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.

The Last Journey

Chapter 8: Angel Eyes

"WHAT did you say?"

Pluto shifted slightly. "I said I can't see it. The connections I had to the Time Gate are extremely limited now. The only thing that I can see of the past is a shady figure talking to the man in Iraq, the one you talked to before."

"But it confirms that someone is behind this," Venus growled, tapping her fingers on the table top.

All around her were her friends and companions, the defenders of Crystal Tokyo. She had even pulled the Outers back into the city for this conference. Her concern was great, and it was enough that it got those four back with a minimum of fuss.

"I don't suppose we know who wants Crystal Tokyo in this World Alliance?" Uranus murmured dejectedly.

"Not one," responded Zoisite with equal depression. "Nobody liked the idea of a monarchy again, and many were vocal about how monarchies had outlived their time long ago. I can't think of any that would vouch for us, or want us in so badly to put pressure on Iraq's government."

"What about that president from the US?" jumped in Jupiter, leaning forward in her seat. "The man is the head of the leading world power right now. He could do put enough pressure on a country to force them to do what he wanted."

"But why would he do that?" questioned Jadeite. "What could he gain by getting us in the World Alliance?"

"What do you mean, 'what could he gain?'" prompted Mars. "Why does he have to gain anything?"

It was Pluto who answered. "Over the course of history," she began, "there is one major thing about human kind that is quite noticeable. Every action that a person does has to have something for them in it. Human kind is naturally out for themselves. There must be something that the US president will gain by having us in the World Alliance. If it's him."

"I can't think of anyone else that would do this," Mercury muttered.

"Maybe it's not any leader of any government," commented Neptune. As they stared at her, she shrugged and explained. "Okay, Pluto said that the future she wanted didn't come about when we met her and that this possibility was so remote she didn't even take in its likelihood. So who's to say that some of the enemies that we would have fought in that other timeline won't show up here?"

"But why would our enemies want something good for us?" interjected Jupiter again.

"It could be part of a plan," Nephrite said, rubbing the back of his hand, as if it hurt him. "Perhaps this enemy knew that we would ask Pluto to look into the timeline. Maybe they hoped that she would see someone with the Iraq government official. Maybe they hope we will be concentrating so hard on finding who it was among the various country heads that we won't know they're here until it's too late. Maybe they want us so suspicious of our neighboring countries that when they do come, we will be outnumbered but won't ask for aid from another."

"That's rather cynical, Nephrite," Mars commented.

"But plausible nonetheless." Kunzite leaned forward, catching their attention. "He and Neptune just may be right. And if that's the case, then I think we should be prepared. I don't suppose your connections with the Timeline will permit you to see at least somewhat into the future, Pluto?"

She sighed in contemplation. "I doubt it, but I will check again."

"Thank you. Now, when you leave Uranus-tachi, I want you to keep an eye out not only on our perimeters, but if you hear anything going on about anything strange, report to us immediately. I will not let us get caught with our pants down, if you will."

Uranus rolled her eyes at the last sentence, but nodded nonetheless. Throughout all this, Saturn didn't say a word.

"I hope that this won't start an intergalactic war," Mercury told her husband as they entered the Palace.

"Intergalactic? I doubt it. War? There's hardly a doubt in my mind," he replied grimly.

"Do you suppose, from what Pluto has said, that this future is filled with less fighting?"

Zoisite locked his hands behind his head as he walked and shrugged. "I don't know. But I did talk with Pluto about the other timeline somewhat. I'm just as glad for the Shitennou's sake that we're in this one."

"Why?" she asked curiously.

He looked down sadly. "Because in the other one, Beryl survived the war against the Dark Kingdom and the Shitennou were turned against Endymion."

"Oh."

They walked in silence for a few minutes until Mercury broke it.

"Zoisite, do you want the child to be a girl or a boy?"

He stumbled and his arm reached out to steady himself on the wall. His face was red as he looked at her. "What?"

"Do you want the child to be a boy or a girl?"

"I…I…how about you?"

Her face took on a slightly dreamy quality. "I want a girl. And don't change the subject, Zoisite. Do you want a girl or a boy?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm kinda hoping for a boy."

"You would."

She smiled at him anyway, though, and kissed his cheek before heading further down the hall. Zoisite just shook his head in wonder at the sudden question.

The child giggled and held out his hands for his mother.

Rei knelt down next to her son. "What is it, Pyralis?"

He simply laughed in his baby voice and grabbed her hair. She winced as it tugged the roots. Carefully, she worked the strands from his grip. "Don't grab Mommy's hair." Her son was so exuberant about being in the Shrine with her that he was getting overzealous. She thought perhaps in the future she would leave him with his father.

"Lady Mars?"

Rei turned from her kneeling position and looked behind her. A young girl, one of the new acolytes that took care of the temple, stood in the doorway. "There's someone here to see you."

Her eyebrows drew together in puzzlement. Perhaps it was a priest of the order, wanting to talk about the care-taking of the Shrine? "I'll be out in a minute."

The acolyte nodded and left.

She picked up Pyralis, who continued to smile. Out of courtesy for the woman, the young girl had left the door open since she had obviously known that Rei would have her hands full. A smile grew on her lips. She really had grown attached to the acolytes working at the temple. They were all very nice.

"Let's go see who's here to visit Mommy," she whispered in her son's ear, holding him tight.

But when she left the room and saw who was waiting for her, she nearly dropped the baby. Her child immediately knew the change in attitude in his mother and he grew still and quiet. He turned around slowly and smiled hesitantly.

"Yuuichirou?"

End Chapter 8