...

A vortex is raised into the heavens
After you have awakened this green storm,
The comets are hiding their long trails,
The meteors are yielding their own pathways,

I will slash through the clouds
Zigzag zigzag slash
Bind the earth to the skies
Zigzag zigzag flash

Exploding in the middle of the sky,
A kick from the light will show you

Stormy Star

...

Awaken and reply to the echoes
Zigzag zigzag slash
Bind together the sky and earth
Zigzag zigzag flash

After you enrage it, you cannot stop it
It will tear your lowly soul from the roots

Stormy Star

The screams were the first sign of anything out of the ordinary, and Makoto's head turned in interest as she placed the basket of groceries on the counter. The cashier made his way to the window, and Makoto followed; her heart beating rapidly. The air had turned thick and an electric sensation ran down Makoto's back as she peered out the window. Dozens of people were now running past the store, and the screams had grown louder. Makoto turned her head towards the direction they were coming from, and she gasped in fear as she saw the ball of energy coming at them quickly.

"Get down!" Makoto pushed the cashier towards the counter, and the sound of glass shattering came from behind them as they fell to the floor from the force of the blast. The glass rained down upon them, but Makoto got up quickly in order to see what was going on outside. The dozens of people had turned into a complete stampede as more blasts of energy came down around them and a large demon looking creature appeared from the direction the people were coming from. On its face was a twisted smile of delight as it sent more balls of energy flying through the air, and Makoto ducked down underneath the windowsill for protection. She had to do something quickly. She couldn't just sit here! Her whole body was shaking and she needed to act. Crouching underneath the window still as she walked she arrived at the shattered door and peeked out to the chaos outside. A few yards from the door, the street turned into an alley. If Makoto could get to it, she could assess the situation from a safer position. The creature was nearing the store, but its gaze was in the opposite direction of Makoto's planned escape and she lurched forward. Spinning around the corner, Makoto's back collided with the wall and she stood there waiting to see if the creature would come after, but after a moment there was no sound. Looking out into the street once more, she could see the creature attacking carelessly, and without purpose.

"Just another bully," Makoto said to herself trying to gain the strength to come forward, but if she did so, what could she do? Why did she feel the need to throw herself into harms way when there was nothing she could seriously do? Makoto stepped closer to the corner of the alley, but from there she could only gaze helplessly on the scene before her.

"Crescent Beam!" The voice of Sailor V called out and the attack struck the creature in the chest and it staggered backwards. "Interrupting a girl's shopping!" The dark silhouette of Sailor V revealed itself before the creature and she stepped closer so Makoto could view her fully. "I cannot forgive you!" Placing her fingers to her eyes in her trademark 'V' she began her introduction. "For Love and for Justice; Codename: Sailor V. I will not forgive you for harming defenseless civilians!" The creature made no move to attack as the air around it blurred slightly, and a man appeared a few feet above it.

"Finally, the legendary Sailor V alone; heir to The Silver Millennium!" Sailor V stood unmoving as well.

"Who are you?" Makoto could not get a clear glimpse of his face as he had his back to her, but she could see Sailor V perfectly, and the Senshi looked unforgivingly hardened.

"I am one of The Four Heavenly Kings who leads the armies of The Dark Kingdom; Jediete!" Sailor V did not appear impressed at all.

"The Dark Kingdom was destroyed by my mother; Queen Serenity. You have no more power than the rest of the Youma I have defeated." She lifted her arm high and began her attack. "Crescent Beam Shower!" The energy that the Youma had been throwing around earlier now formed a barrier in between it and her attack and the attack, to Sailor V's horror, was sent back towards her. The Senshi fell onto the ground, and the Youma's fingers clasped around her throat and Makoto heard her give out a strangled yelp. If Makoto was going to act now was the time.

"Moon Tiara Action!"

"Moon Healing Escalation!" The orb of light struck the creature and it dropped Sailor V onto the ground, and the second attack sent the creature flying back towards Jedeite. Makoto stepped back into the shadows as bits of debris flew close to her and she sank to her knees as she watched the battle begin with her helpless on the sidelines. Makoto had never liked violence, but for some reason being left out of this caused her to feel anxious. Sailor Moon stepped over Sailor V defensively as the other Senshi rose to her feet. "I will not forgive those who hurt my V-chan!" She shouted. "For Love and for Justice, I am the pretty Sailor-Suited Sesnhi; Sailor Moon!" She posed before the creature and Jediete. "In the name of The Moon, I will punish you!" Jediete laughed at this and then she pointed at the two Senshi before her.

"Kill her!" He shouted to the Youma. "Then bring The Princess to me!" Sailor Moon stood closer to Sailor V and both of the Senshi stood bravely as the Youma charged at them.

"Moon Healing,"

"Sailor Moon, no!" Sailor V's warning came too late though as Sailor Moon finished her attack.

"Escalation!" The attack's energy came rushing back in a burst of light, and when Makoto lowered her hand from her eyes she could see that, somehow, the attack had not struck Sailor Moon, but Sailor V herself. "V-chan!" The other girl did not respond, and Jediete was laughing once more.

"Kill her!" The creature sent a surge of energy down upon Sailor Moon who stood there with her arms held out wide in order to shield her fallen friend. The sound of her high pitched screams filled Makoto with a sense of anguish, but she could do nothing to stop them. Again she was helpless to stop her pain. Makoto gasped as she thought this. Again? What did she mean by this?

"Mako-chan..."

"Sailor Moon..." Hot tears were streaming down her cheek. She could do nothing. She was helpless in all of this. She could do nothing without the Silver Crystal. She could not fix that hurt in her voice.

"Ahhhh!"

The attack was coming down upon Sailor Moon relentlessly now, and Jediete's laughter only caused Makoto to feel even more despair.

"I'm sorry." Makoto's head fell and she sat there on her hands and knees as she cried and she hit the ground in anger. "I can't do anything!"

"Yes you can." Makoto's head rose in surprise. She hadn't heard anything but the screams of Sailor Moon and she hadn't suspected anyone remained within the area, let alone in the open. It wasn't a human being who stood before her though.

"Luna..." The medium sized cat stood there before her, and Makoto found herself looking around for the person who had spoken. Perhaps she had just imagined it. "Whose there?"

"Makoto-chan, please," Makoto stared at Luna in horror as the cat's mouth moved and the voice she had heard came out. Luna spoke with more urgency as Sailor Moon fell to her knees. "You must help Sailor Moon! You have to save them!" Makoto's mind couldn't comprehend what was going on. "There is no time to waste!" Luna was speaking frantically. "The pen Usagi-chan gave you! Take it! Use it to transform!" Makoto's hand went to her skirt pocket where she knew the mysterious pen still resided. Transform? What did Luna mean? Transform into what? "Sailor Jupiter! Please! Hurry!" Makoto's fingers wrapped tightly around the pen. Sailor... Jupiter? Sailor Moon cried out once more and Makoto rose to her feet with the pen in her hand.

Yes... Makoto's forehead was burning as she stood there and then she lifted the pen up high. Yes... Sailor Jupiter.

"Jupiter Power!" The power surged through her. "Make up!"

Sailor Moon fell onto her knees as she held up the Moon Stick. Any shield she had succeeded in creating had fallen away and now the full force of the attack was striking her.

"V-chan, Mercury... please." V had not moved since she had been struck by Sailor Moon's own attack, and Sailor Mercury was no where to be seen. Perhaps she could not get through to the battle, or perhaps she could not get alone to transform. It did not matter. Sailor Moon was alone, and unless V woke up soon, it was doubtful she would last a few minutes longer.

"Sailor Moon, die knowing your precious princess will be in our care, and that she will not live to see the sunrise!" Jediete's voice called out and Sailor Moon felt her body give way as she fell even farther to the ground.

"No..." Sailor Moon said through gritted teeth, but there was not much more she could do. She was blacking out. Suddenly the attack's aggressive energy ceased and for a moment Sailor Moon thought she had slipped into death, but the horrible scream of the Youma filled her and her eyes opened to see the Youma being lifted up into the air.

"I will not allow this one-sided battle to continue!" Sailor Moon sat there looking up at the powerful figure of Makoto, fully transformed into Sailor Jupiter.

"Who are you?" Jediete demanded from above them, and Sailor Jupiter sent the Youma down hard onto the ground.

"Soldier of Protection, I am Sailor Jupiter! In the name of my guardian Jupiter, I will punish you!" Jediete floated above them and the Youma sprang forward towards her, but she brought her arm across her chest and then moved it as if she were throwing something at the Youma. "Flower Hurricane!" The Youma was pushed back down onto the ground violently in a whirlwind of petals and electricity, and Sailor Jupiter crossed both of her arms over her chest once more and closed her eyes as the antenna on her tiara began to charge with electricity. "My guardian Jupiter! Brew up a storm, summon the clouds, send the lightning!" Sailor Jupiter's eyes opened wide. "Supreme Thunder!" The Youma let out a horrible scream as it was struck before it could put up its barrier and as it wreathed on the ground, Sailor Moon took her chance.

"Moon Healing Escalation!" The Youma screamed once more, but it was cut short as it crumbled into dust before their eyes.

Above them Jedeite stood with his arms crossed. "You Sailor Senshi are a pest!" He said in a deep voice. "Know that you have won this round, but that your deaths will come, and your princess will be left alone once more." Sailor Jupiter's eyes flashed in anger and her arms crossed once more.

"Supreme Thunder!" Jediete disappeared as the lightning streaked towards him.

"V-chan!" Sailor Jupiter put down the pale, limp girl on one of the darkened rooftops a few blocks away from the scene. She hadn't wanted to stay there and risk Jediete's return, or a group of curious civilians surrounding them. Sailor Moon took her place next to the injured girl and began to shake her slightly. "V-chan." She said, her voice a fearful plea. "V-chan, wake up!" Sailor Moon's eyes narrowed as tears built up in her eyes, and it caused Jupiter's heart to break. She had found her, but she still could not stop her tears. Only Sailor V's waking up could do that. "Please, wake up! Princess!" This caught Jupiter off guard as a memory tried to push forward.

"Princ-ess?" Jupiter's voice was slow as she thought it over, and Sailor Moon's nodded, but her tearful blue eyes did not leave Sailor V's masked face.

"Yes, The Moon Princess. The one we must protect." Sailor Jupiter looked from Sailor Moon to Sailor V and then back to Sailor Moon.

"I remember... some." Jupiter said finally. "Its just..." Sailor Moon looked up at her, and her sapphire eyes were wet and sorrowful. It was just that what she was remembering wasn't fitting in with the scene playing out in front of her. "So Sailor V is The Princess?" Sailor Jupiter could not hide the underlying sound of uncertainty in her question, but Sailor Moon nodded.

"Yes, we are her Guardian Senshi! We are meant to protect her!" Sailor Moon explained. Again Sailor Jupiter's heart was full of uncertainty. She was so use to following her gut, but it was telling her the opposite of what Sailor Moon was telling her.

"Sailor... Moon..." Sailor Moon and Jupiter looked back down at the pale girl with them, and her eyes were opening slowly. Sailor Moon burst into a torrent of sobs.

"V-chan!" She embraced the weak girl tightly, and Sailor V's eyes closed again as she rubbed Sailor Moon's head in comfort as she cried. "I was so scared!" Sailor V smiled softly as the two stayed in a tight embrace as Sailor Moon continued to cry.

"I'm so glad you are alright." Sailor V said finally, and Sailor Moon only sobbed more.

"I'm suppose to be protecting you!" She complained, and Sailor V's smile widened, but Sailor Moon couldn't see that from her position, but Sailor Jupiter could, and the whole scene unfolding before her only caused her to be even more confused. Now that she kept replaying the battle over and over in her head, there was only one way Sailor v could have been struck instead of Sailor Moon; she jumped in front of her. Sailor Jupiter didn't understand what was going on; Sailor V was the Princess, but...

"Jupiter!" Sailor V gasped as her eyes opened again and she saw the tall Senshi above them for the first time. Sailor Moon let her go as Sailor V sat up on her own and leaned closer to Sailor Jupiter. Sailor Jupiter let herself to go down on one knee in a bow.

"Princess Serenity..." The name came to her, but Sailor Jupiter could not bring herself to look up at the two in front of her. If she did so she would betray her confusion. She heard Sailor V lean closer to her.

"Jupiter." Sailor V's gloved hand touched Sailor Jupiter's cheek and the tall girl pulled back in shock. After a moment, she let the gloved hand rest on her cheek, but she still could not look up. "My sweet Jupiter. So strong, but gentle at heart." Sailor Jupiter gazed up at the mysterious masked face. Sailor V's eyes looked like they could see through her and the confusion in her heart. Sailor Jupiter's emerald eyes flickered to Sailor Moon for a moment and then back to Sailor V.

"Princess?" Sailor V smiled at her happily and her gaze went to Sailor Moon for a split second before she nodded. Sailor Jupiter smiled in return.

"Always follow your heart." Sailor V said and then she began to stand up with Sailor Moon's help. Sailor Jupiter stood up as well.

"Please," Sailor Moon begged. "Let me take you back to your partner!" Sailor V shook her head.

"No, I will be fine." Sailor Moon frowned, but Sailor V only smiled at her. Her smile could not hide the tired look in her eyes. "Please," Sailor V turned her gaze to Jupiter. "Remember all you can quickly so that you may know the whole truth." Sailor V paused, and then she added one more comment. "I know you will always protect the one most precious to you." Sailor V glanced at Sailor Moon for a moment, and Sailor Jupiter nodded as she took a step closer to Sailor Moon who did not seem to notice the silent conversation going on right in front of her. Yes, she would protect her one precious person. The one she would die for.

"I will do my best." Sailor V smiled at Jupiter, but then she turned away from them leaving Sailor Jupiter to take care of their charge.

"I must go now." She began her walk away from them, but it was slower that usual. It was clear from her gate that she was injured in some other way then just being exhausted.

"V-chan..." Sailor Moon's whisper was sorrowful and she watched her go with a pout.

"Come on, Usagi-chan." Jupiter wrapped her arm around Sailor Moon who was now beaming up at her happily. It was pretty obvious who she was now that she was partly awakened.

"Mako-chan." Jupiter laughed and they turned back towards the street.

"There is an issue of a certain talking cat I still need cleared up." Sailor Moon giggled, and Jupiter let the sound of her laugh fill her with a sense of peace. She had missed her too much, Serenity, but right then she didn't realize just how much that was really true.

"Its imparative that we wake Rei as Sailor Mars as soon as possible." Luna spoke as she walked back and forth on the bed, with the now three Sailor Senshi all around her. Sailor Mars had to awaken soon. Luna had to get all of the Senshi together so they could work out this problem. She was nervious though. Once they all awakened, then what? Luna had to get them to come together as a team, but... how could she do that? She couldn't be seen by Minako or Artemis; she was sure of it. The more time that pasted, the more and more scared Luna became. So much time had passed since coming to the past. Was the future becoming brighter and brighter with each new Senshi awakened, or was it becoming even darker? Was Luna even having an effect? Luna couldn't stop pacing. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen still had yet to come closer. From what Luna could see from her distant position on the battlefield, she could tell Sailor V had made it her ultimate goal to keep the two seperated, and Luna had no way of getting past this.

"It'll be okay, Luna." Usagi encouraged as she leaned over her bed and near the worried cat. Ami and Makoto stood a few feet away from the bed, and Luna could feel their gazes piercing through her. "The others awoke without much encouragement, and so will Rei-chan." Luna nodded, but she still paced.

"It may not be quick enough!" Luna cried sitting down unhappily.

"Why is it so important that we awaken so quickly?" Ami asked, her usual softness tensing up. "Is there a bigger enemy waiting for us at the end of this?" Luna stood sitting there thinking for a moment. D-Point was desterted, The Dead Moon was nonexsistant, and Sailor Galactica... who knew what had happened to her?! The Death Busters... Luna still could not find any traces, but without having access to the arcade's super computer she had no way of searching for clues.

"I don't know." She admitted finally. "All I know is that all of the Guardian Senshi must awaken!"

"Who told you this?" Makoto asked; finally caught up on all that had been happening in the last few weeks. Luna looked up at them, and she felt their tense natures. It was as if the two had begun to team up against her. "Why are you not telling us everything?" Usagi's head kept looking from Luna and the other two.

"Hey, its okay. If Luna says so, then there must be a good reason." She defended frantically trying to appease the growing pressure between them. The other two Senshi stood there with their arms crossed.

"Okay." Ami said finally giving in to Usagi's plea, and Makoto nodded beside her.

"Alright, Usagi-chan." Usagi let out an easy breath. She didn't like the way the other two were talking; as if Luna wasn't their friend and ally. The coldness between them remained with them as the others left together, Usagi was left alone with Luna.

"Luna," Usagi slipped under the covers, but the cat did not respond. She only continued to sit silently, looking sad; dejected even. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure." She replied, but her gaze only remained on the moon and rabbit printing of Usagi's bed.

"Is there any way I can help?" Luna looked up at Usagi, and then nodded. Usagi cuddled closer to Luna, her eyes sparkling eagerly.

"Tuxedo Kamen comes to most of your battles," Luna began. "Are you sure you don't know him?" Usagi's mind instantly pictured the masked man from the ball, and then... Mamoru.

"No." Usagi lied, but she felt a sharp pain as she did so. She knew how worried Luna was about her being by Tuxedo Kamen. Luna probably thought of him as a threat like Sailor V did, but Usagi couldn't think the same. Though she knew this, Usagi wanted to wrap her arms around Luna and tell her the truth: that she had known for weeks, and that each time she ran into him on the street she felt so happy, even joyous. She wanted to talk to someone about this pain and joy wrapped into one. It was like a star errupting in her heart each time she heard his voice. Usagi's bickering had melted away into a radiant smile, but the radiance always died when she remembered it was to never be. He was still engaged to that woman. He loved her and not Usagi. Usagi wanted to tell Luna everything, but the sorrow was too hard to put to words. At least with him being Tuxedo Kamen, she could see him, be with him, hear his voice. When they met on the street she could do her best to bring a smile to his face. That was enough for Usagi...

Would it continue to be enough... if this ache in her heart continued to grow?

Luna sighed, and Usagi wanted to comfort her, but she just couldn't tell her. If she told Luna she knew him, would she demand that she never talk to him again? Usagi couldn't do that! She would die...

"There is only so much I can do." Luna said softly, perhaps not entirely to Usagi, but to herself.

"You're doing enough." Usagi encouraged, but Luna shook her head violently.

"No, I'm not!" Luna complained. "I'm taking things too slow! We still have yet to get the others!" Usagi frowned.

"Others?" Usagi repeated, and Luna nodded.

"Yes, others." Luna confirmed.

"The others in my memory? The ones besides Ami-chan, Mako-chan, and Rei-chan?" Luna nodded once more. "Do you know who they are?" Luna froze as she looked up at Usagi's expectant face.

"Yes." Luna said aloud. "I've always known who the others were." Usagi didn't speak. Luna had said earlier that she hadn't know. Luna's expression was regretful. She had lied to Usagi, but... Usagi had lied too.

"I know who Tuxedo Kamen-sama is." She admitted finally, and Luna's eyes widened in surprise. "Please don't be angry!" Usagi begged. "I just... I just didn't want you telling me to avoid him!" Usagi was on the verge of crying again. "I can't! I... I... I love him!" Usagi shouted and her eyes closed tightly as she waited to hear Luna's protests.

"Oh, Usagi-chan..." Usagi opened her eyes, and to her surprise, the light in Luna's eyes was dancing. "Oh, you don't know how happy you just made me!" Usagi's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "YOu have to talk to continue to talk to him." Luna said urgently. "You have to make a connection." Usagi lay there speechless. It was the completel opposite of what Sailor V and Mercury had been telling her after their battles.

"You want me to... get closer?" Luna was smileing.

"Yes!" Usagi felt her own smile growing one her face, and she hugged Luna tightly.

"Oh thank you!" She had been holding back in part of the others' objections. "Thank you Luna!" She could follow her heart, but... Usagi's happiness died a bit and she became a bit quieter. He was still engaged, and he might not share her feelings. Usagi began to breathe heavily. "What if he doesn't..." Luna's smile stopped Usagi's protests.

"He will, trust me." Usagi's smile returned. She trusted Luna with all of her heart.

Usagi saw him walking a few yards in front of her, and she smiled brightly. Her heart was beating rapidly and she felt the nervousness building up inside her threatening to make her explode into a whirlwind of giggles. She walked past him quickly and he caught sight of her bright smile.

"What's got you so happy, Odango Atama?" Usagi turned to him and giggled childishly, and he smiled. It was so good to see him smile, but then he frowned as he looked at his watch. "We're walking to school on time this morning?" He asked in mock disbelief, and Usagi's mouth opened up, but she stopped. She was unsure of what to say. Instead she lifted her chin up high and continued to smile.

"Nothing you need to know" She said, knowing his reaction would give her an opening. Mamoru put his hands on his hips.

"Odango, are we in love?" He asked jokingly. Usagi's cheeks burned. Yes! Definitely yes!

"If I were, what would you do?" She asked, but it was not harsh or sarcastic. It was playful and her eyes sparkled. Mamoru laughed, and it caused Usagi's heart to dance.

"I would..." He began just as playfully, but then he stopped. "I would do nothing." He finished. The laughter gone and he continued to walk in silence. Usagi sighed as she received the wrong affect.

"I'm not in love with anyone." She said trying to soothe him. He smiled a bit.

"Then why all the brightness?" He asked. Usagi skipped ahead and he kept following behind.

"You should know, Mamo-chan." She laughed, and then she stopped skipping as if she had just been struck by a wall. He stopped walking as well.

"What did you just call me?" Usagi stood there wide-eyed. Why had she just... Mamo-chan? Usagi turned quickly towards him. He seemed completely unnerved.

"I... I said Mamo-chan." She repeated. His eyes were wide as he observed her. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so familiar." Usagi apologized quickly. "It.. just came out." Mamoru nodded.

"Right," He said, and Usagi smiled as she tried to break the weird feeling now between them. She had started this day early in order to get closer to him, but it had backfired rapidly. She just needed to see him smile again! As long as she can see him smile than she could be happy.

"Mama! Papa!" Usagi gasped, and Mamoru's stoic face shattered as well. Usagi turned around quickly towards the voice and a large smile came to her face. Her heart was erupting with joy.

"Chibiusa!"

The young girl who had shouted rushed in between them and then past them to another couple a few yards away.

"Mama!" The young girl hugged the woman, and then the laughing group turned to walk down the street. Usagi stood there with her hand on her forehead as Mamoru stood beside her and they both watched them go. Usagi's forehead wasn't hurting, but she felt dizzy, and she stood there confused. What was that? What was going on? The world was spinning as she found herself back in her single memory: Standing there in the light surrounded by those she loved, and then somebody touched her face from behind and called out her name.

"Usagi, I'll be waiting for you..."

What was that? Usagi couldn't understand it, and she was breathing with difficulty. Beside her Mamoru had paled as he watched them go.

"I... I..." Usagi couldn't even begin to speak. She looked up at Mamoru who didn't seem to be breathing.

"It was nothing." He said finally. Usagi nodded and looked back towards the family.

"Absolutely nothing..." Usagi agreed with difficulty. Mamoru smiled at her, but...

It wasn't nearly enough anymore.

Mamoru swung the front gate open and stepped into the lightly populated mansion, but this lack of people did not prevent him from running into two out of the four major executives he had come to know. Since his engagement to Kimi he had tried hard to fit in with the group, but there seemed to be an invisible barrier preventing their interaction. Nephra had been the first, and for awhile the only, one to break this barrier and shamelessly broke Kimi's unspoken law against it. He seemed to be the rebel of the mansion, and he made it known to all around him. he seemed not to care at all about what Kimi thought, but Mamoru still noticed that even this rebellious nature had its limits around her. Then there was Kunza who had begun to grow closer to Mamoru with each passing week, and he found it hard not to trust them completely, and this was a really big deal to Mamoru. No one had ever invoked such trust from him but Motoki. At least, in his ordinary life. Then there was the Sailor Senshi. Mamoru repressed a little smile as he envisioned them. Yes he could trust them with his whole heart, but it was a strange mixture, and he could tell they did not share this trust. Venus trusted him least of all, but Mamoru was the complete opposite. After Sailor Moon, he trusted her the most. He could trust Sailor Venus to back him up in battle, but also... he trusted that she would tan his hide if he even showed a hint of betrayal, and her protective nature towards the other Senshi was undeniable. If Tuxedo Kamen had been still plaguing the jewelry stores of Tokyo, Mamoru was sure that he would have been crushed into dust once the other Senshi had appeared and Sailor Venus moved to protect them.

Mamoru had to be grateful of the new support from both sides as his world turned upside down, and it was a world Motoki could not be a part of.

"Here to see Kimi-san?" Nephra asked, and Kunza stood beside him in silence.

"Just swinging by before my classes." Mamoru said. "Is she in her office?" In fact he had something he needed to clear up before going on. The strangest, most bizarre thing... Mamoru couldn't even think about it without getting dizzy again. None of it made sense, and he just needed to feel something inside him. Something that would reassure his belief in staying beside Kimi until The Princess was found; if ever.

"Yeah, but she has some visitors. You may want to wait outside her office. She's been taking a more active part in the company's business nowadays." Mamoru shook his head. No he had to see her immediately, it couldn't wait.

"So what is it exactly I can do for you today?" Kimi sat behind her desk staring at the two people in front of her sitting in the two chairs that had recently been labeled "the hot seats" by many of Kimi's current employees, and their most common and recent occupant was the incompetent Jed . Kimi twisted her hand around her wrist in impatient anger. He had let yet another Sailor Senshi awaken, and Kimi was loosing any faith she had ever had in him; not that it had been much in the first place.

"I would like to begin by thanking you for seeing us today." The woman in her presence began, and Kimi held back a groan. This pitiful humans were entirely beneath her, and soon she would have no need for them. The woman before her sat tall and straight in front of her with her aqua blue hair falling around her shoulders and laying gently on her lavender coloured dress, and she lifted her hand to motion to her companion who sat to the left of her in a golden suit. "As I said before, I am Kaiou Michiru, and this is my partner; Tenoh Haruka." The blue haired woman returned her attention back to Kimi, who was trying her best to feign a sense of interest. The two had somehow gotten an appointment, but she was certain she never arranged such a thing. Especially not with a couple of ordinary humans like them. Again she twisted at her wrist as she tried to keep her anger hidden, and she smiled brightly.

"I have heard a lot of good things about both of you." Kimi said. "Both of you are really great aspiring young people in the world of fame." Kimi smiled genuinely for a moment. "I really can appreciate a good success story like yours. To rise up out of nowhere and do what is needed to get your reward." Kimi let out a small laugh. She knew just how that worked.

"Thank you, and we have now decided that it may be time for us to..." Ms. Kaiou paused for a moment and she smiled and Kimi heard a sense of amusement in her voice. "ensure our continued rise." She said. She shifted to bring Kimi's attention back to Mr. Tenoh for a moment. "Haruka has done marvelous as an independent driver, and has acquired great fame."

"I enjoy being independent." Mr. Tenoh said beside her, and it was the first thing the man had said the whole time he had been sitting there. "I do not appreciate others telling me what to do." His bitterness was impossible to miss, and Kimi could easily guess that it had been entirely Ms. Kaiou's idea to come here. Ms. Kaiou nodded at Mr. Tenoh's statement, but she was not diswayed.

"And so have I, but it appears that without special connections, independents such as Haruka and I have little chance in entering into the secretive world of the upper class." Kimi began to see where this conversation was going.

"You wish for me to become your sponsor." She said right out, and Ms. Kaiou nodded.

"Your company has a strong history of backing special individuals in their rise to fame, and it had strong connections to the now defunct Dark Agency." Ms. Kaiou said as if Kimi herself did not know it.

"Yes." Kimi interrupted. "The now defunct Dark Agency." Kimi shook her head with closed eyes, but still she smiled. "A major reason for this was my family's withdrawal from that arrangement." Her golden red eyes opened. "You see, the investment into the fresh blood of celebrities proved itself to be quite a waste of resources and did not bring in the amount of... capital we expected. And the type of profit it was bringing in was no longer needed."

"Oh?" Ms. Kaiou's face appeared surprise, but Kimi had to wonder if it was truly genuine or just mocking. "And what sort of profit would that be?" Kimi stood up.

"I'm sorry, but this meeting must come to an early close. I have a previous engagement to attend to, and I'm afraid that whatever it is you are offering, I cannot accept." Mr. Tenoh seemed to grow more relaxed, but Ms. Kaiou's face showed no change.

"And I thought that the demise of The Dark Agency came about from the constant catastrophies hiting its newest super stars, and the unfortunate tragedy of its filming in China." Ms. Kaiou's attempted comeback only made Kimi laugh. These two knew nothing, but pretended to have even an inkling.

A knock on the office door stopped any further argument, and it opened to reveal Mamoru's features, and Kimi's heart beat quickly. Kimi looked down at the two sitting in the "hot seats" and her eyes grew cold again; cold enough to turn them to stone. The sight of them near Mamoru had set something off within her; like a warning, and she found Ms. Kaiou's eyes staring at him intently. Her only thought was to get these two out of the mansion immediately. Their amusing game of crafty banter now disturbed her greatly. She had read about them in the newspapers, they had struck her as individuals who would be able to rise up without the support of anyone, and they had seemed to enjoy it. They had enjoyed it. They took no notice in anyone, why would they come to Kimi now? She did not trust them, Mr. Tenoh turned his head towards the door and when his eyes caught sight of Mamoru a straggled noise escaped his lungs and it only heightened Kimi's unexplainable fears.

"Please, I'm asking you kindly to leave the mansion." Kimi stated coldly. Ms. Kaiou lifted herself up from the chair and after a moment Mr. Tenoh followed her lead and bowed slightly towards Kimi, but Ms. Kaiou stood defiantly without even moving her head downward in consideration of Kimi, but instead of enraging Kimi, it only caused her fear to highten. Their was something about the two she couldn't place, but then she pushed the fear away. Whatever it was, it was no match for her. She had the power of the entire Solar System running through her veins, and it felt empowering. She could crush these two in a matter of milliseconds.

"Thank you for your time." Ms. Kaiou said, and then she led herself out of the office, and Mr. Tenoh followed her, but the man's eyes darted to Mamoru for one more instant as of to take him in.

"Who was that?" Mamoru asked curiously, and Kimi moved to make the two's presence completely forgotten.

"No one, just two aspiring artists who had the wrong idea about coming here." She wrapped her arm through Mamoru's and leaned against him with a smile; a smile she reserved only for him. It was softer than normal and less twisted. "Now, are you ready to begin helping me with wedding arrangements?" Mamoru's arm tensed underneath her weight.

"I... I thought the wedding was still months away?" He stammered, and Kimi hide her worry. She needed to move up the wedding to as soon as possible, but he was right, that would still be months away. As long as The Princess was still alive, though, Kimi would not be rid of her irrational fears of him being taken from her and the wedding's closeness would help calm these fears. He was hers and no one would take him. Endymion could not leave her. Her hand rested over Mamoru's heart and she let the cool power flow through her and into him. The dark energy had to be increased within him!

"I know." Kimi said, "but aren't you anxious to get it ready?" She countered, but he hesitated before nodding.

"Of coarse." He was looking down at her, but his face was a strange mixture of emotion that Kimi could not read. "Just, one day, we'll have our very own small lady? Right?" Kimi's smile grew wider and twisted fiendishly. He was already thinking of children, it was something she had not expected. She leaned against him with more force.

"Perhaps one day." Kimi lied, and she kissed him. She had no intention of ever having children. Children were pains, and a threat to herself and her future kingdom. Besides, she would not have him doting over a child and ignoring her! Endymion as hers and hers alone!

Mamoru recoiled from her kiss suddenly, and Kimi felt it with anger flaring up within her, and her eyes grew cold.

Mamoru could see it and feel it; something cold and hot at the same time within Kimi, but he could not name it. It mixed with a raging hatred he had never felt within her, and her eyes revealed it all. Her gaze was a stark contrast to...

"Mamo-chan..."

"I should get going." Mamoru whispered, and he kissed her again, but the same bitter cold swept through him. "I just needed to drop by for awhile before heading off to school." Kimi nodded, and Mamoru made his way to the door.

"I appreciate it, Mamoru-san." Mamoru looked back at her, but then walked through the door; still unassured about anything, and his world tossed even more into chaos