Ami caught Serenity as she left a meeting, falling into step beside her friend.

Serenity turned towards Ami, a pleased smile on her face at the surprise visit. "Ami," she didn't slow her pace, she had another meeting in just a few minutes she had to attend, but she did smile more. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to give you an update on Aido's progress," Ami said, giving a small smile back. "He's a brilliant boy, he's already begun to read a few short children's books."

"Must get it from his father," Serenity muttered good naturedly. Her smile did widen a bit at the news though, despite her words.

"He's also doing well in physical development, he hasn't been sick in almost three months," Ami said. "I think his penchant for contracting illness may have passed, or maybe its just that the crystal is slowly making so many diseases extinct."

"That's a relief," Serenity said, and from her tone her relief was obvious.

"There is something else though," Ami said, choosing her words carefully. "His development is rather rapid," she explained, "He's growing faster than I would have expected for someone with his genes."

Serenity's steps faltered, slowing a bit. "That's not a bad thing is it?"

"Well," Ami said, averting her eyes. "It depends on how you look at it."

Serenity came to a full stop, turning to face Ami her brows creased in worry. "Ami..." she said, eyes pleading. "He's alright isn't he?"

"He's alright," Ami reassured, putting her hand on Serenity's shoulder. "But he's human. More human than any of us are, even Mamoru."

"But we're human," Serenity argued, frowning.

"We were born human," Ami agreed. "But the magic in our bodies has made us a bit more than human, none of us age like humans anymore."

"So, we're not human," Serenity said, still frowning.

"Not anymore," Ami clarified. "But after years as senshi and the great freeze...we're different now. And Aido, he didn't inherit the same magic that we carry. He is growing at a normal human rate, and I can't find anything to indicate that this might change."

"He might manifest his powers at adolescence like us," Serenity said, resuming her walk. "Right?"

"Its possible," Ami said. "Based on the tests I've run on his physiology though, its unlikely he holds any of the latent powers the rest of us do. As far as science can show, he's completely human in every way."

To her surprise, Serenity smiled again. "Its a dream come true," she said to herself. "He'll get the life we always wanted. Life as a regular boy."

Ami nodded, quickening her steps to keep up with Serenity. She felt heavy with the burden of the bad news she had yet to deliver. "I wouldn't be too worried until he's past puberty. My only concern about it now is that of our extended longevity. Chibi-Usa experienced the same longevity as us, she claimed to be over 900 when she first visited us in the past. However, she also had magic."

Serenity nodded, seeming to hear the words but not process them fully. "He'll be fine," she said, continuing to walk down the hall towards her next appointment.

Realizing that she needed to be more blunt, Ami took a deep breath. "We could very likely outlive him," Ami said, waiting for the information to sink in.

"Right, we'll..." Serenity paused in her steps again, turning to face Ami directly again. "We'll..."

"We might," Ami hastened to add. "Its not a certainty."

Serenity's eyes were clouded though, deeply troubled. "With the Ginzuishou I could-"

"No, you could not," Ami interrupted. "The Ginzuishou can heal, protect, grant miracles even. It is already expunging illness from the very air we breathe just from its presence in the palace's walls. In a few years, sickness may be a thing of history. But you cannot use it for selfish purposes, the Ginzuishou follows your heart. You would be changing Aido's very nature, who he is. It would destroy you," she lowered her voice, "and possibly kill you."

Serenity's eyes were too shiny, and Ami moved to pull her into a hug. "It will be alright," Ami soothed, "We're building paradise remember? With the medical advances and everything else, he could live to be over two hundred."

Serenity hiccuped, pulling herself back together with the speed of many years of practice. She stepped away from Ami, head still hanging low. "I'd risk it," she admitted, words soft. "I'd risk it all for him."

Ami closed her eyes. "Don't let what I said hang over you. You were right to mention our manifestation into senshi at adolescence, he might be the same. And there is always the possibility that the Ginzuishou could be affecting Crystal Tokyo in ways that we don't realize yet, not just burning away harmful illnesses but extending the longevity of our magic to everyone in the city. Time will be the only way to know."

Serenity's eyes cleared, jaw set. Ami recognized the expression, Serenity had just decided on something, and she didn't know whether to be very worried or satisfied with how well the talk had gone. "Time will tell," Serenity said, walking away from Ami and farther down the hall.

AN: TY for the reviews, I enjoyed reading them.