The scene was a familiar one for everyone--as the sun dipped low on the horizon, the Sailor Starlights and their Princess prepared to leave Earth. But Seiya was not with them. He stood with his arm around Usagi, among Rei, Ami, Makoto, Minako and Mamoru, with Luna and Artemis.

Minako wailed, in Usagi-like fashion. "Come back soon, okay, Yaten-kun? We didn't get to go to the mall together yet!"

Healer had a sarcastic comment in the back of her throat, but she saved it. "Sure, Minako-chan. We'll do it next time." She smiled at Minako's giddiness and shouting of "YATTA!" She grinned a little wider. "And Luna, I think I owe you a bath next time, don't I?"

Minako and Artemis glowered at the blushing Luna. "Okay, Yaten-kun, it's a deal!"

"Goodbye, Taiki-san," Ami said to Maker. "Please take good care of those books I lent to you."

Maker was indeed holding a large canvas bag, stuffed with many of Ami's university textbooks on genetic engineering and quantum mechanics. "I'll treat them as if they were my own. Thank you, Ami-san."

Ami blushed.

Makoto handed a picnic basket to Kakyuu. "I made you all some special treats and snacks, for when you get home. They should keep for a while." She smiled warmly. "You can always remember a special place by the food you had there!"

Rei gave Kakyuu a small stack of papers, tied with a red ribbon. "These are good luck fortunes and anti-evil wards. If you put them in your castle, they should help keep you safe from harm. Just a gift from me."

Lastly, Mamoru handed Kakyuu a small brown paper bag. "Taiki-kun told me you don't have roses on Kinmoku. These are rose bulbs. If you nurture them, I'm sure the roses will look beautiful on your planet. I hope you'll help them grow."

"Thank you, Mako-chan, Rei-chan, Mamoru-san," Sailor Kakyuu said. "I'll treasure your gifts."

Yaten sighed. "If you give us much more, we won't be able to teleport it all home."

"Well," Usagi said, "I guess this is goodbye...again."

Seiya stepped forward and stood, silently, with his friends.

Taiki spoke first. "Are you sure you're not going to come?"

"I'm sure...I think my life is here now." Usagi blushed and smiled.

Kakyuu glided to Seiya and embraced him. "Please don't forget about us, Fighter."

Her guardian relished the embrace, and basked in the warm glow of the sunset on her hair. "I could never forget you, Princess."

Maker and Healer joined in the hugging. "Remember," Healer warned, "you promised you'd write us lots of letters. I'm holding you to it!"

Maker closed her eyes and kissed her friend on the forehead. "We'll come visit you as soon as it's practical." She opened her eyes again and looked into Seiya's. "Promise you'll do us the same courtesy."

Seiya smiled. "Okay, I won't forget you, I'll write you every day and I'll visit every week. Is that okay?"

They all laughed at that.

"Okay," Healer said, stepping back, "We'd better leave, before this gets too emotional." The three remaining Senshi joined hands, armed with all their luggage and gifts, and looked one last time at the planet Earth, and the companion they were leaving there.

"Sailor TELEPORT!"

~***~

Michiru looked out the window, for yet another time that night, and saw three shooting stars--red, violet and green--winging their way back home. "Haruka...it looks like our little planet has inherited a shooting star, doesn't it?"

On the bed, Haruka looked up from her watch over the sleeping Hotaru. "Do you think we'll all be happy this time? With one more star?"

"I know most of us will be happy. But..." She moved to the bed with Haruka and stroked Hotaru's hair gently. "I wonder if she'll ever be happy again."

Haruka frowned. "I'll be happy if she just wakes up again."

"Three days is a long time. But I think she'll be all right."

"But she has eternity to hold her grudge."

Michiru, with her hand still on Hotaru's head, leaned over and kissed her lover on the cheek. "Let's hope she uses that eternity to forgive."

~***~

The towers of Crystal Tokyo rose into the misty clouds. A lone, dark figure in a Sailor Senshi fuku slowly approached the throne room. She had tried to avoid this place with every ounce of her soul, but fate had conspired to bring her here, if only once.

I must face this woman that I serve, that I protect, that I hate, she thought. Fate has been nothing but cruel to me since that night.

She reached the doors, and the guards quickly opened the doors for a recognized, albeit estranged, guardian of Neo-Queen Serenity.

She saw her Queen perched on the crystal throne, awaiting her arrival. "Sailor Saturn, I'm happy to see you again," Serenity said.

"It was my duty to appear before you, my Queen," she coldly replied. "On what business have you summoned me? Do you have a mission for me?"

Serenity sighed, and looked with sad eyes upon her former friend. "Saturn...Hotaru-chan... I've wanted you to meet someone for a long time. Would you do me the courtesy?"

Saturn could have thought up countless bitter responses to that request, but she held her tongue. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Serenity grinned broadly. "Thank you," she said, and then turned her attention to a doorway behind the throne. "Small Lady, please come out here!"

This was no shock to Saturn--she had been informed by a messenger of the birth of a new Princess. Neo-Queen Serenity had invited her to the announcement ceremony. But that was one "courtesy" that Saturn did not want to extend to her ruler. Had she known this was the purpose of her summons, she would never have shown up.

A small girl with pale blue hair, in odango like her mother's, slowly walked up to the Silent Senshi and curtsied. She wore a white dress, much like the one her mother had worn in her younger life, and the royal symbol, a bright yellow crescent moon, glowed on her forehead.

A voice rang in her head. Hotaru-chan...

Saturn stepped back in shock. It's been ages since I had this feeling. And now, from this girl...?

The voice came again, louder and stronger. You have to believe...

Believe? What should I believe? WHY should I believe?!

"Sailor Saturn?" the girl inquired. "Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity, daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity and Seiya Kou. I am very happy to meet you."

Saturn knelt down to the small Princess' level. "I-I'm pleased to meet you, Small Lady." She immediately looked up at Neo-Queen Serenity. "This wave...she has the same wave! I can feel her! Is she...?"

"No, Hotaru-chan, she is not. But she is my daughter. Do you think...you can accept her? I know she is not ChibiUsa. But I love her. All I ask is that you give her a chance. That you try and love her like I do."

You used to believe, didn't you?

Maybe I did, but...

"Sailor Saturn, are you okay?" The Princess had her nose inches from Saturn's, and was staring at her with her huge blue eyes. "You look upset."

Serenity waited quietly on the throne, watching this interaction.

Saturn tried to break her gaze away from the small girl's, but those eyes kept drawing her in. I want to believe, ChibiUsa-chan. Can I?

Be happy, Hotaru-chan. Shed that pain you've harbored. Please?

...Maybe. Now I can finally try to be happy.

"Small Lady..." Saturn said to the little girl, "call me Hotaru-chan, okay?"

The Princess grinned. "Okay...Hotaru-chan! Call me Usagi-chan!"

Saturn giggled. "Okay. It's a deal."

Thank you, ChibiUsa-chan...

~***~

~***~