Chapter 10: Taiki is Blamed?! Yaten Fights to Avenge Princess Fireball! A picture of Taiki, taken candidly by Hoshi at Momoko’s 16th birthday party, was hanging on the wall of the palace. Yaten lived there now, with her family and Shingo, because she was married to the Queen’s brother, though she wasn’t exactly considered to be royalty and neither were her kids. She glared at the picture and flung it to the floor. Luckily, Kaiyona caught it. “Why do you hate Aunt Taiki so much, Mama?” she asked, confused. “Because...she’s the reason Princess Fireball died!” Yaten screamed, both furious and still grieving for her beloved princess. “NO WAY!!! I cannot believe that Aunt Taiki would EVER kill anyone; she’s too unemotional to do that!” Utsukushii yelled, her orange eyes blazing with fury and protectiveness for Taiki, whom she adored. “Well, she didn’t kill her, but it was HER FAULT!! She should’ve done more to save her when the Black Moon came!” Yaten snarled, grabbing Utsukushii by her shirt collar. Utsukushii Lights couldn’t understand! Her IQ was 1,000, so instead of going to a regular school, she helped Taiki at the observatory and learned from her. She adored her aunt, and always protected her in a fight. Sushi Lights, over at her little place, was also angry with Yaten. It all started the day her sister Nabiki was born. When it came time to name the new baby, Yaten warned Seiya to not name her anything stupid “like Sushi again.” Little 3-year old Sushi heard this, and hated Yaten ever since. Adding to the problem was the fact that Taiki and Pikachu didn’t bring any income into the family, Taiki being an amateur astronomer who refused money that she was given, and Pikachu being too argumentative to hold a job. Seiya was a singer at Makoto’s restaurant, Zeus’s Thunderbolt, but that wasn’t enough. Luckily, the royal family gave them some money too, but why wouldn’t Yaten help out?! She often scolded the Queen for helping them, believing them to be undeserving of the money. And most of all, she and Nabiki wished they could have more toys. Seiya and Taiki might like the simple life, but it just wasn’t Sushi’s way! “Yaten-san?” asked a voice, knocking on Yaten’s bedroom door. “Come in,” answered the silver-haired woman blankly. She was lying on her bed, partially out of boredom and partially to hide from Utsukushii, who was tearing around the palace looking for her with fury. It was, luckily, just Princess Usagi. “Yeah, what do you want, Chibi-Usa,” Yaten sighed, rolling over and trying to bury herself in her covers. “Mama said she found your daughter running around the palace and stopped her. I’m surprised you’d let her do that; she might break some royal heirlooms. Is Taiki-oneechan rubbing off on you?” teased Usagi, ignoring the fact that Yaten called her by her childhood name instead of even acknowledging her royal status. “Better that than have her attack me with that scary telekinesis of hers,” Yaten mumbled into her pillow. “What did you do to make her so angry, anyway? Utsu-chan is usually pretty easygoing when I see her, even though she’s a trickster,” Usagi asked, curious. “All I did was say that Taiki should’ve done more to help save our Princess Fireball, and she went ballistic on me!” Yaten shouted in exasperated confusion, finally sitting up. “You know, Utsu-chan adores Taiki-oneechan. She’s just protecting the honor of her loved one,” Usagi tried to reason with Yaten. “But what about ME?! I’M her mother! Go tell Usagi that she should spank Utsukushii,” Yaten snarled. “Hey, I’M Usagi now, my mother is Neo-Queen Serenity,” Usagi corrected. “No, you’re Chibi-Usa and she’s Usagi, and that’s what I’ll call you two, okay?” Yaten retorted. “That’s not okay. If you don’t stop being disrespectful, we might have to send you to live with your sisters and keep Shingo-kun and your kids here,” threatened Usagi, her red eyes looking menacing. “What?! Shingo and I are NOT getting a divorce!” Yaten screamed back. “That’s not what I mean. A couple can live in two different places and still be married. But while the rest of your family deserves our handouts, you don’t,” Usagi said, trying to stay calm and regal. Yaten glared at her, then stomped out the room wordlessly. She soon found the Queen with Utsu; they were giggling together as if they were life-long best friends. “Hi, Yaten-san! I found your daughter; she seemed angry at you at first, but now she’s calmed down, am I right, Utsu-chan? Utsu-chan?” Neo-Queen-Serenity looked to see Utsukushii snarling at Yaten. “How DARE you insult Taiki-sama’s honor like that!” she fumed. “Knock it off. All I said was that she should’ve done more to save Princess Fireball’s life,” Yaten snorted, brushing off the fact that her daughter WAS a powerful and extremely intelligent telekinetic girl. “You’ll pay for insulting my Taiki-sama! Healer Prism Power, Make Up!” Utsukushii screamed, transforming, as Yaten angered her even more. “What are YOU going to do about it?” Yaten challenged calmly, baiting her daughter. “I’ll show you!” Chibi Healer retorted, and then, concentrating hard, she lifted Yaten up with a mental boost, and threw her across the room. “Utsu-chan! You know better than to use your powers like that! This fight is senseless! Maybe Taiki-chan was cold to her Princess, but she doesn’t deserve the terrible treatment you give her, Yaten-san. I know you’re still grieving for your Princess, but that doesn’t give you the right to blame Taiki-chan for it; it wasn’t her fault that the Black Moon family attacked. I’ll give you comfort if you’re sad about losing your Princess, but I won’t tolerate your cruel comments about your own younger sister. My brother Shingo may have been annoying when we were younger, but you know yourself that he is a good person. And Taiki-chan is too,” Neo-Queen Serenity finished her speech, managing to scold both Star Healer generations. By that time, Yaten was leaning on the wall, rubbing the spot on her head where she had landed, and Chibi Healer was sitting down, still panting from the telekinetic exertion of lifting someone bigger than her. “Now, you two. I’ve got your family coming over here for a visit soon, so this will be a chance to start being nice to them, right Yaten-san?” warned the Queen. Yaten quietly sat down, still dizzy from getting her head crashed. “Utsu-oneesan,” a voice said. The silver-haired telekinetic girl looked around. It wasn’t the Queen or Princess Usagi talking, she knew that. Her orange eyes finally rested upon a small girl. She was about 3’ 6” in height, and her light blue hair was worn in a style similar to the Queen’s trademark “odango pigtails.” Her purple eyes were framed by a pair of glasses. It was her sister, Kaiyona. “What is it, Kai- chan?” Utsukushii asked. “What happened to Mama over there?” asked Kaiyona, pointing to Yaten, who was still sitting on the floor by the doorway. “Your big sister threw me with her telekinesis,” Yaten snapped, trying to stand up again. “Utsu-oneesan! That was mean!” Kaiyona exclaimed, shocked. “Mama was the mean one. She insults Taiki-sama and says it was her fault that Princess Fireball died, whoever she was,” Utsukushii retorted. “How can you not remember Fireball-sama?!” Yaten shrieked, almost sounding scared and hysterical. “Well, maybe because she DIED LONG BEFORE I WAS BORN!!!!” screamed Utsukushii, grabbing her green star pendant, ready to transform again. “So, you want a battle, huh?” a voice challenged from the doorway. It was Yuriko, holding her transformation wand. “You’re on. Healer Prism Power, Make Up!” “Autumn Seasonal Power, Make Up!” The two Senshi transformed, one gaining a typical Sailor Starlights outfit, and the other a brown outfit that was more like the Earth Senshi’s. “Oh you two. You both should just be reading books,” said Nabiki. “Why?” Sailor Autumn demanded. “Because you wear glasses, and because Chibi Healer is a genius,” Nabiki explained as if she were talking to those who were younger than her. “Don’t patronize and stereotype me! Autumn Harvest Pumpkins!” shouted Sailor Autumn, and she threw a few pumpkins at Nabiki, who got hit by one, while the others splatted against the wall. “Throwing pumpkins is a stupid attack! Fighter Prism Power, Make Up!” Nabiki yelled, and she transformed into Sailor Chibi Star Fighter. Meanwhile, Sushi Lights was elsewhere, and so was Yaten. “Take back what you said about my name, or regret it!” Sushi had transformed into Sailor Chibi Aurora, and she was aiming an attacking finger at Yaten. “No way. And that was meant to insult Seiya for choosing the name, not you. Healer Star Power, Make Up!” Soon Yaten was also transformed as well. “Then give us more money!” Chibi Aurora shouted. “Not until Taiki stops being a deadbeat astronomer and works for money. And not until Pikachu learns to quit being argumentative and so obsessive about furrowed brows!” Star Healer retorted. “Ha. The only reason you don’t have to work is because you married the Queen’s brother. And I hear she’s on the verge of kicking you out of the palace,” Chibi Aurora said smugly. “She may say that to look like a tough Queen in front of me. But she’d never do it. She’s too wimpy. She’s got too much of her pathetic compassion,” Yaten snorted. “Oh yeah? I think you’re wrong about compassion being a thing for weaklings. Didn’t you always say that your Princess disliked unemotional and/or cold people, and now...look at you! You’re being everything she wouldn’t have wanted you to be!” Chibi Aurora scolded her aunt. “Don’t talk about Fireball-sama that way! You wouldn’t know what she wanted! Star Sensitive Inferno!” Chibi Aurora dodged the green ball of fire that was shot at her, and quickly retalitated with an “Rainbow Prismatic Ray!”, a rainbow-swirled beam of energy that shot at Star Healer, knocking her to the floor. “Fireball-sama, I’ll avenge you! Star Sensitive...WAAGGH!!” Star Healer was suddenly pulled back by Usagi and Neo-Queen Serenity’s firm grip. “Yaten-san, that is enough. None of the Senshi here have done anything to your Princess. In fact, we already avenged her for you when the Black Moon was defeated. So why are you attacking Sushi-chan? She wasn’t the one who killed Princess Fireball; she never even knew her,” Usagi pointed out. “But...but she thinks she can tell me what Fireball-sama would have wanted! And that’s wrong! She loved me the way I am!” Yaten screamed, struggling to get free as green ribbons flashed around her and she was detransformed by Neo-Queen Serenity and her Silver Crystal. “Usagi-san. Chibi-Usa-san. Why are you taking her power?” a soft, cold, and familiar voice asked. It was Taiki! “What are YOU doing here?! You’re the reason Fireball-sama died! You wouldn’t protect her properly! Most of all, HOW WAS IT INEVITABLE!!?? YOU SAID SHE WAS FATED TO DIE BECAUSE SHE’S A MONARCH?! SHE CAN’T HELP BEING BORN A PRINCESS!!!!!!” Yaten was flailing wildly. Neo-Queen Serenity and Princess Usagi could barely hold her down. “Why are you taking her power?” Taiki asked again. “Because she is accusing your poor niece Sushi-chan of killing a Princess she never met,” grunted Princess Usagi, still trying to hold Yaten down. “Look, Taiki-chan. I know you think it’s wrong for us to restrain your sister, but it’s also wrong for Yaten-san to attack people for killing someone they never even met. And I’m sure you didn’t just let Princess Fireball die, did you?” asked Neo-Queen Serenity reasonably. “You have enough power already. Power corrupts,” said Taiki, holding her ground. “What?! When have I ever been oppressive?!” Neo-Queen Serenity exclaimed. “You were oppressing Yaten-san. It’s her choice to attack and have the consequences of that,” Taiki explained. “Then the consequences are that I grab her. I think you’re the one oversteppiing your boundaries. Before you call me oppressive, why don’t you go out to the people and find out just how much oppression there is,” Neo-Queen Serenity retorted. “There’s a LOT right here!” called Yaten. But her cries went unheard, as Taiki was gone, out of the room, two girls following her eagerly.