Chapter 12: Quietly Rebellious Taiki! The Family Feud Fires! The next day, Taiki was still sick. “Isn’t there some cure?” Seiya asked her Princess. “I don’t think that a disease caused by the enemy would have a cure known to doctors. The best we can do is take care of her here,” said Princess Fireball sadly. “I’ll leave that to you and Yaten. I was bad at taking care of Hotaru’s family and they got mad at me,” said Seiya. “I hear you made a mess of their clothes,” laughed the red-haired alien princess as she and Seiya entered Taiki’s bedroom. Taiki was awake, though still lying down on her bed. “I have a question to ask you, Taiki-chan. It’s about those name endings. If you believe in democracy and equality so much, then why do you use a different name ending for your sisters?” challenged Princess Fireball, kneeling down to Taiki’s bedside. Yaten poked her head in, and added “Yeah, why? I bet you really don’t believe like that.” All was silent as Taiki thought the question over. “Then to not compromise my beliefs, I will use the same ending for everyone from now on, Fireball-san,” she finally said. Princess Fireball burned with rage; how could her plan have messed up like that?! She had meant to make Taiki sacrifice her democratic beliefs! “How dare you, you cold-hearted monster girl! To use the formal -san for your own family is cruel and heartless! And call me Fireball-SAMA, you disrespectful child!” she scolded. “Yeah, now I disown you!” shouted Yaten, agreeing with her princess. “What?! Taiki-chan has the right to call us whatever she wants! You’re the mean one!” accused Seiya, taking Taiki’s side. “Out! Both of you! You are banished from this house!” shouted Princess Fireball. She grabbed Seiya and Taiki’s transformation pens and threw them out the door. Seiya ran out after hers, and Taiki followed, more slowly because of her illness. “Good riddance to them. They were nuisances, not sisters,” sniffed Yaten. “Well, now where can we stay?” asked Seiya, still mad. “Maybe we could go to Hino-san’s temple. Possibly her psychic powers could cure my disease?” suggested Taiki. It took awhile, but they arrived at the Hino temple. Of course, Grandpa Hino’s eyes bugged out lustfully when he saw them. “WOW! A sexy girl and a strong man! She can be my girlfriend, and he can help with the shrine chores!” he exclaimed, running up to Seiya and Taiki excitedly. “Grandpa! Don’t you know who they are? It’s Seiya-chan and her younger sister, Taiki-chan. They’re both girls,” corrected Rei. “Yeah, Taiki-chan’s not a man. She’s a 12-year old girl,” agreed Seiya. Grandpa Hino looked disappointed, then brightened. “Oh well, she still looks strong enough for shrine chores. A strong girl will do as well, and when she gets older...OW! Rei!” he shouted as Rei bopped him lightly with the broom she was holding. “Stop that! Now why did you girls come here?” she asked. “Fireball-chan doesn’t want us in the house anymore. She’s being mean. She said that Taiki-chan should be banished because she’s cold with her name endings,” said Seiya, her anger rising again. “Cold with name endings? I don’t quite get it. Maybe you can explain later, and we’d love to have you. Just as long as you agree to help out in the shrine,” said Rei, a bit confused by Seiya’s explanation. “What Seiya-san was trying to say was that Fireball-san doesn’t want me using the plain -san ending for my sisters. She says it’s cold and heartless,” explained Taiki as they entered the shrine, Grandpa Hino drooling over Seiya’s curvaceous and voluptous figure. “That is rather bossy of her. You should be allowed to call your sisters anything you want! I would want the same right if I had siblings!” declared Rei. “Yeah! And Rei-chan, why is that guy following me?” asked Seiya. “Oh, that’s my grandpa. He likes pretty girls and is overly flirtaceous,” said Rei, blushing a little. “Rei-chan, the other reason we came was Taiki-chan has a weird disease and we thought that you could cure it,” Seiya said. Rei gasped upon hearing that. “What’s wrong?” asked Seiya. “Does she have the same symptoms as Haruka-san and her friends?” asked Rei. “Yeah, I tried to take care of them but they got mad at me,” said Seiya. “If they have the same thing, there may not be a cure. I couldn’t find one in the fire,” said Rei sadly. “You find cures in fire?! Then it’s easy! Show me the fire!” shouted Seiya, running into the divination room. “Stop. I said that I couldn’t find the answer that way. Maybe this is a job for Ami-chan. Maybe she could use her Mercury computer to figure out what’s wrong with your sister?” suggested Rei. “Ami-chan can use a computer to figure out a disease?! Why don’t we just take Taiki-chan to a doctor?” Seiya asked. “Did that work the last time she got sick? Noooo, I remember that the doctors couldn’t find what was wrong with her, and she was IN the hospital!” Rei snapped. “Well, if there’s no cure then....WWAAAAAH!!! Taiki-chan’s not going to DIE, is she?” sobbed Seiya. “No, it wore off...no, that’s not what Chibi-Usa-chan told us. She said that it was caused by a rampaging doctor-monster. But there are no monsters still alive that caused this one; it was given to Taiki-chan after we defeated Tellulu,” Rei thought aloud. “So what are you saying?” Seiya asked, confused and frightened. “I’m saying that we don’t KNOW!!! Let’s just see if Ami-chan can find what’s wrong, okay?” Rei persisted in her idea. “But how can a computer find what’s wrong?” Seiya asked, having never seen Sailor Mercury use her computer. “Maybe if Ami-chan came over, you could see how it works. Why don’t you call her; it’s your sister we’re trying to save,” said Rei kindly. “But can’t you use your psychic powers to cure Taiki-chan? Can’t you just stick one of those sticker-things on her?” Seiya asked, still unaware of the potential of Ami’s computer. “No, that’s for getting evil spirits out of people, and Taiki-chan doesn’t have that. She’s just got some weird disease,” answered Rei, pointing Seiya to the phone. While Rei went off to find a bedding arrangement for Taiki, Seiya reluctantly called Ami’s number. “Hello, Mizuno resi--Seiya-chan? What is it?” Ami asked. “Yeah, I’m at Rei-chan’s temple and she said you could use your computer to cure Taiki-chan’s weird disease,” explained Seiya. “Well, I’ll come over and see. If I can cure Taiki-chan, maybe I’ll cure Haruka-san and her family as well. I heard they were sick with the same thing,” said Ami. A bit later, the blue-haired genius girl arrived, magical computer in hand. “Ami-chan! You’re here! Maybe you can help my sister?” Seiya asked hopefully, greeting her. “We’ll see. Where is she?” Ami asked. “I don’t know. Rei-chan got a bed for her,” said Seiya. Rei then came into the room. “Well, Ami-chan, do you want to see your patient?” Rei teased. “Of course. I need to for curing her,” said Ami, not quite getting that it was a joke. Rei sighed slightly, her joke deflated, and she led Ami and Seiya to Taiki’s room. All three of them gasped when they saw what was going on in there. A man with spiky pink hair was whipping her, yelling at her to scream and to not be so stoic. “That’s Hawk Eye, from the Dead Moon Circus! We need to transform!” exclaimed Rei, ducking out of the room. “Who?” Seiya asked, confused. “Please transform, Seiya-chan,” Ami pleaded. “Okay! Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!” “Fighter Star Power, Make Up!” “Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!” Black, blue, and red lights flashed as the three girls became three Sailor Senshi, warriors of love and justice. “Stop right there!” Sailor Mars began. “You are attacking a sick child! That is extremely cruel!” Sailor Mercury scolded. “That child is my youngest sister! I won’t stand for it! I am Sailor Star Fighter!” “Sailor Mercury!” “Sailor Mars!” “Oh, Star Fighter, huh? You look more like Star Dominatrix to me,” Hawk Eye taunted. “Huh? Star what?” Star Fighter was confused again. “Seiya-chan, please stay on task. OW!” Sailor Mercury stopped short as Hawk Eye whipped her. “Get out of here, you bully! Mars Flame Sniper!” “Star Serious Laser!” “Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!” The three attacks shot at Hawk Eye, disintegrating him. Star Fighter immediately ran over to Taiki. “Taiki-chan? Are you okay? And what is a dominatrix?” she asked. Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars looked at each other and sighed. Seiya was a year older than them, but she acted like she was at least a year younger or less.