**Author's notes** 

It's the day after I finished the last act, but I can't stop writing! It's 

too much fun! If there are any questions, comments, confusion, E-mail us at 

Kaelali_Su@hotmail.com! We love mail, and will E-mail you back as soon as we 

can!



				* * * *



SailorStars Awakening

Chaos Theory: Act Three

	Pretty pens:

		A soldier's dilemma!



				      Begun on 10/13/99, finished on 10/24/99

			**********************************

				   CHAOS THEORY

			**********************************

				By Hoshi and Sora

			 E-mail at Kaelali_Su@hotmail.com	



	Artemis flicked his tail in time with the echoing footsteps. "Minako

-chan?"

	Minako paused. "Hai, Artemis?"

	"Why do you keep pacing back and forth?"

	She looked at him and laughed loudly, resuming her repeating walk to 

and from the ends of the shrine's porch. "Oh, don't worry about it, Artemis! 

I'm just anxious for the others to arrive!" Her face suddenly took on a 

frightening look as her back turned from him, and she muttered, "They'd 

better not have forgotten! Oooh, they're gonna feel my wrath when they 

finally arrive!"

	Sighing, he lay his head down on his paws. *What's up with her? 

Sometimes, Minako-chan, I swear you're crazy.* He opened his eyes as she 

stormed past him for the hundredth time. *It wouldn't bother me as much if 

she'd simply put down her henshin stick. But she has barely let go of it in 

the past few days...she even sleeps with it! I don't think this is 

healthy...*

	A soft meow behind him brought his glance up, and he rose to greet 

his companion. "Where's Usagi-chan?"

	Luna lowered her eyes. "She's not coming today." 

	"Nani? Why not?"

	"She can't transform anymore, remember? And she said it would be 

useless for her to come...I tried to convince her, but no luck."

	"I forgot about that. I guess no one else was thinking about how she 

would react, she must feel left out." Artemis frowned and turned his gaze 

back to Minako. "She'll get a new brooch soon, won't she?"

	"Why should she? She won't need it anymore. When she becomes Queen, 

she doesn't transform, just like she didn't back in the Silver Millenium when

she was a princess." She looked at Minako's grumbling form, still moving 

tirelessly in circles. "What's wrong with Minako-chan?"

	Artemis sighed and shook his head. "Don't ask. Have you seen the 

others recently?"

	Luna nodded. "I followed them after school, then ran ahead to talk to

you. They should be here any minute."

	"Good. I think some real exercise is just what they need to get out 

of this mood they've fallen into."

	As if in response to that, from the steps was heard, "HEY! Minako

-chan!"

	Minako's head jerked up. "There you are!" she shouted as Ami, Rei, 

and Makoto reached the shrine's garden. Running up to them, she scolded, 

"Where were you?! I started to think you guys forgot, I've been waiting for 

hours!"

	Rei rolled her eyes. "No you haven't Minako-chan! School just got out

thirty minutes ago!"

	"Besides, we couldn't find you after class, so we went to your house 

to look for you!" said Ami.

	"Yeah, we thought *you* forgot!" Makoto exclaimed, walking past her.

	Minako froze halfway through another yell, thought about it, then her

tense, angry posture went limp.

	"If you would just learn a little patience..." intoned Ami.

	"Oh give it up, she's just as bad as Usagi!" said Rei. "It seems that

just when Usagi becomes less ditzy, Minako-chan feels she has to make up for 

it!"

	"Rei-chan..." warned Makoto.

	Rei crossed her arms and put her nose in the air. "Well it's true."

	Ami put an arm on her shoulder, a teardrop forming. "Rei-chan...

please..." She looked around, and sat on a nearby rock. "Speaking of her, 

where is Usagi-chan?" 

	Stepping forward, Luna said softly, "She's not coming." 

	All eyes turned to her. "Nani?!"

	"Why should she come?" asked Rei quietly, arms dropped to her side. 

"How could she train?"

	Makoto turned her face away. "Well, let's not think about it too 

much." Her voice became excited again "We should get started! Come on minna, 

henshin yo!"

	Ami stood, and Minako joined her side, both pulling their 

transformation sticks from hidden pockets. Rei slid hers out from her 

uniform, and walked to them, joining the circle they had formed.

	There was a moment of hesitation as they looked at each other. 

	"Well, what are we waiting for?!" Makoto thrust her wand into the air. 

	"JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!" Her loud, clear voice echoed 

across the hushed courtyard.

	The others held their breath as she tilted her head back in 

expectation of the transformation.

	But none came.

	Slowly, the others turned to look at each other in confusion.

	Makoto opened her eyes, perplexed.

	Frowning, she raised the rod again, crying, "JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER, 

MAKE UP!"

	Silence. Nothing.

	"What..?! What is this?!..JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!" Her voice 

had taken on a note of desperation and alarm. She paused only slightly before

trying again. "JUPITER..."

	"Makoto, stop it!" cried Ami, grabbing her arm and forcing it down. 

"It's not going to work!"

	Makoto shook her off. "...CRYSTAL POWER..."

	"ENOUGH!" screamed Minako, covering her ears, overpowering Makoto's 

shout. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop!"

	Makoto halted, her arm still motionless in the air. Bit by bit, she 

lowered her henshin stick, and collapsed onto the ground, the wand falling 

from her lifeless hand and rolling several feet away.

	Rei abruptly turned from the others. She looked down at the red stick

tightly clenched in her own hand. It was slightly larger than a pen, and had 

a small golden marble with the symbol of mars engraved in it. Taking a deep 

breath, her grip tightened. When she raised it to the sun, the bright light 

sparkled off the gold, catching the eyes of the others.

	"MARS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

	Unconsciously, Ami crossed her fingers, her heart filling with a 

single wish. 

	After a heartbeat, the others looked away, disappointed. Her head 

falling to her chest, Rei walked away, out of the courtyard.

	Minako stepped forward to go after her, but the firm pressure of 

Ami's hand stopped her. She caught the look in Ami's eyes and sighed.

	"It's my turn," said Ami faintly, lifting her rod above her head.

	Minako turned her back. "Why? You know it won't work," she whispered.

	Ami, ignoring her, cried, "MERCURY CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

	Minako kept walking, fighting back tears.  But she couldn't help one 

glance back, even though she knew what she would see. Ami still just standing

where she had a moment ago, still just a girl. 

	"Won't you at least try?" There was a note of pure misery in her 

voice.

	Minako didn't respond, and simply continued down the stairs, gaining 

speed until she was running blindly down the street, her vision curtained by 

a thick veil of tears. Pulling her own wand out of her pocket, she clutched 

it tightly. "Why won't you work?!" she hissed, shaking it. "What's wrong?!"

	Artemis sprinted after her. "Minako-chan! Minako!" With a determined 

snarl, he tensed his muscles and leapt onto her shoulder. "Stop running 

Minako-chan! You're not going anywhere!" he yelled directly in her ear. She 

slowed by degrees until she was only stumbling down the street. Finally, she 

came to rest beside a building. She reached out a hand to support herself and

catch her breath, but she found it hard to do so through her sobbing. "Oh 

Artemis..."

	"Minako-chan!"

	Minako looked up and instinctively clasped her wand closely to her 

chest.

	Motoki ran up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. 

"Minako-chan, what's wrong?"

	She relaxed slightly. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she tried to 

smile. His face softened in concern and he said, "You've been crying..."

	"It's nothing..." But her voice cracked. She pressed one hand to her 

flushed cheeks and averted her face.

	Placing an arm around her shoulders, he said, "Let's go inside, you 

shouldn't be wandering around like this." In surprise, she noticed that she 

had stopped right in front of the game center. Blushing slightly, she allowed

him to lead her inside into a corner booth, away from most of the noise from 

the usual after-school crowd. 

 	Forcing her to turn to him, her lowered his face to her level so her 

could look into her eyes. There was such a tender, worried expression in his 

stare, she felt her own eyes fill with tears again.

 	He pulled her to him, stroking her blonde hair gently. She hardly 

noticed, hiding her face in his shoulder as she cried. Motoki enfolded her in

a tight embrace until her weeping subsided, but her own arms were wrapped 

around herself. When her breathing began to return to normal, he released her 

carefully.

 	"Minako-chan, talk to me. You'll feel better if you do." The words 

were hardly out of his mouth before she began to shake her head. 

 	"I'm sorry, but I can't. Besides, you wouldn't believe it."

 	He sighed and reached for her hands, but found them both firmly 

holding an object to her chest. "What...what are you holding? Oh Minako-chan,

you're bleeding!"

 	Minako dimly felt one edge of the stick jabbing into her palm and saw

the trickle of red blood down her pale knuckles.

 	"Here, let me see..."

 	Minako quickly yanked her hands away, refusing to relinquish her hold.

"NO!"

	He flinched in surprise, the sighed. His eyes were compassionate as 

he reached for her again. 

 	"Minako-chan...Let it go. It's alright."

 	*Let it go...Minako-chan, let it go. It's over, Minako-chan, let go 

of your past. It's alright... ...It's alright...*

 	Bit by bit, she unclenched her fingers and allowed him to remove the 

rod from her hands, and he set it down on the table. She watched it anxiously,

but he pulled her to her feet and said, "It will be fine right there. Let's 

go get you cleaned up so your hand doesn't get infected."

 	Without speaking, he led her into the back and washed and bandaged 

her hand. Returning to the booth, he picked up the wand, turning it over and 

over in his hands, wiping the blood from it. "What is this? A pen maybe?"

 	She was about to reply as he tugged gently on the top, but to her 

dismay, it came apart easily in his hands. 

 	Springing to her feet, she seized it out of his hands, screaming, 

"What did you do to it? You broke it!" 

 	Motoki reached up and pulled her back into the seat, hushing her. 

Taking it from her again, he said, "What do you mean, broke it? I simply 

opened it."

 	Minako's anger drained slightly. "Opened it?"

 	"Yes, see?" He pulled out a white sheet of paper with some number 

scribbled on the back, and in shock, she watched as he took the wand and 

wrote in orange ink on the paper: "Please don't cry Minako-chan."

 	Hesitantly, she reached for her transformation wand. It appeared he 

was right, it was just an ordinary pen with a fancy design. "Masaka..." she 

whispered.

 	"What? What's wrong?"

 	*Let it go.*

 	She raised her eyes back to him. "You know what?" She took a deep 

breath and stood, placing the wand back into her pocket. "Nothing is wrong. 

Maybe for the first time in a long while, nothing is wrong." She bent down 

and kissed his cheek. "Domo go shinsetsu ni, Motoki-oniisan."

 	"Do itashi mashite, Minako-imoutosan." He watched her leave and 

sighed. I hope that she is alright.

				*     *     *     *     *

	Star Healer stood by Star Maker's side, both watching through the 

window as their Princess stood, walked the distance of the room, then paused 

and returned to her seat. 

	Maker reached out to grasp the edge of the balcony, and lifted her 

eyes to the sky, closing them as she inhaled the perfume of the rose garden 

below.

	Healer continued to observe the princess's restless movements for  

while longer, before giving a disgusted snort and stalking back into the 

room. Maker heard her and sighed, opening her eyes once again. She gazed 

across the short distance between the terrace and the princess's tower, 

where she remained in the same position where she had been when she last 

looked. Maker narrowed her eyes and leaned forward. It appeared that Princess

Kagyuu was crying again...

	"Look what she's done to our princess!" Healer appeared beside Maker 

again, gesturing at the open window across the gardens. Clenching her fists, 

she seethed. "This time she has gone too far! She has no right..."

	Maker sighed again, massaging the bridge of her nose. "You know it's 

not her fault..." She began the usual response to Healer's complaints.

	"No, Maker, it goes beyond that! I cannot allow it anymore!" Her 

voice softened, and Maker could hear the pain behind the rage. "Look at 

her...just sitting there, crying for her..." Healer shook her head, sending 

her long silver ponytail flying. "She doesn't deserve the tears of a 

princess."

	"She'd cry for you if you were in the same position. The only reason 

she's unhappy is because Fighter is..."

	"Exactly! *Fighter* is the cause of all of this!" Healer spun around 

and marched into the room once again. "And I won't stand for it anymore! I'm 

going to force that fool to have some sense if I have to beat it into her!"

	"Healer, no."

	But she ignored Maker and continued out the door.

	"Healer? Oh gods, I think she's serious this time." Maker quickly ran

after her, calling her name out into the hall. "Healer, come back! Have some 

sense! You're not going to solve anything like this, in the state you're in!"

But Healer continued down the hall and turned the corner without a pause.

	"She's going to regret this tomorrow, like she always does," Maker 

muttered to herself as she went after her friend. By the time she caught up 

with Maker, she was already banging on the door to Fighter's chambers, 

calling out in a voice that rang with challenge.

	"Fighter, I demand you open this door! You can't hide in there 

forever!" She paused in her pounding, listening for an answer.

	For a long time, there was nothing but silence, but as Healer raised 

her fist to begin striking the door again, a small creak sounded. Slowly, the

door opened, and Fighter stepped back. "Healer, Maker, come in."

	Maker glanced at her companion, but the determination had not

faltered in her face. Striding into the room, Healer stormed past Fighter, 

missing the glance between the two others.

	Fighter closed the door and took a seat on a thickly stuffed chair, 

laying the long skirt of her gown around her. Placing her hands delicately on

her lap, she looked at Healer expectantly. 

	She didn't have to wait long. "You know why I'm here."

	Fighter studied the pattern on the chair. "Yes, I know."

	But her admittance only seemed to anger her more. "Then why do you 

persist in this foolishness? What more do you want?" Her arms gestured 

wildly. "You have everything anyone could possibly ever wish for, and yet you

are still dissatisfied?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "If it 

were only you, I could let it by. But you are making the only one who truly 

matters miserable! She's in her chambers crying for you right now! And you 

don't even care."

	Fighter jumped to her feet, her eyes blazing. "How could you say that

I don't care?! You have no idea what sort of hell I am going through!"

	"But must you put her through it as well?"

	"I didn't ask her to love me!"

	"YOU DID! Back before...before you even met *Her,*" she spat the word

like it burned her tongue, "you did love our princess! But she leaves us to 

protect our planet, and almost immediately you fall in love with another!"

	Maker couldn't hold back anymore. "Healer..." she said, grabbing one 

of her arms.

	But Healer threw her off, disgusted. "What? Like you don't agree with 

me?! I know you don't approve of this!"

	Maker met Fighter's eyes only for a second before she had to look 

away.

	Healer swung her head to stare at Fighter accusingly. "Fighter, you 

can't treat our Princess in this disrespectful manner, just because of your 

selfish love for that silly girl! We are finished on that planet. She does 

not love you, forget her!"

	Fighter stepped forward, holding one tight fist in front of her, her 

teeth clenched, and Healer automatically fell into fighting stance.

	Maker prepared herself to step forward at the first movement. *I 

cannot allow this fighting amongst ourselves. This, more than anything else, 

will simply kill our Princess!*

	Healer and Fighter's eyes were locked, and Healer drew back her fist 

in preparation to attack. Fighter didn't move, her snarl gradually fading, 

and she turned her face away as a single tear fell down her cheek.

	"Go ahead, strike. I know you're right."

	Healer stopped in midswing, taken aback. "Nani?!" she hissed.

	Fighter dropped back into her chair, supporting her forehead in her 

hands. "I don't want to do this to her. I never wanted to hurt her, *never*. 

But I can't force myself to love her again. To say that everything can be the

same as it once was would be lying, and I know it would simply hurt her worse

if I pretended that it was." She sighed, her voice weary, and they noticed 

the dark circles under her eyes. "I *want* it to be the same! I wish for 

nothing else every night, but my heart will not listen." She lay her head 

down in her arms, slightly muffling her voice. "I cannot stop loving her."

	Healer studied her, the rigid posture in her body dissolving. A look

of regret flashed across her features as she turned away.

	"I know," she sighed, "I know. I don't truly blame you, Fighter. It's

not just our Princess that worries me though, and you are an easy target 

right now. The anger is sometimes overwhelming. I don't mean to take it all 

out on you."

	Maker stepped out of the shadows where she had been watching. "I feel

it too. It's like..." She looked around the room like the answers could be 

found written on it somewhere. "I don't know, it just feels different than 

before."

	Fighter raised her eyes to watch her. "No," she said softly, "Our 

home hasn't changed. I mean, other than the physical rebuilding and the 

people returning... But the air is the same, the *spirit*, the essence...It's

us that have changed. We aren't the same people we were when we first left." 

She sighed and ran a hand through her bangs. "We were so young, compared to 

now..."  

	Maker nodded. "We found earth and became other people, became a part 

of that planet, and learned music. Even though we sang for her," Maker voice 

grew quieter, "I also began to sing for myself. I haven't touched an 

instrument since our final concert as the Lights...or even sung. It's like 

that was who I was then, and now that I'm here, it's wrong to want that back.

But I feel like there's this hole inside me I filled with our songs, and 

now..."

	"These hands," Healer's voice startled them both, "these hands are 

different from the ones I'm used to. Thinner, delicate fingers. It affects 

the way I play music." She held them out in front of her. "I tried, a few 

days ago, when I couldn't take it anymore, to play a guitar, and found I 

couldn't. I felt guilty for even trying...but the deeper hurt came from the 

fact that as Star Healer, I cannot play music as I could when I was Yaten."

	They were quiet for a moment, remembering.

	"As much as the crowds and the non-stop attention became a bother, 

it's hard to get used to being just a person again." Maker sat on the floor 

beside Fighter's feet and looked up at her. "Here, we are no one. Just three 

soldiers, and there is no battle."

	Fighter raised her knees to her chest, hugging them, and looked out 

the window. Though the night was just beginning to spread it's translucent

wings, even the most distant stars visible in their sky were light years from

those in Earth's. "We spent such a big part of our lives searching for her, 

wearing those disguises...I wonder how much of me actually became Seiya." She

ran a finger up to her shoulder. "Even though he never truly existed, I 

played the part for so long that I find myself thinking like him still." 

Fighter lowered her eyes, closed them, and withdrew into herself. "I miss 

that life," she whispered into the rich fabric of her dress.

	No one spoke for a very long time. Finally, Healer shook her head. 

"There's no use in dwelling on the past. Despite what we promised, I do not 

think we will ever return. We should get used to that idea." She walked to 

the door, and waited for Maker to stand and reach her.

	Glancing once behind her, Maker closed the door softly.

	Fighter slowly uncurled, and walked to the balcony. Pressing one 

hand to the glass, she stared up at the vast sky. Leaning forward, she 

miserably rested her forehead against the cold frame.

			*     *     *     *     *

	Mamoru sighed and looked over at Usagi. "I still think that you 

should have gone, Usako. You have to get used to not being a sailor senshi 

anymore."

	Usagi kicked a small rock by her feet. "But I feel so useless! How 

can I send my friends out to fight while I stay at home, safe? I can't let 

that happen!"

	"You do fight, sometimes. Remember?"

	"But still! They are the ones in danger. It's not fair..." She pouted.

	Mamoru sighed and wound an arm around her waist. "If I could give you

back your powers, I would. But I can't turn into Tuxedo Kamen anymore either,

Usako. I can't really do anything, even against the Wise Man." He turned her 

to face him. "You're growing up now. Even if you lose all of the old 

responsibilities you had as Sailor Moon, you gain a thousand new ones when 

you become Queen. You'll have an entire kingdom to care for and protect, and 

a daughter to raise..."

	Usagi smiled and touched her stomach lightly. "Chibi-Usa..." Slowly, 

her hand flattened, and she could feel her breathing with the even rise and 

fall of her abdomen. "I guess there is a lot to look forward to..."

	Mamoru kissed the top of her head and pulled her close to him. "Even 

when I'm distressed, Usako, your gentle warmth and sweet scent always soothe 

me. I don't feel alone anymore, since I met you..."

	She looked up to him, and he kissed her. After a long moment, they 

separated and she smiled, then turned away. "I'm going home now."

	He watched her leave, and sighed. It was so unlike her, to be this 

quiet, this reserved... *Perhaps she really is growing up. Maybe we have seen

the last of her childlike innocence...* 

	Usagi walked slowly, her eyes on the sidewalk, but not seeing it. 

*What are these doubts I keep having? Why do I feel so tired around him? Even

when he kisses me...* she immediately banished the thought from her head. She

felt dirty even thinking it. *What is wrong with me?!*

 	A sudden flash of pain shot through her head, and she gasped, pulling

at her hair until it faded. *Oh god, what was that? It felt the same as when 

I was with Mamo-chan...What is wrong with me?!* The thought repeated over and

over in her mind as she began to walk home again. *Does it have something to 

do with me not being able to turn into Sailor Moon anymore? Am I the only one

that feels this way?*

 	She finally arrived at her door, and she ran up to her room, throwing

herself on her bed. *I wish that I could at least talk to Mamo-chan about 

this, but, every time I try, I just can't. I wish... ...I wish...* She buried

her face into her pillow. *I wish Seiya were here. He could always make me 

laugh.*

	"Usagi-chan?"

	Usagi sat up and walked to her dresser, rummaging through it, she 

said, "Luna, what's wrong with me?"

	Tilting her head to the side, she leapt onto the nightstand. "What do

you mean?"

	"Is it possible, that...that I fell out of love with Mamo-chan while 

he was gone?" She froze. She hadn't meant to say that, not at all, it hadn't 

even crossed her mind. But now that it had been spoken aloud...

	"Usagi!" gasped Luna.

 	"But that's impossible! I love Mamo-chan more than anything in the 

world, we were meant to be together!" she shouted the response to her own 

question, collapsing onto the ground. She covered her eyes with her hands in 

a vain attempt to stop the tears. "I treasure him and Chibi-Usa more than my 

own life! I just don't know what..."

 	"Why do you never wear the locket he gave you?" Luna asked quietly, 

watching her tail as it swished back and forth.

 	"I...I...I don't know. Something about it, something feels fake, 

forced..."

 	"Does your love for Mamoru-san feel fake, Usagi-chan?" Her words were

so soft, Usagi thought that she could have imagined them. "Do you feel forced 

into loving him?"

 	"NO!" Usagi sat straight up. "No! There has never been a truer love 

between anyone! I have never had reasons to doubt my love for him, or...or  

his for me! I don't know why I said that!" She slouched again. "I seem to do 

and say a lot of things lately that just don't seem like me, Luna." She 

curled herself into a small ball and cried, unable to form words.

 	Luna hesitated, uncertain. *I don't know what to do! We've never had 

problems like this before. When it's an enemy that we can see...but this...*

 	The phone rang before she could say anything. Usagi quickly looked 

up. Clearing her throat, she picked up the phone and said brightly, "Moshi 

moshi?"

 	"Usagi-chan..." came the voice from the receiver, but it broke off 

and all that could be heard were small sniffling noises. 

 	"Mako-chan?" Usagi leaned closer to the phone, her own tears 

forgotten. "What happened? What's wrong?"

 	"Oh, it's so horrible, though I guess we could have expected it..."

 	"What? What do you mean? Have there been any attacks?" Usagi was 

dismayed to hear her own voice speak with a desperate, almost hopeful tone.

 	"No! No, even if there were, we couldn't do anything!" There was a 

pause while Makoto tired to catch her breath. "We can't...we can't transform 

anymore, Usagi-chan! We all tried, well, all except Minako-chan, but the 

wands seem to have lost their magic!"

 	"NANI?!" cried Usagi, jumping to her feet. "What...how...how can 

we...how can you protect the city if you can't transform?"

 	There was silence on the end of the other line for a while. "I don't 

know," Makoto finally responded. "But I guess there's nothing to protect the 

earth from. I guess we'll get new powers when Crystal Tokyo arises. But it 

was such a large shock...we still can't find Ami-chan anywhere...Anyway, the 

sticks are useless now, they've turned into pens..."

 	Usagi crumpled onto her bed, holding her head with one hand. "I..."

 	"Usagi-chan, I have to go. I was just checking to see if you had seen

Ami-chan, but I guess not. Ja, Usagi-chan."

 	Usagi placed the phone down without responding.

			*     *     *     *     *

	Mamoru pulled the small box out of his pocket, feeling the smooth, 

silken texture against his fingers. Sighing, he lay it down next to the lamp 

on his desk and picked up his pencil, ready to begin the assignment for this 

weekend. He tried to concentrate, but his gaze kept sliding back to the tiny 

package.

	Sighing again, he set down his pencil and reached for the box. 

Opening it, he stared at the delicate ring, watching as the diamond caught 

the light and sent prisms of color across his writing table. He gently 

removed the engagement ring from its cushions, looking at the elaborate 

designs.

	*I should have proposed that day, the day Setsuna-san left. Then 

maybe she wouldn't be acting this way. But...* He sat back on his heels, 

running a hand though his hair. *But I don't think that proposing now would

be a good idea, with her acting so strangely. But then again, maybe this 

would be just what she needs!* He was so overcome with certainty, that he 

stood, clutching the ring tightly. *But...what if this has nothing to do with

what she keeps telling me is wrong?...Maybe she's concerned for that Seiya 

guy...* He groaned and fell back into sitting position. *So many 'buts' and 

'what ifs,' if she would just tell me what's bothering her...*

	He carefully put the ring back into it's small compartment, the 

precious stone glittering as he closed the ring box. Setting it back in his 

pocket, he absently began doodling on the blank sheet of paper in front of 

him.

			*     *     *     *     *

	Resting her forehead in the palm of her hands, Fighter wished she 

would just leave. Even being around her brought remorse and frustration too 

close to the surface for her comfort.

	"I can't love you," she whispered, but too quiet for Kagyuu to hear.

	 Turning back to her, Kagyuu held her palms outward in a pleading 

gesture. "I can make you forget, Fighter. Forget the longing, the pain...

forget you even left home, if that's what you want. Or, you can simply forget

your love for her..." She touched Fighters cheek gently. "It's killing you to

be like this. It's killing *me.*"

	Fighter continued to stare straight ahead, then closing her eyes 

tightly, she pushed away Kagyuu's fingers. "I would rather die than forget my

love for her. I would rather suffer the agony that I feel now, that is like 

dying a thousand quiet deaths, than forget knowing what it is like to truly 

fall in love with someone. Even the memory of the joy I knew at that 

moment...it is enough. Even if I am only torturing myself, I prefer it now 

above anything else. The heartache is all I have left. Without it..."

	Kagyuu stepped back, her fingers slowly withdrawing. Lowering her 

head, she whispered, "Then you know what I endure. Our burdens are more 

similar than you think." She pressed her cheek into her shoulder to hide the 

tears. "When did I stop being the Princess you searched for? The Princess you

sang for? When did it become the Princess from their moon that turned you 

from me?"

	"I didn't know until it was too late. Even if there had been a 

choice, I would have chosen to fall in love with her all over again."

	Kagyuu smiled sadly. "Of course. I see that now." She wiped her tears

away with a determined gesture. "Well then." Taking a deep breath, she 

clasped her hands to her chest. A soft, red light began to shine from inside 

them, she threw her head back and opened her arms, sending the light through 

the room. A single, red butterfly fluttered from her outstretched hands, and 

touched Fighter's chest just above the heart, exploding into a thousand pink 

sparkles. "I release you Fighter, from any bonds or guilt that tie you to 

me." The light brightened for a moment, and Fighter felt a sudden lightening 

of great pressure from her chest, and she gasped, finding that one breath 

filled her lungs deeper than a thousand before had.

	Slowly, the princess's eyes opened. "You are free. You are free to 

love her as you wish. I will shed no more tears for you, but I will always 

love you. I can never do anything else." She smiled, and for the first time 

in a very long while, it was a true, genuine smile. "Enjoy your life, do not 

waste it. You have always been one to act before you think, all this sadness 

does not suit you."

	Fighter lightly touched the place where the butterfly had landed, and

after a moment, bowed. "Thank you, Princess."

	She nodded, then left the room without looking back.

			*     *     *     *     *

	The sweet, mournful notes of the violin floated through the room and 

out the window, catching the breeze, as well as the attention of those 

passing by outside who stopped to listen. 

	Haruka barely noticed them as she stared out the open window, 

sprawled across the sill.

	Even through her sweater, Michiru felt the stinging, winter wind gnaw

at her quickly chilling fingers, but did not complain, only continued to play.

	Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, Haruka threw her head back as a 

sudden gust of wind blew through the window, sending a small storm of loose 

papers through the room. Michiru's skirt swirled around her in a cerulean 

bloom of silk.

	Haruka murmured something, and Michiru quickly finished the piece. 

"What was that, Haruka?"

	"The winds are shifting." Michiru was rather sure that was not what 

she had originally said, but she was equally sure that Haruka wasn't 

listening. Or at least, not to her.

	"We are in a time of indecisiveness, Michiru."

	Setting her violin down, she came behind Haruka and slid her arms 

around the girl's shoulders. Looking out in direction of the setting sun, 

Michiru gently rested her head upon Haruka's. "It's not up to us, anymore."

	Reaching up to cover Michiru's hands with her own, Haruka replied, 

"It is always up to us." Massaging her small hands, she said, "You're 

freezing." Her voice had lost its faraway quality, and she carefully 

removed Michiru's arms from around her neck and stood. Shutting the window, 

she picked up a blanket off the floor, shook it out, then draped it around 

Michiru. "Why didn't you tell me to close the window?"

	"Because I knew that you were not cold." Laying her head on Haruka's 

shoulder, she sighed as Haruka wrapped her arms around her. Raising her face,

she was nose to nose with Haruka, their lips less than a breath away. "But I 

have you here to keep me warm, ne, Haruka?" she teased with a smile.

	She could hear Haruka's deep chuckle as she opened her mouth to 

respond.

	Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass exploded behind them. With a 

gasp, Michiru wrenched away, the blanket falling off of one shoulder.

	"What was that?!" she cried, looking around the room. She stepped 

forward, her eyes searching anxiously. "Oh god, no..." she murmured, running 

forward.

	"Michiru, don't!" But Michiru ignored her warning, and ran to where 

her destroyed mirror sat, barely noticing the sharp stabs on the tender soles

of her feet as the tiny, jagged shards cut into the soft flesh.

	Dropping to her knees, she cradled the golden mirror to her chest. 

"What happened? Why did it do this?" Tracing the engraved frame, she 

whispered, "What sort of evil must be approaching?"

	Haruka carefully picked her way through the shards, crunching smaller

pieces beneath her shoes. Bending down, she said, "Perhaps there is no evil. 

We won't be needing the mirror anymore, will we?" Gently, she slid one hand 

under Michiru's knees and one behind her back, and lifted her with ease. 

Tiny splinters of glass tumbled off her skirt and tinkled like bells as they 

hit the ground.

	Sighing, she carried Michiru into another room and lay her down on 

the bed, taking the mirror and setting it down on the nightstand. Studying 

her feet, she remarked dryly, "You're lucky your skirt protected your knees."

 Haruka disappeared, returning moments later with a pair of tweezers and a 

bowl of steaming water. Sitting at the edge of the bed, she began 

meticulously pulling the little fragments from her feet. "The mirror was 

small, there's not much glass."

	Michiru didn't cry out or protest as she pulled the bits out of her 

flesh, but watched with fondness Haruka's infinite care and patience until 

her feet were freed of any foreign objects. Haruka reached into the bowl of 

hot water and wrung out a small cloth, only glancing up at her eyes before 

dabbing away the blood. It burned slightly, and startled, Michiru became 

aware for the first time that she had actually hurt herself.

	 As Haruka began to bandage her feet, Michiru took the cloth from her

hands and finished tying the knots herself. Her eyes still on her sore feet, 

she murmured, "Thank you," and leaned into Haruka's embrace as she pulled her

close again.

	"I suppose you'll have to stay in bed for a few days." Hearing the 

wry smile in her voice, Michiru kissed her neck softly.

	"What about your sword? You should go check it."

	"Why? I have no use for it now." She lay Michiru on her back, careful

to avoid touching her feet. "It can stay in whatever drawer it is buried in, 

the days when I will call for it again in battle will come soon enough. I am 

not anxious to have my duties again so soon."

	Smiling, she said, "We should enjoy these days and stop living for 

the future."

	Unnoticed, Hotaru quickly looked away and closed the door, slowly 

walking back to her room, forgotten.

			*     *     *     *     *

	With a gasp, I sit up abruptly, violently wrenching myself out of the

deep sleep I had fallen into. Slowly, my tense muscles loosened, and I 

returned to my relaxed state. 

	*I wonder if it could possibly be true...* I place one hand to my 

forehead. I look around the shining golden mist that surrounds me, keeping me

in suspension. *There is still so much work to be done, so many Starseeds 

still unborn.* I reach out to touch one as it floats by.

	Looking down at it, I notice it's unusual brightness. It reminds me 

of the brilliant light that was inside that girl...Sailor Moon...

 	*I never truly thanked her. She doesn't know what she has done for 

me.*

	Sighing, I let it go and it continues on to wherever it was 

originally headed. *But that dream...maybe there is a way to right all of the 

wrongs I have caused!* Straightening my posture and summoning up a bit from 

my endless reserve of energy, I release a swirling ball of light, and inside 

appears a tiny image of the universe.

	*So many planets out there, only a few have been revived. But inside 

each of those planets, inside each of its people, resides Chaos. *

 	*If my dreaming sight is true, then It hides in each in the form of a

oil, mixing with their blood and thickening it with evil.*

 	*It can be removed...bled out in a way without harming the carrier, 

and contained inside an enchanted vessel which could confine It and free the 

entire galaxy!* 

	The likeness of the universe faded, clearing to reveal a single 

planet, Earth.

	*If I could find this talisman, and somehow discover a way to gather 

up the vileness from the entire planet at once, I could seal up Chaos 

forever!*

	The sphere of light shattered, sending small beams of light all 

around me. I ignored it, and with a push of will, flew upward through the 

haze, up to a point where I could see all of the Starseeds. *These have not 

yet been contaminated, they will be alright here until I can ensure that they

will not be tainted with evil the second they are revived.*

	In a blinding flash of radiance, I am no longer inside the haven with

the seeds, instead, I am once again floating in the vast emptiness of 

space. *I will start from the inside and move outward to the edges of the 

universe.*

 	*I will not rest until I find a way!*

*     *     *     *     *



 	I'll bet you think you know where this story is going, don't you? HA!

HA! You know nothing yet fool! This is but part three! Okay, I'll admit that 

it did began to get a little...shojo-ai there, but that scene right there is 

as much as I'm ever going into Haruka and Michiru's personal life.  Shojo-ai 

personally does nothing for me, but you have to admit, they act like that 

sometimes. There is NO capitalize that and underline it, *NO* sex or anything

in this story. In fact, I'm thinking maybe that scene was a little too 

racy...but it stays. If you have a problem with that, or just wanna talk, 

E-mail me (Hoshi) and my co-worker (Sora-chan) at Kaelali_su@hotmail.com. 

Okay, now I'm off to go write act four!! Part four is going to be one of my 

favorite parts, I can tell!