Note on Planet Names: Ten'ousei=Uranus; Kaiousei=Neptune; Meiousei=Pluto; Dosei=Saturn; Kasei=Mars; Suisei=Mercury; Mokusei=Jupiter; Kinsei=Venus ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "My father called us to the throne room," Makoto informed her partner, an inexplicable fear in her green eyes. "He's not going to want to let me go home with you." "Do you want us to go with you?" Makoto looked over at Haruka, holding Ami's hand. "I don't know what good you can do. If they won't let me go to Suisei—" "Then you can leave when they're not looking. Don't worry so muck, Mako-chan; they can't keep you here forever. They think I'm Urakaze Haruka, your sword-instructor, right?" "Yeah. Why?" "They respect me as him. I'm sure I could help out a little. Michiru must have some sway over them, and you can tell them the story of your servant seeing my mother. We can convince them to let you fly free." Haruka turned to Kiyoshi while the Princess of Mokusei considered her friend's words. "Kiyoshi-kun, why don't you go on ahead to Suisei like we planned? You probably should leave before her parents figure out why you're here. We'll see you when we get there." Yoruno Kiyoshi nodded and headed for the transport room. Makoto looked at Ami, and her gaze softened. "Okay. We'll try anything." *~*~*~*~*~*~* King Kino Meisha and Queen Kino Meika of Mokusei were waiting for their only daughter when she entered with her blue-haired lover, the aqua-haired princess of Kaiousei, and a tall, blonde man wearing a beautifully decorated sword. The latter three bowed to Jupiter's rulers, but Makoto glared at her parents. "Why did you call me here?" "We hear that you plan to accompany your friend back to Suisei." "Yes. What of it? She did us the honor of visiting our fine palace; why should I not return the courtesy?" Meika sighed and leaned forward, her emerald-studded crown sparkling in the light. "We know why you really want to go to Suisei. You know that you have to marry soon, and your three brothers have been kind enough to find some very promising young Dukes." Makoto wrinkled her nose. "I hated them all, Mother. You know that, too. I appreciate their efforts, but those guys just aren't my type." "Your type has to be applicable to men, child. You can't spend the rest of your life with Ami-chan." "You were almost twice my age when you finally married." Meika leaned back, clenching and unclenching her hands nervously. "Don't exaggerate." "I wasn't. Until Mizuno Amami's wedding, you stayed single and away from all men." Makoto silently thanked Haruka's research for the valuable information. "Why can't I wait a little longer for marriage?" Meika and Meisha exchanged glances, the king shaking his head. Haruka cleared her throat and bowed a moment before speaking. "Majesties, these two were blessed recently by the spirit of Ten'ou Kazeko when I was visiting your fine palace. She meant for them not to make the mistake she and Kaiou Shousha made so very long ago." That got Meika's attention. Her eyes, the exact same color as Makoto's, widened, realizing what Haruka meant. "Shousha? Why was Kazeko here?" "Perhaps she's looking out for these young princesses." Michiru chose that moment to voice her opinion. "Meika-san, they're still young. There is always time left for marriage and heirs. They need to be with other Senshi anyway while they're learning to fight and control their powers. You know how important partnership is." Meika descended her dais, walking up to Ami and looking at the short-haired girl. "You look like Amami." "Father tells me that a lot." Meika took Ami's hand and smiled. "You're so sweet and innocent. Try to remember that the love between Senshi may be powerful but it must eventually be sacrificed. You never have to say goodbye, though. I never really lost her." "I know," Ami whispered. "The only thing I remember about my mother is when she told me that there are two different types of love—eternal and necessary. She told me not to forsake one for the other. In her diaries she spoke of you often." "You want to be just like her, don't you?" "Yes, I do." Meika embraced the shorter Senshi and returned to her throne. "Have a good trip, Mako-chan, and remember to say goodbye to your brothers." "Thank-you, mother." The four bowed before leaving, Haruka taking Michiru's hand as the two followed Mercury and Jupiter. Meika looked at her husband and raised an eyebrow. "Urakaze Haruka is with Kaiou Michiru. Did you hear about Shousha's daughter having a boyfriend?" Meisha shrugged. "I have no idea. Shall we call her?" "Not until after Michiru's birthday. We've been invited, so we can speak to her in person." "Okay. Do you think Makoto will be okay?" "What could possibly happen? Two women can't disrupt our family lines. Let them live and love before they have to rule." *~*~*~*~*~*~* "Ken-chan! Ei-chan! Sai-chan! Hayaku!" Three young men, one taller than Haruka and Makoto, one the same height as Makoto, and one about Michiru's height, dashed into the room, rushing to embrace their sister. "There you are, Mako-chan! We got home yesterday and you weren't here. We went into the city to perform our princely duties and have only just returned. It's been months, imouto-chan." Makoto smiled at the tallest boy, hugging him again. "Ken-chan! You could have just called me! You promised to, anyway." The prince, Makoto's older brother, grinned sheepishly. "We had a lot to do for your sake, little sister. When you're queen, we'll be your faithful servants, and we have to know all about the rest of the kingdom." Makoto smiled as she pulled her three brothers forward. "Min'na, these are my brothers. This is Ken'nin, my older brother, Eiki, my older younger brother, and Saiki, my youngest brother. Guys, this is Ami, Haruka-kun, and Michiru-san." "Dozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu," all six greeted simultaneously as they bowed to each other. Michiru chuckled at their timing, and Ken'nin smiled. "It is nice to meet you at last, Ami-san. Mako-chan has told us all a lot about you." "Ken-chan, I'm afraid I have to leave you guys again." "Nani? Mako-chan, we only just got back." Saiki, arms crossed, glared at his sister, the deep green eyes common to Makoto and her siblings piercing his sister's thoughts. "Why do you have to go away again?" "Gomen'ne, Sai-chan, but I want to go stay with Ami on Suisei for a while." Her eyes begged her brothers to understand, and Eiki rested his hand on Makoto's shoulder. "It won't be for very long, and we can visit you. It's not your fault we were gone while you were here. Go to Suisei, Mako-chan, and have fun." Makoto embraced her brothers again, sighing when Saiki relented and hugged her. "Okay, Mako-chan, but don't leave us alone for very long. We're pretty much helpless without you." Ami and Makoto went to gather the last of their belongings, leaving Michiru and Haruka alone with the Kino brothers. Haruka tilted her head at Ken'nin, smiling slightly. "Perhaps if I had brothers like you, I wouldn't have run away from home." "Haruka-kun, right? Why did you run away?" "To meet Michiru," Haruka answered honestly. "I visited Mokusei on the way. I taught your sister a few things about sword fighting and obeying her feelings. She was kind enough to teach me about the Senshi." "You're so familiar with Michiru-san. Are you dating?" Michiru looked up at Haruka, and the same thought crossed both minds. "We aren't allowed to reveal our relationship until Michiru's birthday in a few days. If you can keep a secret, we're married already. Makoto-san, Ami-san, Rei-san, Minako-san, and Serenity-san were there three days ago. Shousha-sama will announce our marriage on Michiru's birthday." "The wedding was her idea, wasn't it?" "You know my mother very well, Eiki-kun. Yes, it was. That doesn't mean that we didn't want it, only that we would perhaps have waited a bit longer." Eiki and Saiki looked up as Makoto and Ami returned to the room, while Ken'nin wondered for a moment longer whom Haruka looked like. Then he smiled and kissed Makoto's forehead and hugged Ami once. "Take care of our sister," Ken'nin whispered. "I will," Ami promised. Eiki and Saiki also embraced the blue-haired Senshi and stood back, watching as Makoto and Ami pulled out their henshin sticks, gesturing for Haruka and Michiru to join them beside their pile of luggage. Haruka slipped her hand into her pocket and touched her henshin stick, lending power to the other two Senshi as all four disappeared. "That's it!" "What, Ken-chan?" "The necklace Haruka-kun was wearing," Ken'nin explained, facing Eiki and Saiki. "Did you see it? A topaz inscribed with the symbol of Uranus?" "Yeah, sure," Saiki shrugged. "What of it? Mako-chan's message to us weeks ago said that Urakaze Haruka was some Duke's son from Ten'ousei. He should have the symbol of his planet." "Except that the necklace he was wearing is very selective in its owners." "Nani?" "The stories say that the necklace is an heirloom from the planet Uranus, formed from a special stone found when the palace was first built by the first Sailor Uranus so long ago. It was inscribed with the symbol of Uranus and given to the second bearer of that henshin stick. Regardless of the truth of the origin stories, it cannot be worn by someone not of the royal family." "You mean . . . masaka! He couldn't have been!" "Yes, Saiki, it can. Urakaze Haruka is Ten'ou Haruka." Eiki grabbed Ken'nin's arm with one hand and Saiki's with the other. "We can't tell anyone. If they can't figure it out, we don't need to tell them. Haruka-kun married Michiru-san—I'm not sure how, but she did—and there are laws against that. You both know the story of Kazeko and Shousha and we know how Mother loved Amami. We don't have the right to come between those two." He could tell that his brothers agreed with him, so he released their arms. "I wonder where they got married." Ken'nin shrugged at Saiki's words. "We could check the records. Any marriage would have been reported." "Ten'ou Haruka faked her own kidnapping, made off with her henshin stick and Space Sword, traveled to Mokusei, Kasei, Kaiousei, and the Moon, hiding her true identity from even Queen Shousha. That's not easy. She wouldn't be dumb enough to . . . Moons of Jupiter." "What? What is it, Eiki?" "I know where they went. Earth." The silence stretched. "You can't be serious. Mako-chan would never go to Earth, even for a friend's wedding. She wouldn't. And yet . . . she's going to Suisei to be with the woman she loves and we all know the fight she had for permission. Do you think they were married on Earth?" "I do, Saiki. I just wonder why Setsuna-san wouldn't stop them. She never allows tradition or the rules surrounding the Senshi to be corrupted, and she would have known. She couldn't have allowed it." "Then we'll go ask her." Ken'nin pulled a necklace out of his pocket, letting the emerald on the end sparkle in the light. The symbol of Jupiter was clearly engraved on the surface. "Mother told me to give this to Mako-chan when she's old enough. Until then, we can use it to go to Pluto." "Don't I have a say in this? Pluto hates being disturbed, and even the queen never dares to intrude on her privacy. Setsuna-san is not going to be happy." "Don't worry, Eiki. She'll have to be expecting us. She sees the future, remember?" Ken'nin wrapped his fingers around the emerald, and Eiki and Saiki covered his hand with theirs. "She's going to be so angry."
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