Eternal Bonds, part 4

Chapter Sixteen

Venus unconsciously gripped Kunzite's arm in a death-grip as the other Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen were suddenly attacked by the Youma below. "Oh god!" she cried out.

Kunzite reached up and covered her hand with his own, pale eyes furious. "We should go now" he said angrily.

"Mercury said to wait for her signal" Zoisite murmured, a hand gripping the hilt of his sword until his knuckles were white.

"I don't like this. I don't like this" Jadeite murmured uneasily, feeling something was going to go wrong.

Nephlyte stepped up onto the ledge of the building and stared down hard as the Youma blasted the four below with a shocking display of power. Tuxedo Kamen and the Senshi were suddenly slammed into a building with bone-breaking force.

"That's it!" Zoisite roared in fury, taking a few steps forward and hurling himself from the building. Jadeite and Nephlyte were mere seconds behind him.

"Zoisite! Jadeite! Nephlyte" Venus cried out in shock, ripping her hand from Kunzite's and rushing to the edge. They were going to kill themselves!

"It's alright, we have powers too, remember, love?" Kunzite murmured. He turned his eyes towards Venus and smiled at her warmly. "Wait here for me?" Then without waiting for an answer, he too hurled himself from the top of the building.

"Not likely!" Venus shouted in fury, throwing herself after him without a second thought. Her family was in danger!

Serenity's eyes abruptly snapped open and she groaned aloud in agony, face twisted with it. "They are hurt badly! I must go!" she cried out, leaping to her feet. The vision above them disappeared, filling them all with fear. Something terrible had happened. The last thing they had seen were the Senshi slamming into the building.

"Serenity, wait-!" Seline shouted, reaching for her daughter. But her fingers grasped at air as it pulsated about her and she was forcibly hurled back onto her backside.

But Princess Serenity was already blazing brightly, drawing on the Crystal's power. It consumed her and then she was suddenly gone.

"Usagi! Come back!" Setsuna yelled, red eyes wide in terror. "I can't see the future!"

"Stop her!" Ikuko shouted at Setsuna and Seline. "You have to help her!"

"I have to go" Setsuna murmured to herself, eyes terrible. She made a grasping motion with her hand and a Heshin wand fell into it. "Pluto Power, Makeup!" she shouted. Her form was consumed with dark green and red power and when it faded, the Senshi of Time stood there.

Seline jumped to her feet, almost stumbling over her own hair in her haste. "Take me with you, Pluto!" she pleaded, reaching for the Senshi.

Pluto looked at her Queen sadly, but her mouth was firmed in determination. "I cannot, my Queen" she said regretfully, before summoning her Time-staff and disappearing abruptly.

"PLUTO! SERENITY!" Seline screamed, hands flying to her face to claw at it in terror.

Ikuko was on her feet in seconds, ripping the girl's hands from her skin before she could harm herself. "Seline" she said fearfully, wrapping the girl in her arms. "Stop it"

"Serenity is going to die" Seline murmured brokenly. "I felt their agony. She will use the Silver Crystal and it will take her life"

"Oh god" Everyone whispered in horror, suddenly understanding the terrible look on Pluto's face and Seline's reaction.

"And I can do nothing" Seline went on, silver eyes dulling. "Nothing at all"

Mercury was about to pass out when a bright blaze of silver power exploded right behind her and the Moon Princess stepped out of it, eyes wild. "Serenity!" The blue-haired Senshi moaned in relief, finally giving into the darkness.

Serenity almost screamed when she saw Mercury faint onto her face. Mars lay on her side, a puddle of blood under her face. "Mars!" Tuxedo Kamen was laying on his back, face pale and a trickle of blood leaking from the corner of his lips. "Endymion!" she shouted in horror, racing over, long hair flying behind her. She collapsed beside her love and tentatively reached out with her bond. it was there, but faint. The same was with Mars, Mercury's bond being slightly stronger. "Oh gods" she whispered, feeling faint. They were badly hurt and she didn't know if she had the power to save them all. "This cannot be"

Her face crumpled, then hardened in determination. She would save them, even if it meant her death. She remembered her Mother's lesson's from the Moon Kingdom regarding the Silver Crystal. Using too much of it's power would kill the user. "I must" she said sadly, reaching out to stroke Tuxedo Kamen's face tenderly. "Goodbye Endymion" she leant over and kissed him lovingly. "I love you with all my heart..."

The Moon Princess sat up straight, her silver eyes blanking. Blood seeped up the skirt of her silken dress, but she ignored it. Her hand opened and the Silver Crystal silently floated into the air. It began to glow and her head was suddenly full of that familiar murmuring. Her mind was filled with power. Bright pure power that seemed to go on forever. ["Help me"] she spoke to it mentally, drawing the purity into her body.

"Zoisite!" Someone roared from above her. Her green eyes widened and she felt the hairs on the back on her neck prickle at the familiar-sounding voice. She spun about looked upwards. There, flying down at her with incredible speed was...herself! A MALE Zoisite! She gaped. "What the HELL?!" she shouted in disbelief.

"You DIE!" The man roared at her, drawing his sword mid-air, body exploding into bright blue flame.

Zoisite's heart stopped when she looked into his eyes and saw death there. Who was he! He-looked like HER! Her body began to glow bright pink in response as she readied herself. Whoever he was, he wanted her death, that much was clear.

Before the male Zoisite could reach her, the Youma suddenly turned around and opened it's mouth, letting loose a huge gust of air.

Zoisite's eyes widened in surprise as his target was suddenly taken from him and a huge gust of warm air slammed into his body. His aura expanded as he drew on the Crystal within him.

Nephlyte and Jadeite arrived moments later, the wind slamming into them also and hurling them upwards. Their power's flared in bright green and red and their accent halted.

Kunzite's eyes narrowed as he saw what was happening. He drew his power about him in a golden cloak and fought the wind that slammed into him. "You will NOT!" he shouted in fury, clawing at the air. The Youma was powerful!

Zoisite faltered as she looked up and saw Kunzite. "My love!" she gasped out, shocked. Was he fighting with the Senshi now! NO! It couldn't be! "Kunzite!" she screamed out as the wind buffeted him. He looked different. Her eyes flittered to the other three men and her eyes widened in something like recognition. Something deep within her remembered something. A flash of memory consumed her mind...

Beginning Of Flashback

"You will destroy the Moon Kingdom!" Queen Beryl snarled at them. "I created you to destroy all that light!"

The four General's bowed before her. They were not sure of much more than that they were the four General's of the Dark Kingdom and served Queen Beryl. But in the back of their minds they remembered another life. A life on Earth, where they served another ruler. They had been Guardians of...someone.

"Go now, clones!" The insane Queen shrieked, pointing her long clawed fingers at them.

CLONES! They were clones. Zoisite's heart twisted in her chest. A flash of memory came to her mind. ["Aren't the flowers beautiful today, Zoisite?"] A laughing girl called to her, her short blue hair moving in the wind"]

End Of Flashback

"Clones" Zoisite murmured, her heart clenching in remembrance. Her eyes focused on the men above, realization in their depths. Then these...were the originals. The one's who were the real Guardians of the Earth. "No" she whispered, tears filling her eyes for the first time that she could ever remember. She was filled with anguish. Endymion. She remembered Endymion. And...Mercury. "My love" she murmured, turning her head towards the building that the blue-haired Senshi had smashed into. She was in their, horribly hurt and it was HER fault! "What have I done?

"Enough!" Zoisite screamed at the Youma, abruptly blasting her minion with her dark energy.

The Youma gaped and gave off a last burst off breath before she was flung backwards several yards and ironically smashed into the same building that the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen had.

Venus had followed close behind her fiancée and the other General's and she saw little as she pulled in the power of her planet to support her plummeting form. She had not thought before leaping after them and now had no idea how she was going to stop. "Kunzite!" she called in panic, glowing golden. It might help the impact a little...but she was falling like a stone!

Kunzite was being buffeted wildly by the wild from the Youma, form glowing brightly golden also. But when he heard Venus call out and the tone of her voice, he spun around in panic. She was falling! "Venus!" he shouted, using the force of the Youma's wind to propel him upwards.

But suddenly, the wind increased, then stopped completely.

Venus's eyes widened in horror as the wind changed direction and slammed fully into her. She was tossed like a rag-doll, everything spinning wildly around her. She couldn't see...Abruptly, she slammed into something and agony exploded through her body. Then their was darkness. ["I'm dying..."] she thought in shock, mind reaching for Kunzite's. ["I love you"] she thought to him, suddenly recalling how much she had loved him in the Silver Millennium. A spurt of overwhelming love filled her-then there was nothing.

["I love you"] Venus' warm voice filled Kunzite's mind, even as he hurled himself at the building that she had smashed into. Her mind caressed his...and then was gone forever. "NO! VENUS!" he howled in anguish. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Kunzite flew into the huge hole that Venus' body had created and he saw nothing but dust at first. But then he saw the huge damage and saw that her body had smashed literally through dozens of walls before stopping. He ripped his way through the rubble with his bare hands, not caring that his hands were bloody. She was laying under the rubble of a wall, deathly still. Her face was crushed beyond recognition, her body twisted grotesquely. "Venus" he sobbed, half-reaching out a hand to her. "My love"

He threw himself to his knees and lifted her broken body into his arms, holding her matted and bloody hair to his mouth. She was dead. DEAD!

"Arrgggh!" A roar of rage came from above her and she looked up in time to see the male version of her flying at her again, eyes blazing hatred. "You DIE!" he snarled at her, sword flying out in a smooth arc as he reached her, his aura as bright as the sun.

All Zoisite saw was his eyes. Her eyes. And then a glint from the deadly blade as it swung down towards her. "Forgive me" she whispered.

Zoisite's sword swung true, as he reached the woman who was his double. There was a bright splatter of blood as the sword sliced through her neck cleanly. The last thing he saw was her eyes. They were terrible. Filled with horror and regret. But it was too late... "Forgive me" he murmured, repeating her words. His booted feet landed on the ground and his aura faded as he looked at her frozen body. Moment's later, the woman toppled over and her head rolled free, staring up at the sky blankly. She had stopped the Youma. Why?

"Nice move!" Jadeite called as he landed easily beside his silent friend. Nephlyte landed behind him and the three stared at the body for a long moment.

"Who was she?" Nephlyte murmured. "I mean, who was she really?"

"I don't know, but I intend to find out" Zoisite said icily, feeling regret spiral through him. He had essentially killed himself. This woman was a version of himself, but worked for the Dark Kingdom. But her eyes...

"Why did she stop the Youma?" Jadeite demanded, spinning and racing off towards the building that held his love. Nephlyte was right behind him.

"Where is Kunzite?" Zoisite suddenly shouted, looking above him. He was nowhere to be seen! "Kunzite!"

"NO! VENUS!" The heartbroken howl came from Zoisite's left and his head swung that way. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

First he saw the building they had leapt from. About three flights up, there was a huge hole as if from a crater. A few moments later, Kunzite stood there, face shattered and Sailor Venus hanging lifeless from his arms. "Oh no" he whispered. She was...dead.

From within the building that Nephlyte and Jadeite were approaching came a disbelieving, anguished scream from Princess Serenity. It reverberated around the surrounding buildings, echoed seconds later from Kunzite.

"VENUS! NOOOOOOOOOO"

Chapter Seventeen

It was too much! TOO MUCH! Serenity felt the great shuddering sobs go through her slender frame, but there was nothing that she could do to stop them. Tuxedo Kamen, Mercury and Mars were lying there, close to death perhaps and now she had felt her newest Guardian die. "Oh, Venus" she whispered, hiding her face in her hands. If only she had KNOWN! Each of her Senshi were dying at a battle-but much too rapidly to be a coincidence. It was destiny killing them and though she knew that she had brought Mars and Mercury back from death, how could she save them ALL now? Bringing her Senshi back to life one by one was mentally and physically exhausting, but she knew there was absolutely no way that she could bring back Venus and save the lives of her Prince and sisters. "Oh, please no. Do not DO this to me!" she shouted in anguish. She heard steps rushing towards her and lifted her face, turning her head to see Zoisite, Jadeite and Nephlyte running into the building.

"Princess Serenity!" Jadeite gasped upon seeing the silver-haired girl there. She was kneeling beside Tuxedo Kamen, face tear-streaked and white dress bloodied. His eyes went swiftly to his Prince and he was torn for a moment, before love gave in and he ran to Mars' side.

Nephlyte took in the situation in seconds and was also torn between duty and love. But then he similarly ran to Jupiter's side, lifting her carefully into his arms and cradling her whilst he took in her injuries.

Zoisite stopped beside the Princess for a moment, looking into her despairing face and knowing the reason. He looked down at his Prince, torn between going to Mercury and checking to see if Endymion was alive. "Is he dead, Princess?" he whispered, not knowing why his voice was so hushed. Perhaps he was afraid that he would make the Princess' already-devastated soul even more so. As he waited for her answer, he knelt by Mercury's side and brushed the bloody hair from her closed eyes. She was injured badly!

"I-I cannot do anything!" Serenity said, voice hopeless. "I cannot possibly heal them all and bring Venus back to life and keep my own" she looked at the ground and noticed the Silver Crystal there, where she placed it and forgotten it. Despite laying in a pool of blood, when she picked it up, the Silver Crystal was untainted.

"Princess" Jadeite's head jerked up as he heard her words. The look on Serenity's face told him what he needed to know. He and the others had already learned that the Moon Princess had brought Mercury and Mars back to life using the Silver Crystal-and now she was going to give her life for the one's she loved.

"Please" Serenity murmured, head bowed so that her slender neck was vulnerable. "Please take care of Endymion and my sisters"

"Princess" Kunzite said, voice dead. The four turned to see him walking into the devastated foyer, a lifeless Venus in his arms. "Princess Serenity-you have to bring her back" he continued, stopping right in front on her. He carefully lowered his burden to the floor before her, long golden hair fanning around her. She looked as if she were asleep...but her body was horribly mangled. Bone was showing in several places, blood covering almost even inch of her fuku and skin. Kunzite lifted emotionless eyes and surveyed the bodies of the others. His mouth opened, but nothing came out for a moment. "Endymion. Mars. Mercury. Jupiter" he managed through a tight throat. His eyes closed for a long moment, knowing what it meant as well as the others. "Please" he said, looking back to Princess Serenity with desperate eyes.

"Kunzite! How can you ask that of her?" Jadeite growled furiously. "You want the Princess to exchange her life for Venus'?"

"I want her BACK!" Kunzite howled in anguish, a man who had lost a piece of his very soul.

The others fell silent, moved by Kunzite's words and emotion. He had lost the very thing he lived for and only the Moon Princess could give it back.

Serenity swallowed around the lump in her throat, fighting tears. She would give her life for Venus then. She could not live if she had let one of her sisters die, when she could have brought her back. "I will do it" she said quietly, reaching up to brush the tears from her eyes.

"No!" Zoisite said urgently, his fists clenched. "You are the Moon Princess! The only heir to the power of the Silver Crystal. The Senshi knew that they could die in their duty"

"Mercury is not DEAD! Venus IS and needs the Silver Crystal more" Kunzite roared at him, fury filling him. "I don't care what it takes to have her back!"

"You're not thinking straight, Kunzite" Nephlyte said quietly, raising his green eyes to his friend's. "Zoisite is correct"

"The Moon Princess is the most important being alive" Jadeite murmured, tenderly touching Mars's face with the back of his hand. "If she dies, then we all will. It would not be long before the Dark Kingdom destroyed us all"

"I said that I will do it!" Serenity exploded, hands clenched into fists. "My life does not matter!"

"If-if you do it, I will follow you" Tuxedo Kamen said, voice so faint it was almost not heard at all. His blue eyes opened and looked up at Serenity's beautiful face. "I will follow you into death, Serenity!" he said in a stronger voice.

Serenity wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and buried her face into his shoulder. He was dead serious! ["Please do not speak that way"] she whispered mentally, mind caressing his.

Tuxedo Kamen's form shimmered and his tuxedo was replaced by armor. ["I mean it"] Endymion told her, a hand coming up to rest upon one of the arms about his neck.

The Princess stared down at him with tearful eyes, face twisted in grief and uncertainty. She unwound her arms from his neck and reached up a shaking hand to wipe the trickle of blood from his chin and mouth, wiping it onto her already-soiled dress. "Endymion" she breathed, suddenly noticing that his eyes seemed clearer and less pain-filled. Could it be that in his true form, the earth was lending him power?

["I think that it is"] Endymion murmured mentally, reaching up to take one of her hands into his. He wasn't able to grip very tightly and he suspected that something inside him had burst. He looked around, blue eyes widening when he noticed the presence of his General's...and Venus' body. "Oh god!" he gasped, sinking back into Serenity's arms weakly. ["Venus is dead?"]

"Yes. She is dead" The silver-haired girl murmured, a tear falling down her smooth cheek. "And Mercury and Mars and yourself are injured greatly"

"So that's what you meant about dying. I didn't hear all of your conversation" he admitted. His eyes flew to hers, narrowing harshly. "But I mean everything that I said, Serenity. If you die, I die also"

"Do not be stupid!" Serenity cried out in distress. "It is my duty to use the Silver Crystal-"

"To bring Venus back, yes. But NOT to loose your life healing the rest of us!" He almost roared back at her. Then he paled and slumped back unconscious.

"Endymion!" she cried out, bending over his still-form.

Jadeite carefully placed Mars on the ground and crawled over to the frightened Moon Princess, laying his gloved fingers on Endymion's neck to feel for a pulse. "He just fainted" he reported, face pale also. His lips pressed into a grim line and he cast a speaking look at his fellow General's. "I have an idea Princess, but it's a long-shot, since we've only used it to aid Endymion in the past"

"What is it?" Serenity's silver eyes filled with hope. She brushed the bangs from her eyes and regarded Jadeite and then the others.

"The power of the Golden Crystal" Jadeite replied, frowning heavily. "There is a piece of it inside the four of us-and one inside one...other. We've used the Crystals to heal Endymion before, but we frankly have no idea whether we can use the powers on the Senshi, since they are part of the Moon Kingdom"

Silver eyes widened, then became perplexed. "But, why should that matter?" she murmured, trying to think of the reason. But then she understood and her expression became rather dull. "I see. It is because they are under the protection of the Silver Crystal" her eyes began to glow faintly silver, startling the General's. Inside her mind, a million voices spoke all at once, seeming close, but faint. She could not understand what they were saying, but a knowledge entered her mind and she absorbed it thoughtfully. "The Senshi's powers come from the Silver Crystal, which is infused with the power of their gods'. You may not be able to aid them, because the power of the Golden Crystal may fight against the Silver Crystal. Or, perhaps the Golden Crystal will not work upon those who are not Terran" she said suddenly.

The Generals gaped at her in shock.

"WHAT?! Kunzite shouted, eyes blazing. "Are you sure of this, Princess?" he demanded.

"Where did that come from?" Zoisite said, frankly amazed.

"That is not what you referred to?" Serenity said uncertainly, looking around at them. She sighed deeply. Once again, the Silver Crystal had given her knowledge from itself that was not known to anyone else. ["I wonder if mother knows of this. Or at least, Pluto"] she thought silently, smoothing a hand over the breast-plate of Endymion's armor.

"No, it isn't" Jadeite said, still stunned at what had been revealed. The very GODS had leant their power to the Silver Crystal? Then it was no surprise that it was the most powerful object in existence. "I was referring to the actual power of the Golden Crystal, which is Endymion's birthright. It is keyed to him, but because we have been Guardian's since birth, we are able to use ourselves"

Sailor Mars began to moan and come around, prompting them to action.

"There must be a way to heal them all" Serenity murmured, feeling lost. What could she do? She would not survive bringing back Venus and healing the others, but Endymion had sworn that he would follow her into death! "I will bring back Venus" she whispered, making the decision. Her sisters and Prince were critically-injured, but she could not let Venus die permanently. It was probably a foolish decision on her part, but something inside her practically SCREAMED that Venus was meant to come back to life using the Crystal. For all she knew, it was the Silver Crystal itself forcing her hand. It wanted Venus alive and she had to do as it willed. "I will bring Venus back, but you must heal Endymion and then we will see what can be done for the others" she said.

"Thank you, Princess!" Kunzite breathed fervently, relief filling him. He wanted her back so badly. To see her beautiful smile. To hear her laugh. To kiss her and have her return the kiss. This pale broken doll was not his love.

Jadeite, Nephlyte and Zoisite reluctantly left their loves and settled around Endymion as the Moon Princess rose and stepped gracefully over to Venus.

Kunzite watched as she sat at Venus' head, her eyes closed. Even covered in blood, the beautiful Moon Princess seemed unearthly. He clenched his fists, swearing that if Serenity could not bring back his love, then he would throw himself onto his own sword. He had a duty to Endymion...but how could he live when he would only be the husk of a man he once was? When a part of his soul had died? "Silver Crystal, please bring her back to me" he whispered. Serenity's eyes opened briefly and looked directly into his in a searching manner, swirls of power already seething through the silver depths. Strangely, Kunzite had a feeling that it was not only HER staring at him in that way and he shivered.

Princess Serenity felt the power filling her body from her right hand, which still clutched the Silver Crystal. Her palm opened and she watched as the Crystal floated before her face, pulsing. ["Silver Crystal. Help me to bring my sister back to life"] she asked it silently. It pulsed brightly, then floated over Venus' body until it rested directly over her heart. A million voices filled Serenity's mind and she was abruptly overwhelmed by it all. Her head fell back so that she was staring blankly up at the ceiling of the building and then her body exploded into bright silver fire.

Kunzite cursed and shielded his eyes from the light, unable to see the Princess any more. He reached out and took Venus's still-warm hand in his own and prayed.

Nephlyte, Zoisite and Jadeite watched, utterly stunned at the display of raw power from the Princess and the Silver Crystal. Their hands held frozen over Endymion's form.

"GOD!" Jadeite swore, eyes shocked. So much power the Princess held in her hands. He had never witnessed the like! He ripped his eyes from her and focused on the other two. "Enough gawking Gentleman" he said coolly. "We have a job to do"

"Right" Zoisite and Nephlyte murmured, nodding in agreement. When they had healed their Prince, their loves could be healed also. But, like it or not, they had a solemn duty to their Prince FIRST.

The three closed their eyes and called upon the power of the Crystals inside them, concentrating on their Prince. All three began to glow brightly and then the red, green and blue glows flew from them and clashed together over Endymion's heart, then became one golden glow. The globe of light seeped silently into Endymion's body. The General's eyes snapped open when they felt the power leave them and they watched in amazement as Endymion's wounds healed before their eyes. Even the blood disappeared from his skin and his face became peaceful.

Zoisite slumped back, exhausted. "Done!" he said.

"We've never healed him when he was injured this badly" Jadeite nodded, a smile curving his lips momentarily.

"Indeed" Nephlyte said dryly. "I think the power of the Crystals has been hiding itself"

"It SEEMS that way, yes" Jadeite murmured, frowning. He turned to look at Mars, urgency filling him once more. "And now-"

The room exploded into silver light, utterly blinding them all. They couldn't see or hear and it seemed for a moment as if they were in an airless void.

Serenity concentrated her whole being on Venus, calling out for the soul that had left her sister's body. ["Venus. Come back to me, Venus"] she thought over and over, reaching. She frowned as something seemed to be fighting it's way into her consciousness, entering her mind at the same time as her will to bring back her dead friend. It was distracting her and she felt a surge of panic as she lost her concentration, body breaking into a light sweat. It was the Crystal! The Silver Crystal was trying to show her something! ["Not now! Not now!"] Serenity called mentally, reaching for Venus' soul. She surged past the vision fighting to have supremacy inside her mind and grasped Venus' soul. Her body seemed suddenly on fire and it exploded out of her in every direction, unable to be contained. And as it did so, the visions hit her hard, overwhelming her consciousness. She saw Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury older, racing with her through the garden's of the Moon Palace. She saw herself as a child, standing at her mother's side as she lay a pure silver rose on the tomb of her husband. And she saw...a little pink-haired girl, staring up at her trustingly, hand tightly in hers as they walked.

Kunzite could only gasp as the room exploded into silver light and then all his senses were gone. The power seemed to go through him and seemed to last for minutes. And when it abruptly faded, he was staring down into Venus' peaceful face. He swiftly looked down at her body and almost collapsed from sheer relief as he saw that she had been restored to her former beauty-and her chest was rising and falling to a heartbeat! "VENUS!" he cried, leaning over her.

["Please don't shout. I have the headache the size of mount Fuji!"] a weak voice responded.

"Venus!" Serenity gasped, falling forward as the strength left her. She barely caught herself in time and rested on her arms, face almost touching her friend's. Her silver eyes met golden one's as Venus' eyes opened and gazed into hers with love. "Gods!" The Moon Princess breathed, realizing something. The face she was looking into was OLDER! Venus now looked 16 years old!

["Thank you!"] The golden-haired Senshi said, tears filling her eyes. She suddenly caught onto Serenity's amazed look and her mind clung to the Moon Princess'. ["What's WRONG?!"] she demanded mentally.

["You look to be 16"] Serenity whispered back, mind caressing Venus'. Her head fell forward more as her energy began to leave her and she felt her silver hair pooling around them both. Her head hurt badly and she knew that both of them would be looking for some headache tablets when they got home.

["You look 16!"] Kunzite shouted, suddenly realizing it was true. Until Venus had mentioned it, he had been too happy to have her alive again to notice.

["This will take some getting used to!"] Venus thought, raising a hand to stare at it. Yes, it was larger and more slender. Not the hand of a fourteen year old! "Wow" she breathed.

"I am sure we have something at home for your headache" Serenity said, smiling weakly. Her arms had begun to shake under the strain and she was seeing black things in her vision. ["I do not think...that I feel very well"]

["Serenity!"] Endymion bolted upright, eyes flying open as he sensed how drained his love was. He barely spared his exhausted General's a glance as he leapt up and rushed to his Princess' side. Falling to the ground next to her, he swept her into his arms.

["Endymion!"] she cried in relief. Moments later, Serenity's form shimmered and she became Usagi. "I couldn't...hold...it" she said weakly, words tumbling over themselves. She was utterly exhausted and much more so than when she had brought the others back from death. Something was different this time.

Venus watched in bemusement as Serenity was held in Endymion's arms and then suddenly, her arms were taken in a strong grip and everything spun for a moment. When her vision righted itself, she found herself in Kunzite's arms, tightly pressed into his chest, his face buried in her hair. ["Hey, this is sort of nice"] she thought, still out of it. Dying did that to you.

["Then I'll do it often"] Kunzite replied mentally, not aware of what he was doing.

["I think that would be wonderful"] Venus sighed, burying her face into his chest.

["What would be nice?"] Usagi asked Venus, relieved to hear her thoughts. It meant that the bond had been successful.

Moments later, the truth hit her, Venus and Kunzite. The three gaped at each other in shock.

"Oh my god!" Usagi gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. She looked from Venus to Kunzite and then back to the golden-haired girl again in complete shock. "You're BONDED!"

"Who is?" Jupiter's voice demanded.

Usagi and Venus looked that way and they almost had a heart attack!

Mercury, Jupiter and Mars were sitting up, looking rather disoriented-and they were OLDER! All three now looked as old as Venus appeared.

It was all too much for Usagi and seconds later, her silver eyes rolled up into her head and she fell backward into Endymion's arms in dead faint.

Chapter Eighteen

"You're healed!" Nephlyte shouted, rushing towards Jupiter. He crashed into her, forcing them back a few feet, his arms around her waist.

"Er-" Jupiter said, looking stunned. Her green eyes were wide as she stared over his shoulder to an unconscious Usagi wrapped in Endymion's arms. "I'm alright" she said finally in a soft voice, putting her arms awkwardly around Nephlyte's back. "Is Usagi okay?" she asked Endymion in a hushed tone.

"Mars!" Jaedite shouted, running to his love's side and sweeping her into his arms. Before she could object, he pressed his lips to hers and gave her a thorough kissing.

Mercury turned wide eyes on Zoisite, who was approaching her with more decorum, his eyes locking on hers. In their depths, she could see fading fear and relief there. He stopped right in front of her and reached out to touch a lock of blue hair at her temple. "Are you okay?" he said gently.

"I'm okay" she confirmed, smiling slightly. A second later, she was being taken into his arms and held tightly.

"She just fainted, Jupiter" Endymion said, a frown between his eyes. He wasn't entirely sure that his assessment was correct. He reached up and carefully placed a gloved finger over the silver-haired girl's neck, feeling for a pulse. "Her pulse is a little slow, but she seems unharmed. I think she's just unconscious" he confirmed with relief.

["Wow, am I glad to be alive!"] Venus said in relief, glad that everything had worked out. She frowned, remembering the battle. "Hey, what happened to Zoisite?"

Zoisite turned his head to give the golden-haired girl a perplexed look. "I'm right here, Venus" he eyed her as if she'd lost her marbles.

Venus rolled her golden eyes, hands on hips. "No! Not YOU! Girl-Zoisite!" she clarified in exasperation. ["Yeesh! This is going to be weird with two Zoisite's!"]

["You don't have to worry about that"] Kunzite replied shortly, faint sadness in his pale eyes.

"She's dead" Nephlyte said suddenly, stepping back from Jupiter as if embarrassed by his un-manly display of relief.

Jupiter blushed and fiddled with a lock of her green hair, looking anywhere but at the handsome General who was her past-live's fiancée.

"She's DEAD?!" Mars yelped in complete shock, ripping herself away from Jadeite's skillful lips. She glared at him balefully, then looked around in bewilderment. "How did that happen?"

"I killed her" Zoisite said quietly, eyes hardening. In his arms, Mercury blinked in shock and looked up into the face of the man standing before her. "She HURT you, Mercury, by sending that Youma against you. She had to die"

Mercury stared at him mutely. ["He-killed for me?"] she said faintly, eyes wide.

["I guess he did"] Mars said, just as shocked. These men were ruthless when it came to those that they loved. She looked at Jaedite warily. What would happen if she ever got on his bad side?

"Is the Youma dead too?" Jupiter demanded, remembering the creature that had injured them so badly in the first place. If everyone was there, then the Youma had to be dead, right? The General's wouldn't have left it...

"That THING is dead, also" Zoisite said with distaste.

Jaedite grinned down at the woman in his arms, VERY impressed with her new age. He put his face in close to hers till their noses were touching. "You're the age of consent now, darling" he purred at her in satisfaction.

"Oh, no!" Mars thrust her hands against his chest, but he wouldn't budge and he wouldn't let her go! "I'm still 14 inside, buster!"

"Actually, you're technically 1,014" Mercury said impishly, enjoying the show.

"NOT HELPING!" Mars yelped, shoving herself from Jadeite's arms. She got a foot away when his arms came about her again, shoving them back another foot or two. Pain hit her and she gasped. "Bond! THE BOND!" she shouted, throwing herself forward. ["Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"] She over-estimated in her panic and she and Jaedite suddenly found themselves falling. "Arrgghh!" They hit the ground, to everyone's amusement, with Mars plastered to Jaedite.

["You two end up of top of each other as often as Usagi and Mamoru do!"] Mercury commented mischievously.

["Yeah, they do"] Venus agreed.

["Who is 'they' and what do they 'do'?"] Kunzite said, perplexed.

["Er...never-mind, Kunzite"] The golden-haired Senshi muttered, snickering under her breath.

Kunzite raised a brow, but said nothing.

Jaedite had taken the brunt of the fall, Mars landing on top of him. "WELL now" he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "This is MUCH nicer, thank you, Mars" he teased, hands going to her hips to keep her there, pressed intimately into every inch of him.

"Hey!" she yelped, wiggling.

"Please don't wiggle, love" he groaned back, head thunking on the hard ground.

"Could you two do that in private?" Jupiter said dryly.

"Private?! How can they do it in private when they're mentally-chained to us?" Mercury said incredulously, crossing her arms. ["I mean, really!]

"We're leaving" Endymion said with a faint smile. He rose to his feet lithely, with his precious burden in his arms. He needed Seline to take a look at her and tell him if it was normal to faint after using the Crystal.

"Right!" Mars leapt up and walked over to Endymion.

Everyone followed the two and the unconscious Princess from the devastated building. At the curb was a huge crowd, being held back by the police.

"Is everything okay?" A policeman called out, concerned when he saw an unconscious girl being held in the arms of a man in full battle armor. Of course, he was with the Sailor Senshi and some other guys in weird Uniforms, so it had to be okay.

"We're fine!" Jupiter called out, waving to everyone.

The crowd went wild, trying to get past the police barricade.

"Time to go!" Jaedite said.

They all swiftly ran off, staying close so that the bond would not harm them. As the buildings became smaller, they took to the roof-tops, loosing any fans or reporters that might have followed them.

Kunzite, remembering that he was now bonded to Venus swiftly scooped her up in his arms as they ran, grinning down at her startled expression. "We're bonded now" he said wickedly, giving her forehead a quick kiss.

Venus flushed brightly, but lay her head on his shoulder anyway. ["This is embarrassing, but sort of nice"] she thought contentedly, completely forgetting the mental bond.

["I'm glad that you find it so"] he said silkily, not looking down at her.

["Awwww!"] Mars and Mercury cooed, having heard Venus' comment.

["Cut it out!"] the Golden-haired Senshi yelped.

["What did they say?"] Kunzite said curiously, feeling strange to be involved in a four-sided conversation.

["Nothing!"] Venus replied hastily, blush brightening.

["Nothing, what?"] Mercury said curiously.

["Yeah, what did he say?"] Mars demanded, looking over her shoulder at the two as they ran across a roof.

["HE said, what did YOU say"] The Senshi of love was rapidly becoming dizzy from all the conversations going on in her head and having to bat them back and forth like a ball on a court.

Endymion leapt down from the building and continued to run swiftly through the streets, which opened onto the more expensive side of Juuban, where he had bought the house. He had a feeling that there were several mental conversations going on around him, from all the groans of exasperation from Venus, but because he was the Prince and not Mamoru, he was not bonded to them.

["Mmm, Mamo-Chan?"] Usagi's eyes fluttered as she started to come around, but then she fainted again from exhaustion.

["Yes, Serenity?"] he looked down in relief, only to see that she had lapsed into unconsciousness again. Endymion's arms tightened around Usagi, his blue eyes darkening. He really hoped that she was only exhausted and not permanently damaged from the over-use of the Silver Crystal.

A few minutes later, they were all leaping easily over the gate of the mansion and heading for the front door. As they got there, the double doors opened and the occupants spilled out, shouting questions.

"Is she okay?" Ikuko said, horrified as she saw her daughter laying limply in Endymion's arms.

"What happened?" Marie demanded, eyes going to her daughter. "Ami!" she gasped when she saw how aged her daughter was.

"MY POOR BABY!" Kenji wailed.

["God, he acts like Usagi sometimes!"] Mercury said, gaping at the grown man, wringing his hands.

"Serenity!" Luna yowled in fear.

"She's okay!" Venus said, trying to get a word in.

"You're back!" Yuuchiro said with relief, eyes going to Mars. His eyes bugged out when he saw her. "WHOA! Dude, you're OLDER!?"

"Calm down, Luna" Artemis soothed.

"Back off fur-ball!"

"Oh, Serenity!" Seline gasped, hands going to her mouth.

"How come you're Endymion instead of Tuxedo Kamen?" Shingo said, peering past his mom.

"Is anyone harmed?" Grandpa demanded, looking at Mars.

"We're fine, Grandpa" she replied, inching away from Jaedite, who had just happened to be right next to her. ["If he tries those octopus arms, I'm booting him to Mars!"]

Pluto stared at Usagi grimly, having an inkling what had happened. In her limp hand, she held the Silver Crystal, which shone as brightly as ever.

"ENOUGH!" Endymion sad icily, patience running out rapidly. He pushed past everyone and strode into the house.

Mars, Kunzite, Mercury and Venus hastily ran after him as the pain of separation began.

["Ow! Does it always hurt that much?"] Venus winced.

["I hope not"] Kunzite said, wincing also.

["Yeah, pretty much"] Mars responded, throwing a look over her shoulder. Everyone was stampeding after them, faces concerned.

They all convened in the lounge room, where Endymion had laid Usagi on a couch and was kneeling at her side, her hand in his.

"What happened?" Seline asked seriously, stopping beside Endymion and putting a comforting hand on his armored shoulder. Her daughter looked so very pale, but her heart was beating. She would have KNOWN if her daughter had died. They had the strongest bond of all-that of mother and daughter.

Luna jumped onto the couch and squeezed in between the back and Usagi's body, settling there to give her charge comfort. She looked into the silver-haired girl's face intently, noting the black smudges under her eyes. She also looked remarkably like a wax-doll! "What happened exactly?" she demanded, looking up at the Prince with angry eyes. If Serenity had been harmed due to their carelessness-!

"She used the Silver Crystal to bring Venus back to life" Endymion said, settling more comfortably onto the ground, legs crossed. The hilt of his sword tug into his ribs and he shifted it slightly.

"Oh, Serenity" Seline sighed, going to her knees beside the Prince, shoulder to shoulder. She frowned lightly, absently reaching out to touch the golden crescent moon on her daughter's forehead. "But she healed Mercury and Mars also and had no trouble with exhaustion" she went on, concerned. Perhaps the Silver Crystal had drained more of Serenity's will than before?

"It wasn't only that" Mars said, collapsing onto the couch across the table from Endymion and Usagi. There was a slightly pain from being that far from their Princess and Prince, but it was bearable. ["Doesn't the Dark Kingdom EVER let up?"] she demanded.

Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Kunzite squeezed in beside Mars, practically on top of each other.

Kunzite gave an annoyed exclamation and grabbed Venus about the waist, lifting her easily onto his lap. "Much better" he sighed feeling less-cramped. This bond was going to be a real pain, he could tell already! ["But I like it already"] he thought with a smile. Being this close in mind with his love was intoxicating and he didn't know how long he could keep his hands off of her!

Venus blushed beat-red as she got his thoughts loud and clear. ["Hentai, Kunzite!"] she blurted out to him mentally. She sat up ram-rod straight on his lap until Kunzite wrapped his arms about her waist and pulled her back until she was pressed against his chest firmly. ["This is embarrassing! I bet my cheeks are as red as a fire-engine!"] she thought, restraining the urge to wiggle around and get more comfortable. NO guy had ever been this forward with her and she didn't know what to do!

Mars and Mercury turned their heads to stare critically at Venus' red face and Kunzite craned around her form to stare also.

"Yep, you're real red" Mercury said, nodding. ["Exactly WHAT was Kunzite thinking that as so hentai?"] she added, afire with curiosity. This was like Mamoru and Usagi all over again!

"FIRE-ENGINE red!" Mars snickered in amusement, tossing her red hair over her shoulder. ["Yeah, I'D like to know that too!"]

"I like it" Kunzite murmured in amusement, sinking back into the couch with his fiancée tightly ensconced in his embrace. Her hair brushed his face and he nuzzled his face into it for a moment, content. ["I like it a LOT"] he whispered to her, NOT referring to her blushing.

"Hey!" Venus yelped, feeling his warm nose press into the back of her neck. If possible, her face went even BRIGHTER!

["WELL?!"] Mars and Mercury demanded, glaring at Venus.

"That's bad MANNERS to blurt something out like that and get us all interested and not explain it!" Mercury said darkly, crossing her arms and pouting.

"Restraint! Restraint!" Zoisite muttered from the side, standing there with the other two General's. Mercury was going to KILL him one day with those pouts of hers! Especially now that she looked exactly the same way that she did a thousand years ago. His love was now even more beautiful at 16 than she had been at 14. AND she was legal age now.

"I hear you" Jaedite muttered back, glaring at Mars, who was now ALSO pouting. He could hardly jump her? RIGHT? Even if she looked good enough to EAT now that she resembled her beautiful past-self down to a tee.

"What hentai thoughts?!" Jupiter demanded eagerly, looking from Venus to Kunzite with bright eyes.

"Private thoughts, Jupiter" Kunzite almost growled, tightening his hold around Venus possessively.

"Ooooh!" Mars, Mercury and Jupiter breathed.

["Arrggggh!"] Venus waved her arms around frantically. "No, no! They weren't THAT hentai!" she protested, biting her lip. To her horror, Kunzite's arms around her waist moved up so that he was now hugging her tightly just under her breasts. Her eyes popped wide.

["Would you like them to be THAT hentai?"] Kunzite said wickedly, hands brushing the under-side of her breasts for a deliberate moment, before setting back around her waist again.

Venus was stunned and couldn't even form a thought! The moment he'd touched her that way, all coherent thoughts had gone out the window. All she could do was sit there, flushed and wide-eyed as everyone stared at them.

"Smooth move" Jaedite said, admirably, eyes zeroing in on Mars speculatively.

Mars glared back daggers, DARING him to try it. ["I'd love to see his face when he's flying over the couch and into the wall!"] she thought.

["Be nice. He's sweet on you!"] Venus said, grinning. Thank the gods that attention was going away from her and her General!

["TOO sweet"] Mars muttered, tempted to toss a cushion at Jadeite's smirking face.

"I'm not quite sure what happened, but the Silver Crystal's power was aimed not only at Venus, but also at Mars, Mercury and Jupiter, who were gravely injured" Endymion was saying to Seline and Luna, eyes shadowed.

Everyone fell silent as he spoke, their eyes going to their Princess. Could it be more than exhaustion?

Seline frowned lightly. "It is possible that Serenity's will to heal all of her friends, as well as bring Venus back to life, communicated itself to the Silver Crystal" she said thoughtfully. "She seems alright though..."

"There IS another possibility" Setsuna said, sipping at a cup of tea that she had been drinking when they all arrived home. "We already touched upon this-but the Silver Crystal MIGHT be sentient"

"That is impossible!" Seline said, silver eyes wide and fearful. "I had the Silver Crystal for-"

"Serenity" Setsuna cut in crisply, red eyes narrowing in the girl's face. "The Timeline"

"Right" Seline slumped, looking lost. "But it never displayed any sentient properties when I posessed it" she went on.

"She seems to be only sleeping" Luna said, after a long assessment of her charge's condition.

Everyone sighed in relief.

"I was really worried!" Mars said, titling her head back and closing her eyes. ["I can sense her at the back of my mind, but it seems sort of...strange"]

["Yeah, I know what you mean"] Mercury agreed. The bond with Usagi seemed slightly different somehow. Could it be because THEY had changed, not her? "I wonder if our aging changed the bond" she said aloud, abruptly. Her blue eyes narrowed in thought.

"I meant to ask about that" Ikuko said, looking the Senshi over with wonder.

"I was not as surprised to see that you had aged after Serenity and myself had aged so abruptly" Seline admitted.

"Mmm" Setsuna murmured, her smile secretive. The Senshi's aging was not unprecedented, despite their shock.

"Do you really think it changed the bond?" Jupiter murmured, looking down at her older body. It was a little weird seeing her hands bigger, legs longer and her chest-she blushed and jerked her eyes away. As if she hadn't had enough trouble when she was 14! Thank god she wasn't bonded with the others yet and have them hear her thoughts!

"Mmm" Nephlyte murmured, eyes on Jupiter's flushed face. What on earth had she been thinking? His green eyes went to her increased bust and he smiled knowingly.

"Hey, Endymion?" Mars said suddenly, something occurring to her. "How come you're still in your armor? You and Serenity usually go back to being Usagi and Mamoru at the same time, but you've stayed in your armor all this time"

Endymion frowned thoughtfully. It hadn't even occurred to him! He HAD become Endymion before in order to protect Serenity, when she was Usagi and perhaps that was what had happened now? With a sigh, he concentrated and made his armor disappear. Mamoru suddenly found his mind bombard with the mind's of Mars, Mercury-and Venus.

["Welcome back!"]

Mercury began to mentally hum the theme from 'Twilight Zone' in a disgustingly-cheerful way.

["Hi, hi! It's me-Venus!"] The golden-haired Senshi said gleefully. ["Is this cool or WHAT?!"]

["I don't think he's going to appreciate your sunshine manner right now, Love"] Kunzite said, grinning at Mamoru's suddenly-pained face.

["I feel a migraine coming on!"] Mamoru groaned, resting his head on Usagi's stomach.

Chapter Nineteen

Marie walked over to Usagi and bent over to check her vitals, a frown between her eyes. As much as she trusted Seline's opinion on Usagi's present condition from having used the Silver Crystal, she wanted to know for herself. They hadn't asked for her opinion yet, which was fine with her, since she didn't want to interfere and the girls weren't of human physiology, after all.

"What do you think?" Seline asked in a low tone, silver eyes shadowed as she crouched near Marie. She wanted to believe that Serenity's exhaustion was purely from the Crystal, but it was entirely possible that her body was reacting to the rapid growth it had gone through recently.

"Just asleep" Marie murmured back, patting Seline's hand. She stood and smiled around, then took an empty seat to the right of the couch and sank into it. She sighed and checked her watch. She would have to leave for work soon.

Mamoru had watched them both carefully, assessing the danger his love was in. If she had needed anything, he would have given it in a second.

["That's very sweet, Endymion, but she'd just tired"] Seline murmured into his mind reassuringly. She had been keeping her mind from the others' in order to give them privacy, but Endymion's expression had shown her how concerned he was for his love.

"Thank you" Mamoru murmured, nodding. He groaned and touched his fingers to his temple. ["Yep. There's that headache I was expecting"] he moaned mentally.

["Poor Mamoru!"] Mercury cooed, batting her lashes at him. ["Are we little girls too much for the big mucho Prince?"]

["I'm sort of getting a headache too"] Venus admitted, smiling lop-sidedly.

["Want me to kiss it and make it all better?"] Kunzite murmured, kissing Venus' hair.

Venus blushed, but said nothing, hands nervously pleating her skirt.

"Oh dear, I don't think that we have any headache tablets, Mamoru" Ikuko said, as she saw his pained expression.. She frowned lightly then as something occurred to her about the previous conversation she had heard. She glanced at Venus and Kunzite inquiringly. "I feel as if I'm missing some of the conversation here-are you and Venus...BONDED, Kunzite?" she said with incredulity.

Venus blushed and then nodded, a hand going to her mouth. "OH! We didn't mention that!" she said guiltily. ["Oops?"]

["Oops?"] Mercury and Mars added a moment later, looking just as guilty.

Setsuna's eyebrows rose. "How exactly did this happen?" she said slowly. "I surmised as such when I saw how you were all reacting, but it seems strange that Kunzite is bonded and the rest of the Senshi and Generals are not"

"It must have been an accident" Seline murmured, turned her back to the couch and sitting there comfortably, hair spinning over her shoulders and Usagi's arm. Her silver eyes were thoughtful. "They did, of course, have that bond in the Silver Millennium, but it was a blood-bond, such as the Senshi's to the Moon Princess. They were bonded when they became formally engaged before the High Council"

"High Council?" Kenji said with interest, sinking into an unused chair. Ikuko walked over and sat on the arm, taking his hand absently. "So this wasn't something that happened because of the Silver Crystal?"

"No, the Senshi were bonded BY the Crystal when they were born and perceived to have the powers of their Gods, but-" she waved a hand hesitantly from side to side. "It needed blood to completely bond them, which is why the Senshi had to die to be bonded right now. They didn't need to exchange blood because they already share blood when they reverted to their past selves" she looked at Jupiter. "Jupiter has not been bonded yet, because, even though her blood is not Terran right now, she isn't a full Juno yet"

"I see!" Jupiter said with excitement, green eyes gleaming. She slapped her hand against Mar's bare thigh and grinned. "So, the bond is a given, right?"

"But you will have to DIE, Jupiter" Nephlyte said, lips compressed into a thin line.

Jupiter's smile faded. "Yeah" she said uneasily, remembering how Mercury had Mars had looked dead. She shivered. "So I have to die to become my true self-despite the aging?" she asked Seline quietly.

Venus's eyes became shadowed. ["Yeah, the dying was bad"] she remembered all the pain she had felt before the darkness had closed in on her.

Kunzite's arm tightened about Venus' waist. ["I won't let you get hurt again"] he vowed.

["Yeah, it hurt"] Mercury recalled her death and shuddered.

["Yeah"] Mars agreed, sighing. ["Poor Makoto has to go through it sometime"]

"It's complicated, but yes" The silver-haired girl picked up a strand of her hair and toyed with it absently. "The way you are dying so rapidly, in the space of so few days and your rapid growth makes me think that something big is coming soon"

"A show-down with Queen Beryl?" Shingo asked, looking nervous.

["Gods, I hope NOT!"] Mars groaned, rolling her red eyes. As if fighting the Youma's weren't enough!

["So do I"] Mamoru said quietly, turning so that his back was to the couch. His shoulder pressed companionably against Seline's and he placed an arm about her shoulders fondly.

Seline sighed and nodded, reaching up to pat Mamoru's hand absently. He would make a wonderful son in law!

Setsuna cut in before Seline could answer and give away more than she should. "It might be that" her red eyes narrowed. "I can no longer see the future, so it may be that events are speeding up" her eyes met Seline's and they exchanged a look.

Ikuko's eyes went involuntarily to Usagi and she frowned, then got up from the arm of the chair and walked out of the room.

"Well...we may as well power-down" Jupiter murmured. Her form glowed green briefly and then her fuku faded away to reveal the tight green dress she'd gone to the party in. She gasped as she felt the bust-line stretch and her breathing became labored. She looked down, eyes widening as she saw how tight the dress had now become.

"Wow, Makoto!" Mars said, gaping. "You're almost OUT of that dress!" she powered-down also, a little apprehensive and felt immediately that the dress was too small and tight also. Thankfully, the Luna pen had given her a LONG dress...however, her breasts were almost spilling out of the bodice and it felt tight around her thighs.

["Rei!"] Mamoru gasped, blue eyes widdening. Involuntarily, he gave her the once-over. He WAS a guy after-all and Rei was a knock-out. He grinned at her, wiggling his brows like a TV villain. ["If you weren't taken and I weren't completely in love with Usagi, I might risk Jaedite's wrath and take you out"] he drawled.

["That's real sweet of you, Mamoru"] Rei said dryly, rolling her eyes. ["And if you'd asked me a few days ago, I would have jumped at the chance...but now I see you as a brother-type"] she added shyly, knowing Mamoru felt the same way about her. She felt a gaze boring into her and just KNEW it was Jaedite! ["This won't do at ALL! As if Jaedite didn't have enough to gawk at!"] she crossed her legs, then hastily un-crossed them as indecent amounts of her long legs were displayed for all to see, through the thigh-high slits. "Oops?" she flushed brightly, red eyes jerking up when Jaedite gave a wolf-whistle.

"I am NOT complaining, Mars!" he said fervently, eyes going to her long legs. "My Kingdom for another look at those legs! Cross them again?" Jaedite demanded eagerly, leaning forward to get a better look.

Rei glowered and picked up a cushion from the floor, pegging it at his smirking face. Surprisingly, he didn't defend himself and got it right in the kisser. "That's what you get for being a hentai!" she told him smugly.

"You're one to talk, girl! You're er-ASSETS are almost OUT of that dress!" Makoto snickered at Rei, trying futilely to yank her dress down her long longs. She saw how futile it was and crossed her legs swiftly. Now she looked more decent, even though a LOT of leg was showing!

"Maybe we should change?" An embarrassed Mercury said, powering down also and discovering a similar problem with her clothing. Her dress hadn't been that tight to begin with, but there was a significant tightening of the bust-line that made her want to sink into the floor. She'd NEVER worn anything so tight! ["I think we need to go shopping"] she murmured, reaching up to untie the blue bow in her hair. She pulled it loose and began toying with it absently.

"Oh dear, Ami! I hope that dress wasn't that tight when you went out?" Marie said, hand to cheek. Her daughter wasn't a little girl anymore and that was blatantly obvious! She smiled.

"Hands?" Zoisite said dryly, looking around. None of the General's put their hands up, too busy ogling their fiancée's openly. "There you have it, Mercury-love" he said, grinning lasciviously. "We put it to the vote and you shouldn't change"

["Hentai's!"] Ami glowered at the flaxen-haired General.

Kunzite peered around at Venus' face, which looked frankly APPREHENSIVE at the thought of de-transforming while sitting comfortably on his lap. ["Are you going to stay in your fuku all day?"] he said silkily, feeling her stiffen as his lips touched the curve of her ear.

["Ehehehe"] Venus murmured, flushing. She glowed gold for a moment and then she was sitting on his lap in her white skirt and yellow top. She glanced down and sighed with relief. Her skirt had been knee-height before and was now a few inches higher, but since the material wasn't skin-tight like Makoto and Rei's dresses', she still looked decent. ["Whew!"] The bust though-it looked as if she were wearing a top several sizes too small! ["I think I'll come shopping with you"] she said to Ami and Rei sheepishly.

["Pity"] Came Kunzite's disappointed response, tinged with amusement.

["That's all very WELL, ladies"] Mamoru drawled through their bond. "But how do you propose to try the clothes ON with me there? I can't come into the change room area with you"]

["HENTAI!"] Rei, Minako and Ami shrieked, going red.

Kunzite's brows lowered ominously. ["What did my Prince say?"] he demanded, feeling an irrational jealousy.

["Oh, you know...he was wondering how we were going to change with him attached to us at the hip"] Venus said nervously, hoping she wouldn't have to knock her fiancée out for attacking her Princess' love. Usagi would be VERY unhappy if she woke up to find Mamoru all black and blue...even though it would have been worth taking bets on who would WIN such a fight. She grinned at her thoughts.

["You'd beat me UP?"] Kunzite thought at her incredulously, not sure whether to be offended or not.

["My first loyalty is to my Princess"] Venus said loftily, sniffing. Then her grin returned and she gave him an impish look over her shoulder. ["She's very shrill when she's upset"]

["AND when she's happy"] Rei added.

["Or excited"] Ami added.

["Or angry!"] Mamoru said lazily, grinning also.

["Well, you can tell Endymion that if he is going to be present when you are naked, then so am I!"] Kunzite retorted, not hearing the comments from the other three.

Minako's eyes boggled. ["There will be NO nakedness when either you or Mamoru are looking!"] she fairly screeched at him, fists clenching at her side. She brought both elbows back and caught Kunzite in the stomach.

"Hey, what's going on?" Makoto said with bright interest, eyes going from face to face. Something major had been said and Minako was furious, Kunzite pained from the double-elbowed shot to the stomach and Mamoru, Rei and Ami were grinning in amusement.

"We were discussing buying some new clothes, but then we remembered that Mamoru was attached to us by the bond and would have to come into the change rooms with us" Ami said blithely, as if she was discussing the weather.

"Not without ME present!" Zoisite said, glowering at Mamoru.

"Or me" Jaedite gave Rei a once-over.

"Yeah, that's what Kunzite said" Minako said darkly, before Nephlyte could open his mouth.

"THERE WILL BE NO NAKEDNESS CONCERNING MY LITTLE GIRL!" Kenji bellowed, half-out of his chair in outrage.

"Usagi has her Luna Pen" Rei pointed out.

Kenji deflated and sat back, brooding. "Oh, of course she does" he glared at the other men in the room. "Then I object to any nakedness concerning my daughter's Guards!"

"Don't worry, Kenji" Marie soothed. "I'll be accompanying the girls on their shopping trip" she smiled sweetly at the men. "And if they try and peek, I'll just remind them that I'm a Doctor and I know a hundred ways to cripple a man for life using very SHARP instruments"

The men swallowed, staring at Ami's mother like she was an axe-murderer who'd wandered into their midst.

"We can use a blind-fold for Mamoru" Ami added, grinning at her mother in gratitude.

"That's so YUCK!" Shingo cried, wrinkling his nose. "Who'd WANT to see a bunch of girls naked?"

Kunzite bit his lip and Zoisite, Nephlyte and Jaedite sat there, fighting back their asset's under the death-glares of the Senshi.

Yuuchiro's hand rose tentatively, his eyes on Rei, but Grandpa slapped it down. "Mind your manners, boy!"

Ikuko walked back into the room then, smiling from what of the conversation she'd heard on the way back from the linen closet in the hall. Their voices had also carried through the huge house easily as she'd gone to the kitchen to wet the hand-towel she found. "I guess you girls will be going shopping for some decent clothing then. I think I'll come too-just to see how you look with so many men tagging after you" she giggled at the Senshi's red faces as they flushed.

"They WERE decent clothing before we aged!" Rei protested, grabbing her bodice with both hands and yanking the red velvet up over her breasts more decently.

"I protest!" Jaedite said mischievously, hoping that her bodice would fall down further so that he could get an eyeful. He sighed. Yes, they were hentai alright! But they were MEN damn it! Men in love with drop-dead gorgeous women. Was it THEIR fault that their fiancée's were well-endowed? NO!

"How would you like another cushion in the face?" Rei told him sweetly, crossing her arms to hide her 'assets' from his gaze. ["Did we end up with the most hentai fiancée's in the universe or WHAT?!"]

["They aren't technically fiancée's"] Ami said thoughtfully, "Though they COULD be if we become our past-selves completely"]

["That's some technicality, Ami!"] Minako said, eyes going wide.

["Do you want to marry them?!"] Ami said, eyes narrowing gleefully at the golden-haired girl.

["Married?! At 14?"] Rei and Minako yelped.

["It isn't that unheard of"] Kunzite added lazily, beginning to draw circles on Minako's stomach with one hand.

Minako gasped and slapped at his hand. "Hey! Roving hands, buster!" she yelped, blushing.

["Hey, Minako? How come his hands were roving until you died?"] Rei asked curiously, red eyes on Kunzite's mocking expression.

["Yeah"] Ami frowned in thought. ["He was the most polite of the General's until Serenity brought you back and now he's all over you!"]

["Hey, maybe it's because he almost lost her?"] Rei's red eyes brightened and she sighed romantically.

["I say it's because she no longer looks like jail-bait!"] Ami giggled evilly, throwing Minako a sly look.

"Hey! HEY!" Minako shouted, face turning even redder. "I don't want to talk about Kunzite's octopus hands, okay?!" she growled under her breath. ["And you two can't talk! Jaedite was all over YOU before you even aged and Zoisite kissed you senseless when they first got here!"]

Everyone laughed and Minako groaned, hiding her face in her hands as she realized she'd said some of the conversation out loud and everyone had heard it.

["What an absolutely FASCINATING conversation. Is this what girls talk about when we men aren't around?"] Kunzite drawled. ["Besides, darling-I don't mind discussing every inch of your delectable body...in detail"] Kunzite murmured mentally, taking advantage of the fact that only Minako could hear him.

In response, she elbowed him in the ribs. ["Hentai"] she muttered darkly, ignoring Rei and Ami's giggles.

Ikuko grinned as she knelt at Seline's side and leant past the silver-haired girl to place the wet cloth on Usagi's forehead. She stroked the silver bangs from her daughter's face and then sighed and got to her feet, going over to sit on the arm of Kenji's chair again.

Makoto's smile faded slowly, melancholy sinking in. The girls were all bonded now and shared something that she could not. Even KUNZITE shared a part of it now! She envied them so much right then and it depressed her. The problem was that she would have to DIE to share it with them-and she was afraid of that happening. She didn't WANT to die! She felt suddenly suffocated and leapt to her feet. "I-I think I need some fresh air" she muttered, hiding her face in her long loose green hair. She hurried from the room before anyone could say anything, seeking a back door.

"What was that about?" Rei wondered aloud. She frowned as she considered everything, then realization hit her. "Oh" she murmured sadly.

"Yeah" Ami murmured. ["Poor Makoto. It must be hard seeing us so close and her not"]

"Oh?" Nephlyte said, concern in his green eyes.

"Makoto is worried about the bond" Minako said, understanding also. "She knows she has to die to complete the bond with us, but at the same time, she's upset that she can't be close to us in the way the rest of us are"

"I see" Nephlyte said thoughtfully. A few minutes later, he quietly excused himself and left the room.

Chapter Twenty

Makoto found the back door, after wandering for a few minutes and she opened it and slipped outside. The backyard was magnificent! She gaped around at the lush lawns, trees and flowerbeds. This place looked like it should be on 'world's best garden's! "Wow" she said, momentarily forgetting her depression. She wandered along the paths, admiring everything around her. Cooking was her first love, but she'd always had an affinity for plants and flowers. "I met Mamoru would be surprised to learn that he and I have something in common!" she grinned. She turned a hedge and found herself surrounded by roses of every color. "Beautiful!" she breathed, reaching out to touch a partially-opened rose-bud of palest pink. To her shock, a tingling went down her arm and her body began to glow a deep green. As her fingers touched the bud, then power enveloped it and before her startled eyes, the bud open, petals unfurling. "Gods!" she whispered in awe, staring at the rose that was now in full bloom. Her still-glowing fingers moved from flower to flower with the same result.

Makoto spied a cut-off branch of the rose-bush and cautiously brushed the tip of her index finger over it. To her delight, then end of it immediately began to lengthen and buds began to grow all over it. In seconds, the buds had opened into beautiful green roses. "Green roses?" she blinked and then blinked again at the sight. A grin began, soon widening into delight. "I created a rose!" she shouted, green eyes sparkling with joy. And she had a new power! Wait till the others heard about this! "And I'm not even transformed" she said wonderingly, looking down at herself. Was this new power because she'd aged?

"Jupiter?!" a voice came from behind her, filled with utter astonishment.

Makoto started at the intrusion and whirled around on one heel smoothly, hands coming up in a defensive move. Upon seeing Nephlyte standing there, green eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, she relaxed. The glow around her body faded and she felt disappointed. Whilst she had been creating the roses, she'd been filled with utter joy.

"At ease, Jupiter!" Nephlyte said jokingly, eyes raking over her form from head to toe, expression intent. "You were GLOWING!" Nephlyte said, walking up to her, eyes narrowing. He leered at her comically. "And you looked absolutely beautiful like that. A Princess among the greenery-in a very revealing dress. Not that I'm complaining"

"So I see!" she scowled at him, then smiled. "So I look like Serenity's old Guard did a thousand years ago?"

"Exactly-Mmm...except for the clothing of course. Again, I'm not complaining" his eyes raked over her short tight green dress, expression lascivious.

Makoto blinked at him, sharply reminded of how Mamoru looked at Usagi now that they were bonded and had to er-consummate. Her green eyes turned downwards to stare at her dress and she blushed brightly, having once AGAIN completely forgotten what it was that she had worn to the party three days ago. ["Eeew, I hope I don't stink"] she thought irrelevantly. ["Who cares, there's a guy here who loved you over a thousand years ago and is currently eyeing you like you're a tasty treat. Focus girl!"] she berated herself, eyes flashing up to meet Nephlytes equally green ones. "Umm-thanks" she said hesitantly, eyeing him strangely. His counterpart of this century had been evil and it was strange seeing him look at her with those expressions, instead of hatred.

"Did I have a name on Jupiter? When I knew you, I mean?" Makoto asked suddenly, trying to feel at ease with this strange handsome man. Knowing he had loved her deeply made it even more awkward and she honestly didn't know how to act around him.

"No, you were always, Princess Jupiter" Nephlyte said, frowning at her slightly in bemusement, as if her very presence was intoxicating him. Mesmerizing him. "You were named for your planet the moment you were born and Queen Serenity detected powers within you. Your birth was prophesied and you were destined to be guardian of Princess Serenity"

"I had no name? Just 'Jupiter'?" Makoto was surprised, mind trying to figure out what he had told her. ["So-my birth was prophesized and I was born with these powers"]

"And your name now...it's Makoto, right?" Nephlyte went on, voice sounding closer.

Makoto jumped slightly and looked up, startled to see that the General had moved closer to her, standing only a few feet away. Her feet shifted nervously. Part of her wanted to run, the other throw herself into his arms and be kissed as the other Senshi had been by their General's. "Yes, it's Japanese" she took a step back when he took one forward, her green eyes becoming wary at his proximity. He had moved closer to her, as if he'd sensed her longing to be kissed again. She flushed slightly. "Was Japan back in the Silver Millennium?"

"No, it didn't exist. Where we are right now are above the ruins of the Golden Kingdom. I can sense it below my very feet" he replied, eyeing her with a sardonic expression. He knew as well as she did that she was stalling. Their bond was not working as it had a thousand years ago, but there was still a longing to be with him. An almost uncontrollable one since their first meeting. "But you didn't even know where you WERE before!" she protested, backing off another step as he took one forward. "In fact, you didn't even recognize Endymion till he de-transformed into Mamoru from Tuxedo Kamen!"

"There was NO Tuxedo Kamen in the Golden Kingdom. Endymion had no need for foolish disguises. His power was so muted, it's no wonder we didn't know it was him!" Nephlyte said furiously. He couldn't understand why his Prince, the future King of the Earth, had resorted to such ridiculous clothing and almost non-existent powers.

"Don't get angry at ME, Nephlyte! Endymion didn't even know WHO he was a few months ago-and Tuxedo Kamen was necessary" she glared back at him as his furious eyes met hers. She felt like stomping her foot, but instead decided to stare fixedly at the ground. There were so many unanswered questions; so many new powers, not to mention her aging and sudden affinity with mother earth's plants. And now this; a love from a thousand years ago! How was she meant to feel anyway?

"What are you thinking of, love?" Nephlyte asked her, stepping closer so that she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes.

Makoto's eyes widened for a moment at his endearment, then the green depths clouded as she raised her eyes to look at him. He wasn't in love with HER, but her past self. Jupiter, not Makoto. "I'm not your love" Makoto said sharply, regretting it instantly as his expression clouded with sadness and anger.

"No-you are not" Nephlyte almost growled, his expression becoming self-mocking. "Forgive me if I see another when I look at you" he continued, fists clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek.

"No-forgive me" Makoto said, running a slender hand through her long hair in an irritated gesture. "It's difficult for me too, you see. I met your other-self and he tried to kill us. I see him every time I look at you"

"Fate is cruel" Nephlyte murmured, half-turning away from her as if her very presence was painful to him.

"Don't say that!" Makoto cried out, half-lifting a hand to comfort him. He stiffened and she let her hand drop, becoming angry. "You honestly can't expect someone who's only known you as the enemy to fall into your arms!"

"And you can't expect me to not see the one I loved and lost when I see you!" he retorted, face filled with fury. "Seeing you is AGONY, Jupiter! Can't you see that?" he turned fully to her and gestured, encompassing her entire form, from her long flowing green hair to her tight green dress and long slender legs encased in heels. "You're almost OUT of that dress, thanks to your abrupt aging and all I can think of is how much I want you in my bed and in my arms!"

Makoto gaped at him, green eyes wide and shocked. Okay, so she LOOKED now to be about 16, but she was still 14 inside and well-Nephlytes speech had shocked her! "Hentai!" she yelled at him, pointing an accusing finger into his suddenly wary eyes. "I'm only FOURTEEN!"

"Not anymore!" he yelled back, eyes blazing. "You're clearly at the age of consent right now, you ARE the Princess of Jupiter and a Senshi and you ARE my fiancée, the past be damned!"

Makoto was left gaping at him in shock again, feeling like she'd been swallowed into an alternate dimension. This Lord was a MAN, not a boy and his plain speaking was extremely shocking to her-but also exciting. "I'm not your fiancée" she told him quietly, unable to meet his eyes. "I'm not the Princess Jupiter that you used to know. I'm a Senshi yes, but I was 14 a minute ago and just a few days ago I was just a normal School girl who had normal crushes and flunked tests" she looked up into his face, almost flinching at the raw emotions displayed there in his eyes. "Can't you accept that I'm not the girl you knew? I just look like her"

"You ARE Jupiter and you WILL regain your memories soon" Nephlyte stepped close and took her shoulders into his hands in a strong but gentle grip, their chests brushing. "I know you aren't the same girl and I'm not looking for a substitute just because you look like her. You'll know one day very soon just how much I loved you and when you do-" he leant down slightly and brushed her lips with his own. "We can be together once more" he stepped back, releasing her, then gave her a courtly bow, a sweet smile and then he turned and was gone.

"He's nothing like my old boyfriend" Makoto whispered, an arm rising out to her side above the ground. Beneath her hand, the ground twisted, tendrils of a plant reaching up towards her hand. As it went, it expanded into a rose bush, leaves unfurling and buds forming. When it reached her hand, it stopped and the buds unfurled revealing roses the beautiful color of her hair. "He's much, MUCH more"

Makoto turned to go back inside, feeling a lot better. It could have been discovering her new power, the peace of the garden or even her talk and kiss with Nephlyte. Her steps faltered for a moment as she thought. Did she want to tell the others about her new power? "I want something special too" she whispered, feeling an irrational selfishness. They all had the bond and she wanted to be a part of it so badly-but she didn't want to DIE! "I'll keep this to myself for now" she decided, smiling. She felt joy inside her as she remembered making the roses grow. A gift that only she could have. Yes, she would keep it to herself for now. Her little secret...

It was late afternoon when Usagi finally awoke. Her silver eyes opened slowly, a dull pain in the back of her head making her wince from the bright sunshine pouring in through the windows from across the room. The first thing she noticed was that her body felt...strange. It was nothing she could put her finger on, but it was almost as if...something inside had changed. She felt the power within her more acutely also. Pushing it to the back of her mind, Usagi turned her head, feeling a warmth on the side of her chest and saw Luna there, asleep. Turning her head the other way, she saw Rei, Ami, Minako and Kunzite dozing on the couch across the table. Despite herself she grinned at the sight. They looked so comical! Minako was sprawled over Kunzite, her head leaning back onto his shoulder. He had his head on the back of the couch, Rei's head on his shoulder. Ami was slumped onto Rei' lap, an arm dangling over the edge of the couch. Makoto was asleep, sitting on the ground with her head against Ami's knee. And Mamoru-she felt a hand touch her foot and her head jerked that way to see Mamoru there, smiling and reading a book. ["Mamo-Chan!"] she cried, throwing herself along the couch.

Mamoru tossed the book aside and caught his Princess in his arms, holding her tightly. "How do you feel, Usako?" he murmured, looking down into her tearful eyes. Before she could answer, his head dipped and his lips met hers.

Luna was woken abruptly and looked around in panic to see Usagi in Mamoru's arms, being kissed. "You're awake! Oh, thank Serenity!" the cat said in relief.

["YOU'RE AWAKE!"] Rei, Minako, Makoto and Ami shrieked, jumping to their feet. Kunzite sat there, smiling slightly as all four Senshi jumped over the small coffee table and threw themselves onto Usagi and Mamoru.

Mamoru's lips were jerked from Usagi's as warm bodies hit him and he found himself in a Senshi sandwich.

Seline sensed her daughter awake also from the kitchen and reached out her mind. ["How do you feel, darling?"] she asked, mind caressing her daughter's. She continued putting the tuna onto the bread while she spoke.

Ikuko looked up when Seline fell silent and she saw that their eyes were blank. Immediately, she recognized that they were speaking to someone mentally and surmised who it could be. She reached out and grabbed Seline's hand urgently. "Is Usagi awake?" she demanded.

Yuuchirou, Grandpa, Kenji and Shingo, who were sitting at a table talking, spun to look at Seline and Ikuko eagerly.

"Is Usagi awake?" Kenji demanded, getting to his feet.

"She's awake?" Shingo said with relief, slumping.

Artemis wandered into the room when he heard the yelling. "What is it?"

["I'm fine, mother!"] Usagi replied, laughing mentally. ["I guess everyone was really worried about me?"] she teased, feeling exhausted still.

"Yes, Usagi is awake-" Seline said hurried to Ikuko, who had already abandoned the bread-buttering and was rushing from the room.

The others ran after her swiftly.

Agony hit Kunzite and he leapt to his feet, face twisted. "Venus!" he shouted, eyes going to her similarly-pained face.

Minako threw herself back off of Mamoru and found herself tumbling into Kunzite's arms. The pain fled and she gasped, resting her head under his chin, his arms around her waist. "Gods!" she breathed. "That really HURT!"

"Yes, it did" Kunzite frowned. So, this is what the bond was like. ["I can't like this"] he murmured to her mentally. ["What is there is a battle and we are separated?"]

["You're right"] she responded, wincing with remembered pain.

Ikuko and Seline arrived, stepping into the room. They immediately saw that something was wrong with Minako and Kunzite.

"What happened?" Seline asked anxiously.

"I moved too far from Kunzite and it hurt like hell!" the golden-haired Senshi groaned, still held tightly in the General's arms. ["GODS, it hurt!"] she went on mentally.

["Oh, yes"] Kunzite groaned back, recalling the agony. It had been quite acute!

"Oh dear" Seline murmured, shaking her head. The bond, when it was complete, was a great asset, but while it was building, it was QUITE painful!

Mamoru and Usagi stared from their positions under Rei, Ami and Makoto. They were in a big tangle of arms and legs, poor Mamoru on the bottom of the pile.

"I guess your bond is really tight" Usagi murmured, astonished. "Like Mamo-Chan's and I"

"Well, WE seem to be able to get further away from you now" Rei noted, settling more comfortably on Mamoru's knees.

Ami settled comfortably against Mamoru's side and nodded thoughtfully. ["Yes. The pain is still there, but we seem to have more mobility"]

"Weird" Makoto said, resting her head against Usagi's back. She jerked away abruptly as her temple came into contact with something that shouldn't have been there. She reached up hesitantly and touched the silver-haired girl's back between the shoulder blades. "Usagi!" she gasped. 'You've got something on your back!"

"What is it?" Rei said curiously.

"What?" Usagi said, eyes going wide. She sat up straight on Mamoru's lap and felt backwards. Makoto guided her hand and she felt what had worried her sister. "Mamoru!" Usagi screamed, fingers scrabbling over the bumps behind her should blades.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Mamoru said in panic, feeling Usagi's terror through their link.

"What's wrong?!" Rei, Ami and Minako cried, also feeling the panic.

"My back! MY BACK!" The silver-haired Princess cried out, eyes wide with shock. ["There's LUMPS there!"]

["Lumps?"] Mamoru swiftly pushed all the Senshi off of him and turned Usagi around, slipping his hand under the back of her top. He followed her arm up to where her own hand was and felt under her fingers. He paled as he felt the swelling there. There was something the size of a golf-ball under her skin. "Oh my god" he breathed, hand going to the other shoulder. There, he felt another bump, situated right behind her shoulder blade.

"What is it?" Seline demanded anxiously, licking her lips. Oh, gods, she hoped she was wrong! It was too SOON!

Mamoru turned to everyone and he looked at all the males in the room. "Turn away" he ordered then, blue eyes flashing. They all knew that it was Prince Endymion commanding them and the four General's turned their back immediately. Yuuchirou and Shingo and Grandpa did so uncertainly. Mamoru looked at Kenji with narrowed eyes.

"She's my daughter!" Kenji yelled at him, outraged.

Mamoru nodded slightly, having forgotten that fact in his fury. Fury that something had happened to his Princess. "Alright"

Seline, Setsuna, Ikuko and Marie moved closer until they were standing over Mamoru and Usagi, shoulder to shoulder with the Senshi and effectively blocking sight from the men in case they peeked.

Luna leapt onto the back of the couch, glaring down at Artemis as he suddenly appeared. "YOU too, fur-ball!" she hissed at him.

Artemis blinked, then turned, sitting with his back to the couch like the other men were.

"Okay" Usagi said, voice laced with fear. "Tell me what's THERE!"

["Oh god, what if it's cancer?"] Rei thought in terror, red eyes darkening. She felt Usagi's fear heighten and mentally slapped herself. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she gasped, wringing her hands.

Mamoru carefully lifted the back of Usagi's top until her shoulder-blades were visible.

There was an audible gasp from everyone as they all saw the two bumps beneath the smooth skin.

["What is that!?"] Rei thought in horror, grabbing Ami's hand.

["On no"] Ami thought, biting her lip. What if Rei was right and it was cancer?

["You're scaring her! Shut up!"] Minako thought ferociously, golden eyes glaring at the two frightened girls.

Ami and Rei, knowing that Minako was giving them an order as leader of the Senshi, felt chastised and blushed.

Seline's silver eyes widened in recognition and she paled, her hand reaching out blindly. Oh gods! It WAS that! ["Setsuna! It's too soon"] she thought at the Senshi, using a bond she hadn't needed to in millennia.

["I know. But we should have expected it, given that the Time Gate has closed and I can no longer see the future"] Setsuna took Seline's hand gently, her eyes meeting the girl's. She nodded slightly and Seline gave a sob.

"What is it? What's there?" Usagi sobbed out, starting to hyperventilate. ["Oh gods! IS it cancer?"] she saw spots over her vision and knew she was close to fainting.

["No! No, I don't think so. Look through my eyes"] Mamoru murmured to her mentally, opening his mind to his love. He felt Usagi's mind wrap around his, then her presence increased and he felt strangely detached as she looked from his eyes.

Marie reached out tentatively and touched the bumps, eyes thoughtful. "Usagi-you don't have to worry that this is a cancerous growth" she said after a moment, recalling Rei's fear of earlier. "It's grown far too rapidly" her fingers withdrew. "I can only think that it must be something natural or...maybe something to do with the Silver Crystal"

Usagi's breath whooshed out at the doctor's prognosis. If Ami's mom said it wasn't, then she was the one to know. She turned, withdrawing her mind from Mamoru's and looked up at her mother with worried eyes. "Mother?" she asked. Her mother would know what it was then, if it was something natural or to do with the Crystal. Right? "Mother?"

Seline sighed and closed her eyes briefly. What could she tell her? When they opened, they held regret. "It's natural, Serenity" she said in a quiet tone. "I was hoping that it wasn't what I feared, but after seeing it, I know for certain"

["Don't tell her what it really means, Serenity! I still have to maintain the Timeline...whatever remains of it"] Setsuna thought swiftly, a hand going to her forehead. She felt a headache building. This was not meant to happen yet!

"They're your wings, darling" Seline said soothingly, reaching out to touch Usagi's cheek lightly. She saw her daughter's silver eyes widen in renewed panic and shock.

"WINGS?!" Everyone shouted, pole-axed.

"Wings?" Usagi said weakly, leaning into Mamoru's warmth. ["I'm growing WINGS?"]

"Every Qu-girl in our family grows them when they-" Seline broke off, turning her face away. She reached for Setsuna and buried her face in the woman's shoulder, making everyone ever more apprehensive. ["Oh gods, Setsuna. It's too soon! My poor Princess. What if something is WRONG?"]

"She's just overcome" Setsuna soothed Usagi and the others. Her red eyes held a secret, however, that made them uneasy. "Each woman in the Royal line received them when she reached maturity" she looked down at Seline's silver head, resting against her shoulder. ["Try to calm yourself, Serenity. You're making things worse for her. She's frightened enough"] she advised, tone just as soothing as it had been for her future Queen.

"Then why is my mother looking so upset!" Usagi shouted at her, spinning around. She felt Mamoru's hands yank her top down before she flashed everyone and flushed. ["If this is natural, she wouldn't be looking like that!"]

["Try to keep calm, Usako"] Mamoru said, drawing her tightly to his side and kissing her head over the crescent moon. He seemed to recall doing this before, sometime in the past. Many times.

"Oh Serenity-you never reached this maturity when we lived on the Moon!" Seline turned around, face flushed and teary-eyed. "You died before-"

So that was it! "Oh, mother!" Usagi wailed, sounding like herself of old. She pulled herself away from Mamoru and flung herself into Seline's arms, sobbing. Her fingers clung to her mother's shirt.

["Oh darling, I'm so sorry for scaring you"] Seline thought regretfully. Her immature body had been affecting her emotions and she should have hidden her response to the momentous event. She shielded her thoughts from her daughter. Serenity was not ready to know what it truly meant; Setsuna was right.

"This means that something will happen soon" Setsuna murmured to herself, not intending anyone to hear.

But Rei did, standing not far away. "What do you MEAN, something is going to happen soon!" the red-haired girl demanded, eyes narrowing.

Everyone turned to Setsuna, who looked both embarrassed and stunned that she had let that slip. "You were not meant to hear that" the Guardian of the Time Gate said uneasily.

"Well, you DID-so spill!" Makoto growled at her, fists clenching. Setsuna was clearly keeping important things from them! And she had a feeling that Queen Serenity was also. She'd been FAR too upset for it to be sadness over having missed seeing her daughter reach maturity.

"I have some secrets that I must keep" Setsuna murmured, eyes going distant.

Endymion suddenly emerged from inside Mamoru, his face becoming murderous. He started towards Setsuna, blue eyes blazing wrath. "How DARE you keep this sort of thing from your Princess!" he snarled.

Rei and Makoto grabbed an arm each and Ami wrapped her arms around his waist to stop him strangling the green-haired Senshi.

Setsuna looked at Endymion, startled and then she shook her head. "I'm very sorry, my K-Prince" she murmured regretfully, looking as if she really meant it. "But as Guardian of Time, I have a duty. And that duty must come before any other loyalties"

"Setsuna" Usagi's voice was icy when she spoke and her changed bearing and tones proclaimed that it was Princess Serenity addressing her.

"Yes, Princess?" Setsuna said warily, quite aware that as her future Queen, Serenity could ORDER her to tell what she knew. She swallowed. She had lied when she said that her duty came before loyalties. She could have no secrets from her future Queen if she was asked for answers.

"TELL ME" Serenity commanded, looking every inch the Princess she was. Her back was straight, her face cold and commanding and her eyes...they showed an icy fury that none of them had ever seen before.

"NO!" Seline broke in, stepping between her daughter and her Senshi. "NO, Serenity!" she said, silver eyes narrowing on the older girl.

Serenity's anger deflated and she stared at her mother in shock. "Mother?" she said, voice small.

"Setsuna is correct, Serenity" Seline said gently, standing tall before her daughter. She was no longer the young girl, but the ancient Queen. And her words were not to be ignored. "Sailor Pluto is correct. She MUST kept the Timeline intact" her tone gentled as she met Serenity's eyes. "Please understand, darling"

"I cannot" Serenity whispered in return, facing averted. "I do not understand why you would keep these things from me"

"Leave" Rei said coldly, eyes on Setsuna's face.

The Senshi of Time held Rei's gaze for a long moment, eyes unnerving in their agelessness. And then she nodded and turned and left the room.

Seline sighed deeply, eyes hurt. "You will understand one day soon, darling" she murmured caressingly to her daughter and then she too turned and left the room.

"Well!" Ikuko said, eyes narrowing. She wasn't pleased. No, not at all. Her daughter was going through some frightening changes and the two people who could tell her what was really happening, had refused to!

Princess Serenity abruptly turned and threw herself into Endymion's arms, her Senshi quickly releasing him and stepping back. "Oh, Endymion!" Serenity whispered, arms tight about his neck. "What if something big IS coming?"

["Then we'll fight it off"] Endymion responded mentally, rubbing his cheek against hers lovingly. His arms came about her tightly, as if shielding her from the world.

"Don't worry, Princess-we'll fight Beryl off and anything else she throws at us!" Minako said, voice cheerful.

"What good are we as Senshi if we can't beat that slime-Queen?" Rei reasoned, trying to be positive.

Serenity only wished that it were that simple, but she had a bad feeling inside that something momentous was going to happen very soon. But was it going to be good or bad? And were they prepared for it?

The End

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