Moon Kingdom Generals:

Galen Fujiwara
Ashiro Usaka (Ashe)
Logan Yoshiro
Drake Matsuda

Royal Guard/Four Generals:

Kunzite - Kenjo Fukuda
Nephrite - Nathan Sanada (Nate)
Zoisite - Zachary Kurata (Zach)
Jadeite - Justin Tanaka

I hope that helps. (I know at least one person who's going to be happy about it)

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 w ould appreciate being notified before hand.

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

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. What is wrong with me, she thought. I've been spending too much time with him that I'm starting to get territorial. I'm starting to act like I'm in love with him! 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, good girl! It's working well. But when he heard her gasp followed by the closing of her eyes, he amended to himself, maybe too well. 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 alright," 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." Except in my heart, he added silently. I'm sorry, Haruka.

"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 alright 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. Damn, 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 it's forehead and it's 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 it's opportunity and started rapidly charging at her with it's horn and trying to smash her with it's 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 it's balance. The creature staggered under the onslaught and finally tumbled backwards, landing on it's 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 alright. 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 enquired.

"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. "Alright, 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."

Mama? Usagi thought. Huh! Shingo! 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 alright," 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 enquired. "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 hanged 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 alright 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 alright 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." You're not ready yet, Ami-chan, she added in her thoughts. None of you are ready to face what happened in the past.

"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 alright."

"I'm with you," Makoto joined in.

"Me, too," Ami added.

Haruka gave them a nod of approval. "Let's team up in two's 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 logged 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.

"Shiny 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 acknowledgement, 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 it's 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..."

to be continued...

Next: Revelations: The Unmasking of an Old Friend

Note: I borrowed the concept of Saturn's aging from the Sailor Moon Sailor Stars series so please don't ask me to expound on it. Also, I'd like to apologize about not coming up with a picture of Millenium Moon just yet. I've posted an image of Ashe instead if anyone would care to look.

Personal note: I seem to have run into a snag in trying to continue this fanfic. I'm more than willing to write it till the end, but my problem is how to get it posted. As most of you may have guessed, I'm using my brother's computer to gain access to the net and put up my web page. The problem is, there's a very big chance that he's moving to Calgary at the end of the month and I'm staying behind in Winnipeg. Hence, no computer which means no net access and no way of posting my fanfic. I will be following in a few months but what do I do in the meantime? If anyone knows how to solve my dilemma, please email me ASAP at ed_co@mb.sympatico.ca. I would really appreciate any suggestions you may come up with.

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