Peaceful morning breezes played with the trees outside an apartment window in the heart of Tokyo. It was early yet, and the occupant of the room inside the window was sleeping soundly among piles of books. Her short blue hair fell around her face as she snored lightly at her desk. It had been a long night for Mizuno Ami, who was single-handedly trying to solve the mystery of the attack the day before.

She had stayed with her nose in her books until the stars had started fading in the sky, until her eyes betrayed her and closed with a will of their own. After the battle and this long night of study she could have easily slept for many more hours, and certainly she deserved this time. So worn was she that even in her dreams she slept, and in her dream-sleep she dreamt nothing, for there was no room in her weary mind for such thought. She could have slept like the fabled princess in the tower who slept till her prince came. Her small body would regenerate anew and her sharp mind would feel as fresh as the crisp dew on the leaves outside of her window.

All this could have been true if her clock hadn't suddenly screamed shrilly and broken the peace. Ami, for her part, jumped nearly a foot out of her chair, and landed on the floor with a dazed look on her face. She turned her bleary gaze to the offensive sound, and she blinked as the red glowing numbers registered in her drowsy mind.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Her frantic shriek could be heard throughout her home, and her mother stretched her neck into the hall just in time to see her young daughter streak passed, half-dressed and with a bad case of bed-head. Dr. Mizuno just shook her head, muttered something about "crazy teenagers" and retreated into the safety of her room.

The cobalt-haired genius, meanwhile, was in her bathroom brushing her teeth and brushing her hair simultaneously. She managed to complete these tasks with a minimum of mess, but not without staining the clothes she was wearing (a sports bra, her skirt, and one stocking), and had to run back to room and clean herself up. In ten minutes' time she finally ran out to the street level with mismatched socks, and a scarf stuck down the back of her waistband.

She dismayed to find that Usagi had arrived at school before her, the first time in memory that this had happened, and the teacher was none too pleased. Ami found herself standing outside of the classroom, and then later watched like a hawk from all sides, so it wasn't until lunch that she had a chance to speak to her friends.

There was a seat next to Makoto, and the fatigued girl plopped down unceremoniously. Her friends looked sympathetic. She could read the curiosity in their eyes, but they, even the usually uncouth Rabbit of the Moon held their tongues. In fact, the Princess of the Moon looked much like she was holding her breathe, her face even held an odd bluish tone.

At that, Ami started laughing, and her companions all smiled.

"So, what did you find out?" the tall brunette next to her leaned on the table expectantly.

"Well, those names you told me Usagi, Titan, Miranda, and Europa? They are moons of Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter respectively." The small navy-haired scholar pulled out her notes and sighed, "I consulted with Luna and Artemis, but neither of them have any recollection of senshi representing those celestial bodies during the Silver Millennium. I suppose that since they used an attack with the name of 'Titan' and Sailor Moon saw a third fighter, that we may for now assume that she was Sailor Titan."

At this point the blonde pigtailed girl broke in, "I remembered something last night. I was thinking about the strange orb that the guy had, I remembered seeing another one like it. At first I just thought it was the same one, but then I realized it was another color!" she took out a piece of paper, "And it had this symbol on it!"

Ami picked up the drawing and an immediate look of recognition covered her face. "That's the sign of Neptune!" she squinted, "Why would a senshi of a moon of Saturn have a charm with the symbol of another planet on it?"

Makoto shrugged and leaned back, "Maybe she isn't a senshi of Titan. Maybe there are more of them... Do you think that's possible?"

The Princess of Mercury started to answer but was interrupted by Usagi's friend Naru, "What are you guys talking about?" she asked sweetly as she joined the group. The other two girls started, and then began chatting nervously; hoping that the outsider had not heard their conversation, but Ami did not join in.

She watched the short brunette carefully. Something seemed out of place with her. She seemed to be more kindly and attentive than normal, and her eyes held a spark they hadn't before. At a lull in the conversation, the object of her scrutiny met her eyes, and cocked her head questioningly. "I've got to go, guys!" the blue-haired girl said quickly and jumped up.

"Something's wrong her..." she thought as she left the table. She'd seen Naru's blue eyes everyday since she'd been friends with Usagi, but this time she could have sworn for an instant they flashed a deep violet.

***

"So your host is The Queen's* best friend!?!" Micheal smirked cynically.

Glenki leered at him and he frowned back but fell down onto the couch at "Erika's apartment" and remained silent. The tall leader of the Moon Senshi was seated comfortably in an old recliner a few feet from where Tomoe Christa sat cross-legged on the floor.

The violet-haired Princess of Saturn looked up at her imposing older friend, who nodded slightly at her, before she answered Mick's question. "Yes, it appears that I inhabit 'Naru,' the childhood friend of 'Usagi,' who appears to be Her Majesty."

Just then, Erika bounded in from the kitchen with tea and snacks, with Poochy in close pursuit. She giggled and handed them all cups and plates, but then stopped short, "Where's Lars? Isn't he here yet?"

At the mention of the younger prince of Jupiter, a smile forced itself onto Christa's lips. For many years she had admired him, for he was always very intelligent, interesting, and considerate, but she was sitting thinking of him one day and realized that her feelings for him ran deeper than just friendship or admiration. That had been a few years ago, and she still had never told anyone of how she felt. It was hard for her to imagine how he would react to the news, for what would a dark, handsome intellectual like him do with a hopelessly clueless girl like herself?

Glen's words broke into her thoughts, "He's coming soon, he had to take 'his grandmother' shopping." This too made young the youngest Moon Senshi grin. Lars seemed to be enjoying the benefits of Soul Transfer the most. While using this technique, one can decide whether to assume their true form or that of their host. Now they all looked as they were born to look, here away from the prying eyes of the people of the past.

A knock at the door interrupted the conversation at hand. Erika morphed into her host's body and walked to the door. "Who is it?" she called, looking a bit nervous.

"Hey, Eri! It's me! Let me in!" came the reply. Immediately she relaxed and turned the knob, as her short hair and chrystal eyes returned. The hunter-haired prince of Jupiter entered the room laden with homemade pastries. Christa watched out of the corner of her eye, and appeared to be lost in thought, staring out the window into the endless sky.

"Hey guys, Obaasan** was so happy with my good behavior that when I asked to go meet my friends, she insisted on making treats for me to bring," he beamed boyishly and the small soldier of Titan's heart skipped a beat. "Did I miss anything?" he asked as he passed around the sweets.

Glenki's face grew dark as her brother settled onto the couch in between Erika and Micheal. "The real question had not yet been asked. All this, what does it mean for Mariko?" Uneasy glances were exchanged among the teammates.

"Well, we know she's not working under her own will, right?" the earnest daughter of Neptune's voice was cautious and even.

"Of course she's being controlled by them!!" Mick's hands balled into fists, and fire burned in his eyes, "She would never hurt anyone, we should ALL know her well enough to know that!" he leaned back in his seat and ran his fingers through his hair as if to challenge anyone to contradict him.

The thoughtful prince of Jupiter pursed his lips. "What I'd rather know is where her powers came from. Were they given by the Enemy? Is she from another Solar System? Will the powers harm her physically? Will her powers dement her mind permanently?"

A tense silence followed his questions and the four oldest Moon Senshi shifted uncomfortably. They all knew the final quandary that Lars dared not speak... "Will she have to die to be set free of this control?"

At this behavior, Christa smiled softly and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "She's a proper Sailor Senshi, just like any of us."

All the occupants of the room looked at her with confused eyes. Her sudden and cryptic entry into the conversation was unanticipated, just the way she liked it.

"She is the heir of Pluto. I have been awaiting her arrival."

Glenki sighed slowly and looked down on her young friend, "Do you mean... Is she the daughter of Pluto?"

The lady of Saturn shook her head and met her leader's gaze. "No, she is simply the heir. Sailor Pluto is bound to her Gate. She could not bear and raise a child herself. But, like all the others, her Kingdom needs a Guardian and a Ruler," her deep violet eyes turned to Micheal's blue ones, "And it seems Mariko is the one chosen for this task."



* The Royal Children tend to refer to Neo-Queen Serenity as just "The Queen." **Obaasan means "grandmother" in Japanese.