At this point in her life, Michiru had traveled to virtually every continent and most of the countries of the world, in order to perform her music and attended prestigious art events. However, every time she came home—every time she caught sight of the house she shared with her family—she felt happier than she ever did anywhere else. The same longing and pang of nostalgia hit her whenever she stepped through that front door, remembering that Setsuna didn’t live there anymore. It had been so long since she resumed her job of guarding the Time Gate, but Michiru still missed her. The family felt incomplete without her, despite the fact that they now actually looked like a regular nuclear family, with her and Haruka as Hotaru’s adopted parents.

But Setsuna’s presence had been good, and she was irreplaceable, and they all missed her every day. She provided a necessary balance to the household, and she knew all of them felt like something was missing without her. And now Hotaru was attending college as well… between her and Haruka’s own crazy schedule, the mansion was feeling quieter and quieter every day. As Michiru entered it this morning, only dead silence greeted her. She knew that Haruka would be coming home today as well—they’d coordinated—and Hotaru would visit for the weekend knowing that both her Mama and Papa would be there. Still, she couldn’t wait until she was reunited with them. She didn’t much enjoy loneliness anymore, especially in a house so big as this.

Michiru was happy, all things considered. The world was safe, her family was alright, and she got to be with the person she loved the most. She got to realize her dream and be a renowned artist. She never even dreamed of having a family of her own (especially since being awakened as senshi) and certainly not in this way, but she would never have had it any other way. All of that mattered, surely, and yet some days she found herself missing the old battle-filled days. Maybe it was simply that being a senshi had become such an ingrained part of her, a part that used to take precedence over everything else and would always become the most important thing in her life, that she had no idea how to turn it off.

Michiru was not some great hero. She was deceptively good at being one; at making the hard choices and putting the needs of many above the needs of one, but at the end of the day, she was also glad she was never made to choose. Because she knew that if she had, she would fail. She did not have Usagi’s unshakable belief for miracles, did not have faith that she could have it all. And if she had ever been forced to choose, she would choose to save Haruka every time. Even over the entire world. In that way, Michiru recognized that sometimes she was the biggest hypocrite of them all.

Wanting to clear her minds of ghosts of the past, she decided to take a quick swim in their pool; it had been a while since she’d been in the water. Changing quickly into a bathing suit, Michiru made her way to the house pool and dove in. She did a few laps, feeling the water embracing her like an old friend. Already, she felt tranquility seeping back into her world.

The mists of time curled around her ankles, drifting around in a slow motion. It was quiet. It was always quiet at the Gates of Time. Sailor Pluto stood alone in her solidarity, but her mind was elsewhere. Memories of her time on Earth were replaying in her mind, over and over again. Her makeshift family had continued their lives, finding their way to what made them most happy. It brought a smile to Pluto's lips, to know that they were all happy and safe.

The princess and her guardians were doing well too. It was a comforting thought to know that all of the people she loved were doing well. If anyone deserved happiness, it was them. The ones who had given their lives to protect the world. She wished that this kind of peace could go on forever, just to keep them from having to fight ever again.

But she knew that it was time for another change in their lives. It was time for dear Usagi to take her place as Queen.

The signs all pointed to this conclusion, and Pluto knew what she must do, regardless of anything else. It would change her loved ones lives, but it was a necessary thing.

For a moment, Pluto hesitated. She didn't want to be the catalyst in this, the one to bring change to all of the people she loved. But she had to. It was necessary, and unavoidable.

She had to believe everything would be okay.

Tightening her grip on her Garnet Rod, Pluto lifted it above her head, and summoned the magic that would take her back to Earth, and to her princess.

"We can't thank you enough for this, sir."

"It was the least I could do. Have a good night."

Dr. Chiba Mamoru waved at the small family, a wide grin on his face at the satisfaction of saving another child. All throughout college, he knew he wanted to pursue medicine. But he could never decide what field her wanted to enter. But then, after meeting Chibiusa and taking care of her for so long, Mamoru knew that pediatrics was the place for him. And he had never been happier.

His career had kicked off in full-swing, and he was making quite a handsome living. With his internship far behind him, his residenct status was mere months away from changing to an attending. He had saved and gotten to know countless children, and the feeling he got after successfully performing a surgery was unlike any other.

There was always the occasional casualty. He couldn't save everyone, and he knew that, but with every failed attempt at saving a life, Mamoru always suffered. Every single time he had to call time of death, he could only imagine Chibiusa's face in place of the child he had failed.

But there was always Usagi. Usagi was the one person who took that hardship away and made him smile again. She had never given up on him and his abilities, and for that, he was grateful. After years of spending their lives together, he finally proposed, and the moment she said yes was indeed the happiest moment of his life. It wasn't really a question of yes or no (honestly, would she have said no?), it was more having that anticipation that this beautiful, amazing young woman was going to be his wife, from now until forever.

Thinking of his fiance, Mamoru quickly changed into nicer clothing and drove home, hoping to take her out to dinner that night. Just his luck, he managed to catch her on the sidewalk on her way home.

"Oi, Dumpling Head, isn't it about time you got a car?" he said, leaning out his window and smiling as he slowed his sports car. "Get in, I'm taking you to dinner. My treat." He knew she couldn't resist the chance to eat out - the girl couldn't turn away food if her life depended on it. It was a wonder how she managed to stay thin.

But he loved her all the same.

Just outside the Milky Way's defense lines, an elegant woman lay suspended in the empty void of space, watching the Earth from her distance so far away through a magic hologram. It spun slowly, gracefully, never slowing and never stopping. She had been devising plans of revenge for so many years, and now she had finally found the perfect opportunity to strike.

The beauty of dark magic had no boundaries. It had aided her in watching over the sailor senshi, monitoring their feats and their falls. She devised plan after plan, only to have them crushed as that wretched Sailor Moon defeated each and every one of her foes. She was strong, and she was determined. The love she had for her friends and her world was the strongest love Selena had ever seen, and it would be a hard obstacle to overcome.

So Selena waited. She rested and she waited, developing her abilities and watching for strengths and weaknesses in the senshi. When they defeated Sailor Galaxia and set her free, Selena knew it was her turn. But not just yet, she had told herself. Nine years passed, and slowly the senshi began to drift into their own lives and pursuing their own dreams. Their lives as sailor senshi slowly disappeared, as no new threats were imposed upon them. They were all rusty, and slipping back into the life of guardians would be no easy task. So, Selena thought, why not make it even more difficult?

The image in front of her shimmered, showing her the now-unguarded Gate of Time.

"Now, my beautiful niece, you shall be destroyed, and the everything you own, everything you love, will be mine."

Selena's hands pulsated with black light as power coursed through her fingertips. With a burst of magic, Selena tore through the Milky Way's barrier, easily slipping past the weakly-guarded veil. With the outer senshi all on Earth, they were no longer capable of keeping Selena out of the Milky Way where she belonged. Shaking her head at the stupidity of the sol senshi, Selena continued to Earth.

In no time at all, she had arrived at her destination. The peak of Mount Fuji was her landing point, as it was Japan's tallest mountain and the perfect place to make her hideout. But before she could do anything, her plan had to be put into action before it was too late.

With a wave of her hand, Selena opened a portal to the Gates of Time and stepped through, immediately arriving at the large, vast expanse of empty space. With little navigation, she found the esteemed stone gates and marveled at their excellence. "Now," she said aloud, "it begins."

Closing her eyes and outstretching her hand, Selena forced the Gates to open. A dim light escaped into the void, proving to Selena that it was where she wanted to go: The Timeline.

Again, she stepped through the portal, bending the wills of Time and Fate to her desires. The line of every single moment to ever occur stretched before her, a never-ending expanse of events and dates. Thanks to the beauty of the Gates of Time, she had ended right where she wanted to be.

Of course, she would have to do a bit of travelling to get to each birth of each senshi. Manipulating Sailor Pluto's life would be especially difficult, since she was the only one not to die and be reincarnated. But Selena had the perfect punishment in mind for each and every one of her beautiful new enemies.

With a smirk, she put her years of research and training to use and reached into the exact moment each senshi was born, manipulating their genetic codes and the patterns of their minds to get only the worst outcomes.

For her niece, the curse of anorexia. For someone who enjoyed the luxuries of food so much, this would be ideal. For the senshi of water and wisdom, Bipolar Disorder. A girl who is always calm, a change of pace would be ideal. For the priestess, Schizophrenia. Having those visions certainly wouldn't go well with such an inhibitor. And for the courageous one, severe depression. Her past certainly would lead to such a disorder, correct? The bubbly pop star would get Generalized Anxiety Disorder, just to make her confidence levels decrease a bit. The inner guardians of the Moon Princess were all ruined, so now it was just for the powerful outer senshi.

The elegant senshi of deep waters had made a name for herself as a prodigy, but what was a prodigy without a fatal flaw? For her, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Selena decided. For her lover, the senshi of winds, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. And for their esteemed daughter, the dreadful autism.

And finally, the Guardian of Time herself, Sailor Pluto. There was no doubt in Selena's mind that she would be the most difficult to inhibit, because of her years of experience and her vast knowledge of the Timeline itself. With a heart of stone, Selena closed her eyes and traveled to the Present location on the Timeline. And there she was, Miss Setsuna Meioh herself, away from her position and going to meet her princess. But how could Sailor Pluto inform her princess of the future if she didn't remember it? A smirk spread across Selena's face as she reached into the Present and sent a beam of black magic in Setsuna's direction, opening up the door to her mind and reaching its core. Alzheimer's Disease, she had decided.

With the brains of each sailor senshi now inhibited and prevented from operating normally, Selena smiled to herself and left the Timeline, returning to Mount Fuji to develop her esteemed lair.

It was done.

Luna was alone. The window sill she was laying on was really only big enough for her. She was after not really alone anymore. Luna was carrying Diana. She knew that her first and seemingly only daughter was just starting to grow. Sitting up Luna glanced at the clock. Artemis would be home soon. She smiled and jumped from the window. 

As she jumped in a flash of brilliant light she became human. She smiled at herself and gently rubbed her belly. She hadn't told anyone yet, Artemis would be the first. She had only found out recently, but she was sure that her lover would be a happy father. He often talked about when Diana would be around, and Luna couldn't wait to tell Artemis the happy news. 

With a smile Luna padded to the kitchen and started their dinner, humming to herself. 

Something shifted through her. She suddenly had to stop what she was doing. She clutched the counter tops as the world started to spin around her. What in the world was happening to her? Her mind rushed to something was wrong with Diana, something about her body didn't want the child she had just found out about but then something else, something in the pit of her stomach caused her to wonder if it wasn't an attack but as quickly as it came it left, leaving Luna wondering nothing more than how to tell her love about the baby. 



Rei was alone. She sat in front of her fires, the heat caressing her face. This was as natural to her as breathing. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift into the nothing that always waited. She drifted into the nothing into the aether to find nothing. That was strange for her. She felt it then a shock something sifting in her. Something that is but shouldn't be. She suddenly hear the voices that she always thought were only in her meditations, around her all the time. She saw the things that she only saw in her meditations in the waking world around her, her mind snapping, changing and fighting, only to loose to what ever force. 

Then it was over, done and it left Rei on the floor in a ball, shaking. she could hear them, see them and feel them. She knew that some how this wasn't right something was wrong and the darkness was there, the youmas were at work and it was all Rei could do to keep from screaming. But the scream escaped her lips none the less, the priestess lay huddled on the floor unable to move for the fear of the illusions around her, created by the evil that would consume them all. She had to tell them, they all had to know. As always though there was thing that whispered in the back of her mind, that all of this was only in her mind. Rei was now no longer in control of her own mind.

Michiru had not heard warnings from the ocean for a long time, but this time it came hard and fast it nearly drowned her in her own element. Her balance thrown, her feet struggled to find purchase in the deep pool before her arms remembered how to bring her back to the surface. She gasped for air, then moved quickly to the edge and perched herself there, her heart beating fast and loud. Something was happening. Danger was approaching—terrible danger. She could not remember feeling this scared in a long, long time. Even the water no longer seemed friendly to her.

But the warning had come too late. Just as soon as she felt it, suddenly everything realigned itself back to normal. Or what she perceived as the new normal, to be more exact. Her anxiety from the psychic sense of foreboding was gone, but replaced by another. Suddenly, the water temperature felt wrong. It was just a few degrees too cold. And had she remembered to put on some sunblock before she got in? No, she realized with horror—she had not. This seemed particularly alarming as she jumped out of the pool and grabbed her towel. Wait. Was the towel fresh from the laundry? When was the last time she’d put it in the wash?

She couldn’t remember, and her brain started to panic. She needed a towel, but she also couldn’t use this one. And she also couldn’t stand the thought of running back into the house, leaving trails of water droplets all over the floor. God, no. That would just be horrible. So what was she to do? Wait for someone else to get home and ask for their help? But it was so cold here. And she couldn’t get back into the pool because the water temperature was wrong.

Michiru hugged herself, shivering. As far as she could remember, she had always been so precise. So how could she be so careless today?

How come suddenly everything had gone wrong?

Being out in the sun was a luxury that Setsuna would never tire of. She allowed herself a small smile as she looked up to the clear blue sky. It was such a beautiful sight, and everything felt so warm.

But she couldn't let herself get too distracted by simple pleasures. There were far more important things that called to her, and she had a duty that could not wait.

Taking another step forward towards her destination, a sudden pain in her head caused her to falter, and stumble to the ground. It was gone only a moment later, leaving her feeling disorientated and a little confused.

That had been strange. Perhaps it had only been a sudden headache.

"Miss, are you okay?" A young man looked down at her in concern, and Setsuna took his offered hand to help herself stand upright.

"I'm okay," Setsuna replied, "Thank you for your help."

The man nodded, looking a little skeptical, but he left without further comment.

Setsuna dusted off her clothing, and then began to walk towards her destination once again. Except, what was her destination? She frowned, and glanced around. She didn't quite remember this place. The buildings were so tall and there were so many people around. Who were they?

She must be lost. But where had she been going? Home? That word cut through all other thoughts. Home, yes, that must be it. The thought of home made her feel better.

Now if only she could remember how to get there.

A small smile played at Mamoru's lips as he drove to their destination.  "It's a secret," he said, not taking his eyes off of the road.  "My day was alright.  You know that child I've been telling you about with Leukemia?  He's going to live.  I'll never forget the looks on his parents' faces.  But how was your day?"

After making a couple more turns, he parked the car in the lot of one of Tokyo's most formal restaurants.  He quickly exited the car and walked around, opening Usagi's door for her.  His arm was extended, inviting her to take it so he could escort her inside.  "Shall we?" he said, winking.  She had been working so hard lately, and it was about time he treated her to a nice dinner after all she had been doing.

He knew that adding in a wedding with their careers would be a little difficult to juggle. His work schedule was all over the place, and so Usagi had been performing most of the wedding planning. Not that it was a bad thing - Mamoru didn't really care about what happened at the wedding as long as his beloved was happy. If it would put a smile on her face, he would do it.

Guilt was a constant feeling for him, with leaving Usagi home alone so often. Aware of their future in Crystal Tokyo, he hoped that it would allow them to spend more time together. But his blonde princess had been very understanding and tolerant, and he couldn't thank her enough for that. These rare times where they would both be off work together were times that he cherished, and desired to make the most of.

Luna finished dinner with ease, nothing seemed off to her, but she wondered how the girls were fairing she knew they had their problems, but in the end they were seemingly adjusted. She smiled as she started laying out the table waiting on Artemis to come home. This was going to be perfect. She decided to skip wine altogether, since it would be a give away to her news. So instead she filled the glasses with sparkling cider, and waited. She gazed over at her doodles, just little things she's drawn since she found out about Diana. Little things like a baby dress or a blanket. She smiled again. This was perfect.



"STOP!" She screamed. Clutching her head the mako doubled over. The Voices where louder today than ever. Why couldn't they leave her alone? Tears streamed down her face. She couldn't move, she couldn't find a quite place in her own mind. She screamed again. Rei wanted it to stop, "Leave me alone!" she called and raked her hands though the air in front of her. IF they didnt stop she might have to go back to the hospital. Why had she forgot her meds? She was doing so well. Where was her aid? Where had he gone? She curled into a ball and closed her eyes, fighting. "Go away, go away, go away.."She muttered over and over, her fingers lacing into her dark hair. She had to find her meds, and soon.

Mamoru ordered their drinks while Usagi went to the restroom. After their server left, Mamoru felt a strange emptiness inside of him. Something was wrong...

He had the strange feeling that Usagi was in trouble, that she needed him to help her. He looked around the room for any sign of danger, and was about to stand up when a splitting headache tore through him. Inhaling sharply, he clutched his head in his hands and placed his elbows on the table. These headaches...he hadn't gotten them in a long time. So why was he getting them again?

"Sir, are you alright?" their server asked, coming back with their drinks. Mamoru looked up, and suddenly the headache faded. His eyes drifted past the server's shoulder towards where Usagi had disappeared to, and he was grateful to find that she was returning.

"Yes, my apologies, everything's fine," Mamoru said, thanking the man for their drinks as his beloved sat down. He listened to her talk about her day as their hands were joined on the table. The soft smile on his face only grew as she talked as images of her in a wedding dress flashed through his mind. He couldn't wait until the day he got to see her walking down the aisle.

"I'm glad you had such a good day," he said, squeezing her hand. He suddenly felt a strange urge to comfort her. Gazing into her bright blue eyes, he said, "You're so beautiful, Usako."

Their server came back to get their order, and Mamoru proceeded to tell him what he wanted.

Selena sat atop her forged throne of crystal, gazing at the holographic image she had created in front of her. After creating her black crystal palace atop Mount Fuji, Selena had made quick work of checking on each senshi, making sure her plans had all gone in order. She watched with glee as Sailor Neptune panicked over silly things, laughed when Sailor Pluto forgot her purpose, smiled maliciously as Sailor Mars writhed in fear and agony, and snickered when her beloved niece was battling her own image. Indeed, everything was going according to plan.

Always an impatient one, Selena couldn't wait to begin her takeover of the Earth. Now that she had made her self comfortable in Japan, she was more than ready to begin her first assault against the sailor senshi. But of course, what was a proper attack without some a proper strategy?

With a toss of her black hair, Selena began to stream dark magic through her fingers, taking an image from her mind and bringing it to life. Keeping her goal in mind, she began to chant:

"Tenebris magicae, mutare! Libere fluit, penetrare animos! Has et impetum!

Black mist continued to pour from her fingertips, swirling and creating shapes that joined together to create one black, humanoid shadow. The black creature was a shapeshifter, one that could penetrate the thoughts of its singular target and enter any memory it desired. Through this strategy, the creature could then manipulate its shape and transform into any person it wanted, just by looking into the mind of its target. But who was the target, in this case?

"Tenebris magicae, incumbere voluntas! Genus Luna oppugnate!

The shadow nodded, dissipating into the floor and disappearing in a flash. Selena sat back in her throne, grinning as she watched her niece attend a dinner with her husband-to-be.

"Prepare yourself, darling niece. For I am afraid this is the last meal you may enjoy."

~~~

The shadowed shapeshifter easily located its target within a restaurant and waited outside, blending in with the falling shadows cast by twilight. It would wait for the perfect moment.

Usagi beamed up at Mamoru when he told her she was beautiful. She thought she was more than lucky to have found him. But as he spoke those words that made Usagi beam from ear to ear, she began to hear darker voices speaking in her head. He's only marrying you because its fate, he doesn't really love you, there are prettier girls out there, smarter girls, girls who can cook and who are intelligent, and lets not forget, girls who don't stuff their face every chance they get. 


She looked at the menu trying to find the most healthy thing she could imagine eating and decided on a grilled chicken salad. She smiled at Mamoru and tried her best to enjoy this moment with the man she was going to marry. She hoped he hadn't noticed her sudden change in demeanor. Where were these thoughts coming from and  what if it was true, I can't afford to gain any weight now, not with a wedding around the corner,  she thought as she decided to stir up a conversation.

"Mamo-chan, do you have to work this weekend, I was thinking maybe we could do something maybe. I just am wanting to get away."

The two talked all throughout dinner and Usagi was surprised when she actually enjoyed her meal, although after eating her mind couldn't help but make her feel guilty for eating.

Once the two were finished with their meal and all had been paid for the two made their way back to the parking lot to find Mamoru's car and head home.

Mamoru couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness and guilt when Usagi ordered one of the healthiest meals on the menu.  He should have known she would do that.  Why did he take her out when he knew she would only hate herself for it?  He clenched the fabric of his pants in his fingers, mentally slapping himself a hundred times.  How could he be so stupid and careless?  

Suppressing a sigh, Mamoru ordered a steak and leaned back in his chair.  He gazed across the table at Usagi, wondering what she was thinking.  As their food arrived and they ate, Mamoru couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach as he watched Usagi's expression change.  He knew exactly what was going through her head, and it killed him inside.  He couldn't understand how someone so beautiful could feel so insecure about themselves.  He wished with all his heart that he could make Usagi see herself the way he saw her.

Dinner ended, and Mamoru escorted Usagi out of the restaurant and to their car.  He was about to open her door when he suddenly felt very cold.  Something was wrong...

Spinning around quickly, he spotted it:  a figure emerging from the shadows, slowly approaching them.  "Usako," he said, stepping in front of her, "is that...?"



The voice of the queen gave Mamoru bad vibes.  He knew this couldn't be real - but could it really be a new enemy?  It had been so long since he had last transformed into that tuxedo and mask...but had he grown too accustomed to living without it?  He looked back at his fiance, unsure of what plan of action to take.  He assumed that she was feeling the same bad vibes that he was, and under that assumption said, "Hold her off.  I'll be right back."

In a flash, Mamoru was gone, retreating between two buildings to hide in the alleyway.  He pulled out his cell phone, immediately dialing someone he knew he could depend on to get there quickly.

"Rei, there's something strange over at Aragawa.  Get here as fast as you can," he said, immediately hanging up the phone.  Pulling the rose out of his pocket that he always kept with him, Mamoru transformed in a matter of seconds before rushing back out to help Usagi.  

Usagi looked up in shock when she heard someone call her by her name, her true name. She looked up and saw the familiar figure of the Queen, no not the queen, her true mother. How she longed to rush to this woman and hug her, but something inside her was screaming at her to stay put where she was, and another voice was telling her to run away.

When Mamoru told her to hold off the Queen, again Usagi felt the conflict in her mind. It had been so long since she had seen her mother, and in her truest form, she wanted to believe it was a good thing, but then why did the aura coming off the queen appear to be ice cold?

When Mamoru left, Usagi felt afraid, she couldn't transform here, someone might see her, that and it had been so long since she had last transformed she wondered if it was even possible.
 
When the queen spoke to Usagi with such a cold demeanor, the world around them began to close in and Usagi felt as if they were on a merry go round, spinning at a rapid pace.


The queen’s words stung like a just sharpened knife cutting her to the very depths of her soul.

"You know why I'm here, don't you Serenity?  You know that you have not lived up to your expectations as a princess.  Not only that, but how do you expect to defend Earth as a senshi if you can't even fit into your fuku?  I have never been so ashamed to call you my daughter.  The blood of the Moon does not belong in your unworthy vein."


Usagi felt as if the Queen had reached her hand into her chest and ripped her heart out and shattered it into thousands of tiny pieces. She felt as if she were planted to the ground. Is this real, am I imagining this? Usagi thought as she hugged her arms around her body. She knew she had been slacking with exercise lately, but she really had been trying to eat healthy and make better choices.
Usagi looked up at the queen through tear stained eyes, not sure if she would even be able to speak, her voice burning hot in her throat as she spoke-

“I’m sorry ma- Queen, I have been working so hard. I haven’t fought an enemy in so long, and the peace it just seemed like it would last forever,” she dropped to her knees and reached out to hug the Queen around her legs as her cries turned into sobs that shook her whole body.

“I can make it better, please give me a chance, I will cut out sweets, I will train, Mamo-chan can help me train when we are both off from work...” she looked up at the Queen who still wore a disgusted look on her face. Usagi looked away down at the ground, wondering where Mamoru was.

“He asked me to marry him Serenity; I am working so hard to stay thin so I can wear the most beautiful dress on our wedding day. Please give me a chance to show you I can still defend the Earth, please don’t lose hope, I can still fight…please….”

Usagi could no longer bear it, the Queen’s words burning into Usagi’s mind making herself believe it was all true, I am not worthy to fight, I am not worthy of mama’s love and she is right to disregard me in the way she has….

Rei fought back her demons and managed to answer the ringing phone.

"Rei, there's something strange over at Aragawa.  Get here as fast as you can," Mamo's voice came though the cell.

"I can't." she muttered but the line was dead and he was gone. What was she going to do? There was no way she could fight like this, but Usagi needed her. Standing up, she started for the door, trying to ignore the screams in her mind.

It took all her strength to keep herself together as she made her way to Aragawa. On the way she called Michiru and Ami. She told them both what Mamoru had told her and to come as fast as they could.

When she arrived she couldn't believe was she was seeing. And the fact that Usagi was on her knees hugging the demon around it's legs was more proof to the fire senshi that she wasn't seeing a hallucination this time.

"Usagi get away from that thing!" She screamed at her friend. Something was wrong, but how could the priestess know what was real anymore?

Ami was not a girl known for her outward enthusiasm, but as she stood in the white, sterile hospital corridor, she felt excitement coursing through her veins. She knew that it was a strange emotion to feel in a place populated by sickness and death, but the thought of being able to help all those suffering people was the very reason she was excited. She had worked her entire life for this. Nine long years she had studied hard in medical school. And finally, here she was… in a real hospital. As a real doctor.

No matter how many times she stepped into the building, she still couldn’t get over how her dream had finally become a reality. She would ace her internship, too, and then she would become a great surgeon. This was her passion. This was where she lived. Just like back at school, where academics used to be her thing. Except this was much better because this was her real dream. And she could actually do something good for others here, instead of just winning good grades for herself.

She had just finished her rounds that day, but on her way back to her office, she paused by one of the patient rooms. There was a girl there, by the name of Reika, who had been diagnosed with cancer. It was a fate too cruel for such a young person, and Ami could see that she was understandably having trouble coping with her situation. She’d only been diagnosed yesterday, but thankfully it seemed like a straightforward surgery should fix it. It had been diagnosed early and the cancer had not spread, which was good news. Ami was determined to send that girl home in full health once the operation was completed.

Standing by the door, Ami knocked on it and smiled when Reika turned toward her. “Hello again, Reika-chan. How are you feeling?” she asked, though she knew the honest answer could not possibly be good. The girl’s surgery had been scheduled for tomorrow morning.

“Scared,” Reika admitted, and Ami walked into the room, perching on the bed beside her. She squeezed the girl’s hand comfortingly. She was never this touchy-feely with a stranger, but she always found it much easier to connect with children. This, too, was what she was meant to do with her life.

“It’s going to be fine,” Ami assured her. “It isn’t a high-risk surgery. You’ll go to sleep, and when you wake up, you’ll be healthy again.”

“Just like that?” Reika asked, her eyes widening in disbelief.

“Just like that. Like magic.”

“You can do magic?” Reika asked again, her eyebrows disappearing into her bangs.

“As a matter of fact,” Ami answered with a giggle, thinking about her senshi powers, “I can.” She winked. “But don’t tell anyone, okay? It’ll be our little secret.”

Reika nodded vigorously. She squeezed Ami’s hand back. “Will you be there the entire time? While I’m asleep? Doing your magic?”

“Yes,” Ami said, nodding solemnly.

“Promise?”

“Promise.” She smiled, and finally got up. “Now, don’t worry about it anymore, okay?”

Reika cracked an uncertain smile, but she already looked much less tense. She nodded, and Ami waved goodbye at her before leaving the room, feeling much better herself.

It was right as she entered her office that she felt it. A strange feeling, like the universe realigning itself. A bad omen. It passed almost as quickly as it had come, and she shook her head, telling herself surely she’d imagined it. Perhaps she hadn’t been eating enough; Mako used to chide her for that back in her younger years whenever she got too immersed in her studying come exams time. Now she didn’t really have Mako constantly reminding her to eat anymore, perhaps she’d been neglecting it.

Ami was taking out her lunch box when suddenly her entire state of mind shifted. Suddenly, she didn’t feel like eating anymore. A strange burst of confidence and the desire to do something overcame her, and she turned to the papers on her desk. There had been patients who’d come with symptoms she couldn’t correctly diagnose yet, and she’d been running tests on them all week. Now she suddenly felt the itch to solve every one of those mysterious illnesses immediately. She loved problem solving, and she couldn’t stand any that was unsolved. She never failed in solving problems—not at school, not as a senshi. There was no way she was letting those cases sit unsolved for much longer. She needed to figure out what was wrong with the patients right now.

Reading the notes and test results quickly, Ami worked almost frantically. Different ideas started to pop into her head, forming quicker than her ability to catch and comprehend them. Names of illnesses she had memorized jumped around in her brain followed by question marks. She started scribbling all the possibilities haphazardly on the papers. She needed to order more tests. She needed to examine the patients again. Not able to decide what to do next, she scooped up all the papers and was about to head out—even if she wasn’t sure where to first—when her phone rang.

Cursing, she dropped everything and picked it up without checking the caller ID. She was surprised when she heard Rei’s voice. Something strange going on in town? Need to get there immediately? But… her patients and their unsolved cases! Ami groaned in frustration. But wait… maybe she could do everything. If she moved just fast enough, she could take care of whatever this was and get back to work immediately. Yes. She could do everything. She was Ami Mizuno, smartest girl in the world. She would solve all problems, both magical and medical.

Suddenly overwhelmed with confidence, Ami grabbed her bag and ran out of the hospital, not even alerting her superior about it. Because she believed this would only take five minutes, tops. She hadn’t expected to ever have these distractions again, not after so long, but that was okay. She loved challenges. This would only help her prove how good she was.

She got to Aragawa in record time. When she found the exact spot, she found Usagi on the ground, hugging what looked to be Queen Serenity.

But that was unlikely, was it? Without hesitating, Ami called up her visor to scan the figure. The problem needed solving as fast as possible? Here she was, and she would save the day.

Somewhere deep inside the house, her phone was ringing. Michiru shivered; she had stood there, wet, for what seemed like forever now, and had, in fact, stopped dripping. She eyed the towel distrustfully and, after taking a couple deep breaths to center herself, she repeated the mantra she had adopted since she’d been diagnosed; everything is under control. Everything is under control. Deep breath in, then let it out. In… out… She counted each breath, in time with the ringing phone.

Finally, she grabbed the towel, wiped herself down as quickly as possible and moved to find the phone. When she picked it up, she heard Rei’s voice on the other end. She didn’t recognize it at first; it had been so long since she’d heard from the other woman. Michiru was confused. Her mind was disjointed already as it was, and now she found herself being thrust into a situation that would have fit more in a time long past. Was she supposed to fight again? With her affliction, it felt impossible. Battles were unpredictable. They were always filled with confusion and they had no place in her perfectly balanced world.

She didn’t know how she managed all those years ago—ah, but of course. Haruka. Haruka was her anchor. She was the one who would always keep Michiru balanced and focused no matter what. Haruka was her drug.

And Haruka was not here.

Michiru was tempted not to come after Rei hung up. But that would be truly irresponsible, wouldn’t it? Sure, she probably already fulfilled all her duties. So many years served to protect the princess in sacrifice of her own dreams and future. You could say she had earned this new life and deserved to keep it.

But Usagi. It wasn’t just about her as the princess. It was about her as a person. Michiru could not deny that she cared about the girl. That at some point in her life, protecting her became more than just a duty. She sighed and quickly rushed into the shower. She rinsed herself as quickly as she could and got dressed. She knew she shouldn’t have wasted all that time, but some things still took precedence.

Like her sanity.

She left a message for Haruka, telling her where she would be, and took her car straight to Aragawa. When she finally arrived, she saw a very strange thing. Michiru had never seen Queen Serenity in this lifetime. She was so taken aback by the image at first, she couldn’t do anything. But every sense in her body was telling her that this was wrong.

“Usagi-san!” she called out, her panic overriding her own concerns. “I think you should step back!”

Time was passing, she could feel it slipping past her as she continued to step forward. Home. She wanted to get home. But it felt as though she had been walking for so long, and still Setsuna was unsure as to where she was.

How was it possible to be so lost in this place? Why did everything look so unfamiliar? She had been certain that home was in this direction, but still the streets made no sense at all.

Tears threatened to sting her eyes, but Setsuna blinked them back in a stubborn attempt to keep her composure. She was a grown woman, and she was not going to cry over being lost in a city. That would be ridiculous.

She stopped in her footsteps, and closed her eyes, trying to imagine her home. The first thing that came to mind was a young girl's laughter. A girl with dark hair and brilliant purple eyes. Hotaru. Other people filled her mind, making Setsuna suddenly feel less alone. Chibiusa. Michiru and Haruka. Usagi and the others.

Her friends. Her family.

Those thoughts did not make it any easier to recall the directions to her home, but at least she didn't feel quite so panicked for not remembering in the first place.

Setsuna took in a deep calming breath and let it out again slowly. She was determined now. She would find her way home, even if it took all night.

She was about to take another step forward, but hesitated. Which way had she come from again? She assumed that she was facing the direction she needed to continue towards, but how could she be sure? What if something had caught her attention and she had turned around? Had that even happened? She couldn't quite remember.

Think of home, she told herself. What was it that she had just been thinking of? She could remember the warmth it had brought her, but the details were already slipping away, just out of reach.

Setsuna shook her head. This was ridiculous, she was not going to let this get the better of her.

She began to walk forward, and turned off her own doubts and confusion. She would just keep walking. Surely she would recognize something sooner or later.

A commotion up the street caught her attention, and Setsuna found herself walking towards it. What was going on over there?

As she got closer, Setsuna found that she recognized the people gathered there. Had she finally found her way home? But something felt wrong, and everyone seemed as though they were on edge. Setsuna continued to walk towards them, until she noticed another person.

Impossibly long hair the color of delicate silver and eyes that shone like the surface of the moon. Regal and beautiful.

Queen Serenity.

Setsuna's eyes widened, as a rush of memories came to her in a strange and confusing burst. She could remember things, but none of it came together to make any sense, but she could definitely remember her love and adoration for this woman.

So why was it that her friends were looking at the Queen with such distrust?

Setsuna found herself drawn towards the person who she remembered the most, and she stepped closer towards Serenity, almost in disbelief. "My Queen?"

ooc:

Mamoru returned, only to find Usagi on her knees, hugging her "mother."  He was shocked, his body unable to move as he processed exactly what was happening.  Usagi was giving in.  What had this thing done to brainwash her into physically getting on her knees?

The words leaving Usagi's lips left the masked man speechless.  Was she honestly pressurizing herself to be thin just for their wedding?  He had known of her insecurities, but he wasn't aware it was to this extent.  Wasn't his proposal enough to show her that he loved her, no matter what?



Anger filled Tuxedo Mask after listening to the queen. How could she say such awful things?  Clearly, this was not the real queen. There was no doubt about it at this point.

It was that moment when he realized he was not alone anymore.  Rei, Ami, Michiru, and Setsuna had found them, and were each taking in the situation.  

Tuxedo Mask knew he had to take charge of the situation. This was his fiance, his princess - he would protect her no matter what.  

"Ami-san, let us know if you find anything that could tell us what this is!" he yelled, pulling a rose out of his jacket.  "Rei-san, Michiru-san, Setsuna-san, we need to get it away from Usagi!"

Running forward, Tuxedo Mask threw the rose directly at the queen's face. It hit, and the queen disappeared in a flash. Seconds later, another familiar woman appeared behind Usagi. This one had long, purple hair and a spatula in her hand.



In a flash, the Ikuko Tsukino clone disappeared just like Queen Serenity, and reappeared once more, this time as a man with glasses.

Ami was processing the information in front of her as fast as possible. Come on, work quicker, work quicker… Her supercomputer was usually fast—being a supercomputer and all—but today for some reason it felt like it was crawling. She heard Queen Serenity’s cruel words and already she was losing her patience with Usagi. How could she believe that… thing for a second? She should know better, right?

The supercomputer let out an alarm-like sound, alerting her to the fact that the dark magic coming off of the specter was off the charts. She analyzed it further and frowned; it wasn’t like Chaos at all. It was… human. Human hatred.

In any ordinary circumstances, knowing that the source of it was human would have made Ami hesitate. But not right now. Now, all that she saw was a problem and a way to solve it. She looked up in time to see Tuxedo Mask throwing his rose at the queen, but that merely made her disappear. As it reformed into Ikuko, Ami felt almost indignant at Usagi—an emotion she would normally never feel toward her most beloved friend. Was she going to fall for the exact same illusion again? Did she not even see that it had disappeared and reformed at will? Could her real mother do that? This was like the DD-Girls on D-point all over again. Momentarily, Ami felt frustrated at how easily Usagi was fooled.

Kenji appeared next, and that was it. Completely ignoring the fact that they were out in the open, only focused on solving the problem in front of her and getting back to the thousands other things waiting for her back in the hospital, Ami shouted, “Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!”

Thankfully she had not forgotten her Crystal Change Rod when she got here, but of course she hadn’t. She was thorough and capable like that.

Sailor Mercury stood where Ami once did, and she did not hesitate to attack. While Kenji was talking to Usagi, she held out her hands toward the dark creature. “Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!”

Powerful waves swept toward the apparition, and she waited to see what would happen next, using the opportunity to turn to Usagi. “Usagi-chan! Stop crying and fight! This isn’t your family! They’re the enemy! My computer told me so—the dark magic levels are off the charts! They’re lying! You know my computer doesn’t lie!”

Because science was reliable like that.

Rei couldn't focus. There was too much going on. How could she tell the difference between what was real anymore? She hated this. How could she protect her friend, princess and future queen, when she couldn't differentiate between illusion and reality. 

But Mercury's voice broke through. Will little mind to the fact they were in public and not trying to hide herself, Ami became Sailor Mercury and stated almost yelling at them to fight. Well more at Usagi than the rest of them but all the same. 

Poor Setsuna wandering into this mess. With the few people not paying attention to the senshi of time, Rei walked over to her. "Setsuna." She started in a calm voice she didn't feel. She knew in away what the other older woman was going through. She placed her hand on the other woman shoulder. "Do you remember me?" She asked. "I'm Rei. We're friends." She smiled a calm smile she didn't feel, but in the whole mess, Rei felt she could only really help one person at a time, and her friends were helping her Princess. 

 

Luna waited for what seemed like forever for Artemis to come home. What was keeping him? She wondered if calling the girls would be a good idea, but she decided against it. Tonight was about her, Artemis and their little growing Diana. The Mau hummed as she waited wondered what kind of cute things she would buy or make for her little kitten.

Tuxedo Mask felt like the world was running in a blur. One moment Queen Serenity stood, then Ikuko, then Kenji - what was going on? Was this enemy some sort of shapeshifter? And how come it wasn't acknowledging anyone but Usagi?



Blinking, the masked hero realized that there was no longer an enemy. Had Sailor Mercury's attack really finished it off? Not that it was hard to believe, but it was a little out-of-the-ordinary for one attack to kill an enemy. He listened to the senshi of wisdom's words, taking into account exactly what they were up against. Dark magic? Wasn't that just like every other fight?

Taking the chance, Tuxedo Mask rushed to Usagi, getting on his knees, and placing both hands on her shoulders. "Usako, listen to me," he said, stern yet gentle. "You are none of those things, alright? Listen to Sailor Mercury. These are not your parents. I need you to look at me and -"



Tuxedo Mask froze. That voice...could it really be who he thought it was?

Turning around, he spotted Chibiusa standing merely a few feet away. She was just the same as she was when she left them - short, pink-haired, and filled with an adorable attitude. Her hands were on her hips as she leaned to one side, her crimson eyes burning through Tuxedo Mask and to Usagi.

"C-Chibiusa...?" Tuxedo Mask said, frozen.

The illusion dissipated, and for a moment Mercury felt triumph. She was ready to turn around and call it a day—so many things were still waiting for her back at the hospital!—when suddenly someone else’s voice rang out. She turned, and spotted Chibiusa at the same time that Tuxedo Mask did.

Ami had to admit, this one was pretty convincing. Mostly because Chibiusa often did talk like that to Usagi. She sighed, wishing not for the first time that those two had a less dysfunctional relationship.

Chibiusa’s words continued to stab, and she continued to sound eerily familiar, until the last sentence. Except for the whole being fat thing. Chibiusa loved sweets almost as much as Usagi did, after all.

“Tuxedo Mask!” she said in frustration. “That’s not your daughter! Don’t be fooled!”

Gods, she was tired of using words. Usagi clearly wasn’t listening to any of it, she had been so affected by the apparitions. Mercury finally used the one approach she normally only used for desperate times. Soothing words hadn’t worked. Yelling hadn’t worked. What was left was…

She knelt in front of Usagi, and slapped her, hard.

“Usagi-chan! You have to stop listening to them and listen to me!” she insisted. “I’m sorry I hit you, but I really really need you to pay attention!”

There was a soft crunching of gravel as Hotaru's taxi pulled up to the home she hadn't seen since leaving for school. She paid the driver and stepped out of the backseat, starting intently at the facade of the mansion that had been her home since being reborn.

"Are you taking your bag, miss?" the driver asked. Hotaru was silent for a few moments before realizing the driver had spoken to her.

"Oh. Yes," she replied quietly, reaching for her travel suitcase.

"Have a nice day," the driver said briskly through the passenger window before driving away. Hotaru did not reply but instead resumed staring at the large expanse of the house. During the drive, she had tried to make conversation with Hotaru, but Hotaru had been lost in thought from the strange feeling of ...wrongness... that had crept up on the train. She hadn't felt anything like this since the threat of Nehelenia had begun her re-aging. 


A very strong gust of wind pulled her out of her reverie and it occured to her to actually enter the house, though it looked like no one was home. Hotaru walked up to the front door and found the key Haruka-Papa had hidden for such a reason. 

After closing the door behind her, Hotaru set her bag down in the middle of the entry, rushing to the back windows in order to stare out at the beautiful sea view she had missed so much. She had always taken comfort in the sea, as it reminded her of Michiru-Mama. And there she sat, drinking in the shining expanse of the sea, enveloped by the warm feeling of home that she had not realized she had missed until this moment.

The engine of her beloved car hummed softly as Haruka drove home from a hard day's work. She had spent the duration of the day testing different cars, making sure her own race car was spruced up to perfection, and writing reports on problems she encountered with other engines and things of the like. It was, of course, practice day, which mean all preparation for the upcoming race were to be finalized by the end. Haruka was glad her car was still in top condition and needed little adjustments.

As she braked for a red light, Haruka's mind wandered over who would be waiting for her when she got home. The thought of having both Michiru and Hotaru there for the first time in months was refreshing and exciting. All three of them had built futures that satisfied their wants and desires, but with them came little time for relaxation. But finally they were all free at the same time.

The light turned green, but for some reason Haruka didn't accelerate. The wind came to a complete halt, and everything seemed...empty. And suddenly, just as soon as it had appeared, the strange disturbance faded, and all was normal.

Haruka shook her head, glad to feel the wind in her hair once again. There was a honk from the car behind her, and Haruka spun. "IT'S CALLED PATIENCE, LADY!" she shouted, shaking her fist at the woman behind her. Sitting back down, Haruka slammed on the gas pedal and sped forward, leaving the older woman in her dust. Laughing, the blonde racer turned the radio up all the way, bobbing her head rhythmically as she neared her home. 

After pulling into the garage and sadly turning off the radio, Haruka exited her favorite car and entered the huge mansion she called home. Her shoes left dusty tracks on the floor that she knew she would have to clean before Michiru saw, but at the moment Haruka was just too excited to see her soul mate and daughter. "Michiru!" she called, her loud voice bouncing off of the wood floors. There was no response - only silence. "Michiru!" she shouted again.

'Of course,' Haruka thought. 'She's swimming.' 

Haruka headed towards the back and was surprised to find Hotaru standing there. "Hotaru!" she exclaiming, rushing to envelop her adopted child in a hug. Haruka's blue eyes wandered to the windows, and she suddenly became very entranced by the rolling clouds. "It's a nice day out, isn't it?" she said, pulling back and smiling. "Anyway, it's good to see you. Where's Michiru? Want some coffee or something?" 

Smiling, Haruka headed into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee, assuming that Hotaru would follow.