to give me a chance at the Inners. Ura-kun had already been given Haruka and Michiru, easily the toughest case among you." "Hey!" "Sorry, Haruka, it's true. You met . . . what, nine or ten years ago? You were in bed together by High School, but it took you more than eight years to propose! However, Rei and Minako realized they were in love a year ago and are already married. See? Usagi and Mamoru were engaged not even two years after they first bumped into each other on that street! It took me years to get results, and for that I was promoted. Please, Asa-chan, do continue." Rikuriko grinned at the flustered pair of Outers as her wife continued the story. "I knew that the Inners would take a while. I had no idea who your soulmates were! I got an inkling for Makoto and Ami at that dance, but both of you still dreamed about men. Before that, when Urakaze was promoted, I went to the Council and demanded that Kuri be named my partner and that both of us should get all of the Senshi, even Haruka and Michiru, since their Cupid was gone." Rikuriko laughed at the memory of her fierce wife confronting the oldest and wisest Cupids. "You should have seen it! She demanded! Cupids, especially not 300's and 700's, do not demand anything! But she was persistent. They were worried about the work load, but I assured them that she could handle it. Realizing that the binding of souls between the Senshi would be long in coming, they agreed to everyone except Pluto and Saturn. Saturn was a baby by then, her Senshi powers dormant once more, and they argued that she would never be a Senshi again so she didn't count. Asa's once-a-Senshi, always-a-Senshi argument won Hotaru, but for Pluto they would not budge. She was a god, had returned to Olympus by the time they concluded their deliberations, and would most likely never return to Earth. So Asa tried a different tactic." "I agreed with them that gods and godlings do not fall under Cupid rule, but that Se had been a Senshi once, and until she passed on the Time Stop Crystal, would be one when she returned to Earth. Besides, we knew who her soulmate was, and Serenity would never be reborn. So I asked if I could take her on, keep her at least mildly happy, if she ever returned to the mortal plane. Sometime before Pegasus returned to Elysion, they finally agreed to let me have Pluto. Boy were they surprised when you returned as Sailor Pluto to help finish off Nehelenia and fight Galaxia." Pluto shook her head, lips curved upward in a smile. "I'll have to have a word with that Council the next time I stop by Olympus. You did a good job, Asakaze, Rikuriko. Are you the ones who found Ailan?" "I did," Rikuriko answered, raising her hand. "We were almost stuffing for pillows after that one, believe me. And Kazeko. And getting the two of you together. Hades and Persephone threatened us with Tantalus's fate if you killed yourself. But shooting the Crystal . . . we didn't have the power. Urakaze did it and blamed it on us. We were promoted to the Council for that, and to Olympus for the conception of the next four Star Senshi." "I never thought so many years ago that you guys would get me godhood." Mercury stepped forward, tears in her sapphire eyes as she faced the three ex-Cupids. "Thank you," she whispered, one hand on her belly. "Thank you for Makoto and this baby and my happiness. I never even knew what I was missing until she burst into my room that day and told me that I didn't have to be afraid to love her." Jupiter joined her wife, reaching out to shake the Cupids' hands in a very western gesture. "I know how stubborn I can be, and I know how much I had to fight with myself to go to Ami's room that day, to tell her that I was in love with her. I know that at least part of that was because of the two of you, and I really can't thank you enough." Mars and Venus were next, arm-in-arm, tears even in the miko's eyes. Minako spoke first, sensing that Rei couldn't find the words. "When I was lonely in England and love affair after love affair fell through, I wondered why the Cupids would torture me so. When I came here and met these women, I forgot about love for a while, but my powers are based on love. Loneliness returned. But then, one day, I really looked at Rei and saw the most perfect, most beautiful, most loving woman in the entire world. And when she looked at me and said she wanted me, too, I almost died. I may call myself the Goddess of Love, but I know who the true Goddess is, and I thank you and her for my current and future happiness and my little daughter. I never even hoped to have a child and I never thought I would win Rei's heart. Thanks to you two, I have both." Mars wiped the tears out of her eyes. "I can't say it that well, I'm afraid. All I know is that I spent the first fourteen years of my life without anyone, not knowing why I was alone. Then I spent the next eight seeing my soulmate every day and never knowing she was there. I was afraid of everything, especially love, until we got our memories back and I realized I was only afraid that she wasn't my soulmate. When you gave her to me, you changed me in a way even I don't understand yet. And this baby . . . it's almost too much. Thank you, for giving my life meaning." Uranus, Neptune, and their tiny daughter were next. They encompassed all three Cupids in their gaze, the Senshi regretting that they never had a chance to thank the trio years earlier. Uranus spoke for all three of them. "I have always been a flirt, pretending to be a man so I could sleep with whatever women I wanted to. When I met Michiru, all of that ended. Suddenly. I knew from the instant I saw her that we were destined, but I fought it. I didn't want to belong to anyone, even her. Of course, you, Urakaze-kun, never gave us a moment's rest. I don't know where I'd be now if it wasn't for your help, if it wasn't for her and Kazeko, but I think I might have gotten to know Hades personally. For that, for her, and for our daughter, I thank you." Neptune smiled as Asakaze and Rikuriko tried to wipe the tears out of their eyes. "My wife has said it all, I believe. Thank you for teaching her to do the smart thing, and thank you for Kazeko, the child I can raise." Pluto and Moonlight were next, smiling at the Cupids. "I'm shocked that my love life was put in the hands of two young Cupids, but you did a better job than I could ever have hoped for. Thank you for finding Ailan, for making me choose her clothing company for Michiru and Haruka's wedding, for somehow convincing me to fall in love with her again. Hundreds of years ago, our love broke every rule, our marriage taboo, our daughter in danger. Now, I have them both back, and twins on the way. You two did pretty good for such young Cupids." Moonlight rolled her eyes as she leaned forward and embraced all three Cupids. "First, thank you for watching after my daughter. I'm glad she found her prince in a time and place where they could be together. Second, thank you for shoving Haruka and Michiru together because they're too damn stubborn for their own good." Ignoring Haruka's muffled exclamation, Moonlight continued. "Third, thank you for getting the Inners back together. Fourth, thank you for Setsuna. I never hoped to have her again. And lastly, thank you for the twins. Thank you for the happiness you have given all of us." "I guess that leaves us," Usagi whispered, her childish nervousness coming to the surface as she and Mamoru joined the Cupids. The other Senshi moved closer, eager to hear their princess. She reached behind her back and unfastened the crescent moon necklace she had owned since she was fourteen, handing it to Asakaze. "When I was fourteen, I ran into a man—actually, I bounced my test off his head and stuck my tongue out at him. That was the moment that my life began to change. At first, I thought that it was getting worse, what with the battles and the youma and all, but then I realized that I had been completely wrong. Maybe I had to fight, but I had these wonderful friends and especially my boyfriend, my Mamo-chan. I'm no poet, and I'm still a little clumsy physically and with my words, but thank you. This necklace . . . Luna gave it to me, said that it had once belonged to the Queen of the Silver Millennium and that I would know when it was time to give it away. Now it is. It doesn't have any powers except as an heirloom, but I hope you'll accept it." Asakaze opened her mouth to speak, staring at the crescent moon necklace. "I . . ." "She's a little overwhelmed," Rikuriko whispered. "Thank you, Princess." "Asakaze-san, as you can see, Usako is the most wonderful, most special person I have ever known, and I love her so much that sometimes I can't see straight. I remember that first meeting and I remember a strange feeling, like destiny. It occurred so much that I began to fight it, to try to push her away, but it didn't work. I don't know how much you helped us, but I fell in love with her, and my life hasn't been dull or lonely since. So I, too, thank you." Urakaze pulled Asakaze and Rikuriko back, smiling at each of the Senshi in turn. "We Cupids never interact with mortals, never reveal ourselves or the work we do. I broke that law when we showed ourselves to Haruka and Michiru, but we were forgiven because of the darts and their poison. In the forest, we were forgiven because we saved the world. But now . . . your words made all of this worth it. We Cupids have never been thanked before, and I never thought that humans could be so grateful. Now, if you don't mind, I have a wife and two children at home who have to go with me to a banquet with my mother and father. Thank you, all of you, for your words today. And we Cupids do what we do because we love you, we love all of our charges. Good-day." Mars stared at the empty spot in the room, glancing down at her altered fuku again. "What about this?" "Your final evolution," Star Fighter answered. "You are Planet Star Senshi now, Sailor Star Mars. It's because of your crystals." "Well, at least that question was answered. Now. Why are you three here?"
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