Only one note: During the battle with Onslaught and Aftermath, Raika disappeared. And a question: Does anyone know where I can find an online Japanese-to-English translation dictionary? That would REALLY help my update speed!

Warning: Slight Yuri between Rei and Serena in this chapter!

You've been warned. So, Let's just get started, ya know...
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Part 14: The Future...
Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars detransform, their outfits change back to normal. Shawn's cape, chain and armor vanish, leaving him in his regular clothes.

"Where's Raika?" asks Serena.

Rei looks around and replies, "I don't know. She must've left during the fight."

In a nearby tree, Raika is knelt-down on a high branch, holding her left leg. She moves her hand slightly, revealing a light wound, that is suddenly repaired.

'I'm sorry, my friends.' she thinks 'I just can't tell you... what I am.'

Raika leaps to the ground and leaves.

Meanwhile...

"I guess, We should get back to the shrine." Rei says, "I think I need to get cleaned up."

Blood starts seeping through the fabric of Rei's sleeveless tank-top. She tenses her back-muscles, in an effort to staunch the bleeding and temporarily succeeds.

Serena nods, "Yeah, We need to bandage those. And, We still need to hold a meeting with the other Inner Senshi."

"Okay." Shawn says, "I'll see you guys later, then. I'm goin to check on my dojo and students."

Shawn and the two Senshi go separate ways.
~White Tiger Dojo~

Shinya is watching as the students practice.

"Very good!" Shinya says, "Okay, You can all rest."

The students line up, in several lines, and bow.

"A break, huh?" a voice says, from behind Shinya, "You always were a bit soft, when training someone else, Shinya."

Shinya turns and sees Shawn, standing in the doorway, leaned against the door-facing. She blinks several times, not sure of her eyes and then Shawn walks closer.

"It's been a long time, Shawn." Shinya says.

"Yep." Shawn says, as he walks over to her, "Last time I saw you, was the tournament 5 years ago. When your girlfriend was cheering you against me. heh heh."

Shinya and Shawn both lift their right hands and clasp them together(like in an arm-wrestling match, without a table). Shawn starts getting the advantage and begins forcing Shinya's arm down.

"What's the matter, Shinya?" Shawn asks, then whispers, "Makoto using up all your strength?"

"No..." Shinya replies, as she starts lessening Shawn's advantage, until the two are even. The two pull their hands apart.

Shawn laughs, "You haven't changed." he says, "Thanks. For taking care of this place... and these *hoodlums*, you and Mako both." Shinya nods.

"Hey teach!" one of the students says, "Is it really you? I mean, Some of us thought you were... dead!"

"Well," Shawn says, turning toward the students, "As you can see, I'm perfectly alive, Yasuke."

Shawn scans over the room, making sure he remembers everyone's name. He notices the absence of two students, students that he never particularly liked, and never really fit-in. Meanwhile, Shinya exits the dojo.

"So," he asks, "Where are Carlos and Alec?"

"Well, About a week ago," Yasuke speaks up, "Some guy named *Mamori* or somethin like that, came in here and asked them to go somewhere with 'im. They left with him."

"Mamoru?" Shawn asks, "Was that this guy's name?"

"Yeah! Yeah, That was him!" the student replies, "Then, A couple days later, The cops came in here and arrested them... said somethin 'bout chargin' 'em for raping some chic."

"Ahem!" Shawn says.

"Uh. Sorry, Sensei." Yasuke responds, "Some *lady*."

"That's better." Shawn says, as he folds his arms.

He remembers what Rei had said earlier... "I've gotten over my injuries."... Shawn closes his eyes and tilts his head slightly down to his left.

'Why didn't you tell me, Rei?' he wonders.
~Hikawa Shrine~

When Rei and Serena get back to the shrine, they go to Rei's private bathroom... Serena turns on the water in the sink and wets a cloth while Rei takes off her red, and now blood-drenched, tank-top. Serena happens a glance back at Rei, as the girl takes off her shirt, and notices several scars on her torso... scars that she didn't notice before, perhaps because they were so faded, like they had been there for years. The scars range from slightly above her breasts down to at least her abdomen(possibly further).

Serena notices more scars, as the raven-haired priestess turns her back to her and uses her right hand to move her long hair out of the way.

Serena thinks 'Why haven't I seen those before. They should've been especially visible when she was wearing revealing outfits...?'.

She uses the wet cloth and begins cleaning the blood from the four slashes, gingerly. Rei grunts, slightly, as Serena finishes cleaning the wounds. Afterward, She bandages the wounds.

"There." Serena says.

The odangoed princess lightly brushes her right hand across the bandage and looks closely at Rei's back. Then, without a second thought, Serena leans forward and places a soft kiss on the back of Rei's neck, sending a tingling sensation down the raven-haired girl's spine.

"Mmmm." Rei murmurs, as Serena snakes her arms around her.

Serena moves her hands to Rei's breasts and begins rubbing them, gingerly squeezing the nipples between her thumbs and index-fingers. Rei reaches up and places her hands on her princess', she closes her eyes, leans into the shorter girl's embrace and *mmmmm*s again.

Rei's eyes pop open and she gently removes Serena's hands from her breasts. She turns to the princess and smiles.

"Not now." Rei says.

Serena looks kind of down-hearted, as she slightly lowers her head and some hair falls in her face. Rei brushes the hair aside from Serena's face and lifts her head so they can lock gazes.

"We still need to call the other Senshi for a meeting." Rei says, "We'll have time for *that* later." she places a kiss on Serena's lips and smiles.

Serena smiles back and they begin contacting the other Inner Senshi, after Rei puts on a new top...

About a half-hour to an hour later... The Inner Senshi, except Minako, are all at the Shrine, in the tea-room...

"So?" Makoto asks, "What's the problem? Other than Hariel, of course."

"Well, We should really wait on Minako." Rei says.
~Outside the Shrine~

'I can't believe this.' Minako thinks, as she makes her way up the Shrine steps 'Setsuna *does* love me, afterall... I wonder what the others will think.'

When she reaches the top of the steps, she stops for a minute.

"Should I tell them, what she said?" Minako asks herself aloud, "Or, Wait and let her...?"

"I will tell them, Mina." Setsuna says, walking up beside the Senshi of Love and placing her left hand on the shorter girl's right shoulder.

"Setsuna?" Minako says, a bit surprised, "I thought you said you weren't coming?"

The Senshi of Time turns her head toward the blonde and smiles.

"I did." she says, "But, I decided that... I cannot keep it from them, it involves their future."

"If you're sure." Minako responds, laying her left hand on Setsuna's and smiling, "I think you should prepare yourself, though. It's been awhile since you visited and... some things might come as a shock."

The green-haired woman nods and then takes her hand away from Minako's shoulder. Setsuna leans down and kisses the blonde's lips.

"I believe I am well-enough prepared." she says, after breaking the short kiss.

The two continue to the Shrine...
~Inside~

Makoto stretches and yawns, "When is she gonna get here?" she asks, not really to anyone, "I'm supposta be helping Shinya at the White Tiger! That girl's gettin as bad as Serena!"

"Hey!" Serena starts to inject.

"Yes." Ami says, "I must agree."

"That's enough." Rei steps in, on Serena's defense, "Odango-head isn't as bad at being late as she used to be."

"Thanks a lump!" Serena says to the raven-haired priestess.

She turns her head away from Rei and tilts it up slightly, closing her eyes.

"See if you get anything *special* from me!" the blonde odango-atama states.

"Ah, Come on, Sere..." Rei pleads, snaking her arms around her princess' waist, "I'm sorry, okay?" She kisses Serena's cheek.

"Okay." Serena says, as she looks at Rei, "Apology accepted."

The two share a kiss and Makoto and Ami both sweatdrop.

"Hiya Guys!" Minako's familiar voice rings out, causing Rei and Serena to break apart, "The Love Goddess is here!"

"About time." Mako says, as Mina walks into the room where everyone is.

"Yeah." Mina responds, as she sits down, "I'm kinda late. Sorry bout that. But, I got a good reason."

"And, That would be?" asks Mako.

"I believe I should answer that." comes Setsuna's somewhat stoic voice.

The Senshi look toward the door and see the Senshi of Time, standing in the doorway. She walks into the room and sits next to Minako.

"It is my fault Mina is late." she says, "I visited her yesterday, to tell her of a problem with the time-line."

"How does that explain why she's late, today?" Ami asks.

Setsuna looks over at Mina and takes the blonde's hand in her own. Mina smiles at her and intwines their fingers.

"Oh!" Ami says, blinking, "But, Mina, I thought you liked Rei?"

"Well, I did." Mina confesses, slightly waving her free hand, "But, Really it was only a silly crush."

She gets some confused glares from the rest of the girls, especially Rei and Setsuna.

"Besides," Mina continues, ignoring the glares, "I think it was only because Rei reminded me of Setsuna and, I never thought Sets would even consider a relationship with me."

"Maybe, You should have just asked me." Setsuna says, gently squeezing the blonde girl's hand. Mina nods.

Being the first to remember Setsuna mentioning the time-line, Rei asks, "So, Setsuna? What's this about a problem with the time-line?"

"Well," the Time-Senshi begins, addressing the entire room, "There is not a *problem* with the time-line..." she pauses and Mina lightly squeezes her hand to urge her to continue.

"There is no time-line, anymore." Setsuna finishes, "At least not a *set* time-line. The Gates-of-Time have been attacked, by Hariel and his youma, and destroyed... or rather, the *Gate-of-Time* that links to the future. The future that you have all seen... is no more. Everything you've seen about that future has been *erased*..."

All of the other Senshi gasp in response and tears fill Serena's eyes, as she stands up and runs outside. Rei follows her distraught princess out of the Shrine.
~Outside~

Serena's just standing there, looking up at the sky... storm clouds slowly moving in, when Rei walks up behind her.

"S-Serena... What's wrong?" the raven-haired priestess asks.

The princess lowers her head from the clouds and looks down at the ground. The other Senshi are now standing outside, near the door-way.

"R-Rini... If everything about that future's erased, then..." she says, then breaks-down and starts crying, again.

Rei lowers her head, turning it slightly to her left, and closes her amethyst eyes, "I... I'm so sorry, Sere!" she says, as tears start falling down her cheeks, also. She clenches her fists and continues, "Th-this is, all, *my* fault... I-if I had never revealed m-my love for you... this probably wouldn't have happened..."

"No." Serena says, lifting her head. Rei also raises her head and looks at her princess.

Serena turns to the priestess and throws her arms around the girl, pulling herself as close as possible, without the two being the same person.

"Please, Rei!" She says, tears still falling down her cheeks, "Please! Don't blame yourself! I love you, too! Remember?" Rei nods.

Serena lays her head against the front of Rei's left shoulder and Rei wraps her arms, gently, around Serena... her left arm around the other girl's waist and she places her right hand on the back of Serena's head. Rei holds her princess tight, in her powerful yet gentle embrace.

"I wish I could tell you that I know how things will work out, Princess. And, That everything will be alright." Rei says, forcing her tears to slow, "But... I will *not* lie to you."

Rei looks up to the sky, as the storm clouds gathered let loose with fury... as if, the Heavens themselves are crying, along with the two girls.

"I do think, though," she says, "Judging by how much you love Rini - how much all of the Senshi love her... I have a strong feeling that *some-way*, she'll still be born."

"We'll find out... together." Serena says, from Rei's shoulder, "I do hope you're right, though." her tears begin to lessen...

Meanwhile, two people are nearby, watching from the shadows... One of them is about the height of a 12 year-old girl and holding, what appears to be, a glaive. And, the other is much taller and wearing a black and purple Senshi Uniform.

"Is it right to risk Rini's life, for them to be happy?" the one with the glaive asks, "Huh, Kyoko?"

"Yes." the other replies, with her arms folded, "They have loved one another since before we were born and they have never been allowed to truly be together. I know, from experience, what it's like to have to hide the truth of true love, and then to lose that true love."

Kyoko(Sailor Darkstar) steps into the light, "And because of that loss, my heart died a thousand years ago." she adds, "I don't want that to happen to Rei. Besides, I made a promise, back then, to someone *very* important to me..."

"I suppose..." the shorter replies, still in the shadows, "I just hope Rini *will* still be born..."

"Indeed. Death is never a joyous occasion," Sailor Darkstar says, her expression utterly emotionless(as it always is), "But it truly hurts, when it is someone you love... Hotaru." Sailor Saturn nods.

"However," Darkstar says, "I believe that, if nothing else, your love for Rini will enable a way for her to be born."

A tear manages it's way from one of Saturn's almost death-like eyes, "I don't think I can ever be quite the Death-Senshi you are, Kyoko. Of course you have a thousand years experience over me." she says, "I mean, I can wear a *mask* of uncaring but, I don't believe I could ever be completely emotionless, like you." her grip tightens on the Silence Glaive somewhat.

"Let us hope not. One should never be completely without feeling as I am... afterall," Darkstar says, "I am the Celestial Senshi of Death and Darkness, You are the Sailor Senshi of Death and *Rebirth*. The death you invoke is countered by the rebirth of the condemned souls... whereas, the death *I* invoke is everlasting, for I deliver death unto the souls, themselves. Afterall, One cannot save souls, when one doesn't *have* a soul. Now, Let us return you to the Death-Gates."

Saturn nods. Darkstar holds up her right hand and materializes a large scythe in it... the Death Scythe. She grips the handle with her left hand as well and, in one diagonal down-left(/) slash, slices open a hole through the dimensional barrier, opening the path to the Death-Gates. The two travel through the hole and it closes behind them.

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Ramblings: Okay, So I decided to include Hotaru this early, afterall. Well, I didn't get around to revealing much about the Celestial Senshi's backgrounds in this chappy. I'll try to get started at it, in the next chapter. Anyway, I really would like to hear opinions about this chapter. Okay, Well, enough rambling. Oh yeah, I won't be posting the next one, until I get at least 5 reviews for this one... Well, read & review, so I can post the next one, ya know.