"Odango, are you sure you want to do this?" Seiya said, giving her a nervous glance. "You can wait a little while, you know."

     She smiled and touched his face gently. "Don't worry, it'll be fine," she replied, although she too was nervous. She wasn't looking forward to the task ahead of her.

     "Are you sure you don't want me to come along?"

     "It's probably best that you don't."

     Seiya exhaled slowly in relief. "You're right, I don't think I want to be there when you..."

     Usagi nodded. "I know."

     She turned away to begin her walk down the street, when Seiya gripped her shoulder and turned her around to face him again. He kissed her briefly on the cheek and whispered, "Good luck."

     As she turned away from him, into the afternoon sun, one thought ran through her mind. She sighed.

     This is going to be tough.

~***~

     Ami, Minako and Rei sat somberly in Makoto's living room. Makoto sat on the counter in the kitchen, staring out the window. All of them had the same thoughts in their heads, but none of them spoke. Nothing seemed like the right thing to say.

     Minako couldn't take the silence any longer. She looked at each of her friends in turn and voiced the question that had been on her mind since the "event" on the beach the day before.

     "You guys, are we really okay with this?"

     Ami stared into her tea. "We said we were..."

     "But..." Minako said, struggling to find the right words. "But won't this...screw up everything? The future? Crystal Tokyo?"

     This common fear of the four girls echoed softly throughout the room. Makoto continued to gaze out the window. "Everything we've fought to protect..." she trailed off, unsure of how to finish.

     "Does it really matter?"

     The other three turned to Rei, who had a familiar fire in her eyes. "You guys, hy are we even talking about this? It's not like we can do anything about it."

     Minako shifted uncomfortably. "But, Rei-chan..."

     She put her hands on her hips. "What, Minako-chan? How can any of us protest? It's not our right--"

     "Aren't you afraid?"

     Rei stopped and looked down sadly. "Of course I am. This could change everything..."

     "But you're right, Rei-chan." Makoto rested her chin on her knees, finally looking away from the sky to address the other girls. "This isn't our decision. Our future is in Usagi-chan's hands."

     They all fell silent, considering the implications of that.

     Ami looked up at her friends, trying to see them through the tears that were blurring her vision. "Then we just have to trust her, right?"

~***~

     Usagi, after a long walk in the late spring heat, finally reached the house. She raised her trembling hand to the door, but stopped short of knocking. She stood there for a moment, wondering if she should just turn around and run home. Come on, Usagi, she thought. Quit being such a coward.

Despite her attempt to reassure herself, though, she broke into a cold sweat. She grimaced at the nervous pain in her stomach.

     Before she could muster up the courage to knock, the door opened. Michiru stood in front of her, mildly surprised.

     "Hello, Usagi...how odd, I could sense that you were near. Were you about to knock?"

     She nodded grimly.

     "What's wrong, Usagi? Are you okay?"

     "Yes, Michiru-san, I'm fine," she said quietly, and took a deep breath. "Are the others home? I have something to tell you."

~***~

     Seiya opened the apartment door to the sound of Yaten angrily stomping his feet. He pounded his fists onto the air hockey table in the middle of the room. "Taiki! I'm not going to let you win again!"

     Taiki gripped his paddle with quiet confidence. "It's all geometry, Yaten. If you would just take my suggestions..."

     "I think you're just cheating...oh, hi Seiya."

     Seiya stared blankly. "When did you guys get an air hockey table?"

     Taiki turned to him. "This morning. Yaten thought I would like it. As it turns out, air hockey is my game. And Yaten can't stand losing."

     Yaten glared daggers at Taiki. "Shut up! What I can't stand is geometry! And you when you gloat!"

     Taiki shrugged. "Anyway, where's Usagi-san?"

     Yaten raised his eyebrow. "Yeah, did you two have a fight already?"

     Seiya gave him a scornful look. "No. She went to...break the news to Haruka-san and the others."

     Yaten yelped. "She WHAT?!"

     Taiki's eyes were wide. "Does she want them to kill you or something?"

     Seiya let out a nervous laugh. "No, but she had to tell them. They'd find out eventually anyway."

     "Still..." Yaten looked genuinely concerned for Seiya's well-being.

     "Look, I know what you mean. That's partly why I didn't go with her."

     "Only partly?" Taiki asked. "Is there something else?"

     "Yes," he said. He suddenly looked terribly sad. "Where is the Princess?"

     "In her bedroom," Yaten told him, and then cocked his head, appraising the look on Seiya's face. "Wait. You're going to..."

     "Yeah." A tear fell from his eye, as he pulled out his Star Brooch.

     "Fighter Star Power Make UP!"

     Sailor Star Fighter blinked away her tears and looked at her two companions. They returned her glance in silence.

     After a few moments, Yaten sighed and said, "Well, I guess we can't stop you."

     "Do what you have to do," Taiki said, smiling thinly.

     Fighter stepped forward and knocked on the door, nervously fingering her black ponytail. "Princess? I need to talk to you."

     "Come in," her gentle voice answered.

     Fighter opened the door and took in the sight of his Princess, leaning back in a chair, relaxing in the sunlight from the open window. Her hair appeared to be ablaze in the bright light. Kakyuu sat up immediately at her entrance, startled at what she saw.

     "Fighter?" she asked, perplexed. "Why do you approach me like this? Is something wrong?"

     She tried to smile and reassure Kakyuu, but the sadness in her eyes remained. "No, everything is fine. But this is something I need to do formally."

     Fighter knelt before her, and bowed her head, partially out of reverence, but mostly to hide the tears that were pouring down her face. And I haven't even said anything yet, she thought.

     "Princess, I...I have a request to make of you."

     Kakyuu swallowed hard and nodded her head slightly. "Yes, what is it, Fighter?"

     She kept her head bowed and spoke quickly, afraid that, if she stopped, she wouldn't be able to finish. "Our vacation is almost over, and we're supposed to return home soon..."

     Kakyuu's eyes welled up with tears as she finished Fighter's sentence. "...and you want to stay."

     Fighter looked up at her with wet blue eyes. "Thank you for saying it for me."

     "Fighter..." she got out of her chair and sat next to Fighter on the floor, wiping some of the tears from her friend's soaked face. "Are you sure you want to do this? What if..."

     "What if it doesn't work out?" Fighter smiled. "I'm willing to take that chance."

     "I understand that," Kakyuu replied. "I just want to be sure. This isn't something I can...accept easily."

     "Princess," Fighter said, looking in her Princess' eyes, "ever since we left this place, my mind has been consumed with thoughts of...her. My little Odango...I couldn't bear to ever be that far from her again."

     "Well, what about us?"

     Kakyuu and Fighter turned to see Taiki and Yaten in the doorway.

     Yaten was barely holding back his tears. Fighter thought that it had been three years since he had seen that kind of pain on her small friend's face. "Yeah, you want to be with her. We know. But won't you miss us? Because we'll miss you...so much..." Yaten buried his face in Taiki's chest, muffling his crying.

     Taiki put his arms around Yaten and looked down, forlorn. "I'm not going to be quite as emotional as Yaten, but we just want to be positive this is what you want. We don't want to let you go."

     Fighter ran her hands through her hair. "You guys...this is a painful thing for me to do, but I have to do it. I love her."

     Kakyuu looked away. "Fighter...I grant your request. You may remain on Earth. But..."

     "But what?"

     Kakyuu, like Yaten, could no longer contain her sorrow. She continued in a wavering voice, as tears spilled out of her crimson eyes. "But...if you ever, EVER want to return, you will always have a home on Kinmoku. With us." She embraced Fighter. "We will miss you more than you can possibly know."

     "Seiya..." Taiki began, getting misty-eyed himself. "As a Senshi, I can't believe what you're doing. Abandoning your duties...your oath to protect our Princess..."

     Kakyuu stood up. "Maker, please don't..."

     Taiki smiled. "Please don't misunderstand me, Princess. What I meant was, as a Senshi, I don't like what you're doing. But...as a friend, I understand. And I'll miss you, Seiya."

     Yaten let go of Taiki and looked angrily at Fighter with bloodshot green eyes. "I should have known that you would never let go of that odango atama." But his angry glance melted into one of sadness again. "So you had just better promise to visit us and write every day!"

     A smile crept onto Fighter's face, and she launched herself into Taiki and Yaten. The threesome held each other for a long time. None of them wanted to let go. "Taiki, Yaten...I love you both so much..."

     Watching her friends hug, Kakyuu recalled Usagi's words back at the beach. I guess I'm not giving up a friend, she thought. I'm helping make a friend happy. She smiled. "This isn't goodbye forever. You won't be rid of us so easily, Fighter."

     She laughed through her tears. "I wouldn't dream of it, Princess." The three pulled their Princess into their embrace, and time seemed to stop. Fighter closed her eyes. It's gonna be so hard to watch you leave...

     After a long time, they let go of each other. Fighter became serious again. "I wonder how Odango's doing...Haruka-san is probably on her way here to kill me."

     Yaten raised his eyebrows skeptically. "I can't even imagine how they're taking this..."

~***~

     "Everyone, Usagi is here!" Michiru shouted from the living room. "Haruka, put that controller down!"

     "Okay, okay, take it easy, Michiru," she said as she entered the room, rubbing her neck. "Well, if it isn't our little kitten. What's up?"

     "Hi, Haruka-san," she began. "I need to talk to all of you."

     Setsuna and Hotaru entered the room just as Haruka noticed Usagi's unease. The other two immediately sensed it; Setsuna seemed to be expecting the tension.

     The five of them sat. Usagi placed her hands on her knees and started to speak slowly.

     "Well, I have something...important to tell you guys, but...I don't quite know how to say it..."

     Haruka cocked an eyebrow at Michiru. "Our odango is so nervous, eh?" Then she turned back to Usagi. "Don't worry, just tell us. Come on, we're dying to know."

     "Yeah, tell us, Usagi-san," Hotaru agreed. "It's okay."

     Setsuna remained silent.

     "Well, okay, if you say so," Usagi said, after a long pause. "I'm going to... to..."

     Haruka scowled impatiently. "What?"

     She blurted it out. "I'm going to break up with Mamo-chan!"

     Haruka sat back in her chair, stunned. Michiru started to wring her hands in silent distress. Setsuna looked away, and seemed to be focusing on the potted plant in the corner of the room. Hotaru stared at Usagi, eyes filling fast with tears.

     "Why?" Hotaru shouted. "Why would you do that?!"

     Michiru put her hand on Usagi's. "Is this because of Seiya-kun?" Hotaru turned to Michiru in shock.

     Usagi squeezed Michiru's hand in affirmation. "Yes...he's the reason."

     Michiru sat back. "I see."

     Hotaru was furious, tears spilling down her cheeks. "What does that mean? You can't possibly be okay with this!" She looked to Haruka with pleading eyes, silently imploring her to intervene.

     Haruka leaned forward quietly, stroking her chin. After a few minutes, in which Usagi looked ready to leap out of her skin, she addressed them.

     "So you're in love with Seiya-kun? I guess that means I'll have to see him more often, huh?"

     Eight pairs of eyes grew wide at Haruka's words.

     Usagi was nonplussed. "Haruka-san? Do you mean what I think you mean?"

     She smirked. "What did you think, that I would say no?"

     "Well, yes, that's exactly what I thought."

     Haruka's eyes grew serious. "I'm glad you came to tell us, and it is a big decision, but it is yours to make. You don't need my permission."

     Hotaru was hysterical. "Haruka-poppa! You don't know what you're saying!"

     "I know exactly what I'm saying," she snapped back. "Look. We can try to run her life all we want, but she is an adult now. I'm sure she has agonized over this for a long time. Am I right?"

     Usagi nodded.

     "But...but...what about the future?! What about Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion?! And ChibiUsa-chan?! How can you--"

     "I'm sure there will be consequences. But I'm not going to interfere. None of us will." She looked at Michiru and Setsuna, confirming her words.

     Michiru gave a slight nod in agreement. "Usagi, all I ask is that you remember one thing: we have responsibilities as Sailor Senshi to protect our world in the future. If you trust yourself to do that, regardless of this, then I'm behind you."

     "Thank you, Michiru-san."

     Hotaru was so choked with tears that she could no longer speak. She ran upstairs, wailing desperately, a trail of tears left in her wake.

     Setsuna looked up after her, then turned to Usagi. "Please take care, Usagi. You have my support." Without another word, she returned to her own room.

     "Well, my kitten, I guess I have to let you grow up, don't I?" Haruka said, a little wistfully. "You should probably be going. Michiru and I need to talk to Hotaru."

     She reluctantly stood up to head for the door. "I hope Hotaru-chan doesn't hate me..." She cast a fretful glance toward the door Hotaru had slammed loudly moments before.

     Michiru walked her to the door and gave her a quick embrace. "She won't. In time, she'll understand, I hope." As Usagi walked down the path, frequently looking back, Michiru stood in the doorway, watching her go. Haruka appeared next to her.

     "You've changed, Haruka. Even I wouldn't have expected that from you."

     "Not even you know everything about me."

     "More than most, I would assume."

     Haruka blushed. "Yeah...I suppose I've shared more with you."

     Michiru took a moment's satisfaction from Haruka's reddened face, but shook herself into seriousness. "Haruka...can I ask why you said what you did? You...and I, of all people, should be convincing Usagi not to do this. Yet I keep getting a strange feeling...like there's no problem at all."

     "Michiru...it's not like us, is it?"

     "Are you worried?"

     Haruka's eyes were still tracking Usagi down the street. "Hotaru is right. There could be problems because of this. But..."

     "But what?"

     She let out a small smile and slipped her arm around Michiru's waist. "I have a feeling everything will turn out fine. She loves Seiya-kun, doesn't she?"

     "Are you going to say something about love solving problems? How cute."

     "You shouldn't tease me like that, Michiru."

     She laughed. "I'll just wait until later for that."

     Haruka blushed again.

     Michiru sighed and sat down on the steps. She took a moment to look at the sky, as if for guidance, then turned around to face Haruka. "But I think you're right. I somehow feel...okay with this."

     "Me, too."

~***~

     "Mamo-chan! Can we go get ice cream? Please?"

     Mamoru smiled at the girl perched on his shoulders. "Yeah, sure, that sounds good."

     The two walked over to a nearby parlor. Shortly afterward, ChibiUsa was busily inhaling her chocolate ice cream. Mamoru laughed at his gluttonous future daughter and absent-mindedly waded his spoon through his own dessert. "Are you having fun with me, ChibiUsa?"

     "Yeah! I'm so glad stupid Usagi isn't here to come between us."

     "Actually, Usa-ko was the one who suggested we have a day alone together. She thought you would enjoy it."

     ChibiUsa blinked. "You mean she wanted us to spend time alone? That's not like her."

     Mamoru thought the same thing, but didn't say so. "She may act jealous, but deep down she doesn't mind. You know that."

     "I guess you're right." She sighed. "Mamo-chan, has Usagi seemed... weird to you?"

     "Why do you ask?"

     "She's just been acting really distant, at least since I got here."

     He was about to reassure her when he noticed a subtle movement in her hand. He looked down and saw it again--her small fingers flickering out, like she was on a static-ridden television station. He rubbed his eyes, to make sure he wasn't imagining it. It's subtle, but it's there, he thought, as he saw it a third time.

     "Mamo-chan!" ChibiUsa cried. "Are you okay? Mamo-chan, answer me!"      He snapped out of his short daze to see ChibiUsa staring at him with her large red eyes. He stared at her for a moment, unable to speak.

     "Uh...I'm fine, ChibiUsa. Sorry."

     "Don't do that to me, Mamo-chan! You looked like you'd seen a ghost!"

     Not quite a ghost, but still... he thought. "I'm sorry, really. I just fazed out for a minute."

     It's begun, then, he thought. It was only a matter of time, I suppose.      "Usa-ko..."

~***~

~***~

     A couple of hours later, Hotaru peeked out of her bedroom. When she didn't see Haruka or Michiru nearby, she slipped down the hall, and quietly entered Setsuna's room. She saw the emerald-haired woman slumped at her desk, with a pen held in her slender hand. She hurriedly stuffed some papers into her desk at the sound of Hotaru approaching behind her.

     "Hotaru! What are you doing in here?"

     "I wanted to talk to you, Setsuna-momma...what were you writing?"

     "It was nothing..." She then noticed Hotaru's red eyes. "How are you doing? I think I probably know what you want to talk about."

     "How can Haruka-poppa and Michiru-momma think this is right? They just want to...to...let her DIE!" With those words out of her mouth, she burst into fresh tears.

     Setsuna pulled Hotaru close and held her. "I know it seems like a horrible thing to do, but Usagi must follow her heart. You know that, don't you?"

     Hotaru slowly pulled out of Setsuna's embrace, her face stricken with horror. "You mean...you agree with them?"

     "Yes, I do."

     "But...but...don't you care for ChibiUsa-chan? Don't ANY of you care?!"

     Setsuna looked down at her hands. "I care for her very much. But if this is Usagi's will, then this is the way it must be."

     "Usagi-san isn't God, Setsuna-momma!" Hotaru shouted, raging. "And she doesn't have the right to take ChibiUsa-chan away from me!" Before Setsuna could respond, she ran from the room.

     Setsuna sat for a few moments and reflected on what she had to do. I hope I'm doing the right thing, she thought, pulling out her papers. It hurts to even think about it. She looked around her bedroom, filled with pictures of herself with Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru. Her eyes rested on a photo of herself with Usagi, cheerfully waving at the camera. Slowly, sadly, her eyes pulled away, and looked out the window, at the cold loneliness of the nighttime sky. I'll miss this life. Finally, she picked up her pen, and stared at the words she had already written. "Hotaru... I know you will understand someday," she whispered, and began to write again.

~***~