CrystalMaker: This chapter's gonna be a long one my friends. So sit back, relax, and hopefully it won't be a complete waste of your time! Yay!

Other than that I own nothing but the story idea and a vast amount of chocolate and candy (the majority of it sour), none of which you may have.

There will also be the much anticipated character development background info I promised you, which I'm sure you're all tired of hearing me talk about (God knows I am )-p). Enjoy anyway!

Oh! And before I forget I just want to give a big shout out to everyone who's reviewed. I'm in love with all of you. Special lovin' goes to the beautiful people who've reviewed twice and said nothing but good things. You know who you are. I just wanted to let you know that I've really appreciated it. You're all awesome.

Side note: The italic sections are in line with our beloved Mako's train of thought. Just FYI.


It has now been 24 hours since the disappearance of Mercury and Makoto, attired as Jupiter of course, was forced to attend the Evening Meal that night, as it was required that all the Scouts be present.

She ate little, talked even less, and retired to bed early. To her relief sleep came quickly to claim her.

Unfortunately, as her mind ran non-stop during the day, so it did as she slept. Troubled dreams were all that plagued her.

The first dream she had began as the Trial against Mercury, but the end result was drastically different. Mercury spit out her parting words, and then disappeared into the fog she created; but even as the Ice Warrior left, her harsh speech remained.

The words echoed around Makoto, taking form from the fog surrounding her; swirling around her like a whirlwind, repeating over and over again.

The disembodied voice that spoke these words seemed to get louder and louder until Makoto was forced to clap her hands over her ears, begging the voice to leave her be, pleading for it all to-

"STOP!"

The shrill cry tore the Thunder Princess from her nightmare. Still half-asleep, she whipped her head to either side, frantically looking for the one who gave the shout.

The soreness in the back of her throat told her that it was she who had cried out. Makoto was also surprised to find that her face and pillow were damp with the salty essence of sweat and tears.

It further disturbed her to notice that the position her body unconsciously took as she lay back down was the same one she'd just woken up in. Lying on her side, curled tightly into a ball, hands over her ears. She forced her body to straighten and turn.

Now with her hands clutched tightly against her stomach, the Jovian Warrior stared up at her canopy and prayed to whatever deity might be listening that the rest of her sleep be dream-free.

…Too bad that another of her fellow Senshi had disturbing news to tell her. If her old comrade hadn't looked so anxious and so worried, Makoto would have been sorely tempted to blast the dream-Pluto out of her mind and out of this galaxy.


Day 2

It was late mid-morning by the time Makoto woke with a start from her less-than-peaceful slumber.

Having mentally exhausted herself over the past 24 hours, her thoughts were lethargic and slow, but still there.

Her auburn topped head was filled with the psychic scent of trouble looming on the horizon, and Pluto's short but sweet forewarning of 'Be ready' resounded in her brain.

She stumbled around her rooms, attempting to get dressed for the day. The whole time she grumbled and cursed under her breath, extremely annoyed at herself and her nightmares, for they caused her to sleep in late; far too late.

This was a weakness she couldn't afford right now, if what the dream-Pluto had said was true.

Usually, Makoto would be one of the first to walk the palace halls in the early morning hours. Everyday, (except today, of course) she would rise at the crack of dawn. In her opinion, it was the perfect time to train, to practice and, most importantly, to meditate.

Long ago she had learned that the most vital aspect of an excellent warrior was their mind.

She'd always had a quick temper, and for the longest time Makoto had believed that the anger burning in her heart and in the pit of her stomach was what made her so victorious in battle.

She'd been proven wrong though, time and time again.

Diving headlong into a fight had been her trademark for years; only when she began to go against the evil forces as Sailor Jupiter did she slowly realize her mistakes.

Her anger made her sloppy, it dimmed her awareness of her surroundings and more than once it had caused her death.

Surprisingly, the one who had actually called her on her actions had not been Haruka, but Ami. And while Rei had taught her the art of meditation, it was the Ice Princess who'd introduced her to it.

Ami had shown her how to appreciate it for all the benefits it could give, especially to warriors. Health and tranquility of the mind aided in the health of the body which, in turn, could heighten performance in battle.

…But it was much too late in the day to even think about meditation now. Despite how much Makoto felt she could use it.

Thinking back to the first dream she'd had last night, she gave a weary sigh.

Ami.

Yesterday, she'd spent hours upon hours trying to answer for herself the questions she had regarding her friend's shocking behaviour, especially towards their Queen.

The only answer that came to her was Mercury's last words before she disappeared. The same words that had reverberated relentlessly in her dream last night.

'You are not the princess I swore to protect.' Ami's voice had been so emotionless when she spoke. 'I don't know who you are anymore Serenity.' She'd sounded so distant, so cold.

So unlike the blue haired girl she-

"By the Gods!" Makoto gasped.

It wasn't until this moment, as she recalled the icy shards of blue that looked out from her friend's face- that the realization struck her.

Serenity wasn't the same. She was someone else entirely. The Queen that sat upon the throne of Crystal Tokyo was no where near the same woman whom the Princess of Jupiter had sworn loyalty to.

And it wasn't just Serenity, either.

The more Makoto thought about it, the more she realized that they had all changed. And not for the better.

She gave a sardonic smile to her mirrored reflection as she brushed out her tangled tresses. Trust it to be the genius of Mercury to open her eyes to the truth.

Mannerisms, characteristics, personalities, even their appearances! Everyone was so different …so warped, compared to the way they once were.

It was all so shockingly obvious. Makoto could have slapped herself for not seeing it until now. Then again, how could anyone have really noticed?

As close as they had all been, the changes, plentiful as they were, had happened gradually.

Nearly two thousand years have passed since the day that Serenity woke the world from its icy slumber.

With the first spire that rose above Crystal Tokyo, the Senshi, Endymion and Serenity, had all become busy in their respective roles. And slowly, so slowly, everyone morphed.

Makoto saw this now, her thoughts going through mental comparisons of the past and present versions of each of her companions, and tears began to fill her eyes.

Her revelation was too little too late, so much damage had already been done.

So much within each of them had died.

She swiped at her eyes before any of the offending droplets could fall and promptly fastened her custom ponytail before swiftly exiting her chambers.


First there was Minako, the Soldier and Heir to the planet Venus; Warrior of Love and Beauty. Her respective power's colors, yellow and orange, used to convey the very warmth of her soul. She'd been so much like a ball of sunshine, what with her cheery personality and good-natured attitude. Way back then, it was rare you wouldn't see her without a smile on her face, or a sparkle in her blue, blue eyes.

Now she was nothing but cold. Her beauty was still there, but it was unapproachable. The kind of beauty one found on a statue. Her eyes never sparkled anymore, they only ever gleamed dangerously. More than once Makoto swore she saw the servants and guards of the palace shiver as Minako walked by. Where once she spread warmth, now she simply drove it away.

Since the beginning of the Neo Silver Millennium she had been Serenity's top right hand man (or woman as the case may be). She never strayed far from the new Queen's side and her position as first in command of the Scouts was solidified because of this. Given the added responsibility of the South-Eastern quadrant of the city, and designated the Head General for both the King and Queen's armies, she was kept very busy.

At first it overwhelmed her; Makoto could remember one night in particular where Mina had come to her rooms in tears because of the stress it was causing her. Yet even then she'd refused to back down from any of her duties, afraid of disappointing Serenity. She wanted to be competent for her Princess, and she became very competent indeed. Throwing herself into her work, it eventually consumed the Love Goddess' life, leaving only little time to eat and sleep and nothing else.


Seeing as her mind was already preoccupied, Makoto's body went to auto-pilot. Thus, she headed straight for the Northern quadrant, foregoing breakfast altogether.


Then there was Rei, the feisty Shinto Priestess, Soldier and Heir to the planet Mars; Warrior of Fire and Passion; her temper matched the sacred flame that blazed within her temple shrine. She was strict, organized, and well-mannered; unless you got her going, of course. Her crows, considered an odd choice of pet by others, had been her pride and joy. Her amethyst eyes were constantly flashing and her tongue could be sharper than any blade. Nevertheless, when all was said and done, Rei was a true friend.

The Hikawa Shrine was long gone though, as were Phobos and Deimos, Rei's sentient crows. The Martian Princess had been assigned the South-Western quadrant of the crystal city, and she'd also taken it upon herself to train those wishing to be priestesses and set up a shrine of her own, not far from the palace, where her charms were sold and her priestesses-in-training lived.

For some time in the beginning, young girls flocked to Rei's shrine, eager and excited to be taught by someone so exotically beautiful, who also happened to be one of the Earth's revered saviours. Soon though, the religion, along with many others, practically became abandoned, so many turning only to their Queen for guidance; for she was immortal, she created miracles.

From what Makoto could remember, this had caused Rei no end of disgust and on more than one occasion she would argue with Serenity over it. The disagreements always dissolved quickly, the raven-haired warrior eventually backing off. Soon Rei never brought up the subject.

Other than when on duty in the city and the palace, she was never seen, keeping entirely to her shrine. She never talked more than she had to and even when she did the words were spit out. Constantly in a rage that it almost seemed like a madness; where once a man was intimidated by her, now they were terrified. It was Makoto's belief that Rei's unending meditation alongside her element was the only thing that held the Fire Senshi's savage anger in check.


Striding into her quadrant's command station, attired in the green-clad form of Jupiter she was promptly given the updated info on her section that required her perusal. Seating herself, she pretended to read through the document, feigning interest.


Next there came Haruka and Michiru, Soldiers and Heirs to the twin planets Uranus and Neptune. One the Warrior of the Winds, the other, Warrior of the Seas. In the beginning the Inner Scouts and even Sailor Moon herself had had a hard time distinguishing whether the pair were enemies or not. Certainly, some of their actions had been questionable, but this was only because of their strong desire to see the Earth protected.

In the past, for all their efforts to distance themselves from others, Makoto could still remember being inexplicably drawn to the two of them. Perhaps this had to do with the mystical qualities they seemed to possess. The power of their planets constantly emanated from them, especially when they played their music together. Haruka at the piano, Michiru with her violin. That was when the auras of their stars truly flared to life. And it was intoxicating, hypnotizing. Makoto had always aspired to be just like them, and she was sure that Rei, Minako, and Ami had secretly wished the same.

Back then it had taken some time but, eventually, the blonde and teal-haired companions finally began to open up to the other Senshi. This was mostly due to the encouragement of Usagi, whom Haruka and Michiru found hard to deny, as they were so fiercely devoted to their Princess. By the time the 2nd Ice Age came the merry little band that Sailor Moon had originally created grew by two more people. The extended friendships lasted well into the starting years of Crystal Tokyo, before they all began to drift away from each other.

Nowadays, the couple only socialized, as need be, with the recruits that they'd long ago been assigned to train and mould into battle-efficient Royal Guards. They no longer conversed with anyone but each other and, when they were called upon to do so, with the King and Queen.

Other than that, the inseparable duo kept to the rooms that they shared, never venturing out unless it was to train the recruits or to look after their specified quadrants. Haruka in the East, Michiru in the West. The two of them barely acknowledged their fellow Senshi anymore, and when they did, their eyes became hollow and distant with nothing but the tiniest flare of recognition within them.


Makoto shivered just picturing 'the look' in her mind; the papers in hand mimicked her body's quaking. It was truly an unsettling sight when it occurred.

She placed the document atop her desk and rested her head in her hands.

Certainly, it was heart-wrenching to receive 'the look', especially from once dear friends, but it wasn't nearly as heart-breaking as the sorry situation one ebony-haired girl seemed eternally stuck in.


Poor Hotaru never seemed to catch a break. Her life had constantly been one tragedy after another. First the untimely death of her mother, followed by the twisted possession of her father. The man began conducting experiments on his own child, eventually summoning forth the evil entity known as Mistress 9 from deep within his daughter. Makoto could remember the first time she'd ever laid eyes on the young Hotaru; the girl had looked so unhealthy, and so terribly fragile. It was hard to believe that she'd housed two frighteningly powerful beings within her frail body.

Yet even before Hotaru discovered the secrets of herself, her violet eyes had always been sad, had always been haunted. Only Rini had been able to bring a genuine happiness to her friend's dark eyes. It was amazing really, the transformation she would go through when her pink companion entered the scene.

Then the formidable Sailor Saturn emerged and gave up her life to defeat the enemy, returning in the form of a baby. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto took her then and none of the others knew what became of Hotaru, until she returned once again as Sailor Saturn with the Outer Scouts beside her.

Even long time separated though they were, the Soldier and Heir of Saturn; Warrior of Death, Destruction, and Rebirth, and the young Heir to the Neo Silver Millennium; continued their companionship as if nothing had happened. Once again they became the best of friends, each complimenting the other nicely. This remarkable occurrence happened once more when the great City of Crystal was formed and Rini was born.

It was because of the close bond that the two girls seemed to share, that the most logical decision was made. Saturn's fearsome power was assigned to the Pink Princess as a personal Bodyguard of sorts. This of course, allowed them to spend their time together whilst also ensuring the future Queen's constant safety. Hotaru was more than happy about the arrangement and took great pride in it. Small Lady was just as ecstatic. Thus, it had all worked out perfectly. At least, it did for the first thousand years.

It was around that time that Rini finally came into her powers, proving to any in doubt that she was indeed the true Heir to her mother's throne. The same children who'd picked on her before now gave desperate attempts to become her friend. People began to take positive notice of Small Lady, and she loved the attention. She soaked it up greedily. Her lonely visits to Pluto stopped altogether, and she no longer acknowledged Hotaru's existence as anything more than a pesky shadow.

To be demoted by your best friend from close companion to lowly servant, that could be enough to break anybody. Perhaps this was the final straw that caused the pale Soldier's mental demise. Hotaru's eyes were now empty voids of violet; so far gone they had not enough emotion to look even the least bit haunted. She had become a living robot, operating only under the orders of the Queen or Small Lady. She registered the existence of no one else.


Noticing the curious stares of the new recruits designated to her unit, Makoto once again picked up the papers in front of her and tried, in vain, to digest the information on the pages.

She threw them back down again in frustration and walked over to her office window. Drawing back the drapes she revealed the paned glass that stretched from floor to ceiling, and offered a breath-taking view of the city.


Setsuna, she was another matter entirely. As Sailor Pluto she was, above all else, the Guardian of the Time Gates. Any other duty came 2nd.

Not surprisingly, Makoto couldn't come up with any major differences between the Pluto of the past, and the Pluto of the future. Perhaps this was because the Warrior of Time was timeless herself.

The only change apparent in Setsuna was her face or rather, her expressions. Quiet and dignified though she was, the tall Senshi always had an air of sorrow about her. Rarely did she smile but, even when she did, the sadness in her eyes was still palpable.

Now though, from the brief encounters between them, few though they were, Makoto could sense that Pluto's sorrow had deepened. It almost felt as if she had suffered a loss, not uncommon to one who is ageless but, it seemed to affect her more seriously than other losses would.

Just who the solemn warrior felt she lost was easy enough to guess. Now that Small Lady was no longer considered an outcast to the city's inhabitants, she had no reason to venture down the abandoned halls of the palace to the Time Gates. She had no need for Pluto's company anymore.

The selfish princess did not even stop to think that, while she no longer required the interaction, Setsuna thrived on it. It was one less thing she could look forward to. Indeed, the evaporation of her one true relationship with another living being tore at her soul. It left a hollow place in a heart that had long been forgotten.

In fact, if one looked closely at the Soldier of Pluto nowadays, they would notice the near imperceptible hunch of her shoulders, caused by the constant pain radiating in her chest. The pain of losing the only thing truly dear to her.


Tired of the questioning glances thrown her way Makoto closed the door to her office with more force than was necessary. She strode back to the window, looking out at the glittering expanse of crystal but not actually seeing it.


She was the Soldier and Heir of the mighty planet Jupiter; Warrior of the Storms and Nature; the Scout of Protection. Indeed, this last Title she took the most seriously of all. Having lost all she held dear at such a young age, the toughened Makoto vowed to let no harm come to her new family, the Sailor Scouts. Above all else she strove to protect not just her Princess, but the others as well.

The drive to protect, to keep all her loved ones safe eventually consumed her. This happened not long after Crystal Tokyo was created.

The rise of the great city sparked an urgency in Makoto, driving her to create a strict training regiment, willing herself to grow stronger. She still made time for her friends, still socialized and kept up with the duties expected of her but; the need she felt to surpass all her physical and mental limits as a Planetary Warrior became her obsession.

Even so far into the Neo Silver Millennium as they were Jupiter could never stop the ridiculous feeling that the entire thing was a fluke, a hoax.

Some days she felt so sure that she would wake the next morning to find the ruins of the city around her, utterly destroyed as she slept, all her friends dead and dying. Those were the days she trained the hardest, ruthlessly pushing herself until she could do naught but collapse in exhaustion.

Now it seemed that, despite her efforts to remain connected to her 'family', her obsession still managed to take over her life. The most incriminating evidence of this fact was her lack of perception to Ami's behaviour. The fact that she noticed nothing new in regards to her closest friend showed just how out of touch she was with the people dear her. This brought her no end of shame.


Looking to the clock mounted on her wall she was surprised to see that lunchtime had come and gone. She had been lost in her thoughts for well over four hours now and had not done a lick of work. But she didn't care.

None of it mattered. None of it had ever mattered. Ami had tried to tell her that once, but she didn't listen. She should have listened.


The intelligent Scout of Wisdom, the quiet Child of Mercury; Ami was the only one to notice the subtle brainwashing, the distinctive change between a peaceful Utopia to a harsh dictatorship. She was the only one to recognize and break through the invisible stranglehold that loyalty to the Moon Princess inevitably brought.

She had forever been the studious one; the responsible, logical girl in a band of rowdy, hormone-driven teenagers. She was constantly berated by her friends to lighten up, to let loose and, when she politely refused them, they jokingly referred to her as a 'wet-blanket'. Such comments never appeared to bother Ami, she knew her friends meant well. It was simply a matter of their differing opinions on what fun consisted of.

Looking back now, Makoto considered that the repression of Ami's wilder side was held back for so long, it finally burst forth. When the blunette saw the damaging effects to the society, caused by Neo-Queen Serenity's bungled ruling, and faced with the inability to solve or even stop the dilemma, she snapped. Her rebellious side stepped up because the old Ami, the old Ami would only end up in a similar situation like the rest of the Scouts: afflicted, hollow, and reclusive.

Forgetting the fears and doubts she always carried with her, even into the Neo Silver Millennium, she faced life with a new vigour. The various scientific assignments she was given to perform on behalf of the entire city of Crystal Tokyo were finished quickly and without second thought. Her duties as the Department Head, as well as an on and off Doctor at the city's own Crystal Healing Hospital did little to dampen her spirits.

Mercury could be awfully stubborn when she wished to be, especially when it came to a fight for her very soul. A fight made all the more easier when Greg entered her life. Love came swiftly for them it seemed. Of course, it helped that they'd been previous acquaintances before the 2nd Ice Age had hit. Within weeks of becoming reacquainted with each other, they were sneaking into the other's place of work, and making secret rendezvous at all hours of the day.

Love has its price however, and it caused the couple to become careless in their meetings. Carelessness was a trait foreign to Ami, but such a powerful emotion as love could fog even the clearest thinking minds. Unbeknownst to them, their actions were followed for nearly a month before the order was given to halt their relationship.

Greg was placed in house arrest and Mercury was taken to be Trialed. The rest is recent history.


It wasn't until the sun blazed on the horizon that Makoto left her quadrant, but not before shattering one of the large glass panes of her window.

She didn't do it out of anger or frustration, though she felt plenty of both. Rather, she did it because she wanted to, because she could, because it would be for a reason so unlike the reserved soldier that she had become.

A single bolt of lightning and the thick glass tinkered to the floor. Shards flew everywhere and small cuts now covered her body because of this. The joy she felt, the satisfaction that thrummed through her when she did what she did was so potent, that it terrified her.

That final rush, that surge of her emotions, sucked any remaining energy Makoto had right out of her. She was emotionally and mentally drained; she'd gotten a maximum of three hours actual sleep in the last two nights; and she'd not touched a morsel of food all day. Added together that gave her a good reason for her sheer exhaustion.

Attending the mandatory Evening Meal never even crossed the Thunder Senshi's mind. All she had the power to think of was her bed. She crashed and rolled onto said bed with no little amount of effort.

Too tired to even shift her head to a nearby pillow, Makoto went out like a light, but not before whispering to herself, and to everyone else, "I don't know who you are anymore."


CrystalMaker: Good Lord! I didn't think it would be this long! If you're annoyed by the poor quality and rushiness of this chapter all I have to say is, you cannot be as T.Oed as I am. It just kept going and going, and I couldn't very well stop because I wanted to get it all out into the open now, so that I could move on.

Right, so you don't have to be happy with this chapter (God knows I'm not), and I want you to tell me if it does indeed suck, or if it's all just in my head. Cool? Cool.

Hopefully future chappies will be of better, less repetitive quality. So keep tuning in! I am deeply in love with all of you.

Peace, baby.