Hello! Thank you for being interested in reading my fanfic. This is my
first attempt at writing any kind of story since I was in high school, a
long, long time ago. This story was inspired into being by two other
fanfics namely "Letting Go" by Monica Shin and "Serena and Darien" by
Jackie Chiang. I may have subconsciously borrowed a term here and there
from other fanfics which I've read. If so, I'm sorry for not
acknowledging the writers but I've read so many of them and I can't
remember every one. I must warn you though that this is going to be a
love story or a series of love stories all happening at the same time.
So, if you're not into romance, stop reading now or you'll just be
disappointed. For those of you who are brave enough to continue, I would
appreciate any comments, good and bad, as well as suggestions to be
Emailed at ladylyn@mb.sympatico.ca

Acknowledgments: I would like to thank "Tuxedo Will" Wolfshohl for all
the information he provided.

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, all the other Sailor Senshi and other names and
terms associated with the series are copyrighted by Naoko Takeuchi,
Kodansha, Bandai, DIC and all the other companies (which I can't
remember right at this moment). All the new characters as well as the
story line are my own. If, by any chance, you would like to put this
story in your page, I would appreciate being notified before hand.

Time Frame: This story happens five years after Sailor Moon S. There
will be no connection at all to Sailor Moon SuperS or Sailor Stars
timelines.

Lynda

Rating: PG-13



                                Soul Mates
                                 by lady

                                 PROLOGUE
                        (Written December 14, 1996)

        It was the perfect spring day. The sun was shining brightly and
a cool breeze was whistling among the trees. The gardens were filled
with the rainbow colors of newly blooming flowers sprouting from the
freshly toiled ground and the grass and trees were brushed with the
shade of green that only spring could paint.
        Even as he inhaled the fresh air and appreciated the glories of
nature around him, he was very much aware of the young lady coming
towards him. She was quite beautiful, he noted. She had long, blond hair
which she wore in two perfect round buns on top of her head. From the
buns fell two long tail-like tresses which dropped all the way down
below her hips and swayed like playful puppies in the slightly blowing
breeze. Her big, blue eyes sparkled animatedly as she talked to her
companion and her smoothly curved body showed a leanness which made her
look taller than her average height. She was the one he was looking for,
he was sure. Patiently, he waited for her to come nearer.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Usagi was happily discussing the exam they just finished taking
with Kyle. She was pretty sure she made good marks on the test and was
comparing answers with her best friend. Kyle was her schoolmate, her
friend, and her wall of support all at once. He was the one who was
always there whenever she needed a hand or a shoulder to cry on. Life
hadn't exactly been easy the last three years, ever since she moved to
Canada. Kyle, Professor Stanton and his wife, Michelle, were the real
reasons she managed to survive.
        Unknowingly, the two friends headed for a particularly shadowed
area outside the campus. There, a group of unruly looking teenagers were
standing around watching them come nearer. By the time they noticed
where they were, it was already too late. They stood in the middle of
five men who were taunting them and leering at Usagi.
        "Leave us alone. We don't want any trouble," Kyle said evenly so
as not to spook them.
        "Well, well," the tallest one spoke, "we don't want any trouble
either. Just leave us the girl and you are free to go."
        Usagi felt Kyle go tense and watched his fists clench.  she thought, 
        Too late, Kyle was already moving forward and landed a punch on
the speaker's jaw which brought him down. He managed to kick the next
nearest guy before the other three charged him all together. By the time
they moved away, Kyle was already lying on the ground unconscious.

                *       *       *       *       *

        He watched the group surround the girl and her friend from the
cover of the trees. Silently, he winced when the group surrounded the
man and could imagine the pain he was in. "We should help," his
companion said. He nodded once and said, "Let's go." Just then he saw
the group move towards the girl and almost run from the shadows to help
when.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Usagi saw them coming nearer and she readied herself for the
fight. She may not have used her powers for a long time, and was not
about to use them now, but she had taken martial arts classes for the
past three years and had earned herself a black belt. She knew she could
take them.
        Usagi quickly threw a round-house kick which hit all of her
attackers and followed it up with a hand chop on the neck of the nearest
one. A kick in the belly took care of the next one and a judo throw
rendered another one unconscious.
        Finally, only the leader was left. Seeing himself standing alone
and his friends scattered like dust around him, he dropped on his knees
and begged Usagi to spare him, promising never to bother anybody again.
She looked at him in disgust and turned her back to him heading for
Kyle. She didn't see the leader scramble away and run as if the hounds
of hell were after him.

                *       *       *       *       *

        He stood under the tree with a look of shock on his face. He
didn't really expect her to be able to hold off the group especially
without her powers. He shouldn't have been. He'd already uncovered a lot
of surprises in his search for her, not the least being her living here
and being alone. It was time for some answers. He motioned to his
companion that it was time to make their move and stepped forward. It
was time to fulfill his destiny.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Usagi carefully cradled Kyle's head on her lap and checked for a
pulse. She felt it strong and sure against her fingers.  she thought. She carefully brushed his hair from his
forehead and was just beginning to relax when, suddenly, a pair of boots
stopped in front of her. Ever so slowly, she looked up a pair of long
legs encased in something white and soft, up a muscular, well built
chest and into the most arresting, emerald eyes she ever saw.



                              CHAPTER ONE
              Marching Destinies: The Beginning of the End

        He watched her stop and look up slowly from her crouched
position. He really didn't know what he expected. Surprise, maybe some
recognition. What he got was a gaze full of questions as well as a
challenge. "Look around," her eyes seemed to be saying, "Do you really
want to end up like them?" He decided to answer that unspoken question
first.
        "I didn't come to fight with you, Princess Serenity," he said.
"I came to offer you my allegiance as is my destiny."
        "I, too, have come to do the same," his companion assured her.
"We are at your disposal, Your Highness."
        Usagi turned to look at the second man but quickly brought her
gaze back to the first. For some reason, she felt like he was the leader
between the two men. Looking him over more carefully only served to
reinforce her conclusion.
        He was big, with enough muscles to make him look bulky yet
didn't. He looked powerful, instead, and elegant. His tall Roman nose,
high cheekbones, and square jaw only served to intensify the aura of
leadership surrounding him. And his eyes, his eyes were as clear and
intense as the stone they were named for and they looked through you as
if he could see all the way to your soul. It was quite unnerving, being
the sole recipient of that gaze, so she looked away and surveyed his
clothes instead.
        He wore some kind of tunic and pants all in white, she noted, as
well as boots in the same color. His top looked almost like that of
Beryl's Generals, with the high collar, except that, instead of
buttoning down the front, its sides crossed at the neck with the edge of
the one in front going diagonally down and across his chest. It went all
the way to just below his hips and was belted in the waist with a silver
sash which tied on his side and dangled close to his knees. The edges of
his tunic and boots were also lined in silver as well as the long, white
cape which hanged at his back and fastened at his shoulders.  Usagi thought. But none more impressive than
the golden, crescent moon shaped clip which fastened just below his
collar and shone brightly when stroked by the sun.
        "Who are you?" Usagi said looking up. "And what makes you think
I'm this princess you're looking for?"
        "Please, Princess Serenity," the other man said, "We mean you no
harm. We've been looking for you for a long time. At least give us
enough time to explain our mission."
        "Would it make you feel better if we call you Usagi?" questioned
the first man, "You never liked being called by your title if it wasn't
necessary."
        Usagi, surprised at the question, looked up once more and
started considering her options. Dare she believe their good intentions?
Or should she just try to fight then make a run for it? But what about
Kyle? She may be able to get away but he would be left behind for them
to do whatever they wanted. And they did wear the crescent moon symbol
and could very well be from the Moon Kingdom. No matter how long it's
been since she was a Sailor Senshi, she owed it to the rest to find out
everything she could about their past.
        "Very well," Usagi said, "I'm listening."
        "I think we'd better find a more private place to discuss this.
Anybody passing by could overhear us out here," the leader cautioned.
        At that moment, a moan was heard from Kyle and he started moving
his head in Usagi's lap. Usagi looked down. When she looked up again she
said, "He's waking up. You'd better hide until..." She never finished
what she was saying for, where moments before two white clad warriors
were standing, now two ordinary men stood.
        Usagi blinked once, then again, before she recognized their
faces. It was quite a change. Their white costumes before made them look
elegant and powerful. They didn't look any less powerful now but somehow
more casual, more ordinary, more human. They were both dressed in jeans
and shirts. The first one wore a dark brown sportscoat over his cream
colored shirt while the other one wore a black, leather, bomber jacket
on top of a light blue shirt. She looked at them and suddenly thought of
how her old friends would have reacted to them, with mouths open and
hearts in their eyes. These guys were gorgeous.
        "Ahh, that is," Usagi stammered, "let me make sure Kyle is going
to be fine then we'll talk." Looking down she asked, "Kyle, are you
okay?"
        "Usagi?" Kyle groaned, "What hit me?"
        "Three steamrollers with six fists among them," she answered
smiling slightly.
        "What!?!"
        "Never mind. Do you think you can stand up? My legs are getting
numb cradling you."
        "Oh. Okay, I think I'm all right," Kyle said getting to his feet.
Looking around and seeing the scattered men lying unconscious around
them, he whispered to Usagi, "I didn't do that, did I?"
        She hid a smile and said, "No, you didn't. These two nice
gentlemen came to my rescue."
        Kyle noticed for the first time the two men standing to the side
of Usagi.  he thought,  Aloud he said, "Thank you for helping us, Mr.?"
        "Fujiwara," the taller one said, "but please call me Galen. And
this is my friend, Ashiro Usaka."
        "My friends call me Ashe," Ashiro put in.

        "I'm Kyle Roberts and this is my good friend, Usagi Tsukino.
Say, you're Japanese aren't you? Usagi's from Japan. Maybe you have some
acquaintances in common."
        "Maybe." Galen said, "We can talk about it as we walk her home.
Are you sure you're going to be all right?"
        "I'll be fine," he reassured them, "Nothing a few ice packs
can't cure." And to Usagi, "I'll see you Monday morning in class!" then
he waved good-bye and walked away.
        "Shall we?" Galen said and motioned his hand forward. Usagi
nodded and stepped towards her apartment. They walked in silence until
they got there.

                        *       *       *       *       *

        Usagi just finished making coffee and was arranging cups of it
on a tray with some cupcakes she had bought from the supermarket. It
wasn't often that she had company, except for Kyle, and she rather
enjoyed playing hostess. Although her guests were dubious company at
least, and dangerous at most, she somehow felt very safe around them.
It probably had something to do with that crescent symbol they wore.
        Walking to the kitchen entrance, she found her two guests
involved in quiet conversation. She took the chance to compare the two
men. They were built almost alike with Ashe just being slightly shorter
than Galen, who she guessed to be about six foot-two. He also had short,
dark blonde hair which just touched his collar at the back while Galen's
hair reached to below his shoulder blades, was dark as midnight, and
tied behind his neck, at least in this form. It was flowing freely when
she first saw him. She couldn't decide who was more handsome. She could
never make a choice when it came to handsome men. She'd always loved
them all. But she loved Mamo-chan the most. She caught herself with that
thought and firmly shook it away.  she thought. At least, that's what she told herself.
        "Here we go, coffee and cakes," she said in a sing-song voice.
        "Looks good." Ashe said, "Did you make it yourself?"
        "Oh no," Usagi answered looking embarrassed, "I couldn't bake to
save my life. I bought them." She reached for one of the cupcakes and
started eating.
        Silence reigned for awhile while they ate and drank. Then,
sitting back in his chair, Galen cleared his throat, "Uhm, I think we
should start discussing why were here."
        "Very well," Usagi said, "Would you like to begin?"
        Galen nodded and started talking, "It all began five years
ago..."

___________________________________________________________________________

         he thought.
And they were coming closer and closer. He wasn't really worried about
the attack. He was more than ready for them. It would take a lot to beat
him today for vengeance filled his heart.  he told himself,  It
was then that he saw it. It loomed over the whole kingdom, a giant
shadow with red eyes and sharp claws ready to swipe the Palace from
where it stood. He started to tremble at what was about to happen.
        He woke up drenched in sweat, as usual. He remembered the
details of his nightmare very well. Just as clearly as everything he'd
dreamt of the past two weeks. They were all the same, a sequence of
events which happened in the very distant past, his past. He heard a
groan and looked over at Ashe lying on the bed across from his. He knew
he was having the same dream. He'd been having it longer than Galen. A
least two weeks longer.
        He got up and walked over to his friend's bed. He shook him
awake. "Ashe, wake up buddy, you're dreaming again."
        "Huh! Oh, Galen, it's just you," he said groggily, "I thought it
was our friend again killing me."
        "I had one too. Only, I woke up before it ended. What do you
think it means?" he asked.
        "I thought it would end when we died in the dream but it just
keeps going. Maybe we're supposed to be doing something, looking for
someone."
        "Who do you think it is? The Moon Princess maybe? She is after
all the heir of Queen Serenity now that she's gone."
        "What makes you think Queen Serenity is dead?" Ashe questioned,
"We never saw that happen."
        "Logically," Galen said, "We know we both died in the battle yet
here we are talking about it in a different time and place. Only Queen
Serenity had the power to transport us and only with the use of the
Imperium Silver Crystal. And we both know that, for her to use it to its
maximum power, she had to sacrifice her life."
        "I never thought about it that way," Ashe sighed, "I guess
you're right."
        Going back to his side of the room, Galen said, "So tomorrow we
start searching for the Moon Princess." Lying down, he thought, 

______________________________________________________________________________

        "Are you telling me I had the same name in the Moon Kingdom?"
Usagi asked.
        "Yes, you did," Galen said, "I think we all did although we
didn't have any last names there."
        "But I still don't understand how you found me," she said, "I
was in Japan until three years ago.'
        Ashe sighed, "It wasn't easy. For the first two years we went
nowhere. We tried searching for you through your name, your description,
anything we could think of. Nothing happened. The nightmares kept
recurring and it gave us an idea. In our dreams we possessed
extraordinary powers and we decided to try and see if we still had them.
We did everything like in our dreams and the result was what you saw
earlier."
        "That's right," Galen added. "Ashe and I both turned into a
'shiro kage', a white shadow, members of the Knights of Selene. While
the Outer Senshi protected the Moon Kingdom from attacks from outside
the solar system and the Inner Senshi protected you, the Moon Princess,
and the Royal Family, we protected the Moon Kingdom itself from any
invaders who managed to pass the Outer Senshi. "There were four generals
in the Knights of Selene," Ashe continued, "Galen was highest ranked and
I was one of the other three. Our friends, Logan and Drake, make up the
rest of the team. We haven't met them yet in this life but we're pretty
sure that we will."
        "Anyway, after we transformed, we learned that we had all the
powers we had before and we also had keener instincts and heightened
senses." Galen stood and walked to the window. "We concentrated on you
and our instincts told us that you were not far. We've been traveling
around and trying to sense if we were getting nearer you. Three years of
looking and then we came here. All at once the nightmares stopped. We
knew we'd finally found you. It was easy enough to look around the city
for a girl with a certain kind of hair style. You don't know how
relieved we were when we saw you today. It was like the end of a long
journey."
        "So what do we do now?" Usagi asked.
        "Why don't we share what we know about the past in the Moon
Kingdom and go from there," Ashe suggested.
        "But I don't know very much about what happened there. All I
know are bits and pieces about the battle and little more," Usagi said,
feeling frustrated.
        Turning from the window, Galen asked, "You don't remember
everything?"
        "No! That's what I'm trying to tell you!"
        "Then I'll tell you what we remember," Ashe said. "A thousand
years ago, in the time of the Silver Millennium..."

___________________________________________________________________________

        The day they'd all waited for had finally arrived. It was the
Moon Princess' birthday and tonight there was to be a ball to celebrate
it. He was busy preparing his dress uniform for the party as well as
thinking about his love. He was imagining how she would look tonight,
coming down the staircase from the Princess' quarters, wearing one of
her beautiful gowns. Beside him, his friend was also looking forward to
the coming evening. He was to meet his own love at the Palace gardens
just before the celebration started. He hadn't seen her for over two
weeks and was impatient for the hours to pass.
        Without warning, a messenger suddenly appeared before them.
They were being summoned to appear before the Queen immediately. It was
a matter of great importance. Ashe looked to his friend and leader,
Galen, who nodded and started for the Queen's Throne Room before
following behind with his comrades, Drake and Logan.
        The Queen was obviously troubled. They were not used to seeing
her with a frown on her face. She always had a smile and a contented
look about her that told everyone she was happy. That look was missing
now.
        "I'm sorry to disrupt your preparations for this evening but the
news I've just received is very important," she started. "It also
affects all of you, both in your professional and personal lives. I
guess there is no easy way to say this." She closed her eyes and took a
deep breath. She was a loving and compassionate queen to all her
subjects but, besides her daughter and the Senshi, these four men, her
army's generals, held a special place in her heart. She hated hurting
them in any way but she had no choice. "The planet Earth has been
attacked and conquered by a new enemy." Such a simple statement, she
thought, but it presented so many implications specially to these men.
        Ashe felt like a wall had slammed onto his chest. He couldn't
seem to breathe. He suddenly had a vision of his loved one falling after
being hit, her life force living her body. "No!" his mind denied. "This
couldn't be happening!" Suddenly, a scream filled the silence.
        "Noooo!" It was Drake holding his head between his palms. He
turned and ran for the door. "Hotaru, no!"
        Galen was quick to catch him and hold him till he came to his
senses. He knew he was hurting, they all were, but running to help their
loved ones now wouldn't do any good. It was too late. He closed his own
eyes and tried to reign his feelings of grief and loss.
        Ashe watched his friend's eyes close and sympathized with him.
The woman he loved was the strongest of them all and the bravest. She
would have gone down hard. She would have fought 'til there was no
strength left in her, no breath left in her body. It must be hard to
know she'd suffered before she died. Ashe closed his eyes as well.
        "They're all dead?" This half statement, half question came from
Logan, the most level-headed of them all. His face was like a mask
carved in stone. There was no emotion to be read there although they
knew he must be in pain as well. He, too, had lost a loved one.
        Queen Serenity sighed once more and replied, "I'm so sorry but,
yes, I'm afraid they're all dead. Our new enemy, the Dark Kingdom, would
never have been able to enter our solar system without passing through
the Outer Senshi. We all know they would have fought to the death before
letting any danger come to the Moon Kingdom. Together, the four of them
were very powerful and yet they were defeated. Earth has already been
captured and I'm afraid we may be next. We have to be prepared for an
invasion if it comes. If the Moon Kingdom is destroyed, there will be no
hope for the Silver Millennium. I just hope Prince Endymion and his
Generals are all right. My daughter will not be able to handle his death."
        "I think I speak for everyone here when I say we're all ready to
fight the Dark Kingdom at this very moment. I feel like I could take on
a whole army by myself without any trouble." This was from Drake who had
finally calmed down enough to listen to what was going on. He was the
youngest of them all and the most impulsive.
        "I couldn't agree with you more, Drake," Galen said, "but the
four of us alone won't be able to take on a force that managed to defeat
the Outer Senshi. We have to prepare our respective armies for the fight
that is almost sure to come."
        The Queen nodded her head. "I think Galen has the right idea.
We have to fight this enemy all together if we want to win. But, with
all this preparations for the coming war going on, please try to enjoy
yourselves in the ball tonight. It may be our last celebration in a long
time and it marks my daughter's eighteenth birthday and her coming to
power as my heir and future Queen of the Silver Millennium."
        "I'm sorry, My Queen," Logan apologized, "but I believe the four
of us have little to celebrate this day. Please know that we are happy
for the Princess but there is so much grief in our souls right now for
us to be able to share her joy in her coming of age. I hope you'll both
understand."
        "You don't have to worry that we'll be offended. My daughter
cares for you all, as I do, especially you, Galen, since you grew up
together and have been her champion since she was but a baby. I'm sure
you will hear from her when I share this news with her."
        Galen shook his head at this statement. "Your Majesty, please
don't ruin Usagi's day by telling her this. It won't make any difference
if she isn't told until after tonight. The Inner Senshi will have to
know, of course, so they can be ready but they can be trusted to keep it
to themselves if they have to."
        "I am touched for your concern for my daughter, Galen," the
Queen replied, "so I will honor your request. I will leave you now so I,
myself, can prepare for tonight and for the coming battle. I hope lady
luck is on our side and it won't come." With this the Queen stood up and
exited to her chambers.
        Just like they told the Queen, the four Generals of the Knights
of Selene spent the afternoon updating their armies about the news and
preparing them for battle. All their men wanted to back out of attending
the ball but Galen thought it more prudent for them to be present. He
rationalized that having half the men in the Kingdom missing from the
event is sure to raise questions which they didn't want to deal with.
The answers would only cause panic and that would lead to disaster.
Reluctantly, the men finally agreed.
        And so, the sunset found the four friends in close counsel with
each other. They were busy discussing battle strategies, trying to keep
away from the painful memories just waiting to boil over the surface.
It wasn't working very well. A commotion around the corner of the
gardens, where the Princess' chambers were located, quickly attracted
their attention. Shouts were heard from the guards and the sound of
running feet indicated a chase. They stood and got ready to stop the
culprit when he crossed their path.
        A man clad in black armor and cape suddenly rounded the corner
and slammed full force onto Drake. They both lost their footing and fell
to the ground.
        "Prince Endymion, is that you? Where did you come from and what
are you doing here?" Galen interrogated.
        Breathing rapidly, the Prince replied, "Well, Galen, we both
know where I came from and, as to what I'm doing here, I came to warn
the Queen about the coming danger. I stopped to speak to the Princess
when I saw her on the balcony but your guards chased me away. What is
going on?!"
        "I believe the guards have orders to stop anyone who came from
Earth. We don't know who to trust anymore," Ashe explained. "But I'm
sure the Queen would like to see you, Prince Endymion, so we'll escort
you to her chambers."
        The guards arrived at this moment and stopped at the sight of
the generals.
        "You can leave him to us, men," Galen commanded the guards.
"You can go back to your posts." And to the Prince, "Follow me. This
way."
        The four of them went through a door and followed a series of
empty hallways. The Prince had been to the Queen's chambers a lot of
times but he had never passed this way before. Logan was the one who
explained, "We don't want anybody to know you're here just in case you
can't attend the ball tonight. There will be a lot of questions asked
otherwise." The Prince nodded his understanding.
        The Queen was surprised to see the men when they entered her
chambers until she saw Prince Endymion. She then stood up to give him a
comforting hug. He was like a son to her, especially since he was
engaged to her daughter. They were planning to wed the following year,
in the springtime. She wasn't sure if it would all fall through now.
        She released him from the embrace and clasped his shoulders.
"You don't know how happy I am to see you, Mamoru. I now have one less
person to worry about."
        "I'm afraid I didn't bring good news, Your Majesty." The Prince
took the Queen's hands in his own. "After we left here, my Royal Guard
and I arrived on Earth to great chaos. We were immediately attacked by
youmas in great numbers. My men were quick to push me behind them so I
wouldn't get hurt. They told me to go back here quickly and get help. I
protested but they were determined for me to go. I left hurriedly but
not before I saw the Palace destroyed. I knew in my heart that my
parents were dead and I vowed to myself that I wouldn't let what
happened to my home be repeated here. Not while I still lived."
        "I'm so sorry about your parents. I was hoping the war wasn't
going as badly as I heard. But I am glad to see you're all right. You're
lucky to have such loyal friends in your guard." The Queen led Mamoru to
the sofa and ordered tea to be served. "Tell me more about what's
happening on Earth."
        "Like I said," the Prince continued, "the Palace was destroyed
and all around destruction reigned. If I didn't know where I was, I
wouldn't recognize it as the place I grew up in. All you can see for
miles around were those youmas killing everyone they came across and
littering the ground with bodies. I'm so afraid my men won't live to see
another day. They are good fighters with strong powers but the sheer
number of youmas to fight could overwhelm them. I didn't even see their
leader. Just imagine what she is capable of."
        "So they do number by the thousands like we thought," Drake
commented, "but how do you know their leader is a woman? I thought you
didn't see her."
        The Prince wasn't offended by the question since it was logical.
"It's true I didn't see her but I heard her laughter. It seemed to be
coming from all around the battleground and, sounded so evil, it made
chills run down my spine."
        The Queen addressed her commanders, "So now we know, more or
less, what to expect. I trust you all know what to do. Everyone in this
kingdom will be counting on you even if they're not aware of it. I know
you'll give your best. Good luck."
        The men nodded and quietly exited the room. As they left, they
heard the Queen say to the Prince, "You'll attend the ball tonight,
Mamoru. I think Usagi will enjoy having her fiance around for her coming
of age party and it will keep her from suspecting anything's going on."
        "I'll be happy to dance with her tonight," he said accepting the
Queen's invitation. "I hope it won't be our last."
        With those words quickly fading away from their hearing, the
four Generals walked determinedly to the training grounds where their
armies awaited.




                              CHAPTER TWO
                Marching Destinies: Darkness Before Dawn

        The ball began just before dusk and was coming to its climax.
The Princess' birthday officially started at twelve midnight. Then the
Queen would perform the ritual of bestowing the Princess' new powers to
her daughter. It was all for the benefit of the people since the
Princess actually gained her powers as soon as she turned eighteen even
without the Queen being present. It was her given right because she was
the throne's heir.
        From the gardens, with their blossoming flowers and flowing
fountains, the orchestra could be heard playing a waltz. The smell of
roast and pungent spices from the kitchens wafted in the misty night air
and surrounded the four men standing by the giant crystal gates. It was
an hour before midnight.
        "What are they waiting for?" Drake questioned. "I want to get it
over with."
        Galen shook his head at this. "Don't be so impatient. There will
be a lot of lives lost when they attack. And the longer they take, the
more time we have to get our men ready."
        "He's right," Ashe said. "No matter how much I want to avenge
the Outer Senshi, I am not ready to sacrifice anybody else."
        Drake hung his head. "I'm sorry. I just feel so frustrated at
not being able to do anything to save Hotaru. She was everything to me
and I couldn't save her."
        "We know how you feel, Drake," Logan replied. "We feel the same
way. But wishing for war is not the answer."
        "I understand. It's just...." Drake gave a deep sigh and walked
a few steps closer to the gate. Galen moved forward and placed a hand on
his shoulder. It seemed to calm him down.
        "What's that?" Ashe suddenly inquired.
        "What's what?" Galen said looking at his friend.
        Ashe moved beside him and pointed to the horizon in the
distance. He saw it then. A bright glow, like from a fire, coming at a
rapid pace towards them. In the light, numerous small black specks could
be seen moving. He knew what it was. It was what they'd been waiting
for. The time to fight had come.
        "Ashe, Logan, Drake, tell your men nearby to get ready and send
someone to alert the ones in the party. We are going to be attacked any
minute now. Hurry!"
        "We'll tell everyone in the party." This came from one of the
two cats who were suddenly by their feet. "You just go and get ready,"
the white one, Artemis, continued.
        "Thank you." And, with that, Galen was off with the other three
to gather their forces. They had to meet the enemy outside the gates to
keep the Kingdom from being penetrated. The Inner Senshi were to guard
just inside and fight anyone who managed to pass the Knights of Selene.
They were to open the gates to absolutely no one.

                        *       *       *       *       *

        They stood about a hundred yards from the Moon Kingdom gates. A
row of warriors, all in white, with swords gleaming at their backs. The
four Generals stood in front, the determination, as well as anger, on
their faces all directed towards the coming foe.
        Galen squinted his eyes to see the approaching enemy better.
 he thought. They look like monsters from the
storybooks that little children read. Bogeymen, witches, and trolls all
ugly and deformed and totally evil.  he counted.  His hands clenched
into fists. He screamed, "Attack!" and the whole row moved forward as
one body to face the onslaught.
        And so the fighting began.

                        *       *       *       *       *

         Ashe thought. All
around him, screaming from both creatures and men could be heard.  he told himself. Only a few got past
them and the Inner Senshi took care of those. Nobody had managed to
enter the gates.
        Suddenly, the battlefield seemed to echo with the most evil
laughter. He looked at Galen to see if he heard it too. His friend was
looking in the distance, at the new batch of youmas heading towards
them. Then, suddenly, he saw him look up and watched as a shiver ran
down his body. Ashe followed his gaze and what he saw made him go pale
with fear.
        It was a shadow-like being, so large, it dwarfed the whole
kingdom. It loomed over the Palace with claws ready to strike at any
moment. In its palm, it carried a tall woman with flowing red hair,
holding a staff with a crystal ball on top. She was looking at the
palace with malice in her eyes and from her lips issued the evil
laughter that they heard.
        All at once, it seemed like their cause was hopeless. The enemy
had doubled in number and there were no more knights to call for
reinforcement. With that thought, Ashe looked back towards the
battlefield. It was then that he saw them. They were walking towards him
and his comrades, Endymion's Royal Guard, and they didn't seem aware of
the fighting around them. They were wearing gray uniforms instead of
their usual black ones and they didn't turn to acknowledge him when he
shouted their names. They were heading towards the Palace gates where
the Inner Senshi waited.
        In between fighting the enemy, he watched while the ladies
opened the gates for the Royal Guard. Their joy in seeing them alive
were plainly written on their faces. A youma appeared before him just as
he saw the Senshi embrace their respective partners and he was
distracted from the scene for a few minutes. The next time he managed to
look, it was to see Nephrite holding a short blade covered in blood
while a bleeding Jupiter looked at him with betrayal in her eyes. The
rest of the Senshi were also lying on the Palace grounds with their
life's blood pouring from their wounds. It was too much for him to take.
He screamed and started running towards the four men standing inside the
gates.
        He heard footsteps behind him and wasn't surprised when Galen
overtook his lead. Drake and Logan were soon also running beside him.
They reached the Palace gates in moments and faced the men who used to
be their old friends and were now their new enemy.
        "I don't know what you're up to but your not stepping inside the
palace," Galen warned.
        Kunzite laughed at this, "And who's going to stop us? You?"
        "Who else?" Galen replied and leaped towards him with his sword
slicing forward. Everyone else paired up for the fight. Ashe to
Nephrite, Drake to Zoisite, and Logan to Jadeite.
        "Why, that's all I want to know?" Ashe asked of his enemy. "Why
did you kill her when she loved you?" He saw uncertainty and what seemed
like regret appear in Nephrite's eyes for a second. It was gone so
quickly, he couldn't be sure he actually saw it. Then Nephrite drew his
sword and no more words were uttered.
        It was a long, drawn out fight. They were evenly matched in
skill and in magic. But Ashe had been fighting for more than half an
hour and was quickly tiring while Nephrite was fresh for battle. In the
end it was inevitable that the villains triumphed while the forces of
good were annihilated. At the last moment, Ashe searched Nephrite's eyes
for a reason. They were standing close together, almost in an embrace,
before Nephrite pulled his sword from Ashe's chest where it was
embedded. He fell to the ground. He put his hand on his wound and tried
to stop the bleeding. It was a futile effort. He was dying. He still
didn't understand. He looked at his murderer.
        "Why?" he asked with his last breath.
        He died looking at his enemy but his last thought wasn't for
him. As darkness engulfed him, he remembered his love's beautiful face
and welcomed the chance to be with her once more. His mind whispered,
"Michiru."

______________________________________________________________________________

        Silence reigned in Usagi's apartment for a few moments before
Ashe finished, "After we die, the dream sequence starts all over again."
He rubbed his hand over his face as if to wake himself up. "It didn't
stop until we came to this city. Then we knew our search was almost
over."
        "That's incredible! You got all this information from a dream,"
Usagi said, looking stunned. "But it's so detailed, it must have taken a
long time to piece together."
        "Not really," Galen replied. "You see, the longer we had them,
the more detailed they became. It also helped that we shared the dreams
and talked about them often. It somehow made it more real."
        "Is that what brought you two together? The dreams?"
        "Actually, no," Galen replied. "I was born in Japan and my
parents immigrated to the United States when I was about four. I went to
UCLA to take up Criminology and that's where I met Ashe who was an
exchange student."
        "That's right," Ashe continued. "My father was Japanese and my
mother American but I was born in Korea. My mother liked to talk about
her birthplace so I grew up imagining what America must be like. When my
parents died in a car accident, I decided there was really nothing
holding me to Korea. I applied to the exchange student program for the
US and was accepted to go to UCLA to take up Criminology."
        "Ashe and I shared the same course program so we saw each other
a lot. We became fast friends and decided to share an apartment near the
school."
        "We were on our last year in school before the dreams started.
I had them first and then, about a month later, Galen started having
them too. I woke up one night when I heard him screaming and discovered
him thrashing about in his bed. I thought he was just having a regular
nightmare until I heard him say the Outer Senshi's name. Can you imagine
how I felt?"
        He looked at his friend appraisingly. "I looked at Galen
carefully then and tried to compare him to the people in my dream. It
surprised me that I never noticed his resemblance to my best friend and
commander. It was his hair that threw me off. You see, the man in my
dreams always had his hair flowing freely at his back while I'd only
seen Galen with his hair tied, like now. But, when he slept, his hair
was spread all over his pillow. The resemblance was uncanny then. They
looked like twins, only in different clothing and environment."
        Galen smiled at this. "When I woke up from that nightmare, I
found Ashe standing by my bed looking stunned. It was nothing compared
to what I felt. I had just woken up from a dream where I saw his double
die from a friend's hand and now, here he was, standing beside me, very
much alive. It took me a moment to get reoriented with my surroundings
and to know that this man was my friend and schoolmate, not the warrior
from my dreams. It reassured me that I wasn't going insane."
        "Well my thoughts certainly didn't reassure me," Ashe put in.
"I couldn't sleep a wink after that and, the next morning, I told Galen
we had to talk. We decided to do it that evening."
        "When Ashe told me about his dream and I discovered we shared
it, I didn't know what to make of it at first. Then he told me he
believed that they weren't just dreams but memories. He said we must
have lived those lives somewhere in our distant past and forgotten about
them. The dreams must be a way of making us remember."
        "We had a lot of other theories but none of them made sense. We
finally gave up trying to understand and went to sleep. We had the same
dream that night and every night since. But, like Galen said earlier,
the more they were repeated, the more detailed they became. Soon it felt
like we were living two separate lives, one in the Moon Kingdom and one
on Earth. It was very unsettling."
        Everyone lapsed into silence once more, the two friends thinking
back to the time when this whole thing started while Usagi wondered what
it would be like to know everything about her life in the Moon Kingdom.
It was turning dark outside by this time so they decided to finish the
discussion over dinner. They went to an Italian restaurant and had
finished ordering when Usagi asked.
        "How long did it take before you figured out you had to do some
searching?"
        "Well, after that school year, we finally graduated and started
a small business as partners. We opened a firm where security for other
businesses were handled. We also taught basic self-defense techniques to
executives who needed it to protect themselves from people who envied
their positions. The firm picked up quickly and, soon, we had more
customers than we could handle. We ended up hiring a lot of people just
to keep up." Galen looked up when the waitress brought their order. He
waited for her to finish before continuing.
        "Anyway, our business involved searching for people who might be
a potential danger to the firms we were dealing with. When we figured we
needed to search for you, about two years ago, we used these part of the
business to get started. As we already said, it failed and the rest you
know."
        Usagi nodded and continued eating while sorting through her
thoughts. They had given her a lot of information in the past few hours
and she took the next few minutes to try and sort it out before asking
any more questions.
        The meal had already been cleared and they were drinking coffee
before she came up with one.
        "So it was the Royal Guard's fault that the Palace was
attacked?" Usagi asked. It was such an incredible tale, she almost
didn't believe it.
        Ashe nodded. "We assume that's what happened but we're not sure
because we died before it actually occurred."
        "I see," she replied. "I'm also a little confused about
something in your story, Ashe. You said the Inner Senshi were happy to
see the Royal Guard and that they embraced them. Was it because they
were Endymion's friends and therefore allies of the Moon Kingdom?"
        "They were more than friends, Usagi." It was Galen who answered,
a slight smile turning the corners of his mouth up. "They were
soulmates. Two halves of a whole meant to be together throughout
eternity. I wouldn't have been surprised if they all got married after
your wedding to the Prince." He paused and the smile disappeared. "Only
the battle finished all that."
        "I just can't believe it," Usagi exclaimed. "The Senshi and
Beryl's generals in love! It's like saying the sun revolves around the
Earth. It's impossible!"
        "That's how we felt when we saw them kill the Senshi. I mean,
they were our friends and we knew how much they loved those ladies."
Galen shook his head.
        With a far away look in his eyes, Ashe spoke softly, "Even now,
after a thousand years, I still wonder why they did it. How could they
have succumbed to the dark power of Queen Beryl?"
        "I guess we'll always wonder," Usagi agreed.
        "I don't think so," Galen put in, sounding mysterious.
        Ashe looked at his friend questioningly, "Do you know something
we don't?"
        "I have a theory. But, before I tell you what it is, I'd like to
know what Usagi remembers about the Moon Kingdom."
        "Not much, I'm afraid," Usagi apologized. "When we discovered I
was the Moon Princess and Mamoru was Prince Endymion, I remembered
giving him my star locket just before he joined in the fight. I felt
scared as I watched him go. My mother, Queen Serenity, told me..."
        "Did you say your mother? But how? She died in the final battle
to save us," Galen asked looking totally confused.
        "It's true, she died in the final battle, but, somehow, a part
of her was left in the Moon Kingdom." She looked at the two men to see
if they understood. They both wore bewildered looks on their faces. She
sighed, "I guess I should start at the beginning."
        So Usagi spent the rest of the night telling her companions
about the revival of the Sailor Senshi. How they defeated Beryl's
Generals until only Kunzite was left. She talked about Mamoru's capture
by the Dark Kingdom and the Senshi's efforts to find a way to destroy
it.
        "We finally found a possible entry into the Dark Kingdom but it
divided into numerous caves. Luna and Artemis decided to investigate one
while the Senshi looked into another. The five of us run into trouble
right away. Kunzite was waiting for us near the entrance and he wanted
the Imperium Silver Crystal. He was very strong and none of our attacks
seemed to be doing any good. Finally, I lost my grip on the Moon Wand
and it went flying towards him. He saw his opportunity and reached out
to grab it but, before he could touch it, the wand erupted in a
brilliant flash of light and it somehow teleported us to the moon. The
next thing I remember is waking up on some ruins and seeing what looked
like a miniature hologram of my mother. She said she was Queen
Serenity's spirit and that we were in what was once the Moon Kingdom.
She then proceeded to tell us about the final battle."
        Usagi took a deep breath and stood up. They were back in her
apartment by then and she walked through the open patio doors. "I
remember envisioning myself standing on a balcony while Queen Beryl
floated a little distance in front of me, her giant shadow behind her.
She was going to attack me but Prince Endymion was suddenly there and he
stopped her. After he refused Beryl's offer to rule the Dark Kingdom
beside her, she made the shadow create some sort of wind storm which
caught Endymion and started dragging him away. I didn't want to be
parted from him so I jumped into the wind and reached out to him. The
shadow blasted us before we could actually touch and we both died."
        Usagi slowly closed her eyes, seeing the events unfold behind
them as she related the story. "My mother witnessed our deaths and she
couldn't accept it. She used the Imperium Silver Crystal to send all of
us, both good and evil, to the future where we were all reborn without
any memories of the Silver Millennium. With all the strength she had
left, she sent her two cat advisors to guide us if the Dark Kingdom ever
managed to rekindle the past and start spreading evil again. The cats
only retained enough memories to find the Inner Senshi and train them.
Their only mission was to find the Moon Princess and to protect her and
their home planet at all costs."
        Usagi took another deep breath before looking at Galen. "And
that's all I remember. Like I said, it isn't much."
        Galen nodded his head. "At least you gave an ending to our
story," he said. "We now know for sure how we ended up on Earth at this
time."
        Ashe was more curious. "What happened when you got back to the
cave? Was Kunzite still waiting for you?"
        "Yes he was. He was attacking Luna and Artemis. And when the
Senshi tried to stop him, he turned his powers on them. Remembering that
he was partly responsible for the destruction of the Moon Kingdom, I
blasted him with the Crystal. He couldn't stand against its power. He
joined the rest of Beryl's Generals in hell that day." Usagi looked up
to see if Ashe was satisfied with her answer. He apparently was so she
continued, "Anyway, that's the end of the four of them. We don't have to
worry about them anymore."
        "No we don't but, that's not the end of them," Galen put in.
        "There you go again," Ashe sounded exasperated. "What behind all
these mysterious comments? Are you ready to tell us?"
        "Yes, I am," Galen affirmed. "You see, ever since we've been
having these dreams, something's been bugging me about that final fight
with the Royal Guard. It's only been this last year that I've finally
figured out what it was."
        "And?" Usagi said, sounding expectant.
        Looking at her, he said, "I think the Generals you fought were
not really Endymion's Royal Guard but beings that are similar to
clones."
        "What?!" Usagi and Ashe both exclaimed.
        "Like I said before, it was hard for me to believe that they
would do any harm to the Inner Senshi, let alone kill them, so I was
watching Kunzite carefully when we fought that last time. I noticed that
he was using a different attack than usual. I've never fought him before
but I've watched the Royal Guard practice when I visited Earth. Even
though I was tired then, I thought I had the advantage since I knew his
way of fighting. I was wrong. This Kunzite was using a totally different
power. His attacks came out in the form of dark energy and that, in
itself, was already strange."
        "Yes, Nephrite was doing the same thing," Ashe was quick to put
in, "but I thought it was because they were under Beryl's power."
        "True. I believed that was the reason at first, but, add to that
the fact that, when I managed to wound him before he delivered the final
blow, he bled green blood."
        Galen paused to see if they were following his line of thought.
Ashe looked like he was close to connecting all the puzzle pieces in his
brain while Usagi was starting to look glassy-eyed.  he thought.  He
quickly finished his explanation.
        "I know very well that human blood comes in only one color and
that is red. So I concluded that those generals who murdered the Senshi
were just look alikes and not the real ones."
        "But you're not absolutely sure, right?"
        He was expecting that question from Ashe so he had a ready
answer.
        "I wasn't sure until Usagi told her story, but now I am."
        "Would you care to explain that statement? You lost me
somewhere."
        Turning to Usagi, he said, "I think that can wait 'til tomorrow.
Usagi looks like she's had enough for one day."
        Gratitude filled her face when she heard this. "Thank you. I
can't keep up with you two. You must have computers for brains."
        "Don't worry," Galen said, standing up and heading for the door.
"You just get a good night's sleep and we'll see you tomorrow around
ten."
        Ashe followed his friend to the door and waved good-bye before
closing it.
        Usagi had more than enough for one day. She barely finished
preparing for bed before lying down. She was asleep as soon as her head
hit the pillow.

                        *       *       *       *       *

        Saturday morning brought more sunshine and cool temperatures.
Usagi woke up feeling well rested and ready to face another full day.
She glanced at the clock.
        "9:45!!! I forgot to set my alarm clock!" she exclaimed.
"They'll be here in fifteen minutes."
        She jumped out of bed and quickly made it. The shower was her
next destination before hurriedly changing and putting her hair up in
the usual buns. No sooner had she put the last pin in place before the
doorbell rang.
        "Good morning," she greeted the two guys as she ushered them in.
        "So," Galen started, "are you ready for more surprises or are
you still recovering from last night?"
        "Nope. My batteries are all recharged and ready for whatever
you've got planned."
        "That's good," Ashe said, "'cause I can't wait to hear what
Galen has to say."
        "Well, if you'll both sit down, I'll show you what I've
discovered."
        Galen took the briefcase he left on the side table when he
entered and opened it to reveal some folders. He gathered these in his
hands and leafed through the papers contained in the first one.
        "Last night I said I wasn't sure that my theory about the fake
Generals was correct until I heard Usagi's part of the story." He
glanced at his audience to confirm this and they both nodded. "You see,
for the past year, ever since I doubted the authenticity of those
Generals, I've been using our computer system in the office to search
for the Royal Guard's present day counterparts. And I found them."
        "You found them," Usagi repeated, "and they weren't the ones we
fought?"
        "No. That's why I was sure after you told us you destroyed them.
The men I found are all alive and well and living in North America."
        "Tell us what you found," Ashe said eagerly, a gleam of
excitement in his eyes.
        "It was pretty easy to locate Kunzite. After all, Kenjo is not a
very common name. The other three presented me with a more difficult
case. Anyway, after a lot of analyzing and guessing, I finally
discovered who they were. I found that they all have at least two things
in common. One, they are all prominent individuals and, two, they are
all wealthy in their own right.
        "That doesn't come as a surprise," Ashe commented. "Being
leaders in their former lives, I wouldn't expect anything less."
        "That's what I thought." Galen looked down at the folder in his
hand. "These folders contain their profiles. First, Kenjo Fukuda. On
paper he's just an ordinary government employee but you won't find his
name under any department. If you dig deeper, you'll find that he's an
operative for one of the government agencies."
        "Like the FBI?" Usagi wanted to know.
        "The company Kenjo's working for is more obscure than the FBI.
They handle the high risk operations that could change our country's
future from peace to war. As far as most people are concerned, they
don't exist."
        "Knowing Kenjo, he's probably involved in the strategic planning
part of the operation."
        "Right again, Ashe. He's presently in charge of all operations,
though, and answers only to one other person. As you can imagine, he's
very well paid and keeps his money in Swiss banks. He could hardly
squander it and still keep a low profile, after all."
        Moving to the next folder, he continued, "Secondly, we have
Nephrite. He's known as Nathan Sanada, a wealthy entrepreneur in the
food business. He is behind the Gekko Corporation which owns a chain of
restaurants that specializes in Japanese cuisine. They have branches all
over North America as well as Europe and, of course, Asia."
        "I should have known he'd find a way to make money out of his
love for cooking," Ashe laughed. "If Zoisite is anything like I
remember, he'd be doing something that doesn't put him so much in the
limelight. He was always the quietest one in the group."
        "Being quiet could be an asset in his profession. He's a famous
novelist. He mostly writes science fiction but has been known to produce
detective stories once in a while. His last ten novels have been
bestsellers and have sold millions of copies. He's very popular but
rarely makes any media appearances. He owns a mansion in Victoria where
he writes without worrying about any disturbances." Galen took a drink
of the soda, which Usagi had served during his recitation, to soothe his
dry throat. He leaned back in his chair. "Does that sound like Zachary
or what?"
        "I knew it!" Ashe exclaimed.
        "You're talking about Zachary Kurata, aren't you?" Usagi asked.
        Galen nodded his head. "That's right. How did you know?"
        "I read a book once called `Moonlight Destiny'. The plot and the
characters in it sounded so familiar but I couldn't pinpoint the reason
why. Later, after I've read it a second time, I realized that the author
seemed to be talking about the time of the Silver Millennium and the
hero and heroine sounded like Endymion and myself. I looked at the
author's name so I could find more of his work and see if I wasn't
imagining it. Most of his books were situated in the same locale as that
of `Moonlight Destiny' and many of the characters could be people I knew
from the Moon Kingdom."
        "He must have discovered his true identity then to be able to
write about his past. That could work in our favor, or against it, when
we contact him."
        "What do you mean?"
        "I'll tell you later, Usagi. First, let's find out what
Jadeite's up to this days." Galen opened the last folder on the coffee
table. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the Gin Construction and Design
Company?"
        "I have," Ashe replied. "They're one of the largest development
companies in North America and are known for their innovative designs on
buildings and houses as well. They've recently branched out to the
European market and are thinking of going into the Asian market next."
        "Very good. The owner of Gin Construction is none other than our
good friend Justin Tanaka. He's also dubbed by People Magazine as one of
the ten most eligible bachelors in the United States along with our
other friend, Nathan Sanada. He's been known to enjoy going to parties.
If you can't find him in one, he can probably be found working in a
construction site his company is presently undertaking. He said in an
interview once that he likes to leave his `personal touch' on the
projects he's involved in. I think he just likes to build things,
period."
        "Do you remember all the gadgets he used to make back then?"
Ashe reminisced. "I can't think of a time when I saw him sitting idly
doing nothing. That is, until he met Rei, of course."
        "Rei and Jadeite," murmured Usagi under her breath, "talk about
unlikely pairs."
        "Did you say something, Usagi?" Galen inquired.
        "No. Nothing," she answered, shaking her head. "So, what are we
going to do with all this newfound knowledge?"
        "We're going to find the Royal Guard, of course," Ashe declared.
        Usagi looked at Galen to confirm what she was afraid was the
truth. She didn't exactly want to see the nod he gave her.  she thought, 



                             CHAPTER THREE
                      Far From Home: Usagi's Tale

        On the top floor of a skyscraper, somewhere in New York City, a
lone man was working in his corner office. Outside, a thunderstorm
raged. Sheets of rain poured from the sky slapping against the tall
windows which comprised one side of the room. Inside, only the tapping
of his fingers on the computer keys broke the blanket of silence. It had
been many hours ago when the last of his companions departed, leaving
him all alone. Looking up at the clock which hung on the wall opposite
his desk, he grimaced. It was close to midnight.
        Sitting up, he rolled his shoulders to ease the tension in them
before getting up. He was a tall man with a build that showed leanness
but didn't want for muscles. Power emanated from him with every stride
he took as he walked towards the glass windows. He looked out at the
falling rain with eyes the color of gray bordering on silver. A high
forehead, straight nose and a firm mouth completed a face unique in its
lack of emotions. Hair the color of fresh snow fell straight to a few
inches below his shoulders and made him look much older than his
twenty-seven years.
        Suddenly, he closed his eyes and put up a hand to rub his neck
muscles.  he thought. Not just because of the full day he'd
just put in but tired of the whole situation. It was time for a change.
In his line of work, one couldn't afford to be less than fully alert.
Lives were at stake and everything depended on a keen, clear mind. Again
he thought, 
        He'd been talking about getting out of the system with his
superior. He had been hard to convince but, in the end, it was the
agent's decision to make. He'd been delegating his work little by little
over the past few months and tying up the remaining loose ends. Today
he'd finally completed his last project and all that was standing
between him and the change he needed was a debriefing required of all
agents leaving the system. One more week and he could walk away from
this life forever. Somehow it felt like being freed from a cage. Free to
live his life the way he wanted. Free to seek out the knowledge that had
been beckoning to him for so many years now. He didn't know he only had
to walk out of the building to find it.

                        *       *       *       *       *

        Thunder crackled and lightning struck near the car parked in the
alley beside a tall building. Usagi almost jumped out of her skin when
the booming noise penetrated the interior of the vehicle.
        "I hate storms!" she exclaimed, hugging her arms around her
body.

        "I know," Galen said, sitting at the driver's seat across from
her, "but we can't leave until we talk to Kenjo. He should be coming out
in a few more minutes. He always leaves around midnight."
        "Here he comes." Ashe pointed to the door in the alley which
opened from the building. "Are you ready, Usagi?"
        "Ready as I'll ever be. Wish me luck."
        She huddled her trenchcoat closer to her body and pulled down
the hat covering her head. The rain quickly drenched her when she left
the car and walked hurriedly towards the departing figure.
        "Excuse me!" She had to raise her voice to be heard over the
noise.
        Kenjo turned and automatically reached for the gun which usually
rested on his side. It wasn't there. He remembered surrendering it to
his superior along with the other items connected to his job. He didn't
really need it, he thought. He had other things he could count on.
        "Get out of the shadows so I can see you." The person wasn't
that tall from what he could see. He wasn't big nor was he carrying any
kind of weapon. He didn't look like any kind of threat.
        Usagi slowly moved out of the darkened part of the alley as he
commanded. She looked calmly back at him while he surveyed her. Inside,
she felt like a quaking mass of Jell-O. She wasn't usually afraid to
confront any ordinary man. After all, she could defend herself easily
with her karate skills. And, if that didn't work, she always had her
powers as Sailor Moon to fall back on. But Kenjo was far from ordinary
and the added distraction of thunder and lightning didn't help her
nervous system any. Besides, she still half expected him to blast her
away.
        He was surprised to see that it was just a slip of a girl who
confronted him. Correction, he thought. She wasn't really a girl but
more like a young lady. She was looking at him determinedly and he can't
help feeling that he'd met her somewhere before.
        "What do you want with me?" he asked.
        "To talk."
        "If you haven't noticed, it's midnight. I'm dead tired and I
want to go home. Why don't you give me a call in the office tomorrow,
hmm?" With this said he started to turn away from her.
        "You won't be in your office tomorrow, or any other day. I need
to talk to you now."
        His steps halted at these words and his irritation was evident
on his face. "Give me one good reason why I should do what you want."
        The next few minutes passed in silence and he had started to
walk away again when.
        "Kunzite."
        She said it softly but, to him, it seemed like she screamed it.
He'd never heard that title outside of his dreams and he thought never
to come across it in his waking hours. No matter that he had planned to
pursue a search for the other people in them, he held no hope of ever
encountering one. And yet there she stood, looking fragile and strong at
the same time, uttering the one word that could change his life forever.
        He slowly turned to face her once more. She was lifting her arm
to remove the hat that covered her hair. He watched as two long streams
fell all the way to her calves and traced them up to the buns sitting on
both sides of her head. There was no mistaking her identity. She was
Endymion's princess.
        "Princess Serenity," he uttered softly, almost reverently.
        "I'm afraid so," Usagi said. "Now will you come with me?"
        "Of course."
        He walked towards her and, together, they started for the car
where Galen and Ashe waited. Introductions were made before they all
headed towards Usagi's apartment. The rest of the night was spent making
explanations and discussing new plans. Their next target: Nathan Sanada
a.k.a. Nephrite.

                        ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~

        Usagi was tired. She'd been looking forward to spring break two
weeks ago and, here, it was almost over, she felt like it never even
started. For the past week she had been hopping from one place to
another, acting out scenes like a movie star and, at least, getting
great results. For one, she got to dine at a world famous restaurant in
Hollywood with Galen. She could still imagine all the classy people,
dining in their gowns and tuxedos, and taste the tempura dipped in
delicious sauce if she closed her eyes...

______________________________________________________________________________

        The walls were made of marble, the curtains of velvet, and the
carpet felt thick beneath her shoes, Usagi noted as they were ushered
in. The chandelier lights were dimmed and the patrons were all talking
in low tones. Galen asked to be seated near the tall glass windows
overlooking the city lights in the distance. It had one of the best
views from the restaurant. It also had the advantage of being located
near the table where the owner usually dined. One Nathan Sanada had been
seated there, talking and dining with a few other people.
        "Good evening," the waiter who was suddenly standing beside
their table said. "Would you like something to drink before ordering
your meal?"
        "No, thank you." Galen didn't drink, Usagi learned from all the
time she'd spent with him the past few days.
        "You have a nice place here, though," he continued. "Only the
best from what I can see." Galen raised his wine glass and pretended to
examine it.
        "Of course, sir," the waiter agreed, looking proud. "We have the
best crystal stemware imported all the way from England. Nothing else
will suffice."
        "One of the best, I'll give you that," He raised his voice
enough to be overheard by the next table. "But, surely, nothing can top
the Imperium Silver Crystal."
        Usagi saw Nathan, who was seated at Galen's back, pause
momentarily at this statement. She nodded her head at her companion to
show that their target had taken the bait. He quickly gave their orders,
much to the poor waiter's confusion, who walked away looking dazed.
        It was much later in the evening before the next step to their
plan took place. Galen was having a cup of coffee while Usagi was slowly
finishing her dessert. The people at the next table were busy saying
their good-byes to their host and leaving. When all was quiet, Usagi
looked up to see if Nathan was still there. All she saw was an empty
table, and she was about to panic, when a deep voice from behind her
said.
        "Would you mind if I join you?"
        Nathan had been standing behind Usagi, studying the couple who
was responsible for his being distracted for half the evening. He didn't
feel any irritation towards them at all, only an elation one feels when
finding long lost friends. For that's what they were, long lost friends
from his very distant past, from the Silver Millennium. Moving forward
to embrace all the new changes they represented in his life, he asked to
join them.
        "Be our guest," Galen offered, seeing the light of recognition
in Nathan's eyes. He knew then that the second part of their plan was
about to be accomplished.

______________________________________________________________________________

        In the end, no more introductions were really necessary, Usagi
remembered. Nephrite had known who they were right away and was more
than willing to join them in their search for the rest of the team.
        She leaned on the wall beside her to take off some of the weight
from her aching feet.  she thought. It was much easier
waiting in the plush offices of the Gin Construction and Design Company,
Houston division. At least she got to sit on a soft sofa while the
minutes ticked by...

______________________________________________________________________________

        She had made an appointment to see the head of the company at
two o'clock in the afternoon. Unfortunately, the meeting he was
attending had been extended for at least an hour and she had no other
choice but to wait for him.
        She opened the portfolio on her lap once more and looked over
the drawings she would be submitting for his perusal. She smiled. They
weren't exactly what he asked for when he advertised for an interior
designer to decorate his newly constructed hotel. Not that they were
ugly, she judged. They were very well drawn. Quite professional looking,
actually. She had, after all, gone through three years of university,
majoring in Interior Design, and was well into her last year of school.
If she hadn't learned to draw by now, she never would. It was quite an
accomplishment for someone who couldn't even make stick figures when she
was in junior high. Again she smiled and closed the portfolio.
        The clock was showing a quarter past four, and Usagi was slowly
starting to doze, before the secretary called her attention.
        "Excuse me, Miss Tsukino," she said. "Mr. Tanaka is ready to see
you now." She walked to the doors behind her desk and opened them.
Usagi heard her say, "Miss Tsukino, the interior designer, to see you,
sir," and she motioned for her to go in.
        The office she entered was spacious and tastefully decorated,
she noticed. The man standing behind the huge desk was busily
straightening papers and keying numbers on the computer in front of him.
        "Please have a seat, Miss Tsukino." He motioned with his hand to
the chair on the other side of the desk without once looking up from his
work. "I'm sorry if I'm being rude but, as you can see, this meeting has
put me way behind schedule."
        "That's all right," Usagi replied. "I'm not in any hurry."
        After clearing some space on his desk, he asked, "So, did you
bring a sample of your work?"
        "Of course." She placed her portfolio on the desk top and pushed
it towards him.
        "Just a moment," he said, sitting down and typing some more
numbers on the keyboard, before, "There, that should do it. Now, let's
see what you've got here."
        He opened the portfolio quickly, expecting to see some designs
for his new hotel. Instead of sketches of the lobby and rooms though, he
saw a very well drawn picture of some kind of building. It was long,
longer than it was tall. It had several towers, all topped by roofs
shaped like that of the Taj Mahal, and was supported by columns like
those in ancient Greek temples. In front of the building, two rows of
fountains marched from the stairway leading to the front doors all the
way to the huge gates, shaped liked a pair of harps, which were open as
if in welcome. The fountains were flanked on either side by the largest
set of gardens he had ever seen depicted.
        After pausing for a time on the first sketch, he slowly went
through the rest, giving each one an inordinate amount of attention. He
couldn't seem to shake the feeling that all the scenes were hauntingly
familiar. He had seen that building before, that palace. It was on the
Moon. Yes, it was the Palace of the Moon Kingdom during the Silver
Millennium. It was the Palace in his dreams.
        He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, afraid to believe
what he saw before him. He had been searching for so long, could it be
that his quarry had found him instead? Hoping against hope, he opened
his eyes and, for the first time that day, looked at the lady sitting
across from him. He wasn't disappointed.

______________________________________________________________________________

        Usagi wasn't really surprised when Jadeite recognized her then.
After the meetings with Nephrite and Kunzite, she fully expected him to.
What surprised her was the look of relief on his face when he saw her.
It puzzled her for a moment but she totally forgot about it when she saw
him smile afterwards. Looking back, she found she was right the first
time she saw Jadeite masquerading as a ship captain. He was a truly
gorgeous man.
        The opening of the bookstore doors claimed Usagi's attention and
she shook her head to clear it of daydreams. It was show time once
again. She looked to the shoe store across the mall where the five guys
were standing, and motioned that she was going in. They nodded their
understanding.
        The book signing started right away and was going slower than
she thought it would. Usagi was somewhere near the end of the line and
most of the people in front of her were pausing to chat with the author,
Zachary Kurata, before moving on. She took the time to study him more
closely. Of all the Generals, he was the one who looked most different
from the clone Beryl created. Perhaps it was because his facial
expression lacked the sneer that was perpetually a part of the clone's
face. She couldn't believe he actually looked friendly and approachable.
He was quickly signing all the books while listening to the chatter
directed towards him. He, then, replied to all the questions, bestowing
each person with a charming smile, before moving to the next one. Soon
it was her turn.
        "What would you like me to write?" Usagi heard him ask before he
opened the book to the inside cover.
        "Please address it to `Usagi'." She paused to see if he
recognized her name before finishing with, "and sign it `Your good
friend... Zoisite'."
        She saw him lose his grip on the pen and watched it clutter to
the floor. He quickly bent to retrieve it before slowly looking up. He
stared at her from a face so stoic, she thought she might have been
mistaken, that he didn't recognize the names. But then, his face
softened and, little by little, that oh so charming smile was formed and
lit his face with welcome. He finished signing the book and, as he was
handing it to her, asked in a soft voice, "Will you wait for me?"
        Usagi nodded her head and whispered back, "My friends and I will
be by the door when you're finished." And, with that, she took the book
and walked towards the entrance.

                        *       *       *       *       *

        The five men were now standing in front of the bookstore,
talking among themselves.
        "What could be taking so long?" Justin asked impatiently.
        Nathan laughed before saying, "Could it be the long line-up in
which Usagi is almost last?"
        "Tsk, tsk," Kenjo put in. "We have to find Rei quickly, so you
can stand in place for a few minutes without complaining. You didn't
seem to mind being idle when she was around."
        Blushing a furious red, Justin replied. "I'm never really idle
when I'm with Reiko. I'm always looking at her, holding her hand, kis...
ahem, never mind," he finished, cheeks turning even rosier than before,
if possible.
        All the men laughed, patting him on the back, with Ashe adding,
"Just like Justin to stop when it was getting interesting."
        "Hey, guys, let me in on the joke," Usagi called, walking out of
the bookstore with the book in one hand.
        Galen smiled at her and said, "We were just teasing Justin,
here, about Rei. You should have seen him blush." And, as if on cue, his
face turned red once more.
        Usagi smiled as well before saying, "I could just imagine her
face when she sees you again." Her smile quickly vanished at that
statement. "I don't think I want to be there."
        "But why?" Justin asked.
        She looked at Galen and Ashe. "You know why."
        "But we don't," Nathan said, watching the three of them. "Is
there something you haven't told us?"
        "We never told you why Usagi is living here instead of in
Japan." Galen put a protective arm around Usagi, even though he knew
none of the men would hurt her.
        Kenjo was surprised. "But I thought she grew up in Canada. Are
you saying she didn't?"
        Ashe was the one who answered this time. "She's only been in
Canada for over three years. Before that, she lived with her parents in
Japan."
        "And Reiko? Have you met her, Usagi?"
        "Yes. She was my friend and we fought the Dark Kingdom together
a few years ago."
        "What about Makoto?" This was from Nathan.
        "And Minako?" This from Kenjo.
        "And Ami?" And this last query was from Zachary, who was just
coming out from the bookstore.
        "They were all my friends, Haruka and Michiru, too. We all
fought together until..." She stopped talking because the tears filling
her eyes were in danger of falling if she said anymore.
        "I think we'd better finish this at home," Galen suggested. He
looked at the newcomer. "I assume you know everybody," he said, giving a
quick glance at the men around him.
        Zachary nodded and Nathan put a hand on his shoulder saying,
"Welcome to the team, Zach. We'll catch up on old times later."
        With that said, they all started towards the mall exit, Galen
leading Usagi with the rest of the guys following.

                        *       *       *       *       *

        The sun was setting in the western sky, painting the white
sprawling bungalow in shades of yellow and orange. Inside, the seven
people gathered around the living room were taking a break from the long
afternoon of talking. The Generals of the Royal Guard were quietly
discussing the things they had just learned, while Galen and Ashe
decided to stretch their legs and were, even now, standing by the
window. Usagi was slowly sipping her coffee, thinking about the past
afternoon.
        She was tired, she thought for the second time that day. Her
head was throbbing from trying to remember all the details of her life
as Sailor Moon, and her throat was sore from all the storytelling she
had done. It wasn't over yet. She groaned when she thought of the part
that was to come. It was the most difficult part to tell. The part where
she cuts her ties with all the Sailor Senshi and...Tuxedo Kamen.
        "Usagi, are you ready to continue?" Kenjo asked.
        She looked up to see the men seated around the center table once
more. They were all waiting for her to start the rest of the tale.
Putting her coffee cup down, she took a deep breath and focused on the
centerpiece while her mind delved into the past.
        "We all thought we were finally at peace. It had been a long
time since the last battle and there were no signs of youma activity
anywhere. Then, Morgon appeared..."

______________________________________________________________________________

        It was a beautiful day in September. The sun was shining in a
cloudless sky, and Usagi was just coming out of detention.
        "How can she put me on detention on a gorgeous day like this?"
she asked herself. "After all, this is the only time I missed my
homework so far this year."
        Usagi had been doing better in school with a lot of help from
Ami. She figured that, since she was already in high school, she had to
be more responsible. But that still didn't stop her from pigging out on
food and spending too much time in the arcade. That was where she was
headed right now.
        She was about to open the door when her communicator beeped. It
was Rei.
        "What's up Rei? I'm about to try that new Sailor V game, so this
had better be important."
        "Forget about your stupid game and listen. I feel an evil
presence nearby and it's coming from the park near Mamoru's place."
        "What?!"
        "Ami, Minako and Makoto are heading there right now, and I'm on
my way."
        "I'm on it, Rei." She went to an alley nearby, took out her
heart shaped locket and screamed, "Moon Cosmic Power!"
        She quickly transformed and was off and running without a moment
lost. She had to be there if Mamo-chan was in danger. She was hurrying
so much, she didn't notice the man before she hit him and went sprawling
on the ground.
        "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry," she apologized. She
was up and starting off again before she noticed that the man was not
standing on the ground. He was floating three feet in the air. She
hadn't really hit his body but the forcefield surrounding it.
        "Who are you? And what do you want here?"
        "Well, nice to meet you, too, Sailor Moon." He gave her an evil
smile and it sent chills down her spine.
        Why did he look so familiar? Did he look like Rubeus? No. He had
short dark hair while this guy has long red locks. Ail maybe? No, again.
Ail had long hair but exotic looking eyes. This man's eyes were
elongated, and sharp towards the end, like a snake's. 
she thought. Long red locks and eyes like a snake's. She only knew one
other person who had those features.
        "Queen Beryl!" she said aloud.
        "Got it right the first time, Sailor Girl. I am Morgon, Queen
Beryl's son. When you defeated my mother and blasted her back to the
Dark Kingdom, she was humiliated. I swore I'd avenge her and, now, it's
pay back time." He pointed to a tree nearby and it quickly changed into
a youma. "Let's see how well you deal with this creature." And then, he
disappeared.
        Sailor Moon didn't have time to think about where he went. The
youma was starting towards her and she quickly used her wand to attack
it.
        "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" The youma easily disintegrated into
a million pieces.
         she thought.  The
beeping of her communicator reminded her of what she was supposed to be
doing.
        "Sailor Moon, where are you?" It was Jupiter. "We need you in
the park, pronto."
        "I'm coming," she replied, running while she was talking.
        She arrived at the park within ten minutes and found the Senshi
fighting a huge youma with sharp claws and a catlike body. When it moved
a little, she saw Mamo-chan lying on the ground behind it, unconscious.
She wanted to see if he was all right, so she quickly jumped into the
fray.
        Clapping her hands to get the youma's attention, she said, "Hey
you! You big, sorry specimen of the cat family. Why don't you try
fighting me instead. I'm Sailor Moon and, on behalf of the Moon, I will
right wrongs and triumph over evil. And that means you!"
        Before she was even finished her speech, the youma leaped
towards her, sharp claws striking, making her jump with a screech.
        "Venus Love Chain Encircle!" Minako immediately attacked the
creature, stunning it for a moment. "Now, Sailor Moon!"
        "Right." She, once again, put up her wand and yelled, "Moon
Spiral Heart Attack!" Just like the first one, this creature also
disintegrated into a million pieces.
        Sailor Moon didn't wait to see if she finished the monster off.
She quickly run to Mamoru's unmoving body to cradle his head in her lap.
        "Mamo-chan, are you all right?" She pushed the hair away from his
face to see him better. He groaned and opened his eyes to see Sailor
Moon leaning over him.
        "Usako, what happened?" he asked, sitting up groggily.
        "You were attacked by a youma. Didn't you see it coming?"
        "No. I was just walking home when I felt something hit me on the
head from behind, and then, I blacked out."
        "Well, I felt an evil presence somewhere near here and I asked
the others to come quickly. Of course, if somebody wasn't late coming,
we could have finished the youma much faster." Mars was positively
sneering at Sailor Moon.
        "Stuff it, Rei. If you must know, I met Beryl's son on the way
here. He's the reason I'm late."
        Mercury looked as surprised as the rest. "Did I hear you right,
Sailor Moon. You said you met Queen Beryl's son. I didn't even know she
had children."
        "I didn't know it either until I met Morgon. That's the name he
gave me when I literally bumped into him. He said he was here to avenge
his mother's humiliation at our hands."
        "We had better discuss this back at the temple, don't you
think?" Luna, who had joined the Senshi after the battle was over,
suggested. Artemis, beside her, nodded his agreement.
        The five Senshi quickly changed back to their normal
appearances. Usagi and Makoto assisted a still groggy Mamoru up before
they all proceeded to the temple.

                        *       *       *       *       *

        They all gathered at Rei's room to listen to Usagi's story.
Afterwards, everyone had at least one question to ask.
        "But why would Beryl's son suddenly appear after all this time.
It's been years since we defeated her," Makoto wanted to know.
        "You'd think he'd come right away after he found out," Rei
added.
        Ami gave it more thought. "Maybe he had to gather his forces
before he could attack."
        "I agree," Minako put in. "But why would he attack Mamoru? We
were the ones who put away his mother."
        "That's true, Minako," Luna replied, "but you have to remember
that Queen Beryl was obsessed with having Endymion rule by her side.
Perhaps Morgon blames him for everything that happened to her."
        "Then we had better look out for Mamoru until we know what he
intends to do," Ami suggested.
        "Wait a minute!" Mamoru, who had been quiet 'til now, suddenly
exploded. "Don't I have a say in this? I can take care of myself very
well, thank you. I don't need any watchdogs!"
        "Mamo-chan, we know you can look after yourself. But this is the
Dark Kingdom we're talking about, and they've managed to take you from
us more than once before." Usagi held his hand while she tried to calm
him down.
        "All right, Usako. But you don't have to follow me all the time.
Rei could sense whenever there is evil around, can't she? Maybe she can
just tell everyone where it's coming from and then, you can come to the
rescue, like today."
        "What do you think, girls?"
        "It will probably work, but only if we're all there on time!"
Rei told Usagi.
        "I'll be there already! Satisfied?!"

                        *       *       *       *       *

        But Usagi wasn't there. It seems that every time she was on her
way to join the Senshi as Sailor Moon, she was confronted by another
youma. All of them were easily defeated with one attack, but they
managed to delay her from the main fight for a few minutes. Her
tardiness was being noticed by all the Senshi now, not just Rei. Even
Luna and Artemis had commented upon it. Only Mamoru hadn't said anything
but he must be on his mind as well.
        She never remembered to mention the youmas she encountered alone
because, by the time the real fight was finished, she got so preoccupied
with Mamo-chan's welfare that she totally forgot about them. 
she thought, 
        On this day however, eight months after the first attack, she
was determined to tell the others the reason for her being late all
those times. She didn't want them thinking that she didn't care about
Mamoru's well being, or that she was being irresponsible. She kept
reminding herself to mention it at the meeting later at the temple. She
wasn't going to forget this time.
        She had just finished helping her mother with some chores, and
was heading with Luna for the ice cream shop for a sundae, when her
communicator sounded. It was Ami.
        "Rei said that we are needed at the old church near Mamoru's
school. We couldn't get in touch with him. Hurry up, Usagi!"
        "I'll try not to be late this time, Ami. I promise."
        Putting away her communicator, she opened her locket and
screamed, "Moon Cosmic Power!"
        Soon Sailor Moon and Luna were running towards the location Ami
mentioned. She had her wand ready just in case a youma appeared to delay
her. She was planning on blasting it without even stopping. The youma,
however, didn't appear in front of her but behind her.
        "Hold it right there, Sailor Moon." It was standing about ten
feet away from her. It reminded her of the devil with its sharp horns,
long tail, lethal looking claws, and human like body, all covered in
slimy, red scales. "You have to deal with me first!"
        "All right," Sailor Moon said confidently. "Moon Spiral Heart
Attack!"
        Before the blast could hit the youma, it was airborne and was
heading for Sailor Moon, claws bared.
        "Watch out, Sailor Moon!" Luna screamed the warning.
        She managed to evade it by only a narrow gap. She tried to blast
it again. This time it got hit but was only stunned by the attack.
Sailor Moon didn't know what to do. Apparently, this youma was stronger
than the others before it. She couldn't call the others for help since
they were probably in another fight. She had no choice but to face this
monster alone.
        She tried to use her hands and feet to do some damage and she
succeeded in stunning it a few times. For the next few minutes, they
exchanged blows and managed to give each other some bruises. Sailor Moon
was out of breath when they paused momentarily, and it seemed her whole
body hurt.  she thought. 
She raise the chalice that suddenly appeared in her hand and screamed,
"Crisis, Make Up!"
        She transformed to Super Sailor Moon and got ready to blast the
youma to smithereens. Only, he was nowhere to be seen. She quickly
looked to both sides of her and, even as she turned her head to look
behind, she felt several sharp claws digging into her and pushing her
forward to land on the cold cement. Her whole back felt like it had been
skinned and blood was turning her white top to red. She raised her head
to see what the youma was doing.
        It was preparing to go at her again when a small furry object
hurled itself at the creature and tried to wound it. Luna, who had been
watching the battle, knew Sailor Moon needed time to prepare herself to
retaliate. She was going to give her that time if it killed her.
        As fast as she could, Sailor Moon painfully lifted her body and
positioned it to do her attack. When she was ready, she shouted,
"Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!"
        The youma had managed to dislodge Luna's hold and threw her
against a tree. The blast caught the creature as it was moving forward
to hit Sailor Moon once more. It didn't have time to change its course
and was immediately turned to dust.
        Sailor Moon watched as it disintegrated and walked to where Luna
was. She found her unconscious and, once she determined that the cat
would be all right, decided to leave her where she was. She had to hurry
to make it to the other Senshi. She felt like this fight was going to be
important.

                        *       *       *       *       *

        Venus was holding an unconscious Mercury while Jupiter was on
her knees, holding her bruised arm, a few feet away. A badly wounded
Tuxedo Kamen was trying to help a battered Mars to her feet. Artemis
didn't seem to be breathing at their feet.
        Sailor Moon looked over the scene of the fight as she
approached, silently, from behind. She couldn't believe her eyes. What
happened that all the Senshi were either badly hurt or unconscious. She
looked at the back of the creature that caused all this destruction. It
wasn't a youma at all who did it. It was Morgon himself.
        His head was thrown back, evil laughter, reminiscent of Beryl,
pouring from his mouth. He stopped to survey the damage he had done.
        "Now you're all going to suffer for what you did to my mother.
When Sailor Moon finds out you're all dead, she will know how I felt
when Queen Beryl was destroyed, and then I will kill her too."
        "You're mother was the most evil, pernicious creature who ever
lived. She deserved everything that happened to her," Mars said with all
the bravado she could master.
        "You're going to pay for those words!" He raised his hand,
getting ready to blast Mars, when, somewhere from behind him, he heard.
        "Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!"
        He looked behind him and saw it coming. He tried to evade it but
was only partially successful. It caught him on the side and left the
whole right part of his body burned and bleeding. He fell to his knees
and looked at his attacker.
        "You got me this time, Sailor Moon, but this is far from over.
I'll be back and, when I do, you'll have to face me. We'll see whose
going to survive!" He closed his eyes then, obviously in extreme pain,
and faded from sight.
        Sailor Moon was ready to collapse but she needed to know if her
friends were all right. She saw that Ami had regained consciousness and
was trying to gain her feet.
        "Are you guys okay?" she asked the group in general.
        "No thanks to you, Sailor Moon," Mars said accusingly. "As late
as you were, you might as well not have shown up."
        Sailor Moon looked devastated. "Is that how you all feel?
Mercury? Venus? Jupiter?"
        "You promised, Sailor Moon. You promised you wouldn't be late,"
Mercury reminded her.
        "What was so important that you were willing to sacrifice our
lives?" Venus wanted to know.
        "Yeah, Sailor Moon. Every time we fight lately, you're never
around 'til it's almost over," Jupiter put in. "Don't you care about
Tuxedo Kamen anymore? I thought you loved him."
        Sailor Moon couldn't believe what she was hearing. They were
supposed to be her friends. They were supposed to trust her. She turned
to Tuxedo Kamen.
        "Is that what you believe, Tuxedo Kamen? Mamo-chan?" she asked
of him. "That I don't care about you anymore?"
        He was quiet for the longest time before, "I don't know what to
believe, Sailor Moon. All I know is that you weren't here when we needed
you."
         she thought. Any minute now she
was going to wake up and find that the last eight months never happened.
How can he say that to her? Why didn't he trust her? After everything
they've gone through together, he still didn't believe in her.
        She recalled all the times when she had believed in him, and
trusted him, no matter what. When the Dark Kingdom turned him against
the Senshi, she knew that, somewhere inside, the man she loved still
lived and she did everything in her power to bring him back. When he
lost his memory after the battle with Beryl, she couldn't believe that
he could forget the love they shared, and she tried her best to make him
remember. When he had those horrible dreams about their future, when he
pushed her away and treated her like she didn't matter, she was the one
who persisted in loving him. And, when she found out the reason for his
actions, she was the one went to him, and told him she understood, and
never berated him no matter how many times he had made her cry. And now,
when she needed his support, he stood there saying he didn't believe in
her!
        "You know I would have been here if I could. There's a reason
why I am late," she tried to explain one more time.
        "What?" Rei asked skeptically. "That you couldn't leave without
finishing the new Sailor V game, or that you had to have one more ice
cream cone, or that you fell asleep! Save it, Usagi. Your reasons could
have gotten us all killed!"
        "Rei!"
        "Well it's true, Ami. While she was doing whatever she thought
was important, we were fighting for our lives. Some friend she is. Some
leader."
         Usagi thought. She'd had enough. She had always
been a good friend to each of them and had tried her best to be a good
leader. It seems her best just wasn't good enough. She couldn't believe
that all the things she'd done for them, all the times she had come
through for them, was erased because of one incident. And it wasn't even
her fault. But they weren't ready to listen to her. They had put her on
trial and found her wanting. It was over.
        She closed her eyes and accepted what had happened.  she told herself. She never wanted to be a fighter,
anyway. Now Rei could be the leader like she always wanted. As for
Mamo-chan, if he didn't love her enough to trust her now, he never will.
Perhaps he had never loved her at all, just went along with what they
believed was their destiny. That was the part that hurt most of all.
That she gave her whole heart and soul to him and he didn't want it. He
didn't want her.
        "Very well, if that's how you all feel, I am stepping down as
the leader of this group. Now you can be the leader like you've always
wanted, Rei. I hope you'll be happy." She looked at all of them. "I hope
you'll all be happy."
        With that, she turned around and walked away. She focused on
getting to a hospital. She knew she needed medical care and, afterwards,
she was going to decide what to do with the rest of her life.
        Luna, who had regained consciousness and followed Sailor Moon,
met her as she was leaving. Usagi heard her ask, "Sailor Moon, where are
you going?" just as a series of gasps came from the assembled group
behind her.  she thought,  Well, it was too late. She didn't want to discuss it
with any of them now. The last thing she heard was Luna saying, "Would
somebody please tell me what is going on here?!"

______________________________________________________________________________

        "I went to a hospital and I told them I fell on a wire fence,"
Usagi continued, while the six men looked at her sympathetically. "They
seemed to believe me and didn't ask any more questions."
        "When I got home, my parents were out and Shingo was playing
video games in his room. I went straight to my room and started to pack.
I had decided, while I was being treated, to leave for Canada. I wanted
to cut all my ties to Japan and forget all that had happened in the past
few years. I believed I could do that better in another place."
        "My family was planning a trip to Canada in June, which was a
couple of weeks away. Our passports were ready and the tickets bought
and paid for. I took both items, as well as all the money I had saved,
and left the house as soon as everybody was in bed. The airport
personnel who served me looked at me strangely when I asked to have my
ticket changed to the first available flight to Canada. She didn't say
anything, though, so I proceeded to the right gate and boarded the
plane."
        "I felt both relieved and nervous when I was finally in my seat.
Relieved that everything had gone smoothly so far, and nervous because I
didn't know what to expect when I arrived at my destination. I was lucky
enough to be seated beside a professor. He was middle-aged and had a
kind face so I felt comfortable with him. He asked me why I was
traveling alone and, maybe because he was a stranger, I told him the
truth. Not about being Sailor Moon, but about everything else... having
my friends turn on me and wanting to get away to live a new life. He was
very nice and he didn't pry any more than I wanted to reveal."
        "He told me his name was William Stanton and that his wife,
Michelle, was a high school teacher. He offered me a place in his home
and all the help I needed to get into the school system. He said he had
a son a year older than I was, and that I would make his family
complete."
        "I cried then. I didn't know there were people like that in the
world. I even asked him why he was doing it. He said when he first came
to Japan a few years back, the family he stayed with welcomed him like a
long, lost relative. He said he was just paying back their hospitality,
in a way."
        "So, I ended up staying with his family for almost two years.
Michelle tutored me for the first six months in all the subjects she
thought I needed to learn, especially English. Their son Kyle, who
graduated from high school that year, helped me as well. He waited to
enter university until I could join him. He thought I would feel more
comfortable having someone familiar around. He was right."
        "After a few months, I finally got my Grade Equivalency Diploma
and, because I had good marks, I managed to enroll into the university.
Kyle was going into Architecture and I thought I'd stay close to him.
So, I went into Interior Design which was in the same faculty. We had
mostly the same subjects and got to spend a lot of time together. He
became my best friend."
        "He's the guy who was with you the day we met, right?" Ashe
interrupted. "The one who got beaten up."
        Usagi smiled in remembrance. "That's right. Poor Kyle, he seemed
to have appointed himself as my protector. He's probably wondering where
I disappeared to the past week."
        "You must be pretty close," Nathan observed, "if he's willing to
get beaten up for you."
        "He's like the older brother I never had," she affirmed. "He's
the one who protested the most when I decided to live on my own. His
parents agreed, though, so within a month, I had rented an apartment
near the campus. Of course Kyle walked me to and from school for the
first month or so. He even brought me to work and picked me up."
        "Work?" Kenjo wanted to know.
        "I held a job as a receptionist/switchboard operator at a local
car dealership. It paid well enough to cover my rent and a few
necessities. My tuition was paid by a student loan so I didn't have to
worry about it."
        "Anyway, I was determined to finish school as soon as possible,
so I took classes even during the summer. I will finally be graduating
after this semester is finished."
        "What are you planning to do after you graduate?" Galen asked.
        
Usagi thought. 
        "Nothing much. I was thinking of joining a firm as an interior
designer and maybe moving to a better apartment. I didn't plan any
further than that and it's a good thing too. Everything's going to
change now that I've met all of you."
        "Are you sorry you met us?"
        "No," she said without any hesitation. "You're all like part of
my family, like the friends I left back in Japan. You've made me realize
I can't run away from my destiny and all the responsibility it entails.
But, also, that it's okay because I have all of you to support me."
        "Does this mean we can push through the plan to go to Japan?"
Justin inquired hopefully, crossing his fingers on both hands.
        "Yes."
        "All right! I thought you were going to back up at the last
minute, and I was so looking forward to seeing Reiko again."
        "I hate to burst you bubble, Justin but, like I said, her
reaction might not be very welcome. I'm not even sure I would get a good
reception."
        Everybody looked towards Ashe and Galen. They both sighed
heavily.
        "Looks like you and me again, Ashe."
        "And here we thought it would be easier if we found everybody
before going. Oh well."
        "So what's the plan?"
        Justin immediately took a folded paper from the back pocket of
his jeans and laid it on the table.
        "Looks like somebody's ready," Nathan commented, sounding
amused.
        "Hey! I've been planning this for as long as I can remember. If
I only knew where she was, I would have been there long ago."
        "And she'd probably have blasted your butt to kingdom come.
She'd have thought you were that Dark Kingdom General."
        "Probably, but I'd have tried, nevertheless. Anyway, it's over
and done with, so do you want to hear my plan for our next move."
        "Go ahead."
        "What if I have a building constructed in an area close to where
the Senshi live. It will be a branch of my company but will also house
many other businesses. It can have a branch of Galen and Ashe's security
firm, with a resident expert on covert operations," he stated, looking
at Kenjo. "It can have a world famous restaurant on the top floor," to
Nathan, "and it can even have a world famous author as a resident!" and
lastly, to Zachary.
        "What if we send Galen and Ashe to promote the building and to
invite other businesses to fill up the rest of the floors. We could have
tours of the site so anybody interested could see what we have to offer.
If we advertise it enough, somewhere, sometime, the Senshi will hear of
it and come to have a look. That's how we'll meet them."
        Kenjo wasn't so sure of that. "What if they don't come around?
What then?"
        "Then these two will just have to look for them and contrive to
meet them accidentally. At least they'll have a legitimate reason for
being in Japan."
        "What do you think?" Galen asked Kenjo.
        After a short pause, he replied, "It just might work."
        "Well, guys?"
        "Count me in," Nathan volunteered.
        "Me, too," Usagi added while everybody else nodded their
agreement.
        "I guess we're off to Japan, Ashe."
        "I guess we are!"
        And so the second, and last, phase of their mission was about to
begin.



                              CHAPTER FOUR
                  Uncharted Territory: New Beginnings

        Seven months have passed since that fateful day in April when
Justin had laid out the plan that would take them one step closer to
their destinies. He had spared no expense or workers in constructing the
proposed skyscraper and had it standing, ready for occupation, in record
time.
        The building had thirty floors, not counting the restaurant
located at the top encased in a Taj Mahal roof replica made of crystal
clear glass. The rest of the floors were surrounded by mirror-like walls
which reflected whatever they were facing while showing nothing of the
inside.
        The building also possessed several unique features like the six
foot high stone fence which surrounded the property as well as the
enormous flower gardens just inside the fence, bordering the structure
all around. It had two rows of fountains marching parallel to the path
which led from the entrance of the building all the way to the huge
gates shaped like a pair of harps.
        The most unusual feature it boasted were the four glass columns
on each corner attached to the building by a short walkway on each
floor. These were actually the elevators used to transport people to any
level while affording them a picturesque view of the city of Tokyo.
        On this particular day in November, however, the sole occupant
of one of the elevators wasn't very appreciative of the splendor around
him. Instead, his excitement seemed to stem from the sheaf of papers he
held in one hand. He kept glancing at the top one, reading and rereading
the name written there to make sure he wasn't imagining it. There was no
mistake. Her name was clearly spelled out on the form and he knew a
certain someone who would be happy about that.

                *       *       *       *       *

        On the thirtieth floor, Galen sat on one end of the enormous
table in the boardroom thinking about the events of the past month since
they had arrived in Japan. By that time, they found that the building
had already garnered a lot of attention because of its unusual features.
They didn't have any problems advertising it and, after two weeks, had
more businesses wanting to move in than available office space. Now all
they had to do was hire enough people to run their own companies.
        Justin had already hired his workers before the start of the
building construction via his manager and Nathan wanted to hire his own
cooks because he needed to see how good they were beforehand. That left
them to hire Justin's office workers, all Nathan's employees besides the
chefs, and all their own people for the general office, systems, and
self-defense classes. It was going to be a long week.
        He had just looked down to continue looking through the
applications lying in front of him when he heard the door open. It was
Ashe coming from the post office.
        "You are not going to believe this!" he said excitedly. "You are
just not going to believe this!"
        "Well I won't if you don't tell me what `this' is," Galen
replied sounding amused.
        "I just got more applications in the mail and I already know
that three of them are definitely going to be hired."
        "They must have pretty good resumes if you feel that way."
        "Their experiences have nothing to do with it, although they are
impressive."
        Galen sat back and folded his arms in front of him. "So, tell me
more."
        "First of all, I've got the owner of a successful computer firm
offering to set up our network system for us. Says he likes the
challenge of creating one for a security consulting firm. Then we have a
very talented chef who wants to join Nathan's team. I know he wants to
hire them himself but I think he'll be glad if we set this one up for an
interview when he comes. And lastly, we have a black belt, karate expert
who's interested in being one of our instructors."
        "Very impressive indeed," Galen agreed. "But so are a lot of
these other applicants. What makes these three so special?"
        "You haven't heard the best part. Our computer expert happens to
be Mamoru Chiba. Our chef, Makoto Kino. And our black belt is --"
        "Yes?" A note of expectation crept into his voice.
        "Haruka Ten'ou."
        There was a sudden silence after Ashe said the words. The only
sound was that of Galen taking a deep breath before asking, "You're not
kidding, are you, Ashe? 'Cause if you are --"
        "I won't joke about something this important. Look for
yourself." He handed Galen the forms he was holding and pointed to
Haruka's name at the top.
        Ashe watched as Galen read the form carefully, seeing a myriad
of emotions pass through his friend's face while doing so. When he
finally looked up, a glint of excitement sparkled in his eyes where
there was nothing but boredom before.
        "Yes!" he said exultantly. "Let's hurry up with these
applications so we can move on to the interviews."
        Ashe was in total agreement. After all, where Haruka was,
Michiru could usually be found, if the past was anything to go by.
"I'll accept Mamoru's offer later today and set up a meeting for
tomorrow. And I'll phone Makoto to say we're interested in her but the
person who's going to do the interviews won't be here until next month.
You'll take care of Haruka?"
        "You know I will," he answered distractedly. He was looking out
at the city, already thinking of what to say to Haruka when he called
her.

                *       *       *       *       *

        In a large mansion, on the other side of the city, a tall woman
with short, blond hair was pacing the floor of the living room. Across
from her, sitting on the sofa, another woman with aqua tinted hair was
trying to practice playing the violin while watching her friend going
back and forth. She finally put down the instrument and asked, sounding
exasperated, "Haruka, what is so important about this job that you can't
stand still?"
        Haruka stopped suddenly and looked guiltily towards Michiru.
"I'm sorry. Was I disturbing you?"
        Michiru shook her head. "Not really. I know this piece anyway.
I just don't understand what you're so worried about."
        "I'm not worried, exactly. I just don't like not knowing if I'm
accepted or not."
        "It's just a job, Haruka. You don't even need it. Why do you
want to work anyway?"
        Haruka heaved a deep sigh. "I need to work so that I can feel my
life is going somewhere. I mean, you and the Inner Senshi seem so sure
of what you want to be while my future is up in the air. Even Mamoru has
his own company and it provides him with the distraction he needs now
that Usagi's gone." Her face suddenly showed her worry and she ran a
hand through her hair. "She's the only one whose future I'm not sure
about. I wonder if she's okay, wherever she is."
        "I'm sure she's fine. She's a lot stronger than we all think she
is," Michiru said, trying to console her. "But what about you? I thought
all you wanted to be was a racer."
        "Racing is just a hobby," she replied. "I want something that
would last longer than the next accident on the track."
        "And you think being a karate instructor will fill the bill?"
        "It's something I'm good at. And, I feel like I'll be helping
people defend themselves from creeps as well as monsters if they ever
encounter one." Haruka ran her hand through her hair once more and
resumed her pacing. "I mean, while we were searching for the Messiah, I
felt like I was doing something useful. Even afterwards, we had Hotaru
to take care of 'til her father got better and we also had Usagi, the
Moon Princess, to protect. Now, we only have one youma attack every six
months, and they're not even powerful ones. It's not that I'm
complaining about that, it's just that I feel so useless!"
        "I'll always need you, Haruka. I hope you know that."
        Haruka stopped her pacing and sat down beside Michiru, taking
both her hands. "I know that, Michiru. Don't worry about me. I'll be
okay. I just need time to work things out, that's all."
        A sudden loud ringing cut into their conversation. Haruka stood
and hurriedly walked towards the phone sitting on the desk by the wall.
Michiru watched her with a concerned look on her face. She didn't know
what was bothering her friend but she knew it had something to do with
the job she applied for. She'd been acting different since she read the
ad.
        Haruka glanced guiltily back at Michiru as she headed for the
phone. She didn't like keeping secrets from her, but how was she going
to explain what was bothering her when she didn't even know it herself.
When she read the ad about the karate instructor, the name of the
company president just triggered something in her brain. But, try as she
might, she couldn't seem to access it. It remained an illusive thought,
floating somewhere in her mind but never at a place she can reach. One
thing she knew for sure, she was getting to the bottom of this mystery.
And being accepted for the job was a step forward.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Back at the building, in his office on the twenty-fifth floor,
Galen sat holding the telephone, waiting for the other end to pick up.
After a couple of hours of thinking, he finally concluded that there
wasn't much he could say to Haruka at this point. Not anything personal,
anyway. To her, he would be a stranger, an employer calling for an
interview, nothing more.
        The call was answered after the third ring and a rather
breathless voice said, "Hello?"
        Galen clutched the phone tighter and ordered his breathing to
remain normal. "May I speak to Miss Haruka Ten'ou please?"
        "Speaking."
        I know. "My name is Galen Fujiwara and I'm calling about your
job application to the G & A Security Consulting Firm. Will you be able
to come down for an interview on Wednesday morning at nine o'clock?
There will also be a tryout of skills in the afternoon since there are
too many applicants and it will serve as a process of elimination." But
you don't have to worry, he added silently. You were already hired
before I even called you.
        "That will be no problem. Do I need to bring anything?" She
sounded a bit anxious. Not like the Haruka he remembered.
        "You might like to bring a karate uniform if you have one.
Other than that, I can't think of anything more."
        "I do have one and I'll bring it. Thank you."
        "You're welcome. I'll see you the day after tomorrow then," he
managed to say calmly. He put the phone back on its cradle and leaned
back on his chair. The next forty-eight hours before he could see Haruka
already felt like forever.

                *       *       *       *       *

        In a temple, up on a hill, a few blocks from the building, four
young women and two cats sat around the living room having a snack.
        "Honestly," the one with long, black hair said. "These meetings
are starting to become a farce. We don't have any enemies to discuss
anymore!"
        "Cool it, Rei," Makoto with the brown ponytail, responded. "We
should be happy that there have been very few attacks. At least, now we
can live normal lives."
        "Mako-chan is right. There was a time when all of us would have
given anything for peace and now we have it," Luna, the black colored
cat, reminded them.
        The blond young lady with hip length hair looked sad when she
said a little wistfully, "Usagi would be very happy if she was here.
She wanted to live a normal life the most."
        "Yes, she would, Minako-chan," Luna said tearfully. She recalled
the many times Usagi had cried and said all she wanted was to be a
normal teenager. How she missed her.
        The white cat, Artemis, moved closer to Luna to console her.
"It is unfortunate that we couldn't find her. It's as if she fell off
the face of the Earth. Where could she have gone in a few short hours?"
        "We've been asking ourselves that question for the last four
years and we still don't have an answer," Ami said. She had short, blue
tinted hair and occasionally wore glasses like she did now. "I just hope
that she's all right and that we'll meet again someday. I'd hate to think
that we won't be able to tell her how sorry we are for what we did back
then."
        Rei looked down at her lap and almost whispered, "It was mostly
my fault."
        Everyone stared at her since it was unusual for her to admit
mistakes.
        "What do you mean?" Luna asked.
        "I was always mean to her, even before that day. She was such a
crybaby and always late that she stretched my patience thin. I never
held back my criticisms about her faults and I told myself I was just
telling the truth. All the times she did something right, I rarely told
her how proud I was of her but I still continued pointing out all her
errors." She stopped to wipe the tears falling from her eyes. "At first,
I thought I would be a better leader. I even asked for a vote. But,
somewhere along the way, I saw that Usagi had all the qualities a leader
should possess. She cared about all of us, even me, and tried to protect
us without worrying about herself. She was there when we needed her and
she always made us laugh. I believed in my heart then that Usagi was the
rightful leader of the Senshi, but I never told her."
        "That last day, when she didn't show up, all my old grievances
against her surfaced and I lashed out without thinking. I convinced
myself I was wrong in believing her and that she cared nothing about us
after all. I didn't want to hear her explanation because I was afraid
I'd be fooled into becoming her friend again. I was fooled all right. But
not by Usagi, by myself. I thought she was the worst person in the whole
world but, in truth, she was my best friend and I loved her. I was such
a fool, I sent her away!"
        Minako put an arm on Rei's shoulder and hugged her briefly.
"You can't shoulder all the blame, Rei. You always said what you thought
and Usagi never left before. I think we all share the blame since we all
accused her of things she didn't do and flatly refused to hear her
explanation. Thank God Luna is a stubborn cat and wasted no time in
straightening our mistake."
        Luna remembered that day very well.

______________________________________________________________________

        She woke up feeling sore from being thrown at a tree and saw
that Sailor Moon was nowhere around. She remembered that they were on
their way to help the others when the youma appeared. She decided that
Sailor Moon must have gone to the old church near Mamoru's school. That
was the location Ami gave when she summoned them.
        Luna run to the scene as quickly as she could manage. Even then,
the fight was already finished when she arrived. Mars, Mercury, Jupiter,
Venus, and Tuxedo Kamen were all gathered in a semi-circle on one side
with Artemis lying unconscious in the middle. Sailor Moon stood alone on
the other side, facing them. She saw the other Senshi say something to
Sailor Moon and watched her respond. She couldn't hear what they were
saying since she was still at a distance. Then Sailor Moon paused before
speaking to Tuxedo Kamen. Whatever he said must have hurt because, after
saying a few words, she turned around and started walking away from
them.
        Luna saw that Sailor Moon was crying when they met and asked her
where she was going. She didn't get a response but heard a collective
gasp coming from the Senshi. Puzzled, she faced the others and asked
them what was going on. They were all in a state of shock and were
staring at the departing Sailor Moon. She followed their gazes and saw
what held them stupefied. What was left of the back of her suit was torn
to shreds and blood was oozing from the four long claw marks across her
back. She was walking slowly, not with her usual vivacity. Luna tore her
gaze away from the painful sight and repeated her question to the
Senshi. She was determined to get an answer from them.
        The Senshi repeated everything that had happened, from the time
Morgon appeared to the time Sailor Moon left. Luna was stunned. She
could barely hold back the angry words that threatened to erupt from her
chest. But she knew that they needed to tend to their wounds before they
became any weaker. So she held back her tongue-lashing until they were
sufficiently recovered.
        That evening, a few hours later, Luna summoned the Senshi and
Mamoru to the temple. She had gone home to see if Usagi was all right but
didn't find her there. She had waited for an hour before leaving,
worrying that she was out somewhere crying her heart out. It made her
all the more furious with the other girls and Mamoru so she decided to
call a meeting. She needed to vent the anger she felt and she knew
telling them the truth would serve that purpose. She didn't tolerate any
excuse for not attending. She wanted them to know what they had done.
        A short while later, five leery souls entered Rei's bedroom
where the meeting was to take place. Five nervous hearts thumped a rapid
beat while they sat down and prepared to listen to the lecture. Five
curious faces turned contrite as the events of the afternoon unfolded.
And, at the end of the tale, five troubled people left to ponder their
sins and regret their hasty actions.
        Luna was satisfied.

______________________________________________________________________

        The ringing of the telephone broke into Luna's reminiscing. Rei
quickly picked it up.
        "Moshi, moshi?" Then, in hesitating English, "One moment
please." She put the receiver down on the table before saying, "It's for
you, Mako-chan."
        Makoto jumped up from her chair and walked towards Rei. "Oh! I
forgot to tell you. I forwarded all my calls here since I'm expecting an
important one. I didn't want to miss it." She cleared her throat before
speaking into the mouthpiece. "Hello? This is Kino Makoto." She paused
to listen for a few moments. "Really? I understand. Thank you very much
for calling."
        After hanging up the phone, she jumped in the air and screamed,
"I got it! I'm in, I'm in!"
        "What is it that you got, Mako-chan?" Ami asked curiously.
        "You know that new building a few blocks from here? The one they
just finished building a couple of weeks ago. The roof is going to be a
restaurant owned by the Gekko Corporation. They're the owners of a chain
of Japanese restaurants famous the world over. And I was just asked for
an interview! Usaka-san, the man I was talking to said I had a pretty
good chance of getting taken."
        "Of course they'll take you, Mako-chan," Luna assured her.
"After all, you're already famous here in Tokyo."
        "Thank you, Luna. But there will be a lot of competition for
this position. And I'll have to practice all my dishes just in case
they'll want to try me out."
        Everyone congratulated Makoto and they were discussing the
subject excitedly when the door opened. A man with dark hair stood there
wearing formal slacks, a polo shirt with the sleeves folded to the
elbows, and carrying his sports coat over the shoulder. It was Mamoru.
        "Hi everyone! What's all the excitement about?"
        "Mamoru!" Rei exclaimed. "Mako-chan just got a call for an
interview. She's trying for the position of chef in that new restaurant
downtown."
        "What new restaurant?"
        "The one located on the roof of the new building," Mina
explained.
        "Oh. I didn't realize they were going to put one there. That's
strange though. I offered to set up the network system of one of the
companies there. Usaka-san just called me to accept no more than half an
hour ago."
        Makoto looked surprised. "But that's the same man who just
called me."
        "He's one of the owners of the building. Apparently, there are
seven owners and only two of them are here now. The others will be
coming next month."
        "So that's why I have to wait for my interview. The owner of the
restaurant won't be here `til next month."
        "Anyway, I'll be going there tomorrow to meet Galen and Ashiro.
They're the two owners of the G & A Security Consulting Firm. Would you
like to come with me, Mako-chan? Maybe you can see the restaurant while
were there."
        "Would I! Just try and stop me!"

                ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~

        Mamoru was up and about early the next morning, preparing for
his ten o'clock meeting with Galen and Ashiro. It was almost nine-thirty
before he was ready to leave his condo to pick up Makoto at her place.
        Makoto was also up early trying to decide what to wear to the
meeting. She finally decided on an emerald green dress with a cowl neck
and long sleeves. It hugged her body to the waist then flared out to
just above her knees. A short, black, wool jacket, ankle high black
boots, and black gloves completed her ensemble.
        She had just finished putting an emerald colored ribbon on her
usual ponytail when she heard a car outside. She picked up her purse
from the bed and quickly went outside to meet Mamoru.

                *       *       *       *       *

        At five to ten, Galen was in his office organizing the papers on
his desk. At least he was trying to. His fingers seemed to be all thumbs
and everything he stacked either fell scattering across the desk or,
worse, dropped to the carpeted floor.
        A shadow darkened the open office door and he saw Ashe enter
with a sheepish grin on his face. "Couldn't do anything either, huh? I
guess were just too nervous about the meeting to function well."
        "I guess you're right. I've been trying to put some order to
this desk for the last fifteen minutes and nothing seems to be going
right." He finally gave up and shoved the papers in a drawer, leaving
only the folder he needed on top. "What time is it, anyway?"
        "We've got a couple of minutes before he comes."
        Ashe sat on one of the chairs across from Galen and tried to
even out his breathing. They both needed to relax and drain the tension
from their bodies. They didn't want Mamoru to think that something was
wrong.
        The buzzing of the intercom and the voice of Galen's new
secretary ended their waiting.
        "Fujiwara-sama, Chiba Mamoru is here to see you."
        "Thank you, Eumi-san. Please show him in," Galen replied,
standing up to meet the newcomer.
        Ashe walked to the open door to get a first glimpse of their
visitor. He watched as Mamoru handed his coat to Eumi to reveal a dark
blue suit underneath. When he moved a little to the side, Ashe saw that
he wasn't alone. A tall young woman with brown hair and dark green eyes
was removing her own jacket for Eumi to take.  Ashe
thought. He didn't expect to see Makoto so soon. She was a very welcome
surprise, though.
        Mamoru took Makoto's arm and, together, they walked towards the
office. Ashe moved away from the door so he won't be caught snooping.
By the time the pair entered the office, he was standing by the desk
beside Galen.
        "It's nice to finally meet you in person, Mamoru Chiba. I'm
Galen Fujiwara and this is my partner, Ashiro Usaka."
        "It's nice to meet you too, Fujiwara-san, Usaka-san. I hope you
don't mind but I brought a friend with me. I'd like you to meet one of
the best chefs in the city, Kino Makoto. I think you talked to her on
the phone yesterday, Usaka-san."
        "Please call me Ashe. We're pretty casual around here," he
replied as a form of greeting. "And yes, we did talk yesterday. I'm
looking forward to working in the same building with you, Makoto-san."
After a thoughtful pause, he continued, "I hope you don't mind if I call
you Makoto."
        "No, I do not mind," Makoto replied in carefully spoken English.
She had started having reservations about the job yesterday when she
realized that Usaka-san had not spoken in Japanese but only in English.
She wasn't very fluent in that language and, for the first time,
wondered how she was going to work for an American.
        Galen looked at her with consideration before saying in perfect
Japanese, "Would you prefer if we spoke in Japanese. It will be no
trouble at all. Ashe and I both speak it fluently."
        Makoto heaved a sigh of relief and smiled, eyes twinkling.
"Thank you. My English is atrocious and I don't understand it very
well," she confessed, using her native language.
        The two men smiled their understanding. Galen looked at Ashe and
suggested, "Why don't you take Makoto for a tour of the building while
Mamoru and I discuss business."
        "Would you like to do that, Makoto-san," Ashe inquired.
        "I'd love to."
        Ashe motioned for her to precede him and was already enumerating
the places they could see as they walked out the door and closed it
behind them. Galen walked around the desk to his seat while Mamoru
surveyed his surroundings. He obviously liked what he saw.
        "This place looks as good inside as outside. And, believe me, I
find the outside quite impressive."
        "We're lucky to have a very talented interior designer as a
friend. Actually, she's one of the owners of this building. The only
female in the group."
        "Really? She must be pretty special."
        "Very special. I'm sure you'll agree when you meet her next
month."
        "Next month?"
        "The grand opening of the building as well as the restaurant
will take place on the first of January. We'll start with an evening of
dinner and dancing on New Year's Eve and then officially cut the ribbon
at twelve midnight. Of course you'll be invited to join us, Mamoru-san.
And bring as many people as you like. The more the merrier."

                *       *       *       *       *

        In the meantime, Ashe and Makoto were on the twenty-ninth floor.
They had just finished viewing a suite which will eventually be occupied
by one of the owners.
        "Will all the owners of this building be living here?" Makoto
asked.
        "Yes, they will. Galen and I both have suites on this floor and
the one I just showed you is for our female member. The fourth one is
empty. The other four guys are on the floor below this one," Ashe
explained.
        "I see. The owner who's going to interview me, does he own the
restaurant?"
        "That's right. Nathan, that's his name, wants to choose his own
chefs. He's a very talented cook himself so he knows what he's looking
for." They were entering the elevator at this point and Ashe noticed the
frown on Makoto's face as she went in ahead of him. "What are you
worried about to cause such a frown?"
        "I'm just afraid I won't get taken. I know I'm a good cook and
that I can make any dish as well as anybody, if not better. But somehow
this feels different." She looked at Ashe but didn't really see him.
She had a far away look in her eyes. "All my life I've wanted to become
a world famous chef. And here's my opportunity staring me in the face.
I'm worried it might slip my grasp."
        You have nothing to worry about, Ashe wanted to say. Nathan will
never let this chance to get to know you pass. Instead he said, "Don't
worry, Makoto-san. I've tried your cooking at one of the restaurants
nearby and it's very good. Knowing Nathan, I'd say you have a good
chance of making the team."
        "Do you really think so, Ashe-san?" she asked hopefully.
        "Yes, if you don't call me Ashe-san. Please just make it plain
Ashe. Ashe-san sounds funny to me," he answered laughingly.
        Makoto couldn't help smiling back. "All right. Ashe it is then."

                *       *       *       *       *

        Galen and Mamoru had just finished making plans for the network
system and were shaking hands when Ashe and Makoto returned.
        "So Makoto-san, did you enjoy the tour?" Galen inquired.
        "Yes, very much thank you. Especially the restaurant. I didn't
realize it was so huge," she replied. "By the way, what is it going to
be called?"
        "It's going to have the same name as this building. We'll reveal
both names at the grand opening party I was telling Mamoru about.
You'll come, won't you, Makoto-san?"
        "I'd love to! Are you going, Mamoru-san?
        "Of course." Turning to Galen he said, "So I'll see you next
week then. I'll bring those plans we talked about."
        "I'll have everything ready by Monday."
        Ashe shook Mamoru's hand then turned to Makoto. "I hope you come
visit us again soon."
        "I sure will. As soon as I start working here," she answered
confidently.
        "That's the spirit."
        The four of them said their good-byes before Mamoru and Makoto
went to the outer office to get their coats. Ashe and Galen sat once
more across from each other.
        "That didn't go as badly as I thought it would," Ashe observed.
        "Not at all," Galen agreed. "I asked Mamoru some personal
questions hoping he might give a hint about how they're all dealing with
Usagi's absence. He answered most of them but wasn't very expansive. I
guess he's too private a person to give away much."
        "That means we'll have to find out those facts the hard way. By
dealing with the Senshi themselves."
        Galen nodded gravely.

                ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~

        Wednesday dawned bright and sunny with hardly a cloud in the
sky. It was seven in the morning and Haruka was just coming back from
her early morning jog.
        "Good morning," she greeted Michiru who was sitting at the table
having breakfast.
        "Good morning. Are you ready for your job interview."
        "I'm ready. I'll just take a shower, have breakfast, then I'm
off. I have to be there by nine." With that said, she disappeared up the
stairway leading to the second floor.
        After thirty minutes, she was back, freshly showered, and
wearing a tan suit with a cream blouse. She joined Michiru at the table
and proceeded to partake of the meal.
        Michiru watched her eat a few bites before clearing her throat.
When Haruka looked up, she asked, "Is it okay if I come with you today?
I'm curious about that building. I'd like to see what it looks like
inside."
        Haruka looked surprised but agreed nonetheless. "I don't see why
not. You can look around while I talk with Fujiwara-san."
        Michiru nodded. And maybe I'll find out what's bothering you,
she added silently.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Galen was standing by the windows looking out at the city when
Eumi came to tell him that Haruka Ten'ou was there. The moment he'd been
waiting for had finally come. He was going meet Haruka all over again.
He moved towards the door as his secretary ushered her into the room.
        Haruka felt a little uneasy entering the office. She wasn't
usually such a coward about facing the unknown, but there was something
different about this one. She didn't know what it was. She just felt it.
        Seeing Galen Fujiwara for the first time didn't help ease the
tension any. His light colored suit only served to emphasize his dark,
good looks and intense, green eyes which looked at her as if to her very
soul. It was very disconcerting although she gave back look for look.
She was never one to back down to anybody, especially a man.
        Suddenly, Galen's person was superimposed by another figure.
This one had his face but wore different clothing, all in white. He
seemed to be in the middle of a battlefield because there was fighting
going on all around. He himself was frozen in a fighting stance, ready
to attack. Haruka blinked to see if she was imagining things. As
suddenly as it appeared, the vision was gone. Only Fujiwara-san was
there holding out his hand for her to take.
        Galen wondered if he missed something in the last few minutes.
One second they were having a staring contest, the next Haruka was
looking at him as if he'd grown another head. She looked like she was
going to faint and he didn't know if he should put his hands up to
steady her. She wasn't very receptive to close contact, if he remembered
correctly, especially from strangers.
        Haruka took Galen's hand, more to steady herself than to shake
it. The moment she held it, she felt warmth steal up her arms and over
her body. She quickly broke contact. How strange, she thought. Why am I
reacting to this man? Could he be an enemy? I'd better be careful.
        Galen was oblivious to the thoughts running through Haruka's
head. All he cared about was that they were together again. Things could
only get better.
        "Good morning. I'm Galen Fujiwara and I'll be conducting your
interview." Galen motioned towards the chair opposite his own and
offered, "Please have a seat."
        Haruka gratefully sunk into the chair and tried to compose
herself. She watched as he took his seat across the desk and looked
through some papers in a folder. She was ready when he asked his first
question.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Meanwhile, Michiru had wandered down the hall to what looked
like a large gym. It had training equipment on one end as well as a ring
like the ones used for boxing. The biggest space located at the center
was empty with only a row of lockers by the wall. A group of men and
women in karate uniforms were there presently, practicing their moves
alone or with a partner.  she
concluded. Haruka's in good company. She recognized some of them as
champions from karate tournaments she'd attended.
        Footsteps coming from her left made her look that way. She saw
Haruka with a tall, dark haired man walking towards her. She put on a
smile of greeting.
        "Michiru, I'd like you to meet Galen Fujiwara. Fujiwara-san,
this is my very good friend Kaiou Michiru."
        "Hello," Michiru said.
        "It's nice to meet you," Galen replied. He studied her for a few
moments, comparing her to his old friend back on the Moon Kingdom. She
was still very beautiful. He looked around to see if Ashe had arrived
yet. His friend was going to have a big surprise.
        Turning to Haruka, he said, "This is the room where the trials
are going to be held. There is a empty room next to the showers where
you can change." He pointed to the far side of the room where two doors
were located. "I'll be joining you soon. I still have one more applicant
to see before we can start." With that said, he walked back to his
office.
        Haruka looked at the other contenders on the floor. She
grimaced. "It's going to be tough," she said to Michiru. "I didn't
realize all the experts were going to be here."
        "You're more than equal to any of them, Haruka," Michiru replied
confidently. "Don't turn craven on me now."
        "I'm not. Just appraising the competition, that's all." She
picked up her duffel bag and started for the changing room. "I'll see
you later, Michiru."
        Michiru waved and watched her until she entered the room. She
was getting more and more worried about Haruka. She had always been the
impulsive one, doing things before thinking it out. And now she was
stopping to look over fighters before doing battle! Something was
definitely wrong.
        Michiru decided she was going to watch the try outs. That way,
she might find more clues to Haruka's preoccupation. When Haruka emerged
from the room wearing her black karate uniform, she headed straight for
Michiru who had found a bench to sit on. She sat down beside her.
        "I thought you were going to have a look around the building,"
Haruka commented.
        Michiru shrugged. "I could do that after the tryouts. I want to
find out who gets taken."
        "I see."
        After a moment of silence, Michiru asked, "Aren't you going to
join them?" She gestured towards the group in the middle of the room.
"Don't you need to warm up?"
        "Not really."  she thought. It felt too hot as it was.
And getting hotter by the minute, she added when she spotted Galen
entering the room with another man.
        "All right, everybody. We'll start the tryouts in five minutes,"
he announced in Japanese to Haruka's surprise. He only spoke in English
when they were in his office. Galen smiled mysteriously at her before
the two men walked towards the far side of the room to change.
        Unbeknownst to Haruka, Galen's smile had widened once he had his
back to her. He deliberately didn't let on to her that he knew Japanese.
He liked throwing Haruka off kilter as often as he could. That way, she
didn't notice the chips falling off from her emotional armor. After all,
that's how he got close to her the first time. He attacked her from her
blind side.
        Haruka, rattled, stood up and started stretching exercises. She
needed to loosen her muscles or she wouldn't be able to fight well. She
had to find a way to get rid of the tension running through her body.
        All too soon, Galen and the other man were back and he was
asking all the applicants to gather around. The try outs were going to
be person to person combat with the winner of each match fighting the
other winners. Being one of the losers didn't necessarily mean you were
out of contention for the job.
        "I'm not only looking at who's going to win or lose," Galen
explained. "I want to see how well you fight and whether your skills are
the ones I need. We'll do a lottery on who's going to match up with whom
first. Then we'll take it from there."
        Haruka was matched with a burly man who thought she would be an
easy target. He underestimated her and lost when a judo throw landed him
on his back. After him, she systematically defeated all her opponents
until there was only one left to fight. It was the man who entered the
room with Galen.
        Michiru watched tensely from the corner as Haruka and her
opponent took a few minutes rest before fighting. She was confident of
Haruka's ability, but she also knew that the man was very good. She
honestly didn't know who was going to win.
        Standing at the entrance, shocked to the core, was Ashiro. He
had come to watch the last of the competitions so he could help Galen
decide on the right candidates. He had not expected to see Michiru
sitting so serenely at the back, looking very beautiful. He had to
struggle to compose himself before walking closer.
        "Your friend is doing well," a deep voice said from beside her.
        Startled, she looked up to see a tall man with blond hair
standing at her side. He was looking down at her from a set of brilliant
purple eyes on a face carved like a Greek statue. He was the most
handsome man she had ever seen.
        She shook her head to clear it and tried to remember what he
said. "Yes, Haruka is very good. But her match is good as well."
        "I don't think you have anything to worry about. I've been
watching her fight and I think she'll beat him." Holding out his hand he
introduced himself. "I'm Ashiro Usaka, by the way. My friends call me
Ashe."
        Michiru smiled and placed her hand in his. "I'm Kaiou Michiru.
And my friend over there is Ten'ou Haruka."
        "I'm delighted to meet you, Michiru-san." 
"Would you mind if I sit beside you?"
        In response, Michiru moved to give Ashe some space on the bench.
He sat down beside her and turned to look at her once more. "How come
you didn't join the tryouts? Don't you know karate?"
        "I do but it's not really my interest. I'd rather study music
and improve my playing."
        "Music? Kaiou Michiru, hmm." He pretended to study her face
while trying to reconcile himself to the fact that he was really here
with her. That he wasn't dreaming. "Not Kaiou Michiru the famous
violinist?"
        "I'm afraid so."
        "What's to be afraid of. Your music is very good. I'd think
you'd be proud of it."
        "I am. I'm just not used to people recognizing me when I'm not
on stage."
        Movement on the floor caught Michiru's attention and she saw the
two combatants get into position. After bowing to each other, they
assumed their first stances. Then the fighting began. As it went on,
Michiru was very much aware of the warmth she felt coming from where
Ashe sat beside her. She couldn't seem to concentrate on the fight
because her thoughts kept going back to this handsome stranger. Nobody
else had ever been able to claim her attention when Haruka was around.
Until now. And that fact alone was distracting enough.
        Both the opponents on the floor were breathing hard from
exertion. The final fight was taking longer than anyone thought, and
they were both getting tired. Finally, Haruka faked a move by going down
on her heels. Her counterpart thought she was going to perform a slide
kick to fold his legs from under him and defended himself by jumping
with both feet in the air. Instead of a slide kick however, she kicked
upwards and caught him in the stomach while he was still airborne. The
impact threw him backwards and he landed with a thud on the floor.
        Michiru heaved a sigh of relief and looked up to see how Ashe
was reacting. He was smiling and clapping his hands like most of the
other applicants watching. Then he turned towards her and saw her
looking at him. He raised one eyebrow in question. She quickly turned
away and felt the heat rising in her face as she blushed furiously at
being caught staring. She made herself watch as Haruka walked over to
her fallen opponent to give him a hand up and ignored the strong urge
she felt to look at Ashe again.
        Fortunately, Galen chose that moment to make another
announcement. "All of you performed very well and, no matter who gets
taken, I'd like you all to know that you are some of the best fighters
I've seen by far. Thank you very much for your interest in our company
and for participating in today's events. I'll be in touch with the
people I choose in the next day or so," he informed the tired group
facing him. "Again, thank you very much."
        When the applicants shuffled towards the changing room, Galen
halted Haruka's progress by putting a hand lightly on her arm. "Can I
speak to you for a minute, Ten'ou-san?"
        Curious as to what he wanted, she nodded her ascent. "Of
course."
        Galen led her towards the windows where they could have a bit
more privacy.
        "You're obviously the best fighter of this group," he started,
"and I'd like you to know that you'll be one of the few taken."
        "Thank you." She felt as if a huge load was taken off her
shoulders.
        "You deserve it. Furthermore, I'm putting you in charge of the
other instructors when my partner and I are not around. You'll basically
be the third in command of this part of the operation."
        "Why me?" she asked, not daring to believe what he was offering
her.
        Galen placed his palms on the window sill and settled in for a
long explanation. "To most people we are simply a security firm, a
company who puts up alarms and monitors the comings and goings in the
businesses we serve. But, in actual fact, we do a lot more than that."
He paused to take a breath before continuing. "In truth, we are
responsible for a lot of important people's well being. They come to us
for protection and we offer them training and the best security we can
afford, including bodyguards. The way you fought those other applicants,
especially the last one, separated you from the rest." And the fact that
you're very special to me as well. "The people we protect mostly don't
know anything about self defense tactics and the trick you used at the
last fight could prove very useful to them. They need moves like that to
best their enemies, specially since they're usually up against more
powerful, better trained individuals."
        "I see."
        "Think about it very well before you accept, Ten'ou-san. These
assignments could sometimes develop into a life or death situation. I
want you to know that beforehand." He stood up straight and turned to
face her. "If you accept, you will be working closely with me and
Ashiro. Mostly with me." Very closely if I have my way. "What do you
say?"
        Haruka weighed the pros and cons of the job silently. She now
had a chance to do something with her life. Something important. But to
do that, she had to work with Galen a lot and she still wasn't
comfortable with the feelings he brought out in her. On the other hand,
if he were an enemy, she could find out more of his plans by staying
close to him. She looked towards the entrance where Michiru sat with a
stranger. Haruka wondered who he was and what he was doing with her.
But more pressing decisions kept intruding on her mind. She's not going
to be happy about this, she thought. Michiru never liked it when she put
herself in danger.
        "I accept your offer, Fujiwara-san."
        "Then welcome to the G & A Security Consulting Firm, Ten'ou-san.
We're lucky to have you."
        They shook hands before heading to the now empty changing room.
        The room had two rows of lockers with nothing but space in
between. Galen and Haruka's lockers were on the same aisle but on
opposite rows. Galen quickly removed his top and opened his locker to
get a change of clothes. Haruka watched the muscles on his back ripple
when he reached up, and admired his physique. Then she caught her
wayward thoughts and briskly reprimanded herself. It wasn't like her to
ogle a man no matter how handsome he was.  she asked herself. 
        Galen noticed Haruka watching him from the corner of his eye and
tried to smother a grin. He saw her give herself a mental shake before
attacking her karate uniform. She removed the garment to reveal a
well-toned body in latex shorts and matching top. There wasn't an ounce
of fat to be found on her, only pure muscle and smooth skin. Some things
just didn't change.
        Haruka finished buttoning her shirt on top of her jeans and
turned to see Galen waiting for her. He had also changed into jeans and
was holding his duffel bag in one hand. She picked up hers and together
they left the room.
        Haruka noticed that Michiru was still talking to the man she saw
earlier. When they got close enough to be heard, the man looked up and
smiled at them.
        "So, how'd the competition go?" he asked Galen.
        "I take it you weren't watching?" Amusement dripping from his
every word.
        The man didn't actually blush but Haruka saw him turn pink at
the neck. She became all the more curious. She sat down on Michiru's
other side and put an arm on the bench behind her back.
        The man saw the gesture and cleared his throat. "Actually, I
watched Ten'ou-san win but not much else. Congratulations, by the way,"
he offered Haruka. "Michiru and I were discussing whether you were going
to get the job. I said I felt pretty sure Galen wouldn't pass you up."
        When she looked up at Galen with eyebrows raised, he said, "This
very dense man is my partner, Ashiro Usaka, Ten'ou-san. He will be the
other person you will be working with a lot."
        "So you accepted. Welcome aboard! We could always use a good
instructor."
        "Thank you," she replied. Michiru gave her a questioning look
and she said, "I'll tell you later."
        Ashe stood up and said apologetically, "I'm sorry to cut this
meeting short but Galen and I have another appointment to go to."
        "That's all right," Michiru said standing up as well. "We have
to see a lot of places anyway."
        "I'll call you later in the week about when you'll be starting,"
Galen informed Haruka. "I'm looking forward to working with you." More
than you will ever know.
        She found herself saying, "Me, too," and meaning it. Her two
bosses then walked out of the room, leaving her and Michiru alone.
        "So," she started. "Aren't you going to tell me about the job."
        "I'll tell you when we get home." She wasn't exactly looking
forward to that. She knew she was going to get an argument from Michiru.

                ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~

        The next week passed by quickly for the foursome. Haruka found
herself enjoying the work involved in her new job and being with Galen
as well. She didn't look too closely on the latter and chucked it up to
liking his personality. He was just a good friend, nothing more.
        Galen also found himself whiling away the hours in Haruka's
company. He found ways and means to talk, tease or work his way into her
good graces. She was a little leery at first and avoided being in his
company as much as possible but was now very much at ease with him.
        Ashiro, on the other hand, was having a harder time getting to
Michiru. She was always performing at one event or another and, the odd
time he managed to invite her over to see how Haruka was doing at work,
she spent practically looking over her friend's shoulder with a worried
frown on her face.
        Michiru was not having much luck either. She was getting more
and more concerned about Haruka and going nowhere. She had tried
extracting information from her but all she would say was that her job
involved confidential information. They had never kept secrets from each
other before. Of course it didn't help that everywhere she turned, she
found Ashiro. She was having a hard enough time forgetting him without
having him turn up at all the places she went to. In fact, she was
thinking so much about him that she kept forgetting about Haruka's
dilemma. It made her feel guilty so she redoubled her efforts on her
friend's behalf and tried to appear uninterested when Ashiro was around.
It was getting to the point when she didn't know how she really felt
about either of them.

                ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~

        One winter afternoon, at the end of November, Haruka came back
from having lunch with Michiru to find Galen preparing to leave the
office. He smiled when he saw her. She noticed he did that a lot around
her.
        "There you are, Haruka-san." They had started calling each other
by first names after the first couple of days. "I was hoping you'd get
back in time to accompany us to the airport."
        Sitting on the edge of his desk while he put on his jacket, she
asked, "What are we going to do at the airport?"
        "We're picking up a few friends who've just arrived from Canada.
They'll be living and working in this building from now on."
        "Oh. You're talking about the other owners, aren't you? I didn't
realize they were coming today."
        "They weren't supposed to come 'til next week but they wrapped
things up early on that end and decided not to waste anytime," he
explained. "So, are you coming?"
        "Sure. Why not?"

                *       *       *       *       *

        There were a lot of people in the airport when they arrived, so
they had to stand at the back of the crowd waiting for arrivals. Haruka
watched to see if she could spot the people they were waiting for even
though she didn't know what they looked like. All she knew was there
were four men and one woman, so she looked for a group of five.
        From afar she noticed four men wearing casual attires of jeans
and leather jackets disembarking. They were all tall, handsome men with
great looking, well toned bodies. In contrast, the lady in the middle
looked almost diminutive and was wearing a short, black dress which
molded closely to her slim but shapely figure without being scandalous.
She also wore a short, hanging jacket in black as well as tall, black
boots with three inch heels. The darkness of her outfit emphasized her
long, blond hair parted at the side and hanging in plaits all the way to
her shins. It would probably have reached her feet if she hadn't pulled
it over her shoulder so it dangled in front.
        She headed straight for Galen, reaching up to fix her dark
sunglasses in place. Haruka watched, shocked, unmoving, and looking like
she lost her best friend, as the lady hurled herself into Galen's arms
and planted a kiss on his mouth. She didn't want to acknowledge the hurt
she was feeling deep inside.
        Galen was also in shock while he absorbed her weight and felt
her arms go around him. When she kissed him for all she was worth, he
didn't know whether to embrace her or strangle her.
        



                              CHAPTER FIVE
                   Uncharted Territory: Old Memories

        Seven months have passed since that fateful day in April when
Justin had laid the plan that would take them one step closer to their
destinies. It seemed in no time at all Galen and Ashe were off to Japan
leaving the rest of them behind to tie up loose ends before moving on to
a whole new life in the east.
        The next two weeks passed by in a whirl of activity with Justin
and Nathan busy delegating at work and Zachary packing up and closing
his mansion in Victoria. Kenjo was just biding his time, waiting for the
rest of them since he had cut off all connections when he'd left his job
and was free to go whenever he wanted. And then there was Usagi. She had
the hardest job of all to finish. She had to say good-bye to the only
family she'd known for the past four years.
        Looking back on those moments a few days later, she remembered a
lot of tears had been shed. Michelle had hugged her as if she would
never let go while Professor Stanton looked on, a look of great sadness
on his face. But Kyle had been the hardest one to appease. She'd had to
reassure him over and over again that she was going to be okay. That her
new friends would take care of her.
        In the end there was nothing they could really say to make her
stay. She had made up her mind to go back and there was no stopping her
from leaving. So they'd told her she would always have a place in their
family. Always have a home to go to when she needed it. Here, in Canada.
        And now, as Usagi sat by the window, she thought about all the
things that had occurred since she'd met Galen and Ashe in April. She
had learned a lot about her new friends in the past few months while
they lived together and trained together. She knew that Justin was a
workaholic and could rarely be found idly resting in place. Galen was
just as diligent when he was doing something important but enjoyed
listening to music in his spare time.
        Both Kenjo and Zachary were the silent type but for different
reasons. Kenjo was quiet because he liked to observe people and he could
do that better if he remained in the background without rousing anyone's
attention. Zachary, on the other hand, was naturally quiet and preferred
listening to other people's conversation than participating in one.
        In contrast to the two of them was Ashe. He was outgoing,
talkative, and possessed a great sense of humor. He also had a curious
personality and wanted to know everything that was going on around him.
        Nathan could almost be called domesticated compared to him since
he was most often found in the kitchen. He was the official chef of the
whole group since nobody else could cook well and prepared each meal by
experimenting with new recipes. Outside the kitchen, he was always
charming and elegant. The perfect gentleman.
        Usagi knew they all felt very protective towards her and did
everything to make her feel comfortable in their midst. But during their
practices, she couldn't help but feel isolated. When she watched them
train together, she envied them their closeness, their almost intuitive
ability to anticipate the other's movements.
        The feelings they shared when reminiscing about the past was
lost to her since she didn't have the memories they all possessed. She
felt like a stranger looking in through the window, there and yet not
there. Because she didn't share the bond that knit them all so closely
together.
        "Hey, Usagi, why so glum?" Kenjo asked, sitting next to her.
        "I was just thinking about the trip we're about to make. About
facing our destinies."
        "I see. It must not be easy, going home after so long."
        "No, it won't be. But that's not what I'm worried about." Taking
a deep breath, she looked out the window again. "You and the rest are
all ready to take the next step towards your destinies. Your past is
very clear and the future is all you're concerned about. But the same
couldn't be said for me."
        "I remember very little about the Moon Kingdom. Becoming Sailor
Moon and the Moon Princess was thrust upon me. The feelings I have for
the Senshi and, especially, Mamoru were just suddenly there, inside me.
I don't remember falling in love with him, and sometimes I question
myself whether I really love him and he really loves me, or are we just
doing everything for destinies sake?"
        "Would you like to remember everything, Usagi?" Justin asked
softly from the doorway.
        Usagi stared up at him, a faint hope shining in her eyes.
"Are--are you saying--there is a way?"
        "There might be if everyone helps."
        "What do you want us to do?" Nathan and Zachary had just walked
in the front door.
        "Why don't we all sit down and I'll tell you what I'm thinking?"
Justin said, taking the seat closest to him. The rest of them followed
suit.
        When everyone was settled, he began talking.
        "I think Usagi's case could be compared to traumatic amnesia.
That occurs when something happens, something bad, that causes a person
to want to forget it. In response, the brain blocks access to those
memories."
        "In Usagi's case that would be the final battle. There were a
lot of things happening during that time and most of them were centered
on her. Her upcoming wedding, coming of age, and all the new
responsibilities that came with it. To have that all wiped out and to
have to watch your friends and loved ones die at the same time was too
much for her to take. So, to help her as well as all of us cope, Queen
Serenity decided to erase our memories."
        Looking around the group, he continued, "The only difference
between us and Usagi as well as the other Senshi is the way those
memories were introduced back. To us the process was gradual. We started
at the beginning and worked our way to the final battle. Our brains had
time to absorb and incorporate our past memories with our present ones.
There was no conflict."
        "In contrast, Usagi and the rest didn't have that luxury. They
were faced with an enemy and had to accept the responsibility of saving
the world from the invading forces. There was no introduction to their
powers. Just a simple `here you go, raise it and shout whatever' and
they're suddenly changed into the Senshi, defenders from all evil. But,
somewhere deep inside, their minds knew that something horrible had
happened and it put up a barrier to keep those memories at bay so that
the pain it would cause could be prevented."
        "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that we have to get rid of
the barrier that blocks Usagi's memories."
        "How do you propose we do that?" Kenjo asked, eager to get on
with the process.
        "Well, usually people with amnesia are shown objects or places
which they are familiar with and have a connection with the missing
memories."
        Nathan was a little skeptical. "But that's impossible. The Moon
Kingdom is gone and, even if it weren't, we have no way of getting
there. We certainly don't have any souvenirs from that time. All we have
left of the Silver Millennium is..." he paused suddenly.
        "Our own memories," Zachary finished.
        "Exactly," Justin agreed, satisfied.
        Kenjo looked at the rest of them thoughtfully. "So you're
proposing that we share our memories with Usagi and, in effect, it might
trigger her own? Are you sure there will be no side effects? She won't
get more confused with all the new facts she will be receiving?"
        "There are no guarantees but I'm pretty sure it's okay," Justin
replied. "To be on the safe side, just channel the memories which she is
liable to remember. Events which involved her as well as you." Turning
to Usagi, he asked, "Are you all right with this, Usagi?"
        Usagi had sat silently by while they discussed the pros and cons
of what they're about to do, hope slowly building inside her. By the
time Justin had turned to her, she was more than ready to agree to
anything that they proposed. She nodded her head.
        "Very well," Kenjo said. "If everyone's ready, why don't we give
it a try."
        He sat beside Justin on the sofa facing Usagi's chair while
Nathan and Zachary took a chair on each side. They all closed their eyes
and evened their breathing, concentrating all their energies into
sending Usagi their thoughts. Each one had a different memory, a
different moment to share.
        Nathan thought back to the first time he'd been invited to
Makoto's quarters. They'd only known each other a week but he'd been
really looking forward to going there and being alone with her, even
though it was only to share secret recipes. A half an hour after they
arrived, the front door opened and a very tearful looking princess
walked in and headed straight into Makoto's open arms. She was so
distraught she didn't even notice his presence at first but gradually
realized she wasn't alone with her friend. After she became aware of
him, however, she'd wanted to leave right away but they'd talked her
into staying and telling them what was wrong. He quickly found out why
she'd been reluctant to explain her distress in front of him. It was
because it involved his friend and liege, Endymion.
        Justin was remembering a very different Usagi, a much more
playful and mischievous one. He could still hear Rei's outraged screams
that day before a penitent looking Usagi had approached him in the
courtyard and asked for his help. It seemed she had accidentally bumped
into her friend's doll house collection and ruined parts of the frame.
She asked if he could please repair the damage since he was so good with
his hands.
        Back then, he'd been much more unsure of himself when it came to
women, so even though he'd found Rei attractive, he didn't have the
nerve to approach her about it. But he couldn't refuse the Princess when
she'd looked at him so earnestly. He'd gathered his courage and went to
offer his assistance. It turned out to be the start of a beautiful
relationship. Of course he'd found out later that Usagi had crossed her
fingers when she came to ask for his help. And the partial destruction
of the doll house was no accident after all.
        The memory that came to Kenjo's mind was of the constant
bickering he'd had with Minako. They'd both been leaders of their
respective groups and were very protective of their charges. Because of
the tension between Usagi and Mamoru, she had almost always ended up in
tears and he with a foul temper and badly hurt feelings. Kenjo sided
with his liege and blamed the Princess for his troubles while Minako
took Usagi's side and said Mamoru was in the wrong. Hence the constant
heated exchanges which most often occurred in Usagi's hearing.
        One day, the Princess finally got fed up and told them to quit
using her relationship with Mamoru as an excuse to quarrel since they
obviously admired each other. He was taken aback when he realized the
truth in her statement. He was attracted to Minako but had kept telling
himself that she was his opponent, that to be friends with her was to
betray his liege. When Usagi removed the obstacle by detaching their
relationship from his and Minako's, he'd had no choice but to admit to
himself that he liked her. So their relationship got off on a rocky
start but gradually strengthened and bloomed. All because of one little
princess.
        The Usagi that dominated Zachary's thoughts was quiet and
melancholy. She had always sought Ami's company whenever she wanted some
peace and quiet and, since he was most often with Ami, Usagi also spent
time with him. They had always comforted her without asking any
questions and she seemed content with their silent support. When they
were alone, they'd worried about her and discussed what options they
could undertake to help her. More often than not these discussions came
to nothing and they'd just continued to let her know they were there
when she needed them. It almost made them feel like parents taking care
of a troubled child. It helped them to grow closer a whole lot more.
        Usagi's mind was being bombarded with a million thoughts--
Nathan's, Justin's, Kenjo's, and Zachary's. Then suddenly, without any
sign of its going, the barrier broke and a flood of memories poured into
her head. Images of when she was a child playing in the Palace courtyard
filled her mind. Snatches of her first meeting with the Senshi as a
young girl, the adventures they got into while they were growing, and
the bond they forged as time passed run through her thoughts. Her first
glance at Mamoru and his Royal Guard were mixed with earlier memories of
other firsts--her first crush, first dance, and first kiss. And Galen.
Only Galen. Always Galen. Protecting her... holding her...loving her...

                *       *       *       *       *

        Zachary broke contact with Usagi and came out a little
disoriented. He looked around to see that the others had done the same
and were in similar states.
        Kenjo was the first to get up to see if Usagi was okay.
        "How's she doing?" Nathan inquired.
        "I don't know." Turning to Justin, he said, "Can you come have a
look? She seems to be in a trance."
        Justin moved closer and studied her for a moment. "I guess this
trance-like state is the mind's way of coping with all the new
information it's processing. It won't last long, I think."
        "Whatever the case, I'd better put her to bed where she'll be
more comfortable," Nathan volunteered. He gently picked her up and
carried her up the stairs to her room on the second floor.
        The rest of them headed for the kitchen to prepare some lunch
and were about to eat when Nathan came back a half an hour later. They
all looked at him inquiringly.
        "She's sleeping peacefully now. It looks like she might stay
that way the rest of the afternoon," he answered taking the empty seat
across from Kenjo.
        "Do you think it worked?" Zachary spoke up for the first time
after it was over.
        "I hope so," Kenjo replied. "I think she needs those memories
before she can be ready to go home again." He cast a worried look at his
three friends and watched concern color their faces.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Usagi woke up feeling refreshed to see the last rays of the
setting sun through the window. She looked at the clock beside her bed.
Six o'clock. No wonder she felt so good. She'd been sleeping for hours.
        And then she remembered what they'd done this morning. The
contact, the shared moments and all the memories which were presently
intact in her mind.
        She looked towards the door as it opened to reveal Zachary. He
smiled with relief when he saw her awake.
        "So you're back to the world of the living, are you? How are you
feeling?"
        He was shocked when she jumped out of bed and hugged him
enthusiastically.
        "It's so good to see you again, Zach!"
        "You just saw me this morning, Usagi," he said, holding her
close.
        "But that was different," she insisted. "This morning you were
just an acquaintance of a few months. Now you're a dear old friend
because I remember you from before. It makes all the difference."
        "I understand," he answered gently. And he did.
        "Come on," she invited, breaking the embrace and dragging him by
the hand. "I can't wait to see the others."
        She pulled him out of her room, down the stairs and into the
living room where they found the other three guys playing a friendly
game of poker. She run from one to the other giving hugs and kisses and
generally disrupting the game.
        "I can't believe how different you look to me, now that I know
you a whole lot better," she finally said, sitting down and looking at
the four men in front of her.
        "So it worked," Justin observed. "You remember everything?"
        "Everything from the time I was four to this moment."
        "What about the knowledge you were supposed to acquire on your
eighteenth birthday?" Zachary asked softly. "Do you know that as well?"
        Usagi closed her eyes and searched her thoughts for the
information she needed----and found it. A sense of excitement filled her
and showed through her eyes when she opened them again.
        "My birthright," she whispered. "I finally have it. Thank you,
Mother."
        Then, "Wait here! I'll be right back!" she instructed before
rushing from the room. The four men shared a puzzled glance but waited
for her return patiently. She was back in a couple of minutes holding
her transformation locket.
        Suddenly serious and all business, she returned to her seat and
stared at the locket in her hand.
        "I would like to try out my newfound knowledge, and I want all
of you to share it with me," she said earnestly. "Please say you'll
stay."
        Nathan smiled gently and assured her that they would remain.
"You didn't even have to ask, Usagi. We're always with you every step of
the way."
        "Thank you." Blinking back the sudden wetness in her eyes, she
stood up and took a deep breath. Holding the locket in her cupped hands,
she said softly, "I accept these powers as a part of the birthright that
has been handed down to me from my mother and her mother before her."
        "Let the legacy...begin."
        She closed her eyes and concentrated on harnessing the power of
the Crystal. On its own, the locket suddenly rose to about four inches
above her hands and emitted a glow so bright, that the men had to shield
their eyes. When the light finally dimmed and they could see again, the
locket was no longer there. In its place was a gold pendant suspended
from a long, gold chain and shaped like a miniature crescent moon.
Clasped tightly in the center was the Imperium Silver Crystal, still
glowing slightly from within.
        Usagi reached out to take the chain and placed it around her
neck. She watched as the pendant settled on her chest before using her
right hand to tightly grasp it. Looking up slightly, she raised her
voice and mouthed the words, "Millennium Moon...Make up!"
        The glow from the Crystal intensified once more, bathing Usagi
in its brightness and lifting her a few inches off the ground. A beam
more intense than the surrounding light appeared at her feet and
proceeded to envelop her in blinding swirls going upwards. When it
reached the top of her head, it split in two and formed a halo on her
hair before becoming dimmer then disappearing altogether.
        As Usagi descended, the crown of Princess Serenity was visible
in place of the halo and the swirls of light became a long, white cape
wrapped around her body. When her feet finally touched the ground, it
fell open to reveal a brand new outfit in silver and white. The dress
had a silvery, tiered-draped neckline with both ends gathered on her
shoulders by sliver clasps which also held her cape in place. The bodice
was white and fitted up to her waist before flaring into a half-full
skirt with the hem slanted from thigh-high on the left down to almost
her knees on the right. A long sash in silver was wrapped around her
waist and tied on her left side with the ends trailing close to the top
of her boots. Silver also edged her cape and skirt hem as well as the
long, white boots encasing her feet with little crescent moons on the
pointed tops. Butterfly sleeves in silvery white and glittering, short,
white gloves completed her ensemble.
        The pendant was still around her neck but the chain holding it
had shortened and it now rested between her collar bones. It lay there
looking innocent, unconcerned about the immense power it had just
demonstrated and the havoc it wreaked on the four men watching. Awe was
still written all over their faces as they dropped to the floor on bent
knee and bowed their heads before her.
        That's how Usagi found them when she finally opened her eyes.
She looked down curiously at the changes that had occurred on her
appearance then returned her gaze to her four friends.
        "Hey guys, please get up. You're making me feel self-conscious.
It's just me--Usagi--your old pal, remember?" she said jokingly, trying
to lighten the atmosphere in the room.
        "I don't think there's anything `just' about you right now,
Usagi," Nathan answered, getting up on his feet. "You're not even just
the Moon Princess but something more."
        "He's right," Kenjo agreed. "You look like Sailor Moon and the
Moon Princess put together with a little something added."
        "I guess that something added is the new power we've just
witnessed," Zachary put in.
        "What is it, anyway?" Justin, ever curious, wanted to know.
        Seeing the mirrored question in the other's faces, Usagi heaved
a deep sigh and prepared herself for a long explanation.
        "Why don't we all sit down again and I'll try to explain."
        They all took their respective seats and she was about to join
them but the cape she was wearing got in the way. She thought about
changing back to her normal clothes but didn't know how. She knew the
words she needed to become Millennium Sailor Moon but had no clue as to
how to change back. As she thought about it, she transferred her weight
from one foot to the other and saw the edge of her cape flap with the
movement. Was it possible?
        Justin watched as Usagi contemplated the movement of her cape
before directing an inquiring glance towards Nathan. His friend shrugged
his shoulders in puzzlement and continued to wait for something to
happen. Being more impatient than his comrade, he turned back to Usagi
and was about to quiz her when she finally decided to act.
        She grasped the edge of her cape and threw it over her head in a
wrap-around motion so that it covered her from head to toe for a
split-second. As the cape fell back to its original position, it
disappeared little by little behind Usagi's back. The parts of her body
it slowly uncovered were already attired in her normal clothes and, by
the time the cape was completely gone, she was just plain Usagi once
again.
        "It worked!" she exclaimed excitedly.
        "You mean you weren't sure it was going to?" Nathan asked.
        "Well, not really," she confessed. "I saw Galen and Ashe do that
trick when I first met them but I wasn't sure if it was going to work
the same way for me."
        "That's all your tricks for the day, I hope," Zachary ventured.
"I don't think I can take any more surprises."
        Finally taking the seat behind her, Usagi looked a little
confused. "Why are you all so shocked about the transformation, anyway?
You go through the same thing when you change to your alter egos, don't
you?"
        "Well, closing your eyes and changing in a split-second is very
different from the light show you just performed," Kenjo explained.
        "But surely, you must have seen the Senshi change sometime."
        Justin shook his head. "Think again, Usagi," he countered.
"There was never any need for the Senshi to appear in battle. We lived
in peaceful times back then so we never saw them in uniform."
        "I see. But I remember Mamo-chan seeing..." She suddenly stopped
in mid-sentence. She told herself to stop thinking back when old
memories started crowding her mind. There was time enough for that when
they reached Japan.
        Conscious of the sudden silence in the room, Zachary was quick
to fill it with an unanswered question.
        "Hey, Usagi. You still haven't told us about the power you
displayed earlier."
        Throwing him a grateful smile, Usagi replied, "The power you saw
earlier came from the Imperium Silver Crystal."
        "I don't get it," Nathan said. "I thought the power of the
Crystal was what you used to defeat Queen Beryl. What's so new about
it?"
        "I just discovered that the power I used back then was my own
and that of the other Senshi. It seems that the Crystal could be used to
focus your energy and turn it into something else--a form of attack, a
healing touch, or a wave of light to blast your enemy away."
        "But the Crystal's own power was never tapped. That's the reason
I always felt drained after each fight. Especially when I didn't have a
tool to channel my energy on and used the Crystal directly. It's only
now that I've received my mother's knowledge that I've learned how to
utilize the Crystal's immense powers. My energy will no longer be spent
when I fight and my attacks will be many times more powerful."
        Creasing his brow in concentration, Zachary ventured another
question. "Why then did Queen Serenity have to die when she saved us, if
the Crystal didn't drain her energy?"
        "That was an extraordinary case, Zach. The Crystal's powers are
not limitless and it wasn't enough to transport everyone in the Moon
Kingdom to a new time to be reborn. My mother knew she had to combine
her own energy with the Crystal's to generate enough power to perform
that deed. She willingly sacrificed her own life to give all of us
another chance. She was a very special lady, my mother."
        "Yes, she was," Nathan agreed. "And she would have been proud of
you today, Usagi."
        The other three nodded their approval as Usagi blushed. It was
so nice to know her friends were all proud of her, she thought. And that
they were behind her whatever may happen. If only her old friends could
feel the same way as they did, then maybe destiny still had a chance.
And it isn't too late to go home, after all.

                *       *       *       *       *

        It was a colder day, a week later, when Usagi picked up the mail
and found a letter from Galen. She quickly opened it and, after scanning
the contents, excitedly called the others to come to the living room.
        Nathan came quickly since he was just in the next room while the
rest of them were upstairs.
        "What is it, Usagi?" he inquired. "Did something happen?"
        "Nope. I just got a letter from Galen and there's something in
it that I think you'd all like to know."
        The other two guys came trudging down the stairs with Justin
following at a slower pace. He looked like he just got out of bed.
        "What's so important that you had to wake me up, Zach?"
        Zachary rolled his eyes heavenward. "In the first place, it's
almost lunch time so you ought to be up and about. Secondly, I think
Usagi has something to say to us."
        Justin turned to Usagi with raised eyebrows. She quickly stifled
her laughter and raised the letter for everyone to see.
        "Galen has some good news for us. It seems our plan worked
better than we thought. Haruka is now working in their company and
Mamoru is helping them set up their computer network."
        "Ashe is in seventh heaven since meeting Michiru again," she
continued. "And Galen thinks working hours should be extended to last
the whole day."
        "Great!" Justin exclaimed, completely awake now. "Any word about
the others?"
        "It doesn't say much more in the letter," she replied. "Galen
just wants Nathan to know that they've set up interviews for the
restaurant's chefs."
        "That's right. I did ask them to advertise for the position."
        "It seems to have garnered a lot of attention, especially from
women. He says more than half the applicants are ladies and some even
sent their photos with their applications."
        "Huh?!!" he exclaimed, puzzled.
        Kenjo, who was reading the letter over Usagi's shoulder was the
one who explained. "It was all Ashe's idea. He had this brilliant notion
that if everyone knew you were one of the ten most eligible bachelors in
North America, it would help get a lot more attention. So he quoted
People's Magazine when he wrote the advertisement."
        "I guess he was proven right!" Justin laughed. "How do you like
being a ladies' man sight unseen, Nathan?"
        "We could ask you the same question, Justin," Kenjo cut in.
"They quoted People's Magazine on your ad too."
        "What?!! Let me see that!" Justin made a grab for the letter
which Kenjo took from Usagi. A smaller piece of paper fell from the
envelope and she bent down to pick it up.
        "Hey Nathan," she started, walking over to him. "Here's a list
of the applicants waiting for an interview with you." She handed him the
note and waited for his reaction.
        He was puzzled by the sudden seriousness in Usagi's demeanor
when she gave him the paper. What could the list contain that would wipe
the smile off her face. He was almost afraid to find out. Unfolding the
paper slowly, he scanned the writing for clues. There was only one name
on the list. It was Makoto's.
        Everyone in the room stopped when they heard Nathan suck in his
breath. "What's wrong?" Zachary asked, concern lining his brow.
        Nathan looked up with shining eyes. "Nothing's wrong," he
reassured them. "How can anything be wrong when Makoto's waiting for me
in Japan."
        "Are you sure?" Zachary asked.
        "Yes." It was Usagi who answered. "She's one of the people
waiting to be interviewed."
        "Then what are we waiting for?" Justin demanded. "I've done
everything I needed to do in the office. I'm ready to leave anytime.
What about you, Nathan? Zach?"
        "My place is all closed up so I could leave anytime as well,"
Zachary volunteered. "Nate?"
        "I only have one more phone call to make then I'm all ready."
        "Yes! Schedule a flight for tomorrow night, Usagi," Justin
ordered. "Barring any problems, we'll be in Japan before the week is
out."
        "But they aren't expecting us `til next week!"
        "I'll give Galen a call and tell him were coming sooner than
expected," Kenjo told her as everyone else rushed to go pack their
remaining belongings. She smiled her thanks and left to do the same.
        Kenjo watched her go up the stairs before heading for the phone
on the side table. He dialed Galen's apartment and got an answer right
away.
        "Moshi, moshi?"
        "I see you're practicing your Japanese these days."
        "Kenjo, is that you?" Galen asked, surprised.
        "It's me. Am I disturbing you?" He could hear the sheets
rustling as Galen sat up in bed.
        "Not really. I'm just having an early night since I attended a
few too many karate classes earlier," he explained. "Anyway, what's up?"
        "There's been a change in plans. We're going to be arriving
earlier than expected."
        "When?"
        "We'll be leaving tomorrow night so we'll be there the day after
tomorrow in your time."
        Galen gave a burst of laughter. "I take it, you received our
letter today. I knew it would speed up your coming."
        "Then my call wasn't so unexpected after all."
        "No, it isn't. I wish I could tell you how it feels being with
them again. Somehow it feels like coming home."
        Kenjo closed his eyes and tried to imagine the feeling. "Have
you seen anyone else besides Haruka and Michiru?" 
he added in his mind.
        "I'm sorry, Kenjo. I haven't seen Minako yet," Galen replied,
answering his friend's silent question. "But we had a surprise visit
from Makoto. She came with Mamoru the first time we met him."
        "How is she?"
        "Beautiful as ever and still cooking up a storm. Nathan's a
lucky guy."
        "Yes, he is," Kenjo agreed. "We're all lucky when it comes to
our ladies."
        "Thank God. Anyway, I'll see all of you at the airport day after
tomorrow. I'll see if I can bring Haruka with me."
        "You do that. See ya." Kenjo put down the receiver and sat back
on his chair. He stared at the fireplace and reminisced about happier
times on the Moon Kingdom when he was together with Miko. He could still
remember her special smile and the way she looked at him when they were
alone. He sighed. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough for him.

                *       *       *       *       *

        When the time to leave for the airport finally arrived, everyone
had fitted all their baggage in two cars and were eager to be off. They
drove the distance in record time and were soon boarding the plane
destined for Tokyo.
        Everyone sat restlessly on their seats, impatiently waiting for
the long flight to be over. As soon as Japan came into view, they all
looked out the window and watched intently as their destination came
closer. When the plane finally landed and they entered the airport's
main building, Usagi suddenly stopped. The four men following closely
behind would have collided with her if not for their quick reflexes.
        "What is it, Usagi," Nathan asked.
        "Look," she said, pointing towards the back of the crowd waiting
for arrivals. Galen and Ashe could be seen standing side by side with
Haruka a little distance away.
        "There they are," Justin exclaimed. "Let's go meet them."
        "Wait! Can't you see there's something wrong with this picture?"
she asked, looking at them as if they were dense. "Galen and Haruka are
standing there like perfect strangers."
        "So?" Kenjo inquired.
        "So I'm going to do something about it," she answered
determinedly. "That relationship needs a good, solid push. Watch me."
        She removed her black, leather coat and handed it to Kenjo.
Then she pulled her fitted skirt up a couple of inches higher and swung
her hips slightly as she headed for Galen. She looked towards Haruka as
she came closer and looked for signs of recognition although she was
pretty sure there would be none. She had changed her hair style
completely from the usual buns to a long plait which she'd hanged over
her shoulder. Dark sunglasses kept her eyes hidden and her way of
dressing was totally different from the style she wore five years ago.
When she was confident of her anonymity, she concentrated all her
efforts on acting out the part she set out to portray.
        The friends she left behind exchanged bewildered glances before
hurrying to catch up with her. They were all watching when she took off
at a run and threw herself in Galen's arms. When she suddenly kissed
him, they all stopped in their tracks, eyes growing wider and mouths
gaping. Huh?!!
        Unaware of the things happening around her, Usagi tightened her
hold on Galen and felt his surprise as she pulled closer in his embrace.
She totally forgot she was playing a role as she deepened the kiss and
remembered the first time he'd held her, back in the Moon Kingdom a
long, long time ago.
        "Oh Galen," she thought deep in her mind where all the memories
of their shared moments were stored. "I missed you so much."



                              CHAPTER SIX
                 Full Circle: The Return of an Old Foe

        The deafening noise of an approaching plane was only heard as a
faint drone inside the airport building. Instead, the sound of people
busily moving back and forth filled the enclosed space. In the waiting
area, the tableau of a couple embracing was lost to everyone around
except to the six people immediately surrounding them.
        After the initial shock of seeing Usagi throwing herself in
Galen's arms, Ashe had moved towards the other four men and was even now
giving them a hearty welcome. Haruka, who was standing a little apart
from the couple, was still staring at them, dismay written all over her
face. Somewhere inside her, the feeling of being hurt and betrayed built
slowly and, for the first time in her life, she wanted to tear the woman
away and replace her in Galen's arms.
         she thought.  That idea brought a gasp to her lips and
she closed her eyes in denial, unaware that she was being watched.
        Nathan saw Haruka's hurt expression when Usagi had embraced
Galen and thought,  But when he heard her
gasp followed by the closing of her eyes, he amended to himself,  He knew he had to get her attention away from the couple
since the kiss seemed to be taking forever.
        Walking closer to Haruka, he cleared his throat. When she looked
his way, he smiled disarmingly.
        "Hello. I'm Nathan Sanada. You must be Tenou Haruka. Galen has
written us about you and about all the help you've been giving him." He
could be imagining things but he could have sworn a blush had crept up
on her cheeks.
        "He has?" she asked with a bright smile. She impulsively glanced
towards Galen again before turning back quickly. Nathan didn't blame
her.
        "You have to excuse princess there," he said nodding in Usagi's
direction. "She hasn't seen Galen in a while and she missed him a lot."
        "I see. They must be pretty close."
        He almost wished he could say they weren't just to alleviate
some of the pain he could see in her eyes, but that would be lying. He
wondered if she was even aware of her feelings. Usagi said she and
Michiru were pretty close and even considered a couple. But Galen and
Haruka were destined and destiny had a way of turning things around.
        "Why don't we go ahead without those two?" he suggested. "Not
unless Galen drove all of you over."
        She shook her head. "We all came separately. My car's parked
right by the doors."
        "Come on," Nathan ordered, waving the others to follow. "Let's
go get something to eat. I'm starving." The others agreed as they moved
towards the exit, leaving the couple still locked in an embrace.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Usagi felt warm and protected in Galen's arms, lost in memories
of the past. She had initially kissed him to make Haruka jealous and to
make her realize her feelings for him. Instead, she'd forgotten the role
she was playing and became too involved in the embrace.
        Galen was also remembering their shared moments in the Moon
Kingdom. After his initial surprise when he caught her in his arms, the
feel of Usagi close to him brought back treasured memories of the past.
He'd forgotten that Haruka was watching, and that their friends were all
waiting, and held on to her, lost in old feelings long gone.
        When they finally parted to take a breath of air, they looked at
each other guiltily. Usagi was the first to speak.
        "Oh Galen, I'm so sorry. I got carried away."
        "That's all right," he answered. "I got carried away as well."
        "But Haruka...!" Panicked, she looked around searchingly, only
to find her friends gone. "Where'd they all go?"
        Galen walked closer to the exit and saw that Ashe's and Haruka's
cars were missing. "They must have gone ahead," he said. "I guess
we--greeted each other longer than I thought."
        "What must she be thinking?" Usagi wondered, regretting her
hasty actions earlier. "I shouldn't have kissed you. I've made things
worse between you."
        "Don't worry, Usagi," he consoled. "We haven't gone far in our
relationship, so I wasn't betraying her in any way."  he added silently. 
        "What happened anyway?" he continued. "You haven't kissed me
like that since...." he stopped suddenly, remembering Usagi's lack of
knowledge about their life in the Moon Kingdom.
        "Since my sixteenth birthday when you said you loved me," she
finished. "I've missed you so...Falcon."
        His eyes grew wide with disbelief as he realized the meaning
behind her words. He clasped her shoulders. "You remember! But how?"
        "With a little help from my friends," she quipped lightly.
"Seriously, I was feeling a little down and uncertain about coming back.
I told the guys that I wanted to remember what happened in the past so
Justin came up with the idea of sharing their memories with me. So they
did and it worked, and here I am, ready to take on whatever comes my
way."
        With a relieved smile, he said, "Now I don't have to watch what
I say around you anymore. I always worried I'd mention something you'd
misunderstand."
        "It's all right now, Galen. We can go back to being the best of
friends we were back then and you can be my pretend older brother
whenever I need one again. I think I'm going to need a lot of guidance
in the next few months."
        "I'll always be here for you, Usagi," he promised. Then putting
an arm around her shoulders, he said, "Well, best friend, why don't we
go have a bite to eat?"
        With a great big smile, she agreed. "I thought you'd never ask!"

                *       *       *       *       *

        It was late in the afternoon when they finally caught up with
the rest of the group. They had lingered over lunch and drove around the
city for a while before going home. The men had been gathered in the
boardroom and were catching up on all the things that had happened in
the past month.
        "So you finally decided to come home," Justin greeted as the two
of them entered.
        "We had a lot of things to talk about," Usagi explained, taking
the seat beside him while Galen sat on her other side.
        "I bet," Ashe put in, smiling slyly at the twosome.
        Giving them a reproving glance, Nathan said, "You two behave
yourselves. We have more important things to talk about."
        "Like?"
        "Like the Inner Senshi for instance, Justin."
        "What about them? We're off to a good start with Haruka, Makoto
and Mamoru working for us. Sooner or later the rest should be by to
visit them like Michiru did."
        "That's not the problem," Nathan replied. "The problem is, when
they get into a fight, do we help or not?"
        "What are you talking about?" Usagi asked, concerned. "Have
there been a lot of attacks lately?"
        Ashe shook his head. "According to what we've gathered in the
past month, youma attacks have occurred about every six months for the
past four years. It seems the Senshi never had any trouble defeating
them and the whole city feels relatively safe for the time being."
        "Then what are you worried about, Nathan?"
        "He thinks, and I agree, that the fact that you were absent
during those four years when the attacks lessened is too much of a
coincidence," Kenjo answered before Nathan could speak.
        "Morgon did say he would be back," Zachary added.
        "Precisely."
        "So you think the attacks will become more frequent now that I'm
back," Usagi stated, finally understanding what they were getting at.
When both Kenjo and Nathan nodded, she turned to Galen, obviously upset.
"Maybe I shouldn't have returned. I'm putting everyone in danger."
        "There's no use avoiding Morgon, Usagi," he advised. "What we
should do is get rid of him once and for all."
        "But he doesn't usually show up for the fights. He sends a lot
of monsters, one getting stronger than the next, until the Senshi can't
handle it anymore and are injured. Then he comes in for the kill."
        "Don't forget, Usagi," Kenjo put in. "He doesn't know about us
so we have the element of surprise on our side."
        "Which brings us back to my original question," Nathan
reiterated. "Do we or do we not help the Senshi?"
        "I'd prefer it if we didn't." When everybody turned to Usagi at
this statement, she amended. "Not as Sailor Moon and the Generals, I
mean."
        "How else?" Nathan asked.
        "Well, we're strong as we are now," Zach contributed.
        "And we're skilled in self-defense," Kenjo added.
        "We also have our training outfits," Justin put in, a gleam of
excitement in his eyes. "And with a little alteration and a head
covering..."
        "We could go as white ninjas," Ashe finished, following his
train of thought.
        "What?!"
        "It could work," Galen agreed. "But there's still the problem of
how we'll find out when they're in danger."
        Usagi shook her head. "I've got that covered. I still have my
old communicator and it should pick up any messages they put through."
        "Then there really is no problem," Ashe concluded. "Are we all
okay with this plan?"
        Everybody nodded, although Nathan, a bit reluctantly. He still
couldn't believe he went from being a General of the Royal Guard to a
white ninja. It was just his first day in Japan and, already, he felt
lost.
        "Why don't you all get settled in and we'll go out for dinner at
about seven," Galen suggested.
        Chairs were pushed back and plans for later were made as the
occupants emptied the room at Galen's suggestion, Justin and Ashe
already discussing smoke bombs and shurikens. Finally, the only one left
besides him was Usagi. He offered to accompany her across the hallway to
her room and they left the now quiet boardroom.
        In Usagi's suite, she slowly went around, checking out the
different areas before settling in front of the balcony to look out into
the night. Galen watched her quietly taking in the view for a few
moments before breaking the silence.
        "Do you want to talk about it?"
        "About what?"
        "Why you don't want them to know you're back."
        With a deep sigh and a shrug of her shoulders, she tried to
explain. "I need time to get reacquainted with my surroundings and the
people in it. I'd like to be able to observe them, see what's been
happening during the past four years, before dealing with them again on
a face to face basis. I...I don't know. It's hard to rationalize, but I
need to know that Sailor Moon is needed, that she is wanted, before I
show up again." She looked to Galen for reassurance. "Does that make me
selfish?"
        Galen shook his head. "It makes you human. It's normal to feel
that way after what happened when you left. I understand and I'll
support you whatever happens."
        "Thanks," she said, getting closer to give him a hug. "I'm so
glad we're back together again. I don't know how I ever got along
without you."
        "I feel the same way." Clasping her shoulders, he separated them
enough so he could see her face. "Why don't you take a rest, Usagi? You
look a little tired. I'll see you in a couple of hours."
        "Okay."
        With a smile and a wave of his hand, he walked to the door and
let himself out.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Unbeknownst to Usagi and her friends, their dire prediction of
the future was about to become a reality. Deep within the Earth, in
large hollow caverns made of molten rock, some of the vilest creatures
known to man were busily preparing for a war they felt would begin soon.
In the largest of the caves, a lone man sat on a rock carved to resemble
a throne, unmoving and seemingly waiting for something.
        A hooded figure stood on a darkened corner, watching his liege
in contemplation. He studied the Prince's face, half covered with a
black mask to conceal the burnt flesh caused by Sailor Moon's attack.
The right side of his body was burnt as well and his right arm ended in
a stump where his hand should have been. Because of the lack of distance
when he was hit, the damaged limb couldn't be saved and had to be
amputated while the skin of his right leg melded together, causing him
to limp when he walked.
        Suddenly, Morgon felt the presence of his seer and beckoned to
him. "Come," he commanded. "What news have you brought?"
        The seer crossed the room until he stood facing the Prince, his
black robe flowing around him. His pure white hair fell forward as he
gave a low bow, concealing tawny, yellow eyes, the color of a lion's.
        "She is back, My Prince."
        "Who...? Sailor Moon?"
        Once more, the white head nodded. "Yes. I felt her presence just
this morning but I couldn't pinpoint her location. Something has changed
in her aura, but I don't know what it is."
        "It's been five years, Drago. She must have grown up, matured.
Of course she's changed."
        "That could be the case," he mouthed although he didn't believe
it for a minute. Aging didn't affect one's aura. There had to be
something else.
        "I want you to find her for me, Drago. Use as many of our troops
as you need. Just find her, then call me. I have a score to settle
personally."
        The seer bowed for the third time before leaving the Prince
alone. Morgon didn't even notice his leaving. He was staring absently at
a point far away, his mind filled with images of his last battle with
Sailor Moon.
        "At last," he whispered, "revenge will be mine."

                *       *       *       *       *

        Several hours later, after the planned dinner and some
sightseeing, Nathan stood in the glass enclosed balcony of his suite,
looking at the magnificent view of the city in lights. By all estimates,
he should be sound asleep, being tired from all the driving this evening
on top of the plane ride earlier in the day. His body was more than
ready to retire but his mind kept him wide awake.
        It was all Ashe's fault. When he'd heard they were arriving in
Japan a week earlier, he'd rescheduled Makoto's interview to tomorrow.
So, now all Nathan could think about was the coming day and seeing his
only love once again.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Several blocks away, Makoto was also having trouble sleeping.
She had been preparing for this interview for so long that, for it to be
just a few hours away, was almost unbelievable. It was very important to
her that she get the position. Almost too important. She knew she could
get other jobs easily enough, but she felt, somehow, that she'd be
missing something if she bypassed this one. Hence the nervousness she
felt and the restlessness it precipitated. It was going to be a long
night.

                *       *       *       *       *

        The next morning brought more sunshine and chilly temperatures.
Nathan was up early and arrived in the office at the same time as Galen.
He was using one of their offices for the interview since his own was
still not ready for occupation.
        "Good morning," Galen smiled, beckoning him inside the room.
"So, are you ready to see Makoto?"
        "As ready as I could ever be. Tell me, Galen, what's it like
seeing Haruka again for the first time?"
        "It's like...it was yesterday again and we're back in the Moon
Kingdom. I felt like time had stopped and I almost greeted her like
nothing had happened in between. Then of course reality kicks in and I
knew it would be a long while before I could hold her the way I wanted
to."
        They both fell silent after those words, lost in happier times
in the past. Then Galen looked at his watch and saw it was already 8:45.
        "You'd better get going," he suggested. "Makoto will be early if
she runs true to form."
        Nathan nodded his assent. "I'll talk to you later then. Wish me
luck." He quickly exited the room and walked a couple of doors down to
an empty office. He took the next few minutes to organize the room and
try to relax before Makoto arrived.

                *       *       *       *       *

        The clock on the lobby read 8:45 as she walked in, wearing an
aqua skirt and blazer under her wool winter coat. By the time she
reached the twenty-fifth floor, it was five minutes later and Galen's
secretary, Eumi, greeted her with a smile.
        "Good morning, Kino-san," she said, taking Makoto's discarded
coat.
        "Good morning. I have an appointment with Sanada-san."
        "Yes. He's waiting for you in the third office down the hall.
Go right in."
        "Thank you." She took her time walking to the third door, unsure
of what to expect. When she got there, she knocked tentatively and was
surprised when the door opened right away. She was more surprised when
she had a clear look at the man standing there. He was absolutely
gorgeous. Then he beckoned her inside and closed the door behind her.

                *       *       *       *       *

        A very happy Makoto emerged from the office thirty minutes
later, fairly bursting with excitement. She could hardly believe she got
the job and wanted to shout it to the world. When she spotted Ashe
coming out of his office, she run to him and gave him a big hug.
        A very surprised Ashe almost lost his balance when he caught
Makoto in his arms. He looked up to see Nathan standing at his office
door, hurt and anger warring in his eyes, before silently disappearing
back into the room.  he thought. He wanted to go to his friend to
explain but he had to deal with Makoto first.
        "Whoa!" he said instead. "I must admit, I like getting free
hugs, but what did I do to deserve this one?"
        "I got it!" she exclaimed with a big smile. "I got the job. You
were right."
        Now he understood what was happening. "Of course I was right.
Why don't I treat you to brunch and we'll celebrate?"
        "Okay."
        "I'll just get something from my office and we'll go." He
entered his office and took his wallet from the top drawer. Then he
noticed the small, square, cloth bag lying on the desk. It was the
costume he and Justin had been working on the night before. He picked it
up and placed it in his inside jacket pocket.
        "Let's go," he said when he reemerged. He gently held Makoto's
elbow and led the way to the elevators.

                *       *       *       *       *

        They went to a nearby restaurant and had a late breakfast.
While eating, they talked about her new job and all the other things
that had occurred in the two weeks they hadn't seen each other. Time
went by quickly and soon, they were finishing their last cup of coffee.
        Suddenly, a terrified scream was heard from outside.
        "What the...?" Ashe exclaimed, turning in the direction it came
from. When he turned back, Makoto was gone and he saw her hurrying
towards the back door. He quickly laid some money on the table before
following her.
        Makoto carefully opened the back door and peeked around it. She
saw a teenage girl with long, blond hair, put up in an imitation Sailor
Moon hairstyle, about to be attacked by a youma. It was almost seven
feet tall and had skin a mottled brown color. A single horn stuck out of
the middle of its forehead and its body was built like a tank, with
bulging muscles all over. It was going to smash the girl to bits any
minute now.
        Makoto couldn't wait for the rest of the Senshi to come. They
might be too late. She looked behind her to check that there was nobody
about, not noticing the figure in white standing behind the curtained
doorway leading to the main restaurant. She took out her transformation
pen and raised it over her head.
        "Jupiter Star Power, Make Up!"
        She finished transforming in less than a minute and was running
out the door to confront the youma. "Hey, you overbuilt maniac! Why
don't you leave that girl alone and fight me instead."
        The brown head turned towards her and the girl managed to
scramble down the alley, away from the scene. When the youma did nothing
but stare, Jupiter said, "I'll make this quick and painless." Confident
of her victory, she crossed her forearms and shouted, "Supreme Thunder!"
        Lightning speared towards the youma but, when contact was about
to be made, it was no longer there. Jupiter quickly looked around, just
in time to avoid being stabbed by the sharp horn on the creature's head.
It grazed her left arm instead, and made blood run down her fingertips
to the ground. After that, she had no time to think of her next move
since the youma saw its opportunity and started rapidly charging at her
with its horn and trying to smash her with its brawny arms.
        She thought her life was over when her back hit the wall, until
a figure in white suddenly came out of nowhere and kicked the youma's
head in mid-air before landing safely on the other side. He quickly
stood up and attacked it with a series of kicks before it could even
regain its balance. The creature staggered under the onslaught and
finally tumbled backwards, landing on its back. At this happening, the
figure in white turned towards her and commanded, "Now Jupiter!"
        She didn't have to be told twice. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!"
        The youma splintered into a million pieces before turning to
dust. Jupiter only felt relief at its going instead of the usual
jubilation of winning. She came too close to dying herself and was still
quite shaken. She turned to thank her savior but he was nowhere to be
found. Too weak to wonder who he was, she stored the events of the past
few minutes in her mind to be rehashed later.
        "Jupiter, we're here!" The shouts came from the Senshi who were
running towards her. "Where is it?"
        "It's dusted," she replied. "What took you so long?"
        "Well, I was in the middle of a meeting with my superior," Mars
reasoned. "I couldn't just leave without a reason."
        Venus was nodding her head in agreement. "I was shooting a
commercial and had to think of an excuse before I could go."
        "I'm so sorry, Jupiter, but there was a big accident and the
hospital was filled to overflowing. They needed all the help they could
get."
        Jupiter just looked at the three of them with disbelief.
"Whatever happened to the Senshi who dropped everything at the first
sign of trouble?"
        "What do you mean?" Venus asked. "We're here, aren't we?"
        "I don't see why you're making such a big deal about our being
late," an exasperated Mars put in. "You dusted him easy, didn't you?"
        Jupiter was so angry, she wanted to hit something. She clenched
her fist and pounded the wall she was leaning against. The movement of
her injured arm caused fresh blood to flow from her wound and down her
arm. Mercury, who was closest to her, noticed it right away.
        "You're hurt!" she exclaimed, taking hold of her friend's arm to
have a better look. Jupiter shrugged her hands away and put her own palm
over the wound to stop the bleeding.
        "I could have been killed today," she said through gritted
teeth, "and all you can give me are petty excuses! For your information,
I didn't beat the youma easily. If it weren't for that man's help, I
would never have been able to attack, and I would be the one dead
instead of the youma."
        "Please calm down, Jupiter," Mercury said softly. "Tell us what
happened. Who is this person who helped you?"
        Leaning back on the wall once more, Jupiter tried to relate the
events of the past half hour.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Around the corner, another meeting was taking place. Usagi had
joined Ashe just as the youma turned to dust, followed by Galen and
Nathan a few minutes later.
        "What happened?" she asked an exhausted Ashe who had discarded
his head covering.
        "A youma was attacking a girl and Mako-chan, I mean Jupiter,
tried to help her. She couldn't handle it alone, so I stepped in when
she got hurt."
        Nathan blanched at these words and started to move towards the
corner.
        "No," Ashe said quickly, putting out a hand to stop him. "You
can't go to her yet. She wouldn't understand."
        When his friend shot him a murderous glance, he sighed. "Can you
please leave us alone for a few moments," he requested of Usagi and
Galen. "We need to talk about something personal."
        When they were out of hearing distance, he turned back to Nathan
who was still facing away from him. "Look, Nathan. I know what it must
have looked like earlier, but there is nothing going on between me and
Makoto," he tried to explain. "She's just a good friend and really
excited about getting the job. I was the only one she had around to
share it with."
        When Nathan still didn't say anything, he continued impatiently,
"Damn it, Nathan. You know how much I love Michiru. Too much to look at
anybody else's lady, especially my friend's."
        For the first time since he arrived, Nathan seemed to relax.
Tension left the stiff line of his shoulders as he turned towards Ashe.
"I know you're not trying to steal her away, Ashe," he admitted. "I
guess seeing her in another man's arms so soon after I just met her
again was too much for me. I'm sorry I doubted you."
        With a relieved sigh, Ashe clapped him on the shoulder. "That's
all right. I'd have probably done the same if it happened to me." He
smiled and beckoned their other two friends closer. When they were
grouped together once more, Ashe wanted to know how they found out about
the fight.
        It was Usagi who explained everything. "Mako-chan called the
other Senshi through her communicator. And, since I had mine with me, I
picked it up as well. I took the time to phone Galen and he told Nathan
about it."
        "We have to do something to make contact easier," Galen
suggested.
        "Especially now," Ashe agreed, surprising the other three.
        "Why now," Nathan asked.
        "That youma was not like the ones they've been fighting for the
last four years. If I wasn't around, Jupiter could have been hurt real
bad. I have a feeling it will only get worse."
        "I'll get Justin to work on it right away," Galen assured him.
"For now, we'd better go back to the office before the Senshi discover
us here."
        The others nodded. "I have to go back to the restaurant," Ashe
told them. "Mako-chan thinks I'm still waiting for her at the table."
        "Can you make sure she's okay for me, Ashe?" Nathan requested.
        "You know I will. I'll see you all back at the office later," he
finished before heading around the building towards the front of the
restaurant.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Jupiter was busy relating her story and was unaware that she was
the subject of discussion a few feet away.
        "So I turned around to thank him but he was already gone," she
finally ended.
        "Would you recognize him if you saw him again?" Mercury asked.
        "Not unless he's wearing the same costume. All I could see of
his face was his eyes and not very clearly since everything happened so
fast."
        "You mean the rest of his face was covered?" an incredulous Mars
questioned.
        With a bemused smile, Jupiter nodded. "You're not going to
believe this, but he looked like a white ninja."
        "What?!" Venus exclaimed, looking at her friend like she'd lost
her mind.
        From within the building, a male voice could be heard calling
Makoto's name. She turned towards the doorway. "That must be Ashe. He's
probably wondering what happened to me."
        "Ashe?" Rei inquired.
        "One of the two men I met when I tagged along with Mamoru,
remember? I told you about him and Galen."
        "Oh! Now I remember."
        "Anyway, I'd better go before he comes out here and sees us."
        "Go to the temple tonight, Mako-chan," Ami instructed. "We'll
talk more about what happened today."
        With a nod, she quickly transformed back to her ordinary self
and walked into the building's back door. She met Ashe by the curtained
entrance to the main restaurant.
        "Where'd you disappear to? I was starting to get worried."
        "I'm sorry. I went to the ladies' room but I-"
        "You're bleeding!" Ashe interrupted before she could finish.
Sure enough, there was blood on her blazer's sleeve when she looked at
it.
        "That's what I was going to explain. I stumbled and hit my arm
on something sharp. I was trying to stop the bleeding but nothing seems
to work."
        "Why don't I take you to the hospital and we'll let a doctor
have a look at it?" he suggested.
        "I don't think it's that bad. A few bandages should do the
trick."
        He was shaking his head. "For my peace of mind, Mako-chan, let a
doctor take a look. You don't want my hair to turn gray with worry, do
you?"
        Looking at the golden blond hair framing his handsome face, she
had to agree it would be a waste. "All right, worrywart," she acquiesced.
"I'll let you take me to a hospital."
        "Atta girl! Let's go."
        Makoto had no other choice but to follow Ashe's quickly
retreating back.

                *       *       *       *       *

        After leaving the scene of the fight, Usagi had separated from
the two men and was once again on her own, continuing in the direction
she was headed when Makoto's summons distracted her. She had left her
communicator with Galen to be given for Justin's inspection and had
promised to be back for another meeting that evening.
        For now, though, there was nothing on her mind except the
thought of her destination. She was going home. She was going to be with
her family after four years, and she had no idea what to say to them.
The only thing she knew for certain was that she had to see them before
she could truly settle in Japan once more.
        Usagi paused for a long time at the front of their house before
walking up to the door. She raised her hand to knock but it opened
before she could make contact. A young man stood there, looking over his
shoulder.
        "I'm going, Mama," he shouted. "I'll be back before dinner."
         Usagi thought.  He'd changed so much, no
longer the boy she'd left behind. He was even taller than she was and
she'd already gained a few inches in the last few years. His face was no
longer round and boyish, but more angular and mature. The only thing
left unchanged, she noticed when he turned around, was the glint of
mischief in his eyes. No matter how much he'd grown up, he still had her
younger brother's mischievous nature.
        "Oops!" he exclaimed when he almost collided with a stupefied
Usagi on the doorstep. "Sorry. I didn't see you." Then, "Mama, you've
got a visitor!" he called out loud before excusing himself and hurriedly
walking down the path. Usagi followed him with her eyes until he reached
the corner and disappeared.
        "May I help you?"
        Usagi looked back to see Ikuko, her mother, standing just a few
feet away. She didn't look any older now than she did then except for a
few more lines on her brow caused by the worrying she'd done over
Usagi's departure.
        "May I help you?" she repeated when Usagi didn't respond.
        Giving herself a mental shake, Usagi found her voice. "I would
like to talk to you for a few minutes, if possible," she replied. "It's
about your daughter."
        "My daughter?" Ikuko opened the door wider and beckoned her
forward. "Please come in."
        Usagi perused the inside of the house slowly, noting the small
changes here and there as she walked in. Her father joined them in the
living room just as they were about to sit down.
        "This is my husband, Kenji," she introduced, turning to face
him. "This lady wants to talk to us about Usagi."
        "Usagi?" her father said, sounding incredulous. "You know
something about our daughter?"
        "Yes," Usagi replied, reaching up to make sure her tinted
glasses were in place.
        "But it's been years," he continued. "We tried so hard to find
her for days, before we noticed that her plane ticket was missing. Then
the airport personnel told us she'd changed it to an earlier flight. We
knew she was headed for Canada, but we didn't know where or even if she
stayed there or traveled on. How could there be any news of her now?" He
was obviously distressed so Ikuko put an arm around his waist to console
him.
        "All we wanted to know was that she's all right," she added to her
husband's statement. "We couldn't bear to think of her lost and alone."
Finally, sitting down on the sofa, she asked, "Have you seen her? Is she
okay?"
        Usagi studied her parent's worried expressions and knew she had
to tell them the truth. She couldn't prolong their agony any longer.
Reaching up to remove her glasses, she looked at them through watery
blue eyes.
        "It's me, Mama, Papa. I'm okay. I'm so sorry I made you worry
over me."
        Surprise, disbelief, and uncertainty passed over their faces in
random order. Ikuko cocked her head slightly to the side, studying the
young lady's face in front of her. Her coloring was right, but still...
        "Usagi?"
        Understanding her dilemma, Usagi unbraided her hair and parted
it in the middle. Within minutes, she had it in the usual buns and her
parents were looking at her like they've seen a ghost. Then relief
suddenly registered and they crossed the distance separating them to
enfold her in their arms. Tears flowed from one cheek to another as the
threesome remained in the embrace for the longest time. And although
explanations were inevitable, for now, Ikuko and Kenji were just glad to
have their daughter back.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Much later that afternoon, Makoto asked Ashe to drop her off at
the temple to see a friend. Ashe didn't object since her arm was
sufficiently bandaged by a doctor at the hospital. She promised to be
careful not to overdo the use of it.
        When the car pulled away, Makoto quickly headed for the Senshi's
meeting place. She found the others all sitting around, drinking tea
when she entered the room. Mamoru had even joined them.
        "I'm sorry I'm a bit late. Ashe insisted on going to the
hospital to have my arm looked at."
        Luna walked closer to have a better look. "How is your arm,
Mako-chan? Does it still hurt?"
        "It's okay. Just a little stiff, that's all."
        "So what is this about a white ninja coming to your rescue?"
Artemis inquired. "The girls couldn't explain very well."
        Makoto took a seat and repeated the story of what happened. The
others sat quietly, trying to examine the facts that Makoto revealed as
she went along.
        "Something must have changed," Artemis deduced, "for Morgon to
send a stronger youma. Do you have any idea what it could be?"
        When everyone shook their heads and looked at each other, he
continued, "Well, whatever it may be, we'd better be more careful. Be
sure to respond quickly when there's a summons. We don't want anybody
else getting hurt."
        Mamoru and the Senshi agreed to be careful and the formal
meeting came to an end. The girls now felt free to discuss other things.
        "So how'd your interview go, Mako-chan?" Ami asked. "You haven't
told us if you got the job yet."
        "What do you think?" she replied with a great, big grin.
        Minako was very happy for her. "Congratulations!" she exclaimed.
"I knew you could do it."'
        Rei, on the other hand, was more interested in another subject.
"You've got to tell us what your new boss is like. I've been trying to
get some information on him from Mamoru but he's no help at all. After
all, Nathan Sanada is one of the most eligible bachelors in the USA."
        "Hey, I've never even met the guy!" Mamoru said in his own
defense. "But I'll be sure to check him out real good when I see him
now."
        Makoto's eyes turned dreamy when she thought of Nathan Sanada.
To her, words failed to describe how incredibly handsome he was. "He's
absolutely gorgeous and a gentleman to boot. He looks...he looks..."
        "We know," Minako interrupted. Then, in a chorus, the three
girls said, "He looks like your old boyfriend!"
        With brows knitted in concentration, she shook her head. "Not at
all. He's much more wonderful than my old boyfriend," she responded to
the surprise of the others.
        Rei felt her forehead for a fever. "Are you sick? You always say
handsome guys look like your old boyfriend, even though none of them
look alike."
        "But this one doesn't," she insisted. "He's tall and well built,
and gallant as a knight. He's charming and debonair, and he-- feels
familiar, somehow, although I can't explain why."
        "Sounds like you've fallen for the man, Mako-chan," Minako
teased.
        "But Makoto always falls for all the handsome men, Mina-chan,"
Ami reminded her.
        "This sounds serious, though, Ami. Must be true lov-" Her
statement was cut short by the pillow Makoto threw her way. Minako
grabbed it and sent it flying back, only to have Makoto duck so it went
straight to Rei's head. Growling with mock ferocity, Rei counteracted
the assault and the chain reaction continued until everyone was involved
in the pillow fight and nothing more serious was discussed.

                ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~

        The following days were hectic for both the Senshi and Usagi's
team. The Senshi were kept busy by numerous youma attacks which seemed
to happen at times when each was alone. Various injuries were sustained
by all but none were seriously hurt because of the unexpected help of
the white ninjas. The Senshi were not any closer to solving the mystery
of their identities, but were at least reassured that they were on their
side.
        Besides helping the Senshi, Usagi's team was also busy getting
their businesses ready for operation. To help them do both at the same
time, Justin had created a device which looked like a beeper and worked
like a recorder. When the Senshi used their communicators, all the
team's beepers would sound and, with the press of a button, the recorded
message would be repeated. With this and the fact that the Royal Guard
took to shadowing their counterparts as much as possible without being
seen, there was always one of them around when a crisis occurred.
        Lately though, more than one of them was needed to assist the
Senshi. The youmas were getting stronger and quicker by the day, and it
was getting harder and harder to wear them down so the Senshi could
finish them off. Due to this increasing problem, another meeting was
called.
        "One of these days, we're not going to be able to stop a youma
from seriously hurting a Senshi," Kenjo was saying. "There's just
nothing more we can do without the added strength and powers we gain
when we transform."
        "I understand," Galen replied before turning to his left.
"Usagi?"
        She sighed deeply, not knowing what to do. After seeing her
family and asking them not to disclose the fact that she was back to her
old friends, she'd gone around her old neighborhood, trying to find out
as much as she can about their present lives. She had seen all of them
from afar, most frequently after the fighting was over and she lingered
a little longer than the rest of her team before leaving. What she
really wanted to know was how they felt about her, for she still had
mixed emotions about being with them once again. Usagi knew that the
answer could only be learned through personal contact, but still, she
wanted more time before she had to face them. Time to get over the
bitterness she felt. Time to learn to forgive and forget, if it was at
all possible.
        "Please give me until the party before doing anything," Usagi
requested. "It's only a few days away and it'll give me more time to get
myself together."
        A few moments passed before Justin agreed. "I think we should be
able to hold off 'til then. What do you say?" he asked of the other men.
        Everybody else was willing to grant Usagi her request and more
Plans were made to ensure the Senshi's safety in the meantime.

                *       *       *       *       *

        In the temple, several blocks away, the Senshi had also gathered
to discuss their growing problem.
        "We need more help," Makoto was saying. "If it wasn't for the
white ninja's assistance, we wouldn't even have lasted this long."
        "I agree," Ami put in. "It's time to get the Outer Senshi
involved. They're stronger than we are and better able to handle this
threat."
        "Very well," Luna decided. "If everyone thinks the same way,
we'll call them right now to come over."
        Heads bobbed in acquiescence and Minako, who was closest to the
phone, dialed their number. When there was no answer, she tried Haruka's
cellular phone and it was picked up on the second ring.
        "Hello?"
        "Haruka-san, it's Minako. Could you come to the temple right
away? There's something important you need to know."
        "Michiru and I are headed for the Tomoe's house," she replied.
"The Professor just called us to say there was something strange going
on with Hotaru. Why don't you all meet us there instead?"
        "I'll let the others know and we'll be on our way." Minako hung
up and immediately appraised the others of the situation.
        "Something strange?" Luna repeated. "We'd better find out what
it is. It might have something to do with all the attacks we've been
getting."
        Together, they all left the temple and hurried to their
destination.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Haruka and Michiru arrived at the house earlier and were greeted
by Professor Tomoe at the door. He looked like he'd been running his
fingers through his hair and worry colored his expression.
        "What happened?" Haruka asked after they've entered the house.
        "It's hard to explain since I don't understand it myself."
        Michiru laid a comforting hand on his arm. "Why don't we all sit
down and you can tell us from the beginning?"
        They each took a seat around the coffee table and tried to
relax. When everyone was settled, the Professor started to speak.
"Everything was normal when I put her to bed last night. But, when I
checked on her this morning, she looked like she'd grown noticeably. I
thought I was imagining things since I just got out of bed myself, and
she was mostly covered by a blanket. So I just got on with my morning
routine." He paused to look towards the second floor where the bedrooms
were located.
        "Then what happened?" Haruka urged.
        "I started getting worried when she didn't wake up after a
couple of hours, so I went to check on her again. This time I knew I
wasn't imagining what I saw. She had grown almost a foot and looked to
be about eight years old."
        He watched Haruka and Michiru look at each other, puzzled by the
picture he had painted. He sighed. "I know it sounds incredible, but
that was just the start. While I was trying to come to grips with what
had happened, the lines of Hotaru's body suddenly blurred and I watched
her stretch a few more inches before adding more bulk to compensate her
length." He ran his hand over his face as if to wipe the image from his
mind. "I moved her from her room to mine since my bed is longer and she
was getting too big for her own. That's when I decided to call you."
        "But how come we didn't hear from you until now?" Michiru asked.
        "My fault," Haruka admitted. "I left my cellular phone in the
car and the Professor doesn't know my work number."
        He was nodding his head. "I've been calling at regular intervals
until I finally got you. I'm just relieved you're finally here."
        Haruka stood up and motioned Michiru to do the same. "The Inner
Senshi will be arriving at any moment," she explained. "Will you repeat
your story when they come while Michiru and I go check on Hotaru?"
        "Of course."
        With no idea what to expect, the two Outer Senshi made their way
to the room the Professor had indicated. They slowly opened the door and
looked inside. Despite the facts that he had shared with them, they
still weren't prepared for what they discovered.
        Hotaru was lying on the bed under the cover of a blanket, her
eyes closed and seemingly in a trance. In the dim light, the changes in
her weren't obvious until they got much closer. She had now grown by
almost two feet and aged to around twelve years old, resembling the girl
they knew before the whole 'Mistress Nine' episode happened. She was no
longer the baby they had taken cared of while her father was recovering,
nor the little girl they played with just a few days ago. But even as
Haruka and Michiru entertained the thought that, maybe, the changes
would now cease, another one occurred while they watched. All the more
puzzled and unsure of what was happening, they left the room to rejoin
Professor Tomoe.
        They found him surrounded by the Inner Senshi and the two cats.
Rei got up when they entered and turned to face them. "Is it true,
Haruka, what the Professor has just told us?"
        Haruka answered with a nod and proceeded to tell the new
arrivals what they'd witnessed in the room.
        "Hotaru is now past the age she was before she reverted back to
being a baby. At this point, I don't know how long she's going to be
like this, or how old she's going to get."
        "But that could mean it might never stop," Makoto worried. "She
might die of old age. There must be something we can do to stop the
process."
        "I think that occurrence is highly unlikely," Ami contradicted.
        Everybody turned to stare at her, surprised at her statement.
Rei voiced the question they all had in their minds. "Do you know what's
going on, Ami-chan?"
        "I only have a theory," she clarified. "I don't think that
Hotaru will continue to age endlessly. More likely, she'll only go as
far as how old she's supposed to be if she never reverted back to being
a baby. That means she will only age to about eighteen years old."
        "You could be right, Ami-chan," Artemis concurred. "At least
it's the best explanation we have so far. Only time will be able to tell
if it's true."
        Because of the danger Hotaru was in, the Senshi decided to spend
the night in the Tomoe's house. They took turns watching over her to
make sure she was all right while the rest of them discussed the situation
in more detail. During the course of the night, the Inner Senshi managed
to fill Haruka and Michiru in on all the things that had been happening
in the past few weeks. The two Outer Senshi promised to do what they
could to help.

                *       *       *       *       *

        The next morning found most of the Senshi still in the living
room, sleeping in various positions on the couch, chairs, and even the
floor. The only two missing were Makoto and Rei as it was their turn to
watch over Hotaru.
        Footsteps running down the steps woke them all up just before
the other two Senshi barged into the room, huffing and puffing and
trying to talk at the same time.
        "Stop!" Haruka exclaimed. "One at a time, if you please, so we
can understand what you're saying."
        Makoto motioned Rei to go ahead. "There have been no changes in
the past hour and we think she's starting to wake up. She moaned and
moved her head to the side so we came to inform you."
        Everybody became wide awake at this statement and started
getting up. "We shouldn't overwhelm her with too many people in the room
at the same time," Michiru suggested. "Ami should go have a look at her
since she's our health expert and I can accompany her since I've been
with Hotaru a lot the past five years. If she doesn't remember what
happened before, she might not recognize Ami."
        "Okay," Haruka agreed. "We'll fix things around here and you can
give us a holler when you think it's all right for us to join you."
        Ami obediently got up and moved towards the stairway with
Michiru. They quickly proceeded to the room, but entered it with more
caution. Hotaru was still lying on the large bed, moving her head from
side to side. Because she hadn't opened her eyes by the time they were
beside her, Ami took the chance to examine her physical condition.
        After a few minutes, she uttered her prognosis. "All her bodily
functions are working in good order. Except for a few dizzy spells for a
day or two, right now she's just like any other ordinary eighteen year
old in perfect health. Her mental condition, however, is another
question."
        "Let's try to wake her up," Michiru said. She placed her hands
on Hotaru's shoulders and leaned closer. "Hota-chan, can you hear me?
Hota-chan?"
        Uttering another moan, Hotaru laboriously tried to open her
eyes. When she finally succeeded, she blinked several times before she
managed to focus on Michiru.
        "Michiru-mama?"
        Michiru smiled gently at the familiar nickname. "I don't think
that's quiet appropriate now, Hota-chan, since you seem to have grown up
overnight."
        Hotaru smiled back weakly before focusing her gaze on Ami.
"Ami-chan."
        "You remember me," Ami observed. "Does that mean you remember
everything that happened to you and your father before?"
        Hotaru closed her eyes for a moment before opening them once
again. "Everything is so confusing, but I believe I remember that and
more."
        "More?" Ami questioned.
        Instead of answering her, Hotaru turned to Michiru once again.
"The others, are they here?"
        "Yes. They're all outside except for..."
        "For?"
        "For Usagi. We don't know where she is."
        Distress entered Hotaru's eyes at this information and she
forced herself to get up. Once on her feet, however, she swayed with
dizziness and had to be supported by Michiru.
        "You need to rest, Hotaru," Ami admonished. "Your body hasn't
caught up with all the changes it undertook. You have to give it time to
recover."
        "I have to see the others," she said urgently. "We have to look
for the Princess."
        "What are you talking about?" Michiru asked. "We have no idea
where to look for her. She not even in Japan anymore."
        "You don't understand," Hotaru insisted. "The Princess is in
danger."
        "Michiru and Ami were shocked at this statement. They still had
no idea what was going on, but they both helped Hotaru to the living
room where everyone else waited.
        They were greeted by a chorus of shouts when they entered the
room.
        "Hota-chan!"
        "What are you doing up?"
        "You should be in bed!"
        Michiru raised her hand to quiet everyone. "Hotaru has something
important to say," she announced, assisting Hotaru to a nearby chair.
Haruka came closer and knelt by her side. Enclosing Hotaru's hands with
her own, she asked, "What is it, Hota-chan?"
        "The Princess is in danger."
        A series of gasps echoed through the room. Luna was the first
one to speak. "How do you know?"
        "I can't really explain," she answered. "All I know is that she
needs all of us. That's why I had to grow back to the age I'm supposed
to be. I can't help her if I'm not a Senshi, and I can't be a Senshi if
I'm too young."
        "You said you remember what happened before and more," Ami
recalled. "What do you mean by more, Hota-chan?"
        Hotaru looked at her closely before searching the others' faces
as well. When she seemed to have found what she wanted, she turned back
to Ami. "There are so many memories mixed up in my mind right now,
Ami-chan. Some from what happened before, some from when I became a baby
and the years after, and some from the time before I met all of you,"
she explained. "And then there's the other memories which I can't really
describe. I have to think them over some more before I even attempt to
tell you about them."  she added in her
thoughts. 
        "You say we have to search for the Princess," Michiru was
saying. "But where do we start looking? She could be anywhere in the
planet right now."
        Hotaru shook her head. "She's somewhere nearby. I don't know how
I know this, but she is somewhere in Tokyo."
        "Tokyo?" Luna repeated, surprised. "But why hasn't she contacted
us if she's here?"
        The Inner Senshi hung their heads low at this question. They
knew very well why Usagi was avoiding them. Luna noticed their sudden
silence.
        "I see. I forgot for a moment what happened four years ago."
        "I guess she hasn't forgiven us yet," Minako said. "But I'm not
going to repeat the mistake I made then. I'm going to protect her no
matter what happens, because she's the Princess and my friend, and I owe
her my loyalty."
        "You're right," Rei agreed. "Let's go find her and make sure
she's all right."
        "I'm with you," Makoto joined in.
        "Me, too," Ami added.
        Haruka gave them a nod of approval. "Let's team up in twos just
in case a youma appears." Turning to Hotaru, she said, "Stay here where
your father can look after you. We'll let you know if we find her."
        "No," she refused. "I'm going with you. I seem to be the only
who can feel her presence, so you need me."
        Haruka couldn't deny her words and she reluctantly agreed to
take Hotaru along. Ami joined them so she could monitor Hotaru's
condition. Michiru went with Minako, Rei with Makoto, and they split up
in three different directions to start their search.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Hotaru was weaker than she thought, and, after an hour of
walking, was starting to grow faint. She lagged behind Haruka and Ami
who were discussing the futility of their search.
        From the corner of her eye, she noticed several figures standing
by the shadow of a group of trees. Something odd about the way they were
acting made her turn to get a better look. She gave an involuntary
scream.
        There were five of them, youmas which looked part human and part
monster. They were huge, tall and muscled, with sharp claws and teeth,
and evil looking red eyes.
        Haruka and Ami saw them when they looked to see what spooked
Hotaru. There was no time to look for a place to transform so, acting
quickly, they raised their transformation pens and summoned their
powers.
        "Mercury Star Power!"
        "Uranus Planet Power!"
        In the few minutes it took for them to change, one of the youmas
saw Hotaru defenseless and charged to attack. She tried her best to
avoid the massive hands trying to smash her but was quickly losing
ground. Still too weak from the night before, she had no chance against
the charging youma.
        "World Shaking!"
        Uranus' attack almost hit it from behind but it managed to jump
away at the last minute. While the youma was distracted, however, Hotaru
managed to scramble away, and the two Senshi came to stand in front of
her, facing the enemy.
        "We can't handle all of them," Uranus said in an undertone.
        "I've called the others," Mercury replied reassuringly.
"They'll be here as soon as possible."
        The group across them moved restlessly, uneasy with all the
whispering going on. The youma closest to them produced a whip made of
fire and swung it in their direction. The two Senshi barely escaped
without getting hurt and Mercury prepared to retaliate.
        "Shining Aqua Illusion!"
        Water rushed towards the group at great speed but only ended up
drenching the copse of trees. All five of the youmas were already
airborne and landed nearby them, surrounding the Senshi on all sides.
Sweat formed on Uranus' brow as she contemplated their situation. There
was no other choice but to attack.
        "Space Sword Blaster!"
        She sliced the sword forward repeatedly, trying to wound the
elusive youmas. Mercury, behind her, gasped helplessly as one of them
held an arm around her neck, choking her. When all seemed lost, a
familiar figure in white suddenly appeared before her. She felt the
pressure on her neck slacken as the youma was dragged from behind her by
other hands. Her legs buckled as she was released and the white ninja
caught her.
        When she could breath again, she ventured a glance at her back
And saw the creature fighting two other ninjas. Towards the right, a
couple more white clad figures fought a third youma while another one
helped Uranus. The last ninja was in grave danger as two youmas attacked
him from both sides at once. Mercury acted instinctively.
        "Shabon Spray Freezing!"
        The ice water managed to stop one of the creatures momentarily,
but it was soon active again. Zachary, the ninja beside her, turned when
he noticed his friend's situation.
        "Are you okay, Mercury?" he asked, facing her.
        "I'm okay."
        With a nod of acknowledgment, he went running towards his
comrade and quickly delivered a karate chop on one youma's neck,
followed by a knee jamb in the middle of its back. The creature
immediately released Justin who swiftly used a round-house kick to stun
the other youma.
        A guttural cry of pain echoed through the area as the monster
being fought by Ashe and Usagi got struck by a rose. Everyone turned to
the black clad figure in a top hat and cloak who stood on one of the
tree branches, high above the ground. He jumped the great height easily
and landed softly to the accompaniment of thundering footsteps as the
rest of the Senshi came around the corner and joined him where he stood.
        Now the numbers were more even since the creatures easily
outweighed the humans. Ashe, Usagi and Mercury fought one youma while
the rest assembled in groups as well. Justin, Zachary and Venus in one;
Kenjo, Jupiter and Mars in another; and Nathan, Tuxedo Mask and Neptune
in still another. The last youma went up against Galen and Uranus.
        Hotaru watched from a safe distance as the battle ensued and
lengthened. Her friends and their helpers were holding their own except
for the group with only two members. They needed another Senshi to make
it more even and she was the only one left. They needed her assistance.
        She stood up unsteadily and raised her transformation pen.
"Saturn Planet Power, Make Up!"
        She finished transforming in a whirl of dizziness but was
determined to help her friends. Slowly, she walked towards the youma's
back, intending to attack it from behind. All around, the other
creatures were being eliminated by the other Senshi and ninjas. Before
Hotaru even reached her destination, they were all running towards the
last one standing. But the youma suddenly turned around as it was hit by
Uranus' sword. Enraged and desperate, it focused on Saturn and lashed
out in fury. The fiery whip came flying out at great speed and aimed at
the helpless Senshi. Too weak to move away in time, she watched the
flames leap higher as the whip came nearer and nearer. Death, she knew,
was inevitable.
        "Saturn, watch out!" Uranus screamed as she instinctively moved
forward to protect the younger Senshi. Then three points of light
suddenly appeared from out of nowhere and imbedded themselves in the
creature's chest. In the split-second before it exploded to pieces,
something white leaped out of the trees and grabbed Saturn before
jumping to a safe distance, leaving the rest of them to duck at the
explosion that followed.
        When it was safe to get up again, the battered group quickly
searched their surroundings with their eyes for the place where they
last saw their friend. When they finally found her, the Senshi looked at
each other questioningly while the white ninjas looked towards the scene
in surprise. The picture they viewed was somewhat unexpected.
        On a clearing not too far away, Saturn was being held by a man
in a very familiar white and silver uniform. His auburn hair was being
blown by a slight breeze, held only in check by a queue tied around
middle at his nape. Worried charcoal gray eyes looked down on her face
as he held her close and stroked gentle fingers on her cheek.
        When she finally opened her eyes and beheld him, a smile of
welcome lit her face. Slim fingers were raised to touch his cheek, but
were held by his hand and kissed instead. Volumes of unspoken words
flowed between their gazes as he said, ever so softly, "Hotaru..."



                             CHAPTER SEVEN
              Revelations: The Unmasking of an Old Friend

        The wind whistled softly as it blew across the clearing,
rustling the tree leaves and making the group shiver as they stood
transfixed by the scene before them. A few yards behind them, the bustle
and noise of the city went on as usual but seemed, somehow, muffled and
far away. An eerie quiet pervaded the area instead, and only a slight
breeze dared to disturb the occupants, ruffling the hair of the stranger
as he held their friend in his arms.
        "Hotaru" seemed to echo in their ears, even though he said it in
a mere whisper, riddled with familiarity and tenderness. He held her in
a tight embrace, savoring the feel of her in his arms again, like in
moments they shared back in the Moon Kingdom.
        The Senshi were spellbound by what they were witnessing and
stood still and quiet, like Greek statues in a temple. Unlike them, the
white ninjas were in motion, soundlessly retreating and heading for the
cover of the trees. Once there, they continued to watch the tableau
being played out in the clearing.
        "Lynx," Usagi whispered, surprise coloring her voice.
        "Yes," Galen agreed. "I've been expecting him to show up but not
so soon. I didn't realize Hotaru had gone back to the age she's supposed
to be."
        "Me neither," she admitted. "The last time I saw her about a
week ago, she was still no more than five years old."
        "Drake is going to have a lot of questions to answer if he
doesn't get out of there quickly," Ashe commented as he saw the Senshi
coming out of their trance-like states. Even now, Uranus and Neptune
were moving forward to confront the newcomer.
        "Don't worry," Galen answered. "Hotaru will shield him from
those two. She always was very protective of him."
        "I remember."
        No more words were uttered as they watched Saturn break the
embrace and stand in front of Lynx, ready to protect him from the other
Senshi.
        "Who are you?" Uranus started. "And what do you want with the
Senshi that you would save one of us?"
        The stranger smiled enigmatically. "I am known as Lynx, a
warr--"
        "He's a friend of mine," Saturn interrupted. "That's why he
saved me."
        Neptune watched her closely as she spoke and saw her avert her
eyes. "You're not telling us everything, Sailor Saturn. Is there
something else we need to know?"
        Lynx started to speak again but Saturn stopped him. "It isn't
time yet," she cautioned. "They're not ready."
        "Ready for what?" Uranus wanted to know.
        "I'm sorry, I can't answer that right now," she replied, turning
towards the older Senshi. "But I have a feeling you'll find out very
soon. Until then, just accept that Lynx is a friend and an ally. There
is nothing to fear from him."
        All the Senshi saw the determination in her eyes and decided to
let things stand for the moment. "Very well," Neptune answered for all
of them. "We'll wait and see what happens."
        With a nod to the others, she motioned that it was time to
leave. The group turned as one and headed in the temple's direction.
They had a lot to talk about and that was the best place to discuss
things.
        When the couple was finally alone, Saturn turned back to Lynx
and just looked at him, comparing his face to the one in her memories.
They were one and the same.
        "Drake," she whispered softly, moving closer to him just as he
stepped forward. He cupped her face in his hands and finally believed
that she was truly there, alive and well and back in his life again.
        "Hotaru..."
        "Don't you think it might be better if you changed back to your
normal selves before calling each other by name, hmm?" a highly amused
voice suggested.
        It startled them both out of the cocoon they were in, back to
reality. Saturn searched around for the source of the words and found it
in the man standing to the side of them, a few feet away. He had a big
smile on his face and slowly held open his arms as she watched.
        "Ashe!" she exclaimed, running to his welcome embrace and
hugging him back.
        "Hello, little one. I see you've been doing a lot of growing up
lately."
        "What?! No hug for me?" Galen complained, opening his own arms.
        "Galen! Of course I've got a hug for you. I've got one for
everybody."
        Taking her up on her offer, the guys lined up for their turn to
hold her and welcome her back to the fold. Drake stood nearby, watching
his friends as they greeted his lady and noticed when Usagi broke from
the group and moved towards the exit of the park. She stopped when she
got there and followed the progress of the departing Senshi with her
eyes.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Makoto felt like someone was watching her and turned around to
investigate. She noticed a woman near the entrance of the park they just
left and started getting suspicious.
        "There she is again," she said to no one in particular.
        "Who?" Michiru asked, turning to look behind them as well.
        "That woman--," she started to answer when she noticed that the
figure wasn't there anymore. "Funny, she always seems to disappear as
soon as I look away. That's the third time I've seen her after an
attack."
        "Are you talking about a woman with long, blond hair in a plait
and dark sunglasses?" Minako inquired.
        Makoto nodded her head. "Yes. Have you seen her too?"
        "Twice. I thought it was just a coincidence."
        "Well, five times is hardly a coincidence anymore," Ami deduced.
"She might have something to do with the attacks."
        "What else could she be doing?" Rei exclaimed, frustrated. "She
was right in front of our faces and we didn't even know it."
        Haruka had been unusually quiet throughout the entire
conversation and only now ventured to comment, "This woman, does she
wrap her hair around her neck once before letting it hang down?"
        "That's right," Makoto agreed. "Do you know her?"
        "I'm not sure," she said evasively and walked ahead of the
group.
         she thought to herself.  She shook her head in denial.
        "Haruka? Is something wrong?" Michiru asked from beside her.
She had followed Haruka when the other girl had left the rest of them
behind. She had sensed how troubled her friend was.
        "I don't know, Michiru," she answered despondently. "I don't
know what's happening anymore. I'm so confused."
        "Why don't you tell me about it? I might be able to help."
        "I guess it's time I did that. It concerns you, in a way,"
Haruka admitted. "We'll talk in the temple when the meeting is over."
        "All right," Michiru agreed, then silently walked beside her the
rest of the way.

                *       *       *       *       *

        As Usagi stood watching her old friends going farther away, she
noticed Makoto look back and quickly retreated from view. She moved to
rejoin her group and saw Lynx watching her closely. She smiled at him
and moved closer.
        "Drake, it's so good to see you."
        "You too, Usagi--Princess Serenity," he replied warmly.
        "Now don't go all formal on me. You've never called me by my
title when it wasn't necessary."
        He smiled at the comment, noting traces of the old Usagi in the
lady before him, but also seeing a whole lot of differences. "You've
changed, Usagi."
        "So have you, Drake. So have the rest of them." She indicated
the group to her side with a sweep of her arm.
        "Not Haruka and Michiru," he countered impertinently. "They're
still suspicious of every stranger they encounter."
        Usagi laughed at those words and remembered how he always
managed to make her do so. He had always seen the funny side of things,
no matter how dire the situation was. Except on that last day...
        That memory reminded her of Hotaru's presence and she turned to
see if her friend was finally free. She was standing in the midst of the
circle of men, excitedly asking questions and answering some in return.
        Usagi glanced back towards Drake. "Think I can wrestle her
attention away from these guys?"
        "I'll do that for you." He moved forward and entered the circle
between Justin and Zachary, creating a path for Usagi in the process.
He put an arm around Hotaru's shoulders and gestured towards her.
        "There's someone here who wants to say hello."
        Following the direction of his arm, Hotaru saw Usagi standing
there, a smile of welcome on her face. "Usagi-chan!" she exclaimed as
she went to enclose her friend in a hug. "And here I thought you were in
danger with no one to help you. I should have known better."
        "How could you have known these guys would be with me?" Usagi
inquired. "I didn't even know they existed until a few months ago."
        "Well, it all started a few hours ago," she began, taking a few
steps towards a bench where she sat down. "When I woke up this morning,
I'd somehow aged overnight and was now eighteen years old. But the
biggest difference of all was in my memories. I remembered everything,
from the events that happened in the Moon Kingdom to the things that
happened the day before, when I was no more than five years old. It was
all fuzzy at first but it gradually became clearer as more time passed."
Hotaru stopped as Drake sat down beside her and put a supporting arm
around her back. "What also surprised me was the fact that I could sense
everyone's thoughts. When I looked at the Senshi, I could read their
memories like they were my own, and I knew they didn't remember anything
about the Moon Kingdom except what they were told."
        "That's why you didn't want me to tell them who I was?" Drake
finally understood.
        Hotaru nodded her head. "Yes. They wouldn't have known who you
were anyway, and they would have asked a lot of questions. I don't think
Galen and Ashe would appreciate your telling Haruka and Michiru about
them before they could do it themselves."
        "So you did know we were masquerading as the white ninjas
earlier?" Justin assumed.
        "Not really. I knew Usagi was somewhere in the city and I could
sense her coming closer. I also felt the presence of other people who
were somehow familiar to me. But I didn't realize you were all together
until you arrived to help us. Of course, the fact that one of the ninjas
was very protective of Mercury made me look at all of you a little
closer. That's when I discovered who you were."
        Everyone turned to Zachary. "Hey! I couldn't help it. She was in
danger and I had to make sure she was all right," he reasoned.
        "That's okay, Zach," Nathan assured him. "We all know we would
have done the same thing if it were our ladies who were in danger."
        "Anyway, we should continue this conversation at the office,"
Galen commanded and turned to the couple on the bench. "You two
transform back before anybody sees you."
        Usagi and the six men formed a circle to shield them from view.
Lynx caught the tip of his cape and flipped it upwards so it covered his
body. By the time it settled once more, he was back to being just Drake
Matsuda, small aircraft pilot and aeronautics engineer. Looking forward,
he saw that Saturn was also no longer wearing her Senshi uniform but a
dark purple coat over a lavender dress. She looked every bit as lovely
as he remembered.
        "Ready?" Kenjo prompted, looking behind his shoulder to see if
they were finished.
        "Ready," Hotaru answered and took Drake's hand. He smiled down
at her and gave her hand a squeeze before they started after their
departing friends.

                *       *       *       *       *

        At the temple, the meeting had concluded early because they
didn't have much more information about their supposedly new enemy
except what was discussed earlier by the park. The other Inner Senshi
had gone to help Rei finish up some chores that had to be done around
the temple, so the two Outer Senshi were left all alone in the living
room. Haruka had just gotten up to look out at the peaceful scenery from
behind the temple's front doors.
        "Haruka," Michiru said softly. "Do you want to talk now?"
        Without turning around, the other girl gave a deep sigh. "Do you
love me, Michiru?"
        Michiru stared at her, surprised at the unexpected question. Of
all the topics she had prepared herself to discuss with Haruka, that one
hadn't come to mind. It held her speechless for a long enough moment
that her friend turned to look at her to see if she had heard the
question.
        "Michiru?"
        She blinked. "Of course I love you, Haruka," she mouthed the
expected answer. "Why do you ask?"
        "Can you tell me how it feels, being in love?" Haruka asked
instead of giving an answer.
        "Don't you know?"
        "I thought I did, but now I'm not so sure."
        "I see." Michiru struggled to think of a way to describe her
feelings, something which would have been easy a few weeks back. In her
mind, she tried to picture the good times they've had but kept getting
distracted by a different image altogether. Instead of Haruka's blond
hair and blue eyes, she kept seeing bright purple eyes on a more
masculine face. Ashe's face.
        She shook her head, trying to dispel the image, but it kept
coming back. The more she tried to forget it, the more she remembered
the times she'd spent in his company during the last four weeks.
        Michiru had been worried about Haruka's unusual preoccupation so
she'd decided to spend more time with her. Since the problem had started
when Haruka began working with Galen and Ashe, she thought that that
would be the best place to start. So she visited her friend at work more
often and, in consequence, spent more time with Ashe who seemed to be
always around when Haruka was busy with Galen.
        At first, they just talked and got to know more about each
other. Michiru learned that he shared her love for classical music and
followed the same principles when it came to right and wrong.
Eventually, she agreed to go out for lunch with him and, a few days
later, to dinner and a symphony concert.
        As the days went by, Ashe became more integrated in Michiru's
life. She started looking forward more to her visits with him than to
solving Haruka's dilemma and got nowhere near solving her friend's
problem.
        Now here she was, ready to try to help her friend, and all she
could think about was Ashe.
        "You're not talking about me, are you, Michiru?" Haruka
interrupted her thoughts.
        She blinked and tried to focus on Haruka's words. "Huh?"
        "Just now, when you were describing your feelings, you weren't
talking about me, were you?" her friend reiterated.
        "I..." She must have answered Haruka unknowingly, she thought.
When she was thinking about Ashe, she must have described her feelings
for him.  she questioned
herself. 
        "Michiru?"
        "No, I wasn't," she admitted. "I...I'm afraid I was thinking of
somebody else. I'm so sorry, Haruka," she finished dejectedly.
        The other girl was shaking her head. "Don't be. This makes
everything so much easier."
        Michiru was puzzled. "It does?"
        "Yes," Haruka assured her, "it does. You see, for over a month
now, I've been struggling to understand the way I feel. Ever since the
first time I met Galen, I knew I was aware of him on a totally different
level than anybody else. I thought it was the challenge he represented,
because he was as good if not better than me in martial arts and other
things, that made me watch him constantly. But that illusion didn't last
long."
        She gave a self-depreciating laugh. "I knew it was more than
competition that made me want to hurt the Princess when she kissed him
at the airport. I wanted to tear her from his arms and shout, 'He's
mine!'. But the most unsettling feeling of all was my wanting to be the
one in his arms, to be the one he was kissing. Can you imagine that?"
she asked Michiru, sitting down and closing her eyes. "Me, Haruka,
wanting to be kissed by a man?!"
        Michiru watched Haruka's face as she was talking, a flicker of
understanding showing on her own. She was starting to realize what her
friend was trying to say.
        "I didn't like it," Haruka continued. "Not one bit. So I decided
to spend as little time in his company as possible. But that didn't work
either. I was miserable, and, although I told myself I was just tired
and unaccustomed to the work load, I knew deep inside that it was
because I missed him."
        "Does he know?" Michiru asked.
        "Know what?"
        "That you love him?"
        Haruka shook her head. "I'm not sure if I know that myself. I'm
not ready to say that I love him just yet, only that he's someone very
special to me." Turning to Michiru, she gave a relieved smile. "I'm just
glad I didn't hurt your feelings as much as I thought I would."
        Michiru smiled back. "Isn't it funny? We've been going around in
circles the past few weeks, trying to deny our feelings, because we
didn't want to hurt each other, when all the time we would have spared
each other a lot of grief just by talking about it. Love can really make
fools out of people, especially the ones who think they know what it's
all about."
        Haruka nodded in agreement.
        The sound of the Inner Senshi's voices coming closer put an end
to their private conversation. Within minutes, the other girls joined
them in the living room once more.
        "So, have you decided on what to wear to the party, Mako-chan?"
Mina was asking. "It's tomorrow night, you know."
        "Something in green, I think. Nathan said I look good in that
color," she replied, turning a rosy shade of pink at the mention of her
employer's name.
        The others smiled. "I don't blame you for doing what he
recommends," Ami commented. "I would probably do the same thing if a
handsome man told me I looked beautiful."
        "Ami-chan, what a surprise!" Rei exclaimed. "And here I thought,
all you're interested in is work."
        The shy Ami turned a dark red color while everyone else laughed.
When they finally got a hold of themselves, the conversation reverted
back to clothing.
        "I personally don't have anything in mind to wear yet," Rei
volunteered. "All I've been wearing lately are jeans and T-shirts. I
need to go shopping."
        "So why don't we all go shopping," Haruka suggested to
everyone's surprise. She was the last person in the world they expected
to do something so feminine as clothes shopping.
        Seeing that the other girls were speechless, Michiru came to
their rescue. "Why not? I don't have anything else to do, do you?"
        "I think it's a great idea," Minako agreed. "Let's go!"

                *       *       *       *       *

        Drake and Hotaru spent most of the afternoon with Usagi and the
rest discussing the events that would occur the following day. Everyone
was anxious for the next evening to come when they would finally reveal
their true identities to the Senshi and, hopefully, begin their new
lives together.
        After it was said that Hotaru, along with Drake, will accompany
Mamoru, Haruka, and the other girls to the party instead of joining
Galen and the rest, they finally decided to leave. They were at the gate
of the building, about to go out, when they spotted the Senshi entering
a shop across the street. They decided to follow them.
        Drake and Hotaru found the girls busy choosing outfits from the
huge selection on the racks. The only one who wasn't holding a dress was
Haruka, who stood beside Michiru, giving her opinion on her friend's
choices. Hotaru immediately joined the two of them while Drake headed
towards the Inner Senshi.
        Haruka saw the pair enter and watched Drake's progress under
hooded eyes, still unable to completely trust the stranger in their
midst. Hotaru followed the direction of her gaze and touched her arm.
        "It's okay, Haruka. You don't have to watch him. He won't hurt
them, or you and Michiru either," she reassured her friend. "His name is
Drake Matsuda and he's a pilot as well as the owner of an aircraft
manufacturing company."
        "He's also Lynx, isn't he?" Haruka inquired although she already
knew the answer.
        "That's true, but if you trust me at all as a fellow Senshi and
friend, you'd believe me when I say he's not an enemy, but an ally."
        Haruka reluctantly tore her gaze away from Drake and faced
Hotaru. "It's not that I don't trust you, Hota-chan. It's just the fact
that I don't know anything about him except what you've just told me,"
she tried to explain. "I would feel the same way about any stranger,
especially one who seems very powerful."
        "You'll find out a lot more about him very soon. Maybe even more
than you want to know," Hotaru replied mysteriously.
        Haruka stared at her searchingly but she turned to speak to
Michiru. The older Senshi had no other choice but to drop the subject
till a later time.
        Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, the four Inner Senshi
were busy deciding which colors to wear, unaware of Drake approaching
from behind them.
        "Well, girls, what do you think?" Minako was asking the rest,
holding a fuchsia outfit in front of her.
        "I think you would look more beautiful in the yellow dress with
the off-the-shoulder neckline."
        Everyone looked over their shoulders for the source of the new
voice, and found a tall, handsome man with auburn hair and charcoal-gray
eyes smiling at them. They didn't recognize him right away and were
puzzled as to his identity.
        "Uhh, do we know each other?" Mina inquired.
        "Oh!" A sudden gasp came from Ami as she finally realized who
their visitor was.
        "What is it, Ami-chan?" Rei asked, concerned.
        "It's him," her friend answered uselessly.
        "You're not making any sense, Ami," Makoto said. "Who's 'him'?"
        Before she could clarify her answer, Drake moved closer. "Very
observant of you, Ami-chan, to recognize me so quickly." Turning to the
other girls, he introduced himself, "My name is Drake Matsuda and I'm a
pilot. I'm also a good friend of Hotaru's and I help her out whenever
she needs me as the warrior called...Lynx."
        "THE Lynx," Rei exclaimed. "The one who saved Saturn earlier?"
        "The one and only," he agreed, bowing slightly in acknowledgment
before facing Mina once more. "Anyway, I still think you should go with
the yellow dress, Mina. It brings out the color of your eyes and makes
you look even more beautiful than you already are."
        Mina gave him a big smile. "I think I'm going to like knowing
you a whole lot."
        "Likewise," he replied.
        Not wanting to let Minako get all the attention, Rei came
forward with a dress of her own.
        "What do you think of this one?" she asked at the same time as
Makoto's, "How does this look on me?"
        And just like that, they had accepted him, Drake thought as he
answered their questions. The Inner Senshi hadn't changed much at all
from the friends he recalled having in the Moon Kingdom. They were still
open and trusting, sometimes to their own misfortune, he judged,
remembering the events that lead to their deaths. Still, it worked to
his advantage at this point and he was grateful for any help he could
get in trying to insinuate himself into this elite group once more.
With a sigh of relief, he turned towards Hotaru and the two Outer
Senshi. In his mind, he counted silently. Four down and two to go.
        Meanwhile, in the building across the street, way up on the
thirtieth floor, the meeting between Usagi and the Generals continued.
Plans were made for the next evening's schedule and last minute changes
were put in.
        As they were finally gathering up the papers needed to get
things in motion, Nathan spoke, "By the way, I've asked Makoto to sit in
our table after the ribbon cutting ceremony. I told her I won't be
around much before then because I'll be supervising behind the scenes."
        "Lucky you," Justin said, clapping him on the shoulder. "I wish
I could ask Rei to do the same, but she doesn't even know me."
        The other two Royal Guard Generals nodded in agreement. They
both shared the same problem as Justin but, hopefully, the ball tomorrow
night will provide a solution.
        "Haruka is also sitting with us and I think Ashe has asked
Michiru to do the same." Galen added and looked towards his friend who
nodded in agreement. "So, the two of us plus the three ladies will be
alone at the table for the first few hours until midnight. Usagi will be
mingling with the other guests while the four of you," he said,
indicating Nathan, Justin, Zachary, and Kenjo," remain scarce until the
introductions have to be made. That won't be until the ribbon cutting
ceremony is over. We don't want the Inner Senshi to recognize you and
think they're being invaded by the Dark Kingdom."
        The four of them agreed to this plan and the meeting was
concluded.

                *       *       *       *       *

        The following day turned out to be hectic for both the Senshi
and the Generals. The first group had another morning meeting to discuss
defense techniques against Dark Kingdom attacks, before finally rushing
home to change for the party. The second was even much more busy
preparing for the evening's activities. Last minute arrangements with
the staff and the hired band were being settled by Justin. Nathan had
the food preparation smoothly moving along while Kenjo, along with Galen
and Ashe, took care of building security.
        Only Usagi and Zachary had nothing in particular to do and were
out taking a stroll in the gardens surrounding the building.
        "You're very quiet today, Usagi," Zachary observed as he walked
beside her. "Is there something on your mind?"
        Heaving a deep sigh, she answered softly, "I'm just thinking of
tonight and what's going to happen. I wonder how the Senshi will react
when they see and recognize me." Turning slightly to look at him, she
asked, "What about you, Zach? Aren't you curious about Ami's reaction?"
        "Curious? No. More like terrified about it," he admitted. "I
haven't seen Ami since--forever and I really don't know what to expect.
My only consolation is that she's the most level-headed of the Senshi
and more likely to listen to my side of the story before handing out
judgment." He smiled then, suddenly. "I'd hate to be in Justin's shoes
when Rei sees him for the first time."
        Usagi couldn't help but join in his amusement. It was going to
be quite an evening for all of them, but mostly for the three Royal
Guard Generals who haven't had the opportunity to really meet with their
soul mates. Deep down, she knew, a part of her wished it would never
come.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Drake stood by the large picture window of Haruka's residence,
waiting for Hotaru to fetch the two older Senshi. He was already wearing
his tuxedo and patted the back of his waist to make sure he had tucked
his most valuable possession there, under his jacket.
        "I hate to say it, but you were right," Haruka said from behind
him.
        Turning abruptly to see what she was talking about, he suddenly
stopped, the words he was about to utter disappearing with his next
breath.
        Haruka stood just a few feet away from him, wearing a dress of
midnight blue to perfection. The top was like a sheath, hugging her
upper body to show her feminine curves before flaring from her waist
down to just above her knees. She had wrapped a long scarf of the same
color around her neck once, before letting the ends fall behind her back
and trail close to the hem of her dress.
        When Haruka moved a few steps closer to him, the light caught on
the hidden gold threads in her outfit, making the dress almost glow for
a moment before returning to normal. Altogether, she was a breathtaking
sight and Drake could once more see why Galen fell in love with her.
        "You were right," she repeated. "The dress is wonderful and I
love it."
        "I knew it was perfect for you the first time I laid eyes on
it," Drake said, feeling the wall of mistrust breaking between them. He
didn't really expect this event to happen because of a simple dress. He
was only making a conciliatory gesture when he recommended it to her
yesterday afternoon.

_________________________________________________________________________


        Drake had seen her standing beside Michiru and, once in a while,
looking across to the glass display of formal wear. He had followed her
gaze and noticed the blue dress hanging on a mannequin. It was a
beautiful outfit and he knew that Haruka would look stunning in it.
        Haruka had her back turned when Drake approached her, dress in
hand. He had cleared his throat and waited for her to turn around. Whey
she finally did, the dress was the first thing she saw since he held it
out to her.
        "I think this would look perfect on you," he said confidently
before noticing the sudden hush in the store. All the other Senshi were
watching them, waiting for Haruka to lose her infamous temper. Instead,
she looked straight at him for a long time, as if trying to read his
intentions, before calmly accepting his offer.
        "I guess we'll see if you're right tomorrow, since it's too late
to try it on now," she said before heading towards a sales clerk to pay
for her purchase. Everybody followed suit since the store was about to
close. When Hotaru reached his side, she whispered, "Well, it's not
exactly an offer of friendship, but it's a start," before smiling and
linking her hands with his.

_________________________________________________________________________


        As it turned out, it was a very good start since Haruka was
actually smiling at him now and talking openly. By the time the other
two ladies joined them, they had learned a lot about each other and were
comfortable enough together to be called friends.

                *       *       *       *       *

        That evening, at the restaurant, the first guests were due to
arrive at any minute, and Galen was standing by the entrance, ready to
greet whoever it was. It turned out to be Mamoru, along with Rei and
Ami, followed by Drake and the rest. Galen led them to the table
reserved for important guests and made sure they sat in the right
places. Haruka, Michiru, and Makoto on the first table and the others on
the one right next to it.
        By the time they were settled, the other guests started arriving
and Ashe, along with Usagi, still in her 'Princess' hairstyle, joined
Galen on the receiving line. Minako was the first to recognize her, but
not for who she really was.
        "Look!" she exclaimed softly. "It's her!"
        "Who?"
        "The lady that always shows up when we're attacked," she
clarified. "She doesn't have her sunglasses on, but that's definitely
her."
        Makoto overheard them from the next table. "Where is she,
Mina-chan?"
        "Over there, standing next to Galen. The one in the black
dress."
        "You're right. She is the one I've seen as well." Turning to her
right, she asked, "Do you know her, Haruka-san?"
        Unable to quiet her own suspicions, the older girl answered
hesitantly, "They call her Princess and she's one of the owners of the
building. All the guys are very fond of her."
        "Princess?" Makoto repeated. "Yes. I've heard Nathan talk about
her once or twice. He seems to like her a lot."
        Rei was starting to get uneasy. "I don't like this," she told
the rest. "This could be a trap and we're right in the middle of it."
        "This is the best place for us to be, Rei-chan," Ami retaliated.
"If the Dark Kingdom is planning on doing something here, we'll be on
hand to stop them."
        "She's right," Michiru agreed. "Try to enjoy yourselves but be
extra observant as well. We could all be just imagining things and
there's nothing going on at all."
        That statement seemed to calm everyone down and they started
talking about other things. Little did they know that their fears were
about to come true.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Meanwhile, in a cavern deep within the Earth, a sinister plan
was about to be started. The ageless seer had searched throughout the
premises, seeking for his Prince to tell him of a new development in
their search for Sailor Moon. He found him in his quarters.
        "My Prince, I have some good news."
        "What is it?" Morgon inquired, sitting up from his reclining
position on the bed.
        "The Senshi seemed to have gathered in one place and we can
finally attack them all at once. We may be able to get them to tell us
where Sailor Moon is."
        "Where is this place? Where have they gathered?"
        "They're presently on the top floor of a skyscraper in downtown
Tokyo. It will be very hard for them to escape from there if we cover
all the exits."
        Morgon was still unconvinced. "And how will you tell the Senshi
apart from the rest of the people?"
        "I shall know them, My Lord. Trust me."
        Morgon looked at his seer's white head, bowed in respect to him,
and decided to let him try his plan. After all, there were no other
alternatives to act on.
        "Very well. Take some of our best fighters and attack. I expect
you to bring me more good news tomorrow." And he waved his hand to
signal dismissal.
        The seer quietly left the room and moved towards the outer hall
where the youma practiced their skills. It was time to go to battle.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Back at the restaurant, the party was well on its way and the
Senshi were finally starting to forget their suspicions when the band
started having some problems. Galen and Ashe were too busy talking with
their partners to notice it, and Usagi was on the other side of the room
with some other guests, trying not to be seen too closely.
        Justin and Zachary were in the kitchen when the music ended
abruptly in the middle of a song. Justin threw up his hands in disgust
and walked out muttering something about boosters and forgetful
musicians. Zachary tried to stop him.
        "Justin! You're not supposed--," he started saying to his
friend's retreating back. "--to go out there," he finished lamely. He
glanced worriedly towards Nathan, who just shrugged and continued his
supervising duties.
        Justin walked out to the stage, unconcerned about whoever saw
him and totally forgetting about the Inner Senshi's presence. The first
inkling he had of trouble was when he felt he was being watched. He
turned his head and looked straight into Rei's startled eyes.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Rei was listening to the band play one of her favorite songs
when they suddenly stopped. She watched as they tried to figure out what
was wrong before one of the musicians flashed a smile of relief at
someone coming from behind the curtains on the side. When she saw who it
was, she turned white as a sheet.
        Ami was saying something to Rei when she noticed her friend's
pallor. "Rei-chan, are you all right? You're so pale all of a sudden."
        When Rei didn't respond, Ami followed the direction of her gaze.
That's when she saw...
        "Jadeite!" she exclaimed.
        "Where?" Mamoru asked, looking around the room.
        "Over there," Ami pointed but looked to see only the band
on-stage. Jadeite was nowhere to be seen.
        "He was there," she insisted. "Rei saw him too. Didn't you,
Rei?" She had to shake her friend to wake her from her stupor.
        "Huh?"
        "Jadeite," Ami repeated. "You saw him too, didn't you?"
        "Yes, I did. I told you it was a trap. We should just look for
them and get it over with."
        "We can't do that," Mamoru said. "What if we're wrong and we
accuse them of horrible things. We could be jeopardizing our jobs as
well as the friendships we've established."
        "But that was Jadeite!"
        "Are you absolutely positive?" Mamoru asked. "Couldn't it have
been someone else who looked just like him but isn't. Remember, Jadeite
has been gone for a long, long time. Queen Beryl must have destroyed him
for failing to do her bidding."
        Reluctantly, Rei agreed, "I guess it could have been someone
else. But I'm not taking any chances. I'm going to keep a close eye on
him if he shows up again."
        "Very well."

                *       *       *       *       *

        Justin rushed to the kitchen entrance before stopping to get a
breath. Both Nathan and Zachary were waiting for him there.
        "Why didn't you stop me?" he demanded.
        "I tried," Zachary replied. "But you were in too much of a
hurry."
        "Did anything happen?" Nathan asked.
        Justin nodded dejectedly. "She saw me," he replied. "Rei saw me,
and maybe Ami too. I didn't stop to check."
        "Don't worry about it for now," Nathan suggested. "I'm sure
Galen will let us know if something develops."
        "All right," Justin answered, still trying to catch his breath.
He had to admit to himself though, that, deep inside, he was glad his
love finally noticed him, even from afar.

                *       *       *       *       *

        A few hours later, at a quarter to midnight, Galen and Ashe
excused themselves to prepare for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Galen
caught Usagi's attention from across the room and motioned for her to
come to the front. She nodded her acknowledgment and started making her
way forward.
        Mamoru watched as she came closer, still trying to place where
he'd seen her before. All evening long, he had puzzled over the
familiarity of her presence. When she turned a certain way or made a
certain gesture, he could swear that he knew her, but couldn't place
from where. It was really bothering him and he was hoping to make her
acquaintance, but she kept to the other side of the room all the time.
He wondered why that was.
        The band was moved to the side as the stage area was cleared for
the ribbon cutting ceremony. Two decorated poles were placed on either
end with a thick, red ribbon tied between them, then the area beyond it
darkened so the rest of the preparations can go unwitnessed by the
guests. A mike and chairs were positioned as the seven owners prepared
to introduce themselves for the first time.
        Before anything could be started, however, a commotion just
outside the restaurant doors caught everyone's attention. Screams
followed by the doors crushing under a youma's weight started guests
panicking. A mad rush ensued as everyone tried to leave through the
exits without getting in the monster's paths.
        Only Mamoru and the Senshi stood by their tables, getting
themselves psyched for the inevitable fight. When the room was finally
empty, a great number of youma passed through the doors and surrounded
the small group on three sides. Their only way of escape left was
through the stage behind them, where Usagi and her team stood waiting
for the next turn of events, unseen by either group of combatants.
        As the Senshi contemplated their situation, the seer, Drago,
walked through the front entrance, his flowing robes swaying slightly as
he came closer to the waiting group. Mamoru and Haruka moved to the
front to meet him.
        "Who are you?" Haruka demanded. "What do you want here?"
        Bowing his head slightly, he introduced himself, "My name is
Drago, and I have come to find Sailor Moon for My Lord Prince."
        "Sailor Moon?" Mamoru repeated, unsure of what he heard.
        With an evil smile curling his lips, Drago turned towards him.
"You must be Tuxedo Kamen and these ladies, the Senshi. It is nice to
finally meet you all, face to face."
        "What makes you think we're the Senshi?" Michiru interrupted.
        "The fact that you're still in this room says a lot about you,"
the seer deigned to answer. "Any ordinary person would have fled by now,
like those fools who just run for their lives a few minutes ago."
        "We just happen to be brave, that's all," Rei prevaricated.
        "That's right," Makoto agreed. "And we don't care for anybody
who tries to push us around."
        "Enough!" the seer commanded in his hollow voice. "I'm not here
to play games with you. Just tell me where Sailor Moon is and, maybe,
I'll let you live."
        "Even if we were the Senshi, we wouldn't give you that
information," Ami answered. "Besides, Sailor Moon hasn't been seen in
years. She could be anywhere by now."
        Drago suddenly gave a sinister laugh. "Nice try, little girl.
But I have felt her presence nearby, and you and I both know that she is
somewhere in Tokyo."
        A shocked silence descended over the Senshi at these words,
blocking out the rest of Drago's statement. The news of Usagi's return
to Japan was something that needed time to sink in. Time Drago wasn't
willing to grant them.
        "So what shall it be? Will you tell me where Sailor Moon is, or
would you rather I force it out of you?" he asked, walking closer to the
Senshi to look them eye to eye, and going as far as raising Minako's
chin with a bold finger, as if to demand an answer.
        The enraged Senshi removed the offending digit and gave its
owner a resounding slap on the cheek. "You can go to hell, Drago! And
take all your monsters with you!"
        Holding a palm to his stinging face, the seer grabbed her wrist
tightly with his other hand. "You're going to regret that, young lady.
I'm going to make you suffer before I have you killed."
        "Not while I'm around," a voice said from the darkened stage
before anyone else could come to Minako's defense.
        "Who's there?" Drago demanded. "Show yourself if you dare."
        Usagi moved forward until she was out of the shadows. Galen and
Ashe, along with the other four men, followed suit.
        "Oh great!" Rei said under her breath but loud enough to be
heard by her friends. "Just what we need, more Dark Kingdom minions to
add to the throng already surrounding us."
        "But it couldn't be," Ami exclaimed softly, disbelief coloring
her voice. "We destroyed Kunzite. How could he come back from being
dusted?"
        "You're right," Rei agreed. "I also distinctly remember watching
Nephrite die in Naru's arms. But he's also back with us tonight."
        "Which one is he?" Makoto wanted to know as she'd never seen
him, squinting her eyes to get a better view.
        Ami pointed to the second man from the left. "Over there.
Standing beside Zoisite."
        "But that's...." Makoto started before pausing to look again.
She started shaking her head. "That couldn't be Nephrite!" she denied.
"That's Nathan, and he's not a Dark Kingdom General. He couldn't be!"
        Michiru patted her shoulder to calm her down. She could
sympathize with Makoto's feelings of uncertainty since she was having
them herself. She just couldn't completely believe that Ashe could be
part of the Dark Kingdom. Even now, when she looked at him, there was
nothing evil or sinister in his face. Just the ever present mischievous
light in his eyes and boyish charm she'd come to love so much.
         Haruka was saying to herself.  Maybe, if she repeated it enough, she could actually believe
it.
        "Who are you?" Drago's next words put a stop to everyone's
private musings, as they all gave their attention to the newcomer's
reply.
        "If you don't know me by now, then there's no sense in telling
you who I am," Usagi replied haughtily. "Just leave this people alone.
I'm the one you have to deal with, not them."
        "Brave words. But let's see how you stand against my army."
Motioning for the youma to start attacking, he melted into their midst
as they surged forward.
        Across the room, Usagi clasped her crystal necklace in one palm,
then looked towards the Senshi one last time. She smiled at the
knowledge of being among them once more, before shouting the words,
"Millennium Moon...Make Up!"
        A collective gasp came from the group in the middle of the room
as they watched a blinding light burst from the Crystal and lift
Princess a few feet off the ground. As an even more intense light
started swirling from her feet upwards, Galen, beside her, beckoned to
Drake with a movement of his head. The younger man detached himself from
the rest and joined his leader on-stage.
        Galen then reached under his tuxedo jacket, to the small of his
back, and came up with a dagger still wrapped in its leather casing. He
carefully unsheathed it, letting the arm holding the cover fall to his
side, before raising the dagger to chest level. Closing his eyes, he
uttered the words, "Shadow Falcon..." The dagger suddenly lengthened to
a full blown sword. Then, with eyes opened once more, he shouted, "Come
Forth!" A sparkle started at the tip before moving downwards until the
whole sword was completely glowing. The glow then intensified in
brightness and spread to embrace Galen, making him invisible to the
naked eye for a moment. By the time the glow died down, Galen was no
longer there. Falcon, the highest ranked of the Knights of Selene
Generals, stood in his place, the sword which started it all sheathed at
his back, under his cape, with only the handle visible over his right
shoulder.
        Beside him, his two comrades came up with daggers of their own.
Ashe and Drake raised them together and shouted...
        "Shadow Wolf...Come Forth!"
        "Shadow Lynx...Come Forth!"
        The four other men didn't waste any time transforming either.
They simply closed their eyes and concentrated on becoming their alter
egos. Their forms started to waver, like images on water, and, in the
blink of an eye, the four Royal Guard Generals had taken their place.
        They were all a sight to behold. The beautiful lady in silver
and white in the middle with her handsome protectors on either side.
They all wore similar uniforms, with belted tunics, pants which ended in
boots, and capes flowing on their backs. Only, three were in white and
silver with their swords at their backs, while the other four were in
black and silver with their swords hanging from their belts on the left
side. All men with muscular physiques, able bodies, and a glint of
excitement in their eyes. All ready to do battle.
        The youma army had halted their attack when the transformations
started. They stood at the other side of the room, fascinated by the
changes being wrought on the stage. A few feet in front of them, the
Senshi also stood unmoving, not knowing if they should transform or let
the other two groups fight it out. Haruka was all for fighting, holding
her transformation pen in a tight grip. Now that it's been established
that Galen wasn't an enemy, she wanted to fight side by side with him.
Only Hotaru's hand on her arm and the shaking of her head stopped her
from going forward.
        "This is their fight, Haruka-san. Let's just get out of harm's
way so they won't worry about us."
        The older girl knew that Hotaru was right, so she motioned for
the others to follow her to the side of the room. They could watch the
battle from there and offer help if it was needed. Somehow, she didn't
think it would be. She didn't think anybody could defeat the small
number of warriors in front. They just looked too powerful for any youma
to get the better of them.
        Falcon had moved closer to Sailor Moon and beckoned the rest to
do the same. When everyone was in hearing range, he suggested in an
undertone, "Let Wolf, Lynx, and me deal with most of them. Try not to
use your powers as much as possible. We don't want them to see
everything in our arsenal so we can keep a few surprises for other times
when we need them. Is everyone agreeable to this?"
        Everyone nodded their heads except for Sailor Moon. She simply
strode forward and extended her arms, raising her cupped palms in front
of her. Then, turning her head to look back at Falcon, she smiled and
said, "Just once, Falcon. To help you get started."
        The horde of youma across the room started surging forward once
more and, seeing this, she concentrated on performing her attack.
        "Millennium Flaming Sphere..."
        A ball of white hot fire materialized within her cupped palms
and seemed to steadily increase in size. Without warning, she opened her
hands and it sped straight to the advancing enemy, pausing just before
it hit them.
        "INCINERATE!"
        Waves of flames burst from the hot core and burned to dust the
more than a dozen youma surrounding it. Even so, another set of monsters
replaced them, forcing the Moon Kingdom Generals to take action. Falcon
moved to cover the front while Wolf and Lynx stood on either side of
him. The four Earth Generals followed behind with Sailor Moon protected
at their back.
        Falcon raised his forearms, holding his palms facing upwards. A
bright light suddenly emanated above them before becoming the more
distinct shape of a lariat, made of pure energy, as he mouthed the
words, "Falcon, Steel Talons..."
        He held one end to the right of his head, over and a few inches
past his shoulder, before starting a whirling motion. At this, the
sharp, talon-like objects that hang from three short strings at one end
formed an energy disk, resembling a deadly steel plate, which he flung
towards the enemy.
        "SLASH!"
        The disk detached from the lariat and swung in a wide arch,
slicing through numerous youma, before returning to be clasped by
Falcon's hand then disappearing into thin air. The stunned youma stared
at their attacker, still wondering what had occurred, before feeling
their bodies fall apart at the point where they were hit. In a few
moments, only a pile of dust remained where they used to stand.
        Seeing a great number of their group die, the monsters faced the
white-clad warrior in front of them and saw him arch his back slightly
while bracing his legs and shoulders. Wolf focused all his powers in his
hands and raised his forearms to just below chest level, as if to carry
a heavy load in front. He then spread his fingers, palms facing inwards
and at least three feet apart.
        "Wolf, Deadly Force..."
        His two arms started to glow from his shoulders to the tips of
his fingers, creating heat waves in the air, going straight all the way
to the other side of the room. The terrified youma didn't know what to
expect and gathered together in the middle, away from the wavering wall.
        "SMASH!"
        Wolf forcefully moved his palms together until there was only a
couple of inches between them. The heat waves the energy created
followed the movement and slammed on both sides of the youma with the
force of a brick wall. All the creatures in between burst to pieces, and
Wolf was left with nothing but empty space in front of him.
        Lynx, on the other side, placed his right arm across his chest
without actually touching himself. He braced his legs slightly apart and
made a fist in front of his left shoulder, mouthing the words, "Lynx,
Blazing Claw..."
        He waited as his forearm started glowing to a fiery red-orange,
before flinging it forward when it was at its hottest, and opening his
hand at the same time.
        "STRIKE!"
        Five smoldering claw like objects flew from his finger tips and
imbedded themselves in his enemies' bodies. In another moment, all the
youma affected splintered into pieces as they exploded from within,
taking a lot of others beside them.
        The few that managed to pass the three Knights of Selene
Generals died at the swords of the Royal Guard, leaving Sailor Moon to
watch the battle without lifting a finger to help.
        Across from her, close to the entrance of the room, Drago also
witnessed the slaughter of his army and knew his chances of winning were
deteriorating with every youma that hit the ground. He decided to try
and make his escape while everyone was occupied.
        Lynx had just finished the last of the youma he was fighting
when he spotted Drago moving towards the door. With dizzying speed, not
possible for an ordinary human, he ran to block his enemies escape
route. He was at the entrance before Drago could step out the door.
        "Wha--!" he exclaimed, turning to look at the spot where he last
saw Lynx. It was at least a hundred feet away. "How did you--?" he tried
to ask, still at a loss for words.
        Lynx was about to make a flippant remark when he noticed a youma
coming at Jadeite's back. He screamed a warning and missed seeing the
dagger that suddenly appeared in Drago's hand. He was quick to move away
but was still caught in the leg, making him fall to his knees, but
unwilling to relinquish his position at the door.
        Seeing that he wasn't going to be able to escape, Drago turned
his rage at the other Generals. He looked for an easy target and found
Falcon with his back to him, preoccupied in fighting off a youma who had
evaded his attack. Drago raised the dagger and ran straight for him,
aiming to stab him with a fatal blow.
        Sailor Moon heard a scream of rage and found Drago running
towards Falcon. Without thinking, she ran to intercept him, passing
Falcon in the process and using his shoulder as a leverage to deliver a
flying kick to the advancing seer's face. The blow threw him backwards,
rendering him half-conscious, and landing him a few feet away. When his
vision finally cleared, Sailor Moon was kneeling in front of him and he
thought he'd found the chance to kill her once and for all. He raised
the dagger once more, intending it to be the instrument of her death,
and was surprised at her strength when she took hold of his hand and
aimed it back at him instead.
        Silence suddenly reigned in the room as the last of the youma
perished under Kunzite's sword. All eyes turned towards Drago, who
watched in disbelief as the blood dripped from his chest and pooled on
the ground. He raised his head to look Sailor Moon in the eye and said
in his final moments, "I...underestimated you.... Sailor Moon. But...my
master...won't. You'll see..." The seer grasped at his throat as his
life energy escaped with his last breath. He dropped to the floor,
unmoving, before slowly turning to dust and disappearing altogether.
        Sailor Moon looked up to see Saturn assisting Lynx to his feet.
She knew the younger Senshi had transformed in order to heal her loved
one's injury, and was grateful for her assistance.
        "Are you okay, Lynx?" she asked of the man standing beside her
young friend.
        He flashed her a smile. "No problem, Sailor Moon," he replied,
putting an arm across Saturn's shoulders. "I have my own ministering
angel beside me, after all."
        She couldn't help but smile at his lightheartedness before
surveying the damage to the rest of her team. "Everybody okay?"
        "Wolf and I are fine," Falcon volunteered. "Nephrite too."
        "Same here," Jadeite added.
        Looking around for the last two, she called out, "Kunzite?
Zoisite?"
        "We're okay, Sailor Moon. No problems here," Zoisite answered.
        Forgotten for a moment, Mamoru and the other Senshi stood rooted
to the spot, still trying to accept the fact that the four Dark Kingdom
Generals were actually fighting with Sailor Moon. To Mamoru, the fact
that Sailor Moon was in the same room as him was unbelievable enough.
        For four long years, she had lived only in his heart and in his
memories. He had almost given up on ever seeing her beautiful face again
but his feelings kept him waiting, hoping for a chance to right the
wrong he had done her. Now here she was in front of him and he didn't
have a word to say for himself.
        All night long, he had watched her, wondering why his heart beat
faster everytime she looked his way. He should have known his heart
would recognize her even if his mind didn't. She was the only woman he'd
ever loved, after all. His...
        "Usako."
        Whispered though it was under his breath, it still had the
effect of silencing the other occupants of the room. A complete hush
followed as the two groups faced each other openly for the first time.
        The Senshi were torn between welcoming Sailor Moon back and
being wary of their four old enemies. The Generals, on the other hand,
were more than willing to get on with the meeting, but stopped at the
look of uncertainty in their partner's eyes. Nobody wanted to make the
first move towards each other.
        Only Mamoru was certain of what he wanted--his only love back in
his arms. He didn't know that she was far from ready to forgive him yet,
or that she wasn't sure if she could trust him with her heart again. All
he knew was that she was everything to him and he needed her in his
life.
        He took a step towards her and repeated the only word he was
capable of uttering at that moment.
        "Usako..."



                             CHAPTER EIGHT
                    Dreams Denied, Dreams Fulfilled

        Fireworks exploded in a bright shower, covering the night sky in
a rainbow of light. The delighted spectators below clapped and cheered
as the spectacular display continued, marking the beginning of a new
year.
        Although the clocks had struck midnight more than half an hour
past, noise and revelry still reigned everywhere in the city.
Everywhere, that is, except for a certain skyscraper that stood in the
middle of downtown Tokyo. Here, instead of light and gaiety, darkness
and silence pervaded.
        The shaded windows on the first thirty floors fairly screamed
the emptiness of the building. Only the bright glow coming from the roof
structure hinted at the presence of people in the restaurant on the top
floor. But even within its walls, utter silence reigned as the two
groups gathered there stood still and wary, waiting for someone to make
the first move.
        "Usako..."
        Sailor Moon watched as Mamoru took a step forward, half holding
out his hand as if to touch her. She stepped back slightly and fought
the urge to flee before he managed to reach her. When she gazed into his
eyes however, she saw the plea plainly written there and felt a
softening in the barrier she had built around her heart.
        Makoto looked at Nephrite and couldn't help but admire the
handsome picture he made in his uniform. Then she suddenly remembered
the past few weeks and her heart fairly broke at the thought of how he'd
deceived her. She had judged him to be kind and gentlemanly, and had
truly believed he cared about her when he said so. But all the time he
was her enemy. The one who had fought Sailor Moon and her two other
friends. The one who had used an innocent girl to further his evil
plans. The one who had--fallen in love with another.
        Michiru was also thinking of her love but with totally different
thoughts. She was thanking her lucky stars that Ashe was not an enemy
and that she didn't have to fight him. Admittedly, he seemed the more
powerful of the two of them. But she couldn't have born the guilt if she
had ever managed to hurt him. Now, that eventuality had no possibility
of coming true, and she was glad.
        Minako and Ami were both totally confused about who was a friend
and who was a foe. They both regarded the three Moon Kingdom Generals as
allies but weren't too sure about the four Earth Generals. They had been
hurt a lot by the latter in the past and were wary of their presence.
And yet, they had helped to defend them. Why?
        Haruka studied Galen's person carefully, noting the slight
bruises and scrapes he had obtained from fighting the youma. She wished
she had Saturn's talent for healing so she could erase the pain he must
be feeling at the moment. Then, suddenly realizing what she was
thinking, she stiffened in shock. She was no stranger to pain herself
and had never minded it before. But now that it was Galen's pain, she
felt like it was burning through her skin. Michiru must be right, Haruka
finally accepted. I must be in love with him. She found herself stepping
forward, ready to bid Galen and the rest welcome when...
        Rei watched the Royal Guard with doubting eyes, trying to
ascertain their motives for appearing friendly. They must have somehow
tricked Usagi and the other three men into believing what they wanted.
She didn't know how they managed to come back to life, or even what
their plans were, but she was definitely going to keep a watchful eye on
them. She felt certain the four men had something evil in the works and
watched in horror as Mamoru stepped forward, holding out a hand to them.
Rei exclaimed without thinking...
        "Mamoru-san, be careful!"
        Although Sailor Moon didn't react physically to the exclamation,
emotionally she reeled back. She had almost given in and met Mamoru
half-way before Rei had uttered her warning. Now she stood still as all
the hurtful memories of that day, four years ago, came pouring back.
They had not trusted her then, too. It seemed they still didn't.
        She looked at the wary expressions on the Inner Senshi's faces
and pasted a cynical smile on her face. "Yes, Mamoru-san. Be careful. I
can't be trusted, you know."
        Rei regretted her hastily spoken words when she realized Sailor
Moon thought it was directed at her as well. She tried to rectify her
mistake unsuccessfully. "I didn't mean--"
        "Don't bother, Rei. We all know how you feel about me. It
doesn't really matter," Sailor Moon interrupted. She stepped back until
she felt Falcon's presence behind her. "I have other friends now." And,
looking up at him, "Some who are very special to me."
        Mamoru felt the impact of her words like a blow to the chest.
What a fool he'd been to think that she would gladly walk back into his
arms after the way he'd treated her. He saw the way she was looking at
Falcon and felt dismay all the way to his soul. Does she love Galen now?
Was she lost to him forever?
        Falcon stared down at Sailor Moon and felt divided loyalties in
his heart. He had seen the way Haruka was watching him and felt sure she
was close to coming around to his way of feeling. But everything would
be lost if he did what Usagi's eyes were asking. He sighed his
frustration. The plea in her eyes was heartrending and Falcon couldn't
let her down. He had been taking care of Usagi for so long and found
that really old habits were hard to break.
         he said silently to his loved one before
putting an arm around Usagi and holding her close. She gave him a
grateful smile.
        Haruka couldn't believe it when Falcon held Sailor Moon close.
She could have sworn that he had been looking at her longingly just a
few moments ago, before Rei had spoken. But he kissed the Princess at
the airport, remember, her subconscious chided. 
        She closed her eyes, cursing herself for being a fool. But her
woman's heart only knew that it was close to breaking and a flood of
tears threatened to well. She swallowed hard to keep them tethered and
swiftly walked out of the room without turning back.
        Michiru saw her friend's condition and was quick to follow.
Wolf run to intercept her before she could reach the entrance.
        "Michiru, please, I'm not the enemy," he said when she turned to
face him, willing her to believe it.
        She smiled softly and touched his cheek. "I know."
        He sighed in relief. "Thank God." He pulled her close and held
her for a few moments until she gently pushed him back.
        "I need to go after Haruka," she explained, looking towards the
entrance. "She's hurting right now. I think she could use a friend."
        "I understand," he replied. "I'll see you later?"
        "Of course." She gave him a quick kiss on the lips before
hurrying after the other girl.
        Falcon had watched Haruka's hasty departure with sorrowful eyes,
and regretted causing her pain. He knew it was going to be a lot harder
to gain her trust again after this, and just hoped he would manage to do
so. I'm sorry, he thought for the hundredth time. I'll make it up to
you, somehow.
        Wolf rejoined the group just as Sailor Moon started speaking
again. There was more confidence in her voice now that she felt Falcon's
supporting presence around her.
        "I haven't come back to disrupt your group or to change
anything. These men," she said, gesturing to the seven behind her, "are
my new friends, and they've helped me to decide that I needed to fulfill
my destiny. If that meant coming back to Japan and fighting beside you
again, that was fine. But it doesn't mean I'm going to force myself into
your group, so you don't have to worry about that."
        "But you're our leader, Sailor Moon," Ami insisted. "You'll
always be a part of our group."
        Sailor Moon shook her head. "No, I'm not, Ami. I distinctly
remember stepping down from that position more than four years ago. You
don't honestly want me to believe that you haven't chosen another leader
yet?"
        "We haven't," Makoto answered. "We made a mistake, Sailor Moon.
We didn't realize it until much later but, when we did, we knew nobody
could take your place. And nobody has."
        Sailor Moon didn't want to listen to their explanations. The
fresh hurt the memories brought back filled her mind and hardened her
heart. She felt their betrayal like it only happened yesterday and no
amount of words can make her forgive them for what she'd suffered.
        "It's too late," she almost screamed, and Falcon held her closer
to keep her from breaking. She was grateful for his strength. "It's too
late," she repeated more calmly. "I don't want to be a part of you any
more."
        The Inner Senshi looked at her sadly, not knowing how to make
amends. They all felt helpless against her hurt and anger.
        "These men have their own stories to tell, but I'll leave that
up to them," she continued. "This is Galen," she introduced, indicating
the warrior beside her. "He is also known as Falcon, the leader of the
Knights of Selene, a Moon Kingdom General. These two are his friends and
comrades. Ashe, also known as Wolf, and Drake who, as you already know,
is also Lynx."
        Walking closer to the four men at the back, she gave them a
smile of encouragement. "These are the Generals of the Royal Guard. Or,
more specifically, Endymion's protectors."
        Mamoru and the Inner Senshi were taken aback by that statement.
They couldn't believe what they were hearing.
        "This is Kenjo or Kunzite," she said, gesturing towards the
white-haired gentleman before quickly going through the rest of the
introductions. "Zachary or Zoisite, Nathan or Nephrite, and Justin or
Jadeite. I know they look familiar to most of you, but they're not who
you think they are. Give them a chance to tell their tales and you'll
see what I mean."
        The strength seemed to leave her body after uttering those words
and she leaned against Jadeite for support.
        "Are you okay, Usagi?" he asked, concerned.
        "I'm fine," she reassured him. "It must be all the anticipation
and pressure I've been feeling today. It suddenly caught up with me."
        "You should get some rest," Falcon recommended. "Why don't we
change back and I'll walk you to your suite?"
        Sailor Moon nodded and got a hold of the tip of her cape. In a
few moments, she and all the men had transformed back to their ordinary
selves. She let Galen take her hand and lead her towards the door,
feeling a few pairs of eyes boring into her back.
        When Ashe followed the two of them, leaving the Earth Generals,
Mamoru and the Inner Senshi alone, none of them knew what to do. Mamoru
was unaware of the tension among the others, lost in his own misery as
he watched his only love leaving with another man. He didn't want to
stick around to be hurt anymore and turned to leave the place where he'd
found and lost her again in a matter of moments.
        "I'm going home," he announced to one and all. "If you want a
ride, I'll wait for you downstairs."
        The four girls eagerly answered an affirmative, glad for an
excuse to leave. Ami and Mina were out the door before Kenjo and Zachary
realized what was happening. Rei was close to disappearing around the
bend when Justin caught up with her.
        "Rei, wait up!"
        She rounded on him. "Get away from me, Jadeite! I don't know
what you're up to, but leave me out of it!"
        "Will you listen," he persisted.
        "No!" she screamed before fairly racing down the hall to the
elevators.
        "Damn!" Justin exclaimed, hitting the wall with his fist.
        Makoto witnessed their exchange of words as she walked towards
the door. Not wanting to let her go without an explanation, Nathan was
right behind her.
        "Mako!" he said, reaching out to touch her, but changing his
mind when she turned around. He saw the hurt in her eyes and blamed
himself for causing it. "We need to talk."
        She started shaking her head. "I don't know," she said
hesitantly. "You're not who I thought you were. I...I..."
        "You have to give me a chance to explain," he interrupted, a
plea clearly in his tone.
        Makoto closed her eyes. She didn't know what to do. Should she
trust him long enough for an explanation? She decided she didn't have
anything to lose.
        "All right. I'll meet you tomorrow afternoon at two at my place.
We can take a walk from there."
        "Thank you. You won't regret it, I promise."
        "I hope so," she whispered softly before taking her leave.
        I hope so too, Nathan thought silently. Or life won't be worth
living after tomorrow.
        From the other side of the room, Hotaru and Drake witnessed the
interactions, or the lack of it, between the Senshi and the Generals,
and wished there was something they could do. But, short of telling the
ladies about their lives in the Moon Kingdom, there was nothing else to
do. Besides, they might not believe it if they were just told. The men
had to find a way to prove it to them, somehow.

                *       *       *       *       *

        The early morning sun found Ashe sitting in his car just outside
the gates of Haruka's and Michiru's residence. He had called earlier
that morning and asked Michiru to have breakfast with him so they could
talk.
        The door of the mansion opened and his lady appeared at the
entrance. She smiled at him and quickly made her way to the car. "Good
morning!" she greeted as she entered the vehicle. "So, where are we
having breakfast?"
        He smiled at her enthusiasm. "I thought we'd have it at the
Silver Millennium," he replied and, at the look of confusion in her
face, quickly amended, "That's the name of Nathan's restaurant, the one
where we had the party last night. It also happens to be the name of the
entire building."
        "The Silver Millennium," she repeated, testing the sound of it
out loud. "It's appropriate, I guess, since the owners all come from
that time period."
        "We thought so," he agreed before starting the car and heading
towards downtown Tokyo.

                *       *       *       *       *

        In Morgon's camp, deep within the Earth, one of the lesser seers
looked at his prince in fear as he burst out, "What you're saying is
impossible! It can't be true!"
        "I'm afraid there is no mistake, My Lord," the troubled wiseman
answered. "None of us can feel Drago anymore. He must no longer be in
existence."
        "And the youma that were with him? Have any of them returned?"
        The wiseman shook his head.
        "Damn those Sailor brats!" Morgon screamed. "It's all their
fault! How could they best Drago? Tell me! How?!"
        The seer kept his silence, knowing that he wasn't really
expected to answer.
        "I want those Senshi eliminated, do you hear me?" Morgon
continued, "If it has to be done one by one, I want it accomplished.
I'll hold you personally responsible, Athol."
        "Yes, My Lord," he accepted the command. "It shall be as you
wish."

                *       *       *       *       *

        The elevator doors opened to show Nathan standing by a fully
prepared table for two near the picture windows. He smiled and bowed
deeply when his two friends reached his side, holding a chair out for
Michiru.
        "My Lady," he said gallantly, gesturing for her to sit down.
        "Why, thank you, kind sir," she replied, playing along with his
game. "And here I thought chivalry was long dead."
        A rakish grin appeared on his face momentarily before he once
more assumed the mask of the ever helpful servant. "What can I get for
you today ?"
        She quickly named two of her favorite breakfast dishes before
Ashe added his own choices. Nathan jotted the items down like a
professional waiter and closed his notebook when he was done.
        "If that's everything, I'll leave you two uhh--alone--while I
ask the chef to prepare your meal." Then, with another grin directed at
Ashe, he continued, "I'll make sure they bring it as quickly as
possible."
        "Not TOO quickly!" Ashe shouted at Nathan's retreating back.
        When he had gone beyond the partition to the kitchen, Michiru
looked towards Ashe inquiringly. "What's up with him?"
        "I think he's nervous," was the quiet reply. "He's supposed to
meet Makoto later today to explain things and he's trying not to dwell
on it."
        "I see. She's actually going to listen to him?" she half
questioned, surprised. "From what I saw last night, things seemed pretty
tense between them."
        "They were. But Makoto got to know him really well before she
found out that he was Nephrite, and I think she liked him a lot. It's
kind of hard to erase everything she learned to appreciate about him in
the past few weeks, just because of what she'd heard about him in the
past."
        Michiru nodded her understanding but wasn't totally convinced.
"The only problem is--Makoto is very loyal to her friends. How is she
going to let herself like Nathan when the others hate what he
represents."
        "I guess it's up to Nathan to bypass that obstruction. It all
depends on what he tells her this afternoon and how convincing he is."
        "I guess so."
        The kitchen doors opened and a waiter walked out with their
order. To both their surprise, it wasn't Nathan anymore.
        "Where'd your boss go, Hayashi-san?" Ashe inquired of him while
he laid out the dishes.
        "He's in the gym doing some training exercises, Usaka-san. He
said he needed the practice."
        "For what?"
        The waiter shrugged his shoulders and held tightly to the empty
tray as he left their presence.
        At Ashe's bewildered expression, Michiru gave a tinkle of
laughter. "Your friends are weird, Ashe. But they're also funny."
        "Our friends," he corrected. "Believe me, they're your friends
too."
        Michiru noted the sincerity of his tone but couldn't help asking
anyway. "Are they?"
        "Yes," he replied but didn't elaborate. "Speaking of friends,
how's Haruka this morning?"
        "Not too good, I'm afraid." Suddenly, all the gaiety seemed to
leave Michiru's face, and a worried frown replaced the smile that was
there a moment before.
        "Did she say anything to you?"
        "I tried to talk to her last night but she wouldn't say a word
about her problem. She said she wanted to be alone for a while so I
didn't bother her." She raised concerned eyes towards him. "I'm really
worried about her, Ashe. She cried last night. I've never seen her do
that before. It just isn't something Haruka does."
        Ashe reached across the table to hold her hand, comforting her.
"Don't worry, I'll help you. Do you have any idea what the problem is?"
        Michiru nodded her head. "It's Galen. She loves him."
        "Haruka said she loves Galen?" he asked incredulously. It seemed
too good to be true.
        "She actually only said that he was very special to her, but I
could see it in her eyes. And, after the way she reacted when he held
Usagi last night, there can be no mistaking her feelings."
        "I see."
        "Is there something between Usagi and Galen, Ashe? Is Haruka's
case hopeless?"
        It was his turn to shake his head. "There was something between
them in the past but I thought it was all over. I don't know why he
acted like he did last night, but, as far as I know, he cares a lot for
Haruka."
        "He does?" she repeated hopefully.
        "He does," a deeper voice answered from the entrance, making the
couple turn in that direction.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Galen had gotten up early that morning after a restless sleep.
He was too troubled by the previous night's events to be able to rest
easily. After a shower and a change of clothes, he went up to the top
floor to see if he could find any of the other men.
        He had just reached the closed doors when he heard Ashe asking,
"...how was Haruka this morning?"
        "Not too good, I'm afraid."
        He recognized Michiru's voice and clenched his fists at her
words. The more he listened to their conversation, the more he hated
himself for doing what he did last night. And he hated himself all the
more for agreeing, indirectly, to repeat his actions in the foreseeable
future.
        When he walked Usagi to her suite last night, they talked for a
while. He asked her what was going on and she answered hesitantly...

______________________________________________________________________

        "I almost gave in, Galen. Just before Rei warned Mamoru off, I
almost walked back into his arms...into his life."
        "And that's a bad thing?"
        "It just won't do. I don't want to pick up where I left off four
years ago," she tried to explain. "I need to know that they really want
me as their leader. That they'll trust me when things get tough."
        "But they admitted they made a mistake, Usagi. They never picked
another Senshi to replace you," Galen reasoned out.
        "A mistake?" she laughed bitterly. "A mistake that cost me my
home, my family, my entire life as I knew it!" She paused to take a deep
breath, trying to calm herself down. "When I left, I had no
self-respect, no sense of self-worth. I knew they were wrong to accuse
me of the things they did, but deep down, I thought, maybe there was
some truth in their words," Usagi continued tearfully. "I thought that
maybe I should have done something more, something different. That maybe
if I was stronger or smarter, I wouldn't have been hurt, and I wouldn't
have been late in getting to them. I started doubting everything I did.
I totally lost my self-confidence."
        "I'm sorry," Galen said, taking her in his arms to comfort her.
        "It doesn't matter now. It's old news," she said against his
chest. "My new family helped me to regain all I've lost. They taught me
that I was special, and that I could do whatever I wanted." She laughed
then, trying to lighten the mood. "I even managed to be good in Math!"
        He made an effort to smile, knowing that that was what she
wanted. He would shield her from all hurt if he could. But Usagi was a
grown up now, and didn't need his protection anymore.
        "What do you want me to do?"
        She disentangled herself from his embrace and turned around,
looking out through the glass patio windows. She was quiet for a long
moment before she finally spoke. "I could keep the Senshi at bay until
I'm ready to confront them, but Mamoru is a different matter. I've
chased him for so long--and loved him for so long--it's become a habit
that's hard to break. I can't deal with him right now. I need to put
some distance between us." She turned back and looked him in the eye.
"That's where I need your help."
        Galen sighed resignedly. "Let me guess. You want us to pretend
to be a couple so he won't come after you, right?"
        Usagi nodded, unsure of his reaction.
        He shook his head. "If I know Mamoru, a little thing like
another man won't stop him. And we both know I'm talking from
experience."
        "Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But at least there's a chance it
might distract him. He'll have more to think about than just trying to
talk me back into his life. He'll have to get rid of your presence
first."
        "A prospect I don't exactly savor," he put in.
        "Oh, come on, Galen. You know you can handle him if you wanted
to."
        "But I don't. Want to, that is. He's a good friend, Usagi, even
if he doesn't remember it. I don't want to hurt him in any way."
        "And I don't want you to, either. Just help me keep him at a
distance until I can deal with my feelings for him." At his stoic
expression, she moved closer and made him look at her. "Please. I
promise it won't be for long."
        "You don't know what you're asking, Usagi," he said firmly,
thinking of Haruka.
        "Please."
        Giving up, he drew a resigned breath. "Very well. But only for a
short while."
        "Thank you," she said wholeheartedly, giving him a grateful
smile.

______________________________________________________________________

        Standing outside the restaurant doors and still listening to the
conversation within, Galen learned that he'd made Haruka cry-- something
that even he had never seen her do--and he wanted to hit something. It
wasn't right, what he was doing. But he had promised.
        Galen knew Haruka cared about him and Michiru's words just
confirmed it. He had to let his friends know that he felt the same. He
had to let somebody know what was happening or he'd go crazy trying to
bottle his feelings.
        "...he cares a lot for Haruka."
        "He does?"
        "He does." Galen had walked the few steps necessary to bring him
inside the restaurant. He watched as both Ashe and Michiru turned
towards him.
        Ashe was the first to speak, "Galen, I didn't realize you were
there."
        "I heard you talking and I thought I could answer Michiru's
question better."
        "Please do," that Senshi replied, "Why don't you join us and
we'll talk some more."
        Galen took the empty seat on Ashe's right and settled in for a
long conversation. "Maybe it would help if you knew everything from the
start, Michiru. A thousand years ago, in the time of the Silver
Millennium..."

                *       *       *       *       *

        A few hours later, at Makoto's house, Nathan stood looking at
his watch on the doorstep. It wasn't quite two o'clock in the afternoon
yet, so he debated whether to knock or not.
        All morning long, he had anticipated and dreaded this moment at
the same time. He had done everything to keep himself from thinking
about it and was exhausted from the hard workout he had put himself
through in the gym earlier. At one o'clock, he couldn't wait any longer
and started the short drive to Makoto's place. He ended up sitting in
his car for the better half of the past hour and was now even a little
early to be standing on the doorstep. Nevertheless, he knocked on the
door to announce his presence.
        Makoto had just finished changing when she heard the knock. She
knew it must be Nathan and hesitated about answering the door. Coward,
she called herself silently. You promised you would hear him out. You
can't back off now. She gathered her courage and pasted a smile on her
face before heading for the entrance.
        Nathan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the lock being
turned. He had been afraid that Makoto had changed her mind when it took
her a while to answer. Now he stood looking at her, taking in the smile
that didn't reach her eyes and the uncertainty that was lurking there
instead.
        "Hello," he greeted with a smile, trying to put her at ease.
"Ready to take a walk with me?"
        She nodded. "I'll just grab my jacket and be right out." She
disappeared inside the house for a few moments before reemerging wearing
a suede bomber jacket. With that, her jeans, a thick knit pullover, and
ankle-high boots, she was all prepared for a nice stroll on a cold
winter day.
        Nathan, who was wearing almost the same outfit except for having
a leather jacket instead of suede, noted the similarity of their
clothing and counted it as a good omen. At least they seemed to be on
the same wavelength so far. He only hoped they would stay in perfect
harmony throughout the afternoon.
        "You're very quiet today," Makoto ventured to comment. "I
thought there was something you needed to tell me."
        "There is," he answered, "I just don't know where to start.
It's very complicated."
        "The beginning is usually a good place to start."
        "You're right," he agreed, coming to a halt. Looking around, he
finally spotted a bench located in the middle of some evergreens which
looked appropriate for a private conversation. "Let's sit over there for
a while," he suggested. "This explanation might take some time to
finish."
        Makoto wasn't sure if she wanted to be so private with him, but
her conscience jabbed at her again. Coward. "All right. Lead the way."
        They walked the short distance to the bench and had been settled
for a couple of minutes before Nathan finally found a way to begin his
story.
        "Do you remember anything about the Silver Millennium, Mako?"
        "Not much. Actually, all I know are bits and pieces of the final
battle against the Dark Kingdom, when Queen Serenity saved us all and
sent us to the future."
        "I thought as much. That's the big difference between you and
me, Makoto. You see, while you hardly know anything about your past, I
remember everything about mine."
        "You remember the final battle too?" she asked. Then, shaking
her head as if she'd asked a stupid question, "Of course you remember
the final battle. You were one of the Generals who led the attack."
        It was Nathan's turn to shake his head. "It's true that I was
there during the final battle, but not in the capacity you think. I
never raised a hand against the Moon Kingdom."
        When Makoto seemed about to protest, Nathan raised his hand to
stop her words. "Please hear me out, Mako, before making any judgments.
I find it very difficult as it is to repeat those last hours in the Moon
Kingdom. I promise to answer all your questions afterwards, if you'll
only listen to me first."
        Seeing the earnest look on his face, Makoto was compelled to
agree. After all, she was only saying yes to what she'd already promised
him last night. She nodded her head.
        Taking a steadying breath, Nathan closed his eyes and tried to
envision the past. In his mind's eye, images flashed in reverse, going
back all the way to the beginning. The first time he saw Makoto.
        "I was chosen to be one of Endymion's protectors when I was
eighteen because of my combat skills as well as the fact that I was a
member of a royal house. Kenjo, Justin, and Zachary were also chosen at
the same time, for the same reasons, and we all started our roles as
Generals of the Royal Guard together. We moved to the Palace to live and
trained to be the best protectors Endymion could ever have. In the
process of achieving that goal, we became good friends."
        "Because Endymion was young and not one to cower behind
anybody's back, he decided to train with us. Soon we didn't think of him
as the Prince anymore but as our buddy, someone we could trust with our
very lives."
        "Then, one day, the King ordered him to go to the Moon as an
ambassador for Earth. Endymion gladly accepted the position, knowing
that the Moon was the center of the Silver Millennium and reputed to be
very beautiful. Of course we accompanied him on the journey two days
later and were presented to Queen Serenity as soon as we arrived.
That's when I first saw you, Makoto. You were standing on one side of
Princess Serenity, looking very beautiful in a light green gown. You and
the rest of the Inner Senshi were whispering among yourselves and I
remember wondering what you thought about the five of us."
        "I was glad when the Queen asked her daughter to show the Prince
around the Kingdom, hoping that you would accompany her as well. Of
course the Princess was less than thrilled at the prospect but dutifully
accepted her mother's wishes. She asked the Prince to meet her at the
garden the following day."
        "When I saw you with her the next morning, I was so happy I
almost missed the fact that the situation wasn't exactly ideal for
everyone. The Princess was hardly talking to the Prince except when
necessary, and Minako was trying to defend her actions in low tones to
Kenjo, who was arguing for Endymion's side. Behind us, Rei was quietly
glowering at a bewildered Justin who didn't know what he had done to
deserve such treatment. Only Zachary and Ami were talking to each other,
unaware of the confusion going on around them. In the midst of all these
turmoil, I tried to clear my mind and find a way to start a conversation
with you."
        Nathan went on to describe how he found out about their shared
love for cooking and used it as a means to get closer to her. As the
days passed by, they were constantly thrown in each other's company and
their friendship soon grew to a more serious relationship. They fell in
love.
        "It seemed everything was turning out perfect for all of us,
since the Prince had finally won his princess and the rest of our
friends had also matched up. We were all quite happy for a time and we
all looked forward to Serenity's eighteenth birthday." Here Nathan's
voice became softer as he almost whispered, "I was going to ask you to
marry me at the ball."
        Makoto clenched her fists in her lap, feeling disbelief and
frustration at the same time. All of her dreams had been centered on the
man beside her for the past month, and not even in them had she dared to
believe he would ask her to share his life. Now here he was, telling her
that he had almost fulfilled her most fervent wish in the past.
        "But I was never able to do it," Nathan finished.
        "What happened? Did you change your mind?" she asked, grasping
at anything that could keep her anger from dissipating. What he was
saying was starting to penetrate her mind and soften her heart. She was
starting to believe him.
        A ghost of a smile passed Nathan's lips so quickly, that Makoto
wasn't sure if she'd actually seen it. Then a grim expression settled on
his face.
        "No, I didn't change my mind. I still feel the same way, even
now. But something happened before I could get back to the Moon Kingdom,
and to you. That something was Queen Beryl."
        Standing up and pacing back and forth a few times, he suddenly
stopped in front of her. "I still remember holding you that last time,
and telling you I loved you. I promised to be back as soon as possible
before letting you go to join my comrades. Even as we were leaving, I
was already looking forward to seeing you again. I never knew I would
live to regret that sentiment later."
        Makoto watched the muscles tense on Nathan's arm as he continued
to talk. He was looking straight ahead, at the evergreens at her back,
but seemed to be viewing a totally different picture. He was totally
lost in his own story.
        "When we finally reached Earth, there was chaos all around.
Human bodies littered the ground like so much dirt, and blood tinged
everything in sight. The four of us told Endymion to get out of there
quickly and go back to the Moon. He was hesitant to go, not wanting to
leave us, but we convinced him he had to go warn them of the danger
ahead. I guess the thought of keeping the Princess safe finally made him
agree to go."
        "We decided to split up then, each going in a different
direction to reach the Palace. We thought one of us had more of a chance
of getting there that way. We were wrong."
        "Before I even reached the woods surrounding the Palace, I heard
a loud explosion coming from that direction. I hurried my pace but met
with a number of youma when I was halfway through. I managed to destroy
all of them but was wounded in the process. I staggered on, and was
almost at the courtyard, when I came upon Zoisite. He was bleeding from
a deep cut on his side and was quickly losing consciousness..."

______________________________________________________________________

        "Zach, can you make it?" Nephrite asked of his friend. "We have
to get to the Palace before any more youma appear."
        "I'll try, Nate, but I feel so weak. I'll only hinder you."
        "I'm not about to leave you out here," he replied determinedly.
"Come on. Let's get moving."
        He placed his arm around Zoisite's back while the other man held
onto his shoulder for support. They moved along as best as they could
and managed to reach one of the side doors of the Palace. They both
thought they had finally reached safety. Again, they were wrong.
        As soon as they opened the door, the youma were upon them.
Nephrite tried to put up a defense but was overwhelmed by the sheer
number of attacks heading their way. It was a hopeless battle.
        Weak and battered, they were taken to what was left of the
palace Throne Room. All around, burnt pieces of furniture and charred
tapestries were the only things left of the beauty that once surrounded
the place. The blackened walls and missing roof bore testament to the
explosion that happened earlier in this very room. And, in the middle of
all this destruction, were Kunzite and Jadeite, who were just now
regaining consciousness.
        Upon the throne, instead of the King, sat a tall woman with
long, flaming red hair. She looked at them through narrowed, snakelike
eyes and laughed at their misfortune. "So this is Endymion's Royal
Guard. How pathetic!" Another peal of jeering laughter echoed across the
room, making Nephrite clench his fists. He tried to get up to attack her
but was held in place by an invisible force.
        "It's no use trying to destroy me, Nephrite. It's already too
late. Even now my army gathers outside the Palace to get ready to head
to the Moon. It will all be over before you know it. But don't worry.
I'll make sure you don't miss a thing." And with those words said, she
raised her arm and focused on the four men in front of her. They were
pushed to their feet by the same invisible force which held them down
earlier, and had no time to react before they were suddenly encased in
crystal blocks. They couldn't move a single muscle but their minds were
active and they could see and hear everything around them.
        "Did you do as I ordered?" they heard Queen Beryl ask one of her
minions.
        "Yes, My Queen." The youma moved closer and handed her four
little cylinders containing some fluid. She gave a satisfied smile as
she examined them and found them to be just what she wanted.
        "Take a good look, gentlemen," she smirked as she brandished the
vials. "These are samples of the blood taken from your wounds and will
prove to be the downfall of the Moon Kingdom. Watch!"
        She emptied the vials in four different spots in front of the
throne. Then, holding her staff with both hands, she forced powerful
bands of dark energy from the crystal ball on top to strike the blood on
the floor. The liquid started to boil and, unbelievable, seemed to
increase in volume. Soon four puddles had formed and, as if poured into
molds, started arranging themselves into human-like shapes. After
everything had settled down, four male specimens stood where the fluids
once were--and each of them looked exactly like one of the four Generals
of the Royal Guard.
        Nathan felt shock go through his system as he watched his twin
don a familiar uniform. It was an identical copy of his own except that
it was done in gray instead of the usual black he wore. He longed to
move closer then, to touch him, to look him in the eyes, to see if there
was a soul lurking in their depths. But he no longer had any control of
his body, and only his mind was free to make demands.
        
        He kept repeating the words as if trying to convince himself.
Because, deep down in his heart, he was afraid for his loved one.
Afraid that she might not realize it's a trap before it too late.

______________________________________________________________________

        "I watched as Beryl commanded some of her monsters to take us
outside. As they carried us past the four clones, my double turned
around and looked straight at me, and I felt the deepest fear settle in
my heart."
        Makoto saw a shudder run through Nathan as he sat down and took
hold of her hands. She felt uneasy about the way he was looking at her,
so she ventured to question, "What did you see?"
        "Nothing. There was absolutely nothing in his eyes. No emotions.
No feelings. Nothing to help keep the hope in my heart that you would be
safe."
        "After that, I didn't want to see what was going to happen
anymore, but that choice wasn't mine to make. Beryl had her own way of
punishing us for trying to oust her. When we reached the Moon, she had
us set down high above the battlefield, but close enough to have a clear
view of what was about to happen...

______________________________________________________________________

        Nathan watched helplessly as the impostors walked towards the
closed gates of the Moon Kingdom palace where the Inner Senshi waited.
He and his comrades had been forced to watch the battle from the onset
and he had taken heart at the fact that the Palace itself has not yet
been breached. Their friends, the Knights of Selene, had successfully
defended the Kingdom from the first onslaught of youmas and were now
fighting the second batch. The Inner Senshi guarded the Palace gates
very well and managed to destroy everyone who had dared to try to pass.
        But now they were looking at the approaching impostors with
welcome in their eyes. When relieved smiles touched their lips, the real
Nathan felt a constricting in his chest. He could literally taste the
fear in his mouth as he watched Venus and Mars open the gates willingly.
The doubles had been advised well and knew which lady to approach, the
one most vulnerable to each General. They went unerringly to their
targets without a single twinge of conscience at what they were about to
do.
        
        His pleas went unheeded as she closed her arms about the fake
General and raised her lips for his kiss. The clone didn't miss a beat
as he lowered his head in response, all the while removing the dagger
from his back and placing it between their bodies. In the next instant,
he had thrust it to the hilt in Jupiter's chest, just below her heart,
and slowly let go of her body.
        Makoto looked down in shock at the dagger buried in her chest
before dragging her eyes back to Nephrite. Confusion, betrayal, and
finally accusation were written in them as she slowly fell to the
ground, still unable to believe what had happened. She died looking at
her murderer, lying at his feet, her life's blood pouring from her
wound.
        

______________________________________________________________________

        Nathan was clutching Makoto's hands so tightly, she thought they
might break. But she didn't even think of removing them from his grasp.
She was so moved by his story, by the emotions that passed through his
face as he told it, and was unable to look away. Her heart went out to
him.
        "When I saw you die, I couldn't take it. My mind just shut down
like a piece of machinery and, mercifully, everything went black. I
don't remember anything after that."
        He finally opened his eyes and shook his head, as if to wake
himself up. He had actually felt like he was back in the past and wanted
to rid himself of that particular nightmare. "So you see, Mako, there
was never a chance of me ever being this other Nephrite who was fought
by Usagi and the others. I heard he fell in love with a girl named Naru
and there is no way I could have done that. How could I fall in love
with another when my heart wasn't mine to give anymore? It's been yours
since the first time I saw you, a thousand years ago."
        Oh, how she wanted to believe him, but she still had a few
reservations. Rei had been so adamant that the Earth Generals were the
ones they had destroyed before and therefore must be up to something
evil. Minako and Ami weren't sure what to believe either, and were no
help at all. If only there was any proof that he was telling the truth,
anything at all, she would gladly take his side.
        "Do you believe me, Mako?" Nathan prompted. "Everything I told
you is the truth, I swear."
        Makoto looked up to reply when she suddenly saw it--a monstrous
hand with sharp claws about to slash Nathan to bits.
        "Watch out!" she screamed, pulling him forward, out of harm's
way. Nathan reacted quickly and rolled away a few feet, taking her with
him. When they were at a safe distance, he looked back and saw the
creature that spooked Makoto. Only there wasn't just one, there was a
whole army.

                *       *       *       *       *

        A group of youma had been commanded to search the city for any
sign of the Senshi as per their prince's wish. They had disguised
themselves as humans, and were wandering around in no particular
fashion, when one of them heard a conversation behind some trees. The
names of several of the Senshi had been mentioned, and the speaker even
once addressed the listener as Jupiter. The youma was positive she had
found what they were looking for.
        She called the others' attention and motioned them to come
closer. She then removed her disguise and bared the sharp claws attached
to her fingertips, before quietly moving through the trees to find the
couple sitting unaware in the middle. Raising her hand, she got ready to
strike, but the female looked up in time to pull her friend out of
range.
        Now the youma stood looking at the couple a short distance away.
While, behind her, the other monsters started gathering around, ready to
attack.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Quietly, without fanfare, Nathan closed his eyes and changed to
Nephrite. Makoto, seeing this, raised her transformation pen and
shouted, "Jupiter Star Power...Make Up!"
        Soon the two of them stood side by side, ready for whatever may
happen. Nephrite looked sideways at Jupiter and smiled crookedly. "This
isn't exactly how I envisioned the scene after I told my story. I'm
sorry I didn't pick a more private place to discuss things," he
apologized. "Then we wouldn't be in this trouble."
        "Don't worry," Jupiter assured him. "I've been in this kind of
trouble before, and it's never bothered me." And, with those words, she
crossed her forearms and said, "Jupiter Thunder...CRASH!"
        The crash of lightning caused a number of the youma to turn to
dust but the rest of the group still surged ahead. Nephrite, not used to
being idle in a battle, put his palms together, as if in prayer, and
uttered the words, "Boreal Turbulence..."
        Great gusts of air gathered in front of his hands, blurring his
image from sight. He then faced his palms forward and moved as if to
push the disturbance towards the youma.
        "ENCUMBER!"
        Massive surges of wind pushed against the charging enemy,
effectively slowing their attack. They were too preoccupied fighting to
move forward and didn't notice what their opponents were doing.
        "Well," Nephrite said, relaxing slightly, "that ought to hold
them for now. But not for long."
        "No problem. Jupiter Thunderclap. . . ZAP!"
        She pitched a ball of lightning towards the helpless group and
obliterated a whole bunch of them.
        Nephrite smiled at her confidence before moving to attack
himself. He held his right forearm forward, palms up with fingers
slightly clenched as if to catch a falling object. In the blink of an
eye, a rose suddenly materialized on his hand, ice blue in color and
looking like a piece of ice sculpture. It disappeared within his fist as
he clenched his hand completely before swinging his arm down and
backwards, shouting, "Arctic Tunnel . . . BLAST!"
        Turning partly sideways and reversing his swing, he hurled the
petals at the unsuspecting youma. Ice blue bits flew in a spiral
formation, creating a wide tunnel filled with freezing air. The icy
blast hurled monster after monster backwards, freezing them in the
process so that their bodies broke into a million pieces when they
landed.
        And still the rest of the pack surged forward, steadily
advancing in the dissipating wind force.
        "Damn!" Nephrite exploded. He knew he had no choice now. He had
to take a chance on Makoto's remembering and risk their very lives on
his next move. He prayed his faith in her memory wasn't in vain.
        He planted his legs about two feet apart and raised both arms
straight up, hands bent slightly outwards, fingers spread. He looked
towards the sky and hoped he wasn't making a mistake.
        "Whirling Tempest . . ."
        The current of air above his open hands started swirling in a
rapid motion, creating a funnel-like mass of wind and hail. When it had
fully formed, he turned to Jupiter, who had just completed another
attack, and shouted in a commanding voice, "Now, Jupiter!" Please don't
let me down.
        She looked at him blankly for a second before quickly mimicking
his stance. She raised her head up to the sky and screamed, "Jupiter
Thunder Cyclone . . . "
        Sparks formed above her open hands and spiraled upwards,
creating a funnel-like mass of blinding lightning, not unlike the one
whirling above Nephrite's palms.
        Then, like in a practiced play, they finished the combined
attack together. "DESTRUCT!"
        They synchronically lowered their arms and threw the whirling
masses of wind and lightning towards the closing enemy. The two forces
met in the middle, forming a bigger funnel composed of gusting winds,
hail and crashing lightning. It moved in a wide circle and swept what
was left of the youma in its fold, crushing and electrifying them before
hurling them at great distances to be turned to dust.
        As the last of the youma disappeared, Nephrite turned towards
Jupiter to see if she was all right. She stood dumbfounded, looking at her
hands in disbelief.
        "Hey, Mako, are you okay?" he asked, concerned. "What's the
matter with your hands.
        Jupiter looked at him with questioning eyes. "How did I do
that?" she asked. "I've never used that power before. How did I know
what to say?"
        Nephrite understood what she meant and smiled in relief that she
wasn't hurt. He took her hands and tried to answer as best as he could.
"You knew what to do because you created that attack yourself-- with me.
We used to train together along with the other Senshi and Generals and
we found a way to combine our powers to make a more lethal attack. What
you just saw is the result of that combination."
        "We. . .created. . .it," she spoke slowly, emphasizing each
word. What he'd just said was so unbelievable. But how can she deny his
words, when she'd been given a demonstration of its truth.
        "It's all true?" she muttered incredulously. "Everything you
told me--the final battle, the clones, you and I--it's all true?"
        Nathan nodded with a happy smile. He could see that Makoto was
finally ready to accept his story. "Yes, it's all true. Do you believe
me now?"
        Suddenly, tears of relief started in her eyes and she walked
into his arms to be enclosed in his embrace. "Oh, Nathan..."
        "It's okay," he whispered comfortingly as he placed a kiss on
top of her head. "Everything's going to be okay now that we're
together."
        Makoto silently agreed as she stayed closely held in his arms,
feeling like she'd finally come home.

                *       *       *       *       *

        A few blocks away, in the condominium where he resided, Mamoru
was trying to concentrate on his computer screen. He had been trying to
block the previous evening's events from his mind the whole day and was
getting nowhere with the program he was creating. He kept seeing Usagi
leaving with Galen and couldn't help feeling like he'd lost her forever.
        He got up restlessly and walked towards the shelf with the frame
holding their picture together. He picked it up and studied the photo
closely.  he thought, tracing a finger on her
image.
        
        Then other words entered his mind. Words that she'd uttered last
night. . .
        
        Mamoru's hold on the frame tightened and threatened to break the
glass. He quickly put it down before that could happen. Going out to the
balcony, he watched as the sun set over the horizon, calming him
somewhat. Then the sight of the glowing lights of the high-rise in the
distance strengthened his resolve. He was going to talk to her. No
matter how hard it was or how long it took, he was going to make her
listen to him. He went back inside just as the sun completely
disappeared. He was preparing to see Usagi to make his first attempt.

                *       *       *       *       *

        Luna was looking at Minako in shock as she regaled her with what
had happened the night before. The feline had not been able to contact
any of the girls earlier and was not particularly trying to anyway. It
was only when Artemis paid her a visit later to let her know that
something was up that she accompanied him to Minako's place. What the
Senshi then told her was so incredible, she was still reeling in shock.
        "Usagi here? You're sure?"
        "I saw her with my own eyes, Luna. It was definitely Usagi but
different somehow." Minako wasn't sure how to describe the changes in
her old friend.
        "Different how?"
        "More mature, maybe. Very serious and...and...angry, I guess."
        "It's been so long," Luna whispered, happy that Usagi was
all right and, apparently, back to stay. "I thought there was no hope of
her ever coming back." Then, "I need to see her. Minako-chan, will you
take me there?"
        "Of course."

                *       *       *       *       *

        Mamoru was driving through the gates when he spotted Minako,
carrying Artemis and Luna, and heading towards the large doors. He
called out to her and she waved when she saw him. She waited for him by
the entrance.
        After parking his car, Mamoru joined her and the two cats and
they entered the building together. The first person they met was Kenjo.
He saw them come in and walked in their direction.
        "Mamoru-san, Minako-san, it's good to see you again." Then,
bending slightly to focus on the two cats, he smiled. "Luna and Artemis,
I haven't seen you in so long. You're looking great. I'm sure Usagi
would like to see you."
        Reluctantly, Luna eyed their old enemy. "Kunzite. . ."
        "Kenjo please. I'm only Kunzite when I have to do battle."
        "Kenjo?" she asked, surprised.
        "Uhh, Kenjo," Mamoru interrupted. "Is Usagi around?"
        He nodded. "She's in her suite. I'll bring you up if you want."
        "Please do."
        "Follow me then." He headed for the elevators and punched the
button for the thirtieth floor, just below the restaurant. When the
doors opened once more, Kenjo walked down the hallway to the two doors
facing each other. Mamoru followed suit, looking on the other side at
the boardroom entrance. All the time he had met with Galen and Ashe in
this very room, Usagi was just a few steps away. No wonder he always
felt something, a feeling he can't describe, when he was in there. He
had felt her presence but didn't know it.
        Mina, still unsure whether to trust Kenjo or not, waited a few
steps behind with Artemis and Luna. The three of them watched as the men
knocked on Usagi's door.
        "Who is it?" a voice called from within.
        "It's Kenjo, Usagi. I brought someone who wants to see you."
        They heard the lock being turned and, in another moment, Usagi
opened the door wide to see who her visitors were. At the sight of
Mamoru, she blanched and cast an accusing glance at Kenjo, who shrugged
and moved away. Mamoru, not missing a beat, moved to occupy the space he
had vacated.
        "Usako."
        "What do you want, Mamoru-san?" she asked as hostile as
possible, trying to discourage his attentions.
        "I just want to talk, that's all. It's been a long while,
Usako."  "I'd like to know how you've been all
this time. Where you've been?" 
        "I don't really think you have the right to ask me where I've
been. I don't owe you any explanations."
        "No, you don't. But I do owe you one," he admitted, wanting her
to understand. "Will you listen to what I have to say? Please?"
        "It doesn't matter now. It's years too late anyway. It has no
bearing on the present." 
        "But it does," Mamoru said forcefully, taking a step forward but
stopping when she moved further into the room. "It's got everything to
do with you and me--with us."
        "There is no US anymore." But her heart was breaking even as she
said it. "There never was. It was just me making a fool of myself over
you."
        "That's not true!" he denied. "You can't honestly believe that."
        "I do." Tears running down her face, she started to close the
door while Mamoru struggled to find the words to stop her.
        "Usagi, wait!" a female voice said from down the hall. Luna
jumped from Minako's arm and quickly headed for her former pupil.
        "Luna!" Usagi exclaimed, picking up her old mentor. "It's so
good to see you again."
        "I can't believe you're here. I've been so worried about you
since you left. Where have you been?"
        "Well, Luna, if you can stay for a while, I'll tell you all
about it."
        "For you, Usagi, I have all the time in the world."
        Hugging her close, Usagi turned around and closed the door, not
noticing the stricken look on Mamoru's face as she did so. He leaned on
the wall and closed his eyes, hitting the wall with a fist to ease his
frustration.
        Towards the elevators, Minako looked at him with sympathy.
"What's the matter with her? Can't she see he's suffering?"
        "She had a hard time when she left everything behind," Kenjo
tried to explain. "It'll take time before she'll forget it. But don't
worry, I'm sure she'll come around."
        Minako glanced nervously at Kenjo when he replied. She had
actually been speaking to Artemis when she'd uttered the question and
hadn't expected her old enemy to give an answer. But Mamoru's obvious
misery made her forget her wariness and come to his defense.
        "But can't she see he's sorry for what he did? Why won't she
listen to him? She doesn't have anything to lose!"
        "She's afraid to risk her heart again. She loved him so much
before and she felt betrayed when he didn't stand up for her. It made
her feel like a fool."
        "I think she's being totally unreasonable," Minako insisted,
almost stomping her foot in her conviction.
        Suddenly, Kenjo threw back his head and gave a bark of laughter
while she stared at him like he'd lost his mind.
        "What is so funny?"
        "This," he replied, indicating the two of them. "You, defending
Mamoru, and me, defending Usagi. What a total about face for the both of
us." And more laughter issued as he recalled certain moments in their
past when they'd argued just like today. Only, she had always been on
Serenity's side while he staunchly stood by Endymion.
        Minako, still looking at him in confusion, stepped backwards to
make her escape. He was acting very weird and she wasn't about to stick
around to see how crazy he got.
        Kenjo was still fighting to check his laughter when the elevator
doors closed on her puzzled figure.

                ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~      ~~

        The following day, in a nearby coffee shop, Justin, Zachary, and
Kenjo sat drinking the hot brew to ward off the chill. They sat in
silence, each thinking of the Inner Senshi closest to his heart.
        Justin hadn't seen Rei since New Year's Eve and had taken his
frustrations out at the gym yesterday. He had stayed longer than Nathan
and was tired to the bone by the time he quit, heading for the showers
and a soft bed to get some restful sleep. When he woke up in the morning
however, all his frustrations were back with a vengeance.

______________________________________________________________________

        After waking up with a headache, Justin went to the restaurant,
hoping that a cup of coffee might ease the pounding in his head. He met
Ashe and Michiru as they were leaving after sharing breakfast for the
second day in a row, and his old friend imparted to him the good news.
Makoto was back together with Nathan. Justin felt the smile freeze on
his face as the couple left and clenched his hands into fists. Coffee
and headache forgotten, he went in search of Zachary and Kenjo to see if
they wanted to do some hand to hand training. He felt an abundance of
adrenaline running through his system and wanted nothing more than to
pound something to get rid of it along with all his problems.
        It wasn't that he wasn't happy for Nathan. He was. But his
friend's luck only served to emphasize his own misery, and he needed an
outlet for his inner turmoil.
        He found his two buddies in Galen's office and persuaded them to
join him for some karate exercises. After changing into their training
outfits and getting to the gym however, they found Nathan and Makoto
already occupying the room. She was laughing at something he had just
said when she turned her head and saw them.
        "Hello, guys!" she greeted, looking at them from a whole new
perspective. "Are you coming to join us?"
        Justin couldn't take it. The smiles. The open laughter. The
intimate glances that passed between them. He just couldn't handle it.
And he needed to get out of there like he needed air to breathe.
        "Uhh, no," he replied to his friends' puzzlement. It was a good
thing they were wearing outer clothes on top of their training uniforms
or his lie would have been quite obvious. "We were just heading out to
see a little more of Tokyo."
        Makoto seemed to believe him, but Nathan raised an inquiring
brow, knowing his buddy too well to accept his words as truth. But then
again, he also knew that Justin must have his own reasons for not
wanting to stay, so he kept quiet and let the others say their
good-byes.
        "We'd better get going," Justin continued. "We'll see you two
later."
        "Okay," Makoto answered as they turned around. "Bye!"
        As soon as they left the gym, Justin hurried towards the
elevators, his two friends close at his heels.
        "What was that all about?" Zachary wanted to know. "I thought we
were going to do some training." When Kenjo only shrugged his shoulders,
he turned to Justin.
        "Justin?"
        The other man gave a sigh of defeat, knowing he couldn't get
away without saying anything. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't stay in there a
minute longer," he confessed. "I'm glad for Nathan and Makoto because
they deserve to be together. But to watch them laughing and smiling, and
obviously in love is just something I couldn't do. It reminds me too
much of the old days when I had my own Rei beside me. And it hurts."
        His friends heard the misery in his voice and looked at him in
sympathy, knowing how he must be feeling since they were in almost the
same situation. They didn't ask any more questions as they left the
elevators and walked out of the building.

______________________________________________________________________

        "I wish I could see Ami right now," Zach declared, bringing
Justin out of his daydreaming. "I'd give anything if she'd just walk
through that door right this minute."
        "You wouldn't be so lucky," Justin replied sarcastically. "Fate
is trying its damnedest to keep us all apart."
        "You don't really believe that, do you? Just look at Nathan and
Makoto. They're happy together. And what about Ashe and Michiru? They
seem to be getting along."
        "Then they're better men that I am since I don't seem to be
doing so well. I haven't seen hide nor hair of Rei since New Year's
Eve."
        Zachary couldn't refute his point, unable to deny that he too
had been having problems pinning down Ami's whereabouts. He wondered how
Kenjo was handling the problem since he hadn't mentioned anything about
Minako since that fateful night. "What about you, Kenjo? You don't seem
worried at all. Don't you miss Minako-chan?"
        "Actually," Kenjo started, fidgeting in his chair. He hadn't
told the others of his unplanned meeting with Minako yesterday. "I sort
of saw Miko yesterday."
        "What?!" Justin exclaimed. "When? Where? Was she alone or did
she have the others with her?"
        "Whoa!" Kenjo put his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "One
question at a time. I saw her yesterday afternoon when she brought Luna
to see Usagi. Mamoru was the only one with her and he tried to talk to
our princess again but had no luck." He smiled then, remembering what
took place after. "Minako started arguing on his behalf and, of course,
I took up Usagi's side. After exchanging only a few words though, the
situation suddenly struck me as ironic and I started laughing. I
couldn't stop myself even when I saw her leaving. I guess I'll have to
apologize the next time I see her."
        Zachary smiled at the picture he created, happy that at least
one of them was getting somewhere. "You must have been in cloud nine
then, having an argument with Minako again. Just like old times, eh,
Kenjo?"
        He answered with a smile of satisfaction, his happiness showing
on his face. It was hard for Zach not to feel envy when he looked at him
that way, so he turned away.
        "Speaking of old times," he continued as he gazed out the coffee
shop window. "Isn't that Rei crossing the street?"
        Justin was immediately alert, looking in the direction he
indicated. Then he was putting on his jacket and excusing himself as he
hurried outside. In a few moments, his two friends saw him following
Rei's path.
        Rei was just coming from the new excavation site her team was
working on. She was looking forward to a hot bath after a cold morning
spent outside, unaware of Justin dogging her steps until he touched her
shoulder. She quickly turned to see who it was.
        "You again!" She shrugged his hand away and tried to lose him by
walking faster. When he kept pace right beside her anyway, she asked as
rudely as possible, "Why can't you leave me alone? I don't want anything
to do with you."
        "Not until we talk, Rei. I have so much to tell you about the
past. So much that you don't know."
        "If you had any part in it, I don't want to hear about it."
        "You don't understand, Rei," he kept on, trying to get ahead of
her so he can see her face. "I'm not who you think I am. I'm not. . ."
        "Oh, stuff it! You're everything I think you are! Every bit the
evil creature I know you to be. I don't know why Usagi thinks this
disguise is real when you've donned so many others before, but I'm not
as simpleminded or easy to fool as she is."
        That comment stopped Justin dead in his tracks right in front of
her, effectively halting her progress as well. "Wait just a damned
minute," he said tersely, his own temper starting to rise. "You can say
whatever you want about me since you don't really know me at all, but
you have no right to say such things about Usagi. Those are just the
kind of comments which led her to leave in the first place."
        Rei looked at him in horror, hurting at his accusation. She
hadn't meant to malign Usagi in any way but, as always, had said the
first thing that came to mind. She didn't like the fact that this man,
her enemy, was playing the role of her friend's defender when he must
have more vile intentions planned for her.
        "Don't try to con me by trying to defend Usagi," she retaliated.
"She's my friend and I'll apologize to her if I have to, though I'm
nowhere near as bad as you are. At least I'm up front with my emotions.
If I'm mad at her, she'll know it right away. But you, you pretend to be
her friend then stab her at the back."
        Justin stiffened at her verbal attack, resisting the urge to
shake her so she'd stop insulting him and stay quiet long enough to
listen to his side. "You hardly know anything about me, Rei. Not enough
to make those kind of judgments."
        "Oh, I know you all right," she replied indignantly, furious that
he'd dare to try to fool her even now. "I've fought you enough times to
know you're nothing but a vicious pretender who'll do anything to
further your evil plans." And she shouldered her way past his still
form, aiming to go as far as possible while he was in a stupor. But his
next words managed to halt her steps.
        "Okay, Rei. You win." It took all of Justin's courage to say the
words that would end all his hopes, all his dreams. It seemed he'd been
living his whole life waiting for this moment. The moment when he would
be alone with Rei once more--to talk, to love, to dream. But Rei's
insults were like a dash of icy cold water, drenching his hopes and
washing away all the color from his dreams. What was left was a soggy,
lifeless picture. Nothing like he thought it would be.
        He told himself that she wasn't the woman he remembered from the
Moon Kingdom. That the arrival of the Dark Kingdom had distorted her
point of view and she'd changed. But the invisible knife buried in his
chest kept twisting and turning anyway, as if trying its best to carve
his heart out of his chest. And it hurt.
        "Win?"
        "You win. I won't be bothering you anymore."
        "Well, it's about time," Rei huffed haughtily, trying to quiet
the voice inside that said she was making a big mistake. "But I'm sure
you'll still be bothering me someday, when we meet in a field of
battle."
         When Justin thought he could feel nothing more
than a churning mass of pain, his temper came to the rescue. "Enough!
You go too far, Rei. I told you I won't be bothering you anymore, and I
always keep my word. But before I leave you alone, Miss Know-it-all,
there are certain facts you need to realize!" And he took hold of her
wrist and half dragged her to a nearby deserted alley.
        There, a shocked Rei stood unmoving as she tried to hide the
sudden fear she felt inside. Justin was looking at her like he wanted to
kill her from across the width of the alley, and she couldn't seem to
make her feet move. Then her eyes went to his fingers as he lifted them
to his shirt front, determinedly loosening the buttons as quickly as
possible.
        She watched as the shirt started to gape and slapped a hand on
her mouth to stop the shriek that wanted to escape.
        

Continued in file SOULMAT2.TXT...

    Source: geocities.com/tokyo/courtyard/2058