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Alderaan had been her goal for so long, but the events that took place while she was there changed the course of her entire life. There was so much to be done now: she had to train as a Sailor Senshi first of all; she'd also promised to teach the ancient language in her 'True Kingdom of Myrkr' book to several of the other Senshi, though she didn't think it a real practical language to know; her best friend Maiko -- who had been accepted to several dance schools on Alderaan and was trying to decide which to go to -- had asked her to bring some of her things from Myrkr. She also had to decide what to tell Maiko about the Sailor Senshi; they were so close, she couldn't just pretend nothing unusual was going on. But before she could do any of these things, Chikako really felt she needed to find answers to a lot of her own questions.
"Daddy?"
Her father got to his feet, carrying a basket of seeds and a small shovel. His blue eyes crinkled a little and he smiled slightly. "We need to talk, don't we?"
The two sat in the kitchen with mismatched teacups and the same orange
kettle they'd had as long as Chikako could remember. On the way to Myrkr,
she'd made a list of all her questions. That was on the table too, as well
as an ancient purple book, a crystallized flower petal, and the silver
necklace and ring her father had given her the day she'd left Myrkr. There
was a small picture of a young, dark haired woman in front of her father.
"Where do we start?" Chikako wondered.
"I'll start," her father said. "I'm not your real father."
"Oh." Chikako had considered that, but it was still very strange and difficult to hear. Especially when put so bluntly.
He picked up the picture. "This was my wife, Leilani Samara."
Chikako took it. The woman in the picture was about her age, with big brown eyes and long dark hair pulled back into a thick roll, except for a thin braid on either side hanging down past her waist. She was wearing a beautiful, foreign looking dress: the skirt and sleeves were of pleated, cream-colored satin; over that, she wore a sort of silky white apron with large beads hanging from the hem, and a wide green sash around her middle.
"She's probably not my mother, then, is she?" Chikako asked.
"More of a distant cousin, really." He picked up Chikako's necklace. "Her mother gave her this. It was passed from mother to daughter for hundreds of years, at least. Maybe thousands." He shrugged. "She said it came with a promise: each daughter had to promise to return it to its rightful owner when Myrkr was peaceful enough."
"Myrkr's been peaceful for years!" Chikako interrupted.
"Well, I guess Leilani was the first to take the promise seriously."
"Who's the rightful owner?" Chikako asked.
"You are! As the story goes, the Kingdom of Myrkr was invaded and your real mother - not Leilani - was pregnant and was on the only transport to make it off the planet. You - you were four years old - hid when the transport left so you could stay there and fight the invaders. But your father found you and hid you in a cave just north of the City, putting you in some kind of deep magic-induced sleep in which you wouldn't age. He sent a message to your mother in case he didn't survive, telling her where you were. But the invaders conquered the planet and your mother couldn't return. So she gave her necklace - this one here - to your sister who was born after she left the planet, and made her promise to return to Myrkr when it was safe. She was to give you this necklace and raise you as her own daughter so that you could serve the King of Myrkr.
"But Myrkr was not safe in your sister's time, or in her daughter's. By the time it was safe enough to return, the woman who had your necklace was happily settled on another planet and assumed that the King of Myrkr was dead, and that the story about you was probably made up by a grieving mother. But she did think it was a nice family heirloom and passed both the necklace and the story on.
"This went on for generations till it reached Leilani Samara - who believed every word of it. She was a handmaiden for a Queen on Kashyyyk when I met her. Before we married, she made me promise that we would fulfill the legend of this necklace."
He paused for a moment, and Chikako tried to let it all sink in: Her real mother was really an ancient anscestor of the woman she had always believed to be her mother. So it was possible that the general who wrote 'The True Kingdom of Myrkr' was her father...
"I went with her to the cave," he continued, interrupting her thoughts. "And there you were, just as the story said. You were wearing some kind of sailor's suit. And this ring was on your finger." He picked up the tiny circle of silver. "I don't know what it means. We didn't know how to wake you up, but as soon as Leilani touched you, you opened your eyes and called her 'Mu.' I guess it means Mom."
"It does," Chikako said.
Her father looked surprised for a moment, but went on. "You learned Basic in a few weeks. After that we went all over the galaxy looking for a place to live. Ironically, we ended up back here, partially because of my, ah, background." He smiled. "Leilani thought it was fate and made me promise not to move. So now you know why we had to stay here: I promised her we would."
Chikako laughed a little. "I couldn't have left anyway." She pointed to the bracelet Maiko had given her ten years ago, which she'd so recently remembered the reason for. "I made a promise, too."
They were quiet for a while. She finished her second cup of tea and her father gazed at the picture of Leilani Samara from across the table. Chikako put her necklace back on. "Dad, I'm still really confused," she finally admitted.
"I've told you everything I know," her father said. He hesitated. "But there is somebody else."
"We met him the day we came for you," Chikako's father said as they climbed
a tree sprinkled hill in the orange light of evening. "Scared the living
Force outta me."
"You had the Force?"
"It's just an expression, Chika-chan."
"Oh. Well, what is he?" Chikako asked.
"I really don't know. But he was there when your parents - your real parents - were born. He's ancient, or eternal, or - I don't know what he is. But we're almost there."
They climbed over that hill, then down the other side. Chikako scooped up a handful of pink flowers, just to drop them again when she realized she didn't know what to do them. They passed through a grove of trees and came out at the base of another hill. Her father stopped, and pointed at something.
"That's my cave?" Chikako asked. He nodded. It was really more of a crawl space that went a few feet into the hill and ended. The entrance had a curtain of tall weeds and an overhang of moss. It was a good hiding place, but not somewhere she'd have chosen to sleep for a few thousand years. "Nobody ever found me here?"
"Not with a guardian like Nuri," her father answered.
"Is he here?" she asked in a whisper.
Her father approached the cave. "Nuri?" he called, a little nervous. "There's no reason for him to guard the cave anymore," he whispered to Chikako, "but he said he'd return when you did."
Chikako glanced behind her. Evening was usually her favorite part of the day, but it suddenly seemed a little colder, and the shadows seemed a bit longer and darker. The woods seemed unusually quiet. Maybe it was all because they were whispering.
"Nuri?" her father called again. He was looking up this time. He looked back towards the cave. "It's me, Yuria. Chikako is here."
But Chikako almost ran away a second later. Instead, she found herself face down on the ground with her hands over her head and her legs to weak to stand up. Whatever shadows she had been fearing were vanquished in a moment by a roaring column of orange fire as tall as the trees themselves, with a diameter almost as wide as the span of Chikako's arms.
"Don't be afraid, Pretty Soldier Sailor Myrkr."
Chikako looked up. "Are you Nuri?" she asked just above a terrified whisper.
"Yes," the flame answered. "I have been your guardian since the day you were conceived. Don't be afraid. Stand up, Chikako."
She obeyed. She couldn't have disobeyed had she wanted to.
"What are you looking for?" Nuri asked. Its voice wasn't human, exactly. Or alien, for that matter. Chikako couldn't place it. She wasn't even sure if it really spoke out loud.
She didn't think she could talk even if she knew what to say. Her throat was choked with fear still, and shock, and a myriad of other feelings she couldn't identify. Nuri was silent for a moment. "I will show you," it finally said.
On a warm summer evening, a brown haired woman in a long blue dress stood
near an old fashioned star freighter parked in a clearing. The sun had been
gone for some time but it wasn't quite dark yet, and in the dusky light, the
girl looked just like Leilani Samara.
Smoke rose in the distance and dull explosions echoed off the trees. The young woman whipped around at a closer noise and her thick ponytail swirled around her knees. Her wavy locks and tiny braids finally settled back into place only to be thrown about again when she heard another sound. At the next sound -- a rustling just inside the forest's edge -- her hands went to her mouth and she backed up towards the ship, her brown eyes darting around frantically. She had been trained as a warrior once, but had never been in a real conflict. That, and she'd given her weapon to one of the young soldiers just before leaving the city.
"Nyssa!"
"Justen?" Nyssa stopped backing toward the ship. A young man wearing dark red and blue robes with a broad metal sword at his side ran to her from the edge of the clearing. "Oh, it is you," the young woman said, sighing and relaxing her shoulders just a little.
He nodded and brushed his sandy blonde hair out of his eyes. His blue eyes were wet, but so far, he had kept them from overflowing. He embraced Nyssa. "I couldn't find her," he whispered.
Nyssa hid her face in his shoulder. "So stubborn...!" she mumbled through through her tears.
"I'll keep her safe, Nyssa," Justen said, making her look at him. They stayed in that position for a moment; it seemed like nothing around them moved... till they both jumped when something exploded nearby.
"We need to leave!" someone called from within the ship.
"You need to leave," Justen repeated. Nyssa had stopped crying but still couldn't respond. "I'll send a message," Justen whispered. He let his hand rest on her belly for a moment, then kissed his wife quickly. "Go," he said. She backed up the ramp without taking her eyes on him. Nyssa was pulled into the freighter when she got close enough and they immediately closed the door and took off.
"General!" someone shouted a few moments later.
Justen, who was still watching the sky though the freighter had long since disappeared, jumped and nearly drew his sword at one of his own men.
"I'm sorry Sir," the soldier said. "But it couldn't wait."
"What is it?" Justen asked, taking his hand off the hilt.
"Sir, we've found the Sailor."
If not for the grave situation, Justen probably would have laughed at the
sight of three experienced soldiers trying to hold back his four-year-old
daughter.
"Let me fight the dark soldiers!" she squealed, trying to wriggle out of the men's grasp.
"Please, Sailor! Stay here!" one grunted.
"Let me go! I'll use my attacks on you," she threatened. "YSALAMIRI - "
"Chikako!" Justen shouted.
The little girl froze at her father's voice and immediately stopped her attack.
"Do you have any idea how much you scared your mother and me, hiding when the transport left?" he said, still shaken, though she was safe for the moment. "We had no idea what happened to you! What were you thinking?"
Chikako pouted. "I want to fight for the King."
Justen sighed. There was no way to argue with that. But even though the Small Sailor's powers were strong, the dark warriors would surely kill her. And if somehow they didn't, he knew she would gladly use all her life's energy trying to defeat them.
"Come here, Chikako," he said. The soldiers released their hold on the little girl. She stood up, tall as she could, smoothed out her short brown pigtails and walked over to her father. He took her in his arms. "Stop pouting," he said gently. "I love you, Chikako. And so does your mother. And so does the King.
She finally looked him in the face and their matching blue eyes met. "I love you too," she said, her voice breaking.
"You're crying," he smiled, wiping her cheek. "It's about time!"
"A Pretty Soldier must be strong," she insisted, still trying to fight her tears, though they had very much overcome her.
"You are strong. Stronger than anyone I know."
He hugged her; and as he pulled her closer, he gently removed the large purple flower that was pinned to the bow of her sailor suit. "Sleep well, Pretty Soldier," he breathed, rocking her slightly, knowing she had fallen into a sleep so deep not even time could touch her.
"Who's there?"
"Your Highness, it's your servant Justen, father of the Sailor."
"Come in, General."
Justen bowed and came further into the room. It was small and had little furnishing, but it let in a lot of light on sunny days. Justen didn't thought it quite suited a King, but never got up enough courage to mention it. There was nothing particularly scary about the King himself -- nothing that can be named with any accuracy, anyway -- but everytime Justen visited he felt tongue-tied. Somehow, still, the King considered Justen a good friend. He put a hand on Justen's shoulder and asked him to tell what was on his mind.
"My daughter, Chikako your servant. I - " Justen was about to explain, but got a strange feeling that the King already knew everything.
"Don't be afraid, General. I have sent Nuri to guard her. Only her mother's blood can wake her."
"Thank you," Justen said gratefully, bowing quickly. He had to push his sandy blonde hair out of his eyes when he straightened up. Then he blushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed that he had to mess with his hair in front of the King. He always blushed easily around the King. "May I send a message to your servant Nyssa?" he asked before leaving.
"Yes, and send her my greeting! Send my blessing to Kamaria, too."
"Kamaria?"
"Your unborn daughter," the King smiled.
"Yes Sir." The general bowed again, swatting his hair back so quickly when he straightened that it fell right back into his eyes. "And Sir... what about the Prince? By the time Chikako wakes up, he might be - "
"Justen, don't worry about my son. I'd think you of all people would know that what was promised will come to be."
"And the King sends his greetings, and his peace, and blesses our baby. She
is to be called Kamaria." Justen smiled, hit a button and waited to make
sure the message was sent. Then he ran to his house, flipped open a wooden
chest under his bed and pulled out a big purple book. He hadn't written in
it since the problems began with the dark soldiers over two years ago. Now
they had landed on Myrkr and everything was happening so fast, but he had a
sad feeling that he wouldn't be around when Chikako woke up, and he wanted
to write her a letter. When he had finished writing, he plucked one petal
from the flower the Sailor wore and closed it into the book. The rest of
the flower he held out the window till the wind caught it, and he watched it
divide and float away. In time, she would find them all.
Nuri itself was almost too bright to look at, but the fire didn't create
much light and now it was dark near the small cave. Chikako had been
watching her past within the fire, but it had felt more like she was right
there with Justen and Nyssa. When the vision stopped, she sat on the grass,
a little disoriented.
"You have questions?" Nuri asked.
Chikako nodded. "May I ask, what was the Ysalamiri attack I was going to use?"
The Nuri made a noise that might have been a quiet laugh. "You'll learn it again when the time comes, Sailor Myrkr."
"Oh. Okay." She thought a moment. "Where are the other flower petals, the ones Justen put out the window?"
"I don't know."
Chikako blinked. "You don't?"
"No."
"Oh. Well, what about my ring? Dad said I was wearing it when he found me."
"Yes. That is your engagement ring."
"My WHAT?"
"I'm not going to tell you anything more today. Just remember what I've said; it's all you need to know for now." And Nuri was gone.
The next day, Chikako came home with a few big -heavy- bags of Maiko's
things. She set them down in the entrance way and wiped her forehead. How
much stuff did that girl need?! Her dad walked past and laughed. "Good old
Maiko," he sighed. "So... when are they picking you up?"
"Tonight." Priire was going to swing by in the Black Fire Dreamer with a few of the Senshi and they'd catch up later with Ippin and the others, who were heading towards Hapes. "Dad," she said a minute later. "I know you're not my real father, but you've always been here, and... you're the only family I have..." The last word was cut short and Chikako blinked a few times.
"And I always will be here for you, Chikako," he said. "I'm your dad. But you have a new family now."
"What do you mean?"
He touched her necklace. Chikako looked down at her alleged engagement ring, and then at the purple flower petal that transformed her into Sailor Myrkr. Of course. The Sailor Senshi were her new family now! She stared at the petal a little longer and Justen crossed her mind, but her thoughts were interrupted. "Oh!" her dad cried.
"What's wrong?" she asked. He had a surprised look on his face and touched her forehead. He handed her a mirror. A strange looking symbol was shining on her forehead, framed by a few loose strands of brown hair. It seemed to be made of purple light and grew brighter as she looked.
"The sign of Myrkr," her dad mumbled. The symbol got even brighter, till it produced a dull light of its own, before it began to fade. The sign of Myrkr. Chikako smiled.
