Author's Note:

This is a sequel to Angelic Embrace. I thought about doing it, but I didn't until someone told me they thought a sequel was possible. You will really want to read the first one to find out what's going on.

As we all know the names of the Senshi, there's no need to go there, except to say that I use the Japanese names.

For a review, I'll list the names of the Shitennou:

Keagan Kris MacNeal (Kunzite)

Nick Michael Canter (Nephrite)

Jace Daniel Taencer (Jadeite)

Zale James Indiano (Zoisite)

You can contact me at Guardian4@cox.net.

I guess I should mention this, in case it gets confusing about how long it has been since the epilogue of Angelic Embrace. It's been six to seven months, not another year and a half.

The Last Journey

Chapter 7: Your Love, Forever

Nick met up with Rei outside her temple. "You want to talk about it?" he murmured quietly as she reached him.

Her gaze was quiet for a time, heavy-laden with sorrow and weight. He couldn't imagine how Minako was taking this, as it was she that had made the decision to end those lives that night a week ago.

"I've been avoiding you, haven't I?"

"Yes, but I haven't exactly pressed the matter. Mako-chan's pretty much taken up most of my time."

"How is she?"

The Shitennou sighed. "Not good initially, but slowly I think she can recover. Some days are better than others, that's for sure. That's all we can ask for at the moment, isn't it?"

She smiled, a bit sadly, and he knew she was remembering when they had many similar conversations like this back in the Silver Millennium. They had been as close as two non-relatives could be, the psychic Princess of Mars and the stars-reader Shitennou of the North American division. Their talents for the reading of possible futures and events, and simply the extra sense, that sixth sense they both had, had formed a deep bond. As such, Nick felt for Rei an intense, almost brotherly feeling for her.

And that was renewed in this new time, this new utopia of Crystal Tokyo. And Nick enjoyed every moment of it.

"I've been talking to Jadeite about it a lot, and between him and Pyralis, I'm working through it quickly."

"I suppose that it helps that whenever you begin to cry, Pyro begs his mommy to stop."

His teasing and gentle smile lifted her mood a bit. "He's just so adorable when he pouts and tries to beg with the few sounds he's picked up."

They meandered back to the palace slowly, conversation comfortable between them.

"Serenity thinks she may be pregnant again," Rei told him at one point.

"Really? I guess that's how it is in their bedroom. They must want more children," he said laughingly. "Children really are wonderful and Chibiusa is a dream."

"Not the way I hear it sometimes, she isn't," Rei contradicted with a huge smile on her face.

They laughed their way into the palace doors, which elicited a few confused grins. The Senshi had been rooted into a depression for the past week since they had returned to Crystal Tokyo and it was a relief to see even one smiling.

"Everybody seems to be getting pregnant lately."

"Not me."

Rei swatted him lightly on the arm at his quip. "Is Mako-chan pregnant?"

"As far as I know…no."

"Nothing going on in the bedroom?"

Nick drew himself up in mock indignation. "Everything is fine in the bedroom. In fact, things get pretty downright heated at night."

As soon as she smiled, he knew he had walked into a trap. "So that's why Mako-chan comes into training all sore before we even do any work!"

A slight stain of crimson on his cheeks. He didn't much like talking about that personal an issue between him and his wife.

"Ah, shut up."

"Have you had any contact with the Outer Senshi?"

He shook his head. "No, but I think they have enough talk amongst themselves to work through this. You know they don't like talking about their feelings with us."

"True."

The Shitennou watched her walk away to her own rooms, knowing her to at least have gotten past some of it for her to laugh again. It would be a long hard road to travel, but he thought that they would get to the end with help.

"Did you hear the international news?"

"They're saying some thousand people in Iraq were killed last night. The government is saying that a bomb was planted under the building and it went off."

Venus paused and listened closely to the two young men ahead of her. Her suspicions were aroused as she listened. It seemed the Iraq government was covering up for them. But why? It made her nervous, not knowing why. She made her way quickly back to the palace in favor of answers than continuing her probably fruitless patrol while she was in city limits.

When she entered the throne room, it was as crowded as usual. Serenity and Endymion were quite busy, surrounded by the Shitennou, who looked as calm as ever. She bit her lip in vexation. No matter how much she wanted to rush up and demand answers, it would look bad in front of the court and various officials. She would have to wait for a lull in the proceedings.

Fortunately Endymion noticed her shifting at the back of the room and nodded his head slightly, his crown set firmly on his brow. It had been a gift to him from the four Shitennou, something they'd kept in a special place for him when the time was ready.

The gold of it gleamed and there were four stones all around the circlet, stones she knew were kunzite, zoisite, nephrite, and jadeite. The stones representing his four guardians. Short spikes flowed up all around his head, sparkling in the sunlight. In the exact center of the crown, right over his forehead, was a rose, the bud made of miniscule rubies. Underneath it was a sword with a topaz floating over the blade, a representation of the Golden Crystal. The black of his tuxedo was edged in gold, the inside of the cape ruby red.

Due to Endymion's efforts, there was a lull within ten minutes and she approached, leaning over Serenity's shoulder to whisper to the two monarchs. She most definitely did not want anyone to overhear.

"Did you know that the Iraq covered for us last week?" she hissed severely, worry making her brow furrow. "You didn't promise them allegiance in exchange for that, did you?"

Endymion shook his head. "We were privately informed about two days ago that the Iraq government would not press charges against Crystal Tokyo and claim that another terrorist group set a bomb."

"But did you promise—"

"No," Serenity whispered back. "We didn't promise anything. We didn't contact them at all."

"Then why did they do this?"

"I don't know."

"There has to be something in this for them to do this," she returned speculatively. "I wonder what it is."

"It worries me," Kunzite murmured from Endymion's right side. "There is no reason I can think of that they would do this for us."

"Perhaps another country, a powerful one…one that wants Crystal Tokyo into the World Alliance…put the pressure on them," suggested Zoisite grimly.

"That would be news to me," Jadeite responded sourly. "I didn't see many enthusiastic people about us in that World Alliance."

"There's something strange going on behind the scenes and its manipulating policy," stating Nephrite unhappily. "Sure, you read about this kind of stuff happening, but it doesn't really bother you until it's your country that's being manipulated."

"Tell me about it," Venus muttered angrily.

"Venus, we need to get back to the proceedings," Serenity prodded with a glance at the people who were standing a discreet distance away and watching them.

She looked over her shoulder and nodded to her monarchs.

As soon as she closed the door behind her, she made her way as fast as possible to Mars' side. She had to know.

"Venus?" The Senshi of War looked up, surprised. "What's the matter?"

The leader ran down what she had heard. "I want you to do a fire-reading. I…need to know what this is all about."

"What about Mercury and Pluto?"

She nodded. "I know. I'm going to them next."

Her second-in-command left and settled herself in front of the burning blaze in a room down the hall.

Mercury was unhappy with the idea of hacking into to a few computer systems, but she did as Venus asked. She did not want to order this; she knew what she had ordered last week and she didn't think she had an empty quota for orders yet.

A few simple taps and she had Pluto on the communicator.

"Pluto, do you still have ties with the Time Gate?"

"Why? I won't look into the future."

"No, I don't want to know the future. I want to know the past."

"The past?" The Senshi of Time's voice filled with puzzlement. "Why the past?"

"I need to know what made the Iraq government cover for us last week."

"…I will see what I can do. I am not sure if I can see anything of the Timeline anymore, now that I am officially released from guarding it, but…I will try."

"Thanks, Pluto. It really takes a lot off my mind."

"And, Venus?"

"Yes?"

"Did Saturn heal you before we left?"

"…Yes. I don't know if it did anything at all, but…if it did…change…something about me, I will be sure to thank her again."

"I'm sure it will work out."

The compassion in her older friend's voice made tears spring to her eyes. Sometimes she wondered whether she had any friendship at all with the Outers, as they were distant a lot of the time. It was nice to have this reassurance at this crucial time in their lives and their country.

"Thanks…Pluto."

"Your welcome. Pluto out."

"Venus out," she whispered to the crackle of speakers and slowly let her fingers fall of the switch.

End Chapter 7

Thanks for being so patient with this chapter!