Crystal Bonds, part 1

Chapter One

["Serenity"] Endymion murmured mentally. ["Calm down, please, Angel"] he soothed her. After a long tense moment, he felt his Princess relax and Usagi re-asserted herself.

["I have WINGS growing in my back, Mamo-Chan!"] she accused, as if it were his fault.

Endymion blinked, then smiled, also reverting back to Mamoru. Usagi sounded just so OUTRAGED. "Don't worry about it, Usako" he told her, arm still tight about her waist. He kissed her on the nose affectionately. "Your mother said it was natural"

["I think they'll probably be beautiful"]  Ami added in, trying to picture her Princess with wings.  Like an angel...

"My poor little girl!" Kenji moaned, wringing his hands. He really had no idea what to DO!

"There, there, dear" Ikuko soothed, patting his arm.

"I know" Usagi murmured in response to Mamoru's words, silver eyes far away. ["It's just a little...scary?"] she said tentatively.

["Don't worry, we understand"] Rei cut in, smiling warmly at her friend.

["And mom is here to look after you"] Ami added, nodding her chin at her mother.

["Besides, Seline has already gone through this and she didn't say it was PAINFUL or anything"] Minako murmured mentally, making a V sign with her fingers.

["Are you referring to the Princess' wings? It is truly a bewildering thing,"] Kunzite said, catching his love's thought.

["It's completely natural for the Moon royalty"] The Senshi of love said positively.

["Mother wouldn't LIE to me, would she?"] Usagi said anxiously, nibbling on her bottom lip in a rather distracting way.

Mamoru groaned and restrained himself from kissing her senseless in front of everyone. "Don't do that, please" he told her, closing his eyes.

["Hentai"] she said affectionately.

Minako, Rei and Ami grinned at her mischievously.

Usagi looked appealingly at Luna, who had been silent all this time.  "Do you remember seeing my mother with wings, Luna?"

"Oh yes"  The cat said positively, then she blinked.  "Of course, I was not around when they grew"

"Do you think there was pain?"  The Princess whispered, praying that there would not be.

Mamoru bit his lip.  If there was someway he could take that pain from her, when the time came, he would do it in a second.

["That's very sweet, Mamoru"]  Rei approved.

["You two are so CUUUUTE!"]  Minako cooed, grinning.

"Cute?"  Kunzite muttered, knowing once again, he'd completely missed a conversation.

['Thank you, Mamo-chan, but I can handle it"]  Usagi said gently, tracing a finger along his jaw in a loving way.

"I don't know, Usagi.  I just don't REMEMBER"   The cat said in frustration.  "So much is blocked from me"

"I don't know either, thanks for asking"  Artemis said sourly.  Didn't anyone remember HE had been there with Luna too?!

"No one asked you, furball!"  Luna retorted.

"Don't worry about it, Luna"  Usagi soothed.   "I can handle it!"  she smiled.

Marie suddenly looked at the watch on her wrist and gave a startled exclamation. "Oh dear!" she said, throwing an apologetic look at Usagi, then the others. "I've just realized I was due at work three hours ago. I really didn't want to leave until Usagi regained consciousness, but now that I see she's okay, I really have to go" Ami's mother walked quickly over to her daughter and gave her a warm hug. "See you later, Ami dear"

"Okay mom" The blue-haired Senshi said, blushing a little as she realized she was now taller than her mother was.

Marie pulled back, as if just having realized the same thing. "Well" she said, blinking. "I think you're the tall one in the family now" she chuckled. "Bye everyone!" she waved and turned to leave.

"Wait! I'll give you the code to the security gates," Ikuko said, hurrying after the woman. Artemis looked at Luna, who sniffed in disdain as his eyes met hers, then he ran after the blue-haired woman.

"Ami's only taller by a few centimeters!" Rei exclaimed, rolling her red eyes. She pointed at her grandfather. "Look at the difference between Grandpa and me!" ["I swear I feel like an amazon around him,"] she thought crossly.

["And WE DON'T?"] Usagi, Minako, Mamoru and Ami said mentally.

"I don't find it a hindrance, Grand-daughter" Grandpa said casually.

Rei stuck her tongue out at them, then hastily withdrew it when Jaedite's eyes fastened on her intently. He grinned and she blushed, knowing what he was thinking. ["Hentai!"]

["Who, Jaedite? I think ALL the generals are!"] Ami murmured mischievously, turning to look at Zoisite. He stared back inquiringly. ["Though HE seems to be a lot more gentle than the rest of them"]

"Awwwwwww!" Usagi, Rei and Minako cooed.

["MY general is a hentai TOO-oops!"] Minako broke off her words, abruptly remembering that Kunzite could hear her thoughts also!

"YOUR GENERAL?!" Mamoru, the girls and Kunzite all echoed, grinning.

"Why, Venus" Kunzite drawled, stepping up closer to her and running a finger down the side of her neck gently. He leant closer, his pale eyes glittering. "I had no idea you thought of me that way"

"Erk?" Minako tried, wetting her lips. She stuck a hand between their faces rapidly when Kunzite's lips moved in for the kill. He ended up kissing her palm and she giggled. "It was a slip of the tongue! I meant to say that General Kunzite is a hentai!" she said hastily.

"What a thing to say" Kunzite muttered against her palm, then he began nibbling on her skin.

Minako shrieked and yanked her hand away, blue eyes huge. ["You STOP that!"] she blurted out, backing into Mamoru. She quickly grabbed his arm and held it against her as a shield.

Mamoru groaned. "This is becoming a habit, you know," he said to everyone. "I'm doomed to be a human-shield for the Senshi!"

"Just grin and bear it, my Prince" Usagi giggled at him, a hand covering her mouth. With the mood lightened, she thought that maybe she just might be able to bear growing wings. Her smile faded and became melancholy. Wings for god's sake!

Mamoru looked at her swiftly, sensing what she was thinking. His blue eyes shadowed with concern. ["Serenity-"] he began, but was cut off.

"You have three seconds to unglue Venus' assets from your arm, Endymion!" Kunzite growled at his Prince, eyes fixed on Minako's firm breasts pressed against Mamoru's arm.

"Assets?" Minako gaped and then looked down. When she saw what she was doing, she flushed bright red and released Mamoru. ["Arrgggh! And we just met too!"] she yelped mentally, throwing an apologetic look at Usagi. But her Princess wasn't looking. In fact, her beautiful face seemed downright depressed.

Mamoru ignored the two and looked down into his love's eyes. "Usako?" he said questioningly.

"I'm fine" she lied, lips trembling slightly. She pulled back from Mamoru, to his utter surprise. "I need some time to myself" Usagi told, silver eyes trying to make him understand.

"What do you mean, by yourself?" Mamoru demanded, eyes narrowing. ["In the house, I hope?"] he went on mentally; wondering what she was up to. She looked so damned SAD and he didn't know how to help her.

["I'm fine, Mamoru. Really"] Usagi went on mentally. "I just need a little time to myself to sort these changes out. I'll be outside" she said aloud.

"Absolutely not!" Mamoru growled, glaring at her. ["The evil Kunzite is out there, probably looking for revenge for the death of his Zoisite"]

"Mamoru is right" Minako nodded. "And as Leader of the Senshi, I have a duty to protect you"

"I'm only going outside!" Usagi burst out, anger flooding her. "I appreciate that you all want to protect me, but there's sometimes when people just need to be ALONE!" she finished, glaring back at them all. They had no idea what she was going through! How scared she was...

"Usagi..." Mamoru murmured, reaching for her and dragging her into his arms, despite her angry protest. He looked deeply into her silver eyes. ["I KNOW how scared you are, love"] he murmured, resting his forehead against hers, moon symbol to earth symbol. ["I can feel it through our bond acutely"]

["Then YOU should understand!"] she thought back in frustration, closing her eyes so that she wouldn't have to look into his own. The sympathy and understanding in the blue depths of his eyes were almost her undoing. And she would NOT cry in front of everyone!

["Usagi"] Rei, Ami and Minako murmured, eyes filling with tears.

"Alright" Mamoru said after a long moment. As her eyes opened, he kissed her hard, relaying all his love and passion to her. "But promise me you won't leave the grounds"

"I promise" Usagi said readily, relief flooding her. ["Thank you"] she whispered, mentally caressing his mind. His kiss had sent her mind reeling and her body into overdrive. Perhaps she should be thinking about THEM also. They would have to consummate sometime in the future.

["Usa-gi!"] Mamoru groaned at her, hands tightening about her waist. His eyes darkened and he felt an overwhelming urge to thrown her down on the floor and-

Usagi's face went fire-engine red as she got a private look at just WHAT he wanted to do to her.  ["Sorry, sorry!"] she said hastily, backing out of his arms before he kissed her again. She looked around. They had quite an audience after-all! ["I want to kiss you too"]  she admitted to him shyly.

["Awwww!"] Rei and Ami said, grinning from ear to ear. They had a distinct feeling they'd missed something, but could not figure out what.

"What's going on here?"  Ikuko asked curiously, re-entering the room without Artemis.

Luna looked about, eyes faintly concerned, then she sniffed haughtily.  What did SHE care about that furball?

"I have no idea"  Kenji said, glaring at Mamoru.   That young man was still a little free with his daughter!

Minako fanned herself. Those two had enough sexual tension to power up Juuban in a blackout! ["I wonder if I'll have something like that one day,"] she thought sadly.

"We could ALL be so lucky" Rei muttered, throwing a look at Jaedite thoughtfully. Maybe she already WAS that lucky, but could she totally give herself to someone who only saw her as her past self?

["Ditto"] Ami said dryly. She had the same problem. A guy who loved her, but who probably only saw her former-self standing there.

["And what am I then?"] Kunzite demanded, striding over to Minako and hauling her into his arms. Her golden eyes went wide as she felt herself pressed to every inch of him.

"I...uh..." Minako managed, finding herself caught up in blazing blue eyes. Before she could guess his attention, Kunzite's head had lowered and his lips pressed against her, instantly tilting across hers to deepen it. ["Whoa!"] she gasped mentally, bombarded with emotions. Something beat at the edge of her mind and she had a feeling that it was her past memories trying to asset themselves. ["Okay! Enough, enough!"] she yelled at him, struggling. He was scaring her! She wasn't used to such a strong bond with anyone and she could clearly feel his love and desire through it!

Kunzite pulled back reluctantly, satisfied that she looked thoroughly kissed, yet not please that he had frightened her. "It was not my intention to induce any fear within you," he said stiffly, releasing her.

Minako stood there panting, eyes still huge. "No, no!" she said hastily, her hand half-raised. "It's just that...I was fourteen until today and I've had like two kisses in my life"

"Who were they?!" he blazed, almost growling in fury. Someone had kissed his Venus before him? His hand went unconsciously to his sword.

"You're acting too possessive!" she shrieked at him in outrage. She didn't even know he existed a few days ago, damn it!

"You're MINE, that's why!" he snarled back.

"Woah, time out!" Makoto's voice broke into their argument. The green-haired Senshi stood there, arms crossed and had obviously just come inside in time to hear what was going on.   She glared at Kunzite, who looked like he wanted to kill the two boys that had kissed Minako. "You're coming on too strong!"

"Yeah!" Rei and Ami echoed.

"Very well" The general said, sitting down on the couch stiffly, eyes cold. "I will no longer both you with my attentions, Princess Venus"

Minako stared at him, then moaned a little helplessly. ["I don't know how to handle this!"]

"Be silent, woman!" he roared at her, glaring.

Minako burst into tears.

It was then that Mamoru and the others realized that Usagi was gone. She must have become Serenity without Mamoru realizing and translocated out into the grounds.

"Damn" Mamoru said in frustration. Now she could become his Princess without him knowing? Without him transforming?

Serenity stared up at the sun, then back at the house. She had translocated herself, using the crystal while the others had argued. She felt Minako's pain, but was overwhelmed by her own. For a few minutes, she paced along the fence, staring down the drive and then she made her decision. "I have to get out of here" she whispered. She lifted a long lock of her hair and stared at it critically. "This will not do at all," she said aloud. Her hand opened, revealing the Silver Crystal. "I need to be Usagi for a while" she told it calmly, mind connecting with the power. "But the pain of separation will kill Endymion and I?" As if in response, her sub-space pocket opened and the Luna Pen floated out. Serenity's silver eyes widened. "But I thought Rei had this!" she exclaimed. Would Rei's disguise not reverse if she used it? Hesitating, the Princess made her decision. This was a way to be Usagi, yet stay as Serenity so that the bond would not pain her and Endymion. "Luna Pen, turn me back into Usagi!" she commanded it.

Inside the house, Rei was comforting Minako, who was crying heart-wrenchingly onto the other girl's shoulder, when she suddenly felt a draft. She looked down and screamed! "OH MY GOD!" she shrieked, pressing herself tightly against a startled Minako. She was in her UNDERWEAR!

Everyone's jaws dropped. Seconds before Rei had realized her predicament, they'd seen EVERYTHING!

"Rei!" Makoto gasped out, green eyes huge.

The golden-haired Senshi stopped crying when she felt her sister glomp onto her such as Kunzite had done not that much earlier. ["What on earth?"] she said in bewilderment, her face pressed into Rei's sweet-smelling hair. She knew Rei loved her, but she was holding on a LITTLE too tight! Minako could hardly BREATH! "Umm...Rei? Is there some reason you're holding me like this?!" The girl hissed into the fire Senshi's ear.

["BECAUSE THE LUNA PEN REVERSED AND I'M PRACTICALLY NAKED!"] Rei screamed back mentally.

Ami, Minako and Mamoru winced.

"Oh" Minako said, her tears drying. She wrapped her arms about Rei, trying to shield her.

My god! She was MAGNIFICENT! His desire exploded for his love as he saw almost every delectable inch of her revealed. Her long legs, her perfect breasts, flat stomach and her hair around her like that. Just like he'd always envisaged. But then reality hit him and he gaped around at the other occupants of the room. Every male eye was glued to his love. "FUCK!" Jaedite cursed loudly, mind still reeling from the vision of his love in the tiniest of clothing. Her dress had abruptly disappeared while she was comforting Venus and Mars had been left standing there in a flimsy piece of clothing that appeared to be made to accentuate and hide her breasts and a scrap of material hiding her most private area! He almost had a HEART ATTACK-but then he remembered all the other males present and he almost went homicidal. "GET YOUR EYES OFF OF MARS BEFORE I RUN YOU THROUGH!" he roared at Mamoru, Kenji, Nephlyte, Zoisite, Kunzite, Grandpa and Yuuchiro.

The other three generals were understandably gaping at Rei, eyes wide. They'd never seen such clothing before!  Where they came from, a lady was covered to feet in a long dress...

"Woah" Yuuchirou said, almost drooling.

Grandpa elbowed him in the groin, then when the young man bent over in agony, grabbed his ear and tugged him around till his back was to Rei. "Mind your manners young man!" he shouted.

"Mars!" Jaedite almost screamed at her. "Where did you CLOTHES go?!" His eyes were wild and his hands clenching and unclenching convulsively. The other males in the room hastily turned their backs, seeing that the blonde general was in a murderous rage.

["I can understand that. I'd be ready to kill if Usagi had suddenly lost her dress"] Mamoru thought, wincing.

"I'm so EMBARRASSED!" Rei screamed back at Jaedite, pressing herself further into Minako and using the girl as a human shield.

"Why did you do it then?!" he shouted back at her, hand falling onto his hilt. She was going to be the DEATH of HIM! He hastily reached up and undid his gray jacket, then stalked towards the golden-haired girl, whilst pulling it off.

"Oh no! Stay there, mister!" Rei yelled at him, turning Minako so that her sister was still between her and the infuriated General. Why was HE so angry! It was HER clothes that had disappeared! ["Kill me now! Everyone saw my thong, right?"]

"Thong?" Mamoru choked out, blue eyes going wider. He hadn't gotten that far down Rei's body before Jaedite had screamed at them to turn their backs. Rei WAS beautiful, but he also thought of her as a sister...so mentioning a thong was...was...He was STILL A GUY damn it!

["MAMORU!"} Rei wailed, hideously embarrassed already. Her face was flaming.

["Stop that thought right THERE, you hentai!"] Ami rushed over to Mamoru and smacked him over the back of the head.

"What did he say?!" Jaedite demanded, pausing at Minako's back as Mercury hit Mamoru, an angry look on her face. "What's a thong?

"Never mind! Cover her!" Ami shot back, gesturing to the cowering Rei.

"Right" Jaedite said darkly. He peered at Rei's face around Minako. "Come here so I can cover you!" he commanded her, holding out his jacket.

"Absolutely NOT!" Rei shouted at him, red eyes blazing wrath now. How dare he order her about! ["I'm not his property damn it!"]

"Let him cover you!" Makoto urged.

"He'll see me!" Rei wailed back, humiliated.

"I've already seen you" Jaedite growled. "Excuse me, Venus" he grabbed the golden Senshi by the shoulder and wrenched her forcefully from Rei. The two staggered, but then Venus went flying as he tossed her towards the couch.

["Tossed away like a tissue!"] Minako thought in a daze as she flew through the air. Warm arms caught her up and she felt relief fill her at the familiar touch. She looked up into Kunzite's eyes as she lay sprawled on his lap. The ice blue didn't soften for a long moment, and then he sighed and pressed her head silently into his shoulder.

Rei half-crouched, hands covering her breasts, which were fairly OUT of her bra. How the increased bust was being supported by the flimsy material, she didn't know! "Keep away, you creep!" she screeched at him.

Jaedite sighed and grabbed her, pulling her hard against him. As he covered her back with his jacket he spoke into her ear. "I'm now more determined than ever to have you, Mars. Accident or not, I will NEVER let another man see you this way again. I will kill them," he said silkily.

["He'd really kill a man for looking at me?"] Rei thought in shock, eyes huge in her face.

The blonde General pushed her back from him slightly and did up the buttons of his jacket, his fingers deliberately brushing over the swell of her breasts. Her face went bright red and he chuckled. Even in his huge jacket, which fell almost to her knees, she looked delicious. "Never doubt my words" he murmured to her, touching her hair lightly. "You're mine and I intend to have you...soon"

Chapter Two

["What was that?"] Minako blurted out from her place on Kunzite's lap. They seemed to have made up...in a round-about way. She knew him...sort of, but he was also sort of a stranger? ["Kunzite"] she asked tentatively, not sure if he was going to yell at her again. ["Would Jaedite actually kill someone for touching, Rei?"]

["Yes"] He said with cold certainty, his arms tightening about her form. ["We all would"]

["Oh..."] she said, not sure what to think. Killing was a pretty darn serious thing! But it was sort of sweet how protective the Generals were of their Senshi. She smiled slightly.

["OH?!"] Rei repeated, glaring over Jaedite's shoulder. ["Was that a positive?"] She demanded.

["Yup"] Minako said weakly, faltering under her friend's glare.

"So what you're saying is, we have four very homicidal ex-fiancées?" Ami said curiously, her gaze zeroing in on Zoisite. He grinned at her.

"Homicidal?" Kunzite said, frowning down at Minako's golden head. She looked up at him, grinning impishly and his heart almost faltered. How well he remembered her expressions!

"It means...er...wanting to bodily harm to another? Murder?" Ami said, flapping her arm around. The Generals all nodded firmly and she sighed, rolling her eyes. "We HAVE to bring you guys up to date with this century. Casual killing, even for an insult isn't permitted in this time"

"At ALL?!" The four men chorused together, expressions darkening.

"I may not defend my woman's honor?!" Jaedite growled, holding Rei even closer.

Rei worked and arm free and slapped Jaedite across the side of the head. ["What idiots!"] She groaned mentally.

He let her go, stunned that she had hit him. "Mars?" he said, rubbing the side of his head, an angry-unhappy look in his blue eyes.

"You're too possessive-girls want romance you know!" she informed him, crossing her arms and looking haughty. "You're too impulsive-and that will get you in trouble!" she glared at all the Generals, seeing her fellow-Senshi nodding enthusiastically to her speech. "And you're going to land yourself in a cell if you go around killing people!" she paused. "You even get locked up for punching someone" she looked at her sisters. ["Can you BELIEVE these guys?!"] She demanded.

The Generals looked pole-axed as they digested all of this.

"We would be...imprisoned for this?" Kunzite said with utter disbelief. ["What sort of world has the Princess brought us to?"] He demanded silently.

["Don't blame our Princess. It was an accident"] Minako shot back protectively, crossing her arms.

Ami and Rei, who had heard her, turned to glare at the pale-eyed General.

Mamoru just sighed. On some level, he recognized their outrage. His memories as Prince of Earth blurred with his memories as Mamoru and sometimes he found himself feeling as lost as his love. Not being able to protect Usagi would be just...completely UNACCEPTABLE. And jail be damned!

["That's really sweet Mamoru, but you're the only rich one around here and we could never make your bail"] Rei cooed at him, batting her lashes in a mocking way.

Jaedite stared at her and then at Mamoru, his expression darkening. Sometimes he truly RESENTED the bond his love and his Prince shared. If only the bond he and Mars once had were working again...

["They're from a completely different society, where the honor of a lady could be settled over a duel"] Ami said after calming down. She cocked her head to the side in an interested manner and then smiled mischievously. ["I kind of like it"]

["I'll be sure to tell Zoisite that"] Mamoru said, voice ominous. His blue eyes glinted with amusement, however, dispelling his spooky overtone.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Minako, Rei and Ami bellowed at him, murderous, looks in their eyes.

"Dare what?" Zoisite asked, looking from one Senshi to another. They all looked ready to strangle his Prince at a moment's notice.

"We cannot even defend the honor of our fiancée's?" Zoisite said, looking outraged.

Ami scratched the back of her head, looking thoughtful. "We'll...you could scare them, I guess" she offered, giggling. She pointed at their swords. "But even taking those in public is illegal. All you can do is glare and threaten verbally"

Kunzite looked balefully at the Senshi of Mercury. "I believe I will be having a nice LONG talk with the Princess about this barbaric time she has brought us to!"

"You scare her and I'll have to hurt you" Rei warned Kunzite.

The Princess of Mars was a fiery goddess! Jaedite's eyes showed his fierce pride. She was truly his match!

Kunzite smiled at Rei, resting his cheek against Minako's silky hair. "I think Jaedite would prefer your attentions, Mars" he teased.

The Princess of Mars was luscious and beauteous! Jaedite's eyes gleamed as he thought about just WHAT attentions he would love to give to his fiancée.

Right on cue, Jaedite grabbed Rei's hips and attempted to pull her flush against him. However-the heel of her hand smacking firmly into his mouth and nose stopped him dead.

The Princess of Mars was EXTREMELY displeased! Jaedite eyed her sourly over her hand. Was he never to catch a break?!

"Arrgggh!" she shrieked, shoving Jaedite away from her and making him fall into his butt. "NO TOUCHIE!" she told him, finger pointed at his face.

"How about a grope?" he said cheekily, just sitting there.

"Not likely" Rei muttered, flopping onto the couch next to Minako and Kunzite. She glanced at them curiously. They sure appeared to be getting along well!

The Princess of Mars had brutally rebuffed him! Jaedite flopped onto his back, one arm under his head and stared at the ceiling pensively. Truly, Mars was a woman of many talents, many delicious curves and many, MANY tempers.

"I think I'll ring Motoki and find out how he's doing" Mamoru said absently, reaching into his sub-space pocket and removing a cell phone. The others stared at him and he smiled sheepishly. "I needed a phone once when I was Tuxedo Kamen and couldn't de-transform...long story, but I decided to always carry a spare"

"Riiiiiight" Makoto said dryly, crossing her arms. "So you're not really a stinking rich guy with a hankering for material goods?"

Mamoru glared at her, then hit auto-dial for Motoki's Arcade. A moment later, his friend answered. "Motoki, it's me" he said.

"Mamoru! Buddy!" The man said enthusiastically. "Am I glad to hear from you"

"Why?" Mamoru said suspiciously, hearing something in his old friend's voice that made him wary.

"What kind of answer is THAT?!" Motoki shouted down the line wrathfully.

Rei got up and she and Ami and Makoto move in close to Mamoru, pressing their ears as close to his as they could. From his comical expression, Motoki had done something!

"Like I was saying before. My place has fire damage and it's going to take a while for the insurance to come through" Motoki said in a wheedling tone.

["Someone needs a looooaaaan!""] Ami sing-songed, grinning.

"Motoki-recite after me" Mamoru said patiently. "My best friend is NOT a bank"

"Which bank?" Motoki said, the smirk clear in his tone. "Okay, okay. My best friend is not a bank!" He recited obediently. He paused for a long moment. "So, can I get a small loan on a fixed interest rate?" He asked cheekily.

"Hanging up!" The Prince of Earth retorted, amused despite himself.

The Senshi all giggled as everyone else watched curiously.

"What is a bank?" Zoisite asked Ikuko curiously.

"A place that lends people money for a certain amount of interest-or houses money for people so that they don't have to keep it on them" Ikuko said, frowning over her explanation. Was that too much explanation for a man from the past or too little?

"I see" The General said, frowning also.

"How do you guys do it in the past? You're rich, right?" Shingo asked, looking up from his Game Boy. He'd quickly lost interest in all adult conversation around him the moment the 'kissing' and 'hugging' and 'innuendoes' began. Soooo boring! Now, talk about the Senshi or his sister's past was interesting, but he personally was revolted by all the lovey-dovey crap going on!

"We have-" The blonde General began to explain, but was cut off my Mamoru's near-scream of outrage.

"WHAT?!" He gripped the phone tightly. "HOW much?!" He demanded again, not sure if he'd heard right. He could buy a HOUSE for that much!

"KIDDING! Kidding!" Motoki said hastily. He groaned. "There goes my holiday in Hawaii!"

"You could buy the whole bloody resort for that much!" Mamoru bellowed back, unimpressed.

Ami and the others giggled again.

["Those two are SO funny!"] Minako snickered mentally.

["They're like brothers"] Rei nodded at the golden-haired Senshi.

["My 'brother' is trying to rob me blind"] Mamoru said dryly, running a hand through his hair.

"Just give him the money. You're loaded!!" Ami said, smiling.

"You don't think this house put a dent in my funds?" The dark-haired man glared at her. "Don't encourage him"

"Listen to Ami" Motoki said eagerly from down the line.

"I tell you what, Motoki" his friend said slyly. "I'll lend you the amount that you're getting in insurance and-"

"And?" Motoki said apprehensively.

"I'll shout us all to Hawaii when I become KING of Earth!" Mamoru finished.

"MAMORU!" Motoki howled. "You and I both know that you becoming the King of the whole planet is about as remote as a snowball's chance in hell!"

"Exactly" The Prince said smugly.

"You're so CRUUUUUUEL!" Motoki moaned.

["And doesn't he LOVE it"] Ami, Rei and Minako thought simultaneously, cracking up.

"Stop laughing!" Mamoru groused.

"I'm not laughing-oh wait, the 'bond thing', right?" Motoki said in a stage-whisper.

"Motoki!" The dark-haired man snapped. "I hope you're not where someone can hear you" he frowned. ["Or I'll have to do him bodily harm"] he thought darkly.

"Of course not!  I'm in the private lounge out back"  Motoki retorted, feeling insulted.

["Don't make us do YOU bodily harm, oh Prince"] Rei told him sweetly. ["We adore Motoki"]

["That's right!"] Ami agreed, grabbing Mamoru's arm and shaking him lightly. She grinned. ["And Usagi would kill us if we had to mess up your pretty face"]

Minako and Rei cracked up again, falling to the floor at Mamoru's feet and clutching at their sides.

["PRETTY FACE?!"]  Mamoru said incredulously.   He scowled down at the writhing Senshi, un-amused.  He wasn't a pretty boy, damn it!

The others watched curiously, wondering what was going on.

"So" Motoki said on the line, leaving it dangling for a long moment. "How are...things?"

Mamoru briefly explained what had happened since Motoki had left, occasionally having to hold the cell away from his ear as Motoki screamed at him in shock.

Mamoru decides to ring Motoki to see how it is going with his Arcade on fire and his friend says everything is fine.

Mamoru quickly explained what has happened, wincing every time Motoki screamed.

"She DIED?"

"Yes and then-" The Prince went on.

"They AGED?!"  Motoki screamed next.

The Senshi and Mamoru all winced. ["Boy he's shrill when he's in shock"] Rei commented, touching a finger to her ear delicately.

"And then Usagi grew wings on her back" The earth Prince finished off, swiftly holding the phone away before his eardrums were ruptured. Sure enough, Motoki's bellow could be heard by everyone in the lounge room.

"Usagi has WHAT growing on her BACK?!"

"Tell Reika what's happening and then come back here as soon as you can" Mamoru ordered his friend, frowning in concern. "Zoisite knows you and that means that Kunzite and probably the whole Dark Kingdom knows"

"Crap!" The blonde man swore. "Okay, we'll be back over as soon as we can fix this mess up" he paused. "Don't let ANYTHING ELSE happen while I'm gone!" He said hastily. "My poor heart can't take any more shocks"

"How do you think WE feel?" Ami said dryly, pressing her mouth to the phone near Mamoru's. She saw the Prince's startled gaze and heard Zoisite's growl and smiled secretively as she drew back.

"Bye" Mamoru said faintly, giving the blue-haired Senshi a bemused look. He clicked off the cell phone and put it back into his sub-space pocket.

Ami blew him a kiss and skipped away, grinning impishly at Zoisite's dark face.

Zoisite turned to Jaedite and muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath.

"Please don't make your Royal Guard want to do you bodily harm, my Prince" Jaedite smiled widely, casting an amused look at Ami.

"It was HER!" Mamoru protested, throwing Ami a glare. ["Are you trying to get me KILLED?"] He demanded, crossing his arms. He wasn't terribly surprised when Rei's arm went about his waist and she leant into his side, but he also couldn't figure out WHY he was so comfortable with her doing so.

"What did I just SAY, Endymion?!" Jaedite yelled at him, glaring at his fiancée. She stuck her tongue out.

"Mamoru is a good friend. Deal" she told him, glaring back.

["Are you trying to get my murdered in cold blood?!"] Mamoru asked her again, rolling his blue eyes skywards as his General threw him a look of death.

["Noooooo"] Rei said thoughtfully. Her head snuggled firmer into his shoulder. ["I just feel incredibly affectionate towards you right now"]

"Awwwww!" Ami and Minako cooed.

["How sweet!"] Minako breathed, cocking her head to the side to study the Prince of Earth and the Princess of Mars. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn the bond they shared seemed almost like a-

"Who's for dinner?" Ikuko burst in before anyone else could speak.  She rushed suddenly towards Jaedite and to his immense shock, he was grabbed by the arm and hauled out of the room, his murderous glare turning to indignation. "You can help me!" The blue-haired woman told him.

"Woman! Release me now! A Royal Guard and Lord of the Earth Realm does NOT do the work of womenfolk" he shouted, his voice fading.

Kenji and Shingo winced.

"Oooh, a BAD thing to say to my mum" Shingo whispered, shuddering.

"My wife can be truly scary at times" Kenji nodded furiously.

Kunzite, Zoisite and Nephlyte just chuckled in amusement.

The light consumed her, feeling different somehow. Her mind remained as that of the Princess however and she stomped her foot in frustration as she caught sight of her still-silver hair. She also knew that, despite wearing a very Usagi-looking outfit, her crescent moon still blazoned from her forehead. "Luna Pen!" she wailed. "I still look like Serenity!"

The multitude of voices that was from the Silver Crystal filled her head and she froze, letting it flow through her. "Silver Crystal" she murmured, her hand going to the broach resting over her t-shirt. "I need my golden hair back and I also need to hide my crescent moon" she said to it, feeling a little light-headed from the direct contact. She felt warmth spill from the broach under her fingers and then spread up though her body. She grabbed at one ponytail and watched with awe as the silver that proclaimed her of the Royal Moon family was gradually replaced with the old familiar blonde. Sighing with relief, she felt her forehead, but knew that now her crescent moon had also been hidden. "Thank you" she sighed. "Now, about being Usagi?" she asked tentatively. "And I don't want my bond to hurt the others" she added. The surge of power that went through her brought her to her knees and when it was gone, so was Serenity's personality...and the energy in her body seemed to have been depleted also. She lay there panting for a long moment, then gradually staggered to her feet. Her vision went dark for a second, then cleared. The bond was still there, but very faint. She knew that the further she got from Mamoru, the sooner he would realize she was gone! "Ugh-my head" she moaned, walking towards the closest gate. She struggled through some bushes and then looked upwards. Oh no! It was too far to jump! And she was no longer Sailor Moon either.

The bumps on her back pulsated, as if hearing her wish, but then pain faded. "Crystal" she said, too tired to address it properly. "Translocate me?" she asked, mind dead-tired from the power drain to her body. He before she could blink, she was suddenly on the other side of the gate. "Thanks" she muttered, turning to the right and heading towards town. Maybe she could find a park or somewhere to think. It was just too much on her, having almost lost Mamoru, Rei and Ami and having Venus die. Then using the Silver Crystal and the Luna Pen to go out walking in the mansion grounds. But she wanted more privacy. After about 10 minutes, things became to look familiar to her and she realized she had reached the outskirts of the shopping district. Suddenly eager to do something so completely normal, that Usagi used to enjoy, she headed into the district to do some shopping. Her painful thoughts may not be able to be blocked, but perhaps she could distract herself. Just for a while...

Mamoru frowned slightly, as he stood watching the antics of his Generals and their 'fiancées'. Ikuko and Jaedite had returned with a stew that Ikuko and Seline had been cooking most of the day. Apparently, that was what they had been up to when they had gone so often for 'tea and coffee'. They all sat around the table now, arguing and laughing. And then, such a strange feeling had just passed over Mamoru, wholly unfamiliar and yet...he had a strange sense that it had something to do with his Princess.

["What's wrong?"] Rei demanded, putting her bowl carefully down on the table and walking over to his side to peer up at his weird expression.

["Mamoru?"] Ami said, her head whipping around. She also placed her bowl on the table, blue eyes concerned.

Minako blinked from her position on Kunzite's lap, feeling very much comforted by the feeling of his arms about her. ["Is something the matter?"] She asked mentally, golden eyes widening in concern. She absently ate other spoonful and then fed one to the blue-haired General, blushing as his eyes never left hers. For some reason, he had refused to eat his own bowlful, asking to share hers.

"Something is the matter?" Kunzite said quickly, looking at Mamoru as both Ami and Rei stood before him, studying his expression carefully.

"Something...strange. I can't describe it" The dark-haired man said after a long moment of silence, in which he struggled to comprehend what he had felt. It had been almost like...separation? He tossed his empty bowl onto the table and stood, eyes blank.

"WHAT?!" Rei almost screamed at him, her eyes glowing blood-red with surprised anger. "What SEPARATING, Mamoru?!" she yelled at him, grabbing his arm.

"Separation?" Luna said swiftly.

"Usagi?" Kenji, Shingo and Ikuko said fearfully.

"It was probably nothing" The embarrassed Prince of Earth mumbled, trying to shake the Priestess-in-training off of his arm. But she stubbornly clung to it, glaring at him. He looked at his love's mother, who was also frowning. "Seline, did you feel something?" he asked her.

"She used the Crystal" The Queen murmured, perplexed. "I felt a surge of something, but it was unlike anything I have known before" she turned to look pointedly at Rei. "Darling, the only way the Luna Pen would have reversed, is if you had reversed it's power yourself...or..." she trailed off, coming slowly to her feet, silver eyes slightly frightened. "Endymion, I think that Serenity has used the Luna Pen"

["And?"] Rei growled, not getting what the girl was trying to say. Why on earth would Usagi need the Luna Pen when she'd promised to stay within the grounds of the mansion? Her red eyes growing huge, she gasped. "Serenity used the Luna Pen and took off!"

"I'll KILL her!" Mamoru swore roundly, hands clenching.

Rei let go of his arm swiftly and stepped back, not minding when Jaedite came to stand by her side rather protectively. Mamoru was SEETHING with anger!

["USAGI?!"] The handsome man shouted mentally. Ami, Seline, Minako and Rei winced.

"Not so loud" Ami said mildly, touching a hand to the side of her head. Sometimes, the bond seemed more pain than advantage!

["I'll say"] The red-haired Senshi muttered mentally.

The five listened carefully for a response from the girl, but none of them could sense a thing.

Mamoru's form abruptly shimmered and he was clad in the armor of Prince Endymion, the blue symbol for Earth blazing on his forehead. ["Serenity!"] He said, using all his senses. Nothing. Her presence was just GONE. "Damn her! She PROMISED me!" he shouted, striding towards the front of the house. The Senshi squeaked and rushed after him, Minako dragging a wincing Kunzite along behind her. The Prince reached the front doors and flung them open, heading into the grounds. Ikuko, Seline, Luna and the others trailed along behind, worry on their faces. After a 20 minute search, they confirmed that the Princess was indeed gone.

"She promised me. Promised" Endymion said slowly, looking unbearably hurt and betrayed.

Rei laid a hand on his arm, rubbing it soothingly. "She can't have gone far. We'll go after here" she said softly.

"We don't know which way she went" he replied, anger again filling him. His angel had lied to him!

"How on earth can we find her?" Minako said, looking around her in a rather lost manner.

"Perhaps if we used the combined powers of the Crystals within us?" Kunzite suggested, an arm going about Minako's waist absently.

"I think it is time that I used my powers as Prince of Earth" Endymion replied grimly.

Chapter Three

"My Prince..." Kunzite began, turning to the dark-haired man dressed in full battle armor. It made the General very proud to see Endymion's true form. This Mamoru in this new century was not his true ruler. THIS man was. "Do you think it entirely wise?" He asked delicately, aware that Endymion did not possess all the knowledge of his past life. And the power of the Earth was enormous.

"There's a risk?" Minako said anxiously, looking from the Prince to the General. ["What will happen?"] She demanded quietly.

["Don't ask"] The light-haired man said grimly.

The Senshi of love grimaced. "That bad?" She said aloud.

"What's bad?" Makoto demanded eyes distrustful.

"Nothing is bad" Endymion said restlessly, still trying to reach his love's mind. To have SOME contact with her. It was distressing to say the least that his eternal bond with her had been suppressed. DELIBERATELY. His first clenched at his sides and his expression darkened.

"Mamoru, calm down" Ikuko said soothingly, walking over to lay a hand on his arm.

Endymion almost shook her off in frustration, not wanting to be touched, but when he saw her barely-hidden fear in her blue eyes, he forced himself to relax. Serenity's mothers were also worried. He glanced at Seline with narrowed eyes. "Can you sense her?" He demanded, voice rough.

Seline hesitated, and then reluctantly nodded. "Yes-but don't take that personally, Endymion" she said hastily. "I AM her mother. We had a bond the moment she was born. You only had yours for two years before the fall of the Kingdoms"

[TELL ME where she is"]  The Prince ordered mentally, directing it towards the petite silver-haired beauty.

Seline's eyes hardened at his tone.  ["Do not forget to whom you are speaking Prince of Earth"]  she advised him coolly.  Then her expression softened slightly.  ["I AM sorry, but...Pluto has given me strict instructions.  I cannot help you"] she paused indecisively, then looked about her in a hunted manner.  ["There is a battle coming, Endymion"]  she whispered to him, making him wonder what rules she was breaking to tell him this.   ["Serenity may be lost in the Dark Kingdom and your bond will be all that can find her..."]

Endymion blinked as her presence left him and she looked away, obviously concerned with what she had said.  ["I see"]  he said to himself mentally.  A battle and...he must hone his bond to Serenity or she could be in terrible danger some time in the future.  This only served to fuel his determination to use his powers to find Serenity.

Makoto gaped at the ex-Queen of the Solar System. "Excuse me?" She said, staring briefly at Nephlyte. "We knew these guys for only two years and they're acting like THIS?" She pointed at a suddenly-grinning General.

"When you fall, you fall hard" Ami said quietly, giving a half-smile at them all.

"That's my girl" Zoisite murmured, nodding.

Ami's smile widened slightly, then her expression sobered. "Endymion, are you sure you should try...whatever it is you want to try?" She said in concern.

"He's going to draw on the power of his planet without using the Golden Crystal as a medium" Seline supplied knowledgably. "It could hurt him. Severely"

"We have four of the five Crystals" Nephlyte said, frowning thoughtfully. "If we pool our powers whilst he draws from the Earth..." he trailed off, looking at his fellow-Generals. They all nodded.

"We have a plan then" Rei let her breath out explosively. "And I get first dibs on beating Serenity senseless!"

"Oh no" Endymion said icily, "That honor is all MINE" he knelt down on the ground, while everyone but the Generals and Seline watched in surprise.

"What's he doing?" Yuuchirou whispered to Grandpa and Shingo.

"I don't know" Grandpa muttered back, watching intently. The young man held a lot of power. Yes, that he did. It was magnificent to behold.

"Give him strength to find my daughter" Seline said softly, praying silently to the Earth God.

Everyone came to hover around the Prince as his fingers dug into the lush grass and his blue eyes closed. Kunzite, Zoisite, Nephlyte and Jaedite stood around him, linking hands. They began to glow yellow, red, blue and green, surrounding Endymion in a rainbow nimbus.

["Has anyone else noticed that they glow the same colors are the Senshi they're engaged to?"] Ami said suddenly, startling the other two girls linked to her.

["Yeah-I did"] Rei said, staring hard at Jaedite's blood-red aura.

["Curious, isn't it?"] Seline's voice broke into their conversation, startling them. The three girls turned to look at the silver-haired girl in surprise. ["You forgot I had a bond with you all?"] The young girl said, smiling.

["Yeah"] Minako, Rei and Ami said, turning back to watch the Prince and his Generals.

["Maybe one day I'll explain it"] Seline said mysteriously. Then her presence was gone.

["That's cryptic enough!"] Minako commented.

["Venus! Be quiet if you please!"] Kunzite snapped mentally, his jaw tightening. ["This is not as easy as it may appear"]

["Oops! Sorry! Sorry!"] She replied hastily. She looked at the other girls. ["Kunzite said shush!"] She informed them with a sheepish look.

["'K"] Rei said, shrugging.

Well, Usagi was damned if she knew where the money had come from, but after finding a few things and checking for some cash in her sub-space pocket, she had found enough to purchase some manga, a new dress and a thick shake. She sat down with a deep sigh on a bench and began to suck on her straw. Now that her mind was not occupied, it went back to her dear friends. How could she ever let anything like that happen again? But how to prevent it? ["I'm so troubled"] she whispered in her mind. ["So lonely"] she went on in some surprise. Yes, she felt all alone. She had her family and friends, but...she alone could control the Silver Crystal. She alone would be facing Beryl. And...Her poor sisters had to die. Only Makoto remained and Usagi didn't know if she could BEAR to see her friend die. "I-I...just can't" she murmured, tears burning her eyes.

"Usagi?" A familiar voice said tentatively.

Usagi's tears vanished as she recognized Naru's voice. OH NO! She wasn't meant to have bumped into anyone she knew! The others were going to KILL her! But GODS, she missed her old friend. She looked up and saw the red-head standing there uncertainly, almost as if she were afraid her friend wasn't real. "It's me" she said softly, nodding.

"USAGI!" Naru shrieked, throwing herself into the blonde's arms. "Oh my god, Usagi!" she burst into tears, face pressed against her friend's neck.

Usagi's blue eyes widened in shock as the girl clung to her, and then the blonde's arms closed warmly about her friend's shaking shoulders. "Naru. It's okay Naru" she whispered gently into Naru's ear, rubbing her hands soothingly over the red-head's back.

"It's NOT okay!" Naru sobbed, pulling back so that she could look into Usagi's blue eyes. "You've been gone for DAYS! And your house has this big hole in the living room! I couldn't find you and the School said that your mom had rang to say you were SICK"

["Oh dear"] Usagi thought, wincing slightly. She'd forgotten about the hole! "I'm so sorry, Naru" she said, releasing the girl. She took a hold of her shoulders. "Things have been...happening. Been crazy. Mom and dad and Shingo and me had to leave for a while"

"Where?" Naru sniffed, giving her friend a watery smile as Usagi smiled at her. Maybe things weren't as bad as she'd feared? "What about the hole in your HOUSE, Usagi?" she demanded, wiping the tears from her face.

Usagi winced again, giving her friend a pained look. "Well..." she trailed off, not sure how to explain that the Dark Kingdom had paid a house-call. ["What on earth do I tell her without her finding out I was Sailor Moon?"]

"I know..." Naru said hesitantly. She paused, and then ploughed on swiftly, blue eyes showing fear. "I know that you have a secret, Usagi. A BIG one" she whispered.

"A BIG secret?" Usagi's heart almost stopped at the serious look Naru was giving her now, fear still in the back of her eyes. ["Does she...know?!"]

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I've always known that you couldn't tell just ANYONE. But I've known since-Maxwell"

["Maxwell Stanton"] Usagi's heart sank as she realized what Naru was saying. Naru KNEW. "How did you find out?" she asked quietly, brushing Naru's bangs back from her eyes in a maternal way. Usagi suddenly felt for the girl, who seemed to be Usagi's age, but was in fact a thousand years younger. Serenity was very much a part of her now. She WAS Serenity. And she felt an overwhelming urge to take care of Naru.

"I figured it out in the days after Maxwell died. All the times you suddenly disappeared. How you suddenly got a beeper, even though no kid our age would have one. How you sometimes came to School with bruises or limping. At first I thought maybe your dad...but I know him too well and he'd never do something like that" Naru stopped, tears forming in her expressive eyes again.

Usagi looked at her with some horror, as she realized what Naru had been thinking. Her dad, hitting her? Who else had thought that? And the Communicator...well, well-off kids had them, but she guessed her parents weren't the sort to give a 14 year old one. And disappearing couldn't have been helped.

"And then a few things clicked all of a sudden" Naru went on abruptly. Her eyes met Usagi's squarely. "You seemed so seriously WORRIED when I was seeing Maxwell. I know you said he was bad news, but you were SO MUCH more worried than someone who had a friend that was seeing an older man. When I thought it over, I knew that you were really warning me because he was a Dark Kingdom General called Nephlyte"

"He told you all that?" Usagi said faintly, a hand going to her forehead. If she'd known that Nephlyte had been so forth-coming with information, she and the Senshi could have asked NARU about Queen Beryl and the Generals. Her blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully and she looked through Naru for a long moment, considering. ["Naru knows so much about our enemy. I wonder if she's SAFE at home"] Maybe Naru would be safer with Usagi and the others. But then, they'd have to tell Naru's mother. ["But Naru's mom is one of the only mothers of a friend that's had a close-up encounter a Youma. Maybe she'd understand?"] Perhaps Naru's mother should come as well.

"And then there was Makoto, Rei and Ami. With you, that just happened to make up the number of Senshi that had appeared. And you seemed to have little in common with them too" The red-head saw that Usagi wasn't really paying attention and she sighed in exasperation, then realized that the blonde was deep in thought. "Usagi?" Naru said, waving a hand under the blonde's vacant eyes. "Are you okay?

Endymion concentrated; feeling the powers of his General's surrounding him, within him and expanding outwards. At first, all he sensed were them...and then his consciousness seemed to SINK. Right into the ground. Everything faded away and his mind was drawn into a vast dark place, edged with red, yellow, blue and green. He reached with his mind and suddenly felt a wrenching pain. Another color appeared faintly, then grew steadily brighter...but there seemed to be something terribly WRONG with the color. It was purple, but dulled so far as to appear almost black. Strangely, Mamoru sense a malice from the purple glow, very unlike that of his General's calm warmth. ["What does this mean?"] He exclaimed. Abruptly, all five colors rushed at him. He put his arm over his face, trying to shield his astral-self, but as the colors reached him and filled him, he felt...different. Very different. A multitude of voices assaulted him, sounding loud and yet indistinguishable. He was abruptly overwhelmed and his arm dropped limply. To his astonishment, he saw that his body was glowing a bright golden color. Pure and powerful. It was inside him, the Golden Crystal's power. If only he could tell who the last Crystal belonged to. But...he was blocked as he tried to mentally bond with the person. It rebuffed him almost violently.

["Endymion"] Kunzite's voice said weakly, coming from inside the Prince's body. ["Hurry and find the Princess. It does not matter who the last Crystal belongs to right now. Use the power"]

Recalled to himself, Endymion let the power explode from him. Moment's later, his mind touched Serenity's and his fury almost undid him. She HAPPY! He felt her joy over something and it made his anger even more honed. She had LIED to him and now she was happy with someone other than him. Before he could restrain himself, his voice was inside her mind, thundering like the toll of doom. ["SERENITY!"]

"I am fine" Serenity murmured, having emerged while deep in thought about the Dark Kingdom. She gave Naru a penetrating look. "Naru, you know a great deal about the Dark Kingdom and they may attempt to kill you"

Naru's blue eyes widened, both at the strange inflection in Usagi's tone, as well as her words. Her friend had changed before her eyes, even her gaze seeming like that of one much older. "My life? Are you sure?" she said weakly, focusing on the main issue.

"I am certain of it" Serenity's hands tightened on Naru's shoulders. "I will take you with me" The Moon Princess decided.

"Why is your voice so different all of a sudden?" The red-head said, perplexed. Where had her ditzy friend gone? This person was a stranger!

"I will tell you later. Come" Serenity said gently, taking a hold of Naru's arm above the elbow and guiding her back in the direction of the mansion. She had wondered a lot further than she had intended. Suddenly, a loud murmuring of voices crashed against her mind, seconds before Endymion's presence wrapped about her.

["SERENITY!"] Endymion roared. ["Where the HELL are you?"]

Serenity winced and stopped, ignoring Naru as the girl watched her in concern. Endymion was FURIOUS with her, if his voice was any indication!

["Of course I'm bloody furious with you, Serenity! Why the hell did you leave the grounds?"] The Prince shouted at her, while mentally checking her for injury. ["And why did you suddenly become Serenity? Are you in danger?"] He said more calmly, having assessed that she was alright.

["I am sorry, my Prince"] Serenity said docilely, keenly aware of the great terror that he'd been hiding behind his wrath. She was not surprised. She had left the mansion grounds, after promising that she would not.

["Where are you?"] He demanded, searching her mind. His powers were not at her level yet, unfortunately for him and so, he could not tell her location.

"I am in the shopping district" Serenity murmured aloud and mentally, seeing Naru's perplexed expression. The red-head gave her a startled look, comprehension entering her eyes.

["Stay where you are, Princess. I'm sending my General's to escort you"] Endymion said in frigid tones, cold fury filling him.

He abruptly pulled his mind from Serenity's, startling her. ["I didn't know he could do that!"] She thought, blue eyes wide. Endymion had reached such a long way to find her mind, once he sensed that she was no longer Usagi. Serenity had forgotten about the strong bond they shared as the Princess and Prince.

"Usagi? Who were you talking to?" Naru asked, afire with curiosity. She stared intently at her friend, who looked rather chagrined. "Hello?" she waved a hand in front of the blue eyes, which abruptly focused on her.

Serenity gave Naru a weak smile, knowing that there would be QUITE an argument when she got home. She should have never left the safety of the grounds, nor the protection of her Guards and her Prince. She sighed deeply. "We must wait here. I was speaking with my Prince" she said absently, utterly distracted. Her heart ached at the thought of a fight with her Prince. But this was her fault; utterly.

"Your PRINCE?!" Naru hissed, grabbing Serenity's arm tightly. "WHAT Prince?!" she demanded.

Serenity blinked at the red-head, then down at her arm, which was being clutched tightly. "I will explain soon" she soothed, withdrawing her arm. She looked about her and spotted a bench nearby, where they could wait for the General's and watch the passing traffic. "Let us sit down" she murmured, leading the way to the bench. She sat down gracefully.

Naru gave the blonde a weirded-out look. "Okay, but you better explain why your speech is funny, you walk like the Queen of England and you've become psychic!" she whispered into Serenity's ear.

Serenity nodded and waited.

Endymion and the four Generals suddenly collapsed. Everyone rushed over, having been completely spell-bound by the sight of the Prince glowing a brilliant golden color, surrounded by his equally-glowing Guard. Nothing had seemed to happen for a long time and then the glows abruptly faded and the five fell to the ground as if they had been puppets cut by a string.

"Oh god!" Ikuko cried out, placing Endymion’s head on her lap. Even as she watched, his form shimmered and he became Mamoru. "He's unconscious!" She said anxiously.

Minako had gone to Kunzite, Ami to Zoisite, Rei to Jaedite and Makoto to Nephlyte. The Generals were all pale and breathing hard, but conscious.

["IDIOT!"] Minako shrieked at Kunzite. ["You could have been killed!"]

["Would...you...have cared?"] He managed to ask her mentally, his tone faint.

She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him hard, then pulled his face to her breasts, arms wrapping about his head. ["Of course I would have"] The Senshi of love said, tears pooling in her eyes and then spilling down her cheeks.

In the Dark Kingdom dimension, Queen Beryl's court were poleaxed when the mighty red-headed woman suddenly keeled over and fell to the floor in a dead faint.

Chapter Four

Ami held Zoisite gently, and then smoothed the hair from his face with one hand, smiling down at him. "You idiot" she said affectionately.

"Thank you" he said, smiling back.

"I am glad to be finally gracing your lap" Jaedite said to Rei dryly, eyes exhausted, but impudent.

["I'm going to strangle him one day"] The fire Senshi thought darkly, tempted to dump his head onto the ground and stalk off to see how Mamoru was doing.

Sensing her intentions, the blonde General groaned theatrically and put a hand to his head. "I feel so weak!" He moaned at her.

She glared at him, a finger tapping on his forehead harder and harder until he winced in real pain.

"Please tap your hand somewhere else" he said, glaring back.

"Okay, that's it" Rei abruptly shoved him off of her lap and walked over to Ikuko, bending slightly to peer into Mamoru's pale face. "Is he okay?"

"What about ME?!" Jaedite yelped in protest, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head.

"I think so.  He looks like he's just sleeping"   Ikuko said in a hushed tone.  "Just like when Usagi uses her Silver Crystal"

"That's right"  Seline nodded and began to twirl a long lock of her hair about her finger.  She looked about her with interest.   Seeing the Earth Kingdom superimposed over everything.  She would never have guessed in a million years that she would be reincarnated a thousand years into the future as a 16 year old girl.  She was feeling terribly strange too, but could not figure out what it WAS.  It had been so very long since she had been this young.

Makoto grinned and patted Nephlyte's shoulder as he rested in his arms, his head under her chin. It was rather nicely, really. "Feeling better?" She asked him softly.

"Yes thank you" he said solemnly, in his usual manner.

"Don't cry love!" Kunzite pleaded with Minako. ["I can't bear to see you cry!"] He said roughly, pulling back from her breasts and staring her right in the face. She blinked, then licked her lips. But before she could say anything, he kissed her quickly and then stood. "We have to get to the Princess" he told the others.

"But Mamoru can't tell us where she IS" Kenji said, frustrated. He wrung his hands and paced back and forth, grinding his teeth.

"Be patient" Grandpa advised quietly.

"Do not worry" Seline said, nodding her head gently at Jaedite. "They know where my daughter is"

"They DO?" Kenji said eagerly, eyes lighting up. He fairly pounded on Jaedite and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him back and forth like a madman. "Where?!"

Jaedite stared at the man as if were a maniac, then frowned and looked at Rei, a question in his eyes.

Rei shook her head frantically in response and made a cutting motion across her throat. ["If he thinks he can get away with bodily harm to Usagi's dad, he's got another thing coming!"] She thought wrathfully.

The blonde General sighed and brushed off Kenji's hands. To be submitted to such treatment, when he was a great Lord! Oh, what he did for the sake of love. If Mars said no, then no it would be. "I'm so whipped" he muttered under his breath. He cleared his throat and looked around. "I believe the Princess is in the...what did she call it? A...shopping....district?" He said uncertainly, trying out the words. "This is like a market?  You purchase clothing and such from merchants?"

"That's right"  Ami nodded, brushing the bangs from her eyes and looking thoughtful.

Ikuko looked appalled. "She went SHOPPING?!" She gasped, eyes wide. "SHOPPING? At a time like this?" Her face became more and more angered.

"You know it's Usagi's release" Ami reminded Ikuko gently, letting go of Zoisite and rising to her feet. ["Poor Usagi. This is the last time she might ever be a normal girl"] she thought regretfully.

["You’re right"] Rei said, blinking. "After today, Usagi may never be able to go into public again"

Ikuko's mouth opened and then closed as she thought about that.

"My poor baby!" Kenji moaned, clutching at his hair.

"She as near a...c-a-fe" Nephlyte said with strange pronunciation, pulling reluctantly from Jupiter's arms and then pulling her up after him. As nice as it had been to be in her arms again, the Princess was their top priority at that moment. They all stared at him blankly and he cursed under his breath. Was it his fault that he could not pronounce their strange names? The century he was in was completely alien. "At least they still speak plain english!" he mutter under his breath.

"Huh?" Minako said intelligently, then it hit her. "A cafe!" She said, nodding.

Rei and Ami stared at her.

["What?"] The blonde said ferociously, crossing her arms across her ample bosom. ["I can't have an intelligent thought?!"]

"Er-no harm meant" Rei said, backing away slightly. Minako was SCARY when moody!

"English?" Ami said, perplexed. She looked Nephlyte over carefully. "We're speaking Japanese" she explained.

"You're speaking what?" Zoisite exclaimed, eyes glazing over. "Jap-pen-neese?" He said carefully.

Everyone stared at each other for a long moment, incredibly confused and then as one they looked to the ex-Queen of the Solar System.

Seline smiled nervously under their looks, her awkwardness asserting itself. She was a Queen and yet, she was also a young girl. It felt like the first time she accepted her Royal duties! "Ah" she said, blinking rapidly, hr silver eyes contemplative. "The only explanation I can give is that whatever force brought you here has also provided some sort of universal language translator"

"The Silver Crystal?!" Rei gasped, eyes boggling.

The silver-haired girl's eyes became shuttered. "We do not know that" she said, lapsing back into Queen Serenity. "I am not at liberty to say. The timeline must remain intact"

"Cryptic as ever" Ami said wonderingly, shaking her head.

Seline blushed and looked away.

"So, Usagi's in the shopping district near a cafe?" Rei said, thinking hard. She looked at Ami and Makoto. "There's three-including Motoki's"

["Right"] Ami nodded, head cocking to the side slightly. "So she's not at the Crown-or Motoki would have said something"

"That's it!" Minako burst out, giggling.

"Are you taking lessons from Pluto and Seline?" Rei said, deadpan.

"Do you want these four to go out into public looking like that?" The blonde retorted sweetly. ["I'm SURE the police would be delighted to hunt down and chuck these four sword-wielding guys into a jail cell"]  she went on privately.

"Crap!" Everyone swore, and then looked embarrassed.

"Are we all bonded now?" Shingo demanded, looking freaked.

"No" Ami said dryly, rolling her eyes. "We just all thought of the same word"

"Whew!" Usagi's brother said, backing off a little. "I don't want to be bonded with some girls!" He made a face. "Yuck"

Jaedite clasped him about the shoulders and winked. "One day, you'll eat those words, my young friend"

"Huh?" Shingo said, confused.

"Never mind" Kenji growled, looking at Jaedite ominously. One child sexually active was QUITE enough! He flushed brightly and his glasses fogged over. His little girl! All grown up, the most powerful girl in existence and engaged to marry a Prince-and all at 15!

["Can we get Jaedite locked up?"]  Rei said suddenly with a positively evil eagerness.

["Get over it, girl!"]  Minako said mischiviously.   ["The guy is sweet on you.  Grin and bear it"]

["Can we throw Minako in with him?"] The red-haired Senshi said, glaring.

Minako stuck her tongue out in response.

"Venus is right. We cannot go to the Princess when we will be conspicuous" Kunzite nodded at his fiancée approvingly and tried to ignore the private conversation he's heard going on. He, of course, had only heard Minako, but it was plain what was being said amongst them!  That had been Venus talking when she had mentioned the change of clothing! His love was not Leader of the Senshi for nothing. She had been an expert tactician. "What do you suggest?" He asked her.

Minako bit her lip, then shrugged helplessly, flushing with guilt as Kunzite's proud look faded into one of resignation. "I uh-don't know?"

Princess Venus might have been a brilliant tactician and a mighty leader, but sometimes she could really be quite...empty-headed? Kunzite groaned. "We need clothing. Any suggestions?"

"How about Motoki?" Yuuchirou put in. When all eyes turned to him, he smiled goofily. "You know, call the dude and get some threads?"

"Good idea!" Rei said, throwing him an approving look. She never noticed as he blushed and Jaedite sent him a pointed look, hand on sword.

"Umm" Ikuko said, looking down helplessly at Mamoru's naked chest. "I don't see a phone"

"It's in his sub-space pocket" Ami said, nodding.

"Ah yes, Endymion still has that" Nephlyte said calmly, kneeling down beside his Prince. He concentrated and then his hand slowly vanished into thin air. Everyone gaped as they saw his supposedly-decapitated hand, but then it re-emerged holding the cell phone. "This device is the correct one, yes?" He questioned, tossing it to Makoto.

Mako caught it and pressed a few buttons, frowning. Then she smiled. "Found him" she put the phone to her ear.

"Mamoru! Is something wrong?!" Motoki's voice demanded anxiously from the other end.

"It's Makoto" she said, grinning. "Umm...we sorta need something strange and you have to go get it right away"

"Strange?" The man said warily. "I'm warning you, I REFUSE to go collect the body of some Youma for Ami's experiments!"

The green-haired girl pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it, then made a circling motion around the side of her head with her free hand, indicating that Motoki had gone ga-ga. "Motoki-you're weird" she said into the end of the cell phone. "Ami's not Frankenstein you know"

"Makoto! I'm so PROUD of you" Ami suddenly burst out, eyes shinning.

"Huh?" Makoto said cluelessly, giving her sister a strange look.

"Do you know how many people think that Frankenstein was the MONSTER and not the creator?" The blue-haired genius gushed, clasping her hands together.

Rei put a hand to Ami's head, peering at her suspiciously. ["Ami, having you been near fumes?"] She asked cautiously.

"This is a cause for celebration!" Ami announced gleefully.

"That's Mercury alright" Zoisite said indulgently.

Rei and Makoto and Minako stared at him.

"This is normal?" Rei demanded, gaping.

"Well...yes" he admitted, looking perplexed. "How do you think she should act?"

"Shy, brainy, quiet..." Rei trailed off.

"Oh, she's like that too. But Mercury always had a rather unique humour" Zoisite nodded and smiled at his girl.

"You betcha, Zoi!" Ami sang, dancing over to Makoto and taking the phone from her limp hand. She never noticed when Zoisite's smile faded and he looked at her in complete shock, eyes wide. "Motoki, we need you to go over to Mamoru's apartment and break in and bring us four sets if casual clothing" she told him.

"I have a key" Motoki said curiously. He paused. "Is this for the Generals?"

"That's right" Ami said calmly, sensing something and looking over at Zoisite, she surprised a longing look on his face. She locked eyes with his for a long moment, and then looked away, embarrassed by the feelings bared there for her to see. She had no idea what had made him look that way, but it embarrassed her. Cheeks heating, she decided to ignore him and concentrate on Motoki. "Usagi ran off and we need normal clothing so that the Generals can go look for her"

"She WHAT?!" Motoki screamed into the phone, almost deafening Ami. "Doesn't she know how dangerous it is out there?!"

"Of course she does. You wouldn't understand" she said loftily.

["Maybe only we can really understand her"] Rei said silently.

["I understand her perfectly"] Seline answered.

["I don't really know her"] Minako said, scratching her head awkwardly.

["Perhaps the Prince will understand also"] Kunzite murmured, still concerned that Endymion had not awoken.

"Is it wise to send those guys out into the city?" Motoki said tentatively. "Didn't you say they looked like those other evil guys?"

"Yeah..." Ami said, frowning. "But Jaedite is dead, Zoisite's dead, Nephlyte's dead and Kunzite hasn't shown his face"

"Hey!" Zoisite, Nephlyte and Jaedite yelped.

"I meant the bad guys!" The Senshi snapped at them, rolling her eyes again. Honestly, this was stupid sometimes. Thank god only the Kunzite double was left! "Get the clothes and come over pronto!" She told Motoki.

"Okay, okay! You're so PUSHY!" Motoki said, then disconnected.

"Can everyone help me get Mamoru into the house?" Ikuko said, smiling at them. "He's a little too heavy for me to lift"

"I have him" Zoisite said, walking over to Ikuko and bending over to slide his hands under his Prince. When he straightened, he frowned down at the pale face close to his. "He does not look well" he noted.

"The Golden Crystal overwhelmed him" Jaedite murmured.

"Excuse me?" Rei said sharply. "What do you MEAN, the Golden Crystal overwhelmed him! I thought you said that it was in pieces!"

"That's right" Ami said, frowning. "You said there was a fifth carrier-one that isn't here"

"Does that mean he's in the past?" Minako said curiously. "Why wasn't he brought forward with the rest of you?"

The General's faces all closed and they looked quite distant and menacing. Not at all the playful, lecherous men who had pursued the Senshi since arriving. These were the men who were the Prince's Royal Guard.

"NO!" Seline burst out anxiously.

"There is not need for concern, Moon Queen" Kunzite said coolly, following Zoisite as he headed for the house. Rei and Ami bolted after them as the bond became suddenly quite painful. "We do not talk of-him" he said with a slight paused.

No one seemed to notice but Ami and she considered this over and over in her mind as they entered the house. So-the fifth Crystal carrier might be a 'she'? ["Interesting"] she thought.

["What is?"] Rei asked; glad to be out of the hot sun and into the cool interior. They all traipsed back into the lounge, where Zoisite laid Mamoru on one of the couches.

["Never mind"] The blue-haired girl said, hiding her thoughts from her sister. It would not do to worry them.

Zoisite sat down on the floor beside the couch, panting lightly. "Endymion is no light-weight" he admitted rather sheepishly.

"Hey" Shingo said suddenly, looking about the room. "Where are Makoto and Nephlyte?"

She had not followed them into the house and she knew that they had not even noticed. Makoto's tears ran down her face and onto the beautiful green rose she had created earlier. She knew, even though she had picked it from the bush, that it would not begin to die while it was in her hands. The Senshi was not sure how she knew this, but the knowledge had just come to her. "I don't understand" she said, rubbing her face against the soft petals. The scent of roses filled her senses and she felt a strange calm come over her, though the deep sadness remained inside. She was of no use to them. Not at all. Of course, she had aged and gotten a cool new power, but every time they spoke mentally and shared with each other, it was like a knife stabbing into her heart. Makoto felt incomplete.

"Jupiter" A voice said softly.

The Senshi looked up and stared for a moment at Nephlyte, somehow not surprised that he had invaded her privacy once more. "My name is Makoto" she told him numbly, looking back at the rose.

"Makoto" he tried, letting her name roll off of his lips. "Would you prefer that I call you this?" Nephlyte went on, moving closer to her. He saw her shy away slightly, but then her shoulders slumped. He sat down beside her, saying nothing.

"I don't know anymore" she said helplessly. "I'm Makoto, but I'm also Sailor Jupiter"

"You have lost your identity" he murmured, understanding completely.

"Yes" she whispered, tears pooling in her eyes again. She let her long loose hair cover her face, shielding it from him. She didn't want him to see her weakness.

Nephlyte shifted so that he sat before her, then he gently reached out with both hands and brushed the silky hair back from her face so that he could see her. Once he had placed the wealth of her hair over her shoulders and tucked behind her ears, his thumbs swept over her cheeks, wiping the tears away. "Talk to me" he encouraged her, green eyes intent.

"Why?" Makoto asked tonelessly. ["I'm so lonely. So lost. I'm of no use to the others..."]

"Makoto" Nephlyte said shortly, eyes narrowing. "This is not like you"

"How the hell would you know?!" She screamed at him, eyes blazing. Their eyes locked.

"I KNOW you. You have not change that much" he said firmly, refusing to let her look away.

"You know nothing" she said bitterly.

"You feel lonely because you are not bonded to the other Senshi" The General said, holding up a hand and ticking off one finger. "You don't know what your purpose is in the Princess' court and life" Another finger was ticked off.

Makoto stiffened, her stare becoming warning. "Stop" she said, fists clenching. The thorns of the rose bit into her fingers, but she never noticed as the blood began dripping down her fingers.

Nephlyte leaned closer until their faces were almost touching. "I am not done, Jupiter. Have the good manners to let me finish" he told her, tone steely.

"You'll regret it" she told him, green eyes becoming ice chips. "I'm in NO MOOD to be played with!"

"You don't understand your feelings for me" he went on relentlessly.

"You're imaging things!" Makoto snapped, abruptly throwing the rose away. In her fury, the symbol for Jupiter upon her forehead began to flow brightly.

"Am I?" The brown-haired man said almost-thoughtfully. "Are you going to fight me on this? Admit your feelings"

"I have no feelings for you" she snarled, body pulsating bright green energy. She never noticed.

"Is that so?" Nephlyte growled back, snapping. He suddenly hurled himself at her and knocked her onto her back, his form pinning her to the ground. Their faces close; he could see the shock in her green eyes, as well as her great sadness and fury. "Then why did you hold me so tenderly not a half hour ago, when you thought I was hurt?"

"Get off of me!" She cried out, thrashing under his weight. But it was no use, he was too heavy and she could not move. Shoving her hands at his broad shoulders, she tried to pry him off, but she was no match for his heavier form. She slapped him hard and he gave her a cold smile.

"I did not want it to come to this, but you have forced my hand" he said quietly, a hint of regret in his eyes.

"What do you-" Makoto's words were stopped abruptly as Nephlyte's lips covers hers with a punishing hardness.

Chapter Five

Kunzite watched silently as Queen Beryl tossed and turned on her bed, soaked with sweat with her dark red hair matted to her forehead. He could feel no pity for his cruel mistress as she sobbed and moaned in the throes of a nightmare like a pitiful human, beset by a high fever. His lip curled. How disgusting. After she had collapsed, he had obediently carried her to her chambers before her subjects could see her further disgrace herself, but this...this was beyond belief. Was this truly his mighty queen? His ice blue eyes narrowed with suspicion, he watched her pale face as disjoined phrases occasionally left her mouth in a foreign tongue. More bewildering, he actually understood this language; though he was sure it was not one of the Dark Kingdom nor of the current Earth period. Perhaps something he picked up around the time of the fall of the Silver Millennium. He frowned and crossed his arms as he watched her, filled with hatred. He remembered little of that time. Vague memories. And nothing before then. When he searched through the recesses of his mind for answers, all he found was an empty void. As if a barrier was set there to deliberately stop him.

"Master" Beryl suddenly cried out, voice sounding so much younger. Kunzites eyes widened. This did not sound like the deep tones of his dark queen! "I did not drop my sword! I swear it. Tkel lied to you. I would not do such a dishonourable thing!" She almost screamed in that strange language, back arching. And then she flopped back onto the sheets and resumed her incomprehensible muttering.

Kunzite watched her once more broodingly, eyes simmering with hatred. Zoisite was dead and here he was playing babysitter to their incapacitated queen! He should be out avenging his love, but instead, as the last commander in the Dark Kingdom, he was playing babysitter to their ruler. "Senshi" he vowed, his tones dripping with venom. "When Beryl is once again herself, I will hunt you down and rip your HEARTS OUT!" He screamed into the cavernous room in fury.

Such was the utter malevolence in the man's voice that even the bravest of minions quailed in fear.

As Nephlyte's lips crushed hers brutally, Makoto tried to fight free, but was unable. The weight of his body held her down, despite her height and her strength and as she shoved at his firm shoulders, his hands grasped hers and forced them to the ground on either side of her head. Her green eyes widened in panic and she felt her heart thunder in her chest. No! He couldn't be doing this to her! How DARE he-she shoved her lips back at him in an effort to force his face back, but he seemed to anticipate this and merely titled his lips across hers, using her movement to deepen the kiss. Makoto choked as emotion filled her, seeming to overwhelm her senses and her body began to respond as the General's tongue touched hers in the most erotic way. OH MY GOD! ["Is this really happening?"] She thought in a daze, tongue brushing back along his. A zing of excitement sung through her veins and a warmth started in the pit of her stomach. She was abruptly acutely aware of every inch of him pressed into her. His hard muscles crushing her into the grass, legs entangled with hers, fingers lacing with her own.

When Nephlyte felt Jupiter's tongue brush his own and her body begin to relax under his, he knew he had won. She was no longer fighting him, but giving into his kiss. He immediately softened the kiss into something more passionate, rather than punishing and linked his fingers with hers. He remembered his lips dancing with hers so often with hers in the past and to be finally kissing her again was pure heaven, even if it had begun as an object lesson. His poor love was in deep pain and only he could help her, even if it was only on a physical level for now. She wouldn't yet understand her body's responses to him, since she had only recently aged and he was very aware of this. However, inside that body was the mind and soul of a thousand year old warrior, who now had her old body left...the child was no more. He WOULD have her back. "Jupiter" he breathed against her lips, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes. No longer were they spitting fury at him, but looked dazed and filled with desire. Unable to resist, he groaned and kissed her again, one of his hands releasing hers and moving down to her cheek. He still felt the blaze of her power through her body as he caressed the softness of her skin and down over her throat to the bodice of her dress. She moaned slightly as he ran a finger over her cleavage.

Makoto was only dimly aware that Nephlyte's warm hand was caressing the skin above her breast and that it felt so good. Her nipples were tingling and she wanted so badly for his hand to move down just a little further... "Nephlyte" she moaned into his mouth.

The General obliged and deftly began to unbutton her strange dress till it was open to the waist. Then he stared at the strange device about her breasts. It bound half of each side of her breasts, leaving the center parts pushed up together enticingly. He swallowed. "Jupiter" he said in a strangled tone. "What on earth do you call that thing?"

Makoto blinked and craned her neck down. "A bra?" She giggled at him, then reached up and grabbed his head, pulling him down for another kiss. Their lips met heatedly this time, tongues entwining. When he finally pulled back, then were both gasping and she had one of her legs wrapped around his waist.

Nephlyte thought that this was going rather faster than expected, but couldn't seem to stop. It wasn't his intention to take her in the garden, but when she kissed him like THAT, what could he do? He eyed her breasts, drew in his breath raggedly and then swiftly his head dove.

Makoto gave a startled shriek as Nephlyte’s warm mouth was suddenly on the side of her breast, his tongue moving over her skin like a firebrand. Her eyes rolled back in her head as he nibbled his way up her breast, going as close to the lace as he could, then gave the other breast the same attention. Maybe she should remove the bra? Wait...what was she...thinking? Oh god, his mouth felt so bloody GOOD!

He kissed his way back up her throat, sucking hard on her neck to leave a mark. Nephlyte grinned as the blood rushed to the surface, which would announce to the world that this woman was his. Perfect. Now, how to keep her from MURDERING him when she came out of her lustful state and found it? Wincing, he bent over his fiancée and kissed the corner her mouth, then the other, smiling into her hazy eyes. If only she knew what expression she was staring at him with now! God, if he wasn't such a gentleman, Princess Jupiter would have found herself completely naked under him and screaming his name within seconds!

Makoto was in no mood to play around. She growled at him as he teasingly kissed the corners of her mouth, his jacket brushing against her bare skin. She wanted to feel more of him. The green-haired girl put one hand behind his head and slipped another through the opening of his shirt. As she felt his warm skin, she jerked his head to her right and kissed him hard, putting pressure on his leg at the same time that forced his groin into contact with hers. As desire exploded inside them, she also felt something else release from her. Something coming free in her mind like a plug that had been blocking a drain. She suddenly felt incredibly happy and exhilarated as well as arduous, but couldn't say what had caused it. Little did she know that she and Nephlyte were now glowing a bright happy green and that all around them every living thing was also glowing and pulsating.

Makoto was too far gone to feel it, but the General wasn't! As they kissed, Nephlyte began aware of a warm sensation spreading out from their bodies and along the ground. A rustling came to his ears and he broke away from her lips to glance up. To his surprise and delight, he saw that the garden around them had come alive, pulsating and glowing with a warm green glow in time to the Senshi and he. He looked at Jupiter's flushed face and closed eyes, her symbol blazing on her forehead and a pang clenched in his heart. It was just as he remembered. His Jupiter. "You remembered" he whispered fiercely, against her lips.

"Mmm?" She said languidly, green eyes opening. She looked up into his eyes and tangled her hands into his auburn hair.

"Look around you, love" he urged. He watched as the Senshi of nature turned her head-and stared, a gasp breaking from her. Every flower, every plant and blade of grass was resonating.

"What's going on?" She said in a frightened tone, now clutching at his shoulders.

"Don't be afraid, it's your true power. The plants feel it. This was Jupiter's true power" Nephlyte said, voice choked. "It's beautiful"

"I did this?" She said in disbelief, eyes flittering around.

"We did" The General coughed, looking rather embarrassed as she stared at him, expecting a detailed answer. "Whenever we were...intimate...this happened"

"It...did?" She said, cheeks turning slowly redder. She felt a draft and suddenly realised that her dress was gaping wide. She blistered the air with curses and buttoned it up swiftly, glaring at him. With an almost reluctant pulse, the power died from all around them, leaving the garden feeling empty. Birds began to chirp again and the sunlight beat down on them. She turned her head to slowly glare at him. "Nephlyte you bastard! What the HELL do you think you were doing to me?!"

Reika watched Motoki ransack Mamoru's closet with some amusement, musing over the fate that had brought them back to the one place that had started all this mess. "Weird, isn't it?" she said quietly, peering inside.

"What is?" he said, voice muffled as he grabbed several pairs of shoes and stuffed them into a garbage bag along with the clothing. No doubt, the shoes probably wouldn't fit, but maybe someone there could work some magic or something. Who knew what the Senshi and the Generals and Usagi's past mother could do? Motoki's head hurt with all the details he'd taken in over the last few days. Who would have known that his best friend and the girl who came to his shop every day to play games could turn his life upside down so completely?

"This closet started off this whole chain reaction" The woman said, gesturing towards it as Motoki closed the doors. "One little game of spin the bottle and whole world changed"

"Yep, it did" he shook his head and sighed. "I sure won't ever look at it the same way again. My best friend isn't only Tuxedo Kamen, but a Prince-of the whole bloody planet!" His eyes boggled at the thought.

"And Usagi is Sailor Moon and a Princess of the Moon" Reika murmured, nodding.

Motoki sank onto the bed and put his head into his hands. "I don't know if I can handle this" he said. "It's so much to take in. I want to be there for him, but they're hiding for their lives and we might be targeted next. That woman KNEW us, Reika. Who know who she told before she died?"

"Let's look on the bright side-that she's dead" She said soothingly, rubbing his back and sitting next to him. She leant her head on his shoulder. "We'll try and be there for them all and do the best we can. Mamoru and the others are going to need us. I have the feeling that a big battle is coming. These attacks all these months aren't random"

"Right" He said, touching her hand gently. "And neither was your having a Rainbow Crystal inside you"

"We were always involved, so...we can't just stay on the outside" Reika whispered, looking him in the eyes. "Right?"

Motoki smiled. He was such a chicken-shit. She was right, what was he thinking. Mamoru was more a brother to him than a friend. "Right" he got to his feet and hefted the bag. "Let's go bring Mamoru's General's into this century, shall we?" he grimaced. "Besides, those bloody swords make me nervous!"

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