((So...I'm back with a vengeance. Here's the rundown: I don't own Sailor Moon, and by the time this story is over, you may be glad of that. I do however own several of the characters who are going to appear hence forth, including but not limited to Sailor Darkstar and Sailor Nova. The Dark Mercury idea is from the Sailor Moon live action show, but I put my own twist on it. Please R/R and enjoy or in the name of Mercury, I will punish you ))

Makoto Kino looked out the window and watched the rain beating down. Sunset was soon but the sky was already dark from the cloud cover. The Sailor Senshi of Lightning and Thunder sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time and wondered where Ami was. Ami-chan…again her thoughts went to the gorgeous, blue haired senshi of water. She was still in Kunzite's clutches. Makoto slammed her fist on the windowsill and walked into her kitchen, plotting one of the most complicated baking endeavors she'd ever attempted. Anything to stop from thinking about Ami trapped in the dark kingdom, beautiful, brilliant, amazing Ami trapped and enthralled. She remembered fighting Ami, trying to hold her, trying to bring her back.
"Eggs….flour….whipped cream…."
Whipped cream… She shook her head vigorously. Why was it that now, when Ami was so far away that she realized her feelings? WHY? She picked up an egg and crushed it in her hand by accident, her mind turning once again to her growing list of ways to save Ami…none of which had a hope of working.

Seeing the world from the perspective of darkness had given Ami Mizuno an interesting view of it. She had a certain amount of strength and power…and feelings she'd never considered. It was odd, fighting against the other Senshi but realizing as she watched Mako-chan's graceful form move in battle that she had been in love with her. Jupiter's body had been a bit of a distraction at first but she quickly realized that if Mako-chan had had any feelings for her other than as a friend, she would have made them known. No, Makoto only thought of her as a friend. She gripped her ice blade tightly and decided to go for a walk. Not as Dark Mercury, just as Ami. A walk in the park would be nice. In her mind, she glossed over the fact that that park was right near Makoto's apartment.

Makoto sniffed the air in the kitchen and cringed. This was what happened when she baked while upset… She removed the burnt shortcake from the oven and set it on the counter, deciding to go for a walk to clear her head. She grabbed a jacket that hung by the door and pulled it on. The rain showed no signs of letting up; it was almost as though the skies were expressing their grief at the loss of the water senshi. Makoto walked the short block to the park automatically. She stared blankly at a bench near some fountains and leaned against a tree. How long had it been? It seemed like forever…
Ami sat in silence, a book in her hands. She was studying, as usual. Her deep blue eyes scanned the pages intently. Makoto watched on, her eyes taking in every detail. The steady rise and fall of her breasts as she breathed in and out, the particular set of her soft lips as she tackled a difficult problem, her finger tracing spirals on her skirt as she read. The park was quiet, peaceful and above all beautiful this time of year. The leaves were falling to the ground in a glorious blaze of colors.
"Mako-chan?" said Ami, a smile crossing her lips, "Do you need any help? You've been on that same page for almost half an hour."
"N-no, I just…uh…its fine."
Makoto walked over and brushed her fingers across the wood of the bench. How long? Ami-chan had sat there, a goddess in the fading light of fall. She sat, staring out over the park. If Ami-chan was here right now…I would…I would tell her how I feel, every last bit. Mako smiled weakly at her own thoughts, Or at the very least, I'd try. A twig snapped nearby and she looked up, half expecting a youma. She spotted a flash of blue just beyond the bushes and stood. Could it be?

Ami walked along, glad to be out of the dark kingdom for while. The rain was cool on her face and she reveled in it, a smile playing across her features. It was almost an unnatural feeling to her, to be smiling for a reason other than destruction. She stepped off the path for a moment, something drawing her towards a fountain she could see just through the bushes. There was a bench there… Snap. She had stepped on a twig. She glanced down at the offending twig and then her head snapped up. Someone was coming towards her. She got a good look through a gap in the foliage and grinned full of malicious intent.
"Sailor Jupiter, how good to see you here."
"Ami-chan…it is you." Makoto stepped towards her slowly, unsure of herself. Ami moved to transform into Dark Mercury, but Makoto grabbed her before she could, holding her against a nearby tree so she couldn't move. "You and I need to talk, Ami-chan. While I'm not sure this is the best time, it could be the only time."
"Really…and what do you have to say that might interest me?"

Makoto inhaled deeply, trying to straighten everything out in her head. Well, wasn't that an oxymoron…straightening out her lesbian thoughts… She let one hand drift away from pinning Ami's arm to her side, and stroked her beautiful blue hair. Then, in a swift motion, she pressed her lips to Ami's, reveling in the sweet flavor and the shock of electricity that coursed through her being.
"I think I love you, Ami-chan."
Ami's eyes widened and Makoto could practically see her thinking. She hates me now…I know it…I'm never going to see her again and she hates me…I really fucked up this time.
"M-makoto…what was….what was that?!"
Mako started to step back but remembered what would happen if she released Ami and stopped.
"I love you." Mako-chan said slowly. "I want you to be mine."
Ami's eyes narrowed.
"This is some kind of trick, isn't it? You read my old journal from when I was sweet innocent little Ami-chan…I don't know how you found it…I thought hiding the files in the computer at Crown would mean no one ever found it….but I suppose you did. Well, I'm not going to fall for it. I might've responded to that once, but I've given myself to the darkness and been reborn."
Makoto stepped back in shock. Read her journal? Ami felt…what?? Makoto's head was spinning and before she could get herself together, Ami was gone. Makoto turned and ran, she had to go to Crown…she had to read the journal… She began to slow. What was she doing? Invading Ami's personal space? It wasn't right…but Ami thought she had already read it and was trying to trick her…

Ami's heart was pounding, her breathe ragged as she slumped down against one of the rock walls in the dark kingdom. Why had Jupiter's touch done this to her? Those secret feelings were a part of her past. Weren't they? She grit her teeth and stood. They were and that was THAT. She stood and brushed herself off. It was clear to her she could have to handle this situation quickly…and finally. If Jupiter was going to be a problem, she would have to be eliminated. Something deep inside her rejected that. Why did she have to destroy Ma—Jupiter? Wasn't there another way? A smile crossed her lips and she sauntered down the hall, knowing precisely what to do with Sailor Jupiter.

Sailor Darkstar sat on the ledge, his legs dangling over, and looked up at his older sister. Sailor Nova smiled down at him, mischief dancing in her grey-green eyes. Her uniform was fairly typical of a Sailor Scout's, in blazing white and yellow. An apparently empty quiver was slung across her back and a bow rested in her hand as though it belonged there. The male scout was in breeches that tucked into leather boots that cuffed at the top. His shirt laced at the neck and he wore light armor over it. A finely made belt rested at his waist, a pure black sword and dagger to match hanging from it, slight grooves worn in the leather as though those fine weapons had always been hanging there. A symbol shone on the forehead of each, an image of an eclipse, the symbol of their House.
"Come on, little brother, I bet the next planet will have a place for us."
A smile crossed his features, at first looking forced and unnatural but it eased into a more normal form. His sister always brought out the best in him..
"Which planet next, sister mine?"
"I was thinking….what about Earth?"